Monday Made It 6/17/13

It's Monday!  Starting to become my fave days of the week......over the summer at least:)

 

 

Lots of awesome link ups last week.  I need a new notebook to write all the ideas down in!!!!

My first "Made It" for this week was one posted on last week's Made It. 

My buddy The Tattooed Teacher posted her adorable, editable Instagram button.  I made mine.....do you see it.......over there on the sidebar.......it looks like this:

I love it:)  She gives awesome instructions too....I don't know about you but a lot of the time I need things broken down in steps for me....especially when it comes to technology:)

 

Speaking of editable files......

Since I have tweaked my colors for this year, I am in the process of remaking everything that I had in my room.  I wanted to change my classroom jobs "area".  I have a door that joins to the classroom next to me and that's where I'll put these.  Once I get my student list, I will add the names and I'll be all set.  This "Just Doin' My Job" set is turquoise and grey AND is FREE in my store for today only.  The name tags are editable(thanks GINA!) and I have also added some editable job signs for other jobs you may do.  I'm hoping to add a few other color schemes:)

 

I am soooooooo excited about this one.  I have been looking for chevron duct tape to match my new colors.....anyway, I was at Hobby Lobby last week.........my home away from home....lol, and saw this:

Then I bought this....it's shower board from Home Depot....if you are going to do these, buy the big board....it's so much cheaper:)  Then they cut it for you:)

I used that awesome duct tape to edge all the boards.  Yes, it took me a long time.....

4 hours of long time, but I think it's worth it. 

Now I have new dry erase boards for my class.  We use dry erase boards EVERY day, especially during out morning math meeting. 

 

 

Those are my Made Its for this week.  I didn't get a home one in:(  Hopefully next week I will have one:)

Now it's your turn to link up:)  Can't wait to see it all this week:)  Thanks for all the inspiration:)  Don't forget to grab my button and put it on your post please:)  I would also love it if you would take the time to comment on the linkups you visit, might just make someone's day:) 

Thanks bunches:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Optimum Organization - Desks and Tubs

Happy Father's Day!

 

Poppin in super quick to join my bud's linky

Ladybug's Teacher Files and Fun in Room 4B

 

 

My little addition to this linky this week is how I "organize" my desks.  I know there are tons of ways to arrange a classroom and tons of research to support all the different ways.......

 

so here's my two cents......I LOVE my kid's desks to be in groups!  I have tried horseshoe and rows and half circle and spread out........don't like any of them but groups!!

A) it gives me more room because my classroom is small:/

B) I love to do lots of "team" activities

C) I love the relationships that form out of the kids being in groups

 

Now, yes I have to play with the grouping, especially at the beginning of the school year, but that's ok.  I tend to change up things every quarter anyway.  I usually do them in groups of 4s and 5s.

 

To go along with my groups are their team tubs.  For the life of me I can't find my pic of last years......I know I have it, just can't find it:/  Sorry.....but here's a pic of this years:

 

I got these at Hob Lob of course:) 

I'm going to use the turquoise cups (1 in each) in each tub for pencils.  These tubs will also hold glue, crayons, markers, colored pencils and scissors.  We use a community approach to the supplies in my classroom.  At the beginning of the year I collect them all and then refill the team tubs as supplies run down or get old and need replacement.  I'll be decorating these tubs before they hit my classroom with ribbon and team tub  labels:) 

 

So that all counts as organizing right?????

Have a blessed day!

 



Friday Five :D

Hi all!  

 

This is gonna be mostly pics and few words....I am half way through my huge "to do" list for the day and if I sit too long I will NEVER get going again....anyone else have that prob????

 

But I couldn't resist linking up again with Doodle Bug's Five For Friday.  I love this linky:)

So here are 5ish random pics from my week this week...If you follow me on Instagram these are gonna look familiar....sorry:/

 

 

I am trying super hard to get into better shape this summer.  If you follow my blog, you will know that I run.....I just started last summer and loved it.  Well my hubs and kids got me a new iPod for Mother's Day and I have put it to good use:)  The number on the left was my run today...the number on the right is how far I have run this summer:)))  That's 90 miles people!!!!

