Circle Frenzy Letters

I've had several people ask where I got the letters that I have up in my classroom (from pics in previous posts).  I got them from a teacher supply store here locally but found a link where you can get the letters and any of the other stuff in that collection.  The collection itself is called Circle Frenzy....not sure that is the name of the letters but here is the link for both:)

Letters Link

Circle Frenzy Collection

Quick side note:  Love these borders (polka dot the most) but when I put them up it just seemed like something was missing....maybe cuz they have straight edges instead of wavy????  I don't know but anywho, decided to layer with a solid colored wavy border underneath and LOVE!  Here's some pics...

Vista Print Order Came:D

After I saw soooooo many of my bloggy friends postin their oh too cute goodies from Vista Print, I had to check it out for myself.  Most of my stuff was free, other than the shipping but of course after you design something they show you all this cute stuff to go with it and I broke down and ordered!!

Got some labels to put into my books in my classroom:)

Some fun notes and a pen all with my name:)))

...some cute cards made to give the students for their bdays:)

Thank you notes to match...

and finally, cute little business cards to give each of the kiddos and their parents (and half of you all in bloggy land too....teehee.  Didn't know there were so many!!!)

If you can't see it, the card says....Welcome to 4th Grade!  We're gonna have a sweet time!

Confession and Share

Okeedokie....this is going to be a quick post! 

1) My confession....I am SO overwhelmed right now!!!  I am one who doesn't deal well with change (confession....I'm working on it) So ordered the CAFE and Daily 5 and have been frantically reading because I want to put them in place in my classroom this year. (I start Monday, students a week from that) So there's a change and I am still trying to work it all out in my head as to what will be best in my room.  THEN, today I went to a training....Reader's Toolkit, Train the Trainer.  So I am on information overload and am super stressed as to what to use, how to make it work, when to start it.............all these "programs" are great....it's just that change thing and making it work the very best for my kiddos....that's the goal. So, I'm gonna grab a cup of coffee and try to calmly think it all through.  (Any suggestions, wisdom, prayers,...all are welcome:) )

2) My share, although what I just spilled sounded like a share....this one is fun:)  I am oh too lucky to be a creative contributor with a super bunch of gals at Create-Share-Inspire.  I just posted about some Making Words Letter Puddles.  So if you want to see what that's all about, please hop over and check out our blog:)

My Vocabulators:)

I talked about my vocabulators in a previous post but didn't have pics.  Now that I have been in my classroom, I snapped a quick one.  The kids love these to use with their writing:)

The containers I got from the Melissa Forney training I went to last summer.  I'm pretty sure you can purchase them on her website.  From left to right, this is what I have:

- the one with gumballs is full of color words (like pumpkin instead of orange...)

- the green rice are words to use instead of big and you can't see them but there are dinosaurs in there too:)

- the yellow one is a theme one: Florida words - it has little suns confetti, sunglasses, a tourist, and Florida animals

- the pink one, words to use other than happy - it is also filled with smiley face confetti and these cute plastic flowers with smiles

- the clear/white one is filled with this floral filler that looks like little ice pieces - it is words to use other than cold - there are also little snowflake buttons in there and clear jewels

- the blue one is another theme - ocean words - it has fish confetti and also small plastic sea animals

On Melissa Forney's website it also tells how to dye the rice.  It is pretty easy.  LTM party store is a great place to get all kinds of fun confetti, lots of different shapes, colors, and themes.  Michaels is where I got all the little animals to add to them.  They have tubes of little animals and theme type things.  The kids really love the added treasures mixed in with the words.  Once I decided my theme or overused word...I typed up a document with the new words.  I typed each word 2 times.  Cut them all out and then glued the pairs together, back to back, so no matter which way they shake or turn it, they can still see the word:)  Once glued, I laminated, cut out again and done.  Put it all together and have fun: D  Hope this all makes sense and is helpful;)

Congrats goes to.....

Thank you, thank you to everyone who entered my Seussy bracelet giveaway.  I truly wish I had the money to  buy one bracelet for everyone that entered!!  The winner is:

Congrats Randee!!!!!  You'll be starting the school year off with this fun bracelet on your arm:)  (Me too cuz you know I just had to buy one for me!!!  Adorable and fun!!)  Gmail me where you would like me to mail this.  Enjoy!!!

Classroom Part 2 and Giveaway Reminder:D

Day 2 in the classroom and yeah!!!!!, the air conditioning was working!!  I was doin the happy dance when I opened my backdoor and felt coolness:)  So here is the update with pics...I am oh too excited about how it is coming together:)  I am not going in now until Monday (official start day) so feel good about what I got done so far:)  Today I worked on fine tuning smaller areas since I got all the funiture (desks, bookcases, tables) where I wanted them yesterday (see that layout on the post before this one:))

Here's my awesome helpers, my daughter Tay and her boyfriend Garrett:)  Couldn't have gotten so much done without them:)

This little wall is in my "cozy reading area".  It's small posters of all the reading skills we will be going over for the school year:)  The posters were made by Mrs. Lamb.  Go check out her stuff....she has amazing resources!!!  Mrs. Lamb Reading Resources

 Saw one of these on Pinterest in a child's bedroom and just had to make it!!  It turned out awesome!!  It is book covers that I have been collecting (laminated) and then glued onto a black and white polka dot ribbon.  It's my storybook bunting and I absolutely LOVE IT!!

