Camp Timber-lee: Day One

The night is drawing to a close, and I cannot believe how much we fit in! We had six different activity sessions, skit practices, and large group time. My favorite part of the day has been seeing how much the students are growing and working together.

During the day, groups travel from activity to activity with their ARRE time groups. Teaches and Camp Timber-Lee staff run the activity sessions as the groups rotate through. This evening, I got a break from leading sessions and got to attend all three night sessions with my ARRE time, which was really special. 

Here's some highlights from the day:

Orienteering: Students used compasses to navigate an orienteering course.  They learned to read a compass and take bearings to travel in a specific direction. 

Pond Study: This afternoon, we braved the rain as we studied the pond.  After learning a little about the importance of ponds and their ecosystems, students used pond nets to scrap the top and bottom of the pond. We were amazed by the critters we found! Especially the leeches! You can see a couple leeches with cool patterns in the pictures above. 

Leather Making: After dinner, my ARRE time had the opportunity for leather making. We got to pound in the designs ourselves, and then choose the leather color. It was a great hands-on project!

Farm Animals:  We ended the night with a trip to the barn. After learning about the animals, we got to feed and pet them! Some of the animals we interacted with included goats, llamas, alpacas, a cow, pigs, and chickens. 

As you can see, it was an action-filled day. In the girls dorm, we are just winding down for lights out and some well-deserved rest. 

More updates to come soon! 

Camp Timber-Lee

We arrived at camp! Students are traveling from group to group with their ARRE times. We had one session before lunch, and we'll have three more after!

The first station I led was Arts and Crafts. Inspired by Temporal Artist Andy Goldsworthy. Check out the forest art the students made:

Visit to the School Library

In my opinion, today was one of the most exciting days, by far!  Today, our entire class went to the library for library orientation.  Mrs. Neal and Ms. Micheals told us about upcoming events (there is a new IMMS book club starting later in September!), showed us how to use the online library guide, and explained the different sections of the library and how to check out books.  

Mrs. Neal and Ms. Micheals make displays of current books....we are so lucky because our school library has books available that are backed up by holds at the public library!  Today, I felt like I hit the jack-pot.  I found the titles of several books that I've been on the waiting list for months at the public library.

Here's a preview of the books I'll be reading over the next couple of weeks:

As I finish them, I'll do a "book commercial" about them for the class.  Then, if anyone in our class wants to check the book out, they'll have first dibs! :)

I just started The One and Only Ivan, and I'm already hooked.  I'm looking forward to curling up with it this weekend!

Our First Read Aloud

Our first Read Aloud for the School Year is Schooled, by Gordon Korman.  This book is one of my new favorites!  

Here's a quick synopsis from Goodreads:

"Homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television, tasted a pizza, or even heard of a wedgie. But when his grandmother lands in the hospital, Cap is forced to move in with a school counselor and attend the local middle school. While Cap knows a lot about tie-dyeing and Zen Buddhism, no education could prepare him for the politics of public school."

One of my favorite parts about the book is written in first person and the chapters alternate between different characters' points of view.  That means with each new chapter, we get a different character's take on the situation.  So far, we have met Cap, the main character, Mrs. Donnelly, a well-meaning social worker, and Zach, the most popular boy at Claverage Middle School. I can't wait for more of the story to unfold...

We are reading Schooled as are homeroom read aloud.  This means that after lunch, students attend their homerooms, and every 6th grade homeroom reads Schooled. I hope you find it as funny and insightful about middle school as I do!

Making a Marvelous Classroom Library

Someone once told me that every child is a reader, they just need to find the right book.  My goal this year is to help students discover books that will ignite and keep ablaze their passion for reading.

As this is my first year teaching in McFarland, our classroom library is a work in progress.  I've carted every single young adult book I own to our classroom.  I've ransacked my teenage brothers' rooms asking to borrow their favorite books from middle school.  I've searched through piles of books at thrift stores, and I've begged and borrowed from family and friends.  We have a good beginning, but we could use your help!

Our class needs engaging, exciting, and current young adult novels at their finger tips.  If you have any young adult novels or relevant picture books at home that you would feel comfortable donating to our classroom, we would love to accept your donations!  During the course of the year, if you are looking to contribute to the classroom in some way, books would be a welcome gift.

I believe the best books serve as a window and a mirror.  They allow us to learn about diverse people, places, and times, and yet, they also grant us a glimpse of ourselves.  Books teach us to reflect, to think, to emphasize, and to learn.  Middle school isn't just about meeting standards.  It's about growing.  And that is exactly what the books in our classroom library will help us do.

Thank you so much for your time, support, and consideration.  I look forward to the reading ahead!