Keeping Up With Kirbys

Well, today I'm moving in all my crafts that I have spent making this summer. I'm excited to share my latest Monday Made-its with you and I'm excited to get them in the classroom.   This might be my FAVORITE! I was telling my friend how I would LOVE to find an old desk to use as a child's teacher helper desk OR star student desk. She said "I have one that you can have." WHA?! I couldn't wait to get it home and bust out the spray paint.   Because of the different areas and different colors, I had to use a lot of tape and it had to be done in phases. After I Josh sprayed painted the desk I needed to find the right font for the chalkboard top.   I decided to use SK Cinderella and printed it off as large as I could one sheet of paper.  I colored the back with chalk, taped it to the front of the desk, and traced the letters with a pencil. When the paper was pulled off it left a chalk outline that I then painted in with a permanent chalk pe...

W hile I wait patiently for the wax to do its school floor magic I continue to plan procrastinate. <-truth Each week at my school we spend about 20 minutes completing what we call R time activities. This time is used to build classroom/school community, respect for others, respect for property, and learn to work cooperatively with a partner or group. We sing a song, find a partner, shake their hand, look at them while speaking in complete sentences, and work together on an assignment or a mission.  I've created partner match-up cards for the first nine weeks of school to help students find a partner while reviewing a previously taught skill. These cards are quickly passed out and the students find their match to determine who they will be working with. Our very first back to school R-time activity will be to Find a Friend... First, they will look for a friend that fits their card AND th ey must also match that friend's card.  It will create discussion am...

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 wa...

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 la...

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 w...