five things friday

I know I have totally slacked off on blogging this week, but I have a good excuse!! All this week I have spent the mornings in meetings with other BFA staff, and the afternoons I have spent at the middle school working on lesson plans and classroom set up. There is still a LOT to do before school begins on Tuesday, but I am trying not to stress too much. The stuff that needs to get done will get done, and the stuff that doesn't will just have to wait! I'm planning to do a reveal of my new classroom set up as well as my awesome new science closet which I have been working very hard to organize. If you are OCD like me, you will drool over my closet. :)

So since it's Friday, here are five things that are on my mind!!

{1} Physical science.

This is the last class I have to plan - I've already finished the first unit plans for both earth and life science. I really have no clue what I am doing with this new class. It doesn't help that I don't know anything about the subject. Thankfully, the previous teacher left me loads of manipulatives and resources to plan my lessons and I am excited for all the "toys" I've inherited along with this class. Pinterest has also been a fun source of inspiration. This may be my most fun class of all!

{2} Swedish Meatballs. From the happiest place on earth, IKEA.

Last night my roommate Lexi and I drove to Freiburg to pick up a few things for our apartment and for our classrooms. It was an adventure getting there and coming back, but we had a blast and were 99% successful in getting everything we needed! And of course, the trip wouldn't be complete without meatballs.

{3} Pastries. I already talked about German bakeries and pastries, but I just have to rave again at how delicious they are, and how dangerous it is to be living across the street from Heitzmann's. So very dangerous. Must.use.self.control.

{4} Pinterest. There was a day when I swore I would never get it. Now, I'm kind of in love with it. I've turned into that obnoxious person who starts every sentence with, "I found this thing on Pinterest..." (I kind of hate that part!) But I can't lie, I am loving the ideas and resources I've been able to find for my three science classes and for general classroom and teaching ideas. Follow me!

{5} The iPad - iWant, or iNeed? BFA has recently announced a new initiative in encouraging us teachers to implement iPads in the classroom. The school is offering a reimbursement to all staff members who purchase an iPad in 2012 - with the intention of using it in the classroom. While it's not a 100% reimbursement, it would cover a majority of the cost. I've had mixed feelings about this from the beginning. On the one hand, it would be really nice to have this piece of technology available to me and my students, and I'm sure I could find loads of cool apps and programs that would be useful in teaching my three science classes. The fact that I could get it almost for free is an added bonus, and also the recent release of the iPad 3 makes the 2nd generation a lot more affordable. On the other hand, I really cannot see how having an iPad is different from the computer that I already use in class each day. I already implement PowerPoint, YouTube, interactive websites, etc. and I don't need an iPad for any of those things. Not to mention the fact that I struggled all summer to raise the support to simply return to Germany for another year of service. It is a legitimate ministry tool, but is it a need?