2012-2013 Theme & Monthly Projects

Omiword... I cannot believe I still have some followers out there in the world! I honestly was completely blown away when I logged on and saw so many comments about coming back! I cannot say thank you enough!! Plus on top of it, I really thought I'd run into angry people on Teacher's Notebook, but I've gotten nothing but positive and supportive messages back. I definitely didn't expect that, so thanks to everyone that follows me and supports me on there!! :) As much as I loved Zebra last year, after about half of the year I wanted to vomit up zebra, so I'm given it a break this year.

I'm going to be in a brand new room, so that means organizing everything in a completely new way. I should have taken pictures of my new room before I left, just because I can't think in my head about how many bulletin boards, white boards, etc. that I have. I thought I'd share that I think I'm going to still go with black and white, with bright colors (green, pink, yellow, blue). I think it'll be calming to have a lot of basic black stuff, but then the bright colors will hopefully make things pop.

I think I was inspired by this:

It's the BW Collection by Creative Teaching Press. Honestly if you've never been on their website, you must go. Like now. Click that link up there, get to shopping!! I've been nothing but obsessed since before I was even done with college. They have so much stuff now. This is the newest collection and as soon as I saw the first picture of it I loved it! I think I can still keep a good majority of the things I have now, but I'll just get rid of some of the zebra stuff, plus I'll have to remake a lot of the stuff I've already made. I'm going to focus mostly on that polka dot pattern.... the one on the pennant border at the top in the middle. I love dots, and they don't get old!! :)

I had a request for some Chevron stuff, which I think is awesome, so I'll make sure I'm adding that into my sets as well as still making zebra and any other patterns/themes everyone likes!! If you have a suggestion or request be sure to let me know :)

I know I've posted some of these before, but I wanted to group them together so everyone could see them all in the same post. Each month(ish) I'd have the kids do a project to decorate the room. There's barely enough time for everything that goes on in our day, but I feel like kids still need to be kids and need to know about to be somewhat crafty. So we make time for these:

{december/january - 3d snowflakes}

{feb - 3d valentine balls}

{march - 3d st. patricks day shamrocks}

{april/may - 3d dragonflies}

Hopefully that inspires someone! Especially if you're not really motivated to decorate. It adds an awesome touch to the classroom and it's a great way for the kids to feel like they have decorated the classroom!!

Random Thoughts Wednesday

This really isn't going to be teacher related? I guess. I've been bursting at the seams to post all of this fabulous stuff we've been doing in lil' old room 127, but I came home completely intent on posting all night and then it happened... the internet stopped working. Stop. the. presses. Me equals almost in tears. I basically hyperventilate without internet connection. So here I am... in a delirious state. I've cleaned for 4 hours, I just sat down. There's basically nothing worse than working all day with 25 third graders, then coming home and cleaning (Okay so maybe there is... I know most of you have kids and have to clean after a full day. That would most def. be worse)! Sidenote before I begin... I now have to brand every photo I post, as some loosey goosey is claiming my photos as their own. Creepers! So alas I present to you... my random thought Wednesday:

has anyone ever gotten to school planned on doing 8 million things and instead plugged in the laminator? (is that even how you spell laminator?) Anyway... Tuesday my intention was to do all sorts of stuff, laminate a few things, then be on my way. This is what the result was. I laminated the pants off everything. Plus I'm revamping things because: 1. I constantly need to change things 2. I'm trying to start changing things over to next years theme. I was so disappointed when the bell rang and I realized I wasted the entire morning!

{friday - dismissal took roughly 45 minutes because of this madness}

{ordered these boots on halloween - they just arrived in the past 2 weeks}

{note:so worth the wait}

{i'm officially in PANIC mode - i have completely run out of space}

{that little space in the middle used to be my board, now expository just gets rolled up all day}

{ugh-nnoying!}

{is anyone else crazy about giving tests in the middle of a week?}

{i hate giving tests on like wed/thurs, then i'd have to start a new unit on like a thurs or fri}

{so we did an AIMS tangram lesson - these are the best LOL, they crack me up!}

{i heart the turtle!}

{the final copies of the picture part of the adverb project!}

{they put an INSANE amount of detail! i couldn't believe it!!}

{i'll post the final results this weekend - hopefully - when they're done}

{it was wear red day - red for perseverance month}

{these were the only red shoes I had, i freakin' love them they are so comfy - i pinky promise}

{i have them in nude, black, these, and i want them in the bright pink - but the boy said no way lol}

{anyway apparently a few 1st graders said they wanted me cuz I wore pretty shoes}

{i. heart. kids.}

I told you I was going to be random. Anyway the pencil sharpener... still GOING STRONG. As if there was ever any doubt! I even dared, I know it was dangerous, to sharpen 2 colored pencils today! They sharpened no problem! The kiddos have even used it! I think I need to find a permanent place for it and it'll be even easier 'cuz they won't have to steady it. I need some reason to do a giveaway soon, cuz Troy said he'd do a giveaway with me! I'd be happy given one of those bad boys away. That's it. I promise more teacher/school related posts tomorrow!!

Step-by-Step Snowflakes - Part 1

Alright... are you ready for this? I think my iPhone just wanted to retire on me! It's been busy at work with pictures of the snowflakes!! Warning: It's a LONG post! I tried to be as descriptive as possible! 

Well, here goes nothing...

 {supplies: 6 sheets of paper, scissors, tape}

 {step 1: take 1 of the sqaures}

 {step 2: fold diagonally into large triangle}

 {step 3: fold triangle in half to make smaller triangle}

 {step 4: pick up on fold, as if holding the "mouth/point" away from you}

 {step 5: cut strips roughly 1 inch wide, beginning at fold, until about an inch away from ends}

 {step 6: repeat 4 times, stopping about an inch away from the other end (creates 5 sections)}

 {make sure you cut on the fold, and don't cut all the way to the other side}

 {step 7: carefully unfold once}

{step 8: unfold again, all the way}

 {view from back, see how cuts end before the middle fold}

 {get the tape ready!!}

 {step 9: gather 2 middle pieces together}

 {step 10: overlap the corners, do not pinch them together}

 {step 11: place tape over in order to hold together}

 {you're going to flip this over, so the piece you just tape is on the table}

 {now on backside!}

 {step 12: gather the next two pieces in order}

 {bring together}

{step 13: fold them over each other, then tape!}

 {time to flip again}

{get ready to pull together}

  {step 14: once flipped to other side, take next 2 strips, fold together, and tape}

{time to flip once again}

 {step 15: now take these two, fold them together}

{step 16: fold over and tape. then flip back to other side!}

{step 17: now take the last 2 pieces, fold them together}

 

{step 18: fold over and tape!}

{one is complete! now you must repeat 5 more times with the other squares!}