Wednesday, February 29, 2012

March Literacy Center and a Field Trip!

It's finished!  My first ever literacy center- in full!!!!  I'm so over the moon excited about completing this!

Here's the agenda for the literacy centers (complete with the common core standards it meets!)


A glimpse at what is included:

LOTS of student record sheets to make sure your kiddos stay on task!
 A writing prompt:

 A cute little St. Patrick's Day poem...
 Complete with word cards for students to match to the words in the poem :)


 Customizable detective center so you can target the words you are working on in your own classroom:

 Cutesy themed words to spell!

There you have it!  That's not all... it was 22 slides LONG!! :)  Check it out at my Teacher's Notebook Store- it's only $5.  You can also buy just bits and pieces if you don't want or need all of it!  The letter tiles activity is FREE at my TN store- so go check it out! :)




OH!  And we had a field trip today... and they LOST our lunches!!!!!  OMG- good thing a parent was able to track them down or we would have had some angry parents looking for their vera bradley and 31 lunch bags!!!!! 
So- my question to you-

What is the funniest/craziest/wierdest thing that has happened to you on a field trip???

Friday, February 24, 2012

New Clip Artist!

You should, no HAVE to go check out my teaching friend Hilary's new clip art site.  She's our art teacher at school and super talented.  I asked her to lend me her skills and draw me up some cutesy literacy center tags.  I can't believe (in a good way!) what she ended up getting me.  I suggested (or perhaps made her) sign up for a new blog to promote these awesome clip arts.  So, check her out at Mrs. Carvitti's Clippings and leave her some love!  Make sure you follow her so you'll stay up to date on her newest projects and doodles.

Here's what my Literacy Center Agenda turned out looking like with the help of her cliparts! 

I made them small so they would fit in my small squares and I would have room to jot down my plans for that week in centers.  But, go to her blog, and see the real deal!  She's giving her black and white copy away at her TPT store, and the color version is ONLY $2!!!!!!!!

You won't be disappointed!  And be sure to send her suggestions for what she should include in her next packet!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Pop Top- Science Experiment

So, my Kinders like LOVE science experiments.  Here's one of their favs:  Pop Top :)

Here's how you do it:
- Fill a film canister (you know, the ones from the 80s)  :) with water.
- Put 1/2 a tablet of Alka-Seltzer in the water.
- QUICKLY put the lid back on top of the canister.
- Step back.
- In about 5 seconds, the top will go FLYING off with a loud "pop"!!


Don't forget to put a tray or something down because occasionally the canisters will fall over!

What you learn:  REACTIONS!  Water and Alka-Seltzer tablets form a reaction in the form of bubbles!    Pressure builds up and the top finally pops off releasing the built up pressure!


If they are well-behaved through the experiment and keep safety first (meaning-- DONT point your canister at someone when it's about to pop), I surprise them with a 10 canister POP extravaganza!  They LOVE LOVE LOVE it! :) 

This one (and our Diet Coke and Mentos experiment) are their favs.

Science can be FUN! :)

What is your students' favorite classroom activity??

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

An award!

No, I didn't win a Grammy- I know, I know, you're surprised.  I should have won a Grammy... but maybe next year.  (haha!)  But, I did win this sweet little award:



Thanks to Steph from Be a Nut with Mrs. McNutt for giving me a new award!!  Be sure to check our her cutie blog!  :)

Here's the scoop:

Thank the blogger who gave the award to you... Thanks Steph- her blog link is above! :)
Put the award on your blog... see above :)
Pick 5 blogs to share the award with.  (remember the less than 200 followers rule!!)

So here's my picks:  (and sorry if you've already gotten the award- that just means you are twice as awesome! :)

Cathy at Sunshine and Happiness in First Grade  (I met Cathy at our blogger meet-up and she's one awesome chick.  We had fun at the after party... eh, I mean The Container Store.)  :)

Hilary at Our Art Santuary (She's our art teacher at school, and I just love her! )

Lisa at Stories from Second  (Another teacher from our blogger meet-up, but I wasn't able to meet her.  She has great ideas and a cutie blog!!!!  She just barely made the cut off for this award- 198 followers, way to go Lisa!)

