Guess what?

I have a new blog design that will be unveiled VERY soon I hope.  I'm so darn excited.  Here's a little sneaky peeky...

Cuteness!

Stay tuned, friends!

I haven't been able to get back in my classroom for a few days but I've been working a little bit at home and my favorite finds this week were these lightweight, bright frames at Michael's! They were buy one get one free PLUS the sweet lady at the register had a coupon for 20% off instead of my 15% teacher discount. Woohoo!  I love them and I think (hope!) they're lightweight enough to stick on the wall with a command hook.

Everything looks better framed, am I right?  I obviously couldn't afford to frame everything on my walls so I decided to frame the rules and motivational posters.  Here is a start on that.

Click the links to be taken to the original source if you like these posters.

If You Can't Be Kind, Be Quiet  (Can I get an amen?)

Be Kind. No Exceptions.

And the class rules were made by yours truly.  

I actually posted a different one a couple weeks ago and I changed my mind on the color scheme (big shocker!) so...you are welcome to grab yourself a copy of either one if you want them!

Click here to download.

I like to keep my class rules short and sweet.  I let the kids have input on what kind of rules they want in the classroom on the first day of school...but for some reason they always get bogged down in things that pertain to physical violence and gross stuff.  Is that just my kids?

If I took all of their ideas, we would have 6,972 rules.  

1.  No hitting

2. No pushing

3. No kicking

4. No spitting in other people's food in the lunchroom (an actual one from one of my kiddos from last year)

5.  No biting

6. No calling people "cry babies" even if they are  (no...I couldn't make this stuff up)

etc. etc. etc. etc.

You get the picture.  So...I still get their input, but I have these 3 ready to rock because let's be honest I can slide any transgression into one of these categories.  I'm good like that.

Pretty sure spitting in other people's food qualifies as not being kind and respectful.  Just saying.

Last but not least,  I've been working on a little "Back to Basics" math and literacy pack and it's up and ready to go!  This is full of activities (whole group, small group, individual work, and partner games) that I plan to use to review basic skills with my first graders at the beginning of the year.  It would be perfect for kindergarten and Pre-K all year long.  I also plan to keep these activities handy to use for intervention as needed throughout the year in my first grade classroom.

Language Arts Skills:

first day writing template

-alphabet letter cards (lowercase)
-alphabet letter cards (capital)
-letter sounds picture cards (26 plus ch/sh/th)
-beginning sound assessment & answer key
-CVC picture cards
-CVC word cards
-"write around the room" CVC activity and/or assessment
-missing letter CVC assessment and/or guided practice
-DRAW IT (CVC word version)
-DRAW IT (CVC sentence version)
-rhyming picture match/pocket chart cards
-"No Nonsense" real vs. nonsense word rhyming activity
-rhyming sentence challenge activity

Math Skills:
-"A Number Book" (students illustrate simple sentences to show mastery of one to one correspondence with simple pictures)
(numbers 1-10)-"Adios Monsters" dice game & recording sheet
-"Spin it to Win it" card/unifix cube game (numbers 0-20)
-"It's All About the Dots" subitizing cards...perfect for number talks!
-"Fill it Up" card game (numbers 1-30)
-colorful number cards 1-30

It is ON SALE for 5 bucks this week. :)  Check out the preview here if you're interested!

I'd also love to GIVE IT AWAY to the first 5 readers that head over to my facebook page and leave me a comment there telling me you could use it! 

Happy Summer!

Classroom Sneak Peak & Scrap Fabric Banner Tutorial

I got the itch to start working in my classroom this week.  The spare bedroom was filled to the brim with "stuff" that needed to go to my classroom so I packed up my car and went in on Monday morning expecting it to be 120 degrees in my room.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the AC was on (thank you summer school)!  So, I stayed longer than I had originally planned and got some things put back.

Here is what I walked into on Monday morning. Yikes.

I've had a "jungle" theme for the past few years and each year monkeys have slowly started to disappear. Bless their hearts. They're cute but I got tired of them about 2 years ago but couldn't justify spending the money to completely re-do everything.  I finally decided that I'd built up enough bright, colorful decor to make THAT my theme.  

