Let's pretend that I didn't already post today :)

One of my new favorite blogs: Fun in Room 4B (because she is super funny and creative) has a few great ideas involving one of my favorite stores, TARGET DOLLAR SECTION!

Check out this one using a cute tic-tac-toe find:
http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2012/01/tic-tac-toe-review-game-freebie.html

I LOVE this one and find it PERFECT for all of those tiny crayon bits that are hidden in every corner of my classroom:
http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2012/01/valentines-day-giftsthanks-pinterest.html

Stop on by, say hi and start following Elizabeth!  :)

Celebration center/ behavior signs

I finished my celebration center signs!

Thank goodness for clip art because I am not talented like most bloggy teachers out there with drawing/ painting etc.!

I THINK you have to charge for items when using Scrappin' Doodles clipart.  It is all confusing to me!  So I am selling these for 50 cents at TPT!  :)  If someone can tell me what the rules are, I can set it for free or whatever I have to do! 

Here is a peak:

You can get your copy here!  ;)

Also just a reminder- if you want the reflection center. character education worksheets for FREE- leave your email on the giveaway post! 

 SO far- Rachel you will be the LUCKY winner!  :) 

I have to tell you that my kiddos HATE going to the reflection center and they are rethinking their behavior so that they don't have to visit!  :)  I'm going to try it out for a few weeks more and then blog about the success or failures!  ;)

Is it really winter?  60 degrees in Ohio?  I'LL TAKE IT!

TAG- I'm it and giveaway reminder!!!

I’m so excited!  I was “tagged” by Elizabeth from http://funin4b.blogspot.com/.  You have to check out her blog if you don’t know her already.  She is absolutely hilarious.  She tagged me in a blog tag…

So here are the rules:

1. You must post the rules.
2. Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.
4. Tag 12 people and link them on your post.
5. Let them know you've tagged them!

Fun Facts- I tried to make them non-teaching ones!!!

1.      My husband and I actually met on a double date!  (Believe me the story gets even more weird!)

2.    My husband and I have recently fallen in love with Mexico.  Our traveling buddies introduced us.  There is nowhere else you can stay for 7 days and never take out your wallet for THAT cheap!

3.    We have 3 dogs.  Yup- we don’t live on a farm in a housing development and it seems CrAzY 24/7!

4.    My claim to fame is that I was on ESPN Sports center!  My brother-in-law was playing at the Walnut bowl and I decked myself out with face paint, a crazy hat and a sign that said, ESPN vertically and I wrote Hey Spielman, Happy New year on the sign.  The announcers said, “Hey it looks like you have a diehard fan!”  J

5.    I discovered about a year ago that I am gluten sensitive.  I am pretty good at staying on my diet- until brownies or Waffle House is presented.  J

6.    I am ObSeSsEd with Silver jeans.  I seriously cannot get enough pairs of them! 

7.    I usually buy fun and colorful binder and paper clips once a month to make my school day a little brighter!  ;)

8.    My favorite movies are polar opposites- Easy A and Good Will Hunting.  What is with that???

9.    I CANNOT cook!  My husband does all of the cooking.  I am excellent at making appetizers and salads,  By excellent- I mean that it is edible.

10.  I own 1 vehicle like a typical American.  My husband however owns 4!!!!  2 trucks, 1 car and 1 race car.  I think that I should at least get one more just to even it up a little!

11.  As a little girl I always wished to have a “mansion”.  After living for 3 years in our first house- my “wish list” has narrowed down to only 3 wishes.  1.  A mud room (Um.. I have 3 dogs!), 2.  A large garage so that I may someday park in the garage.  3.  I actually want a ranch house with a finished basement!

12.  My number one favorite hobby is… buying people gifts!  I don’t care if we have only known each other for 4 minutes- I’m probably going to buy you a gift.  I need to learn how to be crafty so that I can make cute gifts to save on the moo-lah!  J

My Questions from Elizabeth:  J

1.     How much time do you waste spend online blogging and blog hopping per week?

Oh gosh- I’d have to say at least 9 hours!  J

2.  Pepsi or Coke?

Dr. Pepper actually but usually diet coke because we have a coke machine in the teacher’s lounge and that is when I definitely need the caffeine!

