Santa and reindeer and our funny little elf

It's the last week of school before Christmas break and the kids are bouncing off the walls.  Well, the little ones anyway. Most if my 5th graders still retain their sanity.  We've spent the week playing with QR codes again. Ingave them Santa and a cool reindeer set so they can pick (or do both).  

I love the little one's drawings they make with the how to draw codes:

We had a lockdown drill Monday and we only knew it would be "in the morning," so I ended up with some free time. I had kinder classes scheduled, but they didn't want their kids to be in a scary situation outside their classroom the first time. As a result, I was finally able to change out my bulletin board in the hall.  

How's that for a quick throw together?

We've been having fun with out elf, Charlie, this week too.  

He hung from a map with a candy cane in the nonfiction section, and today he's waaaay up high over my office riding on "Stuffy the guard-duck."

Guess the fun and games will be over (wink, wink) and we'll have to get down to business when we come back in January.  I've gotta get cracking with my EBOB team, teach CyberSafety, and research skills.  

For now...  I'm just ready for a break!

'Tis the Season

So, with Christmas coming, the kids have been pretty wound up. We have some "required" CyberSafety lessons we have to do each year and I had planned to start on those, but then I realized I have no idea which are required for 5th grade. I was at a K-4 school prior to this year, so it hadn't mattered to me. They used to be listed online for us, but it's not there anymore. I asked other media coordinators, but no one knows (really???). Then I emailed the head of our instructional technology for the county, but she didn't respond. So, at any rate, I put it off and did some more QR code activities. I cheated this time and just bought them on TpT.  It's a K-2 set, but even the 5th graders are loving them!

Speaking of which...  I was using them with some kinder sand this one adorable little boy is usually very rambunctious. He's the wiggliest, most interrupting friend in the class...  Usually.  I sat him down with an iPad and he turned into a dream. Just sat there on the couch with his buddy and did exactly what he was supposed to do. I told him he was doing such a great job and I loved that he was sitting so quietly. He said, "Yeah, we're just sitting here relaxing...  You know, it's man things."    Love him!

Here are a couple pics I snapped of some kids working with their iPads:

The kids are so excited to use the iPads and I figure this shows the teachers how easy it is to implement them in fun ways, and how well the kids do when they're given the opportunity.  It's so quiet when they use them.  

We're going to do another QR project this week with reindeer -- then it's Christmas break!