Homework: Checking In

I've always struggle with homework.  Assigning it, checking it, and everything in between. Well thanks to my addiction, Pinterest, I came across a wonderful idea - checking in homework by groups.  I might be crazy, but I'm going to attempt to do team/groups this year so this idea might actually work for me.  Thanks to Teaching in Room 6 for the original idea.

My World in Pictures

Wow. I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted. I'm still alive... just was busy with life.  I had promised that I was going to post some more pictures from my Cincinnati trip so here goes...

On a very rainy day I visited the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati's Eden Park.  I was trapped by the torrential rains for a while so I did my best to get some good pictures.  I'll leave judgement on how successful I was up to you.    

Playful mobiles added some whimsy to the entrance and added to the lines of the building's architecture.

I'm a big fan of cute shoes (you should see my closet) so I feel in love when I saw these. 

They added even more sparkle to the Fairy House.

Bonsai Society of Cincinnati had a few lovely examples of their work exhibited.

QUESTIONS?????

Online Stopwatch has given me a solution, at least a temporary solution to a few quandaries I've been having with my sixth grade social studies students.  When given an assignment, almost any assignment, they look at it for all of two minutes then immediately begin asking questions.  Yesterday we (my teaching intern and I) gave them a guided reading assignment.  Many of the questions were simply fill in the blank questions.  They began asking us questions before they even opened the textbook! I decided to try something different today with another reading assignment.  After I gave them instructions and modeled how to answer a few questions, I told them that for the first 10 minutes that we would not answer any questions unless it was dire (vocabulary builder).  I used the rocket stopwatch from the classroom tools section to let them see when time was up.  It worked fairly well.  They found the answers on their own that they normally would have asked us to find for them.

Freedom Center: National Underground Railroad Museum

    When my hubby told me that I would have a chance to go with him to Cincinnati, I knew one of the first places I wanted to go.  The National Underground Railroad Museum Freedom Center wasn't one of my first stops, but I'm glad I was able to take the tour.  One of the first things I liked was that they offer an educator (with I.D.) discount. Regular adult admission is $12. Educator/Student admission is $10. Children 6-12 is $8. Ages 5 and under are free with a paid adult for those of you with youngsters.  The second floor does have some kid friendly exhibits by the way.

      The next thing that I enjoyed was the fact that "audio tour" was free with admission.  Not only was it free but came in the form of an iPod Touch.  The iPod had a map of the museum along with videos that went along with most of the "sites" in the museum.  This feature would definitely lend itself to younger visitors.  In fact the family that came in behind me had a teenager with them that was quite excited by the iPod.  My students have the same reaction when I pull out my iPad and iPod Touches (See DonorsChoose Post).   I have a ton of pictures that I need to sort through from the trip. I was going to try to do it tonight, but Parent Teacher Night, a civic club meeting, and homework have me feeling lazy.  

Stay Tuned for more pictures and more from my trip...

Liebster Award LOVE

I know I'm double posting (tsk tsk), but I was too excited not to go ahead and share the news.  Another great event that occurred while I was away was I received the Liebster Award! I was so excited when I saw this! Kim from Finding JOY in 6th Grade bestowed this award on my humble blog. This has special meaning because my name is Joy and I just started teaching sixth grade this year (started teaching seventh in 2010).



This award is given to blogs with less than 200 followers and passed from Blogger to Blogger to highlight up and coming blogs.  Liebe is the German word for Love, so this award has a special meaning for those just starting out.  Guidelines for this award are as follows: 1) Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on yoru blog. 2)Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.  3) Copy and pasted the blog award on your blog.  4) Present the Liebster Blog Award to blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed and 5) Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

I was awarded the Liebster Award by


Kim was my first commenter and first follower. I can't tell you how much this means.

I want to pass this honor along to....

Mrs. Piper at Pushing Through 6th Grade.  Check out this blog for some interesting math ideas.  Makes me glad that I'm not a math teacher :)

Misty at Think, Wonder, & Teach. She's having an awesome giveaway right now that you must check out! 

What are some other blogs that I should check out? 

Bibliomaniac on a Shopping Spree

     First of all, I want to welcome my new followers! I look forward to interacting with all of you.  I love how the blogging community allows us to connect with people we otherwise wouldn't meet.  I also want to apologize for not posting in a while.  If you saw Spring Break Day 1, I was on vacation in Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati. The next few posts will probably focus on that trip so I hope you don't get too bored...

       The first two days were spent in Florence, KY. I hate to admit it but I went on a small  medium sized shopping spree.  Garden Ridge, was my first stop after Cody went to "work."  Garden Ridge is a discount chain that sells books, clothes, crafts, furniture and so much more. I maintained a level of self control so I went on to Half Price Books, where I actually managed to walk out without anything.  Don't worry though... we'll come back to that.  From there I went to The Book Rack.  If you haven't been to one, check it out. They have stores everywhere. The store sells used books and also buys them.  This particular store was going out of business so I managed to get quite a few books for my classroom library - CHEAP.  Including two newish copies of The Hunger Games.  I might as well mention now I'm a closet bibliomaniac.  I'll try to get a picture of all the books I got on this trip and you'll see this fact for yourself....

      I spent a little while at the Florence Mall.  The Florence Y'all water tower is pictured above.  Supposedly the water tower originally said Florence Mall, but the development took too long and the developers were required to not display "Florence Mall" when there was none.  They painted over the vertical lines of the M and created a landmark along the interstate.  I spent way too much money at one of my favorite stores Torrid. I won't go into how much just in case my husband reads this.  

     In the midst of having a shopping high, I decided I better do some homework so I went to the local Barnes and Noble. I actually got some work done in my graduate class.  I'm taking a course on the Renaissance by the way.  As a reward I had a lovely Caramel Frappuccino.  I always feel quilty using the "free" internet and not buying anything.    

     I did get to do some "cultural" activities that I hope to get to soon... Homework is calling though. I should be reading Cardano's Cosmos for my class. 

SPRING BREAK DAY 1

     I had been considering going back to school for a few years and I finally bit the bullet last year.  I decided to start looking at some different programs. Through my research I discovered that Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky had an online Master's Degree Program. I applied and was fortunate enough to be accepted. I just started classes this semester, but I am already really excited about the program.  All that to say... yesterday we actually got to go through Bowling Green and we stopped and looked around the campus.  One of the first things I saw was this... Hardin Planetarium. In case your wonderful..."so what"... I'm Mrs. Hardin.

     On a side note  this is what I'll be driving for the next few days, a Ford Fiesta.  I normally drive a cherry red 2005 PT Cruiser.  My Dad got it for me for high school graduation.  It makes me feel old to think that I've had that little car almost exactly 7 years now (Dad surprised me with it on St. Patrick's Day). It's getting a much needed break (approaching 135,000 miles) for a few days while I'm on vacation.  

     While I'm on the other side of the Mason Dixon Line (in Kentucky right now), I plan on making the rounds of museums and attractions (not to mention shopping).  I'll try to get some good photos.  The ones today are from my phone, sorry for the poor quality.  If I don't post again, enjoy your week. I know I'll be enjoying mine - IT'S SPRING BREAK.  I'd do the happy dance, but I'm in the hotel "Executive Business Center" right now... I'll wait until I get in the parking lot.