Read Write Sing

My Weekend Gig

2012-03-09T21:12:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm a Dance Mom....the good kind! Our team won a spirit award for good sportsmanship last month, so I speak with credibility, lol! (I also know that the reality tv Dance Moms are super nice, IRL!)

This is my little girl--um, my taller-than-me girl--in mid leap, this past weekend. She is, in my eyes, amazing.

Eight years ago, she was a kindergartner. With bows in her hair and a backpack that looked like a turtle shell, she hopped into school. Never would I have guessed how quickly these years would pass. Now that our oldest is finishing his freshman year of college, I know that her high school years will fly by in a blink.

Children who will enter kindergarten in 2016, when she will leave for college, are celebrating their first birthdays. The children I teach now were born when my daughter danced competitively for the first time. The dreams that we -parents- have for our babies are universal, unchanging. Bottom line? We want our children's teachers to see what we see--adorable, quirky, busy, funny, happy, strong, inquisitive, amazing human beings. We want the person who will spend almost more hours with our children per week than we will to, dare I say it, love them.

Today, I looked at my students and caught glimpses of the round-faced toddlers they were and the defined adults they will become. I am caught in the in-between with them, in this magical place called kindergarten. I can catch them up in swinging hugs on the playground, rock the weepers when necessary, and also expect them to add or subtract like pros. With just 42 days left, I pray that I will not forget that my presence in their lives is a privilege.

Time is short, friends. Can you see it flying by in my daughter's dance? Let's give the little ones our best while they are in our hands.

Currently~March

2012-03-07T20:45:00.001-06:00

Linking up with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade.....
(2012 is moving at lightning speed!)

A Lovely Surprise

2012-03-03T15:04:00.001-06:00

Tammy at Forever In First has shared this award with me.
This was such a nice way to end
one of the best weeks of the school year!

The rules:

1. Link back to the blogger who gave it to you. (gladly)

2. Pass the award onto 15 other lovely bloggers.

(I am leaving for a dance convention, but will be back to finish later!!)

3. Follow the person who sent it to you. (She's in my sidebar!)

I'm passing the One Lovely Blog Award to these blogs.

You'll find them lovely as well!

Meredith at Keen On Kindergarten

Deedee at Mrs. Wills KIndergarten

Katie at Little Warriors

Fran at Kindergarten Crayons

Sally at Fairy Dust Teaching

Kristen at A Teeny Tiny Teacher

--I'm back!--

Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade

Daphne & Jennifer at Playing With Pixie Dust

Sue at The Very Busy Kindergarten

Erika at The Honey Bunch

A Seusstastic Week!

2012-03-03T09:08:00.002-06:00

"Oh, We Had A Ton Of Fun!"

Hilarious hair, silly sunglasses, wacky Wednesday, and a busy birthday....we had a fantabulous time in kindergarten this week!

I had to sneak in this pic of President Lincoln--
I think my kinders captured his angst quite well!

Next week, we are all about the weather!
Here in the heartland, March definitely came in like a lion.
To all of those who experienced a tornado in the past few days, our prayers are with you!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss~Freebie!

2012-02-26T12:24:00.003-06:00

After collecting many amazing things from ya'll in the blogosphere, I had to contribute!
This is our morning work activity for Friday, March 2.

May our classrooms be filled with giggles this week!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine..." Proverbs 17:22
Thing 1 and Thing 2

Need more Seussification?! Look no further!

Click HERE

PEACE

2012-02-21T18:36:00.001-06:00

Ahhhh, little girls....imagine that 90% of your class is female. Who is the queen bee? Which one pushes her way to the front of every story circle? Is there a 'mommy' in the group?

This scripture is our memory verse for the week. I'd like to stretch a canvas on a bulletin board and paint it for posterity.

My beautiful bunch has received marching orders:
Romans 14;19

The original document had an adorable polka dot background; I have no clue why it disappeared. I wanted to upload it as a photo image, but no luck on that idea. Thus, Scribd. :-)

LOVE week 2

2012-02-16T20:44:00.003-06:00

Best Party Ever!!! The icing stayed on the plates, paint washed up with ease, games clicked along like a well-oiled machine. I actually prayed that the day would end well. We 'enjoyed' an all-school field trip to the skating rink from 8:30-11:30. Just remembering how stressed I was (four students in my car!) requires some deep breathing. In, 2, 3, Out, 2, 3. That's better!

Heart Crayons....easy to make!

instructions from Meredith@KeenOnKindergarten

Cupcake Decorating...they made one for the party
and one to take home!

Handprints...washable paint :-)

Heart Frames...filled with pictures
from Kingdom Week

Literacy Station....Heartbreaker Words
from Vickie Plant

Rounding out the week with a Leo Lionni author study...
after reading "Inch By Inch", we worked in pairs
and used one inch long, green pipe cleaners
to measure a variety of items.

Is it Friday yet??!!

A Tribute to Whitney

2012-02-12T16:36:00.000-06:00

When news broke last evening of Whitney Houston's passing, I was shocked and saddened. Although her music had not been on my recent playlists, she greatly impacted the early days of my marriage and motherhood.

Dressed in bridal finery, I belted out "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" to my groom at our reception. "I Will Always Love You" will forever bring back memories of driving with our newborn son, begging him to sleep. Hubby found his favorite Whitney performance on YouTube today....I'd like to share it with you...

Whitney, I hope you are singing with the angels tonight.
Thanks for enriching our world with your voice.

LOVE, Week 1

2012-02-11T13:20:00.005-06:00

Have you seen this on Pinterest?
(You can find the printable version HERE.)
I placed a copy on our calendar board and we say it together every morning, along with our memory verse.
My class is 90% female...now, I'm not knocking our gender, but we all know that little girls need daily instruction in the art of friendship! "THINK" has improved daily behavior by leaps and bounds! In fact, it impacted our chart:

After our "Love is..." discussion,
we wrote three descriptive words and the sentence
"God is love!".

This little sweetie has the most beautiful handwriting!
(If this activity is your creation, please let me know!
I want to give you credit!)

The Teeny Tiny Teacher
has enriched our learning through poetry!

I plan to keep the plastic heart boxes in use;
they are too cute!
This activity is from Melissa Freshwater's
Lots of Love Pack.

We practiced graphing and counting
with an activity by OverTheMoonbow.
(Penguin Pack-O-Fun)

Sweethearts candy sorting/graphing/comparing--
from Erin Eberhart's Valentine's Packet
Proverbs 16:21 "...sweetness of the lips increases learning"
Using sugar in the classroom may not be the intended context,
but I've always liked this verse!

Hearts became flowers in this art lesson.
Each child was given the same materials,
but the results were unique and beautiful!

This little artist filled her free-choice time
by adding more details to her project.

The green wall is masking the
amazing results of this experiment.
We predicted that the roses would turn green....
a few friends thought they might turn black!
After 24 hours, the tips and sides
of each orange rose had turned green!

"Reach For The Stars" is an extension of
our behavior clip chart.
Each day that a child ends on orange (great day),
a star is covered on his/her chart.
The children earn visits to the treasure chest
when their charts are full!
You can find the chart HERE, at Classroom Freebies!
The words were downloaded from TeachFactory, which has become Venspired.

Book Bites

2012-02-10T21:28:00.001-06:00

My library record states that I have borrowed 1004 books in the last 18 months. Property tax dollars at work, friends!

Over the past month, these books ranked at the top of my kinders' favorites' list. With unique illustrations, quirky characters, powerful vocabulary, and personal text connections, this set provided lessons that lingered. All title links head back to Amazon!

