Some Not So Shady Business

Some not so shady business has been taking place around the campus of Sahel Academy! 

This past year the school was able to purchase a covered court.  The plan is to build that court this coming year when our new construction manager and the supplies all cross the ocean.  In the meantime, some preparations are being made on the campus - namely, the removal of a lot of shade.

These eucalyptus trees have been standing watch over the activities of this playground for a long time.  I'm pretty sure they were there when I was a student.  The morning of the last day of school big red Xs had appeared on them indicating they were to be removed.  There was general outrage in the elementary when they found out that everything with an X was to be removed that included the gazebo to the left and the playhouse on the right - two elementary favorites.  However, that didn't prevent anyone from having fun on them once they were down!

In less than a week the area was completely cleared of trees.

The view from the front

The view from the back

Next on the docket - the removal of the playhouse and the gazebo.  Less than a day after I left Niger and this is what it looked like.

Thanks to Shannon M. for the picture.

Things are changing quickly around the campus.  It makes me excited to imagine what it will look like a year from now when I return!  Hopefully, there will be a nice new shaded court right here in this place!

Who's Changed the Most?

This picture was taken a day or so after I arrived three years ago

and these ones just this week.

So who's changed the most?  Why am I still in the 2nd Grade when she's going into 5th?
One thing's for sure, we're both up to no good!

And how's this for cool?  This is the first entire family minus the parents, of course, that I have taught!

Marvelous Moosetache Monday

Something fun had to be planned for our last Monday to make up for the shocked looks on my students when they came into the classroom and found everything down off the walls and a bare bones classroom as we prepare for a summer paint job.  So Marvelous Moosetache Monday it was!

I discovered this freebie over at Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives that capitalizes on the moustache craze and gives students the chance to collect data and craft their own graph while sporting their own "stache."  Then I was cleaning my book bins and ran across Margie Palatini's Moosetache about a moose with an unruly moustache and his attempts to tame it. 

Could there be a more perfect combo? So I ran with it.

Using this template, I created a moustache on a stick for everyone.  We started the morning by selecting our moustache and posing with it.

Then we decided on a question for our graph.  I encouraged them to choose something that had to do with our school year.  So we had questions like "What was your favorite hot lunch?", "What was your favorite recess activity?" and "Who was your favorite teacher?".  Then we went next door and using our moustaches declared in our most sophisticated voices, "I moustache you a question"  followed by our question.  After collecting data from the third graders, we returned to our own room to survey one another and complete our graph.

Later we read Moosestache and I had the children imagine what they would do with their own moustache named after them.  They were braided and twirled, used as wings and blockers in a soccer goal.  Amazing!  As each person revealed their "stache",  I had the rest of the students write describing words on post-it notes which we placed on the person's picture once they were done.  Here's what mine looked like.  I couldn't for the life of me come up with anything for my Bethstache to do but create an old lady hairstyle so I went with it. 

One of my students wrote down "teacherish" as their adjective.  Eeewww!  I hope not! :)

After lunch, we created our own Moose and gave him a moustache that could be styled in anyway imagineable. 

The kids came up with some pretty fun ones.  One of my parents had given me some lollipops so we also created two of these one for ourselves and one to share.

By this time we were almost "moustached" out, but we topped the day off with a moustache shaped cookie.  No better ending to Marvelous Moustache Monday than a few whiskers and some juice to wash them down!

For more activities to go along with Margie Palatini's Moosetache you can go here.

Going Against Their Very Nature

Boys + Sticks = Love

Playground Rule # 431  You may not play with sticks on the playground.

Saturday afternoon and I looked out the window to find the Council of the Boys taking place directly outside my classroom.  Every boy except for one had a stick in his hand.

I had a revelation.  Rule # 431 You may not play with sticks on the playground - must be a very hard rule to follow on weekdays.

I'm kind of glad that on Saturdays we don't have to follow the playground rules.  Who would want to deny them the simple joy of a stick?

Here's hoping nobody pokes their eye out on Saturday!

Ameracains and Canadians

It's report card time and not surprisely, I discovered an absolute gem of a piece of writing.  It makes the Canadian in me very proud! :)

Ameracains and Canadians
     (A Canadian Poem)
              by:  I. C.

Ameracains say that colour,
Is spelt with just an O,
Canadians say that colour,
Is spelt with O, U,
Ameracains say that favourite,
Is spelt with just an O,
Canadians say that favourite,
Is spelt with O,U,
Ameracains say that neighbour,
Is spelt with just an O,
Canadians say that neighbour,
Is spelt with O, U,
And the Canadians favourite letter,
Is U!

(As usual all original spelling and punctuation has been guarded!)

Full to the Brim and Running Out

Without fail the last weeks of the school year are full to the brim.  This week was certainly no exception.  Tuesday and Thursday morning the elementary students got their day off to a start with two hours of swimming lessons.  The elementary teachers were blessed to work in their classrooms during this time.  I'm not even going to lie, I jumped for joy and clicked my heels when the vans pulled out. There's plenty to be done in my classroom!

Thursday afternoon we all took a break from our classes and witnessed the baptism of six young people, five of them students or former students at Sahel.  It was a special blessing to hear these young people speak of their desire to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and to invite their peers to keep them accountable to the commitment they were making.

It is hugely encouraging to see former students return and to see that they are continuing to walk in the truth.  C graduated last year.  Early in May he returned to help out with the swimming program.  He's been helping in P.E. and Art classes and blessing tired teachers with his enthusiasm and willingness to love on the students.  I'm pretty sure there are more than a few people who are trying to convince him that he needs to be an elementary teacher! :) 

Friday morning the Fourth Graders put on a Medieval Fair for all of the elementary students to enjoy.  There was plenty of fun to be had from donkey cart rides, magic tricks and juggling to sword fights, jousting matches and tug of war.

And in other news, it's time for home assignment because I'm running out...

out of pizza sauce,

out of pepperoni,

out of parmesan cheese,

and out of bacon bits,

not to mention just about every other luxury item.

All I've got left is a handful of chocolate chips.

Yep it's time for home assignment because everyone knows you can't survive without chocolate chips! :)