End of the Year Review

This week is our last week of school at Lakeshore Christian Academy, and let me tell you we are all excited! The kids want to have a party week, but it ain't gonna happen, no siree. We are going to work work work til we absolutely have to quit and clean up. One day they'll thank me. Since we finished up our last vocab unit last week we have been reviewing the units we've covered this year. Today I printed Mad Libs for students to fill out using their vocab words. They loved it! Working in pairs they filled in four different stories and had a chance to share two with the rest of the class. The Mad Libs activity would mostly review the part of speech for their vocab words, but at least it's something. And, in the curriculum I use students have to know just about everything about each word so it works fine to just review part of speech. I think this activity would be good for any one unit, but it might be best with a whole bunch of units to choose from like we had. Either way, it's one more way to put into practice vocabulary words being learned.

If I could have my way...

"One day I would have all the books in the world, shelves and shelves of them. I would live my life in a tower of books. I would read all day long and eat peaches. And if any young knights in armor dared to come calling on their white chargers and plead with me to let down my hair, I would pelt them with peach pits until they went home."

--The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

Read Aloud

As I wrap up this school year, I'm thinking back on the read-aloud books I've used this year and in years past. I thought I'd share some of the titles with you. These books would probably be best for 4th grade and up. This is by no means the entire list of books I've used in the last six years - just the ones that come to mind right now.

Bartlett and the Ice Voyage by Odo Hirsch
Airman by Eoin Colfer*
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (1923 Newbery Medal)
Masterpiece by Elise Broach
Harry's Mad by Dick King-Smith
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Di Camillo (2004 Newbery Medal)
Someone Named Eva by Joan M. Wolf
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke**
Fearless by Elvira Woodruff
Toliver's Secret by Esther Wood Brady
The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss

*Favorite of my 2010-2011 5th and 6th grade class. They loved this book more than any other class loved a book! It is also one of my top picks.

**My fifth grade class of 2009-2010 actually listened to Dragon Rider on disc, read by Brendan Frasier. I highly recommend the disc version, especially if you've never read the book!

Where can you find a brawl?

Part of my students' assignment during each vocabulary unit is to find all twenty words somewhere in the world around them. (Billboards, TV shows, newspaper, people saying them, etc.) Looking through our new vocab unit, my students were dismayed to see twenty really unusual words. For instance, one student commented, "Like brawl Miss D., where are we going to find that?" Another student piped right up in reply, "At Victoria's Secret!" (Gotta love 6th graders=)

I Smile

Though of no eternal value whatsoever, the following items are a few little luxuries I have been enjoying lately....maybe you will too! (I've added links to them all in case you want to check them out further.)

SHAPE magazine - full of helpful hints and real-life success stories, this magazine makes living a healthy life look like loads of fun!

Hayley Westenra, vocalist - think Charlotte Church, only way way better

Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Tea - "100% Natural, Heart Healthy, Dairy Free"

Champion yoga pants from Target - long, semi-fitted, perfect for lunging or lounging

Udi's gluten-free bread - whole grain and cinnamon raisin; gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free yet tastes like real bread!

Suave Naturals apricot & orange blossom exfoliating body wash - who knew a $1.97 body wash could be the perfect fragrance, texture, everything?!

Spot It! - unique card game I was introduced to at Mackinaw Kite Co. recently. Fun for all ages!

Hold Me by Jamie Grace w/ Toby Mac - lighthearted and a bit shallow, but fun and perfect for a triple-step swing!

Cover Girl fresh complexion pocket powder foundation - finally, a foundation that feels good and lasts all day

North Ottawa Dunes trails - conveniently located in nearby Ferrysburg, Michigan, these trails are perfect for running, hiking, and getting away from it all.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - Tuesday nights at 8:00 on ABC; so good it's almost awe-inspiring

Read To Me

Noteworthy

My students did so exceedingly fantastic on their vocab quiz today that I wanted everyone who reads my blog to know about it!! Each month they have twenty vocabulary words to learn. They learn the spelling, meaning, antonyms, synonyms, part of speech, and placement of the accent mark. It's alot! And the words aren't easy....we're talking about inimitable, controversial, entrepreneur, firebrand, vengeance, adjacent and many others. Today the kids had a quiz over this unit's first ten words. I gave the definitions and they had to give the correct word. Not only that, they had to spell them accurately. For bonus points, students could list the part of speech for each word. Most students got an A+, but all of the grades were above average and absolutely acceptable. Let it be known that I am so proud of my students and thank God for their hard work in preparing for this quiz.