May Currently

Can't believe it's May!  Join in the currently with Farley by clicking the link below!

I have 12 school days left to cram the last bit of information into my little ones brains.  Wish me luck!

April Currently

It is April...my birthday month.  Normally, I feel a bit "quiet" about my birthday- but to be honest folks I am feeling a bit "loud" about it this year.  I am turning 40 this month.  I know that isn't too old but it feels like a biggie.  It feels like a year of big changes.  I have had so many exciting, crazy, fun, and new adventures and experiences already in 2016 but I feel many more are to come.  This is a good thing.  I am ready to face whatever comes my way and jump head first into it.

Below I have Farley's Currently.  If you wish to join in the fun- click below.

Listening- I just joined the Teach Happy Membership on Sheila Jane's website.  Check it out, she has a ton of information and connects you to people who are amazing and upbeat yet real.  I am so excited!

Loving- see this post

Thinking- Ok, I did it.  I stayed up crazy late to plan the math, reading, and science for the next and final 8 weeks of school.  I also made up my final 7 hw cover sheets for the year.  I still have phonics/Fundations (separate plans) and social studies to complete.  I still have to make copies for everything but wahoo for the giant amount I did already!!!!

Wanting- spring break is coming to a close and I want to do something cute for my nails.  So, I have some new Jamberry strips that I want to get on before I go back to school.

It's April, folks.  Go out there and be great!

Seuss Week and Currently

Join me in the awesome, Farley's Currently.  See below to find her blog.

We had a week long celebration of Dr. Seuss!  1st Grade loves Dr. Seuss.
On Mixed up Monday, we created and wrote about a mixed up animal or character that would fit well in a Seuss book.  We also, pretended to be doctors (which Seuss technically was not), and performed surgery on various parts of speech such as verbs, adverbs, nouns, and adjectives.  We dressed up like doctors to do the activity, of course.  Thanks, Kim Bearden for the inspiration in this activity!!!

 My daughter demonstrating what my students wore.

On Top Hat Tuesday, we read The Cat in The Hat and made paper top hats that discussed the plot of the story.  Below is an example of what I used to do- now I changed it to plot as we really needed work on understanding problem and solution.   I also enjoyed dressing up as the Cat in the Hat....because I could.

 

On Wacky Wednesday, we wore silly socks, read Seuss books and created silly rhymes.  Then I stayed extra long after school- cleaning up and working on taming the paper monster that was living in my drawers.  It is sooo much better now!  I walked out to my car around 7 p.m. and saw this....nothing but my car.  I thought it was funny so I took a picture.

On Theodore Thursday, we read biographical information about Theodore Geisel (Seuss' real name) and read his first book And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street.  Below it shows an activity I used from someone's blog (too long ago to remember who) where the kids silently figure out which star belly sneetch was their sum match.  It was fairly tricky for them doing it silently but most got it.

On Funny Food Friday, we watched a short video of the read aloud, Green Eggs and Ham. The kids ate green hardboiled eggs with Sam I Am apple juice.  We also discussed how characters change and used a character mapping page to demonstrate that information.

February Currently 2016

Join in the Currently fun with the amazing Farley at:

Thinking- I have a lot of evidence/pics to gather for the Domains.  In NM (as I imagine other states) we have to organize our info for the various Domains to turn into the PED via our principals.  That always takes awhile.  

Swooning- My PTA (after a presentation I put on requesting funds) has decided to fully fund my trip to RCA's National Educator Conference.  They are paying airfare, food, hotel, training fee, and giving extra for any materials I may see to purchase to for training staff when I return.  I will then put on a staff PD in August when we return to school.  LOVING my PTA for their help!!!

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Yesterday my class celebrated the 100th Day.  So, I threw on a wig, old lady scarf, and a bunch more wrinkles (already had some naturally, ha) to celebrate in old people style.  Some of my kiddos dressed the part too.  They were so funny!

Happy February People!!

Currently and a Blog Hop

I am excited to join Farley's Currently again this month.  Click on the circle below to join in the fun.

What a year!  I recently blogged about my New Year's Goals for 2016 {HERE}.  I am looking forward to all that will come my way this next year.  #Bringon2016

I love joining Farley.

Loving- I am soaking up the snuggle and fun time I am having with my kids.  Sigh.  That's that hardest part of being a working momma.  I miss them when I work.

Thinking- I began a GoFundMe to get to The Ron Clark Academy for their National Conference this summer.  I am super hopeful to get it funded.  Our district doesn't pay for that sort of thing.  Cross your fingers for me.  Anyone else out there do this sort of thing?  This is my first time doing anything like that.

Wanting- I am having a hard time being motivated to exercise consistently.

One Little Word- I am so excited for 2016.  It is going to be a great year.  I can feel it!

****Along with the currently, my NM bloggy buddies and I are hosting a Blog Hop Giveaway and each of us is giving away a freebie to all who visit our pages!  See below to check it out!  Then look at the bottom of the page to see who to hop to next!  By the way, the frames below are Rebecca B Designs.  She has great stuff.

In the above package, I donated the Math Menus #4 and #5, St. Patrick's Day mini-unit, and My State is Beautiful pack that works for any state.  See below for a Math Menu FOREVER FREEBIE.



Our rafflecopter entries are really easy.  Check it out!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here is the freebie I am giving away!  It is a Math Menu best used in October.  Click on either page to get the Google Drive link.  This is a Forever Freebie!!!

Now it's time to hop to my good friend's blog, Suzy.  She has a freebie for you as well!  Happy New Year everyone!  Don't forget to link up with Farley!!!

Your hop will end with my other bloggy friend Laura at Tchr888.  Have fun!
Happy 2016!

