Dr. Seuss, I need your advice.....

So……. it’s summer time and I am doing my best to come up with a great catchy theme for my class.  I will be teaching a 1st grade class of around 22 students.  I know that I want to use Dr.Seuss,  he is such a great writer and illustrator!  I just can’t seem to find the perfect fit.  I’ve tried to come up with a way to use “Oh the places you’ll go…”, but honestly, I don’t like the color scheme.  I guess I am just going to have to use the quotes from the book, but incorporate the Doc’s primary colors.  This may be one of those things, where in the end you say, “why did I spend so much time on that?”  I wonder why Dr.Seuss choose pastels for that book, when all the other books are primary colored?

My next dilemma!  I would like to know which set of sight words is used commonly?  Dolch?  This past year, I used mostly Literacy by Design words, but this year, I think it would make more sense to use the pre-primer and primer words from the Dolch sight word list.  I would really like some input on this.  Please let me know what you are doing. Also, I would like a really creative way to display the words on my word wall.  Any suggestions?

Now, my days consist of my master’s work (yes, I am getting a graduate degree), washing clothes (hahaha), cooking (sometimes), working at the resource center(a place for teachers to go and prepare~), and playing with my puppy.  However, before long I will once again be seeing little children run through my door, very early, smiling and giving me hugs!  I can’t wait to meet my new class!  I will spend countless hours with them encouraging, teaching, laughing, playing and making good memories.  I can’t wait.  I love teaching, it is my calling in life, what I was meant to do.  To my students from last year, I love you all dearly, and miss you.  Remember the door to my classroom is never locked, come see me!  To my new students, we haven’t met yet, but just know that I already love you bunches!  We are going to have a blast in 1st grade!  That is a promise!!!!

“No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness, and generosity hidden in the soul of a child.  The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure” – Emma Golmam