Currently....February!

2012-02-07T20:17:00.006-06:00

Jump in at O Boy Fourth Grade!

Shout-Outs For Sharing!

2012-02-04T14:29:00.004-06:00

Have you visited the Free Resources link on TpT?
There are countless treasures to be found!
Below, you can find links to the stores/blogs and packets that I downloaded today.

This post is more than a "THANK YOU"
to these creative teachers;
it is also a way for me to prompt ya'll to give feedback when downloading something that has been freely given. When I see that thousands+ downloads have been taken for a single resource, but less than 50 feedbacks have been logged, I feel a bit sad.
Let's spread the love!

We've Been Busy!

2012-02-02T19:57:00.002-06:00

Hot cocoa in my cup.
Yum, yum, drink it up!
This writing lesson was completed
on our first day back after Christmas break.
We enjoyed a cup of real hot chocolate, too!

Making crystals is my favorite science project.
It is easy peasy....

Twist a pipe cleaner into any shape.
Attach the shape to a wooden stick with yarn.
Measure the distance from
the top of the jar to the bottom.
However, you do not want the shape
to touch the bottom of the jar!
Before you drop the shape into the jar,
combine 3 cups of boiling water and
9 heaping tablespoons Borax powder in the jar.
Stir.
Add the shape, balancing the stick on top of the jar.
I do this at the end of the school day,
leaving it in a cool location of the room.
If all goes well, your students will be
delighted and curious when they return the next day!

Drumroll...... the Prince and Princess from
the Kingdom of Kindergarten

Everyone chose to fight a duel!
Bless his heart, this little prince hung in there
for eleven battles!

Book-Writing Checklist~~Freebie!

2012-01-29T20:42:00.002-06:00

Deedee and Meredith inspired me to let my kindergartners "take-off" with authoring and illustrating books! Last week, we completed a simple "I like...." writing format. I want to send these home with an evaluation, to give the parents a picture of what I expect.

TA-DA! I hope this will be helpful to you, too!

Uh-Oh....what happened to Scribd?????!!!!!
Book Writing Checklist

(Trouble With) Loving Expo Land

2012-01-28T12:35:00.002-06:00

AMENDED 1/30....I made it through to the presentations! You were all fantastic! Thanks for sharing your ideas with us! The goodies finally came through and I am so excited to use these with my kinders. A huge THANKS to everyone who contributed to the goody bags!

~~Good afternoon, everyone! I am valiantly trying to attend the Kindergarten Expo, but continue to have problems loading the presentations. It keeps spinning and spinning and spinning...~~

~~Not to mention the goodie bag items! (Which, btw, THANK YOU!!) The zip files are just loading....and loading....and then coming up as "undownloadable".~~

I have high-speed modem capability. I'm using a new computer. I have also gone to my hubby's computer--no luck. At the moment, on my screen, Fran is stuck in mid-sentence at 3/4 way through her second segment. Whhhaaaaahhh!!!!

~~Just commiserate with me, if you are experiencing any such difficulty! I need to whine!~~

UPDATE: Bless you, Hadar, for filling me/us in on the details. :-)
I think it is awesome that kindergarten friends are clogging the internet! And, I will happily curl back up in my jammies closer to midnight; maybe things will have calmed down a bit by then.

Learning Through Art

2012-01-23T20:46:00.008-06:00

At my school, every teacher has a special class duty. Mine is to teach art to the kindergartners and first-graders, combined. Not counting the budgetary limitations, this isn't a problem for me, thanks to Pinterest and the year in college when art was my major!

I begin every art class with a book. Children's literature is an absolute passion of mine! While teaching PreK, I pioneered an extended day class that we called "Bookclub". Writing the curriculum for Bookclub was a dream come true! The program is thriving at that preschool and I am thrilled.

Last week, we painted southern lights after reading Osbert In Love.

Water Color~Southern Lights

During our Winter Wonderland theme, we made the snowmen with perspective. These snowmen were a Pinterest find and I love them!

Let it snow!

This week, as we begin our study of outer space, I incorporated our Christian directive to the project. The children wrote "God made the Earth." at the bottom of their artwork. They used a torn paper effect to cover the globe--which, quite honestly, caused a few of them to panic! I actually hid a few pairs of scissors today!

Because I teach the same students on a two-year rotation, I need to plan approximately 75 different art projects. I've said it before, I'll say it again,
"Thank God for Pinterest!".
The following blogs have also enriched my teaching:

FairyDust Teaching
Deep Space Sparkle

Art Projects For Kids

I Heart Crafty Things

Laugh Paint Create
Mrs. Picasso's Art Room
Rainbows Within Reach
There's A Dragon In My Art Room
We Heart Art
Thanks to all of you, for sharing your creativity with the world!

Reading and Writing~~Freebies!

2012-01-22T20:45:00.001-06:00

Hello, friends! When I get the pictures uploaded,

I will share more about my
"Kingdom of Kindergarten" theme.

(AND the amazing lunch with blogging pals!!)

For now, I'm sharing a reading response page

that accompanied a guided reading lesson.

Tomorrow, we start a two-week "outer space" theme.

The moon and stars are kind of my favorite things

...besides my family :-).

Our memory verse is Psalm 147:4

"He counts the stars and calls them all by name."

This scripture fills me with awe and wonder.

Come back tomorrow for more photos

from our study of the 16th century!

A Princess Is

Astronaut RWCG

Word isn't cooperating with me and my wish to add vertical lines in the text box! Sorry for the inconvenience!

Packing Up The Penguins

2012-01-20T20:35:00.003-06:00

Our version of Deanna Jump's penguin-via Erica Bohrer-

went home today.

I will miss their goggly eyes!

The bottom penguin was produced
by my lone male student....

it is quite a departure from
his female classmates' embellished penguins.

My kinders were disappointed that penguins do not fly.

BUT---I found this very cool video!

I learn something new every day.

Update: UMHM. I also learn that some things are just a hoax.

Even though it isn't true, you might find that you wish it were so!

Zero the Hero

2012-01-14T18:20:00.001-06:00

Looking ahead to the 100th Day...

Zero The Hero!

A $5. doll, red washcloth, golden castoff trousers from the Rapunzel phase, and threaded needle enabled me to create a handsome hero!

On the 100th day of school, we will also meet Zerona. The children asked if she is Zero's friend, girlfriend, wife, or sister. I told them that he hadn't shared this information with me yet. I have 52 Barbies (DollyGirl's collection) from which to choose a worthy Zerona!

He's too handsome to hide in a drawer or cabinet. I wonder if he could hang from my rear view mirror.....

Currently in the snowy suburbs....

2012-01-12T19:51:00.002-06:00

Link up HERE!

Can You Hear The Applause?!

2012-01-09T18:06:00.001-06:00

We're back in the swing of things, aren't we? As I've hopped around my blog list, I've seen fantastic projects, amazing center ideas, freebies galore, and generous hearts.

So, on this very random day in January, I hope you hear my applause. Being part of the cyber teaching world has been a complete blessing to me!

(I have penguins on the brain!)

Breaking the Ice~thanks, Fran!

