A Few Days Late

I have been swamped this past week! I apologize for not getting this up on Wednesday when it should have gone up.

Congratulations Bridget! I have sent you an email :)

It has taken me forever and a day, but I finally finished my Thanksgiving Unit. Here is the link to TPT...

And, here is the description...

Over 100 pages, with a total of 14 math and literacy activities all developed around the Kindergarten Common Core Standards. Activities and skills addressed include;

A Cornucopia of CVC Words- L.K.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. L.K.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Color a Sight Word- RF.K.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Turkey Time- RF.K.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Gob·ble!- RF.K.2. Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

May There Always Be… - L.K.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. RF.K.1. Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

Thanksgiving Recipes- W.K.3. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

Fall Holiday Sort- L.K.5. With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

Fill the Cornucopia- K.MD.3. Classify objects into given categories; count the numbers of objects in each category and sort the categories by count.

Leader of the Pack- K.MD.2. Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has “more of”/“less of” the attribute, and describe the difference. For example, directly compare the heights of two children and describe one child as taller/shorter.

Make the Dinner- K.CC.2. Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).

How Many Pies? - K.CC.5. Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects.

Base Ten Spin a Number - K.NBT.1. Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (such as 18 = 10 + 8); understand that these numbers are composed of ten ones and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.

Who Caught More?- K.CC.5. Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects. K.CC.6. Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.

20 Feathers- K.CC.3. Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).

The packet includes over 100 pages of color activities and student work (sorts, recording sheets, emergent reader) for your Kindergarten classroom. Also, good for early first grade.

I hope you have a wonderful week! Thanks so much for reading!
Shannon

Ten Frame Posters, Focus Wall, and a Giveaway!

I've had some requests for some items, so here's what I've been working on...

Monster Ten Frame Mini Posters

Seuss Inspired Ten Frame Mini Posters for my partner in crime and her Seuss room!

Rock On! Ten Frame Mini Posters for my Firstie Friend Patty :0)

I finally got the DJ Inkers Commercial License, Yay!!!! First up, my focus wall. Here's a pic,

Based on feedback I changed up the Focus Wall to include I statements, so it will look a bit different. The entire wall is to be used as a form of goal focusing with your students. The main headings are Theme, Math, Reading, Writing, Phonics, and Phonemic Awareness. It is all based on the Common Core for Kindergarten. Along with a TON of I statements, 42 letter sound combinations are included, Dolch sight words (90 sight words with blanks), 78 word family cards, and 41 theme cards (with blanks).

I am also hosting a Learning Resources Giveaway! I wanted to try out this Frog Game for number and color matching, but the main reason I wanted this was for fine motor development. I noticed over the last few years that students are coming in with less control. This is PERFECT to get those muscles working!

The set retails for $21.99. For one lucky reader....it will be free! Here's how to to enter...

1. You must follow Learning Resources on either...

• Facebook,
• Pinterest, OR
• Twitter

2. You must follow my blog :0)

3. Leave 1 comment that includes the following (that you follow LR on one of the 3 listed), that you follow my blog, and an answer to this "School supplies have made their way to the shelves...does this excite you or freak you out?" Be sure you leave ONLY ONE comment along with your email address. 

Leave a comment by 12PM (Central Time) on Wednesday, September 5, 2012. The winner will be announced on Wednesday evening.

As always thanks so much for the support and for reading! Happy Labor Day!!!
Shannon

I {heart} Lakeshore

Anyone who has ever seen my classroom knows that I absolutely ADORE Lakeshore products! I cannot convey how much of my past classroom budget and paychecks have gone to their products. Everything I have purchased has been of absolute quality and truly benefits my students.

This past year our school f.i.n.a.l.l.y. got Smartboards. Well, you know me, I am all about creating materials for my classroom; however, we got them when I had just had Cooper. He was a month old and I was on leave. I knew that I wouldn't have time to search for lessons and activities, let alone create them, so I took a route that would benefit my students, as well as, myself....I wrote a grant. We have an incredible organization in our district that has big fundraisers and then gives the money out to classrooms for new things that they want to try. In the past I've written grants for Family Literacy Bags, LeapFrog Technology Centers, and Reading Buddies. My new grant was for Smartboard Centers. My partner in crime and I received this lovely box of centers....

