A teacher's summer break........

Wow, I can't believe it's already week 3 of summer break for us teachers here in Michigan.  Time flies when you're having fun. 

So far summer has been full of music, dancing, singing, sleeping, reading, creating, and tubing!


Week one

was a blur of spring summer cleaning, landscaping and house projects. And sleeping in of course!  

It was also filled with music as my daughter started piano lessons, I started rehearsals for Legally Blond the Musical and my husband took me to see Guns & Roses.  We were blown away, it was an amazing show! Go see them when they come to a city near you!







Slash hasn't changed one bit!!!!!

During week two

I started my summer reading stack.  My amazing friends at #wecantputbooksdown have been recommending the best new YA lit and my pile is massive.  I can't wait to share these new books with next year's 5th graders.

(Amazon Affiliate links are used in this post)


I've already finished the whole Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Paperback Boxed Set  (definitely recommend these to your Harry Potter fans) and Booked by Kwame Alexander.

Booked is now my second favorite read this year, next to Pax - it's amazing! Your sports loving boys will actually read this novel in verse, I promise!

If you're not following our wecantputbooksdown instagram page - you need to!!!  We share anything and everything that promotes the love of reading!


I also began thinking about décor for next year's classroom.

Yikes, I know.  But I can't help it!! I loooooove decorating a new classroom each year and making it a fun, exciting place to learn for my new students.

First on my list was updating my word wall cards.  I have 6 bulletin boards in my classroom and I dedicate 3 of them to word walls.  

Academic vocabulary is so crucial for students to master and after we are immersed in these ELA, Math and Common Core Critical Verbs and Nouns, my kiddos constantly refer back to these words to use them in their writing and discussions.

My classroom colors are black, white (zebra print) and lime green. But I also have word wall sets available in bright chevrons and polka dots, rainbow colors, nautical colors, black & white, animal print or no backgrounds at all (great for conserving printer ink).

ELA word wall vocabulary cards 

math academic vocabulary cards

critical verbs of the common core word wall cards

Critical Verbs


Speaking & Listening vocabulary


Plus, super easy bulletin boards! Just my style! 

Hang up a heading banner, post the vocabulary cards as they're taught, and that's it - a year long, interactive, useful bulletin board.

Week 3 

of summer break called for a trip up north, along with most of the people in Michigan. We've been tubing ever since.

 

What has your teacher summer consisted of so far?

17 comments

  1. My favorite summer activities are hiking and relaxing!

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  2. I love to take a Caribbean cruise. Just got back from a week long trip!

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  3. I love to take a Caribbean cruise. Just got back from a week long trip!

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  4. Favorite summer activities - pool time, books, and lots of lazy down time!

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  5. My favorite summer activities include going to beaches to collect sand. I went to the Glass Sand Beach in Fort Bragg, CA last week. The sea glass is amazing!

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  6. Reading at the beach is my ultimate fun summer activity. I appreciate the more relaxed schedule!

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  7. Reading at the beach, library summer reading,family time without running to extra curricular activities every day.

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  8. I love taking my son to the pool. And you can't beat a good vacation... Like the cruise we're going on soon!

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  9. I love playing in the ocean and relaxing on the beach.

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  10. Spending time with my 3 year old daughter going on many play dates!

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  11. Traveling to west coast, sleeping in, and reading books for me!

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  12. Watching my kids play softball and baseball, and spending genuine quality time with my family!

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  13. playing with dogs michelle miller

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  14. I love going to the pool and reading!

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  15. Floating lazily in the pool, relaxing visits with children and grandchildren, and reading books are my favorite summer things to do.

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  16. Spending a lot of time reading. I have also made about 60 jars of jam -- strawberry, strawberry/rhubarb, blueberry, blubarb, and cherry almond. This week is peaches!

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