Our first day back from Christmas break was a huge success! The kiddos were decked out in their new shirts and shoes and all the little girls had their hair "did!" What a fun day! I surely didn't want to interrupt all the excitement with learning.... So, we worked on our geography standards. For Georgia, third graders must be able to identify five of the United States' major rivers and two mountain ranges. This seems like such an easy task for me that in previous years, I have forgotten how the kids have no concept of life beyond our little town, making it nearly impossible for them to really grasp these different regions. I found short video clips on UnitedStreaming.com ---life saver!!!! And they were able to have a virtual fieldtrip over the Grand Canyon. Even I enjoyed that one! Grizzly Bears in the Rocky Mountains- 5 minutes of pure silence as they were mesmerized by the avalance, scenery and bear cubs. Score! For the fun part of the lesson, (funner?) the kids used these simple little flags I made and some clay to physically mark these places on a map. I can't wait to see what they remember tomorrow! They had so much fun today that they were asking to do it again. :) Now that's what I call a good day back! Tab