Saturday, February 26, 2011

Drumroll Please....

Winners of my first Give Away. Exciting isn't it?
And, the winners are...

The first winner is Sarah
True Random Number Generator  9Powered by RANDOM.ORG
Sarah
I'm already a follower. :)


I would love to win this. All of your materials are so great.

Stephanie Rose

And I blogged about the giveaway



http://kindergartendressup.blogspot.com/

~Stephanie

lou + you

I follow your blog and absolutely love it. It is so refreshing to see teachers offering great ideas without asking for money. My K colleagues love your site and we have used so many of your freat ideas! Thanks!!




lindsay templeton at yahoo dot com

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Poetry Journals: Making them Matter (March Edition)

I cannot believe that it is almost March. This school year is flying by! This edition of Poetry Journals is a bit different because our themes seem to change in March because we hatch chicks. We don't choose when the eggs/chicks come, so sometimes it is March and sometimes it is in April. This edition will include poems for the following themes; St. Patrick's Day, Spring/March, and Farm/Chicks. You may notice I didn't include the Homework labels that I currently use, I realized that when downloaded, they do not print correctly, so I left them out.


Enjoy!
Shannon


All documents contain fonts that are copyright DJ Inkers. Virtually all documents contain graphics that are copyright DJ Inkers. They are used with permission. Please visit http://www.djinkers.com/, for wonderful clipart and fonts.

All of my Poetry Journals can now be found on TPT, as well.


This March poem, I decided to add for the first week of March. I don't have the poster made yet.
Winds of March
Winds of March


I really don't like my St. Patrick's Day poem, I am hoping to update it for next year, but I haven't found one I truly like. Until then...here is the old one. I forgot to take a picture of my poster. Sorry!
I'm a Little Leprechaun

I'm a Little Leprechaun


The Season Song
The Season Song



Baby Chick

Baby Chick


Piggy

Piggy

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A Hoppy Giveaway!

A Giveaway, how can it be, when you give it all away? Well, I haven't shared it all :-) I have a set of St. Patrick's Day things (A Little Luck early reader, The Blarney Stone Poem, Lucky Numbers Worksheet, Shamrock Sight Word Concentration, St. Patrick's Day Sight Word Find, Building Words (Short a Word Family) Mats with Corresponding Worksheet, Luck Cards (in various languages (I use in the my Morning Message)), and What's in the Shamrock Phonics Worksheet) These are ALL brand new things, I haven't shared them with anyone... not even the gals at work. 


Three lucky winners will receive the new set of items through email. Winners will be picked at random. To enter...
  1. Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment. If you already follow, just leave a comment.
  2. For a second chance to win...blog about this Giveaway and leave a comment.
Winners will be chosen on February 26. Good luck!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Lucky Hoppenings

I must say I have gotten some of the nicest emails and comments over the last few weeks. It makes me feel so good to hear that people are finding my blog useful! I truly enjoy making new things for my room and it keeps my mind off of the miscarriage I had in October and the stress and heartache of fertility difficulties. I believe it is very important to practice what I preach on a daily basis...to share. I love to share, and I love people that share! Many of you have expressed your appreciation....and it has meant a lot to me. I think sometimes, people just forget that others like to hear two simple words....thank you! So, thank you for reading!

I know we are a few weeks away from St. Patrick's Day, but I can't resist...I LOVE it! With a name like Shannon, how could I not love it? I've got to be honest...I create utter chaos the couple days before St. Patrick's Day. We have a leprechaun that enjoys playing tricks on us! Room 17 is filled with excitement, and I love all the giggles and speculation.

Enjoy!
Shannon


Books

    Jack and the Leprechaun - Patrick's Day Books for KidsJamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato - Patrick's Day Books for KidsHooray for St. Patrick's Day! - Patrick's Day Books for Kids


Literacy Activities


The Earth Words vs Alien Words Rainbow Sort helps students blend actual words and nonsense words. It's not teaching to the test, it's practicing a skill to help them be successful readers!
Earth Words vs Alien Words Rainbow Sort

St. Patricks Day Building Words Mats


St. Patricks Day Sight Words

Math Activities
St. Patricks Day Number Go Fish

St. Patrick's Day Adding and Code

For the Fill Your Pot Game...use a paper fastener and a paperclip. I bought little gold stones for the students to use to fill their pot. I tweaked an idea that came from....well I can't remember. I thought it was from Krazy for Kindergarten or Mrs. Kimbrell's Kindergarten but it didn't. Anyway, it was a game that students could build a chimney...I tweaked it by adding a spinner and changed up the template design. If the original came from you...let me know :-)
Fill your pot of gold Spinner Game

St. Patrick's Day Patterns

Counting by Fives Shamrocks

Graphing Lucky Charms


For St. Patrick's Day, we make these in.cred.ible rainbows! They are a HUGE undertaking and lots of work, but they turn out beautiful. To make...put shaving cream on a flat surface in the shape of a rainbow. Students use Liquid Watercolor from http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/product/productdetail.aspx?product=16821.
 Click Image To Close
It isn't necessary to use this specific paint, you can use tempera paint that has be watered down or food coloring. However, the Liquid Watercolors line of paints is awesome! It is great for general painting, coloring playdough,  refillable Bingo Dabbers or sprayers...lots of stuff! Back to the technique...Students drip paint on their shaving cream, then gently swirl the paint using the end of a tongue depressor. Then take white construction paper and gently press it to the shaving cream. Use the edge of a tongue depressor to scrape off the shaving cream....this is what it leaves behind....

