Math Mondays

One of my summer goals is to stay on track with my blog schedule, so Math Mondays are back! 

I'm slowly putting together my stuff for next year.

I know, I know...it's my first full week off of work and I'm at the computer putting together my copies, stations and lessons for next year. I'm actually trying to get as much done this week as I can. That way, I can enjoy the rest of my summer =)

Our first week is dedicated to shapes. We are also reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, so I made this cutesy spinner game with shapes! Yay!

My graphics are from Scrappin' Doodles & The 3am Teacher.

It's your basic, spin the spinner, color in the shape on the recording sheet that matches. The kiddos color them brown because they are coconuts from the coconut tree. =) Cute right??

Here's another shape activity I came up with last year. I actually forgot about it, until I went back to look at some of my old Math Monday posts.
I did a sensory tub with rice and put shapes in it. The kiddos had to find them, sort them and then record how many they found of each shape. I've updated the recording sheet from last year.

You can click on both images for an auto download.

In other news...Holy Guacamole! My Pinterest boards have blown UP since my Saturday post! I've got some awesome followers =)  I now have over 500 followers on Pinterest!!!  I had no idea that would happen.

Makes me feel so special =)

Enjoy your Memorial Day and all of the goodie TpT sales going on!

Someone New Sunday

This week, I want you to meet Jen

She blogs over at

Grade you teach: 

I teach kindergarten & LOVE it!!

 

How long have you been teaching? 

I have been teaching for 8 years, 2 years in first & 6 years in kindergarten.

 

Town/State: 

Monroe, North Carolina :)

 

What is your teaching "style"? 

My style is VERY hands on & age appropriate activities. It makes me sad that many states are asking us to teach the kids things that they are developmentally not ready for. I try to make all of my lessons fun & engaging, but I also incorporate TONS of repetition! I am a firm believer of the addage "Repetition is the mother of invention".
 

What is your most memorable teaching moment? 

I had a VERY small kindergartener in my second year of teaching K. He was a little quirky & well, for lack of a better word, weird. One day I could not find him ANYWHERE! I was getting nervous & anxious. I had called the office thinking that he somehow had left the room without me OR my assistant noticing. I had everyone looking for the little guy! I did not know what to do! I was freaking out I tell ya! Then, we heard giggles & where did I find him????...Inside of his backpack!!! I told you~ he was a tiny guy! We ended up cracking up laughing, and it is still a joke that is told all around my school!
 

Why do you blog? 

I started as a way to reflect & remember the good, the bad, & the ugly of what is going on in my classroom. Then, I started to branch out and read (& follow) other blogs & I realized that the blogging community is awesome & is actually making me a better teacher. I get ideas & inspiration from so many of the terrific bloggers out there. I have also been blown away from the support & kindness that I have found with so many people!

Where else can we find you? 

 

Click the Teachers pay Teachers link to get a freebie from Jen.

And make sure to become a follower!

 

If you would like to participate in Someone New Sunday,

Email me! 

laurastarnes@ymail.com

Pinteresting News

I was off for 1/2 a day yesterday. I did NOTHING! Well, almost nothing. I did sit with my laptop in my lap for a couple of hours and do you know what I did?

I reorganized my School Pinterest board!

When I started Pinterest, almost a year ago, I had no clue how big it would be and what a great resource it would be. I had just ONE board dedicated to ALL of my school findings..not anymore!

Here are my new boards. Make sure you follow each one (you can click on each pic and it will take you to my boards) or you won't get some of my great finds. And if you don't follow me on Pinterest...you should!  Also, I'm continuing my What I'm Pinning Wednesdays, so jump on board and show off your, well, boards!

I'm SO Excited!!!!

My dear sweet neighbor across the hall, who has been here a little longer than me, went to our principal and literally got on her knees and asked for SMART boards from retiring teachers rooms and guess what??!!!!

She said Yes!!!  So I am getting a SMART Board and now I need ideas..help..suggestions?!!  Whatever you got =)  I've seen tons of stuff out there, but never really paid attention to them because I don't have one.

Now I do!!! 

Today is my last day of school. No kiddos today, so I'm sitting in a room chatting with my co-workers. We are all done with our rooms, our stuff is turned in, we are ready to go...but we have to wait.

I know I've not blogged much lately, but I have some exciting stuff lined up for the summer.  I am now on a Behavior Support team for our school and we will be working on a behavior plan to implement throughout the entire school. I am excited for it and that's where most of my time has been spent instead of here.

But it's summer and I am dedicated to my followers now. =) 

Everyone have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend!

