MY CLASSROOM IS FINISHED!!! (and other happenings)

I had planned on going out with a friend tonight, but when Friend got sick and cancelled, I ended up at Caribou working on my first week's lesson plans.  Not the most exciting night, but I think they are about done!  

Page 1 of my plans...

2 more institute days Monday & Tuesday, and then let's get this party started!  I am feeling MOSTLY ready. I say mostly because my plans are done, my room is ready, and my team has already had some great collaborative meetings that have really given me a positive feeling about our year....buuut at the same time, who wouldn't love a few more weeks of summer??  Anyways, here is my room!

View from the doorway...Library and small group area

Another library shot...and check out my baseball themed board for "Out of the Park Work" :)

Even more library and my currently empty Writing Workshop board...

My desk...I LOVE having it against the wall.  

Big time space saver, and I never sit there with the kiddos anyways!

Sorry for the blurriness...This is the side board with my desk, schedule, homework, clip chart, and rules.

Front of the room--I'm placing my gathering place in the front instead of the library this year because I hope to use it with my new LCD projector (!!) in addition to the easel.

Guided Reading table

Side Views (those desks in the corner are on their way out...)

NOTE: I made this sign by compiling ideas I saw on several other bloggers' sites.  

However, I recently learned the original design was created by Mary Musel.  

Visit her etsy site here.

Whew!  That's about it for the classroom!  I'm sure I will rearrange many times this year--I always do--but so far I'm happy with it!  The true test, of course, is how it feels once I get some kiddos in there!!!  This week I also made some time to stop by and visit Mrs. Literacy Specialist's new classroom!!!  She is a classroom teacher this year at another school in the district.  How cute is she with her affirmation sign?!  (She was trained in Quantum this summer too!)

 In the Running World...
Unfortunately, I have very little to report.  My hip flexor is still killing me!  I ran about 2.5 miles Thursday morning, and it's still tight!  I've been doing a lot of lunges and yoga stretched to loosen it up...any other ideas??  Good parts of the (way too early 5am) run were testing out these awesome new compression sleeves that Coach Melinda gave me!!!  Isn't she the sweetest??

How silly do I look with the sleeves and IT strap...just cover me in bandages...

Coach Lauren got a pair too, and we are obsessed.  They are WAY tighter than my zensah ones!

Another perk of a 5am run is that I also caught a pretty great sunrise...

Pain aside, it was worth the early morning. :)

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!!  Check back tomorrow for a post about implementing the Daily 5!