Back to School

I can't believe it. Three more days until I report back to school :(. Still have a few more things to get organized and get my classroom ready for kiddos on Aug. 15th. I've completed a few more jungle things to add to my room; Jungle/Zebra Months of the year. I'm not sure why the image is not coming up correctly, but it looks ok when you download it.


Another thing I am working placing labels on all my manipulatives and supplies. Here is a copy of my labels.



I also created a birthday chart for my plan book. It can be enlarged to make a poster. Here is a copy.

Have a great night!

30 Follower Give Away!

Yeah!  I have reached 30 followers. To celebrate I am having a give away. One lucky winner will have their choice of a $10.00 Target or Dollar Tree gift Card.

 Here's how to enter.
1. Follow my blog and comment that you are a follower. Leave contact information.
2. Post about my giveaway on your blog.
Friday August 5th I will select at random 1 lucky winner.

GOOD LUCK!

 

Circus Nameplate Freebie

Check out these cute circus nameplates at Kindergarten Classroom
.

Just Love Teaching!: New Aprons...which one do you want to win?

Just Love teaching is trying to make it to 200 blog followers and 100 facebook like. Hop over to her blog or Esty shop to check out the new aprons she is giving to one LUCKY WINNER!

Just Love Teaching!: New Aprons...which one do you want to win?: "I'm still trying to make it to 200 followers and 100 Facebook 'likes' this weekend so I can give away an apron! I think we can do this! To i..."

Heidi's Krazy Kinder: Organizing, Organizing, Organizing!

 I found this great kindergarten blog. check it out.

Heidi's Krazy Kinder: Organizing, Organizing, Organizing!: "When I finish all this organization, I will post pics of all I have done. My husband made color copies for me of some of the wonderful polka..."

Classroom Pics

Welll, today I went to my classroom to work and I might say I did get a few things done. I moved everything back on the carpet and have most things arranged. I even managed to get a few of my boards done. This is the wall outside my classroom.

 I put up part of my word wall, just waiting on a letters and words to be laminated.

I added my new jungle calendar pieces to my Calendar math pocket chart from Lakeshore Learning. (Love it!) and of course my awesome Promethean Board. This is our group meeting area.

   The white tubs will be my math stations. I still need to label them and my center chart is on the wall. It is 2 sided so I'll have math stations on one side and literacy on the other. The listening center is in the corner and my 2 computers on the back wall. The door is a bathroom.

 My desk is in the back corner. I still need to organize the shelves and student mail box are at the end of my desk close to my small group table and the computers.

The North side of the classroom is the writing, ABC/Word, overhead and reading stations

This is the view from the door coming into the class. I have 3 groups of desks. 

The last picture is looking back toward the door to the hallway. I have shelving across the wall leading out into the hallway.

closer view of my jungle themed wall in the hall.

Back to School

I can't believe it! This is the last week of summer vacation :( Teachers at my school report back next week, so I've been busy getting those last minute forms, lesson plans, etc. ready to go. It has been a busy last few days, but I've got a lot done. I have revised my lesson plans to cordinate with my jungle them.

I've also completed a jungle class theme schedule cards for sharing.

Hoppy Kindergarten: A TpT Store Giveaway! Hurry, it is only for 24 hours:)

Randi, at Hoppy Kindergarten is having a TpT store give away to celebrate 50 followers! Hop on over the her blog to find out how you can win.


Hoppy Kindergarten: A TpT Store Giveaway! Hurry, it is only for 24 hours:)

Sight Word Center

This year my school is changing our Reading program to Open Court. So, this summer I have been working on changing the order of sight word introduction and letters & sounds. I have made a Read Stamp Write activity for the word center. I am leaving it in word doc so you can add and change to your sight words. Does any one use Open Court Imagine It? We are adopting the Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Resources. Any suggestion would be you can make would be appreciated :)

Back to School Bonanza Contest!

Have you heard? There's a Back to School Bonanza going on over at Erica Bohrer's First Grade. 12 bloggers have teamed up to give one lucky winner a huge back to school prize pack. Head over to Erica's blogger to view the contest rules!

