Dot Day and Farm to Table

 On September 14, I was able to attend a training with other regional public librarians.  A real life training for the 1st time during school since fall 2019.  

Take aways were connecting to bring resources together and bring families back to the library!  So enlightening...plus we discussed future ready index and current state of our youth.

While I was away, students were working on a variety of Dot Day inspired projects.

I used the print out from Novel Effect for mini frames to make their mark for 1st and 2nd

Art Display

Plus 3rd and 4th made collaborative dots.  Here is a link to one blog that they can be found on.

Collaborative Dot

Here is the start of the display....

Plus we used a few other Dot related activities like creating Dot inspired creations out of caps and using an e-light bright website.

Dot game

lego wall...says STEAM 

The last group finishes up on Tuesday  :)

Plus we jumped in to farm to table lessons.  Those will be finishing up Monday and Wednesday this week.  So lots of catching uthis week.

Grade 2 and 3 make squash pasta.  Combine pureed cooked squash or pumpkin with flour...it becomes playdough like...roll into a log...cut into pieces...then cook.  

Thanks to my friend Amelia for this recipe.  

  

Grade 1 and K tasted zucchini bread.  I did a cooking demo for grade 1.  This recipe was from another dear gardening friend LeeAnn.

Grade 4 did herbs and cauliflower crust pizza.  Yum!

It has been a great couple of weeks.  Plus one of my coding sites updated and is ready for fun.

We are talk more about Johnny Applebee's, pumpkins, fall, and more!

Off to a new week!

Climate and Culture with Gerry Brooks

 Last week, a fellow teacher mentioned that Gerry Brooks was coming to a town about an hour away.

Initially I wanted to go then I doubted myself - I am not particularly social and just at an awkward phase of life.  I know that they say middle school and high school is the worst - no wait until you are in your mid forties with 6 kids...

So off to Jamestown NY we went without a plan for dinner but the goal was a night of fun and laughs.

One of my teacher besties re-connected, shopped in a cute hippie shop, and explored the town.

Soon we added another teacher and off to dinner we went at a hip craft beer bar called the Beer Snob.  I had a chicken taco.  YUM - if you know me - this is not my fav food - but one that I learning to love.

Then we caught up with more teachers...when we saw him across the street...yes we screamed like teen fan girls at him!  

Soon it was time to find seats and get some group pictures.  I will not post them without permission.

Next up was the actual show...it was almost two hours about improving the culture of our schools.  I do not want to give up too much of the show.  It was not only hilarious, but deeply moving.  The ending sent the tone.  One big take away is re-looking at my way of thinking.  YES this theme keeps coming back to me. 

Guess it is time to work on my outlook.  Look at my blessings.  See the glass as half full.

Totally worth my time...Glad that I got out of my head and took the chance.

Had to get a selfie!

Cute theater

Here he is!

So my message to myself is to take the chance...make the time...go for it!

Internet Safety and week 1

 The first two weeks of school are wrapping.  Not sure how anyone is going to sustain for a 5 day week!!!

It has been a mostly great 2 weeks...my students are following routines and procedures, my own personal kids are settling into the routine, etc...

So what do we cover the first week of STEAM?  INTERNET SAFETY!!!

I cover internet safety directly twice a year - first of school and first week after Christmas break.

My goal is to plant seeds of safety, review key topics, and hope to influence their choices at home on technology.  At school, there are limitations and filters, but home is a complete different world.  Some have little technology experiences and others are on devices with few limitations.  It is an entire span of options.  

Kindergarten got to explore centers and learn what is 'STEAM'!  Some of the activities include pattern blocks, keva planks, and a coloring sheet.  

Here is a good time to re-post my favorite two quotes:

K students hard at work with creativity!

This was a car

Here is a flower

And a face - you can see eyelashes

1st grade uses Common Sense Media's lesson plans...the goal is to pause and think online then they color a work sheet to remind them to use their ARMS (to balance screen time), LEGS (to stand up to bullies online), GUT (to listen to their gut online), FEET (to make good digital footprints), HEART (to be nice and kind online), and HEAD (to think when online).  

  

2nd grade does a similar activity - we just dive deeper into the same topics

3rd grade talks about the "Rings of Responsibility" to look at how our choices online affect us and others.

Finally 4th grade works on thinking about their "Media Choices" both online and offline media (like books).  By talking about healthy and unhealthy choices, students get an idea of what is good for them.  

We use the curriculum created by Common Sense Media.  Common Sense Media

In addition, we do some non-tech topics.  

1st grade read part of Dreaming Up - to learn how play helps us as engineers

2nd grade was discussing team work by reading 

3rd and 4th grade read What Do You Do With an Idea then created light bulbs.  This took us two classes so some students are still finishing up :)

The other side of the light bulb is how they will change the world!  So many cool ideas from simple clean up the earth to designing new items to feeding the poor...very creative thinkers!

I have picked the school garden twice with some lovely cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onions, and potatoes!

Now we are working on computer log ins...the first time is DAUNTING...but it has be done...look for more updates and hands on pictures soon.