2012-01-03T21:26:00.000-06:00

Fran from Kindergarten Crayons, aka "Teaching Genius",
has designed a fabulous ice breaker.
She asked for participation and I am delighted to obey! :-)

Red: Favorite Movie
"Pride and Prejudice"
Orange: Favorite Food
Ice Cream
Yellow: Favorite Children's Book
"The Little House"
Green: Favorite Teacher Supply
my lesson plan book
Blue: Favorite Grade
Kindergarten~~
I LOVED my kindergarten teacher;
she is the reason I became a teacher!
Brown: Favorite Piece of Technology(I know, it's purple.)
My iPad2
(Yes, it is mine, not the kindergartners!)

Your turn...break the ice!

Resolutions~I'm Joining The Party

2012-01-01T21:46:00.002-06:00

I could not let the first day of the new year pass without a post!

What better way than to link up with A Teacher's Treasure?

New Year Resolutions:

Personal:

1. I want to achieve more balance between being a mommy and a teacher. My four children are growing at the speed of light! Three of them are now teenagers and I am constantly stunned at how little they seem to "need" me.

2. The time has come to dive into a focused Bible study...it's been awhile. I will probably do this on my own, with a Beth Moore study. She has never let me down!

3. I need to be more intentional about keeping in touch with my mom. She is so very precious to me, I don't want to take her presence here for granted.

Professional:

1. My goals in this category seem to revolve around the computer!

I'd like to become accomplished in the creation of documents. I'd also like to program my grades online!

2. I need to save my pennies to attend a conference this summer!

Do any of you have this figured out already? Are you presenting?!

3. I want to be more efficient with my time.

What are your resolutions?!?

❤ Link Up ❤

Snow Buddies~Story Starters...FREEBIE!

2011-12-30T14:20:00.004-06:00

This semester, I want to improve my kinders' writing skills.

As the children arrive each morning, they take care of binders, backpacks, etc. and then begin their journal work.

These story starters might be used during that time,

or at writing workshop! I hope they will be useful to you!

(PS: Looking for license free graphics? I found mine at DigiScrapKits.)

SnowBuddies StoryStarter

Just Before The Break...

2011-12-29T16:45:00.000-06:00

This art project, "Wonderland",
was completed over two class periods.
First, the children covered a 5x7 piece of
watercolor paper with tissue paper squares.
The entire paper received a wash of water+glue mix.

In the second class period, the children cut triangles
of different sizes from their papers.
These trees were glued to a blue paper.
Using stencils of stars and snowflakes,
designs were added with white tempera paint.

This is the Pinterest inspiration for our Wonderland artwork!

A popular activity during our Christmas party was to decorate the gingerbread house...ALL of the children at the SAME TIME.

The room moms gave the children permission to
drink the frosting.
...pause and consider...

Now you know why I began planning lessons last week.
First up on Jan. 3: a review of classroom etiquette!

Wishlist Wednesday~Guest Posting

2011-12-28T09:49:00.001-06:00

Happy last Wednesday of 2011!

I am thrilled to be guest posting at
Cachey Mama's Classroom!

Head over to read my number one wish.

A Little Bit Of Sugar

2011-12-27T16:06:00.007-06:00

My gift to you: the yummiest treat, ever!

This recipe is my mama's. The Hershey bars cost .o8cents at the time the recipe originated.

First Ingredients : 4 & 1/2 cups sugar, 1 stick butter, 1 can evaporated milk

Melt these items over medium heat in a 3qt. pot. Bring to a boil. When the mixture begins to boil, set a timer for 8 minutes. Stir constantly!

More Ingredients: 12 oz. Hershey's chocolate bars (it really must be Hershey's), 12 oz. chocolate chips (vary the flavors for interesting fudge), 1pt. (I use 14 oz.) marshmallow creme

When the timer dings, remove the pot from burner. Add the chocolate bar pieces, chocolate chips and marshmallow creme. STIR. The fudge will be creamy, sliding out of the pot.

Grab a spoonful; warm and gooey, it is the best!
Pour the fudge into glass dishes,
prepared previously with a slick of butter
(the butter stick paper wrapper works great).

This recipe will fill a 9x13 inch pan and an 8x8 inch pan. To store, cover the dishes tightly and consider refrigerating.

Yummy!

January Learning~Linky Party!

2011-12-23T20:15:00.003-06:00

I have slept, read. shopped, talked, cooked, and laundered to

my heart's content.

I am feeling the need to open my lesson planner!

First up in 2012 is a week-long study of winter.

Next, we travel the globe and explore the land of penguins.

January ends with my favorite unit:

The Kingdom Of Kindergarten!

We go back to the 16th century, answer to royal titles

and design family crests.

If you have created something on TpT or Teacher's Notebook

that pertains to the month of January,

please leave a comment and share your site!

Everyone, join the party and link up with your ideas!

Currently

2011-12-20T12:24:00.001-06:00

Two days of break and I have discovered that

I fritter away unstructured time.

BUT-now I can add "edited a jpg for a link list"

to my list of accomplishments!

Hop over to Oh Boy 4th Grade

and join the fun!

Let It Snow

2011-12-19T09:30:00.001-06:00

Try this (courtesy of my incredibly smart, tech-savvy ten-year-old!):

Using Google, type "let it snow" in the search box.
Give it a few seconds and hang around as the snow begins to fall...

Leave a comment, telling me what you wrote on your monitor!

It Looks A Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-15T16:49:00.003-06:00

The learning continues, in the midst of holiday happiness!

High-Frequency Words Bingo

Do you see an art project?
I see math, writing, reading, and social studies!

Math Station~Exploring number families
with a holiday theme.
Christmas Tree Addition by
FirstGradeFanatics

Students also built addition problems
with beads and pipe cleaners.

I'm heading back to school for the Christmas musical this evening. My little girls have been talking nonstop
about their sparkling shoes and beautiful dresses!
(Where is my camera??!)
After tomorrow, a day filled with ice skating and parties,
we have a two week break---no alarm clock!!

Chocolate, anyone? :-)

Treat Bags~thanks to Pinterest!

Gingerbread Love~~Pictures!

2011-12-09T21:38:00.003-06:00

Today, we wrapped up a two-week Gingerbread unit.

Our Gman cookie ran away and the hunt was hilarious!

At every stop, Miss A. yelled, "This is our only hope!".

We have tasted every available brand of gingerbread cookie--

I can't believe it, but I am actually ready for a change!

THANK YOU to everyone who shared materials

related to the gingerbread theme!!

I'll post more pics soon, but tonight, my bed is calling!

The foyer....Gingerbread House
(styrofoam walls!), created by the same artist
who painted my classroom walls.
I am trying to convince the powers-that-be to leave it in my classroom, after the holidays!

Glyphs

We began a study of perimeter and area.

Roll and Cover/20 Grid...we used tiny plastic presents.
(.97 at WalM@rt!)

The Gingerbread Girl
Descriptive Words Mini-Lesson

My kinders LOVED this video and song!

My Son, the Kindergarten Hero

2011-12-03T21:43:00.000-06:00

Mr. College Frat Boy arrived home for Thanksgiving and surprised me with a classroom visit! I thought he was stopping by for an influx of cash, but he stayed to play!

He reads!

He counts!
He asked the lil' guy, "What is the square root of Pi?".
Lil' guy replied, "I have no idea whatsoever!"

He ties shoes!
On bended knee!
From this moment on, Miss Princess will visualize
Prince Charming with a scruffy beard. :-)

Gingerbread~Words&Writing~Freebie!

2011-11-26T20:37:00.002-06:00

Oooh, I love gingerbread people! I collect all things gingerbread, which makes shopping FUN at this time of year!
I want to share a bit of sweetness with you all....
hope these are helpful!
Gingerbread Word Writing
Gingerbread Word Cards

My kindergartners will enjoy these books over the next two weeks:

This book will set the stage for our gingerbread man hunt!
Panera Bread makes a perfect gingerbread cookie!

