Last Days of Fourth Grade

The last week of school is always a blur!  So much going on!  But lots of fun.

All year long the kids earn grades in work habits and conduct.  The best they can get is an "E", which is Excellent.  Each six weeks I celebrate kids who received "All E's" by having lunch with them in my classroom.  Then, at the end of the year, I have a Breakfast of Champions for those kiddos who received all E's for every six weeks marking period.  These are the kiddos who attended the breakfast.

We had a talent show in my class the last week of school.  Kendra and her buddies, R and M, made up a routine to a song from Glee called "Loser Like Me".  It was so cute!  M's mom made the girls super cute shirts, and they wore geeky glasses.  I actually love the song...it has a great message. 

Several of my kids are Tae Kwon Do or Karate students, and one of my moms is a TKD instructor.  They displayed how to break boards for their talent, and they also allowed a few other kids in the class to try.  The chose name sticks for those who could try, and Kendra's name was chosen first.  Can you tell she didn't really want to do it???

Yeah, the kids carried her out to the "stage". 

Protesting the whole way, she tried.

Her lack of confidence resulted in not being able to break the board.  But at least she tried!!!

We had several awards ceremonies this year.  One was a whole grade level award, and the teachers chose individual awards for every student.  I gave Kendra the "Theater Arts" award.  :-)

In my classroom we do two other awards.  One is the "Ms. Z Super Silly Award" which is given by me, of course, and generally has to do with things that happened throughout the year with each child.  They really reflect the culture of the class.  Kendra received the "I'm So Tiny Award" because she said that so often, being the smallest in the class.  The last awards were created by the kids.  I have the girls huddle together and the boys huddle together and they select awards for each other.  They also design and create them.  From the boys this year, Kendra received the "Most Fashionable Girl Award."  :-) 

I had just finished handing out all the awards and was moving to the next activity when one of my girls stopped me and said, "Wait, Ms. Z! There is one more award!"  Well, the class had gotten together and designed this award for me:

It is the "Loud and Proud Award!"  It is one of those plastic megaphones and all the kids signed it.  How cute is THAT???  Of course, the irony is that I NEVER need a megaphone!  :-)

After awards, I showed my kids a video I made for them.  I used a service called Animoto.  I uploaded all the pictures I took of them throughout the year (about 180 of them!) and then picked a song and Animoto sets the rhythm of the picture display to the music.  I picked "No One Like You" by the David Crowder Band.  Totally awesome song.  By the time it finished I had about 7 girls in a puddle of tears (Kendra included of course).  I sent them to the restroom to splash water on their faces and get themselves together.  It was taking them forever to come back, so I went to find them, only to walk into huddle of girlies who were just a MESS!  They were  sobbing!  They finally got themselves a little more in order and returned to the class in time for lunch.

I went to pick up the kids at lunch 25 minutes later and ran into one of my parents who was walking one of my kids (not hers) to the nurse.  The girl was STILL sobbing and just needed "a moment away from the class."  The parent then proceeded to tell me that about 2/3 of my class was crying!  OH MY GOODNESS!!!  I guess a few of my boys started up, which then caused a sob-fest avalanche!  The mom got a few pictures...I'm sure the kids would be thrilled to know I'm posting them!  :-)

Finally, they got themselves together in time for the ice cream social/dance party that our grade level does for the end of the year.  No tears here!

Kendra with bestie, R.

You KNOW I get in on a dance party.  We're doing the "Cupid Shuffle" here.

It was a great year.  I LOVED being Kendra's teacher.  We had absolutely NO issues with parents, kids, or between us.  I'm super glad we did it.  I had a great class, and I will miss them.  But I am SOOOOO happy it is summer!  :-)