Operation SURPRISE Observation

Have you ever had an SURPRISE observation? If you haven't, today I did! *Oh my gosh* THANK THE LORD that I had some a really fun interactive activities going on in my class today.

My day at a glance:

8:30-Students come into the classroom hang up their belonging
8:40- Students seating in their seats practicing the skill "Read to SELF"
8:50- Students use the restroom (one of my little darlings pulled the fire alarm) FUN!, exchange pencils and take out morning work
9:15- Morning Work
9:30- Reading lesson- We were beginning our reading lesson for the day. This lesson included reading the book "whose mouse are you?" By: Robert Kraus. As a class we used the SmartBoard to show in words the sequence of the story. Next,  I passed out a graphic organizer asking the students "What Happened First" This activity was really simple, the students only had to draw a picture showing the sequence of the story. This went really well since we had just used words to tell the sequence on the SmartBoard.

10:00-There was a knock on the door and in walks the principal with her scary little observation notebook. My.heart.dropped! Why you might ask? Because my aide had been pulled to help administer the ISAT (standardize test) with the fourth graders. That leaves little ole' me in the class with 33 (yes, you read right) first graders!!! The class as a whole was just making a transition from our first activity to the second. The second activity was my favorite. This was going to give the students an opportunity to use their creativity and create their own story and illustrate it on a cartoon strip showing what happened first, next, then and last. Things were going good, everyone was doing their work (well except that one student that decided to sleep during my lesson this is the same student that pulled the fire alarm).
10:45- Principal leaves and we finish the cartoon strips. Principal lets me know she is coming back for math lesson.
11:00- Lunch
11:45- Students use restroom, come into class and rest their heads for five minutes
12:00-Math (The principal came back, right on time to see the lesson begin) My math lesson last about one hour and ten/twenty minutes. The break down is LONG so I won't explain everything if you have question just ask and I'll explain then.
*Calendar
*Math Journal- I plan on doing a post about these journals they are GREAT!
*Popcorn math or Fact Practice
*Introduction of new concept/Review- This is always the hands on part of math. Today we reviewed pennies and how to determine if a word problem is an addition or subtraction problem. (I made a SmartBoard lesson for this and whenever I learn how to load the lesson I will do so.)
*Guided Practice
1:10- The principal leaves my class but tells me she wants to see me during my prep at two o'clock.
1:15- Recess
1:35- Science - Solids and Liquids unit from Foss
2:00- Prep- Students go to music until 3:00- Meeting with the principal. Now I don't know about your P but mine ALWAYS has some way to make my lessons better, even when I know they were great! But today she didn't have anything but GREAT THINGS TO SAY! She even wants me to model my lesson to the whole staff so they can see what she expects from all teachers. Talk about being floored, I was smiling from ear to ear!!
3:00- Picked students up from music and prepared for dismissal (Got a call from the office, I'm needed in the Principal's office AGAIN) Walked in the office and with the principal was the head of our school the CEO. What did I think "Oh God I'm fired" but nope guess who got a raise today! ME ME ME ME ME!!
3:30- Dismissed students
3:31- Typed this LONG drawn out day because I was so excited and wanted to let the world know.
7:00- Going to church(bible study). These blessing didn't come from me and I must give HIM thanks.