Kuwait National n Liberation Day 2011

I will be completing my four years stay in Kuwait. And every year,I keep waiting for its National and Liberation Day celebration on 25th n 26th February.

 

Kuwait is celebrating its 50th Independence Day, 20th Liberation Day and the 5th anniversary of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's assumption of power this year. So no doubt there is lot of planning for this special occassion.

 

All Kuwaiti citizens are getting 1000KD each and rations free till Feb 2012,as gift from the Amir. Also all babies born on 25th n 26th February will get 100KD each. Kuwait is really lucky to have such a kind and giving Amir.

A official website is launched where we will get all information relating to the celebration. www.kuwait-fest.com

Gearing up for the 100th Day!!

Check out what arrived.....my gray wig.....squeal!  

I am BEYOND stoked!  I have encouraged my kiddos to dress as if they are 100 years old and I figured I better look the part, too.  ;-)  The 100th day is one of my favorite days of the school year.  I explain to my parents  the reasoning behind the celebration and how we teach the importance of place value during our morning routine by counting the days of school.  I have several activities planned and am anxious to see my students' expressions...not sure they'll recognize me.  I'll be sure to post pictures as our day unfolds on February 3rd.  What are some 100th day activities YOU would recommend? Please share.  ~Miss E

Classroom Books

I just LOVEEEE making class books with my students.  I try to make at least ONE a week that typically corresponds with our theme.  I compile the pages, make a front/back cover, laminate, and bind them (aka "publish" the book).  Once it is completed, I'll share it with the class and place it in our library center.  Students can check out the book and keep it for a night to share with their family.  At the end of the year, every student may pick one book to keep and I'll store the rest to use as examples in upcoming years.  For more information on my classroom books and ideas, visit my website here: misseberhartsclass.com. 

Anyways...over the years, I have run out of cute ideas for covers and what not until I hit the mother load!  Check out heaven this place - Scrapbook Superstore.  My friend Kellie made the trek to Pigeon Forge 2 weeks ago and picked me up a bag full of goodies! :)  You can imagine my excitement.

So...here is what I've used some of the dicuts to create.

The question of the day is - - What do YOU use to make cute covers?  Share your classroom book ideas, pages, techniques, etc! :) Thanks, Miss E

Republic Day Of India celebrated in Q8

To know about Republic Day of India,celebration in Kuwait, check out the link
http://www.indiansinkuwait.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=9217&SECTION=0

Republic Day of India celebrated in USA

To know about 62nd Republic Day celebration of India in USA, can check out the following websites
http://www.indianembassy.org/ and

http://www.cgihouston.org/

Republic Day Supplement IIK,Q8

Popular online portal among the Indian community in Kuwait, IndiansinKuwait.com (IIK), released special online Republic day supplement.
Have a look , read and enjoy.
http://www.indiansinkuwait.com/rDay/

Republic India

INDIA today is celebrating its 62nd Republic Day with lot of enthusiasm and pride.

The Republic of India is a large South Asian country rich in ethnic diversity, with over one billion people speaking hundreds of languages. Politically it is the world's largest liberal democracy. The Indian economy is the fourth largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity, and is the world's second-fastest growing economy. India is also the second most populated country in the world. India has grown significantly, in terms of both population and strategic importance, in the last twenty years attributed to economic reforms. As we walk through the history, India is an amazing discovery
and its history is a unique tale of the past. It is a civilization united by its diversity, richness of culture, the glory of past, the turbulences and triumphs.  Home to some of the most ancient civilizations in the world, India was formally ruled by the British for almost ninety years before gaining independence in 1947.

Republic Day, celebrated on January 26th every year, is one of India’s most important national events. It was on January 26th,1950 that the constitution of India came into force and India became a sovereign,democratic and republic state. On this day India finally enjoyed the freedom of spirit and fundamental principle of governance. The patriotic fervor of the Indian people on this day brings the whole country together even in her embedded diversity. Republic Day is celebrated most majestically in the
capital, New Delhi, where symbols of the great nation's military might and cultural wealth are displayed in what is the world's most impressive parade. All Government buildings are illuminated lending the city the atmosphere of a fairyland. This day is celebrated with much zeal and pride all across the nation. India gained independence on August 15, 1947. But till January 26, 1950, it did not have the proper law of the land for ruling the country. On this particular date in1950 the constitution of India came into force and India became true nation state with true sovereign and republic sense. Our constitution was formed by the Indian Constituent Assembly. The Indian Constituent Assembly met on December 9, 1946. The Assembly appointed a number
of committees to report on the various aspects of the proposed constitution. The
Constituent Assembly had appointed Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the Chairman to draft
the Constitution. The committee finalized the draft with 395 Articles and eight
Schedules and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. The
Indian Republic officially came into being on January 26, 1950. January 26 was
not some random date picked out of the calendar. It was on this date in 1927
that the Indian National Congress, then fighting its non-violent war for freedom, voted for complete independence as against 'dominion status'. It was the date when members of the INC took the pledge to work towards a 'sovereign democratic Republic' of India. 

