Teacher Blogs R-O-C-K!!

So tomorrow I will venture to my boxed-up classroom to begin organizing, cleaning, and decorating {sigh...insert frowny face here...I am going to be one sad mommy when I have to leave my cutie pie in a few weeks}.  My little man will be accompanying me, so there's a good chance I will get very little accomplished.  I'm at the beach all next week {YAY} but as soon as I return, it's workdays, trainings, & back to school!  SOOOOOO I have to get my messy room ready.  

All I can say is WOW and THANK YOU to all you awesome bloggers out there for sharing so many great ideas.  Usually during my son's nap time, I hit up a couple blogs and work on things for school.  It is so wonderful to have a network of teachers to share and inspire one another.  Here are a few things I've adapted and recreated to work in my 'jungle/safari' room {all awesome ideas I came across on blogs this summer}.  Click on each picture to download.

My absentee folder printables.  I will make 2-3 folders to keep in the room and use when students are out.  No more digging for missed work.  What a great idea!  

{idea from Mrs. Gilchrist's blog...see post here}

Bye-bye prize box!  This idea came from Mrs. Cooley at First Grader....At Last!  She created a notebook 'catalog' to replace her prizebox.  Check out her blog above to read more about it.  The thought of not having to buy more random toys, trinkets, and 'stuff' puts a big smile on my face and more $$$ in my pocket!!  I created the following catalog to use in the room.  I will use a 3-ring binder to hold the catalog choices.  When students earn enough stickers for good behavior & making smart choices, they will get to choice a reward from the catalog.  Click on any of the pictures to download a copy.  Awesome idea Mrs. Cooley!!

**UPDATE**JULY 2012** 
Check out the post here for my newest additions to the behavior catalog!

I'm also wrapping up my math vocabulary picture cards this week too.  They should be posted soon.  Here's a sneak peek...Not quite finished, but will probably have close to 100 math words.  In my district, we have to post our math words we are working on, then move them to a math 'word wall' to stay posted for the year. 

 Enjoy the freebies & leave a comment if you download them!  Don't forget to click 'follow' on the sidebar while you're visiting!  Night night blogging world.

Birthday Fun

Ok, here's my disclaimer...this post has nothing to do with school.  My little man turned the big O-N-E over the weekend and we celebrated with a very hungry caterpillar themed cook-out.  I found the cutest ideas online and 'recreated' them for our party.  Here are a few pics of the decor and my handsome little man.  The past year has flown by and I can't believe I'm a mommy to a one year old!  It is by far the b-e-s-t job in the world.  Going back to school is going to be harder for me than him when I have to leave him!!

Carter in his b-day shirt I ordered from Etsy.  

 One of the food tables with the sweets and fruits...all caterpillar inspired.:-)

 A view of the gift table (minus the trash can in the back) with the banner I made. 

 My wonderful sister and brother-in-law hung this up.  Made out of scrapbook paper and cut-out letters.

 Carter's official birthday chair...I used left over scrapbook paper from the banner, hot glued them to a piece of green ribbon and added a few caterpillar decals.

 There was an awful storm that whipped through while we were setting up...hence, this picture came out a little dark.  Cupcakes were topped with caterpillar stickers I put on scrapbook paper punch-outs.

 Yummy caterpillars on a stick...grapes and a strawberry and viola!

 My cute little guy in his birthday hat...bought plain old hats and added the number one to his.  All others had a pom-pom added to the top with a picture of a caterpillar glued on.

 These turned out so cute & yummy (and super easy to make).  Marshmallows, candy melts, sprinkles, and a lollipop stick and a few minutes to put them together.  I just love that they're so colorful!

Now that birthday planning is over, back to reality AND my classroom this week for some serious cleaning, organizing, and decorating.  My little caterpillar will be joining me, helping to make more messes for me to clean up!!! 

Back to School Activities & Bulletin Boards

I can hardly believe back to school is almost upon us!  AHHHH!  I am loving every second of being just mommy to my little man all day!  But, the wheels are turning for back to school and getting ready!  Jodi at Fun in First Grade is having a linky party for your favorite back to school activities.  Be sure to check out her blog for some other awesome ideas.  Here are a few of my favorites that I had pictures for. 

