End of the Year & Summer Bucket List

I have seen some or your Summer Bucket Lists and have decided to create one for myself. :)  Although I haven't created it yet, I do know that classroom organization will be high on my list!  I was over at Create-Teach-Share's blog site and saw some cute things I want to make for my classroom.   I love the 22-drawer organizer idea    to store lots of  "little" extras like pens, highlighters, brads, staples, mini post-it-notes, etc.


I am also going to be sure and add something about trying a new recipe for the family at least once a week.

For now, I have 9 days of school left to finish up our "Rainforest Unit."  Our classroom is being transformed as we learn about each layer. We are currently learning about the canopy layer and what animals make this layer their home.  I really love teaching about the Rainforest and have decided that this will be my first unit I put together to sell on TPT/Teacher's Notebook.  I try to cover everything from geography/map skills to habitats, animals/animal reports/butterfly & frog life cycles, conservation/recycling, products from the rainforest, and more.   I will post some pictures when we are finished.  For now, I need to get back to report cards and planning out the last week of school.  I hope everyone makes the most of their end of the year activities.  I was reading an article on Edutopia that explained student's behavior as a direct correlation to teachers planning and activities at the end of the year.  In other words....Students NEED routine....yet, so many teachers disrupt student's routine toward the end of the year by taking down BB, packing materials away, and cleaning everything.  This essentially signals to students that they are finished learning for the year and procedures are no longer in effect.  To avoid unacceptable, unfocused, or out-of-control behavior this time of year...teachers NEED to be teaching up until a couple of days before school is officially out.   Be AWARE teachers, this is even true at my school!  I can honestly share that my students have been SUPER because they know, and are ENGAGED, with all of the learning that remains about the rainforest before the end of the year!  So many of my students have even said they don't want school to end!  Gosh, I love my class!!

See you in a few weeks, when I can really get into blogging!