Giveaway and a NEW BLOG Linky Party!

Alright, friends, I have just fallen in love with this whole blogging thing. I have spent hours and hours looking at some wonderful teacher blogs out there and have seen some fabulous ideas being shared by teachers. The one thing I'm noticing, as I travel through blog land, is that there are LOTS of new bloggers out there, like me! If you can relate, and you've found some wonderful new bloggers of note, head on over to Gonna Set This Circus Down and add them to the linky party.



The best part -- Leea is giving away a $25 gift card to Amazon for those who participate!

Hurry up and add your favorite new blogs to the list and see if you are a winner!

Kelie

A Word Making Freebie

I really love reading teacher blogs and seeing all the wonderful ideas out there! A couple of days ago, I ran across a wonderful blog written by Anna Brantley, called Crazy for First Grade. She has some truly awesome ideas - one of my favorites is her Making Words unit. I love it!!  I wanted to create something similiar, so I gave it a shot..

One of my favorite characters is the Gingerbread Man, so I thought that would be a good jumping off point. I hope this is something you can use!

Enjoy! -
Kelie

Tables and Desks Organization

In the past, I have always taught Kindergarten. I have been a faithful table user UNTIL this year! I am looping to 1^st with my Kinders, and, get this..staying in the same room! Yippee for me! But, my goal is for them to feel a true difference when they walk in. I want them to know they are now in First Grade, not Kindergarten, anymore. So, I found a wonderful teacher friend in the building who wanted tables and our custodian switched them out for us. I now have desks! But, I thought I would share with you the way the tables used to be organized.

These are our table numbers.. I use a stand up plastic document holder to number the tables and to post examples of the center work. Each table is numbered (1-5) and our literacy centers are in baskets labeled 1-5. So, it makes passing out the center baskets VERY easy. Great job for a student!

These are our Dollar Tree baskets, literacy baskets are white and math baskets are black.

Now, the dilemma is changing over to desks... Any ideas on how to organize this with desks? I'm thinking about pods with book cases at the end of each. I would love to know how your organize this for first graders.

Kelie

Giveaways Are Awesome!

One of my favorite new sites, First Grade Blue Skies, is having an awesome giveaway! Your choice of a $ 25 gift card to Target or Amazon.com! Go to her site and check out all she has to offer – excellent, easy to implement ideas for your primary classroom! And a sweet girl, too!



Cute and Cheap Classroom Decor

Alright, friends, went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and found this A-M-A-Z-ING stack of tissue paper for $5.99 (with coupon 3.59).

It has 10 different colors with 10 sheets each! So, here's my plan… 10 of these:

If you want an easy tutorial on how to make them, check out:

Tissue Paper Flower Tutorial

What do you think? Would these work in your classroom?

Cheap and easy at about 36 cents each! Love it!

 

 

Themed Book Basket Labels

Freebie!

Here are some book basket labels that are for themed/author related books. Hope they are something you can use!

Book Baskets

I can't believe how quickly the summer is flying by! As I think about fall, I realize there are some things that are going to have to change quickly for my Kindergarten room to be transformed into a First Grade room. That's right -- I am looping this year! So super excited to be working with my kiddos for one more year. They are fabulous! But, you know what that means.. Major overhaul of the classroom! Here are a few things that will be changed:

-new rug for the book center
-new book basket labels (I am including a link!)
-new baskets for the tops of my lockers
-switch from tables to desks (probably the biggest change of all!)

What have I missed? Anyone out there looped with your Kinders to 1st? Any words of wisdom or advice? As you think about it, here's a link to my new book basket labels (love me some Lettering Delights!):

Enjoy!