Technology Tuesday

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope that you are enjoying yours as much as I plan to enjoy mine. I have a few things to get done around the house today and then a craft or two to make. But before I did all of that, I wanted to take the time to sit down and tell you about one of my favorite resources for teaching with informational texts. (Click the picture below to go read all of the Kindergarten Common Core State Standards for Informational texts.)

Last year my librarian introduced us to a great resources called PebbleGo!

PebbleGo is strictly informational and is divided into 3 different sections. "PebbleGo Animals," "PebbleGo Earth and Space" and "Biographies." From the screen above you would select your category. More often than not, in kindergarten, we have clicked into the animal database.

 In the animal database you will find 12 categories. You can either click on one of those categories or you can type into the search button what you are looking for. Now, I will be honest with you and tell you that there have been times when I have been disappointed and haven't been able to find what I am looking for... but when I do find what I am looking for I am in Teacher Heaven.

For example, this next week we will be reading "Armadillo Orange." On Monday, before we have even read the story, we are going to be building some background on armadillos. So I searched into the search bar "armadillos" and found that they had it in their data base.

So on the Monday that we return we will be learning about the body, habitat, food (that they eat), life cycle, and some fun facts about armadillos! It is engaging, fun, and best of all they are learning!

If you are like me, however, you feel the need to take things just one step further. So if you are an older grade you can click the button that says "Share What You Know" or if you are PK, K, or maybe even 1st you can get creative and create a worksheet for your class to do like I have done for this one.

For this lesson I plan to do a tree map as a whole class and then each student will get their own writing sheet for them to use to "show what they know" about armadillos. If you would like to get the sheets I plan on using, click on the picture below.

The next wonderful resource is Bookflix. But to read all about that one you'll have to make a pit stop to my friend Greg's blog. He asked me to guest blog since he is honeymooning in Key West right now! Woohoo! So make sure you head on over there to get the scope about Bookflix and how it can engage your students too!

Freebie Friday: Graph the Alphabet

Okay... so you don't know how happy I am that I am actually posting tonight. Considering I fell asleep at 7:30 and was in bed by 8. After sleeping what I felt like was an ENTIRE night, I woke up because I was thirsty. After putting on my contacts I read the clock and it said "9:54." Wait a minute... what did that say? Yea, thats right. It was just 9:54. I had been asleep less that 3 hours, even though it felt like it should have been at least 1am. Because I was so thirsty and there was nothing to drink in the house I decided a run to WalMart was in order.

Anyways! So on to what I have for you! Today while I was trying to figure out what I was going to be doing in my game center next week, it dawned on me how much my kids love my "Graph the Number" game. So I decided to create "Graph the Alphabet." To make it differentiated I created two different spinners. One with pictures (to work with FSF) and one with the letters (to work on letter identification). You can purchase the entire pack here or download this weeks freebie by downloading the "Download Preview."

Head on over now to get your Friday Freebie by downloading the "Download Preview."

Freebie Friday

Whew... I'm tired. So I'm going to make this short. On Wednesday of this week we did our first sequencing activity in class. We have been reading Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten this week. On Wednesday I introduced sequencing and then the class discussed the beginning, middle, and end of the story. After discussing this as a class, I gave each student that had them drawing a picture to describe events in the story. When making this activity for my class... you crossed my mind. So I decided to expand the packet so that I could share it with you as a class. It is an 18 page packet that offers you "title" cards, response cards, and SEVERAL different worksheets to use. You could honestly use this packet in any grade... but because I'm a kindergarten teacher I simply aligned in to K and 1st grade CCSS.

Click on the picture below to head on over to my TPT store and check this out!

I hope you liked this weeks Freebie Friday! Let me know what you would like to see next week for Friday's Freebie!

My new classroom decor and a FREEBIE!

I am so excited! I finally got my BRIGHTS Classroom Decor Packet done! It technically has been done but I hadn't been able to turn it into a PDF correctly! So last night around midnight when I finally got it fixed I couldn't have been happier!

It is 116 pages of classroom decor! I love it and can't wait to print it all off and put it into my classroom! I'm headed to Wal-Mart right now to get some card stock and laminate!

 The packet is a zip which includes 2 seperate documents. In the Alphabet and Numbers documents you will find full size alphabet cards that feature the uppercase and lowercase letter as well as a picture (ie. Aa=apple). You will also get full size number cards (0-20) that have the numeral, number word, and matching ten frame!

 You will get matching nametags in all 4 colors! Each name tag features the alphabet, number 0-20, and shapes (diamond, rectangle, circle, square, triangle, hexagon, trapezoid, and star)! You will also get 3 different types of lables, square and rectangle, and then the fun star ones!

