Oh Summer...Five for Friday

Oh summer.

How are you slipping away so fast?

So fast that I have dearly neglected this sweet little blog and my followers as I'm wrapped up in all of your goodness {which I am VERY sorry by the way}. 

Here's to my start of summer blogging!

I've actually created 2, yes only 2, products.

They are pre-made cards for your word wall. 

I will do a post on them soon. Until them check them out in my store {here} and {here}.

I went and bought a new devotional to read each morning by Beth Moore. 

If you have never listened or read something by this lady it is a MUST!

This is one thing I love spending more time doing in the summer, with my coffee of course!

My second most favorite (and newest favorite) thing to do is get my fitness on.

I've finally found something that I love to do and it goes by the name of Zumba. 

Makes me feel like a dancing queen!

Plus I feel a lot better because of it.

Yes, I've actually been up to my room twice now.

And thank goodness I did because my cabinets were about to drive me insane!!!

The mess on the left now looks like (almost) perfection on the right. 

Hoping it stays this way most of the year!

One of my projects this summer is to level my library. I am just not having this "I can't pick a book that I can read" crap going on in my room anymore. I want them engaged in the right books!

So....I've found a few places for leveling but I need more.

HELP!

Suggestions or anything that has worked for you?

Happy Friday!

Throwback Thursday

I'm normally all about #tbt on Instagram but have totally missed that train the past few weeks...my mind must be on summer time! So I thought my good ol' blog needed some love and this would be a good place to pick it back up!

First off, here's my throwback picture from a science class in college.

We made "science eyes" to wear when we teach science lessons because science is all around us, you see!

Getting on with the show, here is a Throwback post from last November with my favorite craft for digraphs!

---------------------------------------------------

Who says a week of review has to be boring?

"Not I", said the teacher.

Each day last week we picked a different digraph to review and got a little crafty with it!

 

 

We started off each day with a review of digraph sounds on BrainPOP.

{If you don't have a subscription I HIGHLY recommend it!!}

I had them listen for digraph words. We took those words and others they came up with and wrote them down in a brainstorming session on our chart.

Each day I had the students pick one word from our chart and use it for our craft.

 

Day 1: CH

We took our words from "Our ch words" anchor chart and made a CHocolate CHip cookie! 

 

Day 2: SH

We took our words from "Our sh words" anchor chart and made a fiSH bowl!

 

Day 3: TH

We took our words from "Our th words" anchor chart and made a paTHway of words!

 

Day 4: WH

We took our words from "Our wh words" anchor chart and made a WHale!

We had so much fun and the kiddos looked forward trying to figure out what digraph each poster was for!  Perfect way for THem to SHow WHatCHa know!

---------------------------------------------------

Don't forget to head over to visit Hope from Second Grade Shenanigans to link up!

Five for Friday {a day late}

 I absolutely fell in love with this EOY bucket idea when I saw in on Reagan's blog.
My kids about DIED when they got to see what was inside them after our awards.
Total hit!

My pretty little planning baby came in the mail this week.

Confession: I may have already went through and wrote in the dates.

If you need some convincing on purchasing this planner see my blog post about it from last year HERE.

School's out for summer.

#butnotforever

But we can still celebrate, right!?

2 hours later.....(see picture above)....a few members from my team went out on the boat to celebrate a beyond FaBuLoUs year together!

#wedontwasteanytime

One goal I have for this summer is to completely reorganize my storage cabinets to look like this (partner's room). I've received over $150 to Target from my sweet kiddos this year so I am going to go stock up on some tubs!

EOY Class Pillowcase Project *3 Freebies*

I can't guarantee this is an easy end of the year project BUT I can guarantee that your kids will love it

Hands down!

{Pun intended}

It's our first grade tradition to make an end of the year pillowcase keepsake.

I start off by sending home a note for each student to bring back a white, new, clean pillowcase.

(The clean part is most important!)

 

{Click picture to download}

 

Just in case, I take load them up (literally) into my washer to make sure they are all clean.

 

If you read my last post, you know I love to involve parents and have them help out in any way possible. This is definitely a helping activity!