The last reminder of "the jungle" was the vine hanging in the meeting area.  I decided to replace that with a black and bright, whimsical rag banner.  I kept seeing them popping up on Pinterest...mostly as photography backdrops and party decorations. I decided that I could whip one up faster than cutting out triangles for a pennant.  I am am impatient crafter and I'm really, really bad at measuring things. Eek.

I can't even describe how easy this was and I'm thrilled with the final product!  I had a LOT of fabric left over from various unfinished projects and I ordered some more (chevron...duh!)  on fabric.com!  They have an awesome selection.

So I ended up with a ton of playful patterns and colors to work with.

The best part of this project was NO MEAURING required.  The strips do not have to be uniform or perfect.  In fact, I think it is better if they're not.  That's what I tell myself, anyway.

 I used some decorative black cord from Hobby Lobby to string the fabric.  If I was using this for a party in my house or for photography or something...I think twine would look adorable, but the black worked best with my classroom colors.

 Just cut strips, lay them out, and get ready to tie!

 I tried to show you how I tied the "knots" but it was hard with one hand on the camera. ;)  Basically I folded the strip in half.  Put the "open" ends on the top and pull the "closed" end through the hole and then just pull it snug.  The end result was a knot that looked sort of like a man's tie.  My fabric was not double sided, so I just pulled on it and arranged it so the pretty side was facing out for the most part. The cutting and tying combined took about 2 hours.  I made two really long banners.

So easy. So cute.

And her's my little fashion model posing with the finished product.

And ta-da!  Here it is hanging in my classroom.  Please ignore the crummy quality and everything else in the photo.  Good grief. I still have a lot of work to do...but no more jungle vine!

I have some more fun projects planned for that pretty fabric...stay tuned!

Now, I have a pajama party planned with my laminator.  Friday night...what else would I do? 

Happy Summer to you!

Throwback Thursday Style!

I'm linking up with Cara at The First Grade Parade today to bring back a short & sweet little post from last September.  It includes a freebie that you can go ahead and download and get ready for your new babies this year!

I looooved my Weekend News journal!  It was so easy to look back and see/document growth in writing.  My kids and parents also loved having all of the little snapshots of their entire year.  I will most definitely be doing Weekend News again this coming year!  It makes for the easiest Monday morning work EVER...and who doesn't need a little something easy on a Monday morning?!?!

*The only thing I did differently than what I posted is that I went ahead and copied, hole-punched, and  put together all 36 weeks worth of sheets at the beginning of the year.  I'm so glad I did that so I never had to go back and put them in....like that would have happened!  Let's get real...those folders would have been a hot mess if I had just put them in the pockets! Ha!

Click here to see the post and grab your FREE weekend news cover and writing pages!

Happy Summer to you!

FREEBIE Friday :)

I linked up with What the Teacher Wants last year for a behavior management linky party and ever since, this little picture has been pretty popular on Pinterest! 

I wish it wasn't such an awful picture! Ha!  It was before my Canon came into my life. ;) 

Anyways, this is a super simple concept that you can use in your classroom daily to encourage good hallway behavior.

Just pick a name (cards, chips, popsicle sticks...anything works) before you leave the classroom and look at it, but don't tell who it is.  The idea is that you will watch this person very carefully the whole way to your destination and back.  If they do an excellent job in the hall...they get a "ticket" or small prize.

(I also encourage them to line up quickly and quietly without throwing elbows and the other strange things they do to be "first" by saying I will only pick a mystery walker if they are lined up and ready by the time I get to the door!)

FYI: The colored chips in this picture are from Staples (in the teacher section) and I use these tickets from Creative Teaching Press for my behavior management system in my classroom so it's very easy to give a ticket to my Mystery Walker. 

My students collect these tickets for monthly raffles for fun coupons and prizes.

About halfway through the year last year, I also started picking a "secret student" on occasion...especially when we started doing more independent work. Same concept...just pick a student and tell them that you will be watching them do whatever activity you are working on.  After that activity, if they did what they were supposed to do...ticket!

I've had people ask me...and no, I do not call the "mystery person" out if they did not earn the ticket!  I just act extremely sad and say something like "Oh well...maybe my mystery walker will earn their ticket next time when they remember to keep their hands to themselves in the hall..."

