Going to Grade 5

School's been out for two weeks, and I admit it: I miss my students and school. I am most certainly happy to be back in Omaha, safe and snug and camping out in my sister's room. I have already visited the library (five times) and target (four times). I've been to the pool, ate a hot dog at the College World Series, and read my books. I love summer, and I am glad to be home.

But today I have been thinking about my little students and the great school year we had. I felt like my first year was a great year, but my second year as a 4th grade teacher and missionary was a really great year. I had twenty one students who loved to learn. They were happy, which made me happy. We had a lot of fun together, learning and singing and reading and writing.

All throughout May we had a big poetry unit. We read through tons of poetry books and I taught my students some different types of poetry. We wrote every day, and made books at the end of the unit to showcase our work. Some of the classroom moms came in and decorated for us on the last week of school. We had a big Poetry Bash where my students recited a poem that I chose for them and then read two of their own personal poems.

My students with their "published" poetry books.

Celebrating our work with cake and cookies

As the proud teacher, of course I have to show off their work:

When I'm by myself
And I close my eyes
I'm a loud microphone
I'm a cold ice cream cone
I'm a breeze in the trees
I'm one little bee
I'm a bookshelf with books inside
I'm a bird with wings that's scared to try
I'm Neptune far away
I'm in my bed at the end of the day
I'm a circuit without a switch
A hole you can't stitch
And when I open my eyes
What I care to be
Is me

There you have it.
Poetry Unit = Success.
2012-2013 school year = Success.

I am feeling beyond blessed to have taught that group of students. They managed to steal my heart quite effectively. At the end of our Poetry Bash, one of my students read me a poem they wrote for me.

They're going to grade 5! They made it!

Who Knew?

A couple of weeks back I was lesson planning for science class and being disappointed that my Earth and Space Unit was coming to and end. The students were fascinated by the planets, moon, and outer space in general, and I enjoyed teaching it. As I was looking through my science book, I peeked ahead to the next chapter, and read:  Electricity and Magnetism.

Sigh.

I do not find electricity to be an entertaining subject, and I do not enjoy teaching it. To get my students excited about it, I knew I needed to be excited about it. Clearly explaining electricity to 4th graders is another matter entirely. Flowing electrons? Really?

We got a new science curriculum this year, and I was browsing through some of the online activities when I found a rap about electricity. I watched it and deemed it a little ridiculous. Then I watched it again. It grew on me just a little. After one more viewing, I knew I had hit the jackpot. I would pump up the Electricity Rap and sell it to my students.

What happened next was a cause and effect that soon got out of control. We listened to the Electricity Rap no less than four times a day. My students sang it in the hallway. I hummed it as I walked around the classroom. I caught myself singing it in the kitchen. When I asked a question during science class, students would silently go through the song in their head to see if the answer to my question was answered in part of the rap. The best part is that many times the answer would be in the song.

During reading class we have been doing a poetry unit. Earlier this week we were working on a group acrostic poem and we needed a topic to write about. Multiple students suggested we write about electricity. So we created what my students have declared a masterpiece. I quite agree with them. Check it out:

What happened next should be of no surprise. My students wanted to dance to the song. A competition was created. A week was given to practice. And then this happened:

Here is one of the performances:

Who knew electricity could be so cool?