So Much Watermelon!

I've been browsing the internet (and Pinterest) for the past hour trying to find recipes involving watermelon.  One of my students' parents brought a huge watermelon to school for me.  I shared half with the 1st and 2nd grade teacher, but my half is still huge!  It barely fits in my fridge!  I scooped a whole bunch out for supper tonight (and I'm going to share some with my sisters).

Today was the first soccer and volleyball game of the year.  It was away- in Truman, MN, so I didn't go.  I really, really wanted to though!  However, I did get a lot done around school.  I'll just have to wait until tomorrow to hear how it went.

To practice, my six 6th graders played mini-soccer at recess.  Basically it's just regular soccer, except with mini goals and a smaller playing field.  The teams were pretty evenly matched and everyone was running and getting some exercise in the crisp autumn air... and it was really crisp today!  I actually wore my jacket outside for recess!  But I'm not quite ready for the cold.  Winter can stay away as far as I'm concerned.

I was completely shocked today during my time with the 7th and 8th graders.  They were little angels!  I wonder what their teacher said to them before we switched.  I did hear him say, "Now be on your best behavior," but I don't think that would be enough to get this much of a behavior change.  I wonder if it had something to do with the soccer/volleyball games tonight.  Either way, they sat in their seats, raised their hands to answer questions (there was still some blurting of answers, but 90% better from their average day), and actually participated in class!  I did catch some girls taking notes from the book instead of paying attention, but no matter what I'd say, they would still be taking notes.

Even now, I'm completely baffled by their good behavior.  The only thing I did differently was to confess that I think what we were learning now is boring too (Our text book was published in 1995.  I was barely in school when it was wrote!).  I don't remember exactly what I said, but it was something along these lines, "I know this stuff we're learning is pretty boring.  I don't think it's very interesting either, but we have to get through these chapters in the book.  Just bear with me for a few more days and then we'll move on to more interesting stuff.  I promise it will get better.  We just have three more sections, then a test, and then it starts getting better."  I don't really think my speech was motivation enough for them to suddenly toe the line.  I'll have to ask Mr. E about it tomorrow before school...