Classroom Tour 2014-2015

I am super excited to show you all my room!  One of my very favorite things to do is come in and get my room ready for a new year.  This year was a little last minute because I almost had to move schools 5 days before school started!  I was very lucky and ended up getting to stay...yay!

Here are a few different views of my whole classroom.  I love the paper lanterns I used this year!

This is a view before my kiddos and parents visited for kindergarten orientation.  The folders contain important information that I will go over with my parents.  I found the idea for the glow sticks on Pinterest!  The caddies in the middle of the table will have different supplies as my students learn to use the properly.  

  

This is my main area for small group and whole group teaching.  It contains all of my resources for my students to refer to.  I'm so happy with the look of the simple black and white polka dot decor!

 

Here's an up close look at what's on my front board.  

The voice level chart has made a word of difference over the last couple of years!  It really works!  

This year I have decided to go back to a physical calendar.  I have been using the SMARTboard for the last couple of years and I feel like my students are less engaged.  We'll see how it goes!

My specials signs are more for me to make sure I get my class to each special on time!

Using hand signals have saved a lot of time and I love it!

This first picture below is my new desk from IKEA!  Love it!  Behind that is my new set of rules.  My school is using the PBIS behavior matrix.  I adapted my rules to match!

The next picture will be my word wall and focus boards from reading, math and writing.  

The third picture is my writing board.  I have back to school words to help my kiddos spell while writing.  I will change those out to coordinate with what we are learning. 

The last picture is a pocket chart that will be used my my station rotations.

This is a view of my classroom library. I didn't have anything on the wall here, which was super boring, so I made a board my taping up poster board!  

 

This is an up close view of a few components of my classroom library.  

I LOVE my new library labels!

 Our school received a grant to get some classroom iPads this year! Woo hoo!!  Of course that meant that I needed to come up with some technology rules!

I love using my behavior clip chart.  My students really seem to respond to it.

The plastic bins are where I store my materials for stations.

 

The rest are just some miscellaneous photos from my classroom... 

 

I'm loving how everything turned out this year!  I added a lot more black, painted some things, added my own bookshelves and really ran with the black and white polka dot theme!

A Rally for Ryder Fundraiser

Meet Ryder... He's an amazing little boy who has been through so much in his first 2 years of life.

Ryder was born December 30, 2011.  He was a healthy 8lbs. 12oz. baby boy.  Or so we thought...  In the next 24 hours we would come to find out Ryder was very sick.  Ryder wasn't interested in eating.  The nurses assured us there was nothing to worry about.  The next day, the doctors felt Ryder's abdomen looked distended.  This was the first time anyone thought something may be wrong.  The doctors suspected a bowel obstruction.  We were then transferred to the Cleveland Clinic for further tests.  At 5 days old Ryder had his first major surgery to confirm his diagnosis of Hirschsprung's Disease. This is a rare genetic disease. This disease only affects 1 in 5000 births. Hirschsprung's disease occurs early in fetal development. Basically with Hirschsprung's Disease you are missing the nerves in your intestines that contract and relax to push waste through and out.  Ryder's case was extreme, meaning he had Total Colonic Hirschsprung's Disease affecting his entire large intestine and a section of small intestine.  Ryder has had his entire large intestine removed and is living with two ileostomies.

Ryder is now two years old. He has had 5 major surgeries and has spent a lot of his life in the hospital.  The next major surgery for Ryder is coming up in early September.  This will be the first of two planned surgeries.  

Throughout Ryder's long battle with this disease, his parents, Laura and Nick have been beyond amazing!  They are both fortunate to have medical backgrounds and were able to understand terms and procedures that the rest of us couldn't.  This helped with months of at home care, including daily IV's and administering multiple medications.  They have taken off so much time from work to both be there every day that Ryder has spent in the hospital.  Unfortunately, even with good insurance, the medical bills pile up quickly.  Ryder struggles with eating typical food and gets the majority of his nutrition though special formula that is very expensive and is not covered by insurance.  My hope with this fundraiser is to ease some of the financial burdens off of Ryder's parents.  

Ryder's story is not over.  No one knows what the future holds but at this point he is a thriving smart two year old little boy.  Ryder loves Legos , Mr. Potato Head and hats!  He is an amazing little boy who is loved by so many people!

Here's how you can help!

With the help of an amazing group of Teachers Pay Teachers authors, I have put together a bundle of some awesome products!  This bundle includes $90 worth of products including an exclusive Melonheadz clipart set that can't be purchased anywhere else!  Check out all of the incredible products that are included:

Look at this adorable set of Ryders!  You can only get it in this bundle!

 

(Click on any of the pictures above to view the product.)

Every single dollar donated is appreciated and needed!  

If anyone is interested in making a direct donation, you can click the button below.

 

Thank you SO MUCH!!

Special thank you so the authors who donated products: Melonheadz Illustrating, Rececca Seeley, Terri Izatt, Brinca into Bilingual Mrs Nicolau, Sara Prue, Leslie Hope, Laura Boriack, Sara Frampton, Kindergarten Kristy, Good Enough Teacher, Kristen Stefanko, and Erin Blatnica.

Classroom Decor MEGA Bundle Giveaway!

Welcome to my first giveaway!!  I super excited to try this out and share some of my fun, bright classroom decor with one lucky winner!  

You have until Sunday night to enter and earn over 25 entries!  Check out everything you can win!

