Penguins, Ponytails & Prayer

Pp: It's the letter of the week! No we don't actually have a letter of the week (we are BIG first graders) but this week it's P! We began our Arctic/Antarctic lesson this past week. The kid's LOVED it! Their fave animal so far......PENGUINS!!!!! I can't blame them, they are just so darn adorable! I have uploaded (I hope) some pictures from this past week. I am such a newbie to this whole blog thing but I am trying. At this point I do not even have any followers. That's ok, it is kind of cathartic..... like a diary. 

Penguin Anchor Chart (above). Got this idea from the First Grade Parade's; Cara Carroll (my idol)!!!! My little friends always love getting to use post-its. I especially love these adorable little minis.

 Each day we brainstormed Arctic/Antarctic nouns & verbs for our morning    work/journals. They wrote sentences with the words we came up with each a.m.

 I introduced the word of the day this week and a game (whoever uses it the most during the day wins a prize). Mrs. Eldridge, I have a lot of stamina/ Mrs. Eldridge, my dog doesn't have any stamina/ Mrs Eldridge, you have a lot of stamina because you never sit down. 

           A shot of my room, the We Can board, graffiti table and our books for the two-week unit.

Stressful days call for quick mornings. I want to chop my hair off so bad! But I'm a little more than attached to my hair... I know weird! I feel like I should lose some weight too. Not sure my round face would pull off a short do and I am afraid I won't look pretty. So I put it in a very boring ponytail on those rushed days. Ponytails.... cant I come up with anything else? I fear I will never have the know-how to expand my hair possibilities. I can scruch, straighten or throw my hair in ponytail or bun (not a cute bun). I know if I have a little girl I will have to hire someone. Does hair styling come with those "Mother's instincts"? I would love to do all these fun braids, twists and cute styles I see on pinterest but I can't! Thank goodness for hair accessories!

Last, P of the day! Prayers! I need them! As a first year teacher, stress is high. I know that every teacher is in this boat but I literally spend more time at school than I do anywhere else. I always get to school super early (5-6am), school here is from 7:45-3:15 and I always stay late. I do after school fitness and computer classes and I spend most of my weekends at school. With two unnanounced observations in my future, a new schedule (ahh!!! its January), and loads of to do list items.....prayers please!