Catching Up is Hard to Do

It has been a wet and wild winter here (sorry for the alliteration) so February was not as productive as it should have been. Makerspace Mondays was postponed to this next Monday (eek!) and it has made overdue books a pain to track down. Kids have a hard time remembering where they left stuff because I'm sure its all mixed in with their swimsuits, souvenirs, or ski gear! Spring Break has also thrown a curve ball. We have not had as much time to get certain things done but I think we are finally catching up.

The things I've finally managed to catch up on are:
--Winter 2015 Newsletter
--Greenhill Goes Global displays
--BOOK COVERING (side note: yes, this deserves to be in all caps.  I rarely have time enough between classes, from all grades, to get stuff covered. Its very taxing.)
--Spring cleaning of my desk
--More!

I cannot remember the more stuff, which is why I need to blog more frequently. I think of great and innovative articles or reviews to jot down but then -poof- they disappear quicker than you can say homework. School is cluttering my brain, and while I'm not blaming it for my distraction  or forgetfulness, it is an inhibitor for my creative thought.

March is Women's History Month, where students have been hearing some fabulous biographies and stories about strong, brave women that have changed history. This morning, while filling in to teach 3rd grade, I read them the book Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? by Tanya Lee Stone. Its the story of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in America. This is a great read for having in depth discussions about women's rights and abilities. Some of the quotes from men of the time regarding Ms. Blackwell were upsetting to the students and it encouraged them to think about why it was wrong. I love when the kids get passionate about something, especially in history!

This month is also Greenhill Goes Global, where different global cultures are celebrated through live performances, food, dress, and stories. We did our part in the library by putting up some snazzy flags I had printed up last year for the same thing:

My desk is partaking in the festivities this year, too.

April is National Poetry month and we're already starting to plan all the fun activities. This has been a bit of a challenge, since children are so developmentally different depending on their age and grade. Luckily, there is such a thing as Pinterest and other teachers have been able to do creative things that we are taking inspiration from. There will be a Poetree (is that the correct spelling? I'm not really all that familiar with literary horticulture), riddles, and all kinds of fun activities. We really want the students to be able to take away an appreciation of poetry.