Book Covers Brickified

Sometimes you see an idea on Social Media that you just have to try right away.  This is exactly what happened today.

Over on 100ScopeNotes, elementary school librarian Travis Jonker posted book covers which had been put through Brickify, a convert-to-LEGO online app.

Not only did I love taking his little quiz, but right away I thought of the endless possibilities for my own classroom.

Every year, my classroom keeps track of our Read Alouds through GoodReads.  I decided to try it out on a few of the books my class has already read this year.

Happy READ IN WEEK!

See if you can GUESS THE COVERS!

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1W Bots

In the fall of 2015, I bought my friend Shauna Pollock's book Creating Classroom Magic.  When I received her book in the mail she sent me my own MAGIC BOT. 

I was curious about BOTS and wanted to learn more.  So I researched more about Gary Hirsch.  I found his website BotJoy and learned how BOTS came to be.  From there I also watched his TEDx 'Talk Meet Your Monster'. 

I felt like I had to have my own BOT from Gary Hirsch so I ordered a few for myself and also gave some away to friends.  You can buy your own BOTS made by Gary on Etsy.  I decided to keep a BRAVE BOT and an I LOVE YOU BOT for myself. 

By now my brain was over flowing with all the possible ideas on how I could STEAL Gary's idea and use it in the classroom.

Gary provides a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own BOTS to put out into the universe.

The end of the school year is one of the most exciting times for me and my students.  I try hard for us to really embrace the final days of school.  We do the ABC Countdown, we have many special surprises, lots of fieldtrips and I knew giving them their own BOT to remember 1W would be extra special.  

So I spent a few nights creating one-of-a-kind 1W BOTS for each one of my Grade One Friends.  I created a label for the back, found simple white boxes to keep them safe and then gave them to my students.  

I am so happy with how they turned out and how special and unique each 1W BOT is - just like my students.  

Thank you Shauna Pollock and Gary Hirsch for the inspiration.  

A Year of Positivity

Always end the day with a positive thought.  

No matter how hard things were, tomorrow is a new opportunity to make it better.  

At the start of 2015, I started my journey of Positivity Post-Its.  The PURPOSE was to end each day with a positive thought or reminder.  Each night just before bed, I would think about the day and record a positive thought on a post-it and then put it on Instagram.

I knew it would require dedication and commitment.  I knew there would be days I would be tired.  There would be days it would be hard to be positive because the day was rough.  Or even while I was away on vacation I would have to be committed to doing a post-it.  But, what I learned from this experience was it forced me to look at life in a different way.  It forced me to look and see the positive in each day.  It forced me to develop  a positive habit.  It forced me to just laugh more at things which frustrated me.

So now, 365 days have past.  365 Positivity Post-Its have been created.  I have grown.  I have accomplished something I set out to do.  And my hope is that maybe I inspired or spread a little positivity into someone else's day as well.

You can find all my Positivity Post-Its on this page - Positivity Post-It

The truth of the matter is, most people don't finish things! Look around you, the evidence is everywhere: People don't finish. They begin ambitious projects with the best of intentions, but then they get stuck in a mire of insecurity and doubt and hairsplitting...and they stop.

So if you can just complete something-merely complete it! - you're already miles ahead of the pack, right there. -Gilbert

You Better Be ALL IN

Not everyone needs to believe in your dream, but YOU BETTER BE ALL IN. 

You will have people say you can't. 
You will have people say you are crazy. 
You will have people criticize. 
All of these people are not you. 

At best....
Surround yourself with the people who push you.
Surround yourself with people who wish more for you.
Surround yourself with people who will ask how they can help. 

Ultimately, though.....
You are the one who has to be 100% invested.
You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.
You have to give it your all.
You have to be ALL IN! 

Go out and make your dreams a reality.