New Classroom!!!!

Can you tell I'm super excited? I've been teaching in a teeny tiny room for the last three years. My room was originally built as a "Resource Room" and the only good thing I can say about it was the office had plenty of storage, but the actual room was the size of a closet. Out in blogland, I'm always surprised when I see pictures of other teachers' rooms and they call their rooms tiny. I would happily trade them for their "tiny" rooms.

This past year, I was lucky enough to utilize the resource room across the hall for literacy and free centers. The two rooms together actually equal the size of a normal classroom. Though it was much better, it is nice to finally graduate to a full size classroom, and have all my stuff in one space.

Last week, I set about the task of moving. I can't believe I had so much stuff. I'm super excited about my new LARGE classroom and the fact that I get to share an office with my teacing buddy! We taught across the hall from each other for two years before she moved into a large room last year.

So this week, pray for me. I'm going in...

My task is to get everything in its place before kindergarten screenings on August 9th and 10th. Sounds doable, right? Except I have a workshop on the 7th and 8th. I better get busy!!!

Linking Up: Top 5 Teacher Must Haves

Today, I'm linking up with Life is Sweet for:

#1
Teaching Easel

I have the Royal Reading & Writing Center from Really Good Stuff in my classroom. This thing has it all: magnetic dry erase board, storage tubs, pencil/marker storage, removable dry erase board with lines, and big book storage in the middle. I love it because it is on wheels, can be placed where I need it, and moved out of the way when I don't.

#2
Elapsed Time Timer

I love this timer and so do my students. They are able to tell how much time is left with a quick glance. I prop it on my chalk tray, but it has a stand and a hanger on the back. One more thing I love about it, it doesn't scare the mess out of us when it goes off. It's loud enough for the kids to hear without being frightening.

#3
Scotch Laminator

Now that I have a personal laminator, I wonder how I ever survived without it? If you don't have one, you should get one. You can thank me later. ;)

#4
Supply Cubbies

I use these to store each child's extra supplies. I inherited these cubbies with my classroom. This is an old picture, I have since added black number stickers to each plastic box. I like them much better now.

#5
Command Hooks

Who doesn't love these?

VistaPrint (A Year Later)

Linking up with Ms. Bainbridge's VistaPrint Fever linky party.

I'm back! Wow, I feel rested after a year long vacation! Technically not quite a year, but who is counting? My summer is coming to a close, and I'm trying not to count how many days left I have of sleeping in until ten...I mean waking up at seven (Wink, Wink). In honor of my first post back and my last post before I dropped off the blogosphere, I find it only fitting to have another VistaPrint update. Here's what I ordered for the upcoming school year. I'm making a change from pirates to owls as you'll see evidenced below:

Labels (no explanation needed) Does anyone else get a nervous tic when all their envelopes don't come back signed the next day. Nah, that's probably just me.

Small rubber stamp

Large rubber stamp for make-up work

Small Car Magnet I will place the child's name at the bottom on his/her birthday.

Note pad

Thank You Cards

Mouse Pad

Another Large Rubber Stamp

Small Rubber Stamp

Notebook

Small Window Decal I ordered two of these for each of my doors. I heart VistaPrint and I wish they paid me to say that (in free product).

The Goodness That is Vistaprint

I love Vistaprint! What teacher doesn't? I love looking at ways other teachers use Vistaprint items in their classrooms. Here are a few of my favorite things I've created over the years.


Small Window Decal for the small window on my classroom door.


Small Business Card Magnets I will send home on the first day of school. What a great way to keep the refrigerator up to date with new artwork from kindergarten!


Return Address Labels made into book labels.


Tote Bag I will fill with a few birthday books/items and a journal to be filled out on/near the child's birthday and returned to school for sharing.


Postcards for replenishing supplies around January.


Mousepad...I need to make another one with number words.


Circular Product Labels for birthday bags.


Date Stamp-this is my most used item in the classroom. I use it to stamp journals, artwork, writing samples. I l-o-v-e it!


Keychain used on all take-home bags.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Lil' Country Kindergarten is having a Linky Party. The subject? My teaching wouldn't be the same without...

#1

Music, but most importantly music by Mr. Al. Some of my friends and I were lucky enough to attend a Mr. Al conference earlier this year. I just love his music, enthusiasm, and creativity. Some of our favorites include Please Stand Up, Funky Backwards Alphabet, and Rockin' the Alphabet.

#2

Expo dry erase markers...the big pack with all the colors. Having all the colors available is handy when drawing pictures on the whiteboard.


I also really love TUL low odor dry erase markers. They are magnetic on one side and stay attached to the whiteboard. I find these markers at my local Office Max. I can not find these exact markers on their website, unfortunately.

#3


The Royal Reading & Writing Center from Really Good Stuff. This thing has it all: magnetic dry erase board, storage tubs, pencil/marker storage, removable dry erase board with lines, big book storage, etc.

#4

The No Yell Bell is another favorite in my classroom. My students love the seven different sounds and I love the volume control button on the bell. We use the different sounds for transitioning, knowing when to decrease our talking volume, and lining up.

Free iPad App!

"Kids can browse the stunning gallery of animals, search for animals by name, or filter their favorites by category. Each animal gets its own profile page, featuring multimedia and quick facts about the animal’s habitat, size, diet, lifespan, and conservation status along with fun facts, such as a honey bee’s ‘waggle dance’, the length of time a cockroach can live without its head, and what makes a flamingo chick’s gray feathers turn pink." Quote taken directly from World Book's World of Animals site. But act fast, the app is only available for FREE in the Apple iTunes Store June 16-July 10!

Unexcused Absence

Oh boy, I have no excuses for my absence! Now that summer has begun, and I've taken a few days to decompress, I'm ready to start thinking about next year. Who am I kidding? I've been blog stalking and gathering ideas since the afternoon school let out. ;)

Our last month of school was a whirlwind of activity with a fabulous retirement party we threw for one of my kindergarten friends, end of the year program, other school programs, water day, butterfly releases, and too much more to even talk about. The time really did fly by.

I've been thinking alot about my classroom theme. For a few years, my classroom theme has been frogs. Last year, I incorporated some cute birds, squirrels, and other forest animals for a "forest" theme. I'm thinking of adding some more bugs for a garden theme this coming year.


source
How cute would this bee pinata be hanging over the classroom library? It would really be darling hanging from a cute paper tree! I'm trying not to give the fire martial a heart attack, though.

On another note, I've finally discovered the goodness that is Pinterest. Follow me, I'd love to see what other teachers are pinning!