Counting by 5's to 100

A few requests for the President's Day student cards to 100...your wish is granted :)

Enjoy!
Shannon

All documents contain fonts that are copyright DJ Inkers. Virtually all documents contain graphics that are copyright DJ Inkers. They are used with permission. Please visit http://www.djinkers.com/, for wonderful clipart and fonts.
Presidents Day Counting by 5's to 100

Saturday, February 19, 2011

One last activity for President's Day

We are practicing counting by 5's and as much as I love the songs I have that help teach counting by 5's, I needed something else. We just made Counting by 10's strips with hearts for Valentines day, so I thought...might as well do something similar :)

Enjoy!
Shannon

All documents contain fonts that are copyright DJ Inkers. Virtually all documents contain graphics that are copyright DJ Inkers. They are used with permission. Please visit http://www.djinkers.com/, for wonderful clipart and fonts.

These cards we are going to use to practice as a class. I am going to put velcro on the back and add it to the Flannel Board Center.
Presidents Day Counting by 5's to 100 Center Card

These are the student version. Students are going to glue them to a sentence strip. They fit better if you have the sentence strip in a vertical position. These cards only go to 50 because that is all I need. If you would like them to 100, just let me know!
Presidents Day Counting by 5's to 50

Stylish Blogger Award



Very surprised to have been awarded this. Thank you Dana for my award...http://love2learnandshare.blogspot.com/I absolutely ADORE LeeLou Blogs, so that's where the design came from.


 Here are the rules for receiving this award:
1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

Seven things about me:
1.  I LOVE to cook and bake. Over the last several years, I have really come into my own and am considered by friends and family to be a really good cook and baker. I just love to feed others :)
2.  My affinity for the color green and frogs within my classroom have really taken on a life of their own.
3.  I never imagined that I would be 34 without children but here I am. We've been trying forever. Which brings me to why I now blog. I miscarried at 9 weeks in October. Blogging and creating literally keeps my mind off of the possible fact, I may never have children.
4. I absolutely adore my Lemondrop Martini's.
5. I shop, way too much. I spend too much, especially for my classroom.
6.  I really enjoy reality tv. Bravo is one of my favorite channels, Top Chef and those crazy Real Housewives....look away, I'm hideous.
7.  I have two cats. They are Thundercats. The one is my cat. He is my baby and is seriously spoiled rotten. His name is Liono. He is awesome and has a bunch of nicknames. 

15 great bloggers who are getting this award next:

http://ladybugsteacherfiles.blogspot.com/
http://oceansoffirstgradefun.blogspot.com/
http://mrsleeskinderkids.blogspot.com/
http://swampfrogfirstgraders.blogspot.com/
http://lilcountrykindergarten.blogspot.com/
http://thekindergartencorral.blogspot.com/
http://woodkinderclass.blogspot.com/
http://mrskilburnkiddos.wordpress.com/
http://teacherscannotlivebyapplesalone.blogspot.com/
http://mrsguntoriusclass.blogspot.com/
http://sugarplusspice.blogspot.com/
http://mrsmorrowskindergarteners.blogspot.com/
http://teachinghappilyeverafter.blogspot.com/
http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/
http://icanyoucantoucanclass.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Shari Sloane

If you don't know who Shari Sloane is, then you must, must, must visit her site...http://kidscount1234.com/. I will be honest, I am biased toward anyone who SHARES not just ideas, but actual materials. I am a firm believer that teachers are made better by sharing, collecting, and tweaking.


Her website has so many things on it; math games, big books, literacy centers, and lots of pictures!


I adore her School is Cool CD. My kiddos love Like to Count It, Count It and Vowel Bat. I went ahead a forked over the $28.99 for the Vowel Bat set from Katie & Co. http://katieandcompany.net/puppets.html and it was well worth it. My students are simply mesmerized by that bat.



I also purchased the Like to Count it set for $18.95. We are thoroughly enjoying them!



Her newest CD came out last June, be sure to check it out!



Sunday, February 13, 2011

A Little More Love!

Happy Sunday all!
I have a few more things to share for Valentine's Day/Friendship Activities. My thoughts and uploads aren't organized very well today, so there isn't really any rhyme or reason, you'll just have to look past my lack of organization today. Thanks for reading :)

Enjoy!
Shannon

All documents contain fonts that are copyright DJ Inkers. Virtually all documents contain graphics that are copyright DJ Inkers. They are used with permission. Please visit http://www.djinkers.com/, for wonderful clipart and fonts.

We do a lot with candy hearts. We sort them by color, graph our favorite sayings, we estimate how many we can hold, count how many are in our individual boxes and graph them, and we LOVED playing the Capture the Heart game posted by Heidi at Swamp Frog! http://swampfrogfirstgraders.blogspot.com/2011/01/capture-heart.html
Graphing Candy Hearts

My Hoppers love to color by code, so I am always trying to come up with worksheets that I know they will enjoy.
Counting Hearts


In January, I teach my students how to say hello in different Languages, during our Morning Meeting. We learn Hello All Around the World by Jack Hartmann, and I purchased these cards through Lakeshore Learning....
Hello From Around the World
I really wanted to come up with different ways to jazz up our Morning Message for February, as well. I decided we would learn how to say "love" in various languages. I made this cards to use during our Morning Meeting.
Love in Various Languages


Here is a little class book :)
A Friend Class Book


A few pictures (our Valentine holders, our narrow (pain in the rear) bulletin board, and our February Memory book page (the original idea I believe came from Kim Jordano).