Story Mapping Posters Idea {and a bunch of other things because I have been slacking...}

Last week my class finally finished up their story mapping posters for The Lorax. 

I made a really simple template that you can adapt for any book to make your own. Click the image to download if you'd like.

Here are a couple photos that pretty much sum up my week in grade two:

{The blinds are closed in the background because we had just watched a video clip for a kid's birthday party in class. Usually, they are wide open because, as I tell my class, "Sunshine makes us happy!" I feel I need the sunshine the most in my room haha.}

I've struggled with my class aaaalllll year - they have trouble listening, they are energetic, they are oh-so-loud. {And that's not to mention the five dominant or defiant personalities I deal with!} But in the end, they are kids and they love to have fun. Now that the year is winding down, they're a bit wackier than usual {surprise!}. Which is, unfortunately, one of the reasons our performance for the Spring Concert is pretty awful. And I don't mean awful in the sense that they'll pull it together for performance day because that's what always happens - I mean awful in the sense that it is ... well, it is just not good. We have Sunday and Monday to practice before game day, so I need to focus and push the stress away that is teaching them this routine so we can get it done! Wish me luck :)

Last weekend Jeff and I went to a student art competition at a hotel near our apartment. Some of the art was so fantastic! We happened to score the best one {I really do think it is the best one - I'm still surprised it didn't win an award} and it only cost us 5KD! {Less than $20 CAD.} It's on a canvas about the size of regular Bristol board. This one is a paint and newspaper collage made by a fifteen year old student. I love to collect some type of art work from every country I visit, and I feel this is very suitable for our time in the Middle East.

And finally, just a quick shot of one of our favourite weekend stops: A marina near our place where we can eat Pinkberry on a patio and people watch like crazy.

Is anyone else having trouble believing we are through a third of May already?!?

- Amanda