Alphabet Song

Here's a cool alphabet song that I found. It's from www.havefunteaching.com, but you can YouTube it.. My kids love it!!! It has a great beat and I love the way that it shows the capital and lower case letters. There's only one glitch. When the video shows gives the sounds and shows the letters phonetically, the letter "Q" is /kw/ and the letter "X" is /ks/. Not a big problem. My kids ask for this song every day. Enjoy!

Math Freebie

Here's a little math freebie that I made. I use this for one to one correspondence and number order. Sometimes we use pom poms, cotton, or playdough on top of the dots and we pick them up using tweezers, tongs, or chopsticks for fine motor practice. Click here to download.

Enjoy!


Fall Number Cards

Great Website

I may be a little late, but I just came across this great website (via pinterest)with all kinds of themed ideas to use in your classroom. I especially like the geoboard letters. Check it out it's www.makinglearningfun.com

It's Been a Long Time

Wow!!! It's been a while since I've posted anything. I've been very busy at work with the new group of Pre-K's. I like this little group, they are so eager to learn and excited about everything that happens in the classroom.

Cheers to a great start!

Number Puzzle Freebie

Just thought I'd share a number puzzle freebie. It may be a little too easy for Kinder, but great for Pre-K. Just cut the bus apart and let the students put it back together. Click here to download.

Enjoy!

Number Puzzle Bus

And the Winner Is...

The winner for my 35 followers giveaway is...comment #3, Alissa from Teachingwright. Yay Alissa! Please send me a message with your email so that we can arrange to give you your prizes.

Thanks to all who entered. Looking forward to another giveaway on 100 followers.

OK, I'm having trouble with this number generator thing and not able to put it on the blog, but honestly it was comment #3.

I Have Who Has

Just created this game that your class can play at the beginning of the year. It was created on the "I Have, Who Has" model, but it includes Back to School items. When students get pretty good at it, add a timer and see if they can beat clock. I hope you enjoy.



I Have Who Has School Stuff">

Scavenger Hunt

Found this idea on Pinterest (I'm hooked on it). I thought it was really cool. It was used for traveling and keeping an impatient child busy. Take pictures or draw pictures of things that you might see from a car while you're on the road and place a piece of bubble wrap over the pictures. As your child spots the item, they pop the bubble.

Well, I thought I could use this for my classroom. Instead of things that you see on the road, substitute things that are in the classroom (art supplies, word wall, sand table, etc.) and as the child spots the item in the class he/she pops the bubble. It's a good way for children to become familiar with where things are located in the class. I mean who doesn't like bubble wrap?!?

Fun idea.

35 - Finally!!

Yay!!! I finally reached 35 followers, and as promised I am having my first giveaway. I'm very excited and very appreciative to all the fellow bloggers who have helped me out. Thanks a million. Well, here are the items that I'm giving away

There are 2 ways to enter
1. Become a follower (if you already aren't) and leave a comment that you are following.
2. Post on your blog about the giveaway with a link to my blog and leave a comment that you posted.

It's just that easy. I will be taking entries until Monday night and will announce the winner on Tuesday.

Happy blogging!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, I've been so very busy with my own classroom that I really haven't had time to post anything. I haven't forgotten about my giveaway. If I don't make it to 35 followers by the weekend, I will definitely start the entries on Saturday. I can't wait!!!!

Great Set of Labels

Well, I was hunting for great ideas on Pinterest (my other obsession) and came across these great labels that were totally free. Karen Cox from Prekinders made them herself and they are also listed on TpT website. The link to her website it located at the bottom. They're really nice!

Source: prekinders.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Sneak Peek

Just wanted to give a sneak peek of one of the items for the 35 Followers Giveaway!!! Here it is -

Students will get lots of practice with matching capital/lowercase letters and beginning sounds.

I'm really excited and I've only got 3 more followers to go before I begin taking entries!

Five More to Go!!!

Only five more followers and then it's giveaway time! Yay! I know 35 is really not alot, but I was excited when I had one follower. Wonder if I can get there by the end of the week?

A Little Disappointed

Well, I'm a little disappointed because I don't think anyone came for my freebie. It was my first one and I was I really excited. :( Just gotta keep trying.

But anywho... don't forget, when I reach 35 followers I really do have some good things to give away. So let's get to 35!!!!

