Buttertruck

(and how he got his name)

I was in a classroom the other week where they had a class pet! A few years ago I feel like I would stumble across a class pet at least once a month but now a days it's more like once every few months that I find one! I've written about previous class pet encounters here and here.

Anywho, this is about a pet beta fish (and how he got his name).

This fish was a gift to the class from their EA (great gift by the way - in my opinion) and I guess they were having a class vote on what to call this new fish. I'm not sure what any of the other options were but at some point someone suggested to someone else to put up their hand and throw in the name "Buttertruck". So the suggestion was made and accepted as one of the possibilities. Eventually votes were cast and Buttertruck won (story goes - by a landslide) and that's how you end up with a class pet with a silly name.

This Week At School

Another busy work week at school!

This week at school I...

Was in some new to me classrooms so I left my information at a couple of new classrooms.  It may currently be busy subbing but that won't last and I'm hoping these other teachers being away occasionally might help fill in at least a few of those gaps.

Helped some students come up with plans for a spaghetti bridge competition.  Do we have some winning designs?  I might find out in a few weeks!

Had one of my half days turn into a full day... which isn't the first time this has happened in February.  The pm class was not nearly as good as the AM class... which is also what happened last time.  The pm class was also a nursery/kindergarten class with 28 kids in it!... so that might have contributed to the not so great afternoon.

Went back to the school that I had a teaching job at a couple of years ago when I was teaching French.  It was a wonderful day (I think I ended up in the 2 best classrooms).

I saw this lovely cat step stool by the sink in a grade 1 classroom I was in and thought it was pretty cute.

Cat step stool

I planned some Pink Shirt Day activities (for those that don't know Pink Shirt Day is a day to stop bullying and this year it happened to fall on Wednesday, February 27th but if you missed it fear not... there's an International Day of Pink happening on Wednesday, April 10th).  Anyways, I just a few things I had done when I taught grade 5/6 you can read about it here and here.  It includes a link to a free resource that I use so it's worth the peek... I promise!

I attended an in class baby shower for the grade 1 class I was subbing in.  Luckily the teacher was just in meetings in the building so she stayed in the room and opened some presents in front of the kids (the boys that it was positively disgusting when she opened the box of diapers).  She has one week left and then she's on maternity leave so it was well timed (but also not because I was there).

At one of the schools I was at this week the kids were having their spring pictures taken.  Nothing says spring pictures like indoor recess because it's just too cold to be outside!... for the record we only had indoor recess a couple of days this week... it IS warming up!

Here's something I haven't seen in a looong time...

Class pets - fish

Class pets!

3 more weeks until Spring Break!

... but who's counting?

This Week At School

This week at school I was in a couple of new to me classes

One of them I walked in and saw this....

For those of us that aren't aware... this is in Spanish

I do not speak Spanish

So I did my very first day of Spanish immersion!

Luckily it was grade 1 and 2 and there were only 12 students... so we spoke in English this day.

This isn't my first time "teaching" something that I don't know.  I've been a French music teacher, high school computer teacher, guitar teacher, and violin instructor.

Later in the week I was also a nursery/kindergarten teacher at a school I haven't been at this year yet.

I went back to my old school from last year and taught grade 8 as well.  The kids were not the greatest and I'll often use this as a reason not to come back to that particular class.  BUT, in this case (and likely only a handful of others) I did tell the teacher I would come back.  Why?  Because I've been the one with a class that no one would want to teach that likely would have been nearly impossible to find a sub for (luckily, I never needed one) and so I decided to offer my services again (so long as I'm not already booked elsewhere)... plus I know a lot of those students from last year and I do think they are capable of improving their behaviour.

But to finish things off... I finally was in a classroom with class pets again!

It's been a looong time since I've seen some class pets in a classroom!

Class Pets

I can't say I see very many of these anymore... but I was in a classroom a looong time ago with these little fish (complete with name poster) and figured I would start snapping pictures of all the classroom pets I spotted this year... here is my compilation of classroom pets.

Fish Tank

Fish Name Poster

I forgot to take a picture of Bubbles (he was a fish)

If I had a classroom of my own and if I had any kind of class pet it would be a fish... something that has to stay in the aquarium, is quiet, and easy to take care of.

It wasn't too long ago though that I was seeing all kinds of different class pets. I recall bunnies, hampsters, stick bugs, butterflies and of course, fish... lots and lots of fish.

Psst.. last week I shared about plants in the classroom

Class Pets

I can't say I see very many of these anymore... but I was in a classroom a looong time ago with these little fish (complete with name poster) and figured I would start snapping pictures of all the classroom pets I spotted this year... and then surprisingly it only ended up being a grand total of 2 classrooms that had class pets (the other one had a fish named Bubbles that I forgot to snap a picture of).

I feel like 5 years ago a lot more classrooms had pets in them... are classroom pets no longer a thing?

In case you wanted to hear about some stories of other class pets I've ran into over the years you can find some stories here, here, and here.

