Photography Challenge, Days 3 & 4

I've been consistent with posting to social media each day, but since I don't blog from my phone, this sometimes gets forgotten. I'm working on it.

For April's photography challenge,

Here are days 3 and 4.

Day 3 

Yesterday was "shapes".  I chose to rock my new Carly (Lularoe dress) which I got for free for hosting an in home party.

The geometric shape design reminds me of a mermaid, which quite frankly was a huge selling point.  Additionally, I could wear a small, which was another boost for my ego.  (On a side note, I didn't win the biggest loser contest at work, but I did lose ten pounds and am continuing with the small tweaks I've made to my diet.)

I'm also rocking my new {Younique} lipstain in speechless.  It's got an orange-nude tone and I like it!

While it gets a tad annoying to have to wash all my Lularoe items on delicate, the fabrics are incredibly soft and it's like wearing pajamas to work...except it's socially appropriate.  As the weather heats up, I'll be continuing to wear a lot of dresses to work.  Plus it was a Monday, and new clothes seem to make Mondays go a little better.

Day 4

I actually snapped tomorrow's picture today too, so don't mind the matching outfit.  Day 4 was "good together".  

I've got some awesome parents this year and it seemed like the perfect time to brag about them.  Between sending in extra supplies, making sure we're stocked for class parties, chaperoning field trips, donating to our {donors choose} projects, or sending our class post cards from their vacations, I've got some great support this year.

This post card is from one of my most supportive parents.  Her and her fiancee went on an amazing South American adventure and sent us post cards from their journey!  This one has a stamp from "the end of the world" which is pretty cool.  Not only does it help us feel connected to others, but it provided an awesome authentic moment to do a geography lesson.

But that turned into a lesson on how the hemispheres have opposite seasons due to the earth's tilt.  Which then turned into a lesson on the inner and outer planets.  Then one of my students brought up Pluto and it's declassification as a planet, so then we had that discussion.  Naturally, astronauts came up next...and that's just sometimes how learning unfolds in my classroom.

I so desperately wanted to show them this,

but realized it would be highly inappropriate.  #thestruggleisreal

Back to where it Started

Years ago, while sitting in a UNLV grad class, I got the idea to teach the fifty states using post cards.  I started a blog and utilized social media to ask for post cards from around the world.

My previous PE coach was amazing enough to give me a massive velcro map of the United States to use for the year.  After he saw how great it worked in my classroom, he refused to take it back and ordered me a slightly smaller world version so I could extend their learning beyond US borders.

I used the map for two years before pausing.  My previous school made some instructional changes and social studies, sadly, was not a priority.

When I moved schools, I left the map in my garage, unsure of if it would be welcomed or deemed appropriate at my new environment.

However, I quickly learned that any activity that engaged students and fit standards was more than welcomed.  Mid year, I brought in the map.  

Over the course of the second semester, my students learned state by state about our country.  Mrs. H, my work bestie, helped on a daily basis to create the ppt that would accompany the post cards.  She reached out to her network too and together, we had enough for all the states.

We had fun learning fun facts about the other states in our country.  More importantly, our students had a wonderful time and got very excited about geography, which is always a win!

Here is the completed map:

Next year, we'll start the map much earlier.  We'll do more smaller quizzes and practice labeling regions more frequently.  We'll tweak the ppt so it has a consistent format and has more imbedded formative assessments.

One of the great things about teaching is the opportunity to continually reflect and improve upon my craft.  I tried the ppt for the first time this year in conjunction with the map and it went much better.  Next year, I'll make more tweaks and it will be better still.  

However, I still need some help completing the map.  I want to emphasize colleges, so if you are able to send one from your local university or alma mater, it would be greatly appreciated!  I am also in need of a Mount Rushmore post card as well as any international ones.  

Post cards can be sent to:
Ms. Vice
Iverson Elementary
1575 S. Hollywood Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89142

Thank you for the help!

Post Card Fun!

In my former blog Project Postcard, I asked for post cards from around the world so my students could study geography.  I'm pretty well set for the United States, but if you're abroad and in a cool place, send me one!  (Also, if you're near Mount Rushmore, I would like one for that monument so I can discuss human-enviornment interaction, which is one of the five themes of geography).

Today we had ten minutes left after our vocabulary review and since it was Friday, I couldn't set up the next activity because air would dry out our clay/sand models that we'll use for stream tables next week.  

So we went on a photo safari instead.

I passed out groups of post cards to each table team and had them talk about the landforms they saw.

They did a great job with coming up with questions without even being asked, which of course is wonderful!

Yes, they got a little too loud but it was nice to walk around and hear them getting so excited about mountains.

Here are some snap shots of my young scientists:

Zacatecas, Mexico

Northern Lights, San Fransisco and Alscase, France

St. Louis and the Atlantic Ocean

Yellowstone, Michigan and Big Bear Lake (CA)

Yellowstone

Meteor Crater (AZ) 

Great Wall of China and Hawaii

Atlantic Ocean and Alcase, France

A beautiful mountain (I couldn't see the back of the post card, they weren't very eager to share with me)

Thank you for all the post card donations!  

I love when my students get so excited about science and geography.  We made some great connections with the 5 themes of geography.  You can download my TpT freebie about geography here!  If you like it, please rate it and give feedback :)  If it didn't quite meet your expectations for a free product, I'd like to hear that constructive feedback as well!