What I'm Pinning Wednesday

It's time for the Summer Edition of What I'm Pinning Wednesday! These are some projects that I want to work on over the summer. Some of them may be repeat pins. =)

1. I want to repaint my bathroom and do something like this on my wall. How cute!

Source: vityvity.com via Laura on Pinterest

2. Work on a few new stations for next year. Including this cute file folder game for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom from OopseyDaisy

Source: oopseydaisyblog.com via Laura on Pinterest

3. Work on some new Anchor Charts like this one from Zeke's Zoo.

Source: zeekszoo.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

4. Lose MORE weight! Continue my WW plan and sticking to it over the summer!

Source: healthyequalshappy.tumblr.com via Laura on Pinterest

5. Work on our schools new SWPBS committee and get things set and rolling for next year.

Source: Uploaded by user via Karen on Pinterest

So I've got a busy summer ahead of me.  How is yours?  Everyone have a great week!  I've just got today and 1/2 the day Thursday with my kiddos!

Someone New Sunday

Meet Maria

She runs the blog

Here's a few things about Maria and her awesome blog.

 

Grade you teach:  

Kindergarten

 

How long have you been teaching? 

7 Years

  

Town/State (optional): 

Michigan

  

What is your teaching "style"?  

I want my students to feel valued and knowledgeable. When I teach, I usually take the tone and approach of "leveling' with my kids. I say a lot of things like "I have something important to share with you." or "We have a problem, let me tell you what it is and then we have to talk about how to fix it"  

 

What is your most memorable teaching moment? 
Last year we had an assembly about music for the Pre,K, and 1st grade students. Like most assemblies, some students were invited to the front of the gym to participate and make music. A girl from my classroom was called up to help. Most children in that situation forget about whoever may be watching and just start to rock out on the instruments. Not this girl- she spent the entire time beaming and waving to me. Her mom (a wonderful, helpful parent) was on the other side of the gym that day as well, but the kindergartner only wanted me to have her attention. It served as a sweet reminder to me about the impact I make on the lives of my students. I'm not just the adult who supervises them all day. I am someone they admire and cherish, and I strive to not take that gift for granted.

  

Why do you blog?   

For the past few years, I've felt a desire to share my ideas. I wasn't really one to Google classroom activities or projects; they always just sort of popped into my head (before I became a Pinterest addict). I knew I had the creativity, drive, and passion to enhance my classroom and share my ideas with others. I'm also a bit of a technology junkie and blogging seemed to be the most effective way to use my talents.

 

Where else can we find you? {i.e. twitter, facebook, pinterest, etsy}

Here is a freebie from Maria

 

Please stop by and check her out. You will not be disappointed!

Homework Calendar for 2012

Okay here it is! I am trying a new approach to homework next year and I am VERY excited about it!  As I've said a bazillion times before, this idea came from Shannon at Kindergarten Hoppenings and you can see her version HERE! I want to give credit where credit is due.  I kept the same projects as her as well as some of the home activities, but I tweaked her writing, math and traded out her Poetry Journal for Sight Word Practice.  It just worked better for me that way.

I also used DJ Inkers for my calendars.

So here's the plan:
Our school year starts the first week of August. That first month I do not have ANY homework set aside.  Instead I'll be focusing more on procedures, behavior..you know the usual starting up goings-on. 
The last week of August, parents will receive a homework folder with the following pages inside (click on the page to download).

The students will complete each assignment on their own terms and parents will initial each block when it is completed. The homework folder will be turned in at the end of each month for me to check, then given back immediately for the next month to start.

For writing practice and sight word practice , students will bring them in after completion (mainly to be checked to make sure NO parents are writing for them).

Many of the math games are my idea. The literacy games came from Shannon, again, I tweaked them for my personal usage.
***** BTW I have NO problem with you adapting my homework to fit your needs, but please give credit where it is due. Link back to my post and Shannon's which is linked up above!*****
The games can be played at home and kept at home...also any of the graphs or graphic organizers can be done and kept home too.  I'm only interested in collecting the letter work and sight word work.

So here is September, October and November. Please remember that the letter order is from Scott Foresman Reading Street and the unit work goes with my curriculum that I posted YESTERDAY.
Click on each pic to download.

I'll be working on the rest later. Now I'm moving on to the first few weeks of school and getting things back in order. I still have 3 1/2 days with my kiddos. Bad thing is that we had to send home ALL of their supplies and things yesterday. No backpacks next week. Ugh!

Remember..comment and let me know what you think and if you choose to use them and change up things, that is fine..but give credit =)