Dec. Currently

Well, I am late to the party again!  Join in...you can be fashionably late too.  :)
See the link below to join the amazing Farley.

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  It makes me so happy.  I love talking about all the cool holidays around the world with my students too.  This year, we have an Elf on a Shelf visiting and she is going to bring us some books that introduce each of the holidays that we are discussing.  

 Below is the letter the elf brought and the expectations.

 Below is an example of some of the words the elf brought.  This came from a kit -maybe TpT but for the life of me I can't remember who made it....so sorry!!!

Below are a few pics of what my hallway looks like.  The awesome assistants at our school have been decorating up a storm.  

The hallway door leading to the kinder and 1st grade hallway.

 My daughter outside my door.

 My classroom door decoration.

 My kinder neighbor's door.

The snowflakes hanging from our ceiling.  Phew, they were so tangly and tricky to get put up.  The person going up and down the ladder was exhausted by the end of the hall!!!  But when the kids saw it and we heard all their excitement it was worth it.

Below is my 1st grade coworker's door.

The little faces are my students.  Aren't they adorable?  All aboard the Polar Express!!!!

Have a great weekend and enjoy your families.

November Currently

Wow, November snuck up like a ninja.

I am linking up with Farley's Currently, love those.  Click the pic below to join in.

I don't think I need to explain much above (although I do realize I totally misspelled quiet).  

Listening- I am staying up way too much to get planning and other things done but I can't seem to get everything completed!  It's tricky balancing 2 kids and trying to be an "on-top-of-it" teacher.  I do the best I can but it always feels like it's not enough.  So, to compensate and make more time to get stuff done, I just don't sleep much.  Not healthy, but it allows my daughters more time with me since I don't spend all their time working on papers or the computer.

Well, whether we are ready or not, here is November!  So, I wish you a fabulous month!

October Currently '15

Time for the amazing Farley's Currently for October.  Click the pic above to join in.

Listening- I told the kids if they got their rooms in order they would be able to have a Halloween party.  The rooms are bad...people, I mean bad.  So, it will take them awhile.  I've been warning my youngest that if it didn't get cleaned up soon, I was going to take several bags and make a mega trip to Goodwill with all her stuff.  When you can't walk in a pretty large bedroom because the floor has so many toys on the floor- there is a problem!

Wanting- Ok, so I have read everything Ron Clark has written, watched a million videos on him and the Ron Clark Academy, and have just began Kim Bearden's book now too.  I have wanted to go to RCA to observe during one of their trainings.  I am slightly obsessed with all things RCA.  I even sent Ron Clark a package/present because I just love his work so much.  I think I will be able to go to RCA this year!  I will talk more about that later.

Needing- When my house is clean, we can get started on decorating with our 8 giant bins of Halloween decorations.  Yup, about 8 big Sterilite orange and black bins!  Sooooo, we kinda like Halloween. 

Let's have a great October!

Slideshow and Currently

Near the bottom I have the Currently, but had a couple things to show first.

#1  I was perusing the blogs I love and was reading one of my favorites- Amy Lemons (although now I am not teaching 2nd I won't be able to use her amazing TpT products, super sad face).
While reading her latest post, I was reminded about the fact that I never posted about my end of the year dvd.  Below are some of the slides I made for my dvd.

 

 

Seems many people make dvds now, and I have been doing it for awhile also.  I began when the idea was introduced to me by my daughter's first grade teacher.  Then the next year, I taught 1st and was able to make one with the help of my colleagues.  I have changed my methods over the years and perfected things to my liking.  I use the previous year's power pt header slides to save time and make new ones for any new activities or events that started that year.  Anyway, Amy Lemons referenced another blogger who does a wonderful video of how to use the same program I use.  If you are interested in seeing her video, head over to Little Warriors and watch the video on the page.  Katie Mense does a great job of explaining it.

#2  I have to tell you about something I did this summer with my computer desktop!!!  It's so clever (of Charity, who runs the blog- The Organized Classroom).  She uses custom desktop organizers for her computer wallpaper.  What does this mean?  See below for the results of my custom design I decided on after using her video tutorial!!!  (FYI- there are 2 screens because I have 2 monitors, don't judge...my hubby is super techy and I pretend I am too).

For her tutorial she used several shapes and different colors/designs.  For me, I felt the chevron was busy enough and my brain was not happy with several varieties of things to look at.  If you are still unsure what all that above is about- imagine your computer....the files on your desktop.....those get dragged into the spaces based on "theme".  For example, where it says professional- I dragged all my files that relate to my professional life that did not belong with math/literacy into their...proof of PD, my resume, memos from the principal, district "news", etc to that area.  I spent days organizing my entire computer.  It took me that long as I have just always downloaded a million things and left it in the download file on my desktop.  Terrible, I know- well now I have a place for everything and there is no excuse for "losing" a file anymore.  

I am super late for Farley's Currently!  I was on vacation and just got back.  I will post a little of that at a later date.  It was super fun!

I love that Farley always does such fun designs....how does she always do such cute things?  If you want to join in the fun, click {HERE}.

Listening- We just got back from 2 weeks of a cross country driving vacation....soooo much laundry to do now.

Thinking- I can never get enough summer time with my little girls.  It is especially hard this summer as my oldest will be going to middle school this year....mama is so not ready.  

Needing- I have so much to do in my classroom and the 1st day for teachers is Aug 7th!  So, I have to get on organizing and bulletin boards.  That way, when the first day of pd comes, I will be better prepared to do paperwork instead of worrying about the room.

All Star- I work so hard all the time.  If someone needs help, they know that if they ask me, I will help.  This then leads to the chocolate part of the answer... you know, stress eating!  Always so much to do leads to stress galore.  I am really going to try to slow that down this year.  

Thanks for reading!