 You will get a set of calendar cards, these also come with "No School Today," "Half Day," "Test Today," and 2 "Happy Birthday" cards. You also get a set of days of the week cards and Yesterday was, Today is, and Tomorrow will be posters!

 You will get Star Student poster with a place for the students picture (wallet size) and pre-made star labels and blank star labels. You get 4 hall passes: nurse, hall, and a girl/boy bathroom pass!

 Lastly you will get a Word Wall banner and word wall label cards!

You can get all of this for just $8.00! Oh, and if you check out the preview you will get your FREE matching Center Signs! Click here to head on over to my TPT page and pick up your very own copy!

Oh... and P.S. Kinder Alphabet is having a Back to School giveaway! Click here to go check it out! The Resource(ful) Room is also having a HUGE giveaway! Check it out here! Falling Into First is having a 300 and Thirty-One Giveaway! Check it out here!

On the road to a pot of Gold (freebies!)

Hey!!! I'm still feeling the puppy love! I think I might have a problem! I already have two dogs, Ms. Molly and Mr. Bagel. (As you can see Ms. Molly loves to sleep on the couch beside me... and Bagel loves to have his belly rubbed!)

                                 (Ms. Molly sleeping)                                          (Mr. Bagel getting a belly rub)

What is the problem, you ask? I want one of the puppies. I'm a sucker for cute things. A puppy is a "cute thing." And then there is the thing that 2 of the puppies look exactly like Mr. Bagel (their daddy). How adorable would it be to have a father/son combo.... not that either would know thats what they were to each other... or care. BUT I WOULD KNOW!!!  Eh.... my family tells me I'm crazy... and.... it is probably true.

So... moving on --->

Since I still have puppies on the mind and I came across a great linky party today TBA is celebrating/just celebrated "International Blog Hopping Day" and Kreative in Kinder is hosting

 so I created a new freebie just for you! Yea that's right! Just for you! Because I like you THAT much! :) Or because I was bored.... or maybe because I wanted to be creative. But yea... mostly because I like you AND appreciate all that you do and all of your support THAT much!

(If you enjoy this activity, I'd love it if you checked out my "Dog House Literacy Packet"!)

Head on over to Kreative In Kinder's website to check out more wonderful freebies!

You Know Its Summer When and Manic Monday

So far I haven't done much summery things... however with the boyfriend's 2 younger brothers flying in for 10 days on Wednesday... I am sure that Summer is REALLY close to beginning. :) I can see fishing and camping and cookouts and swimming in our near future and that makes me REALLY excited!!!

Jeannine over at Kindergarten Lifestyle has created a Linky Party and I'm super excited to take part in it!

I also wanted to link up to Manic Mondays over at Classroom Freebies and sharing my newest game

This game addresses CCSS K.CC.4 and K.CC.5
and is all about numbers with a fun fall/squirrel theme!! Hope you like it as much as I do!!

New Blog ALERT and My Obsessions

I am so excited!!! For so many reasons!
1) I am SOOOOO close to 100 followers! I am planning a giveaway for this! I already have some great blogging friends who have told me that they want to help out in this. If you would like to help me out, let me know! 
2) My mentor and great friend, J Tilton, has finally started her blog! I've been telling her she needed to do this forever and I've known the name of her blog for months... which I love! Kindertrips! The "trips" is not because she likes field trips..... not saying she doesn't like them.... thats just not the reason.... in fact she always planned all of our kindergarten field trips. (Thanks Tilton!!) But she has triplets! They are the sweetest girls that you will ever meet... and super smart just like their momma!
So go check out her blog! You wouldn't want to miss it! She already had lots of ideas posted on her blog! She is definitely my biggest inspiration. I don't know what I would have done my first two years teaching without her! I don't know how I'm supposed to go on without her (I'm moving and we will no longer be teaching together--- super sad about this!)

 

(Click on the picture to go to her blog!)

3) (Okay this is an update from the original! But I wanted to share it and not wait!) I'm also excited about my new freebie! Its been too long since I offered you a freebie! So check it out at my TPT store!

4) I have found so many great linky parties lately!!! I can't wait to link up and party with the best! 

The first one I have to do is the Obsessions one! (Hang with me, some of my obsessions are school related!!) So here goes....

1) Sweet Tea! Ya'll I have a problem! Its like all I drink! I don't drink sodas (well except for Sprite, and the other day while I was moving I was dying of thirst and drank my B-I-L's Dr. Pepper), I RARELY drink juices, or milk, or water.... All I drink is Sweet Tea. I love it!