Math Freebie

Just thought I'd offer a freebie for your math center.  Students can use these cards several ways or a combination of all. They can:  order the number cards using the picture representation, build the number word with magnetic letters, match the number in the space provided, and in the empty space at the top use unifix cubes to build and represent the number.  Tell me what you think. Click here for a free download

Got a Button?

Well, for the 199th time, I tried to create a button. Finally I have one that I'm happy with. Shout out to Precious Perks for the tutorial. If you need button help click here. It's easier than you think.

I'm Going In Tomorrow

Well, tomorrow is the first day back into my classroom.  We're not scheduled to go back until the 15th but, if I wait until then I'll be stuck in PD and nothing will get done.  Hope to take pictures (before and after) so that everyone can see my home away from home.

BTW I'm getting geared up to do a giveaway.  It's gonna be a good one.  As soon as I reach 35 followers I'll celebreate with my first giveaway!  So be on the look out!

Give Away

Here's another great give away that you can enter.  A Teeny Tiny Teacher is giving away a Barnes and Noble gift card, just in time to buy those books that you need to go back to school.  Go check it out.

The Kissing Hand (Linky Party)

Kinder Eagles is hosting a Linky Party for "The Kissing Hand".  What activities do you do?  Well, this year I'm going to do it a little different.  Our school has our Meet the Teacher the Friday before school starts, so, the plan is...at the end of the Meet the Teacher, I will read "The Kissing Hand" to the parents and the children.  They will all receive a piece of construction paper and a small heart to take home and create their own kissing hand over the weekend.  On Monday (the first day of school) they can send their child to school with their kissing hand  and we will hang them in a special spot in the class.

Yea Me!!

Finally!!! I have been working on this for a couple of days.  I got my button done!! Not real happy with it though because it's a bit blurry, but I know how to do it when I get ready to do it again.  Proud of me!

I Did It!

Well, the blog has a new look.  I found a cool site that had free blog templates and decided that the blog needed a makeover.  I am so not computer literate and pretty much always depend on my husband for computer related things, but I went for it anyway.  As you can see I didn't do to bad.   The site is www.blogdesignsbydani.com.  Again, I love free stuff!

More Great Stuff

Still surfing the blogosphere and came across pocketfullofkinders.blogspot.com and she's having a giveaway from a great little store called Hue 529.  They take your old furniture and make it look fancy and new.  (Loved the flower print).  So, back to the giveaway.  Pocketfull of kinders is giving away $30 worth of gifts from Hue 529.  Check it out and see what you have to do to enter.

More Free Stuff

Well, I was looking at one of the blogs that I follow and saw a post about some free stuff.  Well, I can't resist free.  So, shout out to lifeofa20somethingwife.blogspot.com for the heads up.  The free stuff came from www.vistaprint.com.  They have business cards, return address labels,  magnets, notepads, mouse pads, or whatever your business or classroom might need.  Another great thing is that you can customize your items with your own logo.  Well, after shipping, I ended up paying about $10.00 for some great stuff I will use for my classroom.  It wasn't totally free, but it was a great price. So check it out www.vistaprint.com

Almost Back to School Time!

This afternoon my son and I went to buy his school supplies.  Yes, it's already here!  So we made our way to Staples and went line by line picking up each item that we needed.  As we got closer to the checkout the salesclerk came up to me and asked if I was a teacher.  (Don't know if I had my teacher look on today or what but I guess he sensed it).  I replied yes, and he directed to the teacher pack.  Well, to my surprise, some of the things that were on the supply list were in the teacher pack, and I only had to pay .75 for it.  Yes, only .75! A huge box of stuff. So, for my fellow teachers check out Staples, great prices and almost free stuff.

Linky Party (Day 4) I think

Well, today's assignment is to post about a favorite recipe that you've made during the school year.  Well, one of my favs was last summer (taught summer school) we made these cute Fourth of July flags.  They were very simple to make and no cooking involved (I guess I'll miss out on the bonus points for the freezing and crockpot.) All you need is graham crackers,  white cake icing, a bit of the cake icing mixed with blue food coloring, Nestle white chocolate chips, and Twizzlers.  The children really enjoyed making them and really enjoyed eating them!  Thanks again, Clutter Free Classrooms for hosting the party!
   Yum!!!!

Target Giveaway!!!