They are AMAZING!!!

I was contacted by Lakeshore to try out their Phonemic Awareness Plinko Game. It is awesome! Students can practice beginning sounds, ending sounds, and rhyming.

The game board is durable and the chips are not just cardboard or laminated. I LOVE this game for early first grade!!

Here is a little something from Lakeshore for you! Enjoy a Buy One, Get One 50% off.....www.lakeshorelearning.com/bogo.

Without a hitch

Friday was the first day with my new kiddos, and oh my gravy...are they cute! I normally have TONS of stuff planned and then get one thing accomplished. It's funny how I forget what the first few days of school are like....practice, practice, practice! Sometimes I feel like some sort of drill sergeant. I always feel like I am trying to cram so many rules and procedures into them that they must go home thinking "Kindergarten isn't fun."

But, Friday was different. I kept it pretty low key and fun for them. We got many of the rules and procedures down, but also did Dr. Jean's Peanut Butter song (because Heaven knows how much they love to hear the word underwear!), we read Pete the Cat Rocking in my School Shoes, did a school tour looking for Pete's Shoes, read the book with the music again by request, had gym...even lunch went without a hitch! I am soooo looking forward to this school year. I feel like I am in complete control of one area of my life and it is at school.

I haven't had too much time to create anything new. I've been getting home around 6 and then spend some time with the Little Mister, shower, wash and get bottles ready, try to eat a little dinner, and then sit comatose. 

Although, last night I made some Owl Theme Ten Frame Mini Posters for all you owl lovers out there. I am hoping to finally finish up my Thanksgiving unit soon.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Owl-Ten-Frame-Number-Posters

I've had some questions about my Focus Wall.

This is a new feature in my classroom. I am going to use it so my students know what we are working on for the entire week, as a form of early goal setting. On the first day of the week, I will talk about many of the things we will be learning for the week (Theme, Math, Reading, Writing, Phonics, and Phonemic Awareness) (I plan on adding a PBIS goal too). I have general "blurbs" for each heading that are linked with what we are working on and the Common Core. For example, Math might say Counting to 100. Looking back at the creation, I wish I had done I can statements, but live and learn, right? Then on Fridays, we will go over what our goals were and what we still need to work on. I love the idea of having them feel like they are in some control of their own learning.

Yes, I do plan on selling this on TPT, but I am still wondering if I should tweak it a bit first. Let me know what you think! 

Happy Sunday!

Shannon

Revamp 2012

My classroom revamp is going very well. It's been lots of work, but I definitely LOVE my new classroom. It's not completely done yet. Here are some of my new boards, hopefully the room will be done tomorrow!

Here is my word wall before.

Here is the after (although I don't have words up yet because I put them up as we learn them).

Putting that up was a PAIN, I now remember why I had the other one up so long!

A close up...

My new Focus Wall...

I LOVE it!!! I included all as much of the Common Core as I could. The plan is to talk with my Kinders on Monday about our goals for the week and refer to it throughout the week. On Friday's, we will talk about how we did and what we still need to work on. :0)

A close up...

I put magnetic tape on the back of my Ten Frame Number posters, so the kiddos can manipulate them. Thanks to Barb for that little nugget!

I use to keep my Table Groups in a pocket chart on the wall; however, the Smartboard resides there now. So, I put them on the dry erase board, as well. Thanks Pam!

Calendar Wall... missing the Partner Chart.

I love it all so far! I've still got some things to do. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you :0) I hope you are all either enjoying your time back with your students or enjoying the process of prepping as much as I am. I get to meet 22 smiling faces on Thursday, and I CAN'T wait!!!!

