Flying By Fast Summer: Friday Favorites!

Hello there!  Summer is the season that passes the quickest, and with good reason - there is so much to accomplish.  I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything to highlight this week's Friday Favorites!

                           Friday Favorites!

Sand Castles

At Revere Beach (the first public beach in America), there is an annual sand sculpture competition.  We went on last week after the crowds were gone:

Mapping Boston!

Here's a flashback to a summer course I took: Mapping Boston In the American Revolution course.  (Click here to get teaching materials you can use in your own classroom!)  My lesson centered around mapping the Boston Tea Party - the route from the Old South Meeting House to Griffin's Wharf:

This is an enlarged section of the Bonner Map of Boston (click here to see the whole map).  The Old South Meeting House is at the corner of Cornhill and Milk Streets.  Griffin's Wharf got cut out in this picture.  The lesson plan would involve mapping the route the Sons of Liberty took.

If you want to see the location of the Old State House, it's on the upper end of King Street.

As a follow-up activity, I'd love to recreate colonial Boston.  Here's the display from the Old South Meeting House:

Click here to see a Boston Tea Party diorama on TPT.

Books About Boston

When we were at Old South Meeting House, I visited the gift shop to get book ideas:

My favorite book was the Freedom Trail Pop-Up Book, but I just checked on Amazon, and it costs $29.99.  Maybe I'll save that purchase for when/if I get a gift card. 

Animal Atlas

I read about this great book in another blog, and I had to buy it for myself:

The Animal Planet Animal Atlas is amazing and colorful.  It's full of fascinating facts and close-up pictures of so many animals.  I picked the pictures of the moose and the puffin because I want to see those animals in real life - maybe some day!  Click here to check it out on Amazon!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Last, but not least, I went bought some items at Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale:

This cap isn't part of the sale, but it's so cute I bought it for my daughter.  But, if she doesn't want it, I am happy to have it!

I got this black Wit and Wisdom pants for the cooler weather.

Lastly, I bought this cozy cardigan.  Years ago, I bought a "grandpa" sweater from Nordstrom.  I wear it all the time because it's so cozy so I'm hoping this sweater is equally comfortable.

Did you buy anything fun lately?  

As always, thank you for visiting today!  Remember to check out the other great blogs at:

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Keeping Focused and On Course in December!

Hello there!  Thanks for visiting today!  Check out what we've been up to these days!

Holiday Concert = A Great Success

Our very talented Music teacher put together another delightful all-school holiday show!  Here are the third graders on the risers:

Thank you to Music Teacher, Ms. Newman, for preparing and practicing with our students for these concerts!

Contraction Action Morning Messages

Last week we learned about contractions for Spelling so I incorporated the theme into our Morning Messages:

More About the Boston Tea Party Reenactment

Part of the Boston Tea Party reenactment is having the opportunity to interact with the "colonists" who are dressed in period costume:

In addition, the Old South Meetinghouse has a museum with these artifacts:

Check out the vial of tea leaves in the upper left corner of the picture above.  These tea leaves are supposed to be the only remaining tea leaves from the original Boston Tea Party.  One of the participants had these tea leaves in his shoes, and he saved them.  Of course, if you want to see one of the two remaining tea chests from the Boston Tea Party, you can go to the Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum!

A.L.I.C.E. Training

A Woburn police officer came to speak to the kids about A.L.I.C.E. program (you can read more here.)  The day before, we watched the read-aloud of this book:

Click on book to read more at Amazon.

Here are some of the slides shown during the assembly:

The kids' favorite part was practicing afterwards:  the evacuation (with our coats on) and barricading the doors of the classroom.

Thank you for checking in today, and

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Delightful December Showing and Telling!

Happy Winter Solstice ~ Almost!  I love knowing that each day will have an extra minute or two of daylight!

Today I'm linking up with Stephanie from Forever in 5th Grade for:

 Boston Tea Party Reenactment

If you love history and want to participate in a reenactment, the Old South Meeting House recreates the December 16, 1773 meeting in which the decision was made to dispose of the tea on the three British ships in Boston Harbor.  Before the actual reenactment, many "colonists" mingle with the crowd:

 Here are some scenes during the reenactment:

 This is the second year I've attended the reenactment, and it is so much fun!  Of course, if you're ever in Boston, you can visit the Old South Meeting House ~ it's on the Freedom Trail. 