Stacy from Off 2 Kindergarten (Another blogger from the meet-up!  I love her blubber tub idea!!!!)

Ashley from Teaching in the Net  (She say with us at the blogger meet-up, and hadn't started a blog before coming.  She now has a blog!  Go celebrate her new blog by following her!!)

So, thanks again, Steph!!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Currently...

It's Farley's Currently party!  I love these :)

Here's mine:


So, be sure to link up and leave me some comments!! :)

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Blog Meet Up


I went to a blogger meet-up on Saturday in Cincinnati hosted by the lovelies Abby and Michelle.  Thank you both for a fun day!  We were greeted with a cute apple name tag and apple cookie lollipop.  Now I know why my Kinders get so excited about lollipops!



They hosted it at the ever-tasty Cheesecake Factory.  My friend, Hilary, came with me and we split some chocolate and caramel cheesecake- Oh-My-Gosh- I could have eaten the whole entire cake.  But, then I wouldn’t have been able to walk out the door..........

Hilary and I, and our new found friend Cathy hopped over to The Container Store... because we all know that store is teacher HEAVEN!  It was hard to exercise restraint with that store, but rest assured, I’ll be back for another visit!!

Such a fun day!  Thanks again, Michelle and Abby, for a fun afternoon!

Anyway, here are the amazing bloggers that came that day!  Be sure to check them out and leave them (and me!) some blogger-lovin’ comments!  (And don't forget to follow me while you are here!)


Hilary from Our Art Sanctuary







Michelle from Fabulous in First (A host of the event!!! Thanks Michelle!)

Chelsea from Blooming into First






Jennifer from Huff Kinder Blog

Amanda from One Extra Degree

Katie from Two Can Do It  and   Reading Resource

Jodi from Fun In First

Ashley from Teaching in the Net


Abby from The Inspired Apple (Another event planner, thanks Abby!)

Rebecca from Darlin’ In First


Jennifer from Far Out First Graders




Whew- that was a LOT of people.  I think there were about 50 people there.  When I talked to Abby, she was expecting it to be a small, cozy get –together like TX or CA meet-ups.  It just looks like us mid-westerners are blog-crazy!!!

Blog Friends:  If your link doesn't work, please let me know!! :)  I hope this helps everyone when finding our friends we met this weekend!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Fast Facts

So in our new Common Core Standards, it says that Kinders should be able to add and subtract fluently within 5.  So, I've gone back to the tried and true method of fast facts.  Fast facts, when I was growing up, were a sheet of math facts and you had 2 minutes to complete as many facts as you could.

I've always had to teach addition and subtraction, but never had to have them master FACTS- just the idea.  So, I've searched the internet for fast fact sheets for Kinder.  I've come up empty handed, so I thought- I'll make my own!

The standard says to add and subtract within 5 (the answer is 5 or less) or 10 in the 3rd and 4th quarter.  I can find Fast Facts that are +1s, +2s, +3s, but never within 5 or 10.  Am I making any sense?  I feel like it's a lot of "Who's On First, What's on Second..."

ANYWAY :)  Here's what I made.

For Fast Facts +0 (within 5) click HERE.
 For Fast Facts +1 (within 5) Click HERE
They are meant to be copied and then cut in 2, so the child gets a 1/2 sheet of paper.

Once my kids complete a Fast Fact, they get a sticker on the "Master Mathematician" chart.  They are super excited about it.

They first have to master addition and subtraction within 5... and then a jumble of addition and subtraction facts... once all that is mastered, then I get out the addition and subtraction within 10 fast facts. 

I have the whole set, if you are interested, leave me your e-mail address and I'll send them your way.  It was too much to put on the blog :)

I wanted to put cute little graphics on my fast facts, but I'm so intimidated by all the copyright laws... anyone want to clue me in on which graphics are easiest to share without the CP {Copyright Police} coming after you???  Which graphics do you use?  I LOVE LOVE LOVE me some Lettering Delights, but they are copyright protected- no sharing!  :)

Don't forget to leave me some comments!  (and I wouldn't be mad at you if you followed me!)

Bloggy Meet Up in Cincinnati on Feb 4!  Babbling Abby and Michelle from Fabulous in First are hosting.