Thursday, June 6, 2013

Common Core and "Morning Must-Haves" Linky Party!

Hey there, bloggers!

I'm about nose deep in common core and can't believe how much work syncing all of our routines and curriculums to the new standards is!  I had last week off from school and signed up to do summer work at my school this week and next.  Basically, we get to work in grade-level teams to look closely at the new common core standards and, well, pretty much ditch everything we are used to doing to start fresh!  I know I'm behind on the whole common core thing compared to all of you blogging people out there but, nonetheless, am excited to start from scratch and will most definitely be digging around everyone's blogs to find some great resources to use next year with my first graders!

We have been working a lot on the math standards and looking at how incredibly different our methods of teaching will be this upcoming year.  Lucky for me, I work with an amazing team of incredibly passionate and rockin' teachers, so we are all able to support and turn to one another for help.  Did I mention how amazing my team is?  No, but seriously.  They make having the stress of aligning everything with common core fun!  Okay wait.  "Fun" is probably a dramatic overstatement but HEY at least I have some cool people to be bored and stressed with and to grab a drink with afterwards! :)

I will admit that I got a little spoiled with the whole sleeping in thing for that week we had off in between.  I am not a morning person in any definition of the word and literally let out a small sob every time my alarm goes off.  Which makes this reality-check of having to wake up for summer work the perfect opportunity for me to participate in the "Morning Must-Haves" linky party hosted by Across the Hall in 2nd!



So here goes!

1.  OBVIOUSLY my need/desire/reliance on coffee in the morning can get a little out of hand but that's the reason it tops my list!  Typically I make my coffee when I wake up and then grab it to-go in my travel mug for the commute.  There's just something about the appeal of a noisy Chicago traffic-filled commute that draws me to always have coffee nearby :).  If I treat myself or am lucky enough to have received a gift card from one of my kiddos, I prefer Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts.  Oh, and I have a totally irrational hate for McDonald's coffee for all those out there who are just dying to know.


2.  Another one of my morning must-haves is my outfit to already be picked for the day!  If you know me personally at all then you're well aware how long it takes me to pick out an outfit and how much I analyze if I have worn something before.  I have wayyyyy too many clothes and spend wayyyyy too much time selecting an outfit to wear in front of 6 and 7 year olds.  At least I'm aware of my problems, right?

3.  Speaking of outfits, I need to check the weather first thing in the morning to make sure I'm dressed appropriately for the weather that day.  Living in Chicago, I'm never entirely sure what we're gonna get.  Last week it was 85 and then 3 days later it was 54.  A girl's got to be prepared!  So naturally, the weather channel app is a must-have for my mornings!


4.  My sister recently told me about a website called theSkimm.  Have you heard of it?  It's my new obsession!  Every morning, it e-mails you a brief (and witty) version of that day's news.  Their tag line is "theSkimm is the daily newsletter that simplifies the headlines for the educated professional who knows enough to know she needs more."  That's totally me.  So lately, I've been keeping better informed by checking my e-mail when I wake up in the morning and taking a couple minutes to read theSkimm.  Love it!



That's all for now!  This weekend I'm going to the Zac Brown Band concert and am hoping to create some stuff for the beginning of the school year!  Have a great Friday tomorrow!







15 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for playing along and linking up! I so need to check out The Skimm...sounds like my cup of tea :)

    Halle
    Across the Hall in 2nd Grade

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    1. You should definitely check it out! I'm sure you'll love it! Thanks for hosting the linky! :)

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  2. Fellow chicago-area blogger here.
    I couldn't agree more on the weather, although I have to always layer at school because so many of the rooms are either a desert or an iceberg. Oh well.

    Good luck with the CCSS and with summer school. We're slowly rolling the standards in. Next year will all be math and a little of readig/ela

    matt
    Digital: Divide & Conquer

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    1. The CCSS Standards are a crazy amount of work...I can't believe it! Ugh and this Chicago weather!..! Should be nice this weekend though! :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. The Skimm sounds like something I need to check out...thanks! Also, I am NOT a fan of McDonalds coffee either, but coffee is a definite must have! Enjoy the concert!
    Kheila
    Two Friends In First

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  4. The Skimm sounds AMAZING! Thank you for sharing! As for outfits, I'm the same way! I went to a private schools for 13 years and I always wore a uniform. So, when I went to college the idea that I had to pick out an outfit every day stressed me out beyond belief! So, I got in the habit of picking out my outfit the night before! Ha.

    Molly
    Lucky to Be in First

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    1. It is amazing! Haha, I have a bit of a clothes obsession that I can't get in control of!

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  5. Coffee is a must for me as well and I also am not a fan of it coming from McDonalds! Have fun at Zac Brown Band...slightly jealous ;)
    Laura
    Enchanting Elementary

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  6. Yeah for Chicago...Blackhawks, not weather. What happened to the hot weather we had a few weeks ago. My district is getting into math common core next year and reading the year after. I see that Matt already shared that info! We are at the same school. Looking forward to reading your blog and how you are adjusting to the changes.

    Jeanette
    Third Grade Galore

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  7. I am the complete opposite about clothes! I wear khakis every.single.day. It takes the pressure off of picking out clothes. I only have to decide which shirt to wear. That's easy.

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  8. Thanks for sharing "the Skimm"!

    Yvonne

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  9. Your outfit issues in the morning...totally agree!! There are some times that I try on 5 different outfits. I must have mine picked out the night before too. I enjoyed reading about your Common Core experience. This was our first year with them and I really enjoyed it.

    Em

    Curious Firsties

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    1. Haha, I have serious outfit issues! How did Common Core go for you? Did you go full in or just start with math/ELA?

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  10. Love your Favorite things... I love clothes too... and all these cute FB boutiques are making my checking account sad! My hubs family lives north of Chicago so we're headed there in July... I love wearing layers so it's a perfect match for me!
    Stacy
    Funky Fresh Firsties

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  11. Hi Elyse,

    Found you through Halle's summer linky party! After I started reading about the oh, lovely common core, suddenly I thought I was reading my own post! I am also doing summer work at my school with revamping our ELA Common Core units and hopefully finishing up some math units!! I am also very excited to check out "Theskimm" app! That sounds like the perfect way for me to stay in tune with current events! Thanks so much for sharing! Happy to be your newest follower.

    Also, my co-blogger, Carrie, and I are hosting a "Sunny Summer Days" linky and would love for you to join us in sharing what you have been up to each week this summer!

    Sunny Summer Days Linky

    -Caitlin
    Table Talk with C & C

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