Day 153: School's Out For Summer

Ah, the first day of summer break.  I enjoyed the extra sleep and the lack of worries about everything I still needed to do to get ready for the day.  Instead, I took my time drinking my water, fixing my breakfast, and finally took care of little things I have been putting off.  Today's picture shows some progress I made.  I painted my record shelf and started putting up some of my work.  I need one more piece for it to be complete.  It looks better in person than in this picture.


I am finally a member of the Naperville Library System.  I am so excited to have so much available to me.  I walked through the foreign film section at one of the branches and it went on and on.  I think I will be taking advantage of this resource.


I cannot stop thinking about my new classroom and what I'd like to do.  I went to buy some fabric yesterday for the bulletin boards and for curtains.  While at the library I picked up book on tape that won the blue stem award.  It is pretty interesting.  I am not far in, but it takes place in the future and there is not much land left, so people have moved to the ocean.  It seems that global warming has gotten the best of us.  It is interesting because so much of what I taught in oceanography ties into the book.  The boy is "shiny" because he eats bioluminescent fish.  I'm excited to listen to more as I drive to DeKalb tomorrow.  


One thing I'd like to work on is a "Reece Reviews" poster.  I want to make mini posters for all the books I read this summer.  I was thinking I could rate it by Reese's Pieces and when I provide a summary, it will be located in a peanut butter cup like the peanut butter filling.  I will also provide reading levels.  


I used to feel this way at the end of summer; where all I can think of is preparing for next year.  I am so glad to have the excitement back.  The past summer I did absolutely no work until the very last moment.  This year my goal will be to make sure I have balance.