Five for Friday....Saturday Edition

I made it!  We had a short 3 day week and it went great!  My kinders are the cutest and are starting to "get it", as in tracing and coloring in the lines.

Check out what my kinders did during their exploration time with cubes!  Yes-patterns will be our first unit and we are already rocking it!  Plus-some were even creating letters!  Smartie Pants!

Morning work from my Kindergarten at Last pack!  Can I just say the first day we did this a few didn't even try to trace or write and Friday EVERYONE was trying to trace and write!  Amazing!

We read Clifford's First Day of School, colored him, and cut him out to make into a puppet!  It was very simple and a huge hit with my class!  I took a big popscicle stick and taped it to the back of the Clifford.  You could also staple it to a strip of paper to make a cute headband!

I posted this on my Instagram on Thursday.  I decided that if we decorate our folders we will all be more likely to bring it back the next day....AND WE DID!  I even had one ruin their folder (don't ask how) and they had transferred all the stickers to a new folder and brought it to school...I can't make this stuff up!

Cheers!  We made it through the week! :)

2 comments five for Friday

My Itty, Bitty, Teeny, Tiny...Classroom

Ok, I am being over dramatic!  My classroom is like half the size of my classroom last year.  My room is technically one BIG room split in half by some cabinets.  I have to remind my kiddos we share our room, so the other kids might hear us if we get too loud.  LUCKILY, my kiddos are great at reminding each other we have another class next to us.

Here are some pics of my cute little room!

Still OBSESSED with my cute little rug :)

Shape wall and math manipulative shelf!

Calendar area

And finally the word wall and color wall!

 *Non-room picture*  We did this for morning work! This is from my Kindergarten at Last pack!  It is amazing the differences!  The kiddos who went to Pre-K and the ones who didn't!

1 comment back to school

First Day of School and a FREEBIE!

It has been awhile, but this week was our district's first week of school and today was the first day for kindergarten!  This post is going to be so random, but we need to play catch up!
Last weekend I found the PERFECT rug for my classroom!  You might of seen this on my Instagram!  I got this from Sam's Club for $20!  It fits perfectly in my classroom and I will be using it for my listening center!

Call me crazy, but I threw away my behavior chart last week while I was setting up my room.  I read so many great articles about why teachers don't use them!  I took a Responsive Classroom training this summer and really LOVED it and want to implement some of those strategies in my classroom.

Now we are back to today!  We colored, we cut, and we explored pattern blocks.  My kiddos loved making creations.  This is the perfect addition if you ever have extra time...if that ever happens ;)

And after a successful day in kindergarten,  Chipotle was a nice treat for dinner :)

I didn't get pictures of us doing this, but we did the "Welcome to Kindergarten" as morning work and the first day of school template we wrote our name and drew a picture of something we did on the first day.  Click here or on the pictures to grab a copy for yourself!

Are you in school!?  How was your first day?

5 comments first day, freebie

Monday Made It-Job Chart

It has been too long since my last post! I unpacked the boxes in my classroom, then headed to Montana with the hubby for a wedding! It was beautiful out there!

Before I left I made the CUTEST job chart!  I used some neon paper, ribbon, and clothespins!

                      

I used an Ikea coaster as my tracer...:-)

                      

I used the letter stickers I got from the dollar section at Target.  Then I laminated them to make them stronger!

                      

I laid the circles on the ribbon and then hot glued it to the ribbon.  I got the ribbon from Target (duh)!

                      

I will put names or numbers on the clothespins and clip them to their job for the week. I don't have enough jobs for each kiddo each week so we rotate every week!

1 comment classroom job chart

Rhyme to Read App Giveaway

I reviewed this app back in May with the intention of having a giveaway when we were all getting ready for back to school!  I can't believe it is that time already!  Check out my review from May and enter to win this app ($9.99 value) below!

I got the opportunity to review an AMAZING app!  It is called Rhyme to Read and was created by teachers!  You know it is good if teachers created it!

Fellow teachers know our immediate needs and reading is such a high priority in any grade especially in the beginning when those little ones are first learning how to decode.
In this app there are 20 books that students can click on from the home screen.  They are numbered and color coded by vowels!  Perfect if you are focusing on a certain vowel or word family for a given week!

In the book, the left side has a few words that will  be sounded out for you when you tap it and the right side has the story that can be read to you if you tap on the words.  Each word family ending is color coded based on the vowel book color.  GENIUS! 

On the top of the pages are sight words that you will find in the story on that specific page.  

So think about it-each word family word can be found in the various books PLUS the sight words are posted on each page if they are found in the passage on that page.  That means all those little kiddos have an amazing tool to teach them how to READ in a FUN way!  

I LOVE that the story #1 has a few words on each page and by book #20 you have a more complex story that includes more of the word family endings.

This app is $9.99 and worth every penny!  You are getting 20 books!  The school year is fast approaching or is already here and would be a great app to use during Daily 5 or during guided reading groups!

Enter for a chance to win this app!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 comments app, back to school, reading, rhyme

Back to School Blog Hop and Giveaway

I am teaming up with some great bloggers for a Back to School Blog Hop!  Each day a new blogger will be posting Back to School tips, Freebie, OR both!

If you missed Sarah's post, check it out here!  Don't forget to enter for a chance to win some Back to School products!

I wanted to fill this post with perfect Back to School freebies!
The first one will be perfect for a quick assessment or review!  Get your copy here!

This freebie is skip counting!  It can be used in the beginning of the year or whenever you get to skip counting.  Get it here!

If you are looking for some color signs (chalkboard theme) to hang up in your room, click here!

I am obessed with the chalkboard stuff!  Go to my Facebook page and click on "Fan Freebies" to get yourself a chalkboard word wall!  

Tomorrow you will want to check out Katie's blog for more Back to School goodies!

5 comments

Currently August

Listening- I'm in WI, so I can actually WATCH the Brewer game!

Loving- AUGUST!  The hubby and I will be celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary on Monday!!  AND the Back to School TpT Sale is Monday and Tuesday!  Yay!  Check out my Facebook page to win a $10 gift certificate! 

Thinking/Wanting-I don't even want to know what it looks like!  I am downsizing BIG time and I have SO much stuff.  I labeled all my boxes to be moved to my new room and there were A LOT!

Needing-Nothing!  I'm content :)

1st Day- We start Friday, August 15th!  However, my hubby is in a wedding in Montana, so I have to take a personal day!  UGH!  I want to take a personal day when I actually have kids, not in the summer!  So bummed!  Grades 1-8 start on the 25th and my kinders come the 27th! :)

Your turn to link up!  What are you CURRENTLY up to!?

6 comments currently