I pair this book with "The Gingerbread Baby", also by Jan Brett. She shares great coloring pages on her website.

I'll be running this book past a parent before reading; we have some Santa issues....

The Gingerbread Girl has a sequel, too!

Dance Moms...In The House!

2011-11-25T10:32:00.002-06:00

This post is for everyone who watched Dance Moms this past summer, with jaws dropped!

Abby Lee brought her truly fabulous reality show team to our city! They participated in the Hollywood Vibe convention (where my daughter won a scholarship audition!!) and competed on Saturday evening. Our girls were starry-eyed! Signing the filming release forms--2nd season is taping now--increased the frenzy.

My girl, Abby Lee, and BFF

My girl and Paige's mom

Maddie, Amory, McKenzie

I met Abby Lee and what-you-see-is-what-you-get.......which was actually refreshing! She posed for numerous photos, answered tons of questions, and managed to corral her dancers in the midst of it all. As a close friend of our studio owner, Abby Lee came to see our dancers set their production number for competition, during this week's class. No pressure, right?!

And, you may not see the picture of me with Abby Lee. She made me stand in front of her! There are people in this world who still remember me in my cheerleading uniform and I don't want to ruin that memory for them, lol!

Let The Sun Shine In!

2011-11-22T19:29:00.001-06:00

Ms. Helms at WorkSmartNotHardInKindergarten
has shared the Sunshine Award with me!
Thank you!!

Rules for accepting this award:

1. Thank the person who gave this award and write a post!

2. Answer the questions.

3. Pass the award to 10-12 fabulous bloggers, link their blogs, and let them know!

What is my....

Favorite color? Purple--like, eggplant and plum
Favorite animal? my Beagle :-)
Favorite number? Infinity
Favorite drink? Frappuccino with banana and protein powder
Facebook or Twitter? Um, Blogger!
Passion? Reading, Writing, Singing, Parenting, Teaching
Giving or getting presents? Giving
Favorite day? Thursday--"The Office", "Grey's Anatomy", and Friday is right around the corner!
Favorite flower? Violets...they were in my wedding bouquet and they mean "remembrance".

I'm sending sunshine to:

Keen On Kindergarten

Little Warriors

Mrs. Wills Kindergarten

A Teeny Tiny Teacher

A Place Called Kindergarten

For The Love Of Kindergarten

Ladybug's Teacher Files

Little Miss Kindergarten

4th Grade Frolics

Lil Country Kindergarten

SHINE ON!

Turkeys In Disguise!

2011-11-18T19:13:00.003-06:00

This is one of my favorite times of the year!
Our turkeys returned today, dressed to encourage long lives, lol!

Bridal Turkey...isn't she beautiful?!

Hockey Turkey...hurray for our male representative!

Princess Turkeys...two of more than a few!

This book provides a fun introduction
for the turkey-in-disguise project!

On a completely personal note, I will be spending the weekend at a dance convention with my darling daughter and we are going to be brushing shoulders with the cast of our summer TV obsession!

Ear-splitting screams were heard when the news broke at our studio!!

The drama queens are in the house!!!

Rubric ~~Freebie!

2011-11-15T21:53:00.003-06:00

At fall conferences, a parent arrived with a 3" binder, filled with every paper I have created or graded for her child. Her organizational skills were impressive. During our discussion, she wished to know how I arrived at certain grades for certain projects... not just for the overall report card grades, but for each paper.
Again, her thoroughness was impressive.

Rather than take a mental trip down "I-thought-I-explained-things-rather-well-at-the-beginning-of-the-year" lane, I've been contemplating the rubric system for some of our projects. Growing as an educator is part of the plan, right?!

Voila! This rubric is for a U.S. Flag writing/coloring project, using the "is" and "has" response grids. (I think Fran created the project, but I need to go back and check!) My report card uses a grading system of Outstanding, Satisfactory, and Needs Improvement, although the degrees are all percentage-based from an average of all scored work. If you'd like to see rubrics with a different grading description, please leave a comment. I'll be making more rubrics in the future--enjoy! (If you see this before I can get back to the other desktop, to correct the verb tense in the rubric, please don't judge my writing skills, lol!)

Kindergarten Flag Rubric

He Calms The Storm

2011-11-12T09:22:00.001-06:00

Photo Source

Thank you for the kind words about my children and my computer meltdown. As I was pinning this morning, (And we all know what "pinning" is, right? Isn't it amazing, how a word can take on new meaning and enter our lexicon?!) I came across this photo and memories hit me like a ton of bricks.

I believe the sentiment in the statement because I have lived it.

November has, historically, been a heavy hitter for me. In a November 20 years ago, I found out that my baby girl would not survive her February birth. In a November 10 years past, I was told that multiple sclerosis would be a constant companion. In both instances, God did not calm the storm...but He did hide me under the shadow of His wing, singing songs of deliverance over me ~Zephaniah 3:17~.

This November, as I contemplate Thanksgiving, I am overwhelmed with gratitude... for the promise that I will see Sara again, for the four blessings who call me mommy, for legs that still walk and eyes that still see.

Are you feeling thankful today?

MacMini Dies In Freak Water Glass Incident

2011-11-10T18:23:00.003-06:00

Breaking News:
In the wee hours of November 10, Chrissy's desktop computer was obliterated by her husband's glass of water.

Upon hearing the water spill, Chrissy was overcome with dread.
"I just knew that every document I'd downloaded, every picture I'd taken, that related to this school year, was GONE.", Chrissy shared later at the morning staff meeting. "I know I need to forgive him but I am devastated!"

Her husband couldn't be reached for comment, but sources close to the couple say he is deeply sorry. A member of the family did tell the press, "I know he is kicking himself for keeping a glass of water on his bedside table, so close to the electronics. However, Chrissy is responsible for bringing the computer into the bedroom and for rigging up a less than ideal power strip fiasco. She has been exhibiting signs of a serious addiction to TIVO; this situation just proves it."

This afternoon, Chrissy's husband was spotted exiting a local Best Buy, carrying a new computer hard drive. For the sake of the kindergartners, let's hope the computer situation will soon be rectified.

A Happy Surprise! With Photos!

2011-11-05T15:59:00.003-05:00

I don't know who nominated me for the Top 25 Teacher Mom Blogs, but I want to THANK YOU! This sounds like I am an Oscar contender--really, it is an honor to be nominated :-). I think I am a follower of all 40+ blogs ahead of me on the voting list!

If you'd like to send a lil' bit of love my way, here's the button:

And, here's a peek at the reason I am a mom!

Halloween 2001

Ten years later....

(bless him, he has pizza on his face!)

In advance of the announcement, CONGRATS to every mom on the list! Somehow, you pour your hearts, minds and souls into your students while still nurturing and tending to your own children.

YOU ALL ROCK!

The Honeymoon Is Over

2011-11-02T19:15:00.000-05:00

Week 12...day 3...

"I was sitting there and you took my spot but I had to get a kleenex, Mrs. P, she took my spot!"
"Her said her would never be my friend ever again." (Yes. Her.)
"You can't tell me what to do cuz you are NOT in charge Mrs. P is in charge and, Mrs. P!!! She is telling me to write my name on my paper and I KNOW I write my name!"
"Mrs. P., I have a cut and see, it is right there (um, no, I do not see...where is a magnifying glass?) can I have a bandaid? I need two, one is for my foot. Can I take off my shoes and socks?"
"Pretzels, again?"

