Crazy Puzzles

This is a Crazy Puzzle.

Looks simple enough...

but they're not. For me, they're very difficult.

In Room 8, sometimes, when a student finishes their work early, I'll let them work on a Crazy Puzzle. I figure it's pretty educational - I'd classify it as logic.

Look who did this one?



Here's another one. Guess who completed it?It was Max!
Ok...if you haven't guessed correctly yet, here's another chance. You know what they say, "Third times a charm." You might think it's probably a girl...being hearts and all....Yep, it's a girl...it's Abby!

Crazy Puzzles are a big hit in Room 8!

Marseya

How do you like these glasses?

Marseya is a star! She is such a hard worker! She told us she likes to wear glasses.

Marseya also brought some stuffed animals. One of them is named 'Mellow', but the other one hasn't been named yet.
Marseya also showed us a little notebook she likes. It fits right inside her purse. She got it at a museum. She likes to draw pictures inside of it because she just likes to draw!

She also brought a brush. Yep, a hair brush. This one had a cushy handle that shapes to your hand. Marseya likes to play with them.
We enjoyed hearing about Marseya today!

Joel

Meet Joel.

He's a tennis player. Now I know you play tennis with a racket, but Joel didn't bring a racket, he just brought the tennis ball. When he was showing it to us, Room 8 said, "Joel, act like you're throwing it." Thus, the first picture!
Joel has a Game Cube, but he's also going to get an X-Box. He has the game, Bustin Out, which he brought to share with us.

He also likes legos...and has a lot of them. Look at this car he built:
Here's a better view of it...
Joel told us he likes movies, especially James Bond... in particular, 007. He has seen 5 of the James Bond movies...but this blogging teacher has no idea how many James Bond movies there are. Anyone out there know?

Now this last picture makes me think of baseball games...or driving long distances in the car... do you know what I'm talking about?

Think...

Ok, I'll tell you. Sunflower seeds! Yep, Joel brought a big bag of sunflower seeds. He said it was 'like his favorite snack!"
Yum, Joel! You made me hungry for sunflower seeds!

Wasey

Guess what Wasey loves? Besides Room 8, of course! Well, she loves horses. She brought this one in to show us.

Wasey also brought in a CD since she loves to listen to music. I wish I could remember which one it was, but I already forgot. Sorry....you'll just have to ask Wasey what it was.

She also brought in her Nintendo...her PINK Nintendo... because she likes to play it and she even has a horse game!
Wasey is known for her jewelry. You may notice the earrings and necklace she is wearing. These were made by her grandma. Wasey loves to bead with her grandma and they actually bead a lot together. How cool is that?

Wasey brought in some photos...and I just had to take a picture of this picture. Now, I know Wasey is a very mature 4th grader... but look at this picture! Here she is as an infant ... and I think she looks EXACTLY like she still does! Don't you just love these baskets?

She also told us how she likes to take pictures and hang them on the wall. Wasey also brought in a pencil to show us how she likes to write and to draw.

We were all so happy Wasey brought her bag today. Yesterday was actually her assigned day, but she was out sick. We're glad she's back...and that she brought her bag to share.

Vanessa

I love this picture of Vanessa.

Room 8 reminded me I had taken more than 4 pictures....but I was trying out the 'digital zoom' feature on my camera. See, you may think I'm standing close to Vanessa, but I wasn't. Nope, it's the digital zoom. Check it out...the many faces of Vanessa!Ok, on to Vanessa's bag...

Vanessa loves to play soccer, it's her favorite sport. She brought her soccer jersey to show us. She's on the same soccer team with Room 8's Nicole and Ashley. Ashley told us that Vanessa likes to slide tackle in white socks. I must have had a questioning look on my face. So Vanessa explained that she likes grass stains...and she likes to get dirty. Oh...now I understand.
She brought her iPod because she loves to listen to music. Don't be fooled...she doesn't have a pink iPod... no, it's silver, in a pink case.
Vanessa also brought pictures of her family. Here she is with her mom. I love the way the picture is in black and white...but the jeans are blue. I told Vanessa I have a history with her family. Some of her aunts are former Room 8ers.... Kelsey, Danielle, Natalie, and Taylor. Sometimes, I get Vanessa's mom mixed up with Danielle...they just look so much alike.

Vanessa also loves to read. She brought this book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, because she likes it and her favorite author is Roald Dahl.
Vanessa also told us how she collects 50 cent pieces and flattened pennies from around the world. She also brought a couple of necklaces. One was from hardened paper... given to her by her Aunt Natalie. Natalie was in Africa for about 3 months! Another necklace was a whistle and was given to her by her Aunt Erica, who got the necklace in Mexico. Vanessa loves it when people get her things from out of town.

