Back to School 5k

PR, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

32:55

Ran this 5k with my brother in Georgia. He stuck with me since he was running on an injured knee, otherwise he would have been waaaaay ahead of me!

I actually thought I was going to throw up and faint on this 5k. Want to know why?

Because I have NOT been running consistently like I used to. I can feel it. It makes such a difference to run on a regular basis. 🙂

 

Notice the time behind us? That’s how long it took me to get back up off the steps to come and get the picture made after finishing the race!!!

Next 5k coming up:

THE COLOR RUN IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA THIS MONDAY ON LABOR DAY!

Can’t wait!

Wordless Wednesday

Remembering good old days….. 🙂

 

History Role Playing

We have a very cool day in our 6th grade history class! We learned about how the Europeans defeated the Aztecs to gain control of their land AND their gold. And we didn’t learn it by reading out of the textbook. We learned it by role playing. 🙂

When I was reading over the lesson in the textbook this past weekend I thought it was rather boring. To say the least. Plus there was all of this other information that I deemed to be irrelevant. (I love being able to make those decisions!)

Soooooo…… I just typed up my own little “mini” reader’s theater. I’m talking “mini”. Like less than a page.

There were 3 parts. Moctezuma (Aztech chief), Cortes (Spanish explorer), and narrator

We worked in groups reading through the script twice. Then I took volunteers who wanted to perform it in front of the class. Let’s just say that some of them took my advice on how to change their voice/accent and really put on a show! 🙂

Did we meet our daily outcome (objective)? You betcha!! Did we have fun doing it? You betcha!

Will I do this again? You betcha!

Here’s a copy of the “mini” reader’s theater. Remember folks-I made it simple!

Europeans Acquiring Land in Americareaderstheater

Do you do things like this in your classroom?

It’s Monday-What Are You Reading?

Here we are with another chance to share wonderful books with each other thanks to Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts and Sheila over at Book Journey who both sponsor this great meme each week for young adult/children and adult respectively!

I’ve actually read quite a few books this week even though it was our 1st week in school. Most of my reading took place over the weekend. 🙂

I got some pretty good reading in didn’t I? 🙂

I LOVED Emily Griffin’s book-Love the One You’re With. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the historical picture books.

I have to say my favorite this week was The Wave by Todd Strasser. I read it in one sitting. Right after I bought it at Books-a-Million. It was that good! It’s based on a true story that happened in 1969 at a high school in California. A high school history teacher decides to do an experiment/project so that his kids can understand the reasons behind so many Germans getting swept up in Hitler’s reign. The project gets out of hand (you’ll see why), and he has to try and put a stop to it. Now I want to go look up some more information on this true incident. 🙂

I haven’t decided what to read now-looking at several. 🙂

What was the best book that you read last week?

Read my interview

I feel like a celebrity! I’m waiting on the paparazzi to knock on my door (or peep in my window) any minute! 🙂

I was asked to do an interview for alabamarunners.com since I’m the new track coach at our school. How cool is that?

Since I know you have nothing else to do on this Thursday evening (HAHA), you can check out the interview here:

http://al.milesplit.com/articles/90422-coaches-corner-shannon-clark

Wordless Wednesday-One and Only Ivan

Ivan, the 50 year old gorilla who so many people have fallen in love with, has passed away in the Atlanta Zoo. I am in mourning.

My Book Review of The One and Only Ivan

1st Day of School

Done. Over. Finished. In the past. I am so happy about it, too! 🙂

We will still be working on procedures the rest of the week, but in a much lighter form. The 1st day of school is always the HARDEST to me. GAH! Procedures, directions, paperwork, taking up supplies, announcements, more procedures, even more procedures, etc……. 🙂

I can only hope that my students really “heard” what I was saying and didn’t hear this-

🙂

I actually wasn’t too tired at the end of school. We had track practice today after school, and I ran with them (only stopped and walked twice-you know I had to “coach” the ones behind me!). 🙂

Got home, cooked hotdogs for hubby before he went to work (night shift). Played with dogs-all 14 of them (7 dogs and 7 puppies-more on that later!). Showered (TMI), and am now about to head to sleep since this is how I feel-

Anybody else out there tired from your 1st day back to school?

Or just tired in general? 🙂

 

It’s Monday-What Are You Reading?

Here we are with another chance to share wonderful books with each other thanks to Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts and Sheila over at Book Journey who both sponsor this great meme each week for young adult/children and adult respectively!

I didn’t participate in this meme last Monday so there are A LOT of books that I have read since 2 Mondays ago!

9 books in all! And that’s if I remembered to put all of them on goodreads! 🙂

Notice the 1st 7 were ALL historical fiction books. I’m trying to soak up the historical fiction novels so that I will be a more effective history teacher this year-1st year ever teaching history. (So excited by the way!)

I REALLY enjoyed all of the historical fiction books-in fact I had many favorites out of the 7:

Behind the Bedroom Wall, Hitler’s Daughter, and both of the American Adventures series (Boston Revolts and Boston Massacre). There are a lot in this series, and I want to get them ALL! I bought those 2 at a thrift store and definitely got my money’s worth.

Out of the 2 other books, Sarah Dessen‘s was of course hands down my FAVORITE! Boy can she write! I can’t wait to read ALL of her other books. 🙂

Currently, I’m reading The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. Hooked. I have become fascinated with learning about the Holocaust lately so if anyone has and good recommendations let me hear them!

Have you read a great historical novel lately?

Do you like to read Sarah Dessen’s books?

Summerthrowdown Reading

I took part in 2 #summerthrowdown challenges this summer. We read books, books, and more books. It was the teachers against the librarians. That’s a lot of reading! 🙂

I read so many good books I can’t even begin to tell you about all of them- I would have to take a leave of absence from work to write this post! I’m thinking about taking a leave of absence anyway so I can keep on reading. 🙂

When I told Brian I would write a guest post this week I must have lost my mind temporarily since we start back to school on Monday! This has to be the craziest and busiest time of the year to be a teacher. You would think after 8 years of teaching that it would be easier. Nope. 🙂

So this is going to be short. And sweet. 🙂

My number one favorite book of all time that I read this summer is (drumroll please):

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

It’s written from the point of view of a 9 year old boy during the Holocaust who’s father works closely with Hitler. He and his family have to move because of his father’s job. He sets out exploring one day and meets a friend. Who lives on the other side of the fence. Of a concentration camp.

I’m not going to describe anything else, but I do want to say that this book probably impacted me more than anything I’ve ever read. And I’ve read a lot! It is truly powerful.

I have decided to use it as a read aloud with my 6th graders since we will study WWII and the Holocaust. I can’t wait for the discussions that will take place because of this story!

Oh yeah, GO #teamteacher!!!!!!!!!

Happy Reading!
Shannon

Lesson Plan Template Modified (Again)

Maybe this will be the last time I modify my lesson plan template for this year! 🙂 I have changed it so that all 5 days of lessons can fit on one page. Save the trees! 5th6thlessonplanmodified