Another 3-Day Weekend Has Come and Gone!

I always love my 3 day weekends, even though they still never seem to be long enough.  I can say that I feel as though I was able to get A LOT accomplished this weekend, even if most of it was stuff that I should have done after I entered grades and made lesson plans for the week.  **Which I still have NOT done.*** :-/  Oh well, sleeping in, taking naps, making cookies with my cookie monster, going to the movies, washing ALL of our laundry, and hanging out with friends was a little more important.  I guess it will just be a L-O-N-G night! 

Last week was such a whirl wind .... one that I hope not to experience EVER again.  Tuesday started off great, we had our mock election.  Now, when I say mock election, it was pretty legit.  Several of my kids had jobs to help the voting station/booths run smoothly.  Not going to lie, I think I had just as much fun watching them as they had participating! :)  I just loved the unit I bought from Amanda over at One Extra Degree that helped prepare my students for the election, the plus side of it is it's something I can use for US symbols and the branches of the government, too!

The bulletin board above the voting booths.

Prior to ever voting, of course students had to register!

Students had to sign as they arrived, prior to entering the booths.

"Workers" explained how to use the ballots to the voters.

Students voting in their "booth."

Once students voted and they put their ballot into the box, "workers" checked their name off and gave them an "I VOTED Today" sticker!

Then that evening I had a professional development session with a teammate.  It was releaving  to find out that we are NOT the only ones behind, but also that our writing is going SO much more smooth than most others.  (I'm not trying to brag, but seriously, most peoples stressors were our successes!) On my way home my tire became flat, I pulled over to air it up, well GOD was watching over me.  I had a massive blowout, not the kind where you're driving and have a blowout, the kind where you're airing up the tire and the tire explodes.  Yes, while I was airing up my tire, the tire exploded, luckily it was inward towards my car, rather than out towards me, otherwise I would probably not be typing this right now.  As I was on the phone with AAA (bc as much as I hate to admit it, I do not know how to change a tire), a gentleman offered to change my tire.  At first I refused his help, but as he approached me (yes, I was in a well part of the gas station, on a central road), I agreed to take his help seeing that he was a discount tire employee.  Thankfully he was able to change it, that my baby wasn't with me, that the tire did not explode outwards, and well that I am safe.  Seriously, GOD was without a doubt watching over me.  

Ok, so enough of my rant.  Here are some pictures from the last twoish weeks. 

 I posted a unit a few weeks ago for the Hallo-Weiner's.  Here are our examples, a few weeks too late! ;)

We also just finished our Texas Symbols Art Project.  This was an art project that I sent home, an easy way to get my art grades and to allow students to work with their parents. Loved the turn out, we also had a little open house for parents, which was a huge hit.

I came up with an idea last week as I was contemplating what to do with contractions .... contraction cornstalks!  I thought it would be a fun fall twist on contractions.  In the past I have made the contraction caterpillars, contraction sailboats, and who knows what else.  I was dying to make something fun and fall to put in the hallway, thus the contraction cornstalks.  So I decided to put together a couple other things I made last spring to make a fun little contractions unit.  You can grab the craftivity alone or in a bundle with all the other funtivities.  (Yes, I think I made up a new word. I like it... FUNTIVITIES!) :) 

This is the preview of all that is included in the unit, lots of fun stuff!

 I pulled out two of the activities to sell outside of the bundle, if you're interested, contraction surgery.  My kiddos L-O-V-E-D this!

Oh & of course my inspiration, the contraction cornstalk! I'm in love with how cute they turned out! :)

For those of you who didn't have a 3 day weekend, I'm sorry.  I hope that a good week is in store for everyone, just remember, it is almost Thanksgiving break and Black-Friday madness!

Kelli