Five for Friday Flashback (book club, kites, fun field trip!)

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and the wonderful Amanda from Teaching Maddeness to share some highlights of my week.  I apologize for being so MIA this week!  I am missing all these great link ups during the week because well, life, has been getting in the way!  Falling asleep on the couch every night while trying to get my schoolwork done is getting O.L.D.!!  I can't wait to have a break from daily planning and grading (then, I can have more time for blogging! lol).  

My little girl turned SIX on Wednesday!  We were thrilled because her checkup after her tonsil/adenoid surgery was the morning of her birthday and she was cleared to go back to school!  Daddy brought her into school with her birthday treat and all her friends ran up to her and gave her lots of hugs and love.  I wish I could have been there:(

She had her family birthday party on Sunday.  Her friend birthday party is tomorrow at a Little Diva Day Spa for girls ages 3-12.  She is having seven little girlfriends join her for a couple hours of pampering fun with a fairy theme!!

Here she is at the Memorial Day parade with her favorite present from Grandma (crutches for her doll!).  

My little buddy, Charlie, loved the parade and firetrucks too:)

Wednesday was "K day" for "KITE DAY!"  

Our students are LOVING the ABC countdown calendar that I read about here at the amazing Amanda and Stacia's blog, Collaboration Cuties.

It was the perfect day to fly a kite with a great breeze and some cloudy skies.  I lost count of how many students told me that this was their first time EVER flying a kite!

A student from my homeroom and ELA class won 2nd place in an essay contest for the county!!  The American Legion sponsors an essay contest on the topic, "What the American Flag Means to Me."  There were over 1,100 entries and representatives from the Legion made a special trip to our school to present our winner with his prize of $75 in front of his classmates!  I videotaped the presentation as well as the student reading his essay to the entire 4th grade.  I will give a copy of the video to his parents.

Proud student moment right here!

I FINALLY had my walkthrough observation on Thursday!!  We had a formal observation back in the fall and the walkthrough is new this year.

Good news?  It's over and I have that weight lifted off my shoulders!

Bad news?  I now have to write a formal lesson plan and have all my artifacts ready for Monday.  We have to keep 24 artifacts throughout the year (needed 12 at formal observation and 12 more after walkthrough) to address domains one and four of the Danielson Rubric evaluation system for teachers.  They also cannot be just ANY artifacts.  The artifacts must be one of the three "recommended artifacts" from our negotiated rubric.  

So, my principal walked in right before ELA was about to begin and we worked on our Book Clubs!!  I think it went well (I hope!) and I had created these forms that the students already had.  I will blog more about how Book Clubs went and the forms I created after the students finish their final meetings (June 11th).  One thing is for sure about my book clubs...the learning is DEFINITELY student centered!

Today we took the students on one of my favorite field trips!  The 4th grade classes toured Chautauqua Institution (founded in 1874).  

This is the only one of the "Grand Hotels" with wood frames that have survived from the 1800's.

This is a picture of the amphitheater where a bustle of activity takes place all day every day throughout the summer!!

Although I still have three weeks of school left, I can't help but notice that many of my BBB's are on summer vacay!  I was hoping you could complete a quick survey about how you would like to continue "Tried It Tuesday" over the summer (thanks for the idea Amanda and Stacia!).  I am loving all the ideas linked up every week and am happy to continue the linky each week as long as there is interest!  I just don't want to overwhelm anyone or make my normal link ups feels pressured to link up each week:)  I know I will be blogging more over the summer but I don't know if that feeling is the norm.  Please take the quick survey to give me an idea of how to proceed:)  Thank you so much for your support!  XXOO