It was decreed a national holiday and has been recognized and celebrated as the Republic Day of India, ever since. The main celebrations are held in the form of a colorful parade near India Gate in Delhi. The parade showcasing India's military might
and cultural diversity covers an 8 km route, starting from the Rashtrapati Bhavan through the picturesque Rajpath down to India Gate before winding up at the historic Red Fort in Old Delhi.The events of the day begin with the Prime Minister laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti - India Gate. He then drives up to the central enclosure and awaits the arrival of the President and a Chief Guest of the occasion who is normally a Head of other Country. On the arrival, the honorable President meets the dignitaries present and unfurls the National Flag. Following this the National Anthem is played with a 21-gun salute to the National Flag. After this a brief investiture ceremony takes place during which the President presents India's top gallantry awards, the Param Veer Chakra, the Veer Chakra and the Maha Veer Chakra to the outstanding soldiers from the defense services. After this, four helicopters from the armed forces fly past the parade area showering rose petals on the audience. Each chopper carries a flag - the first being the Indian flag and the other three the flags of the Army, the Navy, and the Indian Air Force. The march past begins immediately
after the fly past. The President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, takes the salute of the mechanised, mounted and marching contingents of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Paramilitary forces, Police and the National Cadet Corps. After the march past comes the cultural extravaganza consisting of floats presented by the various states and performances by school children. After the floats, the bravery awards winning children from all over the country enter on elephants.

A spectacular fly-past by Air Force and Naval aircraft rounds off this not-to-be missed experience. The parade is followed by a pageant of spectacular displays from the different states of the country. These moving exhibits depict scenes of activities of people in those states and the music and songs of that particular state accompany each display. Each display brings out the diversity and richness of the culture of India and the whole show lends a festive air to the occasion. No other country in the world
can parade so many ethnically different people in splendid uniforms.

After three days of Republic Day parade, a moving ceremony known as "Beating Retreat" is held at the Vijay Chowk in New Delhi. This ceremony revives an ancient war custom according to which troops used to stop fighting at sunset. Bugles announcing the sunset would sound in the battlefield. As soon as soldiers heard these bugles they would stand still in the battlefield and war would be stopped for the day. This ceremony held on the 29th of January every year, marks the formal end of the Republic Day celebrations. The ceremony opens with a parade by select contingents of the armed forces set to scintillating performances by the various armed forces bands. The parade climaxes with all the bands playing in unison. As the bands fall silent, a lone trumpeter picks up the moving tune 'Siki a mole'. After this performance the hymn 'Abide with me' is played by the Massed Bands. This hymn, said to be Mahatma Gandhi's favourite, is a permanent feature of the ceremony. At exactly 6 pm, the buglers sound the retreat and the National Flag is lowered to the National Anthem bringing the Republic Day celebrations to a formal end. One by one, the camels and the riders who stand stone-like throughout against the backdrop of the sky, move away from the background. Just after this comes the most visually appealing part of the show. With the click of a button, a thousand bulbs light up the Rastrapati Bhavan and adjoining buildings. Surely a fitting end to the annual celebrations of the Indian republic!

But even after independence, India had to fight wars with its neighbors. Also within
India, states are fighting for sovereignty. This leads me to think are we
really a truly sovereign and republic country?

 

 

Our Egypt Tour

Our Egypt tour was a memorable and fascinating journey.We enjoyed every minute of our stay in this wonder land call EGYPT.  It has been always a country of tourism. It has something to offer everyone, be it young or old.

I had been always captivated by this wonderland. As a kid I studied about its ancient civilization, the mighty Nile, the pyramids, great sphinx, mummification and its temples. Its ancient ruins, such as those of Memphis,Thebes, Karnak , Valley of King and Valley of Queens are a significant focus of archaeological study, and artifacts from these sites
are now displayed in major museums around the world.But never did I think that one day I will be able to see and enjoy it myself. Thanks to my dear dear hubby for organizing the tour.

 

EGYPT, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in  Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a  transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa and the Mediterranean region  and the Islamic world.It is regarded as one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East. 

 

Apart from its pyramids, sphinx and temples it has much more to offer. It
is part of the Holy Land, and its Coptic and Islamic Monuments are also
well-known, It is also known for its Safari Tourism, Therapeutic Tourism, its
Oases, Nature and Desert treks, great Scuba diving, golf, fishing and bird expeditions.One may choose to relax on the wondrous Egypt Red Sea
or Sinai coasts, take in the high culture of Cairo, or even leisurely float
down the Egyptian Nile on a luxurious river boat. The choices are many.