MAYBE I have PMS.
MAYBE I have low blood sugar.
DEFINITELY I need to put down the novel and pick up the scriptures.
POSSIBLY I am overwhelmed by staff duties that don't jive with my description of the job.

Oh, I love them. I do! I really do!!

Plan for Week 12...day 4... CUPCAKE INTERVENTION

Extended rest time
New playdo
Venti Peppermint Mocha Latte (mine)
Cupcakes (theirs)
Gorgeous new storybook

I'll let you know how it goes!

Scientists, Reporters, Artists

2011-10-28T19:00:00.003-05:00

We guessed the weight and circumference of our pumpkin before I cut it open. The lid, pulp, and seeds were all carefully examined!

During Morning Circle, the Reporter and the Assistant lead us through word drills. The plastic glasses add a nice touch, lol!

Cityscape Art Lesson
Thank you, Fairydust Teaching, for the tutorial!

FYI, out of concern for my precious students, I have disabled the right-click function on this blog. Doing this was super easy! Check out THIS POST for instructions, if you are interested!

Other Days Are Pure Joy

2011-10-26T19:01:00.000-05:00

A rocking chair, a book, and a friend.....bliss!

Some Days (Weeks) Are Like This

2011-10-25T17:37:00.000-05:00

No Words Necessary

Report Card Comments

2011-10-23T12:26:00.004-05:00

I have a totally organized file, filled with report card comment ideas.

BUT, if I leave it at school, on the weekend dedicated to writing report cards, it will be NO GOOD TO ME!

Do you see my dilemma? (Oh, yes, I left it behind.)
Google to the rescue!
THIS SITE has been a life-saver. I now have my kinders' strengths and challenges all wrapped up in adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.

To all of you with conferences
on your calendars this week.......

Keen On Kindergarten!

2011-10-23T12:25:00.001-05:00

Meredith, THANK YOU for spending the afternoon with me!

What better place to meet than a corner of the children's section at Barnes&Noble?! Did you take the square pumpkin home with you? I'm still thinking of ideas for the "blue nose friends" :-).

Blogging pals, head over to Meredith's site and celebrate her awesomeness with me!

Fall Art

2011-10-19T20:55:00.000-05:00

We applied paint to our trees by using sponges and corks.

Leaves, created with crayon and watercolor.

After reading "By The Light Of The Harvest Moon",
we drew a scene from the book.
We are learning to use words to describe our drawings.
We enjoy editing our work, too!

Owls~Write & Draw...Freebie!

2011-10-15T19:59:00.001-05:00

I hope this will be useful!

Owls

Animal Pics From Pumpkinland

2011-10-09T21:08:00.000-05:00

Feel free to lift these for use in your classroom!

We had an amazing time at the pumpkin farm;

the animal corner was a favorite spot!

Topping 200~Freebie!

2011-10-06T18:36:00.001-05:00

I'm just a little fish in a big pond, excited to top 200 followers! If it's gauche to even refer to this, I'm sorry, but it made me do the happy dance!!

I have always been thrilled with the read-write-cut-glue documents in Deedee's portfolio. Using this type of activity is a good way to check for understanding. Differentiating for varying abilities is easy, too. Because my school uses D'Nealian, I decided to try my hand at creating a template.

Despite multiple restarts at the drawing board, I wasn't able to insert a line break between the "glue" and "cut" sections. Hopefully, you'll be able to use this without too much tweaking. (If you know how I can make this document compatible, please let me know.) ENJOY!

Read-Write-Cut-Glue

September Recap

2011-10-03T20:30:00.000-05:00

This is our mice puppet! The assistant (this is one of our jobs) "wakes the mice" each day at morning circle. Sometimes, the mice have messages and questions for the class. Interestingly, I am the only person in the room who can speak Mice!

Mr. Munch :-) He has been eating word families!

During the Farm Unit, we shucked corn, made popcorn, and shook cream until it turned into whipped cream. Yes, I was hoping for butter, but the jar was too large!

My kinders are rockin' at
number/dice games!

In September, we focused on why and where we read.

What Would I Do Without You?

2011-10-02T20:04:00.000-05:00

As I prep lessons for October, looking back at last year's plans and sorting through the new things I've collected, I find myself thanking God for all of you. In nine months, I have been welcomed into many amazing classrooms, via blogging. Masters of our craft are generously sharing their work, skills, and heart with anyone! I am inspired, daily, to be a well-rounded teacher!

Tara has shared this with me (thank you, friend)!

Rules:

1. Give the "I Heart Your Blog "Award to your favorite Top 10 Blogs that have touched your heart and inspired your teaching by listing them on your blog.

2. Contact that person and let them know of their heartfelt award.

3. When you receive the award,

copy and paste the graphic onto your

blog and give a shout out to the person who nominated you.

4. Spread the LOVE by passing the "Heart Your Blog" Award on your Top 10.

As a shout-out of thanks, I pass it on to these blogs:
Mrs. Wills Kindergarten
Kindergarten Crayons
Kindergarten Hoppenings
My Happy Rainbow
What The Teacher Wants
Ladybugs Teacher Files
Deep Space Sparkle
Art Projects For Kids
Lil Country Kindergarten
Growing Kinders

Farms and Fun (my 100th post!)

2011-09-24T19:31:00.001-05:00

There was a chorus of moos and squeals

in my kindergarten room this week!

These were our favorite books:

(I do a mean Farmer Brown impression!)

In art class, the children crafted mini quilts with fabric squares and paper. When these were hung together, the effect was lovely.
If the school had been lice -free, I would have brought in my quilts :-)

A sampling of our Cow Glyphs:
tail=fav milk flavor, spots=age, bow/horns=girl/boy
(Yes, I see the 3-spot cow; must adjust asap!)

We did a write-the-room activity with sight words. Writing extra words was also encouraged. Most of the children chose to write vocabulary from the farm!

We used a math box to sort, count, and categorize farm animals. The spinner was a big hit!

Next week, Mrs. Wishy Washy will make an appearance!

We'll also try to make butter....

I'm going to do a test run tomorrow!

If you have a farm unit on TPT or Teacher's Notebook, please let me know--I'd love to take a peek and possibly put $ in your pocket!

What's In My Bag? A Linky Party

2011-09-22T23:38:00.001-05:00

Abby at The Inspired Apple has literally inspired me
to clean out my bag! Great idea, Abby!
This was waaaayyy overdue.

I found this adorable, functional bag in the scrapbooking dept. at Michael's for $15 (clearance). It's one of my daughter's competition dance bags, but I've nabbed it.

Our beagle is in the background, as is an ever-present load of laundry!

In the front pocket I found magazine pamphlets from Pizza Hut and Scholastic.

They aren't doing anyone any good by being in my bag!

Behind that compartment, I found my 2011 pocket calendar, farm animal cards and photo splits, stickers, a random stamp, and free stuff from Office Max.

Yes, I needed the animals this week for work stations. Where is the tagboard???!!!

Oooh, yummy...two smashed protein bars, a medicinal bag of m&ms, and a stray letter t

This is the mess from the middle of the bag: my iPad (hurray, Pandora!), sight word sheets, papers to assess, my 2" thick lesson binder, my $1 grade book from Target, books from last week's unit, a fundraising packet, and my clipboard.

I don't know why I roll this thing home every single night!

I do know that I am grateful for the wheels. The question begs to be asked, "If I used a smaller tote, would I leave most of this at school?"..... doubtful. I'm a bit paranoid about something happening to the building! Please, I beg you, tell me I am not alone on this train of thought!

