Pete the Cat has not been around for very long.

He first came on the scene in 2008.


In relative terms he's a pretty young feline.


Spending time in Dubrovnik (in Croatia),  made him feel a mere kitten.


Being in city that has existed (in some form or other) for over a thousand years tends to do that.  

The first known settlement where Dubrovnik now stands, was established in the 7th century. 

The Dubrovnik we see now was built after the Great Earthquake of 1667 which destroyed most of the town buildings.  


Pete is looking down on the town from a fortress that was ordered built by Napoleon.



We don't have any computers in the classroom.

An ipad, but no computer.


That has not stopped the kids.


They are way too inventive and creative for the lack of a computer to stop them from using one.


Computers are such an integral part of life, the kidlets often need one as part of their game.


So, they make their own.  


Sometimes out of blocks.  I figure that is a real old clunker of a computer.  Probably a PC! (Guess which side of the computer divide I am on!)




I have put together a number of sensory bins.  

(I quite like making them - it's a bit of an addiction.)


I need a sensory bin storage solution.


serious disclaimer:  I am not an organizing queen.  I wish I was.  I actually quite dislike organizing things and would much rather some nice people invaded my space and organized all my stuff for me, and then I could just have fun creating and playing.


That said, here is how I sort of organize my sensory bins and their bits and pieces.


My go-to essentials are a big storage bin and the gallon size zip lock baggies. 


I really wanted to see puffins when I was in Iceland.

They are such cool looking birds.


Click on the graphic below to learn more about puffins.




If I was Icelandic, I would be known as Sandi Geoffreydottir.

Sandi, because that is the name given to me by my parents. 

Geoffreydottir, because my father's name is Geoffrey, and I am his daughter.  

My brother's name would be Ian Geoffreyson. 

Last names as a family name do not really exist. 

And nobody uses the "last name". Everybody is referred to by their first names. Teachers, doctors, even the Prime Minister, all addressed by their first names. 

I read that the phone book lists everyone by their first name. So Pete and I went to check it out.




Yup. Alphabetical order by first names. Just how we do it in kindergarten!  


Names are something pretty important to us. 

Here are some books about names that I love/have in my classroom/have heard wonderful things about.


Saying farewell with a blast from the 60s, and Sister Jude and the Name Game.

                                           


   
Not only is Iceland known for its volcanos, geysers and glaciers, it is also known for its love affair with books.

It claims the highest number of book written, published and sold per capita in the world.  Statistically one in ten Icelanders will be published during their lifetime.  

I wanted to buy an Icelandic book while I am in the country of fire and ice.

I did - sort of.  


I didn't mean to buy this book.

Really, I didn't.

(or the other one that I bought at the same time)

I was looking for Mo Willems' The Duckling Gets a Cookie?  They didn't have it at a local bookstore.

But then a rebellious crayon caught my eye.  

Next thing I know I had paid for a couple of books and was out the door, smile on my face.

Happily unrepentant. 



The Day the Crayons Quit
author:  Drew Daywalt
illustrator:  Oliver Jeffers
publisher: Philomel (June 2013)
ages 4-7

Pete has been watching the preparations for heading out on our adventure.  

He figured that it was all groovy.  He kept going along, singing his song.




Today was an unusual back to school for me.

I did go to school today.

I was delighted to see last year's kids - lots of hugs all round.  

We caught up on lost teeth, new clothes and summer fun.

And I introduced them to the teacher who will be taking my place while I am on leave until January 2014.

During the past couple of weeks, I helped get the classroom ready, and I have been thinking a lot about the building of a classroom.

I also pulled out my backpack from the back of a storage cupboard to get it ready for a 3 month adventure. 


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