(in my best teacher voice, of course)

Since these little ideas worked so well for me last year, I revamped my signs for my classroom and you can give them a try, too!  Click the picture to download the mystery walker sign FREE on TPT.

(and click the link below the picture for the secret student sign)

Secret Student Sign

Happy Friday!

Amazon GIVEAWAY & Binder FREEBIES Updated for 2013-2014!

So my HUSBAND (still getting used to saying that and LOVIN' it!) came home from Lowe's yesterday with a plastic pool for this little beach bum (and maybe me). 

 

Ridiculous. 

 

I have a funny feeling we are going to be the talk of the neighborhood soon.  I could totally see all 3 of us ending up in that thing one hot afternoon in the near future. HA! 

 

Pictures to come...maybe. ;)

 

It is a nasty, cloudy morning...so instead of splashing in the pool, I am catching up on laundry and clicking around on my laptop.

 

I updated my "binder covers for everything" for the 2013-2014 school year.  I've had a lot of people asking when these would be ready so I put them on top of my list!  Mine are printing now. :)

 

 

Go get 'em so you can feel organized...even if you're not.  It's June...you shouldn't be organized yet!

 

They are FREE and I'm more than happy to change 'em up a bit if you need something different.  These are just the ones I needed last year and decided to share...had no idea so many people would be interested in using them.  Just get in touch!

 

PS - Don't forget to...

 

 

Google Reader is going bye-bye on Monday.  Keep up with this little blog and all your favorites on bloglovin'!  I must admit...I pretended like this wasn't happening for as long as I could because I just didn't want to deal with it...but it was actually super easy and I (gasp) like bloglovin' better than google reader!

 

 

Just go to www.bloglovin.com and make an account (easy) and make sure you "import all your favorite blogs from google reader" so you don't miss out on anything!

 

Click here to follow my blog on bloglovin' if you're not already a follower.

 

 

 

 You're done!
 

 Also...as a "thank you" for taking the time to make the switch...a lot of bloggers are doing some awesome giveaways for their "new" bloglovin' followers!

Enter below.  THREE winners will be selected to choose any THREE items from my TPT store and one lucky winner will win a $10 gift card to AMAZON.COM!

You can get a couple extra entries if you like my brand new facebook page as well...figured I might as well do it all at once! ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Now go check out all of these other fabulous bloggers who are having bloglovin giveaways!  You're bound to win something cool! ;)




Classroom Management Linky

So excited that the sweet ladies over at What the Teacher Wants decided to host a Classroom Management Linky!  I am always on the lookout for new and exciting things to encourage my kiddos to make good choices.  

 

 

 

Unfortunately I have been SICK as a dog this week.  All stinkin' week.  I should have gone to the doctor sooner but of course at the peak of feeling yucky, I had back to school night Tuesday night.  That was...fun.  To top it off, Andy has an eye infection and he can't exactly do his job (he's a firefighter) with glasses so he's been out of work this week too.  Our house is a hot, hot mess. We need a biohazard sign on the front door.

 

 No worries though, Sawyer has been taking very good care of us. His bedside manner is incredible. ;)

 

 

 

I took a half day Wednesday to go to the doctor and got some antibiotics.  Then, as much as it KILLED me to take a day so early in the year...I broke down and took today off.  I absolutely detest missing a day of school.  I'm glad I did though.  I got some much needed rest and even though I'm far from 100%, I think I'll be able to make it in tomorrow to finish up our apple unit with crockpot applesauce and biscuits as a special treat for my babies!

 

My classroom will smell so yummy, can't wait!

 

My unexpected day off made me realize I need to quit procrastinating and go ahead and put Rachelle's Substitute Survival Kit together!  I've had it for a while and it is fantastic.  I just need to print it out and fix it up with my info....no more procrastinating!  If you don't have some emergency sub plans go ahead and grab her kit and get ready...just in case.

 

OK...here we go.  My classroom management plan is pretty simple, but it works for me.

 

We have a schoolwide program that our fabulous guidance counselor implements that goes along with this sweet book.

 

 

We put marbles in a bucket anytime they make good decisions as a class or an adult catches someone being a bucket filler.  I like to acknowledge when a student helps pick up someone's crayons that fell in the floor, when I hear someone give another student a compliment, or when I see partners working nicely together, etc.