Oh, Happy Day!

2011-09-19T19:11:00.000-05:00

Tara from 4th Grade Frolics gave me an award!

Thank you, Tara!!

7 things you may not know about me:

I was an art education major until I discovered the children's library at my university!
Andrew asked me to marry him just three months after our first date. We've been married for 22 years :-).
I'd love to voice a cartoon.
Worship is a form of prayer to me. In a previous decade, I sang back-up on a couple of worship albums...total fun, dream-come-true.
When I was in first grade, I told everyone that I wanted to be a mommy and have 12 children. I birthed five and became a kindergarten teacher!
My alarm is set for 5:20am; I absolutely must have a cup of coffee in bed, while reading a novel. I think this keeps me from obsessing over the classroom.
Every time I pass a Lexus RX350, I say, "Wow, there's my car!" Someday!

With great pleasure, I pass this award to:
Mrs. Wills' Kindergarten
Kindergarten's 3Rs
Kindergarten Crayons
Little Warriors
Keen On Kindergarten
Kindergarten Hoppenings
Faithful In First
Mrs. Patton's Patch
Strength To Teach
Mrs. Bee's Kinder Garden
Castles And Crayons
Camp Kindergarten
Deep Space Sparkle
Fairy Dust Teaching
Third Grade Meanderings

Shine on!

Character Study

2011-09-16T16:01:00.000-05:00

I like to begin the topic of story elements with character studies.

After Fran shared the photos of Pete the Cat (nice job, Alicia!), I added that project to our study of shapes.

During Reading, we made a character chart for Pete:

Winding up a social studies unit about communities, we made a character chart for The Little Red Hen:

This chart needs to be edited! I should have written their thoughts as complete sentences. Ah, we live and learn.

Next week, we will revisit The Little Red Hen and highlight action words on the chart.

What characters are you studying?

EEEK! The pestilence has arrived....

2011-09-15T16:40:00.001-05:00

"That of which we shall not speak" has taken up residence in over 1/3 of the heads in our student body.

School has been cancelled for Friday.

My class is not affected, but I happen to be an unofficial expert--~~thank you~~, third grade musical 2009--and ran back and forth all day, confirming the presence of nitz (misspelled on purpose)!

Need I say more?

Weekly Pre-Planning Form~Freebie! (x2)

2011-09-11T10:09:00.001-05:00

Before I sit down at the computer and knock out my lesson plans, I use this form to pre-plan the week.
I'm learning to bring the teacher guide books home with me on an as-needed basis!
(My back says, "Thanks!".)

FYI, the font is "ribbon happy".
Weekly Planning

Weekly pre-planning form w/out Bible block

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-10T11:13:00.000-05:00

Thoughts and prayers for all the innocent who were lost on 9/11/01.

Take A Peek~Amazing Artists!

2011-09-08T21:06:00.003-05:00

I teach art to the kindergartners and first-graders,

during a 45-minute class each week.

Here are the lessons from September (so far)!

A sampling of ROY G BIV,
an idea from Mrs. Williamson!

His hair is styling'...and I like his arms!

His hair is all out of order (following directions, um, no)
...but he has beautiful eyes!

The children strategically placed painter's tape
onto watercolor paper.
After the paint dried, they removed the tape.
Voila'!

Tying up our bear unit, the children cut bears
and placed them in appropriate habitats.
See the red oval shapes? YES! Salmon!

In Need Of A Hug

2011-09-08T11:06:00.000-05:00

I am on a twenty minute lunch break and logged on to ask for kind thoughts today. I can't go into detail, this is just one of those rare days when everything seems wrong.

TIA

Jilly's Cupcakes~A Labor Day Treat!

2011-09-05T13:25:00.000-05:00

Imagine my delight when I realized that Jilly's was a mere twenty minute drive away!

With the youngest ones in tow, Andrew and I splurged --more pricey than Starbuck$--
on a cupcake for each of us.

Clockwise, from top left:
24 karat carrot, Reese's with peanut butter frosting, turtle cheesecake, and simply chocolate...

Are you drooling yet?

Teddy Bear Picnic

2011-09-04T14:28:00.001-05:00

We celebrated our study of bears

--habitats, hibernation, etc.--

with a teddy bear picnic!

Every student remembered to bring a bear to school!

The marshmallow, tiny teddy grahams, and chocolate bar were stuffed together, forming a yummy s'more! Of course, we munched on berries, too.

It is difficult to see in this pic, but we used Unifix cubes to measure the length of our bears.

No peeking! The children drew a bear from
the bucket and graphed the chosen color.

Our bears joined the story circle, to experience this fab book.
If you do anything with bears, find this story!

Do you LOVE Pete the Cat?

2011-08-31T19:12:00.001-05:00

You absolutely MUST click the link to see the festivities at this 2 yr-old's birthday party!

Seriously, there is a whole lot of awesomeness happening in this home.

I wish Mr. Eric would sing for my birthday!

Math Literature

2011-08-29T19:46:00.001-05:00

Incorporating literature across the curriculum is
very important to me. Have you seen these books?

The illustrations in Lots Of Dots are eye-popping.
This book was part of last week's art lesson,
but would also be perfect for a unit about shapes.

My kinders are working on counting sets and
one-to-one correspondence.
One Little Blueberry is a gorgeous book!
Very early in the story, I realized that we would be
stopping to count each set of insects. :-)

I LOVE this book!
One is a fantastic story about
how to turn the tide on bullying situations.
The colorful cast of characters turn into
numbers as the story progresses.

ENJOY!

A Message To Pinterest

2011-08-28T20:24:00.001-05:00

Pinterest Addict by fleurdelove on Polyvore.com

Dear Pinterest,
Could you please figure out how to let me pin something from the home page, without logging in first? Because, as you hopefully know, once I log in I am unable to find 99% of the things I saw on the homepage.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

A true fan,
Chrissy @ReadWriteSing

Patterns, People, & Playdo

2011-08-25T20:31:00.005-05:00

What did I do before the age of digital?!
I LOVE documenting the action in my classroom!

"Read To Self"...on the fifth day, we managed 5 minutes!

"Read To Someone"...elbow to elbow, knee to knee

Happy Families
(The page is from a Student Portfolio, created by Melissa Dillard at suesstastic.com
Thank you, Melissa!)

The span of abilities in kindergarten is huge.
(Did you make this? I can't find the source!)

Yippee, the number isn't backwards!
(Thank you, Kim Jordano, for a fab idea!)

We've done two days of math stations. They love checking the pocket chart for rotations!

The first two letters and sounds in our reading series are t and i.
We will read "it" tomorrow!

Meet The Teacher Monday! (a day late!)

2011-08-23T19:03:00.001-05:00

Hello, Blog Hoppers! I'm jumping in with "Meet The Teacher" at I'm Blog Hoppin'!

A Little About Me
Andrew and I have been married for 22 years. We have four children, ages 18, 15, 13, and 10.
This picture was taken last December, with an outcry of protest; 65degrees on a windy beach!

BigBro left for college last week (many tears from me, glee from him), MidBro plays competitive baseball (the great American pastime), DollyGirl dances 12+ hours/week ($$$, memories, pure joy), LilBro makes ADHD look like fun (but not every day, in every way, lol!)