 

My daughter saw some fun different "juice" ideas somewhere....Pinterest or Instagram....anywho, we are going to be trying all kinds of fruit infused water this summer:)  This was our first one, it's blackberry and sage.  Pretty good....a little different but so much better for us than soda;)

 

 

These came in the mail this week.  I can't put Teach Like a Pirate down!!!  It's awesome!  I haven't started the other book yet but can't wait to read it either!!

 

 

 

My new colors are popping up everywhere when I shop.....and I have no discipline when it comes to not buying something for my classroom!!!

 

 

 

Went here....who am I kidding....I'm here a lot!!! 

 

Found this!!!!!!!

Yep, it's duct tape......yep, it matches my new gray, lime, black, white, turquoise theme!!!!!!!!

I know there is no turquoise in it but all the other colors are ......it's like they made it just for me:D

 

That's my Friday Five!  Hope you all have a fantastic Friday!!



Autobiographies for EOY and BOY:)

Happy Summer all!

 

I am trying hard to think my summer isn't going by fast but IT IS!!!

 

I have a 2 day common core training coming up and then June is over:(((

 

I have decided that in between Monday Made It posts and other wonderful linkies, this summer I would blog about a few things we did during the year that I didn't have time to blog about because crazy got in the way.........you understand that, right?

 

Today I want to share an awesome product that I got from a super sweet blogger.  A little while back I saw an awesome post about adorable autobiographies made by Becky from Dots-n-Spots.  (she is also a 4th grade teacher) When I saw her post about these, I was knocked over with the cuteness and how wonderful an idea this is:)  I need to tell ya, she got this awesome inspiration and  idea from Christi at Ms. Fultz's Corner.  Thank you Christi for such an incredible activity for the kids!

 

I thought....what a great way to end the school year:)

So we started working on them.  There are several pages:)  Some of them I assigned for homework, so they could ask their parents questions....and some of them I had them do during Daily 5, Work on Writing.

The kids LOVED doing this.  Some of them even brought in real pictures for the cover.  They all really put some time and effort into these.

One of my favorite pages that Becky made for these is the "I AM" page...

I really enjoyed reading each and every one of these......some of them brought me to tears....like I said, the kids were very thoughtful with their answers and responses.

 

I did a TERRIBLE job of taking pics but that's ok because you have got to check out her post on this awesome set!  There are tons of pages and options (you can see all those in her blog post)  It even has a rubric for grading:) 

 

Now, as I have been preparing for the next school year, I was thinking how much fun my kids had doing these and how much more I got to know them by reading them all.........then I thought....

WHAT A GREAT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR PROJECT!!!!

So yep, that's what I am planning to do:)

You have got to pop over to Becky's blog and see her post on these!  They are just awesome!



Monday Made It - 6/10/13

Happy Monday Made It!  I am so excited so many of you linked up last week:)  Thank you!  My summer "to do" list is growing and growing. 

 

Here are my Monday Made Its for this week:

 

Classroom Made It #1

I blogged about this yesterday.  It's my new organization for all those endless papers that we collect as teachers each week.  If you want to see more about this, you can go read HERE.

 

Classroom Made It #2

To go right along with that File It For Friday, I finally made this:

 

Can I tell ya something.......I have had this 3 drawer thing since LAST summer.....I just never did anything with it and then The Tattooed Teacher posted hers last week and that got me going.

It matches my File It For Friday AND

 

they match my new crate seats:)

 

Classroom Made It #3 and 4

Since I have decided to tweak my colors a little (pushing out the pink.....still haven't decided about pulling in more turquoise.....here's why....I'm a spaz and the "turquoise" shades don't match...some are greeny, some are brighter bluey......so, I'm still thinking on that)  so right now my focus is:

black/white/gray/lime........

 

So I realized that I will need to remake all the things I have hanging in my room: my Daily 5 board, my classroom rules, my everything.....so I started that.  I made a new math rotation board.

I have also had many of you ask about my Morning Math Meeting board....well, I finally did it:)

Matching makes me happy people.  (I also have these sets in chocolates in my store)

 

My Home Made It:

I didn't make this.....I made it out of things I bought so that counts:)

 

So, have I told you I LOVE Pier One?!  Well, I do.  I got this glass vase and these cool balls from there.  They have been my dining room table center piece for a while.  Well, I was kinda over them and wanted something a little "lighter" looking for spring/summer and all....