She also collects magnets. She brought one from Disneyland and another from Hawaii. I forgot to ask them where she keeps them... do you think they're on her refrigerator?

She brought her Wii remote and a Rummikub game piece because she likes to play games and play them with her family. Room 8 felt they needed to start explaining to me what the Wii remote was. I told them I knew some about it. Thanks to Max, he spoke up and announced, "She wasn't born yesterday!"

Vanessa ended with her medals from the last two basketball seasons. When she put the medals around her neck, Sarah spoke up and announced, "The Olympic Kid!"

Trever

Does Trever look like a sports-guy or what? Here he is holding a football, because he likes football...and wearing a baseball shirt because he likes baseball, too.
Ok, so he also brought a baseball. Max told him he could have just shown his shirt.

Besides football and baseball, Trever loves BMX. He likes to ride BMX and has gone to some competitions. He brought in 2 of his first place ribbons and also some medals he won.
Trever pulled out his camera...and all Room 8 knew this was a blog picture. A picture of Trever taking a picture. He told us he likes to take pictures, so we tried it.
WHOA! Hey, that about blinded me! I decided I better take another picture.
Ahh.. that's much better.

Now maybe we should listen to Trever's IPod and hope for some soothing music.

Summer

Look at this sweetheart... reaching in deep to her teacher's heart by holding up a chocolate bar! Summer made a point of telling us that it wasn't DARK CHOCOLATE, but she wanted to bring in a chocolate bar and that's all they had. One of our dear Room 8ers made a comment that the bar looked ... well, old. "Oh, it's been in the freezer," answered Summer.

Summer also LOVES to read. She brought the book World's Dumbest Criminals. She even read a short story to us. She read that in 1993, some guy broke into a glue factory in Brazil. Before he could steal anything, the fumes overtook him and he passed out. He knocked over some glue, which ran out on to the floor and glued the criminal to the floor! Summer told us this wasn't her favorite book, but it would fit into her bag, so she brought it.
Summer also brought her Girl Scout badge because she does Girl Scouts.
She also brought a rabbit stuffed animal - because she likes rabbits.
She brought 2 pencils because she likes to write and draw.
She brought a glass fairy because she collects them. I asked Summer if she collects fairies... or glass fairies... she said glass fairies.

She also brought her soccer trophy because she likes soccer. She's been playing 5-6 years. This last time, she was on a team called 'The Sweethearts.'

Summer also collects Littlest Pet Shops. Moriah said you could just call them LPS's. OK. This sea horse is Summer's favorite:

Summer loves fish...and has three of her own: an angel fish named 'Angel', a feeder fish named Heidi, and a goldfish named Marbles. (Marbles is a calico fish... fish calico.)

We had fun listening to Summer tell about her bag.

Spegi

Spegi.

This guy did an absolutely TERRIFIC job of sharing his bag. He told us WHY he had each item in his bag...and I still have no idea how he got so many things in the bag. It reminded me of Mary Poppins pulling out lamps and everything else out of her carpet bag!

I'm digressing.

Spegi is a fan of reptiles...and his favorite reptile is the scorpion! He showed us this one...that lost its tail in the bag. Poor scorpion:(
Next came the wrestling trophy that he won in 2008. He got it at a party at Round Table Pizza. He also brought some wrestling medals to show us. Can you tell that wrestling is his #1 sport?

Spegi likes other sports too. He loves basketball - and that's his 3rd favorite sport. His second favorite sport is... football! Baseball is his 4th favorite sport, and the Giants are his favorite team. He brought this little cozy that has the Giant's logo. He said the holder was for drinks, but he just got it because he likes the Giants.

Spegi brought a shell casing and told us how he likes to hunt. He also enjoys riding dirt bikes and playing video games...so he also brought his PSP. Besides play games, you can listen to music and watch videos on the PSP. Wow!

Something else Spegi enjoys is playing with Legos. I loved hearing that...it brought back memories of my boys playing legos.

Spegi told us his grandfather had been a viking... and had sailed on ships since he was 12 years old! His dad was a viking before him! Spegi brought this wrist band of his grandfathers to show us how large his wrist was. Look at that!

Spegi also told us he likes cops...you know, like policeman. He brought a pair of mini-handcuffs to illustrate this. He also brought necklaces. One had marbles on it...and that's his favorite. You can change the marbles around. Pretty cool, uh?