It's a gift card giveaway!  


"Teaching Heart ( www.teachingheart.net ) is hosting their annual back to school party on July 24th till July 30th.  Each Day a new prize!  Gift cards, Books, Teaching Heart Products, and more!!!  Plus a free printable will be posted during the week.  You need to visit the blog at;http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com/ 
daily to check out the prizes each day and enter for the ones you want to win!!!"

Linky Party

Well this is my first time participating in a linky party so I hope I'm doing it right.  Thanks Clutter Free Classrooms (http://www.clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com)  for hosting this week long shin dig.  The assignment is your favorite author:

Well, I have to say Eric Carle is my fav. I love the art work of his books and the way most of them teach children about the world around them.

Wikispaces

Surfing the internet and was looking at one of the blogs that I follow and saw a link to wikispaces.  I didn't know what it was, but when I saw that it was free I had to go look.  Well, Wikispaces is like a personal web page that you can use for your classroom, business, or whatever you like.  You are the administrator, but you can invite others (parents, co-workers, family) to join and add discussions, view homework assignments, newsletters, pictures or whatever. You create the page, layout, and everything.   But the best part is that it's free!

I think I'll be using this handy tool next year to post all my back to school information for my parents, my monthly homework calendars, and any upcoming events that will be happening in Room 9, or anything fun and exciting that I would like for my parents to see.  Check it out- www.wikispaces.com

Joke of the Day!!!

Here's the teacher joke for the day.

A teacher sent a letter to all of the parents after the first day of school which said, "If you can promise me that you will not believe all that your child says goes on at school, I will promise you that I won't believe all that your child says goes on at home."

:) Cute!

You Know You're A Teacher When...

Nothing much to talk about today.  But, found these on the internet and thought that they were funny-but true.  Enjoy!

You know you're a teacher when...

1.  you declare "no skipping" when a shopper squeezes in front of you in a checkout line.

2.  you say everything twice, I mean you repeat everything and then you ask "Does everyone understand?"

3.  you can eat a full lunch in 2 minutes and 18 seconds.  Master Teachers can do it even faster.

4.  you ask if anyone needs to go to the bathroom as you enter the movies with a group of friends.

5.  you say "I like the way you did that!" to the mechanic that fixes your car.

6.  you get a secret thrill from laminating something.

7. you want to slap the next person who says, "Must be nice to work from 8 to 3 and have your summers free!"

8.  you write your name conspicuously on all personal objects, including car keys, masking tape, your books and your chair.

9.  you always, to your family's embarrassment, turn a pizza into a math lesson on fractions.

10.  you've trained yourself to go to the bathroom at two distinct times of the day:  lunch and your planning period.

Like a said, funny but true.  I'm sure all my fellow teachers can relate.

Remembering When...

Well, today I went to a baby shower for one of my church members and everyone who attended was supposed to bring a book to start a library for the new arrival.  Great idea.  Then it made me remember when Marc-Anthony was oh so small and I would read to him everyday.  Since I was home for the summer I had lots of spare time on my hands, so most of my conversation was with Marc-Anthony.  I remember buying him flash cards and naming the pictures and showing them to him everyday.  Most of my friends thought that I was insane. They said, "Really, he doesn't understand a thing that you are doing!", and my comment was always, "Not right now he doesn't, but give him time."  Months went by and Marc-Anthony had grown to be about 7 months old and we were still doing those same flash cards and then it happened.  I showed him the picture of the shoe and he pointed to his shoe, then I showed him the picture of the clock and he pointed to the clock on the wall.  Man I was so excited...he got it.  He related what I had been doing for months to the real world.  Then around 8 months old he began to speak and there was no stopping him then.

It's so very important to read and interact with your children. You're building vocabulary skills and social skills.   Sitting them in front of the television just won't get it.

So, for little BJ (the new arrival)  thumbs up to the people in your life who thought enough of you to start a library for you.  Lots of mommy and me time!

Oh My Gosh!

Well, today I finally got my blog up and running,  I think.  (Thanks to my hubby!)  Blogging has been something that I've wanted to do for a while but didn't know how.  Now I get a chance to share all the wild and funny things that go on in Room 9.  I'm excited!!! Well, right now all I have to post are the wild and funny things that go on at home (it's summer, and I'm enjoying my vacation.)