Progress

 I've never needed a ton of sleep, even through my pregnancy I could get by with about 5 hours a night. Lately, I'm averaging about 3 hours per night. Seriously, I don't know how I am functioning at all. But, here I am...10PM just finished cleaning bottles, working on math assessments and rubrics, oh, and the all too important blogging :0)

I had some focus today. I unpacked, unpacked, and unpacked all my math and literacy centers, hung up my long weird bulletin board in the hall, labeled cubbies, typed out and printed my welcome letters, organized 3 big ole boxes of books into Fountas and Pinnell levels, and walked to the office a zillion times looking for supplies that once I got there (after seeing and talking to people in the hall) had forgotten what I needed, over and over and over. All in all a pretty good day.

Here are some pics...

The famous Pinterest inspired crate chairs, which will more than
likely get me into hot water with Scary Maintenance Guy...
"Are these flammable?"

My fire chairs filled with highly flammable leveled readers.
Took FOREVER to organize by level, but I felt soooo good afterward!

I've had some questions about how I organize my library for my classroom. When I got into my room, there was no rhyme or reason to the organization of the books, so the first thing I did was take an inventory, then I wanted to determine what the purpose was...did I want them all organized by level or theme. I chose theme. These are books that students have access to everyday. I wanted them to find the books/characters they love, quickly.

The next thing I did was create book bin labels with matching labels. Each book has a label that is displayed on the front cover. This allows students to just match the pictures. My bins are EL Cheapo! I bought ice cube bins from walmart. They work perfectly for my ick shelving. The bins that have LOTS of books are rhyming-repition-song/fiction animals/non fiction animals, and insects and spiders. These books are in dishwashing tubs again from the store that I loathe....Walmart.

The next picture is mainly literacy centers. These are the first centers that I teach. They are my "staples." They include Read the Room, font sort, magnetic word building, stamp the alphabet, do a dot letters, chalkboards....there are TONS of them. I teach them throughout September. Then when we start doing Stations, students work on more thematic centers, if and when they finish, each group has a choice of 4 staple centers to work on. This prevents I'm done, I'm done, I'm done.

These are math centers.

Every bin has a picture on it. There is also a picture on the shelf where the bin goes. I just got tired of my kiddos putting things away wherever they could find space. It made me crazy!

Alright, I am officially tired. Here's hoping I catch some Zzzzz's tonight! I haven't decided if I am going in tomorrow or not, guess you'll have to check back tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Shannon

Chaos in the Classroom

Today was the first day back in my classroom, it was my futile attempt at several things...

1- Make it look like a classroom.

2- Revamp it

Fail. So, I haven't been shy about how things are going in my life, things ultimately have just fallen apart. I am not fishing for any woe is me, it is what it is. I am trying hard to find my way through some beyond murky waters. Anywho, I have very little control of my personal life, so it an attempt to have major control somewhere, I decided to redo my room and try to feel really good while I'm at school.

Clearly I have too many projects....personal things are causing my brain to lack the capacity to organize or at least complete more than one task to completion. I am in need of a life coach.

Here is my classroom my pigsty today.

From the door...straight across

From the door...diagonally

Opposite side of the room

You can see that my room is one HOT mess! And, holy cow, I could not get my mind together. I lacked focus :0) Hopefully, things will get better.

Guess what? The 7 coats of magnetic primer actually hold little letters. Worth it...probably not, but live it, learn it! I decided to paint my cabinets green. The green I chose seemed like a good choice at the time, I'm pretty sure you can see it from space ;-)

Before...

They were U.G.L.Y and chipped. So, last year I asked my principal if I could paint and she said yes! First I used magnetic primer on 4 of them. Then I painted them this crazy green...

Ohhlala...see the little magnetic letter :0)

Seriously, they are BRIGHT! I love 'em; however, I nearly got in trouble from our Scary Head Maintenance guy. Who said the problem is that it might be flammable and that now all the rooms aren't uniform. Scary. Truly, I am an avid rule follower. I was freaking. All worked out, here's the full pic.

That's pretty much all I got done. Then I flit, flit, flit, couldn't keep my eye on the prize at all. Speaking of prizes, here are all of my goodies that were awaiting me (please keep in mind that all of this is grant money and school purchases)...

Lakeshore ob.sess.ed

These are Smartboard Centers for my room and my partner in crime!

LOVE stickers and Carson Dellosa cutsie stuff.

More tomorrow, maybe :) Thanks for reading!

Shannon