He also likes to skateboard. He has 31 of these little "Tech-deck dudes." Here's one of his 31:
Other items Spegi brought in:
* a dollar, because he likes money! He also likes to spend it on video games.
* A bookmark with Boomer Jack on it. He loves to read.
* 1 IPod, although he has 3 of them! He likes to listen to music.
* rocks... Spegi likes rocks and collecting them. He thinks he gets this from his mom. He
especially likes to collect agates.
Would you believe ... Spegi likes gum. He told us he brought the container to show us. But, oops, when he shook it, he realized there was gum inside. He promised he wouldn't chew it at school.

Thanks for a great bag, Spegi. We enjoyed hearing all about you!

Shelby

I learned from Shelby that there is something called an iDog! Apparently, you push the nose and it makes noise. Fortunately, Shelby just told us that and didn't demonstrate. Thank you, Shelby!

She also brought her XBox360. Her favorite game is Open Season. There were a lot of oohs and ahhs from Room 8 about that! Must be good. She told us she plays her XBox on rainy days.

Next, Shelby showed us a bracelet she got from her grandma. It's very pretty!
Well, if I thought there were a lot of oohs and ahhs from Shelby talking about the XBox game, it was nothing compared to when she told us her favorite movie was Game Plan. Oh my gosh! Here their teacher has never even heard of it, and I think MOST of the class had seen it and LOVED it!
Shelby also likes to read. she brought her book "Last Chance for Golden Star." She brought this book because she loves to read and she loves horses. She also brought a few pictures both of her horse and different people riding Freedom, her horse's name. She had a picture of Danny's sister on Freedom, along with one of her dad, her brother, and finally one of Shelby on her horse. Here's a picture of Freedom:
To further show us her love of horses, Shelby brought a glass horse. It was actually her cousins, but she brought it to Room 8 just to show us how much she loves horses. It seems about everyone who really knows Shelby already knew how MUCH she loves horses!

Now we all know!

Shane

Let me introduce Shane! Shane started his bag with some pictures. We saw his older sister, Brittany, who works in Kids' Club and one of her in Spain. We saw his little sister, Joann. Shane was also proud to show a picture of him... after his haircut. I didn't know Shane with long hair, but it seems to have been a big moment in his life when he cut it.

Looking at this first picture may make you wonder what in the world Shane is doing. Well, he's balancing a bird... he told us it had weights inside that helped it to balance. Shane is fascinated with things of nature. This is a necklace with a SCORPION inside. His sister gave it to him. I'm not sure which sister, but I'm assuming it's his older sister, Brittany. Room 8 was impressed with this and a big discussion started about scorpions...which led to insects in general until Mrs. J said, "Now, Room 8, let's keep going!"
Shane also likes soccer. He brought his first medal he received when he was on a team called the "Tigers!"
This last picture is a Thunder Egg that Shane got in Oregon. Some of us were curious what makes a Thunder Egg a Thunder Egg. Shane told us that it looks like a normal rock on one side, but is polished on the other. Well, Austin J said he had a rock like that, but it was called a geode. That led to a discussion in Room 8 about the difference between a geode and a Thunder Egg. Austin J told us a geode is not polished...that you can try to polish it, but it just doesn't really work. Well, their teacher certainly didn't know that.
Thanks, Shane! I love it when I learn something new!

Sarah

Meet Sarah!

Sarah brought some pictures to share. She showed us a friend of hers that moved away, some fish at the hatchery in Birney, her family and their dog named Max, and a picture of her dressed as an Indian princess! I can't tell, but I think this first picture must be of the fish hatchery. Am I correct, Sarah?Sarah also loves to swim. I'm not sure how often she goes...or even where she swims, but I know she must wear goggles - at least sometimes. She brought them to share with Room 8.
Look at this little stuffed polar bear! Isn't it cute? Sarah likes polar bears. Have you ever seen one, Sarah? I don't think I'd want to meet one face-to-face, but a stuffed animal is adorable!
I believe Sarah likes to write. Mrs. L said she brought a notepad with jewels. Oh, I would have loved to have seen that. She also brought a piece of obsidian from Lava Beds National Park. Is that in Idaho? I think I've even been there, but I'm not sure where it is.

Sarah also likes to read. She brought the book, Double Fudge, by Judy Blume. That book is hilarious!

The last thing Sarah shared was a shell. Other people find shells, but not only did Sarah find this one, but she also cleaned it out!

It sounds like we learned a lot about Sarah!