2) Blog! Blogs! Blogs! I love them! I follow so many that it took me almost 2 FULL days to catch up on what I missed this week! But I can't skip any of them! I have to read them! I want to know what your doing and what tips you have for me! I don't know what I would do without you! I am so glad that J Tilton, Kindertrips, introduced me to Mrs. Jumps blog over a year ago and caused me to fall in love with blogging and all things blog related!!!

3) Scarves! The boyfriend and I were joking the other night about how I need an entire closet just for scarves. Although this isn't exactly true! I wish it were! I would like to have a different scarf for every outfit! 

 (Photo Source: Style Check Up)

4) My laminator! What would I do without these!? I love my laminator soooo much that I have two! One of each of these Scotch Laminators! One for home and one for school! And although I thought I was a little crazy when I bought two.... I now realize that I couldn't have it any other way!

 5) Pinterest! I've slacked a little bit here lately on this... but I love it nonetheless. It is full of so many ideas! My favorite things to pin are classroom stuff (which I have about bazillion different boards for!), wedding ideas, and home decor! I really think that if I ever quit teaching I would want to be a designer! I love it! (Click on the icon below to head over to my board!)

 6) Sunday Lifetime! Army Wives! Drop Dead Diva! The Client List! I love these shows! Most shows me and the boyfriend watch together religiously, but these are mine! (Although the boyfriend does watch Drop Dead Diva with me.... has since the first episode!) In case you do not know, Drop Dead Diva comes back on tonight!!! I'm setting my DVR now!

So those are my obsessions! What are yours? Let me know by leaving me a comment or heading over to Living A Wonderful Life and join up with her linky!

EOY Blues + Freebie + Mini-Giveaway

Do you find it oddly insane that the school year is over? I, personally, just feel like it has started. I feel like it should be November... or maybe January.... but May??! This school year has FLOWN by! And as much as I'm ready to wake up on my own and not because the alarm clock told me to.... I'm not ready to give up my daily schedule. Maybe I'm a little OCD... but without work I always feel lost. I never know what to do. The boyfriend tells me I'm a workaholic... and he might not be lying.

Most Fridays I stay at work until 7/8 o'clock. Last night I was there until almost 9. Not doing Friday's usual, which consists of lesson plans, gathering resources, and making copies... but packing. My room looks and feels empty.

I started taking down the calendar board and one of my kids saw me and told me I was "ruining our classroom." It about broke my heart. Another little boy, who has been one of my toughest behavioral kids looked at me yesterday morning and said "I'm going to miss you."

Break. my. heart.

On Thursday I had to say goodbye to one of my little angels. She is going on vacation to see family, I believe her dad is getting ready to deploy so she has been out a lot lately. It tore me up to say goodbye to her. Then she told me she would come visit me next year.... I don't think she understood I would never get to see her again. (I'm moving...)

Last year I cried like a little girl when the buses rolled out on the last day of school... I have a funny feeling that this Tuesday will be no different. *tears*

Do you get this attached to your kiddos? Or am I just suffering from the want-to-be-a-mommy-so-bad-it-hurts-that-my-kinders-become-my-kids syndrome? Needless to say, I do NOT want 20 kids of my own... :)

This weekend I'm going to be super busy, I am about to get ready to go to the boyfriend's Nan's house for a little b-day celebration.... then when I get back I will be finishing up E-O-Y stuff... I'll try and take pictures and post them tomorrow!

If you still need something to give to your room parents... here is a little tag you could attach to anything... we attached the round ones to suckers that looked like Hawks (school mascot). They were super cute... but I was not able to take a picture of them :(.

Thank You Labels One more thing before I go... I just uploaded my Buggy For Calendar Pieces to my TPT store.

I priced them at 2.50... but here's the deal. The first 2 people that blogs about these calendar pieces and leaves me a comment with the url to their blog post will get these for FREE! 

Well peeps, I better get going. Have a fabulous Saturday.

Weekly update, Freebie, and Currently

The last few days have been long ones for me. It started on Wednesday when I was just too tired to go home from work, so I ended up staying at work with my head on the desk after I dropped my kids off at the bus. I was pitiful. I just didn't want to move. Obviously eventually I got up. Where did I go, you ask? Wal-Mart. Yea... it still baffles me too. If I was so tired that I put my head on my desk for like 30 minutes, then why didn't I just go home?? I have no answer for you. I guess I just realized that I had a few things I needed to get.

