New Year...same story

Well, I am sitting here on New Year's Eve waiting for the New Year to roll around and decided I should do some updating to the classroom blog. Which really means, I don't have exciting plans tonight and I am really bored! Not that anyone really reads this, I am pretty sure I write this and update it from time to time just for my own good. If you do read this, thank you. It is nice to know that someone reads this other than me from time to time. Please feel free to sign the guestbook and let me know.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful holiday! I say this constantly, but it is really hard for me to believe that half of the year is already gone! I cannot wait to find out what everyone got for Christmas on Monday! I know that you will all have lots of stories to tell. 

We are about to enter into the 3rd nine weeks. My least favorite of all. The 1st nine weeks is exciting because of all of the "Back to School" craze, the 2nd is fun because there are so many activities and holidays to celebrate! The 4th is the best because testing stress is over and we are free to be, plus it means sum, sum, summer time is right around the corner!  The third is by far the least fun. It is the time to push in all of the learning we can before the testing tornado hits us in early April. I know we will survive and you will turn your brain into a sponge and soak it all up. 

Have a great rest of break! See you Monday morning...there is a chance of snow. As much as I want to see all of you...snow would be nice as well! Just Kidding! -Mrs. H

Last Chance!

Christmas Break is right around the corner, students! You are running out of time to get your grades up before they are due next week! Progress reports will be going home today, so if you have any issues that we need to discuss, YOU better get on it!

Science Spectacular at ECU

We spent yesterday at ECU's first ever Science Spectacular. This was a really neat opportunity for our kids and for the education students at ECU. The whole she-bang was put together by Dr. Marty Pennington at ECU. She worked really hard on this and we appreciate her so much for everything.

Some of the education students created awesome science lessons and tested them on the 5th graders of Willard. My homeroom class got to participate in building their own thermometers and their own astrolabes. It was really neat, especially the astrolabes. We had never heard of an astrolabe so it was a completely new learning experience. The kids took a pre-test when they got there and a post-test at the end of the day to check for learning.

We really appreciate everything that they did for us yesterday!

If you are wondering what an astrolabe is follow this link: What is an Astrolabe?

A huge THANK YOU goes out to the Theobroma Chocolate Company in Sitka, Alaska. Thank you so much for sending our reading class samples of your product. We loved it and appreciate it more than you know.

This company's chocolate is wonderful and we highly recommend them. Please check out their store by clicking on the logo above.

It is about time!

Sorry that I have not posted in a while. Things have been crazy!

I missed one day last week to go to a speaker and I was gone yesterday to an algebra workshop. I have learned so much at these two events and I am so excited to implement some of the practices in our classes. I cannot wait to get to algebra in math. The kids are going to love the new stuff I picked up for us.

Tomorrow is Halloween and I am not going to be here. I am missing for a personal event that has been planned for many months, it just so happened to be tomorrow. I promise to you and the kids that I am not usually gone this much! Last year I was never given any opportunities to go to any workshops, so this year when they ask I immediately jump. These workshops I attend can only improve my learning and teaching and enhance your child's education.

That being said, I will be missing one more time on Tuesday to go to a science workshop in Dallas. Doh! I promise this is the last time I plan to be absent right now! I am just curious at how many people actually look at this. Please leave a comment on here! Your child will receive 10 bonus points in science for you doing this. I would just like to know that I am working and updating this website for those that I made it for and not just myself! Have a fun and spooky weekend!
The name of the website is Harrison's Hoot, not Harrison Shoot. Don't be fooled people.

Goddard Field Trip

We had so much fun yesterday at Camp Goddard! Check out our awesome pictures!

All Treats, No Tricks!

I have posted a new gadget of links on the right side below the "Announcements."
I have linked some fun math games for your students to practice with at home. When we get tired of practicing math problems with plain old pen and paper, we often find a fun game online to practice with. It really motivates the kiddos to work on the interactive Smartboard.

You can visit the website I use a lot for fun games and ideas:
http://mrnussbaum.com

Volcano Pictures

First Timer

As tech savvy as I think I am, I have not really blogged before. I do enjoy reading other people's blogs though. I got this idea from another teacher (thanks Mrs. Elliott) and I think it is a wonderful way of keeping up with what is going on! Please mark the address into your favorites and check it often for updates.

I usually put out a monthly newsletter called, "Harrison's Hoot." However, I haven't figured out the best way to create a newsletter between my three classes. This will be much easier!I am shocked that our first 9 weeks is almost up! I could write forever about what we have been doing, but I will keep it short and start with what we are doing now!

My reading class has finished reading The Boxcar Children and we will start a new novel on Monday. Shhh. The next novel is a secret...

My math classes just took their first benchmark test of the year and I am excited to say that over half of my students made A's!

In science we are studying volcanoes. Today we are going to make volcanoes, let them dry this weekend and make them erupt on Monday. Pictures are now up!!