And last week I talked about some cool flexible seating options that you might consider using in your classroom this coming year.

This Week at School

This was the week of the big snowstorm here where I live in Manitoba (one has to happen at least once a year). On Monday the weather was fine. I was sending students out for recess and making them put on their snow pants even though they were claiming it was "so hot" outside (it was likely around -20... definitely not hot). 

I went to a new school this week and had such a wonderful time that I left my name and number to hopefully make a return trip there sometime. This new to me school had a climbing wall in their gym that my grade 3/4 students were climbing on during gym class. It was also here that I got to meet Bubbles... the class fish. 

Later in the week we did another Olympic activity (they had already seen the videos I had shown a previous week so we didn't watch those. 

Biathlon was a popular pick for a sport to play

and we played "Sink the Ship" in gym class where I was picked first to be on a team both times (yes I played with them.... there were only 5 of them and they needed me to make the teams even).  I also scored all the points for both teams that I was on 

*pats herself on the back for beating a bunch of grade 1-3 students*

I also got to go on a bit of a "field trip" and we headed back into the big bad city (in which I live) to go for some swimming lessons and gym time (I was at a small rural school this day). It was a super easy afternoon since all I had to do was help with supervision.

I was supposed to be at 2 rural schools on the day of the snowstorm (one in the morning and then driving about 30 minutes to the next one for the afternoon). I checked for school closures multiple times that morning and never heard of any so off I went to the first school. This was also the day I failed to realize I was nearly on empty for gas until I got to the first school (which is when my gas light came on). Not a big deal though... there was a gas station about 20 minutes away that would be on my way to school #2. Anyways, it was on this day that no one (other than the principal) managed to make it in to school. I mean, there are only 2.5 teachers at this particular school but there are 4.5 staff members. Luckily for me, it was jello day on the colony and so I didn't have to share my dessert with anyone!... The staff at the kitchen must have been told I was the only one here though because they did end up sending more individual sized portions

Anyways, in the end, because visibility was so low (which is why no one was making it into the first school) they decided they didn't need me at the 2nd school that day and I should just stay at the colony (which was fine by me). I finished up my day there, drove home (and stopped for gas once I got back into the city) without a single incident (thankfully)

the view out one of the classroom windows during the snowstorm (yes, it's rural so there isn't much to actually see out the window but there is a building out in the distance that would easily be visible on a more clear day - I'll take another picture one day soon).

Sidenote: When I got to the school I mentioned to the principal how I was surprised that school wasn't cancelled for the day and he told me that apparently if the snowstorm would have started an hour earlier and they would have seen then how bad it was going to be they would have cancelled school. So for all of you living in the states (or elsewhere) that get school cancelled at the drop of a single snowflake.... just think of us up here in Manitoba freezing cold, a foot of snow, and with next to nothing for visibility and still going to school.

A Visit to the Vet

Nope, no one panic. One of my students was not sick and I did not take them to the vet to get better. 

On a sidenote... is it normal for schools to have school nurses elsewhere? I don't think I've been to a single school where there has been a school nurse. Is this just a thing that happens in movies? 

Anywho, I was in a kindergarten classroom and it was play time. Some of the kids were obviously playing vet and this happened. 

I guess the bunny had a bump on its head. I thought it was super adorable. 

So I'm chatting with the kids asking about what kind of services they offer. 

"Well I'm the vet and I can do operations, and Robby is the anesthesiologist... he will make sure your pet is asleep before we operate. Clara, she euthanizes the animals and Frank, he'll dispose of them in a humane manner." 

Ok... so I don't remember what we were talking about. 

Anyways, they tell me I need to bring an animal into the vet. So I go over and take a gander at the stuffies that are available to be my pet. There are dogs and cats and likely bears and other normal pets (yes, I know I said bears and bears are not a normal pet) but there is also a lobster. Naturally, I choose the lobster and head over to the vet. 

"What's wrong with your pet" Monica, the receptionist and head vet asks. 

"It's left pincher won't pinch anymore and he stopped growing ages ago even though I have been feeding him marshmallows and creamed corn" (so maybe I just went with the pincher story in real life). 

So Monica takes little Lobby the Lobster to the back (which is actually also the front of the vet's office... no privacy for those animals that's for certain!). About a minute later little Lobby is good as new. His pincher is pinching and he is just all smiles and redder than ever. 

Another satisfied customer at the veterinary clinic!

This Week At School

This week at school I...

subbed in 2 new to me schools.

still have not had a day off!

had one terrible day.

subbed everything from kindergarten - grade 8.

Enjoy some pictures from my week at school!

These are caterpillars that I found in my kindergarten classroom.  Yuck.
Not the classroom pets I would want.

I guess once the caterpillars start to form a chrysalis they transfer them into these containers.  They will then release them when they turn into butterflies.  I'm assuming when I'm back in this classroom this week (and next) there will be butterflies.  Not looking forward to having to answer all the questions about if the butterflies are bleeding.  That's right, I Christine, do not even like butterflies as classroom pets. 

