R & R

Spending a little quality time with friends at Surfside Beach...south of Myrtle Beach, SC for about a week.  After this little get away, I will have two weeks left before starting back to school.  Hard to believe that it is already time to start back to school - must mean that I've had a busy summer. 

I plan to work on interactive notebook ideas for language arts and science when I get back from the beach.  That is, between workshops for school and for the college where I work part-time.  Any ideas or links that anyone would like to share, please feel free - I'm sure that I am not the only one who would love to know about any ISN ideas, activities, or lessons out there for language arts and science.

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer!

Really?  I am so much on vacation that I don't even know where I am...Surfside Beach is in SC...not NC.  But right now, I am too lazy to fix it!

Randy

Semi-Surprise?!?!?!

Well, all good things come to those who wait, right?  My grandfather used to always say "weight is what broke the wagon."  And that is kind of what has happened, waiting for the dust to settle at school has my teaching assignment for the upcoming school year changed yet again - or my joy wagon broken, but only partly. 
When I left school in early June, I would be teaching four science classes.  Then a couple of weeks ago because of my AIG certification, I would now be teaching one language arts class and three science classes.  I can say I wasn't mad about that.

As of yesterday, I will now be teaching two language arts classes and two science classes.  At first, I can honestly say I was slightly disappointed but after some reflecting, realized it was a GREAT plan.

I will be on a four person team with three other AWESOME teachers and because of the certification of two of us, we have worked out a(n) great amazing schedule for our kiddos - kiddos that I love and am very excited to be looping up to 7th grade. The other teacher and I will both teach two language arts classes and two science classes.  We will both be teaching language arts our first two blocks and science our last two blocks - meaning all of our students will be taught language arts before lunch!  This is like a dream to me (us) since they will be fresh in the mornings. 

Yay to the school year starting out on a good note and for a fabulous team that has been assembled.  And the best part, school hasn't even started and we are all working together and in the best interest of our students. 

Explains it all right now!

Desk Plans...finally!

So, I know that many a few of you have been waiting forever for me to get measurements of my computer desk.  Well, the slacker has finally followed through!  It took me a couple of extra days and trips than I had planned, but I did get the measurements today (after I made a second trip back to school today with a tape measure - I have one in my classroom, but did I mention I am MOVING classrooms and everything is still packed/strung all over the room?)! 
I have taken two pictures of the drawings I attempted to make.  You have to promise that no one will be laughing at my poor attempt to draw - I am definitely not an architect, designer, or artist!  I hope that you can see the measurements in the photo. 

I had mentioned that I would make some tweaks to my original design, so the second photo is one where I erased the original lines I drew in pencil and used a red pen to hopefully show what I would modify if I ever build a newer one. 

I just hope it all makes sense and is clear enough to get a gauge as to what you could have someone build for you.  I am posting this from my part-time job, but when I get home will attempt to scan my drawing and place it in google docs so you can download it as well. 

I hope no one has any questions, because I am not sure I will be able to exaplain very well.  BUT...if you do have questions, I will do my best to attempt to answer them for you. 

FYI...mine was made out of 1 inch plywood (not sure what kind) and a couple of 2X4s which were ripped  down to make the shelf support and then even smaller to make a lip around the top edge.  I painted it orange thinking this was a great idea...wowsers was I wrong!  So then I painted it black and clear coated it.  Also, the holes are needed to be able to put the wires through.  I think he made the holes 2in diameter to allow the ends of the cables to pass through the openings. 

Good luck and happy constructing!

Here are the dimensions/measurements of my current computer desk/stand.  I hope this is clear.  Please ignore the horrible drawing.

Here is a "tweaked" version of the computer desk/stand.  I hope all the red makes sense.  I know my drawings are ghetto fabulous and everyone is jealous of my abilities!

Randy