 

When they earn 10 marbles in their bucket...we get a star to display outside of our door.  The colors of the paper stars change each 6 weeks so everyone can keep track of how many stars each class has earned.  I add a little extra "incentive" and tell them that if we earn 3 stars before the colors change, we will have a class celebration (donuts, popsicle party, lunch in the classroom, or something similar!)

 

For an individual classroom management plan, I use these products from my absolute favorite teacher store, Creative Teaching Press.

 

Students collect these tickets:

 And store them in their desk in these cute little library pockets with their names written on them.

 

I give out tickets all...day...long.  There are ALWAYS some in my laundry room closet at home because I just carry them around all day in my pockets...ready to pass out if I "catch" a student doing anything spectacular!  If they are the first one to follow directions, if they are working extra hard, if they use good manners...anything goes!

 

On Fridays, we count our tickets.

 

If a student has 10 tickets, they turn them in and get to write their name on one of these.

 

 

Then, at the end of each month...we have a raffle for prizes and special privileges (lunch in the room with a buddy from ANY first grade class is a favorite!)

 

I use a lot of books (from Scholastic), small toys, coloring books candy etc. for the prizes.  Some are bigger, some are small. 

 

I try to get one or two big things to save for last.  I have a feeling this month, it is going to be one of these guys...

 

 

My kids loooove them some Pete.  They will go bananas over him.  I have one that lives in our classroom and they just adore it.

 

Another way they can earn a ticket is by being picked for "Mystery Walker." I posted about how it works here.

 

 

 

The ticket system keeps everything nice and simple for the most part...and then I just have to get things together for one raffle each month.

 

I prefer to use a positive approach to classroom management, because it helps me stay more positive....but don't you worry.  I take a ticket or two on occasion.  They don't like to lose their tickets, so it's effective.

 

Set aside some time to head over and read the other awesome classroom management tips at What the Teacher Wants.

 

So many awesome ideas. :)

 

Also...don't forget to enter the giveaway for my new Sight Word Super Pack in my previous post. 

 

 

 

Giveaway ends TOMORROW!

 

Happy Friday to you!

 

Monday Freebie: Weekend News!

One of the awesome teachers that I get to work with introduced me to "weekend news." I have loved incorporating it into my Mondays ever since!

 

Since today was our first Monday back to school, it is time for the first "weekend news" of the year! Very simply, for morning work on Mondays, my kiddos write about whatever they did over the weekend.

 

 Last year, they wrote on regular writing paper or in their journals. We would illustrate and share them and then they just took them home. This year, I designated a three-prong folder just for weekend news so we can save them throughout the year. 

 

It is such an awesome way to watch their writing grow and develop throughout the year and it also provides a lot of insight into their lives outside of school.

 

As a parent, I think it would be a neat thing to save at the end of the year, too!

 

I will probably collect several weeks in the pockets of the folders, date them, and then three-hole punch them and put them in a few at a time or ask a volunteer to do the same.

 

If you'd like to do "weekend news" in your classroom, here is a free template and a cover for your weekend news journal or folder. These can be printed front and back so that they have extra space as they start to write more and more!

 

 

Happy Monday!



FUN Hallway Behavior Management Idea

 

 

Fun Friday Linky Party...on a Sunday night?

Better late than never I hope.

 

I had a post planned for Friday to link up with sweet Kelly over at Teaching Fourth but when I got home from school Friday I was all kinds of exhausted.  Seriously wiped out.

 

And then yesterday got off to a productive start.  We went to the grocery store EARLY and put groceries away, cleaned a little, and walked the dog all by 10 am.  Then...I participated in a little retail therapy with my momma at the Loft (30% off  everything...yes please!).

 

After that...the productivity came to a screeching halt.

 

The rest of the day consisted of football, buffalo chicken dip, and naps. 

 

So today I have been extra busy preparing for next week!

 

Last week was a giant success.  I love my new students.  They are sweet as sugar and excited about EVERYTHING.  The jitter juice was definitely a favorite but they were seriously thrilled about everything we did. One sweetie actually said..."Yay! A sheet!"  When I passed out a little dot to dot paper.

 

  I love it.

 

I wish I could share more pictures (especially their giant smiles while they were drinking jitter juice) but I was too busy snapping photos of their cute faces that I forgot to take many that I could share on my blog.