Another pic of my storybook bunting:)

This section of my dry erase board is marked off for homework.  Now the kids know exactly where to look to record what their homework will be for the night in their agendas.

The start of my CAFE board!  So excited to start this this year:)

Bookcase in my cozy reading area.

My back corner which will be where we gather for read alouds.  Found this black and white rug to go along with my black and white with pink/green spinkles on top theme:)

Don't forget, my Seussy bracelet giveaway ends tonight at 11:59.  Be sure to enter and good luck to all:)

You can enter HERE:)

Woooo I'm Half Way There.....

First day in my classroom and I am WIPED OUT!!!!  My EVERYTHING aches AND to make life better......NO air conditioner ALL day!!!  Did I say NO AIR???  Okay, enough complaining....here's some pics of the slow, sweaty progress(there I go complaining again.....can ya tell I'm a tiny bit grouchy...Florida and no air don't mix)

Here's some before pics.  I am in a totally new room this year and having trouble making it all work...

This is the front of my room: (the rug went to another teacher...I am looking for a black and white one)

The back of my room:

The side where I lost some floor space but gained tons of storage:)

Moving and shifting:

Here's the progress so far:

I didn't take very many pics of the progress cuz I was hot and grouchy:(((  Going back tomorrow and praying for air conditioning:)  Stay tuned:D

Yipee!!!!!!!!

I just grabbed my laptop to take a looksy at recent posts and GUESS WHAT?!  I won another giveaway!!!  I won Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies super cute Star basket!!  If you haven't already, HOP (teehee) over there and check out her blog:))

Wohoo!!! I'm doing the happy dance:)  That's 2 in 2 days!!!  What a blessing!!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway....it ends at 11:59p.m. Wednesday, July 27th:)

Sweet Behavior Classroom Mgt. and a Freebie

For individual classroom mgt./behavior mgt. in my classroom I use something I call "E Money".  E for Eiken, my last name. (Original idea from my buddy Lynn)  I have 1s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 50s, and 100s made in play money.  The kids have a bank log and keep track of their credits and debits on this sheet.  (thinking about changing this up to a small notebook)  The first day of school I introduce the money and go over a few things that they can get credits or debits for.  (Homework turned in on time, prepared for class, compliments from other teachers they earn money (credits)/ disrespectful, no homework, ....lose money(debit) )  We then sit as a class and the kids come up with things to add to my list that would be a credit or a debit.  This helps them to take ownership in it and they really come up with some good ones!!  Once a month then I have a class auction where the kids get to spend (if they choose to) the money they have earned by bidding.  Believe it or not, some of them really like saving it:)  I have tried a few different things for them to keep their money in, last year I bought 5 by 7 white mail envelopes and let them decorate them on the first day, then I took them home and laminated them and they lasted great all year:)  In the past I have ordered pencil pouches from Oriental Trading and that has worked well too:)

This year in addition to the E money, I am also putting into place the "Sweet Behavior" system.  I saw this on someone's blog (don't know who the original author was:(( ) and loved it because it focuses on teamwork towards "good behavior" not just individual.  I showed a pic of my cookie sheet a while back....here's another pic:

So, they will start the school year with an empty cookie sheet and earn cupcakes for different things such as: good transitions, good cafeteria behavior, great teamwork (the kids sit in Kagan groups and we do tons of team activities).....you get the idea.  Once the cookie sheet is full, they as a class will earn a reward.  One thing they always love to do is bring their lunch trays back to my classroom to eat, so that will be one reward.  I made this poster to hang with my cookie sheet and am giving it as a freebie today:)  I will confess, I struggled with whether to call it "Sweet Rewards" or "Sweet Behavior"....I settled on "Sweet Behavior" because that's what we are working towards as a team to earn the reward;)  Enjoy your "sweet" freebie!

Sweet Behavior

P.S. If you haven't, don't forget to enter my adorable Seussy giveaway.  Who wouldn't want to too fun bracelet?!   Giveaway detail and entry here.

I won!! I won!!

I am up at the crack of dawn to head out to watch my "little girl", all 5'11 of her..play in a tourney and just jumped into bloggy land really quick and YIPEE!!!  I won the Back to School Kickoff from Teaching Heart!!  What an awesome thing to wake up to!!  Thanks Teaching Heart.  If you haven't checked them out, you must, there are giveaways all week:))

"Teaching Heart (http://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, Teacheing 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!!!"

Thank you, thank you!!!  Now I'm off to watch my baby:)

Update and Changes to giveaway, Please Read

Hi all:) Due to something I was just made aware of, I have had to add some rules to my giveaway.  I apologize for any confusion.  If you have already entered my giveaway, please go there again quickly and read the update:) Click Here.  If you haven't entered the giveaway, you will want to, the bracelet is adorable:)