Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.
My week back from the break was a full week. School every day (no snow days in South Louisiana) and parent conference day on Thursday. Report cards, progress reports, IEP meetings, etc. I need another break!
This week was also full of discoveries. My husband bought my students a gift, a mini-microscope. I passed it around in the package which was covered in foreign characters, no English. Then we took out the little blue plastic thing. They tried the switches, put their eyes to the view hole, and guessed flashlight, magnifying glass–microscope! Jacob’s reaction to the discovery, “Ew! My hand is covered in fish scales.” Fun discoveries.
What is this?
My students are loving the white boards that a grandpa made for them. Here, Erin’s lemur friend tells how to make the best Monday, What are you Reading? post. Look at the creative spelling of genre.
My online writing group is driving me in so many ways. I posted a section of my WIP with “draping oak.” The question, “Do oaks drape?” On a Sunday afternoon walk after a huge rain, we came to this draping oak covered in resurrection fern. I posted it on Facebook asking for help in describing this in writing. Diane Mayr responded with an image poem. She didn’t know what resurrection fern was, so she researched it. More discoveries.
Live oak tree covered in resurrection fern.
Image by Diane Mayr
Reflections on the Teche 
SO much to celebrate! I love the picture of that little guy with the mini-microscope!! There’s so much joy in that picture! Thanks for sharing these great celebrations!
Thanks for the shout-out Margaret! And thanks for planting the seed for discovery.
I love that your husband purchased a gift for your class and love the new dry erase boards. What a fun week of discovery.
Yay for discoveries! Love that tree! I want to sit in it and read a book!
Parent conferences the first week back is going back to school two feet in. No time to ease yourself back into the school rhythm. The celebration is that they are done!
What a week! I can’t believe you came back to so much paperwork! Sounds like you and your students got right back into it though. I love how your students sit right alongside you in your discoveries whatever they might be. And how lucky you are to have such a vibrant online writing group!
Julieanne
Reading about your week back I agree that another break is in order. The oak tree covered in fern looks really fascinating.
Ahhh. Love the tree. Just showed it to a bunch of girls waiting to play. One said prehistoric, another said rejuvenating because it’s just inviting you into its branches. Glad you made it through a week of conferences–still can’t believe you had conferences after vacation…
I love the dry erase boards. This reminds me that I want to get some of these made for my class. Great photos!
Oh my goodness, I am tired from just reading this post. Conferences and report cards on the first week back. Bless you! I enjoyed learning about the Resurrection Fern. It was a lovely poem.
Jennifer
Wow, conferences the first week back. Amazing work you did, Margaret. Love all the other little celebrations. Sounds as if your writing group is very fun, and helpful too.
That is a beautiful tree. I love the image and the poem!