 

Here they are playing "Roll it to the Top."

 

Never have I ever introduced a math game on the second day of school but I thought they could handle it...and I was right!

 

 

You can download "Roll it to the Top" for FREE from my TPT store.

 

It is part of a Back to School Math Game Pack with lots of other games that you can play at the very beginning of the year with your first graders (or all year long with your kindergarten kids!)

 

Click here to check it out.

 

We also made these cute Chicka Chicka Boom Boom trees with our names.

 

 

 

And to top it off...their parents rock. 

 

I got all "beginning of the year" forms back and signed on the first day along with their take-home folders and homework sheets signed each day.  This is not the norm for me so I was giddy!! 

 

There are a few cuties definitely testing the boundaries but overall I am pretty darn excited to spend the next 176 days with these sweet kids!

 

OK...now for some more FUN!

 

I just wanted to share a quick, easy hallway behavior management system I use that really works!

 

I went ahead and introduced this at the beginning of the year, but this is also a great thing to pull out after Christmas break or something when hallway manners start to "slip" a little.

 

Let me introduce you to the "Mystery Walker."

 

 

On a little shelf beside the door, I keep a box of plastic counting chips (bought them at Staples in the "teacher section"...but you could use anything) with the kids names' on them. 

 

Anytime we go out in the hall, I pull one out (reaaaallll sneaky-like and dramatic of course) look at, it and put it in my pocket....except on those days when I wear things with no pockets in which case I almost always lay it down by the copier or in the lunchroom and lose it. 

 

If I DO have pockets, they usually end up on my washing machine at home because I forget to take them out at the end of the day.

 

I suggest having some back-ups for such occasions.

 

This person is my "mystery walker" all the way to our destination and back.  I am watching this person to see if they have perfect hallway maners.  The beauty of it is that all of the kids think it is them every time so they do a pretty darn good job of walking in the hall (usually).

 

When we get back to the room...they all are dying to find out who the mystery walker was and I only tell them IF the person did a perfect job. And if they did, they earn a "ticket" which is what I use for my behavior management system. 

These are from Creative Teaching Press.

 

Anytime the kids are "caught being good" in some way, shape or form...they earn tickets. 

 

If the person did not earn a ticket, I don't call them out...because, well, that just seems kinda harsh.  I just say something very teacher-ish like...

 

"Well...unfortunately my mystery walker had a hard time keeping their hands to themselves and their voices off in the hall.  That's too bad.  I really wanted to give them a ticket. I hope they'll do a better job next time..."

 

Or some sort of similar guilt trip.

 

And sometimes I forget who my mystery walker was because I'm just scatterbrained like that. 

 

So I make it up. Yes I do.

 

Shhh. Don't tell.

 

Have a fabulous week.  Happy teaching to you!

 

 

 

 

 

Odds & Ends, Jitter Juice, and Lots of Freebies!

This post is all over the place because that's been ME today. :) 

 

Hang in there (or scroll down and ignore my toad story for some FREEBIES!)

 

It was drizzly and dreary all day today (and I was secretly content with that because I didn't feel the least bit guilty about spending all day inside with the pup working on laundry, laminating, and LOTS of school projects).

 

The only time I stepped foot outside today there was an...incident.  It involved finding a dead toad in the backyard.  Dis-gus-ting.

 

Andy is at work and I simply couldn't deal with it (and was afraid the dog would find it...gag!)

 

...so I did what any sensible adult would do.

 

I called my dad.

 

Yep, called him right up. 

 

You see...I have..issues...with dead things.  If that toad had been croaking and hopping around the backyard I would have been fine. 

But since he actually...croaked.  Nope. Can't do it. 

 

Dad to the rescue.  Don't know what I would do without that man.

 

I spared you a picture of that...incident.

 

Instead...here is what the REST of my day looked like.

 

 

 

Lots and lots of laminating.  I don't know how I lived without this thing.  Y'all kept talking about yours during "Teacher Week" and I decided I had to have one to see what the fuss was all about and I'm so glad I spent the 30 bucks. 

 

I totally thought they were more expensive than that but I got this Scotch one on Amazon and have been very pleased with it!

 

There's something quite therapeutic about sending those plastic sheets through.

