Keeping Up With Kirbys

Well, tomorrow is the day that I present to teachers...as opposed to the little people that I LOVE spending my days with.   I LOVE teaching but something about standing in a room of people my size makes me get all nervous. My prayer for tomorrow is that every teacher leaves the conference with excitement that is contagious and a new passion to foster creativity within their classroom. Several years ago I had the privilege of attending a Digital Fluency workshop presented by Kasey Bell . She was amazing and I think I may have learned more from the 30 hours with her than I did in 15 years of training workshops. Seriously. One of the assignments we were given was to implement a new idea in our classroom.  I went with what I thought was the "easiest" for me. I mean, really, I didn't have time to do this and while teaching what I was expected to teach.  I just thought I'd get this assignment done so that I could check it off my list. Who knew that it was going to

I've been busy, busy, busy... not so much in the craft section just yet but on the computer. I've joined Tara at 4th Grade Folics to share with all the amazing teachers out there making things.  Stop by to see what's being made... Can you guess what I'm planning to make this week??  You'll have to wait and see. Most of the things that I have made this past week have been on this MAC, my buddy. ;-)    This pack contains heading labels, writing prompts, and writing process display chart ready for me to put up in my room. {click here } In case you didn't notice that's ME holding the fish.  I think that picture would make a great story.   Next I made ALL the things that I want to display in my room this year. Today is the last day it's FREE! There might be something in there that you could use.{click here } My classroom management and behavior incentive got a little touch up work.{click here }  The last 2 th

Feeling Adventurous?! Some people try a new hairstyle or a fun new paint color in their house. Not me.... As I sit here and type with my left hand only, I'm thinking about how nice a new hairstyle would feel.  The down time has given me time to go through some of my old TPT products and give them a little LOVIN' .  If you want a fun Back to School activity to help kids learn something interesting about their classmates then you might like the Getting to Know You Bags . 

Yes, I said NEW .  That's because I'm moving in the building, folks. I am thrilled to be in the building and definitely feeling a little more relaxed this year.  I MEAN REALLY... 1. I'm not sending a kid to college this year 2. I'm not moving from my town that I lived in for 14 years 3. I'm not leaving my school district that I LOVE and have been apart of for 14 years 4. I'm not closing on a new house  5. I'm not moving into a new house 6. My husband is not changing careers 7. My tween daughter is not going to a new school-leaving her friends she's had since Pre-K  Ummmm....that sounds like crazy train! I was on that train last year. I'm excited to be a little more relaxed and settled.  I like to make the things that I want to hang up around my room before I can get in my classroom.  This year I'm going to keep the same colors (bc I don't want to spend any extra money) that I had last year. I plan on d

Kids LOVE to tell you stories but sometimes they get stuck when it 's time to write them .  I've created a writing display full of ideas and a variety of reasons to write. Not only do my students BLOG , which I believe is an important form of communication and a unique way of writing BUT they also WRITE with pencil(or FUN pens) and paper .  They publish stories, write letters to pen pals, make lists, and add entries to their journals. There are a variety of reasons why we write.  I created the writing display board to help my kiddos establish a purpose when writing and then give them ideas for the p urpose they choose. We formally go through the writing process in our classroom and this can be tracked on the writing process chart with clothespins lab eled with each students name or number .   If you need ideas or want to make a writing display board you can get it { HERE }.  Tomorrow I will attend a writing workshop so I'm sure(hope) that I will come bac

Now that July is here I' m really focusing on trying to mark things off my classroom TO DO LIST and if I can share this on Tara's Monday Made It and help another teacher then I feel SUCCESSFUL.   The 1st thing I had on my list was my WORD WORK STATION. I bou ght a 10 drawer caddy (from another teacher-SCORE!) that will become the new word wor k stati on . Pictures will come later as I get m y room together... I created some new activit ies and labels for th is sta tion t hat you can get { here }.   I don't like making copies AND it 's kind of a HUGE deal at my school so most of the acti vities can be writ ten in their WORD WORK JOURNAL or the activity does not requ ire paper copies. The WORD WORK journal will contain a small baggie stapled to the back of each compo sition journal. Th is baggie will hold their weekly words. We use Words Their Way so each child will have different words based on their needs.   T he daily schedule will be g

Friends!--Let me just start off by saying that I think EVERYONE should experience Colorado. If you are planning a vacation and need suggestions....I suggest the mountains.There is something AWEsome about being outside in the middle of mountains and feeling so little . I think it's a reminder of how great our God is and how small we are.  Well, we needed to do this vacation on the cheap so we thought let's just camp. We are never really in a hotel room anyway so let's save money.  We loaded up everything that we thought we would need and we were off. USAFA has campgrounds so we were able to stay right on campus and see Isaiah. It was a beautiful campsite and it had a ton of family games to play.  One of our favorite things to do is tether ball.  Ya'll, we laugh so hard that we are sick after playing this but there is nothing funnier than watching someone try with all their might to hit a ball on a rope and they continue to miss-no matter how athletic you ar

I LOVED all the coffee cozy contest feedback.  Kimberly was the big WINNER! If you'd like to buy one I'd be happy to make some for you.  I think they'd be fun BTS gifts for teachers and coworkers.  Just send me an email.

Happy Birthday, AMERICA!! Our plan is to swim in the lake, grill hamburgers, watch fireworks, and ride bikes.  ALL American, right?!!  I'm sure we'll have lots of pictures soon. In the meantime I've been sewing away and getting things together for Monday Made It and America's Birthday! S top by Fourth Grade Frolics to see what other teach ers have been up to.   Nothing too exciting...unless dressing up your coffee makes you giddy!!   Now that is one good-looking coffee... I think they would make cozy cute gifts. Wouldn't you LOVE the chance to win one for you and a friend ? If you win you can choose your favorite colors or your school color s. Just enter below and I will anno unce and email the winner Wed nesday. a Rafflecopter giveaway Now I think it's only fair to share the FAIL S that we have as we are learning.  If you can't laugh at yourself then........you're probably NO FUN to be around. I thought the anchors