How long have I been teaching...?
This is my 14th year in the classroom, my 7th in kindergarten. I graduated from Truman State with a double certification, Pre-K and K-8. Even then, my passion was kindergarten! Directly out of college, I was an Early Childhood Administrator at a Christian school. Supervising staff, teaching 3- & 4-yr olds, and writing curriculum resulted in 12 hour days. The year that Andrew and I married, I jumped at the chance to take the kindergarten classes. Five years later, I was happily bouncing a baby and tossing the alarm clock! For ten years, I was blessed to be at home with my babies. In 2006, I returned to the classroom, teaching PreK (which looked like the 'new kindergarten'). I loved co-teaching, writing curriculum and adding to my literature collection! But, I began to ache for my own K class. And God led me straight to a terrific place!

This is just one side of the room!

You might not know...
*Having children was a difficult journey for me. My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 12 weeks. My second pregnancy, which took 18 months to conceive, ended with a stillbirth. Sara's story can be found here. She was born almost 20 years ago; I still dream about her. She changed me in deep and holy ways.
*I wanted to be an astronaut! I had the grades, but not the oh-so-necessary perfect vision!
*Singing is my secret hobby. I'd get a real mike if I could get away with it! (too many teenagers lurk the halls of my house :-))
*In 2001, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I'm thinking a tattoo might be a good way to mark the ten years that I have known about this challenge in my life...thoughts??!

This year, I'm looking forward to...
Knowing the ins and outs of my school, having the unknowns behind me. Now that I've spent 7 days with my kinders, I'm happily anticipating the literacy block and experiencing gingerbread/outer space/Dr. Suess/the 16th century/ocean life with them! I'm also psyched to hear them pray and to worship God with them.

What do I need to improve?
I need to leave work at work. I need to not reinvent the wheel every year!

Teaching supplies I can't live without...
I've already gone through a package of blue 'sticky-tak'! Last year, I used a rolling case designed for scrapbooking as my book bag; love it! And, I can't teach without the library. Yes, my taxes save me hundreds of $$ each year. I just have to request things in advance, if I want them when I need them!

Thanks for sticking around to meet me!
I hope you have a fantastic school year!

I'm A Note-Taker

2011-08-19T20:47:00.001-05:00

We do progress reports at each mid-quarter,
in addition to report cards for four quarters.

The progress reports are quite detailed!

I've decided to try keeping short note records for each student,

on a weekly basis, in regards to work habits and behavior.

The document is simple, but I'm happy to share!
If it works for you, grab it!

Notes for progress and reports

We Have Work To Do...

2011-08-18T21:32:00.002-05:00

Pencil grip is such a hard habit to break!
(Oooh, I just heard a "Chicago" tune roll through my mind.)

This pic was taken AFTER two children
had done a clean-up of the paper scraps.
Holding scissors properly is
ALSO a challenging skill.

Day One--Self-Portraits
You can tell so much about a child's development
from the details in his/her
drawings of people.

Splat came back!
He will begin his home visits next week.
He has a small, red backpack that holds
his journal and one of his books.
The children take him home
for a few days, read to him,
and draw a picture for him.
He is our class mascot!

Happy Day!

2011-08-16T20:57:00.003-05:00

Send a Teddy Bear Note at WiddlyTinks.com

Come on in....

2011-08-12T18:57:00.002-05:00

It's ready!!

The circle time/reading corner area of the room is ready for visitors on orientation night.
See the wheels on the left side of the picture? That is a rolling clothes hanger; I turned it into a vocabulary wall with the help of a shower curtain and painter's tape.

The work tables hold parent folders and the basket holds scavenger hunt clipboards (Thank you, Little Warriors!).
The white baskets will hold community supplies, as parents bring in the tissues, etc. I am still on the hunt for a perfect rug, to use in front of the easel.

This is another view, which shows the area I created for my desk and bookshelves. I'm not there much, so moving it to a corner was helpful in opening up the middle space in the room. Bonus: no one can see me through the door windows, when I am planning or eating lunch!

The daily schedule is easy to change as needed.
These are the awesome charts from Target!

Our curriculum introduces a new "service" word each week. This year, I wanted a dedicated space, to highlight the letters and sounds, word families, and sight words in the weekly plans.

PLEASE tell me if you created these amazing pages! (I know the original pdf is in my hard drive somewhere, but my husband is begging for his dinner!) I placed them on the board for parents to see at orientation. Soon, these will go into a table binder for literacy block.

Behavior Wall....I can't wait to see how this works!

Job Chart...students' names will rotate down each day.
I might find a few leis for the vacationing kiddos!

"Hugs" for the mommies and daddies

Goodbye, Summer

2011-08-07T12:58:00.001-05:00

~8am call time, return to work, Aug. 8~

On cold, rainy days, I'll revisit this photo!

I've been a bit busy this week, despite not having access to my classroom. Why do the-powers-that-be wait until the last minute to wax the hallways?!

(Crate & Bow idea found on Pinterest)
I've been sorting papers and filing all summer. With orientation occurring in just four days, I am grateful to have not procrastinated with this task!

This is a sample of items I've hard-laminated.
(Thank you, FedEx/Kinkos!)
The large crayons are for the job board, the small crayon box tags are for the behavior chart, the subject strips are part of the daily schedule chart. The blank, bordered cards will be used in a multitude of ways. There are six more laminated pages to cut apart! Pricey, but worth it in the long run!

I'll be back soon with pictures from my room!
May time s-t-r-e-t-c-h for all of you, as we create magical spaces for learning!

I Met A Master

2011-08-05T18:55:00.001-05:00

Mrs. Wills, you are an INSPIRATION!

Deedee Wills graciously allowed me to visit her in-progress classroom. I now know how to assemble a coconut tree, attach a word wall to concrete, assemble poetry and word work stations, and cover a desk chair! I also met Theodora, the guinea pig, coveted the library book nook, sang praises for the math boxes, and basically felt like Dorothy in the Land Of Oz; the entire school is gorgeous!

Mrs. Wills, this post is a shout-out to your talent and generosity!
Thank you for sharing your world with me!!

Isn't she sweet?!
I, however, am now convinced that I need a new hairstyle.
And maybe a personal trainer.

Bookmarks For You~~Freebie!

2011-07-31T20:15:00.001-05:00

I've been praying that this year, somehow, someway, words of encouragement would flow abundantly for the staff at my school. Not unlike the five-year-olds I teach, I began to search outside of myself for who could do this for us... and I sensed a finger pointing straight at me. A simple start these bookmarks may be, but they come from the heart!

I'm also planning a "milk and cookies" break on our last teacher workday, in my (hopefully) completed classroom. I wish you all could be there! Come back to see pictures on August 8!

Bookmarks PDF

Keep Calm

2011-07-31T19:28:00.001-05:00

My favorite (so far)....

click for point of origin

Math Vocabulary Binder Sheet~Freebie!

2011-07-29T12:04:00.001-05:00

This sheet can be used on the cover of your math binder! I used many different fonts; you can upload to UPS and they will likely have everything needed on file. Since I don't own a color printer, I will be using UPS to print my document, lol!

Thank you to everyone who has joined me on this blogging adventure. So many of you have enriched my teaching; I hope I can give back to you this year!
Math Vocabulary PDF

Shoes-mini unit~Freebie!

2011-07-22T12:27:00.000-05:00

Is it wrong for me to hope that my kinders choose velcro shoes for the new school year?!

Mrs. Tabb is sharing the love! Hop over to her site and check out this adorable unit. It will be a perfect springboard for the infamous shoe-tying battle!

SHOES...a Mini Unit!

To-Do List for Document Prep~Freebie!

