Today was our first grade picnic!

Our class bench!
Everyone found a place to sit and waited while Mrs. Ellis' son grilled our hot dogs! Yay for Andrew Ellis!

Class Picnic

Everyone enjoying their lunch.


The playground was so much fun!


I promise this was a friendly game of tag.


We all had a great day!

End of Year...

While there have been many days when I left school very tired...okay, exhausted...I am really feeling sentimental about the school year being over....I have loved this class...The children are creative and funny...serious and goal-setting....
Here are a few favorite quotes from this week (I won't use real names):

We have been very warm in our classroom this week and little Susie came up to me and in true Southern Belle fashion, while mopping her brow, said, "Mrs. Bode, I don't do summer very well." (For the record, neither do I!)

Little Johnny: Mrs. Bode, smell my hair!
Me: Ummmm.....no.
Little Johnny: Come on, Mrs. Bode, smell my hair!
Me: Okay....(I happily did not smell anything)....mmmmmm, great.
Little Johnny: yep. I took a bath.
The next day we had the same exact conversation, except at the end I said, "Little Johnny! A bath two days in a row! You are spoiling me!
Little Johnny, with a Cheshire grin: I know.

I had a boy tattling that a girl had "budged" him (the word they use for cutting in line)..I asked Susie: "Did you budge him?" (I was fully expecting a no answer.)
Susie: "Yes."
Me: Why?
Susie: Because I am a lady and ladies should be first.
What could I do with that kind of reasoning?! I, of course, told the boy to move back and let the lady in. :)

I told the children we had to be very orderly when some of the parents come to watch our plays on the last day of school...peace, sitting still, etc...
One little girl raised her hand and said, "Yeah, Mrs. Bode, cuz my mom won't do craziness. She will just say 'I am done with this craziness and will leave'. So I want everyone to be quiet.

First Grade Picnic!

Next Thursday, May 27, the first grade is going to walk to Weedman Park for a hot dog roast/picnic. The teachers have asked the students to bring in a dollar donation to contribute towards the lunch supplies. In addition, the children should bring a drink for the picnic. Another teacher is allowing soda, so in fairness I have given in...the half cans are ideal....please no Mountain Dew or other sodas containing caffeine...I am still encouraging juice or bottled water :)

Finally field trip day!

Waiting in the school hall for our buses to arrive. This morning it was very stormy and we thought we would not get to have our picnic....but it stopped raining and the day was great!
Mrs. Arndt was our bus driver and we definitely had the party bus! The kids loved the Chipmunk music she played!
So excited for the day that lies ahead!

Monticello Train Field Trip!

Just seeing the train made everyone excited!
These two gentlemen used Morse Code when they started working for the railroad in the 1940's.
We were taken through an old time sleeping car.
I snuck these two in for a picture!
Okay, I threw in quite a few...quickly...so I could get their pictures.
Some rooms had their own commodes. Of course, the students found that fascinating!
We were able to walk through an old time mail car...
Here they learned how repairs were made to the train wayside lights.
Back to the mailroom...many children came back and put this room in their journals.
Waiting for the 'safe car'....we watched a cartoon on track safety....how children should not run up to the tracks to put anything on them and they should not try to outrun a train.

More field trip!

After the museum/tours and before the train ride. Everyone was really patient for our 20 minute wait.
Finally on the train!!
Waiting with their tickets to give to the conductor.



Our view for part of the trip.
Afterwards, we went to Nick's Park in Monticello. We had a picnic lunch and then played!
The boys quickly found a hideout.


Ending our trip at the Monticello Dairy Queen was a huge hit!
We had a vanilla line, twist line, and chocolate line.
Yum!
This is about half of our first grade classes. The rest were waiting for their twist cones.
We came back to the room and journaled....I think everyone mentioned their love for the Dairy Queen stop!

Field Trip

Our field trip to the Monticello train depot is scheduled for this Wednesday, May 12. We plan to board the buses at 8:30 and return to school around 2:45. We anticipate spending a lot of time outside so please dress your child accordingly.
Don't forget to send a sack lunch with your child, as we will not be at school for lunch.
Trains, picnic, park, ice cream cones....we are all very excited!