 

Ahhh...

 

I needed some laminating therapy after the toad fiasco.

 

Anyways.

 

Tomorrow is my first day back to school with kiddos! 

 

I don't think I'll ever stop having the excitement and jitters I have on the night before school.

 

Speaking of jitters...

 

I know everyone's heard about this sweet little book, right?

 

 

I got Abby's awesome Fun With Firsties Back to School pack last year and LOVED so many of the activities in there...especially making JITTER JUICE to drink to get rid of all our "first day jitters."

 

I knew I definitely wanted to do that again.

 

There are tons of ideas to use with this book floating around the blogworld and on pinterest!

 

Last year I did sherbet and sprite and it was yummy but it took a long time to scoop the sherbet myself and pass it all out.  Plus, I think it lost some of it's pizzazz when the kids saw my tub of sherbet and sprite so I wanted to make it a little more fun this year by making these fun labels!

 

 

 

This year, to keep it simple...I'm just doing sprite and SPRINKLES (cause honestly...they make everything more fun!)

 

 

And a bonus...the carbonation makes the sprinkles dance around!  Super duper fun!

 

If you would like the jitter juice label...feel free to grab it here.  I know a lot of you have already had your first day back but you can tuck it away for next year. :)

 

I just cut a piece of black construction paper in half and taped the overlapping halves on the bottle like this...

     

 

And then glued the fun Jitter Juice label on.

 

I know some little stinker is going to burst my bubble tomorrow and say "Heyyy.. this is Sprite!!"

 

But I will deny it.  It is jitter juice.  The end.

 

I also managed to get my reading strategy cards mounted on black construction (I am a firm believer that EVERYTHING looks better mounted on black construction paper before hanging on the wall..) and laminated.  Along with Cara's cute (and FREE) writing display.  So darn cute.

 

 

These are the reading strategy cards that I made that are absolutely free as well.  You can get them here with or without the "reading buddy" animal clipart. Don't forget to grab the headers too if you want to display them on a CAFE board or something similar.

 

Here is a little closer look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice Sawyer in the background looking EXTRA bored.  Poor buddy...just wanted mama to stop laminating and throw his blue ball one stinkin' time. 

 

 

Besides all that...I worked on some birthday goodies (because wouldn't you know I have a cutie with a birthday the SECOND day of school.  I thought I had some time to procrastinate on that but he's keeping me on my toes already!)

 

Here are a couple other back to school things that I made today.  Again, I know these are a little late but maybe you can save them for next year.  Or better yet...make a "back to school" board on pinterest and pin these right on there so you'll be sure to get to them when you need them!

 

This is a simple little printable that I like to have my students complete on the first day to avoid the "nothin'" answer when their parents ask them what they did at school.  It would be a fun keepsake to remember what they wore and how they wrote their name at the beginning of the year. :)

 

This will guide them and serve as a sprinboard for discussion and questions about their day, I hope! 

 

Plus, it is super fun to see the scary pictures of me in the "This is my teacher" part.  Yikes.

 

Grab it here or click on the pictures.

 

 

 

And finally...this is nothin' fancy by any means...but I always like to get my kiddos to complete this activity during the first few days to help me understand their family dynamic a little bit better.  Sometimes it's hard to understand who lives in the house with girlfriends, siblings, grandparents, etc. and it can be touchy to ask too many questions.  This activity is quick and simple and tells me a lot.  First, I tell them to draw whoever lives in their home in the box.  Then...they can add any other special family members in the space around the box.  This gives them a way to include a parent or sibling that they don't live with while still helping me understand more about their home life.  You could definitely just do this on a blank piece of paper, too! 

 

If you'd like a copy of this one...just click here. 

 

It is past my bedtime!!  Have a fabulous (short) week and best of luck to all of you starting with me tomorrow!

 

Happy Teaching to you!

 

I just saw this on one of my sweetest teacher friend's facebook pages and had to share...

 

"I pray for our students. They are the walking heart and soul of their parents. They are cherished, adored, and understood. Give teachers the eyes to see each one as You do, and to see them as their parents do. We can never replicate a parent's love, but we can remember that each child is fearfully and wonderfully made."

 

What an awesome job and responsibility we have to teach, love, and care for these little humans!

 

Goodnight friends.