VIP Day

VIP day was a success!

The start of the morning is always a little nerve-wracking... parents and grandparents and other relatives spend a half an hour in the classrooms, though it's actually a little longer since a lot of them drop the kids off at school.  So we had visitors come in starting around 8:15am.  We did our normal morning stuff, which by now is routine, but it's different when you have an audience.  My kiddos were pretty quiet.  We did religion class instead of a game like some of the younger grades do.  Today's topic was Jacob and Esau.  I'd read the story last night like I usually do, just to refresh my memory and read up on the notes in my study bible for the story.  We got in a big circle, VIPs sitting next to their people, and worked our way through the Bible a few verses at a time.  My kids were again super quiet.  But we got through the whole story in a half an hour!  I thought it'd maybe take us two days.  One of the grandparents came up to me later (after school at the volleyball game) and said it was one of the best bible studies he's ever been to.  Wow!

At 9:00 we moved to the gym for donuts.  And after donuts, Douglas Wood.  He was great! Everyone had a good time, from young to old (even the 7th and 8th graders...).  He had us sing a super catchy song that most of us hummed the rest of the day.

It must've put us in a musical mood because the 7th and 8th graders were singing old musical songs during their study hall today.  They had me play some of the songs (on the computer) while they were working.  It was one big sing-along!  Glad to know the songs stuck with them!

Chemistry class today got interesting.  The 5th and 6th graders are learning about molecules; today's topic was electrons in orbitals.  We got a little deeper in content than most 5th and 6th grade classes, but I think they all understood it for the most part!  I used muffin tins as a way for them to understand electrons in orbitals.  Every element has a certain number of empty spaces in its muffin tin (orbital).  Other elements can plop their electrons (muffins) in the missing spaces to fill the tin.  That's how molecules stick together!  Woo! Science!  We're doing a lab tomorrow where they get to make molecules from marshmallows and toothpicks.  They're super excited.  Everyone wanted to know if they could keep the marshmallows after they were done. Or if they could eat them.  Nope and nope.  Science supplies are never to be eaten.  Hopefully no one tries to sneak a snack tomorrow...