Caterpillars and butterflies are quite the theme right now.  This was some work from a multiage class I taught in.  They were making flip books on the different stages animals go through.

I've been getting a lot of dandelions lately.  Then one kid brought me in some rocks "I picked the prettiest ones for you Miss Penner"  Thanks.

We also made some square bears in kindergarten!  I told them not to colour them... so one child took that to mean to colour the bears eyes... looks like he has a black eye.  Another child decided to make hers a princess (not sure what the yellow spot on the forehead is though).

Class Pets Round Two

Sometimes class pets are not as lively as some kids would like them to be (don't want those children to be over stimulated by puppies and kittens so let's just get them a slug and put it in a fish bowl and watch it slowly move from one end to the other).

Sidenote: I've never once seen a slug as a classroom pet.

Anywho, I was subbing for a friend of mine and she had a class pet that happened to be a stick bug. Not the most exciting of class pets, not the best looking, and to be honest, when you aren't expecting it to be sitting there (right next to the teachers desk) a little scary too.

Well the kids come in and the day goes on and eventually it's recess so I decide to get a closer look at this bug of theirs (no I do not let it out of its fish bowl.. I'm not crazy - I just observe it from a safe distance). I noticed it hasn't moved since the beginning of the day but assume stick bugs are lazy and this one is probably the laziest of them all.

The day goes on and it is now afternoon. Stick bug over there to my right still hasn't moved. At this point I'm wondering if it is alive or not.

At one point a student comes up to me and asks why the stick bug hasn't moved all day "it's sleeping" I reply as I quickly send of a text to my friend alerting her that I think her stick bug has gone up to stick bug heaven. The kid decides to squirt the bug with water in an attempt to wake him (and maybe feed him?).

I get a text back before the next child asks me about the stick bug.

"Yes" my friend says "I think the bug died last week, I've been telling them he is just sleeping".

Whelp. If that's the story the teacher is using then that's the story I'm using.

"He's sleeping" I tell them all.

"It's like when a bear hibernates... he just really loves to sleep, he is probably dreaming of all his bug friends, too deep of a sleep to feel that water, to deep of a sleep to hear your chatter, maybe he will be up tomorrow, when your teacher is back"

Ah... handled that one like a pro.

May you rest in peace gross looking stick bug.

Class Pets

Class pets are popular amongst the early years. It teaches them the responsibility to care for another living thing (those teachers who don't like pets in their classroom will often have plants and it will be someone's responsibility to make sure that the plant is getting enough water - not quite the same but I guess a plant is still a living thing).

Anywho, I've seen everything from fish to gerbils. This story is about that later.

Gerbils. What a curious little creature. They would probably roll around in those little balls for hours if we let them (although, it's not like they would have a choice because we also trap them in there). The classroom I was in this particular day had 1 gerbil and some little frogs swimming happily in their enclosure (I just watched "We Bought a Zoo" and they aren't called cages - though in this case they are probably called tanks).

I knew they had a gerbil only because it was written about in the day plan from the teacher. Only it wasn't written "we have a pet gerbil please make sure someone feeds it and changes the wood shavings in the enclosure" (she probably would have used the word cage - how barbaric of that teacher). No it was not written like that at all. Instead it was more of a "by the by we have a pet gerbil that went missing yesterday, make sure the door is closed to the classroom so that it doesn't get out... wherever it is."

"Alright" I think "we have an animal at large in here... at least it's not a snake or a spider or a swarm of bees"

The class comes in and promptly announces their beloved Buttons has gone missing... have I found him?

The day goes on and poor Buttons is still at large. His enclosure (which I might add includes those crazy tunnels and everything... quite the set up for a classroom gerbil) is still sitting empty with the door to it wide open almost welcoming Buttons back home where there is food and water and tunnels to run through.

The day is coming to an end and Buttons has not returned back home. It was with heavy hearts that I send the children out for their final recess of the day. While I close myself in the classroom and start a report back to the teacher "oh the kids were mostly good, Buttons is still at large, Bobby hit Suzy, and most of them got their math done".... you know the usual kind of note.

The recess bell rings signalling the end of recess and I stand outside the classroom waiting for my students to line up so we can come back in. On the way in they hang their jackets in the closet and take a peek inside Buttons enclosure.

But wait something is different this time.

His home is not empty there is a gerbil in there!

"Huzzah" we all shout (ok, no one shouts it... we whisper it... or perhaps we all just think it)

The mysterious and allusive Buttons has returned home. The children promptly take him out and put him in his little rolly ball so that they can now clean his cage (why they didn't clean his cage when he was missing was beyond me).

The day is over and Buttons is placed back in his enclosure with the door tightly shut. What that little rascal got into while he was out exploring is beyond any of us. I'm just thankful no one stepped on him (and that I get to look like the hero because Buttons returned on my watch and clearly me being there had something to do with his triumphant return home.