Hearing and Vision

Boy today was a busy day.  The fire department is coming out tomorrow, and we always like to have one fire drill under our belt before they come, just so we know how quick we can get out of the building.  We hadn't done one yet this year, so our time was running short!  We didn't want to do it in the rain (which was coming later in the day).  We didn't want to do it when people were out at recess, eliminating most of the morning since one class or another is on the playground.  We didn't want to do it while the preschool parents picked up their kiddos at 11.  And we didn't want to do it during Hearing and Vision Screening, which started at 11:15.  So when did we do it?  11:10am.

I hadn't told my kids it was coming, but they figured it out on their own when they overheard a teacher talking about it outside our window while she was at recess.  I had worn a sweater to school since the morning was cool.  Our classroom heats up pretty fast, so I had the windows open in our classroom to get a breeze going.  Well the breeze was blowing directly on me and I got chilly again so I put my sweater back on.  My students were immediately suspicious, "OH! Miss H put her sweater on! That must mean the fire drill is going to happen soon!" Well, it kind of was, but that wasn't why I put my sweater on.  I tried to dissuade them, but they were stubborn.  So all this talk of the fire drill distracted them from their work.  But the drill went off without a hitch.  It was the fastest time we'd ever done it! 48 seconds!

By the time we came back in, it was our turn for Hearing and Vision.  This was about 40 or so minutes before lunch; hopefully plenty of time for us to finish.  But the helpers were not all set to go by 11:15, so we had to wait.  Thankfully, I'd thought to have my kids bring their read to self books to the gym, so they read while they waited.  Or, most of them read.  Some got distracted.  We wrapped up just as the 3rd and 4th graders finished getting their lunch.  The 7th and 8th graders are supposed to eat after us, but they were also supposed to get screened right after us too.  So they got lunch late and therefore got to recess late.  And you can imagine the fuss they made.

Mr. E and I came up with a plan that the 5th and 6th graders would have normal recess (so he could keep his normal math schedule).  I would give the 7th and 8th graders extra recess, cutting into our class time a bit.  They were presenting their geography projects, so it wasn't too big a deal since we can present another day too.  Not everyone could present in one day.  We were supposed to have bells, but with the late recess thing, we just skipped today.  I'm wondering how our second bell song is going to go... we're not having practice Thursday either since we have a guest speaker... Tomorrow I want them to write in the rhythms on their music during study hall; hopefully that will help them play better.  One song we have down.  But the tricky one has lots of running eighth notes and some syncopated rhythms that are super fast (16th notes!).  It needs work. We're running out of time too!  We might need to skip that song. Or modify it so it's not so long.  Or just practice more.

Well, I think it's time for me to head home. I ran all my errands yesterday, so I don't have too much on my agenda tonight.  I stopped at the library and stocked up on books, got groceries, got a flu shot.  (My arm was super sore last night, but today it's been pretty good.) The rain that was in the forecast has arrived; it's pouring. I was hoping it would miss us.  I'm seeing some combines and semis giving up and going home.  But to look on the positive side, it's the perfect weather for curling up with the book that's been calling my name all day!