Made it Monday

This is actually a made it weekend. I have a first grade resource page and Mr. Book.
Michelle over at FabulousInFirst 
has a great first grade helper. I also saw another helper that was similar on another blog and I'm sorry that I forgot which one. I liked the idea of kids having something at their desks to use as a reference. Two issues I have is that my class doesnt have enough wall space for what I want to put up and when the words are on the wall it becomes a distraction and some kids get up just to get up and then forget why.

I created a three page resource, I really tried to get it into a two page but there was just too much. I also used our current LA program cards and spellings. Dictation is a big thing in our district and they want the kids to use the sound spelling cards when writing.

Take a look. There is one for boy and girls and the only difference is the number line design. Three pages total, the first one is a word wall, the second page is numbers with 120 charts, words for shapes and numbers, and a number line, the third page is the sound spelling cards for our LA program.

First grade boy

click here

boys number line is dinosaurs

First grade girl

click here

girl number line is fairies

MR. BOOK! My youngest kids did this in first grade last year at their school and I thought is was cute and many years ago our librarian read my class a book about taking care of books that goes along with this little one. Our librarian is gone and I cant find the book she read but this is still a good first week activity.

Click here for the book

Most of the pages are self explanatory. Page 7 requires smudging chocolate, either with a brown crayon or I may give them a "kiss" and have them smudge some on the page. On page 8 my daughter has a bite mark with her teeth.Page 9 requires a band-aid.

School Year Resolutions

I am linking up with Amanda from Teaching Maddeness. I never make new year resolutions because I always have too many and when that is the case, it never works out. I thought this was a good idea because I have been thinking of what I want to do differently this year. So here are my resolutions.

#1 I started this blog, to hopefully not just sit untouched, so my students and their families could see what is happening in the classroom. My goal is to post regularly, which to me is at least twice a week. This requires to take pictures of what is happening and actually do something with those pictures instead of leaving them in my camera.

#2 I have never been really good with small groups with the dictated programs we have to use. There just never seems to be the time. I have learned so much in the past two years as the Intervention Coordinator, who only worked and planned for small groups, that I can do it within my classroom.

#3  and final.................in the 12 years I have been teaching at a low performing school there has been such a push in our district to teach more Language Arts and Math and leave practically everything else to the wayside. We are to teach LA for 3.5 hours and Math for a 1 hour. While I will teach what I have too, Science and Social Studies, PE and ART will be evident this year. I feel so bad that we push push push and leave out all the "fun stuff". We have an awesome Science program and I will be doing it ALOT!


I do have more I could say but for reality's sake I am going to focus on these 3 resolutions. 


Whats Yours?
























 

Classroom and Cake pops!

Not the way I want them to go. 5 tables do not fit right.

5 fits pretty good here. My daughter cleaning a random table. No screen for the projector.

My classroom layout is torturing me. I want to try something new but I dont know if it is going to work. For the past two years I have been the intervention coordinator. I removed all the desks and put only U-shaped tables in my room. I have decided to try this for my class of 24ish first graders to see if it is going to work. Secondly, where my screen is currently, is not the direction I want the tables to face. ARRG!



My beach ball cake pops came out cute. Alot of work but they are cute.

Versatile Blogger Award

Thank you to Stephanie from starringinfirstgrade
for the nomination of this award. With only three posts, with none yet school related, I am very honored and hope to meet many other teacher bloggers out there.

Seven random facts huh?

1. My oldest son starts high school this year and I think that I am more worried than he is. My son/daughter twins start 2nd grade this year and they are COMPLETE opposites in just about everything. My older son has had some behavioral issues in elementary school and I am sure God gave me him so that I could be a better teacher to some of my students, especially the boys.

2. I just graduated with a Masters in Educational Administration and now Im almost positive that I do not want to be an administrator. The good thing is that I am more knowledgeable about what principals go through. I might even have a little more compassion.

3. CAKE POPS! I love making cake pops. I have made many different kinds for all seasons. Today Im trying for the first time beach balls for a summer pool/PTA meeting tomorrow. Here is an apple for the teachers, I made these for my kids school staff last year. Cake on the inside and chocolate on the outside. Edible YUM!

4. I live in a townhome and my uncle lives right next to me and next to him live my parents. I love having my parents so close. Majority of the time we barbeque, even in the winter, on Saturdays and play games after dinner.

5. I love all games. Our family favorites are Farkle, Spicy Farkle, Scrabble, Scattergories, Blotkus, and a game that I played as a kid, 20 years ago, Scotland Yard.

6. I have many favorite TV shows that I record and save up to watch on my vacations, usually.
Bones, Hawaii 5-O, NCIS, Hardcore Pawn, Closer, Burn Notice and Teen Mom and a few more that has slipped my mind.

7. I don't really have a "hometown". I grew up in the military and moved every 3 years. I was born at Fort Bliss, in El Paso, Texas, then to New Mexico, Arizona, Germany, Florida and California. I think this lifestyle is why I feel the need to move my classroom around every few months or so. 

I would like to nominate the following bloggers with this award and you must complete the following:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you

2. Include a link to their blog

3. Include the award image in your post

4. Give seven random facts about yourself

5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award

6. When nominating, include a link to their blog

7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated

While I am new to this and since I have to nominate 15 other bloggers, here I go.
 Versatile Blog Nominations......
1.  fisforfirstgrade
2. classroom freebies
3.first grade wow  
4.amazing classroom
5.lesson plans and lattes
6.a cupcake for the teacher
7.bainbridge class
8.the first grade parade
9.first grade a la carte
10. finally in first
11.oceans of first grade fun
12. teaching fundamentals
13.fabulous in first
14. Mrs. Terhune's classroom 
15.first grade fabulous fish 

Sketchers!

Like all teachers we are on our feet ALL DAY LONG! While I hate to admit that I am getting older, I am, and my feet hurt. I can no longer wear "cute" shoes. It has been a struggle to find cute, comfortable shoes that I like until this past weekend. I went to work today to struggle with my class set up and wore my new Sketchers Go Walk shoes. LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM. I bought them at the outlet store (not really much cheaper than online). After wearing them all day my feet feel good. I highly recommend to anyone looking. There are different colors and styles. I have the ones below but Im looking at the other styles.   http://www.skechers.com/search?t=go+walk&x=0&y=0

Sketchers Go Walk