We visited the old city of Alexandria, Cairo (a city which needs no introduction), Aswan, Agalika Island, Abu Simbel and took  a 5-star deluxe Nile Cruise (which started from Aswan..took us to Edfu, Kom Ombo, West Bank, East Bank and  Luxor). Though we included a major part of
Egypt, there is much more to be visited. May be some day will visit again.

 

Our Egypt Tour

Our Egypt tour was a memorable and
fascinating journey.We enjoyed every minute of our stay in this wonder land
call EGYPT.  It has been always a country
of tourism.

I had been always captivated by this
wonderland. As a kid I studied about its ancient civilization, the mighty Nile,
the pyramids, great sphinx, mummification and its temples. Its ancient
ruins, such as those of Memphis, Thebes, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings,
are a significant focus of archaeological study, and artifacts from these sites
are now displayed in major museums around the world.But never did I think that one
day I will be able to see and enjoy it myself. Thanks to my dear dear hubby for
organizing the tour.

EGYPT, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly inNorth Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental
country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean
region and the Islamic world.
It is regarded as one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Apart from its pyramids, sphinx and temples it has much more to offer. It
is part of the Holy Land, and its Coptic and Islamic Monuments are also
well-known, It is also known for its Safari Tourism, Therapeutic Tourism, its
Oases, Nature and Desert treks, great Scuba diving, golf, fishing and bird expeditions.One may choose to relax on the wondrous Egypt Red Sea
or Sinai coasts, take in the high culture of Cairo, or even leisurely float
down the Egyptian Nile on a luxurious river boat. The choices are many.

We visited the old city of Alexandria, Cairo (a city
which needs no introduction), Aswan, Agalika Island, Abu Simbel and took  a 5-star deluxe Nile Cruise (which started
from Aswan..took us to Edfu, Kom Ombo, West Bank, East Bank and  Luxor). Though we included a major part of
Egypt, there is much more to be visited. May be some day will visit again.

A Happy New Year,2011

Hi everyone. I have returned from a nearly two months vacation and is finally starting into my everyday routine. The two months have been an amazing journey, we visited Egypt (almost most part of it), then my dear India(my sweet sweet homeland) where we visited Dehradun,Rishikesh, Haridwar and Guwahati. Had a wonderful time with my near and dear ones. Couldnt really post anything due to poor internet connection but did write every detail in my diary. I really missed not updating my blog. But now will be sharing all about it in my blog.

I am late in wishing but hope all of you  have a wonderful year ahead.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Caught in Action!

Shew...what a whirlwind it has been, especially getting back in the groove of things.  Thought I would share with you our Literacy Work Stations in ACTION!  I implemented one of my new stations (Roll a Word) and it has been a HIT! Here's what is going on...

Listening: This week, students are listening to the story There was a Cold Lady who Swallowed some Snow and filling out a story report.  Afterwards, students are using my "Old Lady" and various story elements to retell the events as they occurred in the book.

Poetry: Students are reciting the poem, I'm a Little Penguin.  (We have been studying arctic animals during our winter unit)  Afterwards, students must highlight the words they know, glue the poem in their poetry journal, and illustrate it.

Writing and Word Work: Students are at Roll a Word.  You can find more information about this work station here!

Punch Prints: Students have 9 high frequency words they are to say to a buddy at their table.  They trace the words with a marker and head to the carpet to punch them!  Our punch prints are made out of thumb tacks and pencil topper erasers-secured with hot glue. (The top of the tack fits snug in the eraser, leaving only the pointy tack exposed) After students have punched the words, they can hold them up to the light and see them sparkle.  Their most FAVORITE part! :)

Stamping: Students have 5 high frequency words they are to "read, stamp, and write." 

All of these stations are their "HAVE TO" stations....I failed to include their fun stations they can visit afterwards.  Those range from whiteboards and computers to alphabet puzzles and letter lego's and change, weekly.  I'm usually conducting small groups during this time.  I hope to have pictures of that soon.  Just a small glimpse into our classroom this week....Happy Hump Day! ~Miss E

Confession...

I LOVE Debbie Diller.  :)  I was not introduced to her books until last year.  The county I am employed by offered a work study with other colleagues and we went through her entire Literacy Work Stations book.  During this time...we offered advice, collaborated, and came up with our stations.  These stations have been the most valuable thing I've implemented into my curriculum thus far and not to mention, my students love them! If you do not have the book, I highly recommend it! You can check out some pictures of my Literacy Work Stations here: Literacy Work Stations.

While these are going so wonderfully I couldn't help but think, "Wouldn't it be great if there was a Math Work Stations book?"  Well friends, have no fear...it is here!  If you've ever questioned how to make math stations work, you'll find this photo-filled, idea-packed resource invaluable.  This book details how to set up, manage, and keep math stations going throughout the year. There's even a chapter devoted solely to organizing and using math manipulatives.  Sounds like a teacher's dream!