Enter below for a chance to win my entire collection of Bright Polka Dot Classroom Decor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm Back!

I'm back!  It's been a while...like 9 months since I have posted anything on here...  But I have big things planned for the next couple of weeks and I definitely plan on doing a better job keeping up with blog posts over the school year.

If you haven't checked out my Teachers Pay Teachers store for a while, make sure you take a couple of minutes to see all of the new things I have been posting lately!  I'm loving my new line of black and white polka dot decor!  I can't wait to get all of it hung in my classroom!  If you're not into black and white, don't worry!  I have a bunch of new brightly colored decor too!  I have added TONS of Melonheadz clip art to all of my new products because I am obsessed!

Here are a few of my favorite new things:

Classroom Library Labels:  I have included 312 labels to organize your library by theme, author, subject or reading level!  I have also included editable pages so you can add your own!  Plus I just added labels to put on your books to match!  These are in black and white polka dot as well as the colors pictured below.  

Calendar Kit:  I have recently decided to do some of my morning meeting and calendar time on the board, rather than all of it on my SMARTboard.  I miss the interactive, hands-on piece that helps keep my students engaged!  This set includes monthly headers, days of the week, numbers 1-31 cards in multiple colors for patterning, years, number practice and weather activities and so much more!

I have updated all of my mini posters including alphabet (in manuscript, D'Nealian, and cursive), numbers, colors, and shapes.  All sets are in black and white polka dot or bright colorful dots.

If you know me at all, you know I have an obsession with organization...  These next two products are perfect to keep you (and of course me!) organized!  This is the perfect way to keep everything in one place: your calendar, to do lists, meeting notes, etc.. all in one place!  And of course I have to make my binder covers and spines match!  Both products are editable!  I can't wait to get mine printed out and (re) organized!!

 

And so much more!! 

Also, if you haven't already Liked my Facebook page, make sure you do!  I just added a Fan FREEBIES! tab to get exclusive products for fans only!  I plan on putting adding to this tab frequently so keep checking back!  

Remember, big things are coming including a chance to win a few of my TPT items!  Stay tuned!!

Gumball Words Flash Sale and CVC Words

I just completed the next set of Gumball Word activities.  I am not getting them up as quickly as I'd like to so I am running a sale until I can post a few more.  Individually, they are on sale at 25% off!

I have also bundled the Sticky Sounds and first two Gumball Words sets (Red and Orange).  If you pick them up now during my sale, you can save $9!  Grab it fast though because they are only on sale through Sunday night!

 

Or grab them each individually here:

 

I have also been working on CVC words with my kiddos.  I put this CVC Word Card packet together and posted it on TPT.  It includes 40 CVC words with pictures.

You can use the CVC word cards in small group instruction or during stations. Words can be made can using letter tiles or a dry erase marker.   I use tiles I picked up from Lakeshore Learning.

I also included pictures cards with word card for matching games or memory as well as recording worksheets with or without vowel help.

Word included:
CVC - A Set: cab, sad, bag, jam, fan, map, bat, wax
CVC - E Set: web, bed, leg, gem, pen, pep, jet, rex
CVC - I Set: bib, kid, wig, rim, fin, lip, kit, six
CVC - O Set: cob, pod, log, mom, son, mop, pot, fox
CVC - U Set: tub, mud, bug, gum, sun, cup, hut, tux

Sticky Sounds and Gumball Words!

I'm so excited about my new products that I have been working on!

I just posted the first two of 12 units on letter/sound and sight word mastery!  Each unit has 14 activities based around a gumball theme.

The first unit focuses on mastering letter identification and sounds.  It includes 145 pages of cards, games, and activities for students to work on at their own pace during word work, reading, and free choice times.  Once they master their letters, students earn their gumball machine.  I laminate these (so I can use them again because it's a lot of ink, card stock, laminating and cutting!).  These are placed on a bulletin board (pictures coming soon, i swear!). They then move onto their first set of sight words.

The sight word units each consist of 20 words.  Each list is a different color, the first being Red Words.  The Gumball Word units are almost 100 pages long with activities for students to work on at their own pace.  The word list goes home and students are encouraged to practice at home too.  Once students master a set of words, they earn the corresponding gumball color for their gumball machine as well as a certificate of mastery to take home with their next set of words.

I am looking forward to putting activities in my word work bins for my students to use during stations.  They can just choose the color for the list of words they are currently working on!  I'm hoping this will motivate my students to practice their sight words and earn their gumballs!

I've posted the first 2 units tonight and plan on having the next two up each week for your high flyers to work on!

Teachers Pay Teachers Back to School Sale!!

I'm so excited!  I'm having my first Teachers Pay Teachers SALE!  28% off my whole store!  It's August 18th and 19th only so don't miss it  Use promo code BTS13.

Click the picture below to check it out!

Here are a few of my latest products:  (Can you tell I'm obsessed with Melonheadz clip art?!)

How do we get home? Clip Chart

Schedule Cards

Classroom Hand Signal Posters

 

Voice Level Chart

Melonheadz Behavior Clip Chart

 Polka Dot Behavior Clip Chart & Punch Cards

Quatrefoil Behavior Clip Chart & Punch Cards

Updated:  Chevron Behavior Clip Chart & Punch Cards

Behavior Punch Cards

I've been working really hard in my classroom over the last couple of weeks!  Check back Monday for pictures of the finished product!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!