Something New Sunday {linky}

Hello friends! It's something new Sunday! At the bottom you can link up a new blog post or product!

And I'm linking up with Amy from 24/7 Teacher with her Sweet Summer Linky.

 

Last week I found this on Simply Kinder's blog. She is a genius! This will make dismissal on the first day a breeze! Just click on the picture to take you to her blog post.

 

 

  Be sure to link up with your something new! I love seeing them each week!  

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Wednesday Wisdom



I'm linking up with Primary Possibilities for their Wednesday Wisdom.

 

This week is about things you can't live without in the classroom. So here's my list:

#1 Mr. Sketch markers: They smell great and are wonderfull for writing on your chart paper.

 

#2 My easel! I love this thing!

 

 

#3 My Kindergarten team! I don't have a picture of all of us together (hmmm, I'll have to fix that). The other 2 kindergarten teachers are great to work with and collaborate with!

 

#4 My junk area. Well this isn't really junk, but all of my guided reading and math materials. I'm not super organized, but I know where everything is.

#5 My SmartBoard! When the bulb dies, it's super sad in our classroom for a couple of weeks until a new one gets ordered and put in.

 

What are your must haves?

 

 

A Peek Into My Classroom {with freebies!}

My classroom finally looks done!

Here are my new no sew curtains made from a queen size fitted sheet and ribbon.

How I'm going to track progress on Fry Words:

Where student work will go:

Whole Class Graphing

(blurry picture, but I will write the graphing question on the dry erase plate and label the columns. Students will put a magnet on the one of their choice and then we will count and compare.

This will tie in nicely with my morning messages. Most have a graphable question for each day.

Behind my kidney table (my hubby hung the Wal-Mart oil pan for me, I'm disappointed that it won't dry erase like a cookie sheet, but it is magnetic)

My new sensory table that will work in conjuction with my dry erase cart and bulletin board:

And now the freebies:

I'm trying achievement badges this year to take the place of prizes. When a student gets to wear one, they will wear it all day and even get to wear it home. I hope they all come back, but if not all I have to do is reprint and grab some yarn.

Click on the picture to download them for free from my store.

We repainted the bathrooms and needed a new sign to indicate boys and girls.

Just click on the picture to download these free from my store if you need new bathroom signs!

It is a relief to have this part done! Now onto planning and getting activities together for my kinders!

Leave a comment with your link if you have classroom pictures up already. I'd love to check them out!

Pin It to Win It Monday

Hello Friends! It's Pin It to Win It Monday!

 

This time the prize will be my new Letters and Intial Sounds Wallets!

 

 

You can earn up to 8 entries from Rafflecopter and there will be 2 winners.

Happy pinning!

 

Roxanne and Barbara check you email!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Something New Sunday Linky!

Hello Friends! It's time for Something New Sunday!

When you get to the bottom, link up something new!

 

 

My something new is letter/sound wallets. I'm pretty excited to try them out with my kiddos this year.

 

 And I'm linking up with Amy from 24/7 Teacher with her Sweet Summer Linky.

 

 

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for Pin It to Win It!

 

 

 

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Favorite Pins Friday

Hello Friends! I'm linking up with Cara for Favorite Pins Friday!

From In My Own Style, here are no sew curtains! All you need is a fitted sheet and ribbon. My classroom is getting some updated curtains! 

Now, I actually like to sew, but am not too great at sewing straight lines and corners are way out of my leauge! Maybe this will help!


This from Remodelaholic would be perfect for my back porch! This is why I love Pinterest, so many things I would never think of on my own!


And my last one. I LOVE Snoopy!

 

Throwback Thursday {with a freebie!}

Hello Friends! I'm linking up with Cara from The First Grade Parade for Throwback Thursday!

 

This post was a fun one about using stamps in a station even though I'm very OCD about everything getting back where it belongs and students NOT looking like someone just took their fingerprints!

 

***Originally Posted March 12, 2013***

Click here to see the orignal post.