Go ahead and pre order your book...they plan on shipping in February.  I cannot wait for mine to arrive.  Check out the online version of the book here and order your copy today: Stenhouse Publishing. This is certainly something I cannot live without....Have a great weekend! 

~Miss E

Spring Cleaning!

Well...here we are at snow day #13.  Don't get me wrong, I am certainly enjoying my time at home and appreciate that our school system takes into consideration the safety of our students.  However....I have had a touch of cabin fever here and there!  ha ha Thus...leading me to THIS post. 

On Monday, I decided to Spring Clean and go through my closets, drawers, shelves, etc.  After cleaning out everything, I managed to fill 3 garbage bags full and gather a basket of books! Because obviously a yard sale is out of the question right now, I figured I could make a little money back somewhere.  I plan on taking my clothes to a consignment shop and selling them (after my sister picks out what she wants first) and made plans to sell my books to Mr. K's.  Mr. K's in a used book/CD/movie store in town and they do buy backs for either cash or store credit.  If you choose to accept the cash you receive 30% of what they'd sell the book for vs. earning 40% in store credit. Check it out - this store certainly played a huge role in building my classroom library!  Nothing wrong with gently used books. :)

You can check out their website and learn more about used book store policies, here: Mr. K's Online. Now, let's get down to business....this is what I was able to scrounge up during my cleaning rampage:

They wound up taking most!  I came home with approximately 7-10 books they chose NOT to purchase and earned $25.75 in store credit.  While I enjoy reading good books....unfortunately my schedule doesn't allow it.  Most of the books I read lately are associated with grad school! :(  So, I chose to use my store credit to buy some new books for my kiddos.  Here is what I bought!  Keep in mind I used only my store credit and paid NOTHING out of pocket!

Pretty exciting - huh?  I was thrilled...I'm not gonna lie.  ha ha It really is the simple things in life.  I'll have to put my name in them and file them into their appropriate bins when I return to school.  Can you see I have a slight obsession with children's books?  ;-) 

Well, that's all for today.  I'll leave you with this quote...A classroom without books is like a body without a soul.  Happy Thursday! ~Miss E

All this time off...

So...today marks day 12 we've been out for snow!  The Tri-Cities has been getting hit hard here lately.  Funny thing is....as a child, (and growing up in JC School System) I can count on ONE hand the number of days we were out for snow from my 1st grade to senior year.  This week alone, JC has been out 3 days! My...times sure have changed or either our winters have!  Anyways.....I've been enjoying my snow days and playing catch up on yearbook and other things.  I am over yearbook again this year and have a 40 page deadline next week - yikes!  So....I am certainly thankful for all my snow days.  Otherwise, I'd be putting in some late nights. 

This whole blogging thing has become an addiction lately...I've been stalking following some great elementary sites and getting some wonderful ideas for my literacy workstations.  With that in mind, here is what I've put together.  This idea was adapted from the Growing Kinders blog.  You can find that link here: http://growingkinders.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-literacy-centers.html. I just loved the idea of "Roll a Word."  I found the dice at our local teacher store and made a worksheet template in word.  Here is my finished product! :)

The students will roll the dice and record a word on their graph (per say) each time the dice lands on it.  Easy enough...and great high frequency word practice! I also have fallen in love with Mrs. Cooley's 1st grade blog.  She has some wonderful ideas.  I was inspired to create her Letter Shake Up! game and got the idea here: http://firstgraderatlast.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween  I like how it can be adapted for any holiday workstation however, I wanted to create something more generic that I could use year round.  All you have to do is grab a milk carton, label each egg space with either letters or numbers (depending if you want to use it as a math or literacy workstation activity), and place something small inside for the students to shake.  I chose erasers.  I found these packs in the Dollar Bin at Target and got some for both boys and girls!

So as the students shake the erasers, they will land in an egg space.  They are to record the letters the erasers land on as a means for a letter review.  Here is my finished project!

The instructions for the student are pretty simple...."Today I went to the ABC center and shook an egg carton with letters in it.  I opened it up and said the letter the marker landed on.  These are the letters I practiced!" Well that's enough craftiness/creativity for me today.  Thank you ladies for the ideas...cannot wait to return to school and implement them.  I know my students will be excited!  Happy Snow day.

I may have lost my mind....

Hello friends!  For those of you that know me....you're wondering if I have lost it.  I am wondering if I have lost it.  I do not need another thing to do....between teaching, gradschool, yearbook, my small business, and TRYING to have a life....I certainly do not need to invest time in a blog.  BUT - I have become blog obsessed (recently) and have been inspired to create my own.  So, here it goes! ;-)  I am not sure how much time I will have to post, but my starting goal is atleast one post a day week.  I hope you enjoy and I am certainly excited to share with you what my kiddos are doing in the classroom. 

- Miss E