Teacher goodies!

 Happy Friday friends!


I received a little goodie package in the mail the other day from some friends at Craft Project Ideas! I'm super excited about it - there are all sorts of great things I can use in the classroom! This line of products is going to be carried at Walmart for only $0.88 a piece! That's even better than Dollar Tree! The product line {all for teachers!!} should be available in July along with the back to school stuff! I love those blue polka dot borders and the STICKERS!! Stickers are always so expensive, especially the sparkly kind the kids love! There are tons of things in there... birthday certificates, hall passes, stamps, sticky notes, incentive charts...the works!
While I was checking out their website, I found this cute project:
{click on the picture to take you to the site}
Paper Cup Monster 
What a fun writing project this would make around Halloween!?

Now I'm off to take Ella to her 4 year well check...you mommas know what that means: SHOTS! YIKES! eeeeeeeeeeek! I'm not sure how she's going to do with them! 
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Daily 5 Chapter 3

shhhhhhhhhh....
 Both, BOTH! of my babes are asleep right now!
This NEVER happens! Ella has outgrown her nap but we've had swimming lessons for 2 weeks straight and we also swam this afternoon so they are both tuckered out!

I've been reading the Daily 5 and following along with the book study but haven't had a chance to link up yet! Melissa from Mrs. Freshwater's class is hosting the study this week!
Now... I am a newbie when it comes to Daily 5. I've been doing Debbie Diller- style stations for the last 3 years, so I am SUPER excited about changing things up and improving upon what I already have in place. I went to a Daily 5 workshop a few weeks ago and everything about it sounds like it will fit perfectly in my classroom! I want my students to be independent and become better readers, who doesn't?!?

First of all - my gathering place. I use my large carpet as my gathering place -where we begin the morning with calendar, our morning message, etc. Although this will be my first year doing Daily 5, I have always had a gathering place. I think this is a lot easier for us Kindergarten teachers to implement because it is how we teach anyway! I absolutely love to be on the floor with my kiddos. I've been known to lay down and teach on my stomach during small groups. They love for me to be at their level! This is a picture of the awesome carpet all of the K and 1 teachers have at my school. I don't know what I would do without it! I will use this carpet to bring my kids back, do the mini-lessons (it's right in front of my Smart board) and check-in. I had some "pick me" type of sticks to choose kids to share and I will do the same for Daily 5. I love the ones that Melissa made!

Now this... 
This will take me a while to figure out! I've chosen the books my kids read based on our basal reader's system. I think it is definitely important for our students to choose their own "on level" books so that they can build up their stamina. I think at the very beginning of the year I will have 3 books for them in their book boxes - two right at level and one above.  This way while we are all getting accustomed to the Daily 5 they still have some choice out of their books. I know, I know... this is not completely an "I PICK" situation.. but it is going to take time! And I only have one set of leveled readers! I will have to build more of a supply!

Ok...my favorite! I L.O.V.E. anchor charts! My kids can tell you exactly what expository text, or setting, characters, landforms, etc. are because of the anchor charts I have plastered all over my walls! I always have them help me to create them (either by giving me ideas or actually writing on the actual chart) so that they are "owning" their learning. My friend Stephanie is a master at anchor charts, and I learned from her! I can't wait to start my Daily 5 anchor charts with my kids that first week of school! Here are some that I have created in the past:
Since I've moved rooms... I'm going to need to find a blank wall that I can fill up over the year!

As primary teachers, we know all about this one.. especially Kindergarten! We don't expect our kids to come in knowing how to act in a classroom and cafeteria, or how to sit and read for 30 minutes(!) So.. just like the sisters say to build up their stamina, it goes along with everything we do during a day. It takes practice, practice, practice! My kids love it when I make mistakes or say the wrong things (they were STILL talking about that time I told them to put their chairs on top of their lockers at the end of the year - it happened, like, in November!) it just shows them that we do not know everything, either, and we have to practice to be better, too!

I'm ready to hear about how everyone will set the stage for their students next week! If you already practice the Daily 5 in your classroom, I would love to hear how you do it!
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Made it! Round four!!

It's my favorite day of the week!
{at least for the summer!}
I've been ready to link up with Tara at 4th grade Frolics ALLLL week long!

I made 2 little crafts this week:
I've been wanting to make one of these headband holders for Ella! She's really just started wearing headbands and, of course, they are big and bulky in a drawer and we had no good place to store them! And you forget about them if they're not out, are ya with me?!

It was super easy to make!
I started out with a big ol' container of oatmeal - I'm going to be making cookies this afternoon :)
I pulled the label off and painted the lid and the rim so you don't see any of the ugly brown!
I forgot to take pictures while I was doing the rest of it, but it's easy - you will need 2- 12x12 sheets of scrapbook paper.  One sheet won't fit around all the way. You will have to trim it to 9 1/4" tall. Slather a thin layer of mod podge on the cardboard and just stick your paper on! Let it dry and after about 10 minutes I added the ribbon and bow to decorate! 

