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

Reminder

A Tuesday post, <enter a Psych "Whaat" here>? I love that show...and all things Reality TV related. Seriously, I cannot get enough of those Real Housewives or Big Brother or Teen Mom...look away, I'm hideous!

Anyway, this is just a friendly reminder that my Learning Resources Attribute Apples Giveaway ends tomorrow. Click on the cute apples below to enter!

I have LOVED reading the responses to how everyone feels about school supplies being out. I really do love when they come out. Something about new crayons, glue without clogged caps, and folders that don't look like they have been trampled on by 50 wet boots on a bus...delights me. I ache to go shopping; however, I want need for not. I am blessed to be at a school that allows us to order a nice chunk of necessities like stickers and stamp pads. Last summer I went Hog Wild with buying up stuff for school. I acted as if I would never get to spend another dime on my classroom because of Coop, turns out, it's pretty much true. My classroom is fairly well stocked, so there is no need to shop. Unless, you look in my closet....losing weight...a blessing for self-esteem and a curse to the wallet!

I'm looking forward to getting into my oven, eh hem, I mean my classroom! Our school doesn't open up until August 13, a week before school starts. I am looking forward to changing some things up. I'll post on that later. I REALLY want to paint some shelves and cabinets in my room. We have all these crazy fire code regulations (nothing hanging, no fabric, no more than 20% of your walls can be covered...goes on and on), so our rooms look more than a little plain and I'm sure that I would end up having to spend an arm and a leg on some special paint that not only resists fire but actually creates a bubble, similar to a fallout shelter or something.

Anywho, my Owl Unit is on sale on Teachers Notebook if you're interested. Ends tomorrow :0)

I'm working on a Beginning of the Year Bear Unit for some friends out there! It is looking super cute. I use to do a small Bear Unit, so I am really excited to be doing something I haven't done in a long time! I've also got a Space Unit that will be up soon. If there is anything you would like, please let me know :0)

Have a great night!

Shannon

This year will be a Hoot!

I needed to start out with that verse. I may not be in the perfect place right now, but I know that there are plans for me. I know that because I have been given so much support and love that I will never be able to repay it. I am ever so grateful for the donations, the support on my decision to begin selling things, and those of you who have purchased my first unit. I will never be able to adequately convey how you and this blog have helped in a way that was so unexpected. You, in fact, gave me some amount of hope during a truly devastating life experience. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for your support. Just thank you.

I wanted to put together a unit that I have not done before. One of my co-workers has an Owl themed classroom and there is so much cute owl things out there, it just called to me. I am soooooo thrilled and proud to present this unit. It is aligned with the Kindergarten Common Core Standards. I just LOVE it! 


With a total of 14 math and literacy activities all developed around the Kindergarten Common Core Standards. Activities and skills addressed include;

*Base Ten Memory- It’s a Hoot (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.)

*Whoooo’s Tallest? ( 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.)

*“Owl” Find the Number (Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).)

*Where is the Shape? (Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.)

*Who’s Counting? (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.)

*Adding Owls (Fluently add and subtract within 5.)

*Roll, Write, and Color (Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality. When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.)

*Roll an Owl (Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.  When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object. )

*Let’s Learn the Vowels ( Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.  Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.)

*Go Hoot! (Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.)

*Little Owl, What Can You Find? (Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.)( Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.  Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do,does).) (Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. Print many upper- and lowercase letters.)

*Colorful Owls (Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. Read common high-frequency words by sight e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).)

*Owl Craftivity (Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels. OR  Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. Demonstrate basic knowledge of letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or most frequent sound for each consonant.)

*Owl Map (Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. Demonstrate basic knowledge of letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or most frequent sound for each consonant.)

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


Here are some pictures for you to check out!

You can purchase my new owl unit at both my TpT shop and my TN shop. I hope you will check it out!

There is also a new Dog freebie!