 

I purchase these transfers. I found them at Wal-Mart.

On these, I print the poem below.

{Click on the words to download the printable poem}

 

"Now I lay me down to sleep. I'll count these hands instead of sheep and remember all the friends I've made in Mrs. _____________ first grade."

 

Talk about precious.

 

I honestly have not ever ironed on a transfer to a pillowcase.

(This is where mom help comes in)

I send them home for a mom to iron on and she returns them.

 

Next step, painting day.

 

This year I was lucky enough to have an experienced first grade mom (her 3rd kid). She had kept paint from years past. I like to have one different color for each student's hand.

 

***IMPORTANT: You must mix the paint with a textile medium in order for the paint to stick and not wash off. We mix the two together in bowls.

 

We lay out each pillowcase and put wax paper inside.

This prevents the paint from bleeding through.

 

23 kids.

23 hand print on each pillowcase.

You do the math.

(See why you need moms?)

 

After drying, students walk around and sign their names with a sharpie.

 

That evening I take the pillowcases home:

Roll them up

 

Tie with ribbon and add a cute nametag. 

{Click picture to download}

 

During our awards ceremony, I pass them out as they take on the look of a wrapped up diploma.

 

So long first grade!

 

Don't forget to check out my last 2 post for even more EOY gifting freebies!!!

 

Parent FREEBIES

Team FREEBIES

EOY Parent Gifts *Freebie*

My teammates are always amazed by how much I delegate to my parents.

I am always sending things home for parents to help out with.

Whether it's tracing, cutting, labeling, etc. I like for them to feel like they are a part of our work.

AND it makes things easier on this teacher right here!!!

 

For those moms who are willing to lend a helping hand, I like to get them a little gift of appreciation at the end of the school year.

 

I head to Bath & Body Works to pick up some smell good hand soap.

With those in check, some baggies, ribbon, and my free printable......

 

TA-DA!

"Thank you for your helping hands!"

 

Cheap.

Easy.
Cute.

 

Check out the FREE printable below for your EOY parent gifts!

 

 

Check out my post from yesterday HERE for another EOY FREEBIE for a quick and easy team gift!

EOY Team Gifts *Freebie*

"Orange" you glad it's almost the end of the year!?

There's still so much going on in our first grade classroom but I know my firsties, myself, and my teammates are all ready for a much needed break after a long hard year.

 

 

So I picked up this cute freebie from A Cupcake for the Teacher's blog and slapped it on an orange pack of gum for my lovely team members.

 

Quick.

Easy.

Cute.

 

Click on the picture below to snag this freebie for your EOY gifts!

 

 

Thanks Teri!

{Check back tomorrow for another EOY FREEBIE}

Making How-To's Fun!

Writing *use-to* be one of my least favorite things to teach.

This year has been, by far, the best yet.

My students' writing has grown SO incredibly much thanks to a number of things:

*mini-lessons

*completing class examples

*having writer's workshop FIRST thing

*making conferring a priority

*sharing circle

*implementing "thinking" music

*routine, routine, routine

*making it FUN!

 

We've been all about writing how-to's the past few weeks.

This week we tackled PB&J's.

 

Our first step is to brainstorm:

 We record the things we need and talk through the steps.

**All organizers can be found in my How-To Writing packet on TpT.

 

The 2nd day we "act it out" actually using what we listed the day before.

This is when they find out exactly how specific they have to be.

"Put it on the bread."

{Teacher acts like she doesn't understand and puts IT (a pencil) on the bread}

uncontrollable laughter

"No! Put the peanut butter on the bread."

{Teacher puts jar of peanut butter on the bread.}

"NO! A scoop of peanut butter."

 

They slowly find out they have to specify every little detail which we draw out.

The 3rd-4th day we take our pictures and turn them into detailed sentences.

And finally....we get to make our sandwich book...cheers!

Pick up my How-To Writing Prompts and Templates in my TpT store.

It comes with 4 graphic organizers for over 11 prompts.

 

 

If this system is easy for my firsties to follow, it will be for yours too!