 One of my favorite back to school activities is the name mosaics.  We read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes and discuss how we are all different and unique.  We complete this art project to showcase our names.  I stumbled across it years ago (someone online, not sure where) and it always brightens up the halls!  I cut up small pieces of construction paper in different colors and write students' names on a long piece of black paper.  They cover their name with the construction paper squares.  We learn this poem and add it to our poetry notebooks.  Click here for a copy of the poem. 

 My chicka chicka board one year.  After reading Chicka Chicka Boom BOom several times, students illustrated pictures for each letter and they were hung under the letters.

 My submarine door.  I added students' pictures to the port holes.

 My class from the previous year made the Rainbow Fish at the end of the year.  I traced the Rainbow Fish first on white paper and they filled him in with construction paper.  It was a great cooperative learning activity for the end of the year.  And it made a super cute door display for back to school!

Please leave a comment to share any fun Chicka, Chicka boom boom ideas for back to school!  Or jungle ideas, since this year my room is going to be jungle/safari themed.

**Update**
I ordered these from Etsy and they were delivered today!  Oh my, I'm in l-o-v-e!!  They are so cute and will match my room decor quite perfectly.  (Click on the pic to go the the Etsy shop where I purchased them.)  Once the room is cleaned, organized, and set-up, I will be sure to post pics of my safari theme!

Check out my safari/jungle absentee folder & good behavior catalog {here}.  Both freebies :-)

Classroom Library

Another fun linky party!  Mrs. E. at The Sweet Life of Third Grade is hosting a classroom library show off linky party.  Check it out and be sure to join in!

Quite possibly my favorite part of my room, the library with all those books!  I organize my books by author/genre in blue/turquoise tubs that are all labeled.  I'm in the process of updating them and switching to all green tubs for this year.  I have one seperate shelf that holds all of my nonfiction books.  Not pictured are 2 kid-size cute adirondack chairs and I have 4 fold-up kid chairs that students get out when in the reading center.  If you're like me, even after teaching my students about our classroom library and how it is organized, now and then it inevitably has a small tornado whip through it.  I always assign a few students the job of 'cleaning-up' and organizing the library.  They love being in charge of this and showing students where books go.  And it helps me keep it organized. 

 I also have Mr. Mabe in the process of 'making' shelves for me that will help hold more tubs.  I have picked up a giraffe print rug from JC Penny on clearance (originally $100 on sale for $30) that will be in the library along with some green and animal print pillows.  Not ready to go back to school, but getting excited about getting in there and decorating!

My Teaching Promise

As I think about and prepare for a new year, new class, new kiddos, new challenges,and all that goes into being 'ready' I saw this idea on pinterest and changed it to fit me as a teacher.  One of my favorite verses is Galatians 5:22-23, that speaks of the fruits of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."  I am planning on framing this little picture and putting it on my desk to remind me daily of how I am to carry myself day-in and day-out.  

Lions, Tigers, & School Supplies....OH MY!!

I'm enjoying every single second of summer, especially being home with my 11 month old all day!  He has recently mastered walking and *tries* to get into everything!  I am busy planning a very hungry caterpillar birthday party!  So excited!!  When little man decides to nap in the afternoon, I've been busy getting my room ready for a new jungle/safari theme.  I LOVE decorating and am taking this on as my 'interior-decorating' project for the summer.  Here are a few things I've been working on.  I'm using animal print scrap book paper as a background for a lot of these.  My room will be decked out in lime green & jungle animals!

SAFARI Homework Folder Cover

 Classroom Labels

 Jungle/Safari Shape Posters

 Jungle/Safari Color Posters

  And if you're also planning a jungle theme for your room, be sure to check out Mrs. Lemons blog, Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons for her cute jungle freebies! 

P.S. ~ Check out the chair pockets.  They are one of my favorite things in the class to keep my students organized.  Students are only 'allowed' to keep certain journals/notebooks in their pockets so they are easy to find when we need them.  I am going to be ordering a set in animal print fabrics for back to school!  :-)  Classroom pics to come as the room gets set up :-)

10 Things About Me.....

Mrs. Owens is hosting a top-ten linky party to share about ourselves.  Check it out here.  Here's a little bit about me.

A few of my favorite fonts...

Jenn over at Finally in First is having a Favorite Fonts Linky Party!

So I am joining in on the fun!

Who knew fonts could be so addictive?!?!  

Here are a few of my top-choices: