Back at It!

Is it me, or does the summer go faster every year?  I thought 'wow, so much time, this is going to be awesome' in June, and here we are, back at school already!  While I've been focused on my own family and home all summer, I have been busy planning (mostly in my own head).  I've also Gelli-printed my buns off this summer.  So very addictive!  My PTA ordered me five Gelli plates at the end of the year, so I took one home to play with.  If you aren't familiar with them, click here.  Amazing, wonderful, with endless possibilities! In thinking through the procedure for using five Gelli plates with a class of 30 (these are the things you think of when you've taught 15 years), I came across this:

So now I want to team teach a science lesson with the sixth grade teachers where students are making their own gelli plates.  I tried it this summer and the alcohol did make mine mold, so I'd do the glycerin/gelatin route with students.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

I also found this book:

And it's every bit as good as it looks!  I'm developing a second grade lesson for this (also a printmaking lesson).  Apparently it's going to be a printmaking sort of year!!! On that note, let's all remember what sort of cuteness we get to be a part of every single day:

And I love them.  I really do.  I'm so very lucky to go to a job that's so fulfilling every day.  The big challenge is to remember that in February and March.