 

Hello friends! Do you have a favorite part of your school day? My favorite part would have to be station time. Though, it would be a tie between Math and Reading stations. They both are so much fun! One of my favorite reading stations is my stamping words station and the kids think it's pretty cool, too. :)

Here's a little look as to what goes on during this station that they visit once a week.

 

This year I finally figured out something that worked to store my stamps in. The cases they come in don't last long. I had seen an idea on Pinterst to use ice cube trays, but I wasn't sure how that would work. And then it came to me, the little baskets I already had would work perfect! Who knew those cheap baskets from Wal-mart would work so wonderfully?! By this time in the year, they can pretty much keep the stamps in ABC order (they know how OCD I am about that!). The stamp pads you see came from Oriental Trading and have lasted all year, which is quite an accomplishment!

Here's a little unit that I use to help differentiate at my stamp station:

 

And a freebie to go along with it!

 

 

 

Wednesday Wisdom

I'm linking up with Primary Possibilities for their Wednesday Wisdom.

 

This week's focus is on technology.Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with technology. If I'm being observed, whatever I'm using technology wise will break. By now I expect it to happen.

Ok, on to technology...

I'm blessed to have my SmartBoard. However, I don't use the software for SmartBoard, I use ActivInspire (for Promethean Boards). Weird, I know. I find that it is way easier to use, but that may be because I'm used to it.

 

I have 4 student computers. Students rotate through the at station time and will get to the computers about twice a week. My favorite way to organize student websites is PortaPortal.

 

PortaPortal is free and so easy to use. You put all of your student links in one place, organize them into your catergories and you are all set. If you have a specific game on ABCYa you want your kids to play, place that link in your portaportal and it will take them straight to it.

You can put symbols like a smiley face or thumbs up beside specific links. On the desktop, students click on the PortaPortal shortcut (BTW when creating your shortcut to your PortaPortal do it with your guest link that way there is no logging and students can't alter anything). For ELA they choose a smiley link and for Math they choose a thumbs up link. I know exactly what games they are playing and they have choices.
Here is a screen shot of mine:

And you can check out my actual page by using guest access and typing : barrettl -this will let you see what students see.

 

If you haven't tried it, it is worth checking out! Go to Primary Possibilities to see the other posts about technology!

***Beki M & Roxanne C - you two are the winners of my pin it to win it!*** Check you email for some goodies!

 

 

 

 

Pin It to Win It Monday with Sensory Activities

Hello Friends! I am super excited about a new station I will be using in my classroom this coming year. My sweet darling husband built me a sensory table! {BTW much cheaper than buying one}
Here's what it looks like (in our garage):

My head is spinning with all the things I can do with it! I am going to put it beside a magnetic dry erase board. My plan is to put magnetic station cards in with the dyed noodles, sand, rice, whatever looks fun. Students can place their card on the board, use it for sorting or write the word/number on the board beside the card. So many different activities can be accomplished with this! {Can you tell I'm excited?!}

 

Well, here is what I have created to go with my awesome table:

I created 6 packets:

Early ELA and Grammar Sensory Tub Activities
Early Math Sensory Tub Activities
Alphabet {Letters and Sounds} Sensory Table Activities
Alphabet {Letters and Sounds} Sensory Tub Activities in D’Nealian
Rhyming Sensory Tub Activities
CVC Sensory Tub Activities
Just click on the name to check it out in my little store or click on the picture to see the bundle.

If you don't have a sensory table, you can always use a tub. If you don't want to do either, these stations would work just fine in a pocket chart.

I'd love to know...do you have a sensory table/tub in your classroom?

Now for the Pin It to Win It Monday. Each Monday I'm going to do a pin it to win it. This time you could win my sensory bundle! There will be 2 winners that will be randomly selected through rafflecopter. Now this is the first time I've used the pin it through rafflecopter. If something doesn't work please let me know! You can earn up to 8 chances to win through the rafflecopter! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy pinning!!