Thursday, June 28, 2012

Night Before Summer Camp Freebie

I just got home from running some errands and working with my kiddo that I'm tutoring over the summer.  He is so fun!  We're working on his reading and it's coming along.  We read a story today about street signs.  At first, he was not happy that he had to read the signs...I could understand his hesitation though because there were a lot of signs especially for a first grader who is struggling.  


During the picture walk I told him he didn't have to read ALL of the signs, but I wanted him to read some of them.  We discussed why they were there and what they meant.  Well, by the third page he willingly read ALL of the signs!  I was so excited.  His curiosity got the best of him and he wanted to know what they said.  


It definitely helped that one page had an ice cream store with a Free Ice Cream sign!!  I told him reading signs was important!  :)


Working with him over the last few weeks made me think about another favorite story that my kiddos loved last year...The Night Before Summer Camp by Natasha Wing.  Click the picture to go to Amazon:
The Night Before Summer Camp
So I created The Night Before Summer Camp Activity Pack.  It could easily be done as part of a summer camp program or during a camping theme throughout the year.  It's available at my TpT store for only $2.00!  Here's a look at what's included:

The first two people who leave a comment with an email address can have it for free!  
If you're not the first two, here's a freebie for ya!  Enjoy!

I got a couple more goodies while yard 'saling' again last week!  I'll share them with you next time!  

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Rockin' Yard Sale Finds

Last week I went shopping at some yard sales with my mother-in-law.  We were on the lookout for some fun things for my classroom.  I'm going with a *Rock Star* theme next year so I needed some rockin' goodies to add into my room decor.   


Here is what I found (and it was all VERY cheap): 


I got 10 of these cool records.  They still work too.  It would be really cool if I had a way to play them in the classroom!

What kid doesn't like Christmas lights?!  I got these for 50 cents and they work too.  The lights move to the music.  I'm pretty sure it just plays Christmas songs, but I think my kiddos will love the 'dancing' lights.  I know I do!  

This metallic twist was only 25 cents so I had to get it.  It's too cool not to use for something.  

These two stars were only 10 cents a piece.  I'd like to have more in different colors.  

This is just for me!  This is my favorite Disney movie.  I love the songs in this movie.  It's the kid in me.  :)

There was one more really cool thing I got, but it's not ready yet so I'm going to wait and share it with you later!  My mother-in-law is very creative and is helping me with it.  I promise to show pictures of it when it's done!!  I'm so excited about it!  :)

I also bought some rock star sunglasses for my kiddos to wear.  I want a class picture with them in sunglasses for my school website!  

I have found lots of other ideas on Pinterest...which is of course no surprise.  I just need to get busy making things.  

If you have any ideas of what I could do with my rockin' goodies, please let me know!  I 'd love to hear some ideas!  

Once my grad school course is over I plan on getting more done!!  

Near the top of my list though, is to go to more yard sales!  :)

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Happy Wedding Day and New Friend

I just wanted to share with you all that my friend Christina at Sugar and Spice is getting married today!  Yay!  


I thought it would be nice if everyone stopped by to say congratulations!  She won't be blogging next week since she'll be on her honeymoon, but she'll love getting your messages when she comes back.
  My Photo
Also, a friend of mine at school has started her own blog.  She is our Speech Therapist and has some great activities for your students.  She has lots of freebies and activities that can be done in your own classroom so make sure you stop by and visit Nicole at Speech Peeps too!  
My Photo
Well, I'm off to get ready for this wedding today!  Going to weddings always makes me want a 'do-over'!  


My hubby and I got married on the HOTTEST day in July in a church with no air conditioning.   Then the power went out during the reception because of a storm which meant no air conditioning there either....so, I really do deserve a do-over!!  :)  


Everyone was a hot mess by the end of the day, but other than that the day was perfect.  I married my hubby and  that was all that really mattered!  I guess you can't have it all!  


I'd like to say that I would pick a different church next time, but I know I wouldn't.  We got married in an old historic church that was beautiful.  It was so big and so pretty and the aisle I walked down was almost 100 feet long.  I loved that part.  I just fell in love with that church.  


I would choose another venue for the reception though...and not just because of the power going out.  That wasn't their fault.  :)


Okay, enough rambling about my wedding....going to weddings always makes me think of my own.  A fun, wonderful, lovely, HOT day spent marrying my sweet, wonderful hubby.  


I went shopping yesterday and found some GREAT deals for my classroom at some garage sales with my mother-in-law.  I'll be posting about those next week!  I'm so excited!!


This post wasn't 'teachery' at all.  Sorry about that.  I'll do better next time!  :)


Well, I need to go get ready for a wedding and then come home and do some grad school homework.  One more week of class and then I get a break!  Yay!!  

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Happy Father's Day

I haven't blogged in a week....oh my goodness! 


I am really enjoying sleeping in and READING during my lazy days of summer though!  I've already 4 books....not counting the books I have to read for school.  It is so much fun to just sit down and read any book I choose.  Love it!  