Plus we are getting ready to launch our traveling mural project again...I wonder what ideas they will generate...I am liking the ideas from our What Do You Do with an IDEA activity...maybe mini lightbulbs and big letters in the middle?

Traveling Mural Info

Look for periodic updates as the year progresses!

Mindset shifting

Today, I received recognition of my 15 years with the district.  WOW - I wish that I would have gotten a picture of the moment...but it seems surreal.  15 years ago, I started my job as a recent mom of 2, newly married, and finishing up my master's degree.  It was a crazy leap of fair to move from part time to full time while 9 months pregnant.  I interview at 9 months, delivered the baby a week later, then started the new job 5 weeks later during Halloween week.  It was a wild ride.

After all of the awards was time for the kick off motivational speaker Niki Spears.  Niki Spears link
Her main book is 

I love this title!  It was all about being grateful, being aware, and more!  One theme is changing our frame of mind.  I really need to be more positive.  It got me thinking about my end of summer camping trip.  

I had 48 hours to be present and grateful with 5 of my 6 children.  My 12 year old requested a real campout this summer so I made it happen.  On Sunday afternoon in a pouring down rainstorm, we loaded up the mini van with a tent, cooler of food, clothes, and anything else.  We forgot pillows, fire starter (lighter), and a hot pad/oven mitt.  Luckily I thought of two of them on the way up and stopped at Dollar General.

We traveled 2.5 hours north to Letchworth State Park.  We checked into the campground and got to our campsite with sunny clear skies but scary looking radar.

Quickly, our team assembled a tent, unloaded sleeping bags and clothes, and put up the canopy and shelter.  Plus a few of the littles were looking for sticks and pine cones and small fire wood pieces.  

1 hour later (just as we finished) a crack of thunder told us the nice weather was ending.  

Dinner got started over the fire but dry wood was limited as well as kindling. We pre-packed foil pouches with ham steak, potatoes, corn, carrots, onions, and peppers!  YUM!!!

After dinner it was getting late so we walked to the camp store and got some firewood pieces and checked out the goodies.  We met our neighbor!  A cool lady from Florida...my children adored talking to her, touring her skoolie, and more!

It rained off and on all night...the tent worked pretty well with an extra tarp on top (thanks to our friend Bud for this tip!)  

Monday brought a relaxing morning...Ben taught us how to make eggs in a plastic bag.  Some chose to add ham and cheese.  Overall, the worked except our grate over the fire shifted and nearly spilt all of the HOT water and we did not have a hot pad/pot holder.  I also brought oatmeal.  Lucas declared that he preferred mushy oatmeal not crunchy oatmeal as we were packing up food.  He did not understand that we would be adding water or milk to them at camp. 

Then we did figure out that we had to reserve tickets for the tour of the Mount Morris Dam in person (or ahead of time online).   So I dashed off to reserve tickets as they cleaned up breakfast and the tent.  It worked better than at home!!!
I got to see some cool sites on my adventure for tickets like a turkey vultures up close. 

Upon my return, we learned that the pool was closed - BIG BUMMER.  The park is LONG and skinny so everything is NORTH like the dam and pool or SOUTH like the falls, overlook, museums, nature center and more.  So we did not want to head south for a few hours to only head north but we decided to explore the ANT (Autism Nature Trail) trail and visitor center.   These were close together and part of Ben's research for a possible Eagle Scout project idea.  

Afterwards we did stop in the nature center as the rain returned and caught them feeding the black rat snake a mouse.  Yuck and interesting simultaneously.  Ben took a 4 minute video if you care to watch.

Then we dashed off to the Mount Morris Dam in hopes of a tour.  This was so cool...we walked out onto the dam then went inside of the dam.  It is a restricted area only open for 1-2 tours a day.  Plus there is a video and small museum there.  

We got to walk out to the dam, enter the tower, and take an elevator DOWN into the dam and explore the tunnels.

  

We returned for dinner - walking tacos - which turned out so good!  After dinner was clean up and then lights on the middle falls.  The neighbor, @conchtownbus on Instagram joined us on this adventure.  It was breath-taking and again a random down pour.  

BREATH TAKING MIDDLE FALLS

The begging for an extended stay was in high gear, but I had to return to reality on Tuesday for a back to school event, a scout activity, and my 15 year award mentioned above. 

Tuesday was camp pack up and seeing the Letchworth Museum, the Council grounds, a playground, and a trip to one more waterfall!  Again the pool was closed :(

Fun at the upper falls!  

Family selfie

Breakfast of champions

It was an amazing trip proving that I could do a crazy trip like this.  I got to re-connect with my kids, talk, laugh, dance in the rain (Ben played lots of fun music on his phone!), and see their strengths shine!

This experience came full circle during our motivational speaker today.  I still want to be camping but know that I have this core memory and can create more of these moments.  

Now to make memories with my students this school year.  I am excited to beef up my cyber security curriculum, incorporate new lessons, continue to re-use pre-covid activities and robots.  

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts and adventures!