Snowflakes for Sandy Hook

Silence for Sandy Hook

Teachers Pay Teachers!

Morning Teachers!  I have exciting news to share!  I am now selling items and sharing Free items on Teachers Pay Teachers!   A few items I put in my store are:

I am very excited to say I have sold my first item!!  I hope that I can truly help teachers save time on making documents like the above, and would love to know more what teachers need so I can help!  

Check it out here!

Smartboard Calendar

Each day I start my kiddos with a really fun, full of movement calendar!  I thought it would be fun to share this with you as well.  Here is a quick look at a few pages from my November Version!

I put a ton of videos to change it up each day!  The kiddos are totally in control, they choose who will get picked....  

I also use First Grade Parade's calendar pack, which I love, and so do the kids!

Classroom Tour!

I am so excited to share with you my classroom pictures!  Since this is a new district & school, this was a lot of fun for me!  When I walked into my room, I was in awe... It is simply amazing.  I couldn't ask for a better room...  Here it is when I first arrived 3 weeks ago...

Check out those shiny floors!

Oh boy!

Sparkling clean!

Literally a blank slate!

I couldn't wait to just see it all come together.  It took a lot of time, hard work, and "pinterest!"  I love it!

So drumroll please.....  This is my Kindergarten classroom!  

Got this idea from http://flipflopteacher.blogspot.com/

Such cute little cubbies!  Supplies all dropped off from Meet the Teacher night!  

I love that the cubbie area is a hallway outside of the classroom.  I am going to be posting student work on the blue & green construction paper.  I put clothespin clips to hold the papers up.

Library, writing, CAFE board.

Student tables all set for day 1

Book bins!  Love Donors Choose!

So what do you think?!!?  I love this room, and I feel so blessed to have this classroom.  I can't wait to have all the kiddos in it on Tuesday!!!   If you see anything that needs a little tweaking, let me know!  I plan on filling it up with anchor charts, kids work, ect.

First Day of School Plans!

Getting ready for school has really been racking my brain.  I always need a visual schedule, especially with the school and grade change!  Let me know if you have any suggestion for day one with kinders!! Thanks!

Plinko for the Kiddo!

It has been a CRAZY year for me needless to say with the lack of posts.... From school to my brothers wedding, and now I am happy to announce a new job!  I will be moving districts as well as grade levels.  I am now going to teacher Kindergarten! Whoo hoo!  I am actually teaching at the school I once attended as a student, and two of my teachers are still there, amazing!  I wanted to share this awesome game I saw on Fun in First Grade:

Plinko!!


Looks pretty sweet huh?  Lakeshore is also having a sale too!

Off to school to continue to set up before the "new to our school teacher meetings" start tomorrow!! EKK!

Best of luck all!

Kelly

Best Freebie Ever!

Head on over to Erica Bohrer's website for one amazing 65+ page freebie!  Click here to head over to download a google doc awesome math ring, flashcard & mini poster package.  Did I mention it was FREE?!

Postive Thoughts.

I just finished listening to a presentation given by Jamie Vollmer.  He is the author of Schools Cannot Do It Alone by Jamie Vollmer (2010).  I personally have not read it, nor heard of it prior to this presentation.  But today was very empowering and mind pondering.  I want to point something out that I think is important:  I am not a teacher who thinks sorry for myself in my position.  I choose this career, and to be honest, it is amazingly rewarding.  I teach where I do because I feel empowered, I honestly love my job.  But, needles to say, my job can be EMOTIONALLY draining.  I teach with my whole heart.  It is really hard to think positive some days, but Jamie really speaks strongly on being positive, and leaving the negative with your spouse.  How many positive things do you say a week, 1?  Make it 2, then 3, ect.

Check out this list of what is expected of a teacher now.  We are not just expected to be teachers, but to almost raise students today.  This list is crazy, and I guess it really puts education into perspective.  I hope all understand this, and what we do in the classrooms today.

He then spoke about 5 S's.....The 5 s’s made a lot of sense they are 1. stop bad mouthing each other, 2. shift from negative to positive, 3. share your positive attitude, 4. sustain the effort, and 5. start now.

Let's stop the bad mouthing; politically, socially, and within our work ethics.  We are in this together, liberal, republicans, Mom's, Grandpa's, even the coffee shop owner....

Here is my districts superintendant address:  "Focus on the Children"

Book Information:

Vollmer, Jamie (2010). Schools Cannot Do It Alone. Enlightenment Press.

Website Information:

www.jamievollmer.com

Classroom Management

This is my style.... a classroom of loud kids times 28 of them.  YIKES!  Imagine this.  Saying one word to them, and then silence & attention on you.  (well, let's so for about 95% of the class at least, right?!)

Yes, it can be true!  I promise!  I love Whole Brain Teaching.  If you have not checked it out, please do yourself a favor and do!  I do not use all of the ideas from here, but I do love majority!  Hope this helps!


Whole Brain Teaching Video

Classity, classsss..... yessity yes!!

Winter Weather Advisory!

Wisconsin has been have a "Sprinter" as we might call it.  A Spring like Winter.  Today it was 55 outside!  Simply amazing.  But all good things come to an end, and even Sprinter does... Tomorrow morning we are all hold our breath for a winter storm.  But I know the kiddos are pumped!  Which gets me motivated to do more "snowy" writing projects in the classroom.  I have posted a few ideas below that I just love!  We will see what you think!?

Up first is my fav, Ms. Bainbridge's "There was an old lady who swallowed some SNOW!"

 

Next, is First Grade Parade's Snowman picture!

 

And last but not least is a Freebie on Teachers Pay Teachers from First Grade Blue Skies.  

This is 7 page unit about snowmen!  It's really awesome.  From labeling to sequencing, it will cover a lot of writing targets!

Hope this helps you figure out a little writing project for this January winter storm! 

Giveaway!

 Made for First grade, and The Inspired Apple are giving away a awesome literacy & math HUUUGEE center unit for FREE!  Good luck!

Skip Counting with Bunnies!

 Another amazing idea from TeacherTipster.com!  This one is called bunny ball. So simple!  I got 3 cotten balls, a bucket (with 2 pink pieces of paper as the bunny ears), the printable sheet (from teacher tipster) and you have a math center!  This is one of my students throwing in the bunny ball!  If they make a basket, they write it down on their score sheet.  Each basket is worth 2 points.  Skip counting by 2's!  Nice!  Love it!