3.  Are you addicted to Pinterest?  If so, what is your favorite board?

No!  I should be!!!!!  I need suggestions stat!  I only have 1 board and it is a page of small gifts for coworkers.  SUPER cute!

4. Do you have a Smart Phone?  Do you use it to take pictures of your class/classroom?

Yes I have an iphone.  I use it for tons of things in the classroom
!  I take photos. Videos/ time students for fluency, have students use it to record their thoughts etc.

5. What is your favorite movie?

A tie- Easy A and Good Will Hunting.  I know, I know… super weird!

6. What are your hobbies?

I guess I should have read these BEFORE I wrote my fun facts!  I LOVE shopping and trying to buy thoughtful gifts for people.  Seriously- it is a sickness.  I can fill a shopping cart and only have 1 thing for me.

7. If you were given $1000 to spend RIGHT NOW, what would you spend it on?

Hmmm… I would buy gift baskets for my friends!  See above about my sickness.  A close second is massages and an all inclusive trip to Mexico for my hubby and I.  (Well a 4 day trip.)

8.  What SHOULD you be doing right now, but can't pull yourself away from the computer to do?

Lol… grading papers!  It definitely is not my favorite part of teaching!

9.  Are you teaching your dream grade level?

Ummm… yes but I would love to try second grade!  I think I’d like a crack at having a class of students that are a tad bit more independent!  I would however be happy to stay in first grade for at least 5 more years!

10.  What subject is your least favorite to teach?

History!  Thanks goodness my 1^st grade level history isn’t too bad to teach!

11.  Do you have a TpT store? 

Yes!  I started it solely to keep up with what I’m spend!

12.  How long have you been blogging?

Gosh- not long at all!  I started blogging at the beginning of the school year.  I am still trying to get the hang of it!!!!

I’m tagging:

*Rachel from edlink first grade 

*Ms.Corley from luvin' teach

*Sweetp from SweetP's Class Notes

*Leslie and Erin at firstgradefanatics (That counts as 2 right???)
*

MY INTERNET IS HAVING PROBLEMS AND IS RESTARING EVERY FEW MINUTES!  I will finish posting more names and update the post as soon as my internet seems more stable.  :)

12 Questions for my Bloggy friends to answer:

1.      How many districts have you worked in?

2.    Who does the cooking in your family?

3.    What is your favorite song of the moment?

4.    What is your favorite restaurant?

5.    Waffle House or Dennys?

6.    What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

7.    When do you grade papers?  Little at a time/ all in one day?

8.     How many bags/ carts/ boxes do you typically bring home each night for your teacher homework?

9.    Do you have pets- if yes- what type?

10.   Where is your favorite store to shop?

11.  What do you wish that it was “normal” to do as an adult that was acceptable when you were younger?  (Ex:  Sleeping in until noon.)

12.  What is your new favorite blog and why?

Reflection Center and a giveaway

One of my teacher friends introduced me to the Creative Teaching Press Character Education books a few years ago.  These books are amazing because they are written at about a level G.  Many students are able to read these simple books on their own.

You can check them out here:
http://www.creativeteaching.com/p-1022-character-education-variety-pack-with-cd.aspx
You can buy them with and without a CD.  I do not have the CD but would love to include them in my center soon!  That way if some students are acting out due to learning being tough- they can listen to the book being read.

I made worksheets to go with each book.  Here is a peak:

This is how my books and worksheets are organized.

You can download this one for free if you go to TPT and download my preview file.

You can buy the entire set for $3.00 here

This is a new product therefore- a giveaway!  Please leave me your email address and I will select a lucky winner to receive the Reflection Center product for free!  :)  I will draw names on Wednesday this week!

I hope that you had a relaxing weekend! 

I'm super excited for our bloggy meet-up in CIncinnati this weekend!  If you are in the Ohio, Kentucky or Indiana area- check out theinspiredapple and fabulousinfirst who are organizing a meet-up this weekend! 

YAY!  ;)

social stories and celebration center

I am still working on revamping my behavior system.  I started my Celebration Center board and social stories.

Here are some samples of my social stories:

I plan of making my selected students read their book right in the morning, right before they go to special and after any other important transition.

