2 days' snapshot

Yesterday we practiced writing P's on our whiteboards.

We also discussed diagonal, straight, and curved lines. We looked at these kind of lines in clothing. Then the students searched the room to see if they could find these kinds of lines.

The students then drew and labeled these lines in their journals.

The students also learned to draw a pig for their journal time in the afternoon.

This morning we watched the eBook Wash and Dry one final time.

Here's Tripp playing with our tub of Instasnow :) 

We practiced writing Pp's the correct way on the Smartboard.

At the end of every year, the students decorate a gingerbread man and then he is mailed to family or friends out of town. We ask that they keep a journal of where the gingerbread man visits and take pictures to mail back to us. So far the 4's have had gingerbread men visit Illinois, Louisiana, California, and Whitfield, Al.

Some pictures of the morning gross motor time :)

question of the day:

Our Chinese friends stopped by to visit today!

today's snapshot

In between dance and gymnastics sessions, we fingerpainted Pp's.

Today's clothing stories:

Baby Llama turns bedtime into an all-out llama drama! Tucked into bed by his mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying when she goes downstairs, and his soft whimpers turn to hollers when she doesn't come right back. But just in time, Mama returns to set things right. Children will relate to Baby Llama's need for comfort, as much as parents will appreciate Mama Llama's reassuring message.

buy it {here} at Amazon

When David visits his Florida grandparents for Christmas, he heads outside to build a snowman like the one he makes at home every winter in Maine. But there are quite a few surprises in store.

Buy it {here} at Amazon

This afternoon we took a walking field trip to Gilbert Hall. While we were there, Terry Stepp gave us a tour of the new laundromat.

 Let me just say, I have reached the age where I can honestly say things aren't like they used to be! To use the washers and dryers, students swipe their Tiger Card...

choose which washer and dryer they would like to use by #... 

and it costs only $1.00 per load to wash and 25 cents per load to dry! Students can also check through UWA's homepage to see if there are washers and dryers available before the head to the laundry room AND can check if their clothes are finished washing and drying. 

After our tour, Addison's daddy and UWA International Studies bought us pizza and nachos for snack! Thank you so much!!!

We came back in time for centers and library. :) Awesome day!

Fulbright Scholar Dr. Lyudmyla Baysara

I had the privilege of listening to Dr. Lyudmyla Baysara this morning. Her student/faculty lecture this morning was on "Changing the Educational Paradigm from 'Being Taught' to 'Learning on Your Own with Guidance.'

 Here is some more information on Dr. Baysara:

 The University of West Alabama continues its 2012-13 Fulbright Lecture Series as Dr. Lyudmyla Baysara will present “Ukraine: The Land and Its Culture” on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. at Bell Conference Center.

Hosted by the Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education, Baysara is associate professor in the department of educational development and psychology at Dnipropetrovsk National University in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine.

Baysara’s areas of expertise include teaching multiple intelligences, particularly in the area of foreign language learning. In 2001, she spent eight months as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Utah, conducting research on multiple intelligences theory. She is a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Instructional Development and Distance Education. 

Prior to her current position at Dnipotropetrovsk National University, Baysara served as dean of the English Language Department at Horlivka Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. She is a graduate in Philology from the Kyiv Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages and also holds a degree in English and Ukrainian from Horlivka Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. 

Baysara has taught courses in English grammar, theoretical grammar, business English, translation, country studies, multiple intelligences theory in language teaching, cross-cultural psychology, positive psychology and general psychology. In addition, Baysara is the author/co-author of five books and a number of scholarly papers and conference presentations. Baysara has earned numerous awards for both teaching and university service.

by: Betsy Compton, UWA

Dr. Cordell, Dr. Minear (our curriculum director), Dr. Rogers, Dr. Baysara, and myself