So I came up with this.  I love peacock feathers and the twiggy things are from Hobby Lobby.

I put little glass puddles thing-a-ma-bobs in the bottom to hold the feathers and twiggy things in place

This is a pic of the twiggy things....there's a ton of them....I still have left over....I tried putting a bunch in the vase but didn't like it at all...

Added peacock feathers to it and I'm done

I really like the way it turned out:)

 

Now it's your turn to link up your create awesomeness so my list can continue growing:)

Don't forget to grab the button to put with your post when you link up:)

Organizing those ENDLESS Papers:D

Happy Sunday everyone!

  I am linking up to 2 of my fave blogs and their organization linky today

Fun in Room 4B and Ladybug's Teacher Files!  I mean, seriously, who doesn't love to be organized?!  I know it makes me oh so happy when I am and I'm always looking for others ways to organize my little messes:)

 

 I sooooo wanted to link up yesterday but couldn't because.....I was with this girl

my sweet daughter at a beach volleyball tourney.  She and her beach partner got 2nd place!  It was a super close match and I am so proud of her and love going to watch her play:)  So that's why I didn't link up yesterday....ok, back to organization;)

 

I have a confession to make.............................I am a paper saver.  Like almost every single paper my students do (almost) I keep and file.  Why?  I'm not sure....I like to have examples for conferences, I like to have evidence of what they can do.........I don't know but the papers and the filing have gotten to be a bit much and a pain.  So this next year I am going to try this:

This is my new plan....now, this idea is not original....my old teammate used to do something like this....I just had to name it and make it cute and color coordinate it and.......um, yes, another confession.....I have a problem;)  So this is my new "no more paper pain" for next year.....my File It For Friday bin.  I got the bin at Walmart. 

We have classroom jobs and one of them is Teacher's Assistant....so I have decided that every morning, my assistant will file any graded papers in this bin.  (Of course, once I get my class list, they will each have a folder)  Then on Friday, those papers will be pulled and put into......................................................................

 

well,............................................................

 

um................I haven't gotten that far yet.  Thinking a Friday Folder of some sort, for them to take home and empty for the next week.  Ok, so it's not completely thought out and done yet BUT it's a good start.  The papers will be organized and out of my hair:)))  LOVE that!

Hoping I will have the rest of this thought out by next week so I can link some more organization:)

Have a blessed Sunday all and don't forget to pop by back for tomorrow's Monday Made It!

 



Quiet Pencil Sharpener?!?! YEP!

Hello all!  We are currently under a tropical storm warning so I am popping in to tell ya about this amazing pencil sharpener the kiddos and I had a chance to try out the last week of school.

 

I have seen the Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener on several blogs and have to be honest.....wasn't sure I was believing what I was reading.  I don't know about you, but I have a love/hate relationship with my pencil sharpeners. 

 

My classroom has this lovely bolted to the wall:

It is wonderful for an upper body workout, but for sharpening pencils....not so much:/ (it doesn't even hang right....)

 

Then I invested in electric sharpeners.....one not so much money, the other, a little more money.  Both worked for a little bit BUT both got jammed often and one sounds more like it's giving a bad root canal than sharpening a pencil.

 

My kiddos are SUPPOSED to have pencils sharpened before the bell rings....BUT, you always get that one or 2 kiddos that forget....that's fine until I'm in small groups and the "root canal" sound starts......

 

So, I decided I had to see what all the chat about this sharpener was....couldn't hurt, right?  Better than the horrible drilling sound.....

 

Enter Classroom Friendly Sharpener...

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised:)  It is VERY quiet.

And sharpen pencils????????  Take a looksy..

No noise, no upper body workout (as much as I might need it...my kiddos don't), and super sharp pencils every time!

I'm also excited because it came in black and that matches my classroom:)  My kids couldn't believe it....especially since they had to wrestle with the others all year...lol.

Will be grabbing another one of these before the new school year starts:)  If you want to check them out for yourself, click on the pic below:

Don't forget, I've kicked off the weekly Monday Made It...

You can still link up this week or get something ready for next:)  I'm so excited about all the great ideas I am adding to my to do list:)

Have a great day and if you're in Florida with me, stay dry and safe:)