Yesterday,  our first fourth graders arrived.  All 31 one of them had a safe journey and are settling into their bed of milkweed.   Many of them already nibbling away and making the milkweed leaves look like Swiss cheese.  Some are less than an inch long while other a bigger.  These monarch caterpillars can't wait for your arrival. Look at the photos below.  

This has been an amazing summer for me both professionally and personally.  Professionally I have participates in three great learning experiences about movie making, writing, and learning.  These learning experiencing have sparked new ideas for fourth grade and some changes.  Personally,  I have been on many wonderful adventures with my family from hiking to visiting family.  Recently I returned from a family adventure to Wells, Maine where we took Ethan to the beach for the first time.  Watching his tiny feet touch the sand for the first time and see his pure expressions of happiness was very powerful. Below is a quick snapshot of this experience but this photo couldn't truly capture the joy of discovery Ethan's had and his parent experiencing this with him.  I find this picture a good symbol of what I would like each of my students to experience this school year in fourth grade; pure happiness and a joy for learning.  What memorable experience have you had this year?  Post a comment and share them.