Then on Thursday we had Kindergarten Round-Up. This is a night that all parents of NEXT years kindergarten kids get to come with their new kindergarteners and check out the classrooms, ride the bus, and register. We had a really good showing. Over 100 kids, with 20 kids registered. So we know that one of us gets to keep our job. WooHoo! The office staff did do some math for us and if all 100 kids register then we will each have 14 kinders in our class. Wouldn't that be nice? Just 14 kids. It would definitely let us work one-on-one with our kids... which I think is a MUST in kindergarten. However, I doubt that we will just have 14 kids in our classes. With any luck, more and more kinders will show up... otherwise sadly there will be less kinder teachers next year in order for us to spread the kids a little thicker.

Then yesterday... well I still haven't made it home from work. Instead I drove 1 1/2 hours to see and spend time with my mom, sister, bil, and nephew. Sweet little boy has been sick with a 103 fever. We thought we were going to have to take him to the hospital. But thankfully it has gone down some. He's been pitiful all day long. While we (my sister and I watched him) I did lesson plans and worked on centers. Thanks to Graphics from the Pond I had everything I needed to quickly create 4 math centers for this week.

Here is one of my Literacy Centers. You will need to give the students magnifier glasses (my kinders love using these!) so that they can look in the doorway and see the CVC picture. They will write the letters of the CVC word in the windows of the house.  

CityCVCs
 Hope you like it.

So lastly I will leave you with my favorite thing (okay 2nd favorite thing... 1st is Payday!) from the beginning of the month! I present to you.... CURRENTLY

So tomorrow.... I will be heading home for the first time since Friday morning. I'm super excited to see the boyfriend.

My weekend + a Birthday Freebie

This weekend flew by... but it was oh-so-fun! I stayed at work SUPER late on Friday night (9pm to be exact!) so that I wouldn't have to work this weekend. Turns out that if I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have had time to get anything done. Saturday I woke up and went and got a dozen doughnuts from Southern Maid for free! Our school has a Teacher Easter Egg every year with awesome prizes (ranging from classroom goodies to coupons at local restaurants/businesses). They were yummy to say the least. My favorite doughnut is the creme-filled ones. Can we say De-lic-ious?!?

After I woke the boyfriend up to a dozen yummy doughnuts, I went to a students tumbling meet! It started at 1:30. I didn't leave there until 6ish. She performed in tramp, tumble-track, and running.... 3 competitions. I don't know much about tumbling, but I know that she did amazing. She placed 1st in all three competitions. So go E!

What made it great for me is that she was so excited that I was there. She kept introducing me to her friends and coming to sit with me and talk with me. I love this girl to death. She is a great student, good-hearted, and her family is great too.

I was sitting there on the bleachers and her mom came up to me and was telling me that she usually performs with the older kids because she's super good and advanced... which I totally believe... but that today she was performing with her kids her own age. I guess she was playing around because her coach told her "Ms. Cannon is going to make you mark a star if you don't behave." I guess this really confused her because she responded with "we're not at school... how is she going to do that?" Her mom said that she had a really confused look on her face. E came over to me later and I tried to play it out some more, but E just started laughing and told me that I was cray-cray!

My favorite part of this weekend however, was this little stinker right here.....

Isn't he the CUTEST one year old you have ever seen!? I love him with all of my heart. I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to love my own kids this much, because I love him more than I've ever loved any other baby before. I guess we'll see eventually.

Anyways, about a week ago (April 20th to be exact) my baby turned 1 years old! It is crazy that he has already been around for 1 year.... and then there's the part of me that doesn't remember a time without his little smiling face.

He is super smart too! He was walking by 8 months. And he's talking up a storm! Okay... well he's saying tons of 2-syllable words! 3 of us were standing around when he handed his daddy something (which might I say he said "here" when giving the item to his daddy!) and his daddy said "Thank you" and 3 of us all thought we heard him say "your welcome!"

I loved celebrating his 1st birthday. He was such a fun little man to watch. Opening presents, walking/running and playing, trying to be a dare-devil and stand on top of his new 4-wheeler without using hands to hold himself up... but the most memorable part of it was watching him eat his cake! OMG! He's a mess. But a cute mess!

He got so dirty that his mom had to give him a bath in a sink at the building we were at. It was soo cute!

Ah! I just love this little kid (as you can probably tell from the picture over-load!)

If you read all the way down to this point- thank you! I included a little birthday freebie for you because you are all wonderful readers and don't hate me for posting personal posts! Its just something that you can attach to a birthday baggie, a pencil, or maybe even some bubbles.
Birthday Freebie