Here is the VERY beginning of my Celebration Board:

Ha!  Most of you could make this in 5 minutes- this took me.... 45 minutes and it is still crooked!  I am oober envious of people with artistic talent.  The funny thing is- this is more of measuring talent and I still couldn't do it!!!

I also purchased crowns that they can make, awards, one of those small cardboard treasure chests and filled it with tiny prizes.  I am also going to make little written awards like "You get to trade chairs with Mrs. LaSota!", "Healthy snack with Mrs. LaSota.", "Sit in the reading cave.", "You can be line leader,", You can do the teacher job for math warm-up." etc.

I want to buy really motivating and encouraging books so that they can read them.  I think Jamie Lee Curtis has written some good self-esteem books.  I could add one of those.

I also want to make a hall of fame and have the students autograph once they have visited the celebration center. 

I have to add something 3D so maybe some balloons or streamers????  I will have to borrow one of my very artsy and talented teammates to help me! 

Fun time is OVER- time to write my Friday newsletter!

GoOdNiGhT!  <--- See I do have some type of art talent!  :)

Behavior Centers

I plan on adding two new items to my classroom:

1.  A Celebration Center
2.  A Reflection Center

I have scribbled in my notebook all of my plans, I have purchased some Scrappin' Doodles clip art and now I am workin' my rear off trying to finish all of my signs/ social stories etc. BEFORE Monday!

The more that I work- the more ideas keep coming along!

Here is a peak of a few things that I have finished:

These are a few of the signs that I made to hang in my Celebration Center.

These are some of the new behavior charts that I have been working on.  I tried to make the SWEET behavior chart cute and the other chart with my "old" (but hey I still like it!) clip art.

Is anyone able to predict the type of day that I might have had?  :)

Cute Graduation Gift Idea and New Student

One of my students' parents gave me a plastic bag with a book inside it today.  She said, "Umm... this is ummm... Well, I'm sure that you can figure it out!"

I was VERY intrigued.  My first inkling was that she signed up to be a mystery reader and that I had FORGOT!!!  This has not been the first time this year that I forgot to send home the reminder!  ARG!

I opened up the package after bus duty and found that it was the book, "Oh the Places You Will Go."

Inside the cover was a handwritten note from his kindergarten teacher!  Perhaps I am too sappy but I just gushed!  This is a book intended for each of his teachers to write a message!  I confirmed with his K teacher that she is going to give it to her son when he graduates.  I can't wait to write in it.  I know he wants to be a "LEGO engineer" when he grows up.  I will have to find a creative way to include that in my message. 

So, for all of you mamas out there with children that are not in school- I think that you should TOTALLY do this!  :)

NEW STUDENT

For the past two years I have made "new student" bags.  Last year I NEVER received a new student and was bummed that I took the time at the beginning of the year to make these bags.  I however received a new student (to make is 25!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and was EXTREMELY happy that I had new student bags made!  It made it so much easier to manage a new kiddo on his/her first day!

The bag has necessary items for the student to start on the first day.  I also include a welcome letter usually and extra dictionaries, folders etc.  (However with such a large first grade class we only ordered 24 items and we have ZERO extra!)

Here is what the bag looks like:

These are a few items that they need to add to their desk:

This has their word work notebook, district sight word list, and Phonic's Dance notebook.

This has many of the forms that I give parents in their Welcome folder:

I have an "about my child form", Dates available for Mystery Readers, a Volunteer choice form, Dates that the students are our "Celebrity of the Week" and a permission slip to allow me to take and post photos and videos on the Internet.


These forms are general information forms for parents:

One form is a letter about healthy snack.  I have attached a list of healthy snack ideas.  I also have my welcome letter which has a lot of school information, explains our rules, clip chart and class store,  I also have a blank, "School Supplies Needed!" form.  This allows me to quickly inspect what items the child brings with them and I am able to write down what supplies that they still need. 

These items are needed to allow the student to feel "included":

I have a blank cubby tag, a blank desk tag and a blank behavior clip.


Having everything that you need all together makes it WORTH the extra time that it took in August to make these.  I usually make about 5 bags.  Sometimes I receive new students with 30 minute notice so that makes it easy to pull it all together!  ;)


I hope that you had a terrific Tuesday!  :)