July Currently

It is crazy that today is July 1st! Any other summer, this would mean that I had about a month and a half left of summertime bliss before the craziness and excitement of *Back-to-School* greatness.... however, this is a different summer. 

For my husband and I, the fact that today is July 1st means that our first child, a sweet boy, is expected to arrive in one month!  In November of last year, Aug. 2nd seemed to far away! 

Regardless, we are thrilled, nervous, and overjoyed all at the same time.  

I'm linking up with Farley, in her Currently Party, though "Currently" our lives are preparing for a whole new kind of craziness and excitement... 

Tuesdays and Thursdays, by husband works from home.  Though he started this a while back, this is the first summer that he has been home with me.  I have been enjoying these days.  Although he is studying and preparing for his upcoming sermon (he's a pastor), I enjoy having him home and the occasional tea break he has with me.  Because he is home, I have not had the TV on as much... which is a great thing.  Therefore, as I listen to him type, I am also listening to the birds sing their summertime songs.

Being 4 weeks (or less) away from delivering, this little boy is doing some squirming as he is running out of room.  :) Though the days to come may be filled with exhaustion and business, I take joy in the squirming that he does.  It's something that he and I share, together. 

There is so much to do within the short amount of time that I have left.  I'm going to need to write a serious TO DO list and make a plan... pronto. 

I can't help it, I love the beach.  There is nothing better than a chair, sand, water, book, and Gatorade, you know... the yellow kind :)  This year, we won't be making a beach trip, but next year will come and this family of 3, will be going to the beach and it will be oh-so exciting! 

I must finish maternity plans for my sub.  I have to admit, I am having a hard time with the "be anxious for nothing" scripture right now.  Knowing that I will not be at school for the first 6 weeks makes me super nervous, but it will be ok.  It has to, right?

My parents and nephew will be camping the week.  My sister, husband, and I will be going to spend the day with them on the 4th.  This means there will be lots of laughing going on... which makes my heart with excitement, already! :) 

Happy 4th, Friends!

Interactive Notebooks {Entry 1}

*Making it Their Own*

Last year, I used Interactive Notebooks within my classroom, for the first time.  Though there is much to gain from using INBs, I didn't feel as though my students were receiving all that the notebooks offered.  This has much to do with the way the INBs were introduced, organized, and maintained under my guidance.  

As I prepare for a new school year, there are several things I want to do differently as I plan to use Interactive Notebooks... just in a much more intentional way.

I will introduce the purpose and functionality of INBs to students.  Instead of focusing on that information alone, I want students to immediately gain a connection with their INB.  By making the notebook their own, students will invest time, pride, and creativity into their notebook, truly making the notebook an individualized textbook for themselves.  

The way students can put their own stamp of style and creativity on their notebook is by designing the cover to reflect them as an individual.  My example is below.  I chose scrapbook paper, and marked where the holes were on the notebook.  I simply hole-punched them out to make the paper fit nicely on the notebook cover.  I then, did my decorating.  I used a Sharpie to draw pictures of items that represent me, things that I enjoy.  Once I was finished with the front page, I used Mod Podge Matte to glue the paper down to the front cover of the notebook.  I folded the extra paper over to the back of the cover and Mod Podged it down.  Once the paper was down neatly, I Mod Podged the over the paper.  This covers and protects the paper on the cover, as well as provides a little more durability to the notebook.  

Note: Sometimes, the paper may bubble up, but as it dries, the paper will straighten back out. 

I followed the same process for the back of the notebook.  This time, I wrote the sections of the INB (which I will get to in "Interactive Notebook {Entry 2}).  

I did the same thing for my Social Studies INB.  I used the world map out of my old planning book and used it as on cover.  Before Mod Podging the paper down, I used a Sharpie to write my travel quotes on it.  I love how it turned out. 

Hopefully, I will remember to post student samples of their covers once school starts.  

Until then, stay tuned for Interactive Notebook {Entry 2}, which will focus on dividing the LA INB into different sections for different types of instruction.