Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Last summer I visited the Peggy Noeebaert Nature Museum with my friend Betsy. We enjoyed exploring the museum and learned all about an "extreme green house" and habitats. Hands down, our favorite part was the butterfly haven. It felt like a magical place where butterflies were free to play and fly about. Some even landed on us, they must have mistaken us for the sweet nectar of a flower. I hope that you can go and visit this museum for yourselves sometime this summer!

Do you have a favorite museum in Chicago?

Making Words

The Cubs might have lost yesterday, but I had a great time at the game with friends. There's nothing like being at Wrigley on a warm summer day.

How many words can you make using the following letters?

B A S E B A L L

I found 11. How many can you find?

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

As of last summer I've become a Chicago baseball fan. I like both the Cubs and the Sox because they both serve hot dogs, pizza, and nachos, three of my favorite foods. Yesterday my friend, who works for the Chicago Cubs, offered me some free baseball tickets. How could I say no?! Luckily I have a VERY flexible schedule and was able to find 4 friends to go to cheer on the Cubs.

Let's play a little "sight word" fill in the blank game.

Go, Cubs, ___

___ , Cubs, go

Hey, Chicago, what do ___ say

The Cubs ___ gonna win today.

Do you like the White Sox or the Cubs? Do you like both? What is your favorite treat to eat at the ballpark?

Lists

Summer vacation is here and I'm loving it! Today I had a great time making lunch with my friend Annie, playing a game of scrabble, and then walking to Forever Yogurt for an afternoon treat. As I'm eager to relax and enjoy the break from school, I also know there are some items to put on a "to do" list. Sometimes I put easy items on it, just to cross them off. Here is my list for this week:

*Go to the gym

*Sew apron for Sarah's birthday

*Renew city sticker and drivers licence

*Get the "check engine" light taken care of

*Try not to buy a new car

*Spend a day with Mom

Man, I wish I was a kid again. What's on your "to do" list?

A Cool Website

Here is a really cool website with all kinds of games, like math and reading. Enjoy!

http://www.funbrain.com/

Do you have a favorite website? I hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Just Right Books

Over the past couple of days, I've been going to teacher meetings and learning a lot about how to inspire young readers. I'm so proud of my students for knowing how to read and having a solid foundation of early literacy skills. In the meetings, I keep learning that kids need "just right" books. These are books that can be read mostly on your own, but might need help with a few words from an adult. I've done a little internet research and found some titles that I think you might enjoy!

If you're a reading Level B:

Cat on the Mat by Brian Wildsmith

Chickens by Peter Brady

Fun with Hats by Lucy Malka

Hats around the World by Liza Charlesworth

Have You Seen My Cat? by Eric Carle

Have You Seen My Duckling? by Nancy Tafuri

The Headache by Rod Hunt

Mrs. Wishy-washy by Joy Cowley

Where’s the Fish? by Taro Gom

If you're a reading Level E:

Ants by Cheryl Coughla

Bumble Bees by Cheryl Coughlan

A Buzz Is Part of a Bee by Carolyn Lunn

Catch Me if you Can by Bernard Most

Dinosaurs Dance by Larry Brimner

Eat Your Peas, Louise by Pegeen Snow

Five Silly Fishermen by Roberta Edwards

The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

And of course my favorite book of all time...Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman

Here is a link to the website where I found these titles: http://www.friendshaverford.org/pdfdocuments/academics/guidedreading/booksarrangedbyguided.pdf

Happy Reading Friends!

Summertime Baking Treats

It's hard to believe that yesterday was the first day of summer almost 90 degrees. Today is much cooler at 70 degrees and perfect weather for baking one of my favorite treats, banana bread. My grandma makes it the best, but today I'm going to make one too! Baking can be a really fun activity to do with your parents, especially because you get to measure and eat the finished product.

Here is my Grandma's delicious recipe:

Mix together wet ingredients; 3 tablespoons milk, 1/2 cup cooking oil, 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 3 mashed bananas.

Mix together dry ingredients; 1 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Mix it all together and then put into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Do you have a favorite baked treat that a family member bakes? If you could make any treat, what would it be?

Vacation...

Ms. G made you all the coolest map to use this summer on your vacation. I wish I had one too! If I did, I'd color in the states Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania for my vacation to Pittsburgh in July. Then in August I'm flying to San Francisco, California. I'M SO EXCITED!



Where are you traveling to this summer?

Happy 1st Day of Summer Vacation!

Hello First Grade friends! I miss you already. Today I was in meetings at Garvy and can you believe that they are taking down our mobile classroom?! This summer I'd love to keep in touch with you and hear what you're up to. I thought we could use this blog as a way to communicate. I'll post questions, stories, and some fun summer activities to keep your brain working. We've worked so hard this year, let's keep going!

QUESTION OF THE DAY
When I went to Subway for lunch they gave me 43 cents in change. Can you figure out what coin combination makes 43 cents?