Christmas in the Classroom

I love exploring blogs and seeing how other classrooms celebrate the holidays!  I've seen so many great projects and love getting ideas from all the amazing teachers and teacher authors out there!  So my question is, what do you do for the holidays in your classroom?  Please share!

I do many things in the classroom during Christmas, but a few little projects stand out.  I always do gingerbread houses (with graham crackers and milk cartons from the cafeteria) and a book exchange.  Here is a look at the gingerbread house making.

I even have some activities to complete after we make the houses!

I love doing a book exchange instead of doing gifts such as toys.  I send home book plates for the students to place inside the books they are giving to a classmate.  Boys get a new book for a boy and girls for a girl, never to exceed $5.00.  This is easy with Scholastic orders and I always have books on hand just in case.

I also make candy cane mice to hang on our class tree.  The kids adore this project:)

Finally, we make ornaments with our fingers.  Have students grip the ornament with white acrylic paint on their fingers.  When they are dry give them different colored permanent markers and have them turn their finger prints into snowmen.  I attach gift tags to the ornaments and you can snatch them up for free!  Just click here!

Share your little projects too!  I would love to see them and hear about them!

Holiday Happenings, Bundle Added, and Cyber Sale

My Thanksgiving vacation is coming to a close.  I have to admit, I am not happy about it.  I was really enjoying being at home with my girls and will start the countdown to Christmas vacation tomorrow.  I am looking forward to all the fun December brings to the classroom, but truly LOVE time with my girls!  Tonight we went to see Santa and one of his reindeer.  The girls loved it!  

                                                                                                

I have a great Life Science Animals unit in my TpT store.  I love this unit!

Over Thanksgiving vacation I finished up a companion pack to this unit.  Together they create one awesome bundle of learning fun!!!

My first unit is packed with visuals and graphic organizers.  This companion unit is filled with printables and activities to use throughout your animal explorations!  Not to mention, this includes little to no prep!  Here is a peek at what this unit offers.

Hope you enjoyed that tiny peek!  Click HERE if you would like to check it out!

 or SAVE and buy the BUNDLE!

Be sure to shop the Teachers Pay Teachers Cyber Sale tomorrow and Tuesday!  Use code *TPTCYBER*

at checkout to save up to 28% in many stores!!!!!!  Happy Cyber Shopping!

Childhood Cancer Awareness

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month! Has cancer affected you, your family, your school, or your community? This awareness pack is designed to help raise awareness, provide information, and tell you how you can help!

I've done the best job I can to provide you with a product that is as kid friendly as can be. Of course, with such a real topic it is hard to fine tune this product specifically towards one grade level. Some grade levels will use every piece, while others may choose to use some and not others. It will be the teachers choice to determine what is and is not appropriate for your grade level. I have taken a very real topic and turned it into kid friendly terms while leaving in important facts and information. This pack does a great job of informing and encouraging children to get involved. It offers great activities, materials, and ways to reach out to those affected by childhood cancer. It even provides a template and addresses for sending letters to little heroes!

I want to give a HUGE thank you to Melonheadz Illustrating for making my exclusive Miles for Morgan bundle! I also want to give a big, HUGE thank you to Morgan for being the inspiration for this creation and my mini book character.  You are a hero!

A portion of the profits made from this product will be donated to CureSearch and/or Adopt a Pig. 

I hope you are all doing your part and spreading awareness!  I learned so much while researching for this project.  There is so much I didn't know!

Click HERE if you want to spread awareness!  Big hugs to you all and have a super week!

Back to School Communication Folders

Today is my last day of summer vacation.  Tomorrow it is back to work!  Kicking off the year with a teacher work day and back to school night.  I am overwhelmed with excitement and some anxiety.  I have those feelings of feeling prepped and ready, but not really at the same time.  I am sure you know what I am talking about.  I keep thinking of things I need to do and worry, worry, worry!  I don't think those feeling ever go away no matter how experienced you are.

This year is extra stressful!  We just moved back to Indiana from Korea.  I only have about ten boxes of teaching materials to kick off the year.  Those boxes are essentials only!  It costs a fortune to mail things from Korea.  I think I paid for everything in those boxes three times over just to get them here.  I have no classroom library, no math manipulatives, just essential files and decor.  The rest of my 40 totes will arrive a week and a half after school starts!  STRESS!  I will be getting my room ready while the year has started.  I don't see myself sleeping in the month of August/September.  In addition, we are buying and moving into a house the end of the month and my household goods/furniture/pretty much everything else I own will be arriving in Septemberish...... I am freaking out!

This year is also extra special!  My oldest is starting Kindergarten and she couldn't be more excited.  We had a Mommy & Ashlyn day yesterday and we B2S shopped until we dropped.  It was so fun to have alone time with this peanut.  Now, my youngest is going to be 3 in September.  Don't let that darling little face fool you......TERRIBLE TWOS IN FULL EFFECT!  Wow, she keeps me on my toes.  Love that little sugar bear to pieces!!!!

Now for some B2S talk.  I always use communication folders in my classroom.  This year I made Polka D.O.T. Folders (Daily Organizational Tool) that will go to and from school every day.  I order my folders from Nicky's Folders.

The folders look like this and they are perfect in every way.  There is a clear view pocket in the front and the back for sliding in pages and the inside has a "Return to School" and "Keep at Home" pocket.

I create my papers and slide them into the front and back of the folder.  Here is a picture of the folder I am using this year.

This folder style can be snatched up at my TpT store along with the folder styles I have used in the past.  I absolutely love them and LOVE that they keep me, my students, and my parents so informed and organized!

Here are some examples of my other folders also available in my store:

More Polka D.O.T. styles...

     

              

The S.H.A.R.K Folder above was the first set I ever made and has been very popular at my store.  It was actually the first product I put on TpT and has remained my number one seller.  I used to have a beach theme and have switched to polka dots and chevron, but I do miss these folders.  

If there is anyone else starting up their year in the morning, GOOD LUCK!  For the rest of you with some time to spare....LIVE IT UP!!!!

A Telling Time Freebie

There are so many great deals going on at Teachers Pay Teachers right now!  Lots of Christmas in July sales and even many freebies being given away.  I decided I wanted to get in on the fun and share a freebie with all of you.  My little store has finally reached 200 followers.  I know that isn't a huge number, but I am proud of myself and have a present for all of my fans!

I just downloaded a Time to Get Fit FREEBIE and it would make a perfect addition to your math stations.  Take a look and head on over to my store to grab up your free copy.

Have an amazing Friday blogging friends and terrific teachers!  Big hugs to you and relax as much as possible.  Our little summer extravaganza is about to come to a conclusion!