Reading + Pinning + Doing (11)

Reading

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin:  I'm reading this book aloud to my 4th and 5th grade students.  We've read the first couple of chapters. The kids that live on Orange Street have a mysterious visitor. With the visitor, comes a sneak into the street's past. I'll let you know how it turns out, but it has begun well.

 

Pinning

I just found BoomWriter today. This FREE online writing website encourages your child/students to write narratives. A celebrity writer starts a story, which is then collectively completed by young writers. This is a project of Citizen Schools, a non-profit that runs awesome programs at my husband's middle/high school. Check it out!

This was a lovely pin from the week. I love this poster:

Doing

We went to Little Farm in Berkeley last weekend. We checked out the farm animals (see rooster below), and took a walk to a pond (below). Even though my daughter was quite tired, we had a great morning.

It was my brother's birthday this weekend. His girlfriend had this awesome cake made for him (he's a huge Phillies fan)- I just had to show it off! We had a great time at my big bro's surprise party!

What are you Reading? Pinning? Doing?

Learning All The Time!!

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Reading + Pinning + Doing (10)

I was having some techinical difficulties...But here it is (a day late)


Reading
To balance Dostoevsky's The Idiot (a dense, slow read), I picked up Why We Get Fat, by Gary Taubes.  I'm not much of a non fiction reader, but I am taken with this book. 

Taubes ideas are somewhat controversial, but Taubes appears to be well-respected in the science community. His thesis generally is that we should cut out/limit as many carbs as possible (carbs drives insulin which drives fat production) including all sugars (yes, even fruits), milk products, breads, beans, rice, etc... He encourages us to eat as many green veggies as possible, along with meats. (This is super simplified btw- his reasoning is much more articulate and based in history and science).

I haven't been able to lose a lot of my baby weight... and have started to be bothered by it more and more.This book deals with the science and history of obesity/fat in the world. In the past, I've blamed a lot of my weight on genetics, and I don't think that's the healthiest mindset (it doesn't really motivate me to change my eating/exercise habits!)

I'm about 50 pages into this book, and I've learned a lot. I'm hoping to become more educated about the science of food, so that I am more knowledgeable about my body and health, etc.. I'm not much into fad diets, or dieting at all, but I realize that I need to try something soon so that I can become more healthy! 

Has anyone out there read this book? If so, what do you think about Taubes' ideas?

With my little one, in heavy circulation this week is... 

To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda (Illustrated by Janet Stevens): This book is lively, and great fun for any preschooler. It starts off with the mother goose rhyme and gives us a literal picture of what it would be like to go pick up a cow, duck, a spring lamb at the store. The illustrations are wonderful- A real hoot! I love it and my daughter asks for it every night. 

 

Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann: Hmmmm, I don't know if I approve of this book. It's cute, but Pinkalicious loves cupcakes and isn't a fan of green veggies (not a mindset we want to advocate for in our house). But, my daughter loves it. And it is pretty silly that Pinkalicious turns pink! My daughter isn't that into girly things, but maybe this book will do her in.

Potty by Leslie Patricelli: We've had this book for a while. My daughter isn't potty-trained, but we thought that this book would warm her up to the idea (hasn't worked yet). We hadn't read this book for over a month, and when we picked it up this week my daughter started "reading" it. She got all the words spot on on 4-5 pages. My hubby and I were astounded and impressed! This is the first book she has been able to do that with. My little girl is growing up too fast!

Pinning
There are so many great pins out there! Here are some of my favs from the week!

This Alphabet Mat from Teach Beside Me. I would love to make one of these for my little girl! It looks pretty simple.

This Guided Reading Focus Chart by Level from What the Teacher Wants. This is a handy resource for any elementary teacher.

Doing

Staying up too late!! I'm trying to get in bed by 10:30 these days, and it's after 11pm. So goodnight all, have a great week! I'm going to bed!

Have a super week! And please share- I'd love to know what you are Reading, Pinning, Doing??!!

I'm Linking up:

Learning All The Time!!

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Reading + Pinning + Doing (9)

ReadingHere are a couple of our library favs from the past week:

Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillion is a preschooler's story of BoJangles, an American tap dancer. This has great repetition and rhyme. This book is great for any child ages 2-6.

Nora's Room by Jessica Harper, illustrated by  Lindsay Harper duPont, is a silly, fun book. Nora is making a ruckus up in her room playing make believe. I also like that the author and illustrator are sisters.

Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear by Nancy White Calstrom also is filled with rhyme: Goldfish, goldfish/ swimming with a fin swish. Let me help you flap about/ I can zigzag in and out. I like the playfulness of the rhymes, but I don't love the illustrations- they're a bit dated.

Can you Growl like a Bear? by John Bulter is well written, and has soft, captivating illustrations. Here's a taste of the writing: Can you CROAK like a tree frog, basking in the rain? Can you ROAR like a leopard, slinking slowly by? This would be a great book for any preschooler.

We love Raffi's song, Shake My Sillies Out, so this book is fun to sing/read.

My daughter is still asking for Where is My Teddy? from last week, so I think we'll have to check it out again soon.

Pinning
This is a great site for educational games: Cookie.com. I like that you can also make an account for your child/students and track their progress. I suggested this site to a teacher that needs some additional sight word and multiplication practice for one of her students.

Doing
I have slacked on blogging because I have been busy, busy, busy. But life has been full of good times with friends and family, so I cannot complain.

I went to Glen Ellen (Sonoma wine country) with my sister, friends, spouses, and 6 kiddos. Good times.

Cousins take an epic hike

 My two lovelies

spontaneous reading happened often...

 amid chaos

 my husband and I took a walk to a winery



most of the clan 

my little family 

 we got our new backsplash installed- yay, I'm so excited!

 Me and my sweetie on a walk

It was a good long weekend.

Linking up at Mouse Learns, Mouse Grows (a little late!)

And at Learning All the Time!