I just got back a little while ago from tutoring one of my students.  His mom asked me a few months ago if I would be willing to tutor him over the summer and I said....YEP!  This little boy is so sweet and so much fun I just couldn't say no.  


I think it was strange for him to see his teacher outside of school though.  We met at a local library and he worked hard the whole time....even with lots of other kiddos running around the children's section.  I didn't expect that, but I was so proud of him for trying so hard.  


On Thursday, I'm going to give him my new Night Before Father's Day Pack!  I thought it would be a sweet thing to do for his dad before Sunday. 


I finished this unit over the weekend, but I was out of town for a wedding so I kindly put aside my blogging until I came back home.  I love blogging, but I was visiting with my best friend growing up who now lives 4 states away so I HAD to spend LOTS of time with her while I could.  I know you understand.  :)


This pack is based on the book The Night Before Father's Day by Natasha Wing.  Click on the picture and it will take you to Amazon to buy it!  :)
The Night Before Father's Day
My kiddos loved the book so I decided to create some activities to go with it.  You don't have to have the book to use all of the activities, but it would be a great introduction.  Here is a look at my newest unit (It's only $2 at my TpT store):

There is a book to create and a very simple tie craftivity to make.  There are also several writing prompts and since many kiddos are not able to spend Father's Day with their dad for various reasons I created writing prompts for grandpa, uncle, step-dad and I included a blank one so they can choose someone else if they want.  


I will give this new pack away for FREE to the first two people who want it!  All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address and I'll send it to you!  I know many of you are already out of school, but it would be a great activity to do at the end of next year.  


Hopefully, I'll be back before another week passes.  But who knows?!?!  I do have another wedding to go to this weekend!  :)

Monday, June 4, 2012

Summer Mornings and a Friend's Giveaway

Good Morning!  :)


I don't know about you, but I did not miss the sound of my alarm going off this morning.  Instead, I slept in....and it felt wonderful!  


I have a busy day planned, but the great thing is I didn't have to start it at 5:00 am like I did last week.  Yay!  Don't get me wrong...I LOVE my job and I LOVE spending all day with my adorable first graders, but there's just the tiniest part of me that doesn't like getting up so early.  


I can be a morning person when I have to be, but I am definitely by nature a night person.  I can stay up forever during the summer!  


Today, I have to clean my very neglected house.  I spent all last week cleaning, organizing, and rearranging my classroom until late at night some nights.  But, I didn't do any cleaning at home and it is screaming at me this morning.  


See this:

This is what my living room floor looks like in the corner because I was working on a project for my master's course over the weekend.  It's demanding to be picked up this morning.  

Before I go though, I have to share about my bloggy friend Lisa's 200 follower giveaway!  


Lisa at Learning Is Something to Treasure is celebrating her 200 followers by having an awesome giveaway.  Click on her picture and try to go and win!  Good luck!!  :)

Have a great Monday!  I'm finally off to clean....

Friday, June 1, 2012

My Teacher Report Card Grades

Yesterday was my student's last day and today was mine!  I am officially on summer break!  


Yay!!!  :)


I talked to the mom of one of my students this morning and she said that her son cried yesterday after school.  I know he's sad that school is over and he's going to miss his friends, but I think that is just so sweet.  First grade is such a wonderful age.  They really do like their teacher and coming to school.  That doesn't last forever, but it's nice while it does!  


On our last day yesterday, I gave my students a Teacher Report Card to fill out.  I got it from Jenny at Luckeyfrog's Lilypad.  If you haven't ended the school year yet, I highly recommend giving this to your students!!  She's giving it away for free too!  


All I can tell you is that first graders are very honest when it comes to  giving their teacher a grade!  :)  I had my students use A, B, C, D, and F rather than 1-5.  I thought they would understand the letters better.  


I just have to share....a couple of the things that I need to improve on are my art and my erasing.  I have told my students all year that I will never try to be an art teacher.  While we are all good at different things, I was not gifted with the ability to draw.  I think it's a great lesson for my kiddos to see that we all have things we are really good at and things we need to work on.  


The erasing thing just made me laugh!  I have four book crates that my students can sit on.  I write four student numbers on the board every day and those kiddos can sit on them.  Well, with students moving in and out of the district, numbers change throughout the year.  And, since I have so much free time because I'm never busy doing 100 things at once, I would sometimes write a number on the board of a student who had moved.  Of course, my students were always quick to remind me and let me know when I wrote the wrong number.  


Needless to say, I need to improve my 'erasing'.  I'll make sure I practice over the summer!


Overall, I got way more A's than F's!  There's a few things that I really do want to improve before next year, but it was great to see what my kiddos thought about my teaching.  After all, I definitely spend more time with them than I do anyone else at school!  :)


Now, I'm off to relax and enjoy the rest of my evening.  Tomorrow night hubby and I are going on a date with all of the gift cards I received yesterday!  I'll also be wearing my new earrings and Pandora charm!!  :)