 Cara Cara Oranges & Good Luck

They're back!  Cara Cara oranges are finally back, and if you've never had one, please check them out!  Juicy Cara Cara oranges are pink inside.  These oranges were discovered in 1976 and weren't even available in the U.S. until the end of the 1980s.  I was so excited to find them over the weekend:

While purchasing my favorite oranges and other delicious fruit, my total purchase came to:

I'm always feeling lucky when my total purchase randomly comes to a number like this!

Gingerbread Exchange Fun

My students created the most amazing gingerbread and wrote letters chock full of Massachusetts history and information for our Gingerbread exchange.  Check out some of their creations:

I gave the kids two options:  a Celtics themed gingerbread or a baker with the state muffin and cookie.  Of course, I told them to feel free to create their own gingerbread people.  What a fun project this is!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog ~ it means so much to me!

Happy Holidays to you and your family!

 

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Five For Friday on a Snowy Day!

Today I'm creating my own personal Five For Friday to keep you up to date on all the excitement at school and on my adventure to Boston to see the reenactment of the Boston Tea Party meeting at the Old South Meeting House:

 Morning Messages

Check out our Morning Messages which focused on suffixes and National Chocolate Covered Anything Day:

One of my new favorite additions to my whiteboard Morning Messages is the gif for falling snow.  Click here to check out the snow gif and other animated ones.

A fourth grade teacher at school asked her students how many digits there were.  The first answer was "infinity," and that's from one of my former and smarter students.  I reviewed digits with my current students - of course, when they're in fourth grade,....

Holiday Concert

We had our school holiday program with a dress rehearsal on Tuesday, and the actual program on Thursday.  I forgot my phone both days, but I managed to snag a photo from my colleague, Ms. Aufiero, of the dress rehearsal:

The kids sang a Hanukkah song, Jubilation, as well as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Future Caldecott Winning Books

Every grade level at our school received six possible Caldecott Medal books to read and review with our classes.  In January, the kids will vote on the book they feel will win the coveted Caldecott Medal.  Now presenting, the book selection:

If you want to read more about some of these books like Are We There Yet? (click here);  Make Something Beautiful (click here); or The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles (here).

As we read and review these books, I'll be sure to write about our opinions.

Boston City Hall Re-imagined and Amazing!

If you've ever been to Boston City Hall Plaza, it's not a place you'd want to revisit.  That's all changed now because there's an outdoor skating rink, shopping chalets and food vendors!  I can't wait to go back when it's a little warmer than it was last (Friday) night.  Here's a peek at the skating rink and the shopping chalets (pictures from
  http://cityhallplazaboston.com/)

Skating Path

Experienced skaters and novices alike are invited to lace up and skate around New England’s first custom-designed skating path.

MORE INFO

Holiday Market

A shopper’s delight! More than 40 European-inspired chalets selling unique gifts for everyone on your list.

MORE INFO

Click here to read more!

Highlight of the Week = Boston Tea Party Reenactment!

Last August I bought tickets to go to the Old South Meeting House in Boston to watch the Boston Tea Party Reenactment.  Of course, last night and yesterday turned out to be frigid, but I was determined to check it out, and it was worth it!

Every year on December 16 at 6:30 p.m. the Tea Party is reenacted starting with the meeting at the Old South Meeting House.  There are so many reenactors dressed in their colonial finery.  In the above picture to the left, that is Samuel Adams in the red.  I accidentally called him "Sam," and I was immediately corrected.  Audience participation is encouraged and welcomed; it's a very interactive program that truly brought history to life.  Next year it will be on a Saturday night so please try to come if you can.

Click here to read more about all the history that has taken place in the Old South Meeting House!

In closing, I managed to get a monster cold last week and now have serious laryngitis.  I just read that whispering is more stressful to your larynx that talking softly.  I'm spending a day in silence - which is probably just what I need!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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