Adventures in Kindergarten: Fabulous Giveaway!

Mary at Adventures in learning is have a give away! Hop over to her blog and check it out.


Adventures in Kindergarten: Fabulous Giveaway!: "I am so excited to have such fabulous followers. In celebration of YOU, I am hosting a giveaway! First Prize: $25 gift card to Amazon! ..."

First Day of School Activities

Fun in First is having a "Back to School" Linky Party

My favorite activity for the 1st day of school is reading "The Kissing Hand." This is a good way to help alleviate those 1st day jitters for kindergartens. At the back of the book, I place a note to read.

This gives us the opportunity to tour the school and meet the teachers and staff in the school. When we get back to the class, Chester has left us a treat of "hugs" and "kisses" candy. We taste the treats and decide which we like best- "hugs" or "kisses" and make a graph using the candy wrappers. Here is the Chester Hunt.





Some other ideas is to make hand print cookies using a hand cookie cutter and add a chocolate kiss  to the center. We also make a poem to send home to parents by  painting our hand prints on paper with a poem and add a heart sticker to center. Here is a copy of the poem.

Jungle Sight Word Cards

As everyone can tell, I am using a jungle theme for my class this year. Here are some jungle themed sight word cards that I am sharing as a freebie.

Jungle Themed Give Away

Anna from Crazy for First Grade is celebrating 700 followers with a Jungle Fun giveaway!



Check out the materials provided by Anna and her friends at Clutter-Free Classroom & Kindgerglynn!

First Grade Awesomeness: Go FIRST GRADE, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!

Great contest going on at:
First Grade Awesomeness: Go FIRST GRADE, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!: "We're gonna party like it's your birthday...ok sorry I got carried away! It's done. It's a pretty awesome printable unit that is alllllll..."

I use songs and chants as transition in my class all through the day. One of the things I use is the "Get Ready Chant" to get students ready for group and circle time.
Here is a copy.

Ingles360: If I give you a cookie, what will you ask for? fre...

Ingles360: If I give you a cookie, what will you ask for? fre...: "These are some ideas to s-t-r-e-t-c-h If you give a mouse a cookie! Cookie Match Outline cookie cutters on construction paper..."

Another Freebie

This summer I discover teacher blogs and followed the book study on Debbie Diller's Math Stations. Here are some freebie jungle math station labels to share.



And here are some jungle name plates

Jungle communication folder cover

Here is a copy of my jungle communication folder cover.

4. Cute Button. Love the owls on Finally in First Button. Now just figure out how to add a button to my blog.

1. a blogger who is the new kid on the block. Someone who has been blogging for less than 2 months. I guess that's me. I've only been at this for a few days. Still not sure of what I'm doing.
 Still need to figure out how to add a button.

2. Post a blogger of the same grade level. That's pretty easy-- Kindergarten

3. A blogger of a different grade level. Wild about First. Love the zebra print.
I'm kinda of partial to the jungle theme this year.

A blogger mixer linky PARTY!

Yearn to learn is having a seek and find  mixer linky.
In your link up find the following:

1.  A blogger who is a "New Kid on the Blog"
(Let's say someone who has blogged 2 months or less and has less than 200 followers)

2.  Post a blogger in your same grade level

3.  Post a blogger in a different grade level

4.  It's all about the button. Find a cute blog button and post it.

Another Great Give Away

First Grade OWLS is having a amazing give away. go to her blog and check

Adventures in Kindergarten: Favorite Back to School Books

Adventures in Kindergarten: Favorite Back to School Books

A Pirate's Life for me

Wow! Check out these great ideas for a pirates themed classroom.

Check out these math tub labels from Growing Kinders

New Blogger

I can't believe it. I finally have become a blogger! :) I admit it I have been a blog stalker for the last month. This summer I discovered the world of teacher bogs and have become addicted. Each morning I search through my favorite blogs searching for amazing ideas to use in my class. Thanks to all the wonderful and creative teachers out there who have been willing to share their wonderful and creative ideas with other teachers.
Rose