Thinking about change

I am thinking about changing the title of this blog to something more specific to teaching and learning. It will still be about things I read and things I want to share but maybe also be about lessons that worked.

Like today I had a very successful lesson with the kindergartners. We have been reading/singing a book with lots of transportation words like car, bus, van, airplane. You get the idea.

Anyway I made a book for the kids to take home but they had to match the pictures to the correct page. The pictures had one or two words naming the objects. The book had the same words in alphabetical order.

The kids matched the words on the pictures to the same words in the book. And they did great. The first group was really catching on, saying things like, "Here is car." Some kids that I haven't seen really participate were understanding that the words matched.

Wish I had a photo of the finished book.

Book Trading

Found a new-to-me used book store. I love trading paperback books for new ones. The only problem I have had with book trading is sometimes I trade new books and pick out books that I have already read. I guess I need an app so that doesn't happen.

Saturday we went to The Bookshelf in Ridgeland. I had a bag of books to trade but they only wanted 3 of them. I found 2 books set in Cleveland, Ohio, that I wanted to read. In the book trade I only paid 65 cents for 2 new books. The good thing is I get to read new books and slowly get rid of the book clutter.

As I read these new books I am trying to remember Cleveland from our visits to see  E & B. It's always fun to read about somewhere you have been. The funny thing about the book I'm reading is the time period. Set before cell phones the detective has to stop and use pay phones when he wants to call someone. The copyright is 1998. Things have really changed.

Cleveland Roller Derby

2015 Quilt Possibilities

Today I picked up my king size Ramblin Rose meets Jamestown quilt from the quilter. She did a beautiful job, even trimmed it so it is ready for binding. Yesterday I basted the blue and yellow quilt. This is my last unfinished quilt. So the end is in sight.

Well, that brings me to my title for this post. 2015 quilt possibilities. I have several yet-to-be started quilt ideas with fabric picked out and set aside. I thought a list might help me focus after I finish the two big quilts.

Here's the list:
blue/lime layer cake lap quilt
pink/green/white twin kit
flannel quilt kit
oriental fabric-no design ideas yet
yee haw baby quilt kit
perfect points quilt pattern/kit
black/white plus quilt
mini 9 patch kids
framed minky squares baby quilt

That's all I can remember right now. Of course, first I must finish two big quilts. Stay. Focused.

Ramblin Rose meets Jamestown

New Year's Eve

busy day running errands, hair cut, working on quilt.

 I seem to go through reading spells. I finished one British cozy and really only want to read more of this series but the library doesn't have any available. There are other books I'm sort of reading but nothing too exciting.

In the back of my mind I keep thinking about possibilities next year. If I am offered a new teaching position, what will I do with all my stuff? I may have park my car outside for a while.

Going to get little boy, so E and B can have a new's years night out. We will be asleep before midnight, so happy new year!

Current favorite mysteries

Recently bought some paperbacks by a new to me writer, Ann Purser. The first one was Murder on Monday. The main character is a funny, feisty cleaner in a small village in England. The author lives in a small village and loves to read mysteries, too. After I finished the first book I recommended it to Mr. M. We are trying to find the rest of the series at the library but only a few are available in our local branch.
Looked for a photo of the book cover. No luck.
Had a good Christmas with everyone here for supper. Now the tree is packed away. Maybe I will get some sewing done next week.
New beginnings in a few days.

Must Read Mysteries

Someone wrote in last Sunday's paper about 6 must read mystery novels. I want to check them out, not sure if I have read all of them. So I thought I would list them here and maybe later write my thoughts.
1. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes, of course)
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (think I have read this)
3. The Moving Target by Ross Macdonald
4. Strangers on a Train byPatricia Highsmith (was this a movie?)
5. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George (read some of her books)
6. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

I am reading a series by Ann Purser. I bought the first one but found some at the library. The cover says it is for fans of the British cozy with a twist. Whatever it is called, I'm enjoying reading them.

All for now.

What, me, write for an encyclopedia?

Well, sort of an encyclopedia. I have been asked and accepted to write 3000 words on the topic "Building Vocabulary through think-aloud/read aloud". Oh, Yes! I think I can write about that.

The article? will be part of a volume on vocabulary for second language learners. I have looked over the writing guidelines. I think I can do this. I want to do a great job.

Of course, no money is involved in this writing opportunity. But I have wanted to write a journal article and didn't really know where to start.

Looking back at my title, I remembered when we got encyclopedias at our house. I was nine years old. Whenever I didn't have a book to read, I would read the encyclopedias. Which probably led to my know-it-all attitude. What can I say?

Psyching myself up. This is just a little longer than one national board entry. I can do this!