This one is my "school" craft - inspiration from Tara herself! My kids don't need a hall pass too often, but I ADORE using a clothespin to clip onto them! I reealllly don't want their little hands {that you KNOW they did not wash well enough!} touching a pass after they've been to the restroom! I'm going to do this instead of dismissal sticks for my kids this year, too. {more about that later!}

I only have 2 clips here because all of my clothespins are at school - I've got like 7 packs of them; I didn't see the point in buying expensive ones at Micheal's when I was there today! You get the idea, right?! I'm going to have 2 for girls and 2 for boys when I finish them up!
Ok, I'm sorry for this suuuuuuper long post, but I'm also linking up with Classroom Freebies Manic Mondays!
{This is also another "Made It!}
 I haven't tried the ULTIMATE teacher binder yet, but I am SO excited to try it out this year! (ok, this is also inspired by Tara! I've seen them all over Pinterest too!)  So smart to keep everything in one place! Ha! Last year I had like 7 different binders with data...RTI documentation...student info..you get it!


Teacher Binder2
Classroom Freebies Manic Monday
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The bare classroom...

OK, I've been seeing SO much classroom decor ideas and crafts that I can hardly help myself...
A lot of you have been sharing pictures of your classroom, and I've received emails about pictures of mine... so.. here it is... in all its bare glory!
I moved classrooms at the end of the year and have been patiently awaiting it to be completely cleaned before I go up and start decorating! {Look at that little ham! Once she realized I was taking pictures, she was running in front of the camera!}

Now...this past weekend I went to Dallas to go to one of my wonderful teammate's weddings and picked up a few goodies!!
 We hit up IKEA.. I SO wish I lived near one... I'm going to have to go visit my sister in law in Dallas next month just so I can go again! :)
These will be perfect for my reading corner/ safe space!

 Have ya'll seen these bar-hangers? I'm not sure where it will go yet, but I'm so excited to have it {I bought 2 so I could either use 2 at school or have one for home, too!}! And the buckets and bar cost $7 together!

I plan on making this a Monday Made it project soon! It will be a perfect little caddy for materials at my writing center!
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Finally! Whew!!

Oh. my. word.
I have been working like a little worker bee to finish up this Alphabet craftivity pack I made!
Drum roll please........ 
{click on the cover to view on TpT}

 Each letter has its own unique craft, (I think the hot dog is my fave!) a letter search, and handwriting practice sheets to extend learning. Creating these crafts will be memorable for your students and will really reinforce the letter shape and beginning sounds!

And I promise your kids will love these! Just ask Ella!

I have them on TpT for $8.00 through the weekend, so hurry up and snag yours before they go up to full price!!
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Alphabet organizer!

Hi ya'll!!
FIRST and foremost - It's my baby girl's 4th birthday today!! Happy birthday Ella!
I look forward to Monday EVERY week to link up with Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics!! 
I'm guest posting today over at Wild About Teaching for Lacey today!
I'm super excited about this little alphabet organizer I made - go check out her blog to see the tutorial
{and get the little labels!}
 
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Chair pockets!

Hi friends!
I had a sweet follower email me the other day about the chair pockets that I appliqued last week. {click here to read that post}
She was interested about how I made the pockets. I actually didn't make them myself - they were handed down to me from my wonderful old-teammate (moving to 4th grade :( BUT I am crafty like that ;) so I knew I could figure out how to make them! My sewing abilities are ok.. I can sew basic things.  Like this shopping cart cover I made last year for my mister sir.
Anyway, I made it a challenge!
I took a few pictures of the chair pockets I have for dimensions:
This is the part that goes over the back of the chair - 7"
 This is the pocket that your kids will put their books, etc in: 10"
I forgot to take a picture of the entire length, but it was 13 1/2".

I made a little "pattern" with a piece of paper - sorry it is not to scale, but you get the idea, right?!
This would be your entire piece of fabric - 31" long by 14" wide. You will need to serge or sew each end that is 14" so that you don't have any unfinished edges once folded.
First, you will fold a 10" section down. This will be the pocket that your kids will put their books in. Tack it down with pins.
Next, flip your piece of fabric over and fold down 7". This will be the flap that will go over the back of your chairs.
 Tack it down with pins again.
Then, sew along each edge where the dotted lines are (where you have pinned down)
Easy peasy!

Here is a better look at the dimensions:
Back side {the flap that goes over your chairs}
Front side {the pocket side}

Does that make sense?! I would use fabric that has a teeny bit of stretch in it but not too much! I would love to hear from you if you use this tutorial!
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Made it! And flash giveaway winners!

So, because I know you are on the edge of your seat right now - my favorite color is ORANGE!
{all of you that chose pink..it's allllmmoooost a tie, but orange is my very favorite!}
And because only 4 of you guessed orange, all of you ladies will be receiving my packet in your inbox in a minute! 9isfine, you didn't leave an email address - please leave me a comment so I can get you your goodies!

Are you ready guys?! I've been coveting Abby's pennant banners ALL. year. long, I was so so SO excited to have the time to make them!! I'm linking up with Tara for Monday Made it!

It was SO stinkin' easy to do! If I had known that.. 
 I LOVE how they turned out!!
 {my mantle was the best place I could find to hang them... I can't wait to hang them up in my classroom! I have a perfect place in mind!}

Abby's little tutorial was perfect, go check it out!
I laid the triangles out along the ribbon to see how much I would need (I used a whole 7 yard roll of ribbon). I just free-hand cut one triangle and laid it on top of the fabric to cut the others out semi-uniformly.         
Then I laid out the "stitch witchery" on top of the ribbon, placed the triangles (upside down on top of the stitch witchery) and then ironed! Easy peasy!                        
 While I was at it - I spray painted my toolbox pink (see! you were right about the pink, too!!).
 Have a fabulous Monday, friends!
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