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Flashcards Freebie. In black and white to save on color ink!

Hey everyone. I hope you are having a good weekend. If you are like me you have probably spent some time working on stuff for school . . .that's just kind of what we do . . .my focus this weekend has been re-doing my plan book FOR the 3rd TiMe! LoNg StOrY, not my fault. We keep having grade level schedule changes. Anyway, I got it done and I am not redoing it again no matter what!

My other big task has been getting ready for parent conferences. Printing data, gathering interventions for parents to help with at home and making flashcards. In black and white. So that it is not a drain on color ink. Yay! I posted the links to the flashcards on my classroom blog so that parents can have access right away. 

Here they are in case they can help anyone else out . . .

Click here to download and print alphabet flashcards.

Click here to download and print numbers from 1-30 flashcards.

AmaZIng FiRsT GraDeRs and Poster Freebie for SH, CH, TH

Wow! Can you believe it . . .here I am 2 days in a row! I am actually about to go to bed, I am so sleepy tonight. We had a really busy weekend around the house and an even busier Monday at school. I have to tell you about this cute little class (all 26 of them) I was a couple of minutes after the bell getting into the classroom because I had to get a couple of kids from the cafeteria that were finishing breakfast, WELL, I walked into the classroom and all children were in their squares on the rug and they had started the QuIeT GaMe, on their own, as in without. me. there. 

I was ecstatic!

 Isn't that the most awesome thing ever!?

Gosh, I am so proud of them.

Anyway, we are learning the Phonics Dance and have been working on SH, CH and TH. I made these posters tonight that I am printing off at half size.

Click here to download and print

I will show you tomorrow or the next day what I am going to do with them . . .

Hugs!

Yes I Am Still HeRe! Classroom Decor/Storage.

Gosh it has been so long since I posted . . .I have suffering a bad case of the "tireds" and the "blahs".  Have you ever experienced this? Low energy, lack of sleep, blah, blah, blah . . .I'm sure you know the story. 

Anyway, I am trying to pull out of it and get back with my routine! I am starting this by actually posting something!

I have 26 students this year and they are a super cute class. How is your year going?

I took some photos of the classroom and I want to share them with you today!

Our Math Journal

Our Writing Journal

Our Desk Totes

Extra Crayons

Our Daily Work Binder

Our Writing Folders

Rules Display

Scoreboards for Whole Brain Teaching

Writers Workshop/Word Work Storage

Math Board

Schedule and Rules

Reading Nook for Daily Leader and Helper

Have a great week and I will try to get with the program! :)

It's About Time

I know, I know. I've been absent from the blog for a REALLY long time.

I spent most of last school year feeling like this:

I promised myself that it wouldn't happen again. So I spent most of my summer planning, pouring over our new math program and preparing.

Guess what? It hasn't helped! 7 days into school and I am feeling like this:

Maybe if high school football and a non driving player didn't coincide with the beginning of the school year things would be better. Oh, and 27 students (one of which is still in Saudi Arabia, so I'm scanning everything that we are doing to email to him until he gets back), and there is that new math program.

Enough of my grumblings.

This summer as I was facilitating core academy I learned about a new math manipulative.

It's called a Rekenrek. It is a visual tool for students to be able to conserve numbers.

Here is a video of it in action:

I bought my teacher Rekenrek from eNasco.  They also have student versions, but at $5 a student I couldn't afford it this year. BUT, using my favorite website Pinterest I found a way to make some from foam and pony beads thanks to Math Coach's Corner. I think I made an entire class set for about $7 (don't you love a good sale?).  Here is what her's turned out like. Mine are all the same color.

A google search will give you a lot more ideas on how to implement it in your classroom. I can't wait until I can use it in my class this year!

What A Week!

Well the first week is over.  It was such a long week training first graders on procedures, rules etc.  Lory and I wanted to do something fun so we had the kids make these smiley faces to display in the hallway.  Lory's husband Kevin made the awesome schoolhouse.  The kids just decorated a 9 inch manilla circle with construction paper hair and bows.  When one of my students brought me his finished masterpiece, it had a strip of brown paper glued straight across the top of its head.  He said, "I found it on the floor and just glued it on.  I guess that's just like re-cycling!"  Oh the things they say...

New Year

Like most of you I've been busy getting my classroom ready for the new year.  Lory and I can't believe we have taught for so long and it doesn't get any easier to get ready.  Our first day was Thursday.  To add to the excitement, the toilet in my classroom literally broke with a huge crack down the middle, spraying water all over the floor!  Kids were sliding and falling, it was crazy!  Well here's some pic's of my classroom.   I'm hoping for an uneventful third day!

Word Work Baskets

View from the back

Reading Nook

Rules, Daily Five, and Classroom Library
They put their backpacks in the cubbies.

Mailboxes

Small Group Table and Buckets

Whole Group Area

Word Wall and Birthdays

Word Work

Writing

Back to School Photo Poster Freebie

Hey friends! Hope you are having a great beginning to August. We are busily getting ready for the school year to begin. We go back on the 8th with the kids following one week later. WOW! I have spent many hot hours in the classroom this week and I have just posted a few pictures with freebies included over on Teaching Blog Roundup! Come on over and check it out!

I also have a selection of back to school posters that you can use for a cute photo opp! YAY!

Freebie link below . . .

Click here to download and print. 
Also, please Pin!

Graphics from the following were used for these projects.:

Graphics from the Pond/TpT

Great Graphics/Etsy

DigiBonBons/Etsy

Pokey Panda/Etsy
The 3am Teacher
KB Fonts
Kevin and Amanda Fonts