2011-07-20T14:29:00.000-05:00

Are you saving and printing, downloading and desktop filing? If you are like me, your computer desktop needs a bit of housekeeping and your paper stack is growing!

TA-DA! A simple sheet that will help you to organize the important stuff for the beginning of the school year
(the second page is blank with a pencil border):
Documents to-Do List

STAMP the color words~Freebie!

2011-07-18T21:11:00.002-05:00

I whipped up a simple stamping activity for color review! I'll try to add more colors on a second page; check Scribd for an update. Also, I'll be double-checking the clipart to credit the designer :-).

Stamp the Color Words

Ms. Winston Is A Star!

2011-07-18T19:17:00.001-05:00

Through the beauty of the internet, I followed a trail from Pinterest to Ms. Winston's Class Site. The link will take you directly to the page for teachers. Check it out--you will be thrilled!!

Um, Spell Much?

2011-07-13T15:55:00.001-05:00

Should I be worried that my 18-year-old son just misspelled "friendship" in his thank-you notes?

"i before e, except after C, or when sounded like A, as in neighbor and weigh"

Sometimes the oldies are the goodies!

Many Freebies & A Giveaway

2011-07-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

The Lesson Plan Diva is celebrating 500 followers with a freebie-fest! There is something for everyone. She's also giving away an awesome gift...hop over!

Math Work Stations~ Ch. 7 Geometry

2011-07-09T17:24:00.003-05:00

I LOVE GEOMETRY! Seriously, I walked out of college geometry with a 100%. The life application skill that I retained is an ability to rearrange furniture in unbelievable ways. Nice, right? :-)lol

This year, thanks to our book study, I hope to incorporate geometry work stations into our math time. The workbook we are using touches briefly on dividing 2D shapes into equal pieces. Of course, there are SO many more geometrical concepts!

To share, I found a great online source for mandala coloring pages. This selection includes many "easy" versions with identifiable shapes. Kindergartners are always amazed at the variety of designs, created simply by choosing different colors. Mandalas provide a fun way to discuss shapes and patterns. Because I am also the art teacher for the K-1st grade combined, I add these pages to the "I'm done!" box.
Coloring a pattern can be very relaxing!

Enjoy!

The Book Whisperer~ Chapters 1 & 2

2011-07-05T15:31:00.000-05:00

"Donalyn Miller, will you be my friend?!"

That is the question that floated through my mind as I read chapter one of "The Book Whisperer". My earliest memories involve books. From Dick and Jane to Trixie Beldon and Anne Shirley, I have considered book characters to be a window to my soul. Through books, I visit unbelievable places, consider new ideas, and somehow process the real stuff that is life.

I'm still a book purist--I like the weight of paper and binding, the turn of the page. It is no surprise that my classroom is filled with a wide variety of books, in many locations around the room. I love sharing my favorite children's books with my kindergartners.

After Christmas break, the children will begin to use 'zippy book bags' during our literacy block. These bags are filled on Mondays with appropriate choices for each child's reading level and interests. I'm pondering how to provide quality reading time, from day one, to a wiggly group of young five-year-olds. Perhaps creating book sets--white board & crayons, felt pieces & small board, etc., with books--will engage some of my more kinesthetic learners. I also hope to lend books this year. Because our classroom collection belongs almost entirely to me (or the library), I have hesitated to do this. Losing a book hurt$! :-)

My ten-year-old son is a dormant reader. We're heading to Barnes & Noble later, to begin a comic book collection. I am thrilled that he wants to read! And, you never know, I just might find a new book for my reading basket!

101 Summer Fun Ideas

2011-07-03T16:47:00.000-05:00

July 3 is the day I was adopted. All my life, this day has been celebrated, almost as much as my actual birth day. In keeping with the joyous mood of the day, I offer a celebration of summer!

I found Laura Winslow's site through a link at A Holy Experience. Every time I visit Ann's blog, I am given a dose of calm and quiet. Maybe I'll start a Pinterest board that is filled with her photographs!

Summer Fun Ideas Laura Winslow Photography 8x10

Back-To-School Ideas

2011-07-02T15:32:00.001-05:00

While trying to avoid the heat, I've bookmarked a page that must be shared!
Check out Mrs. Kilburn's back-to-school ideas!

I integrate theme work across the curriculum and Mrs. Kilburn's site has been incredibly helpful!

$9 Target Goodies

2011-07-01T13:35:00.001-05:00

Ladybug's Teaching Files is hosting a Classroom Linky Party!

It is SO nice to know that I am not alone!

The basket will join a colorful bunch that I use for leveled readers. If there had been more, I'd own them today!
I love the pointers, too!

Staples and Wal-Mart are also proving to be goldmines for classroom treasure.
The tiny lantern is actually a powerful light--
the flashing red light is a bonus, IMO!

Kindergarten Supply List

2011-06-30T16:07:00.002-05:00

Our supply lists are scheduled to be mailed in less than two weeks! I updated mine, to post on my classroom site before mailing. Need some ideas? Here you go....

K Supply List

Keith Urban=Summer Break!

2011-06-30T13:03:00.004-05:00

You may be asking, "How does Keith Urban relate to teaching kindergarten?". Well..... see #s 2, 3, 6, & 7!

(First, a shout out to my terrific husband, who humors my devotion to Mr. Urban!)

Attending a Keith Urban concert reminds me that I

will always be 18 at heart
still know how to have fun
see music as an excellent means of communication
wish I knew how to play the guitar
have a thing for Australian accents
can sing outside the car
can dance in the midst of thousands
appreciate a good bicep

What fun thing screams "It's summer!" for you?

Procrastination-Bloggy Style

2011-06-27T13:22:00.000-05:00

I hopped over to Tara's site 4th Grade Frolics and immediately fell in like with her template! (AND her awesome teaching ideas!). So I jumped to Shabby Blogs, an all-time favorite site, to see what kind of fabulous stuff was happening. There, I learned how to add text to a header and upload a new background onto a template.

Hey-- I did it, kinda, sorta! The Leelou template stayed in place, too, which centered my new header. By the time you see this, I may have changed it all again. Because, you know, it is the perfect way to avoid cleaning up after the grad party!

Flying From the Nest

2011-06-24T13:59:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending freshman orientation with my son. The fact that I will be teaching my third day of kindergarten on the day he leaves for college had not hit me...until I walked the campus sidewalks, breathed the lecture hall air.
Wow, he is really leaving. He is really leaving!

The photo above was taken on graduation day, just a few weeks ago. The other picture is one of my favs--he was 5 weeks old and he owned my heart! (I took a picture of the photo, no scanner, thus the strange date!)

As we all prepare for a new year with young learners, I hope we will hold them in our hearts and realize that being part of their histories is a privilege. Our students' parents/guardians are living life, fighting bedtime battles and snapping pics for the scrapbooks, hoping we will love their babies.

So, I have two things for you: the first is a poem I wrote several years ago, which resonated with me today, and the second is a song for letting go. {{}}

Making It Fit (written 9/08 by me)

The necessary, the ordinary bits cover parts of the hours

and Sleep, mmmmm dreamy sleep, fills a certain space

Then, the money-making stuff, mine

is fun, busy, creative, passionate

While Our children go and come

throughout, stretching my heart

as they grow wings

Shimmering

bits floating over

each

day

Math Work Stations~ Ch. 4

2011-06-21T19:25:00.003-05:00

I've been playing with graphics! Enjoy!!
(Word added a blank pg. 7. Go figure. :-)

Sweet Treats