Camping

So, what do you do with your kiddies on that last home stretch of a week before school lets out?  We are doing a lot of new things this year, which puts our last week of school a little "different" too.  First, we switch our firsties for Reading and Math blocks.  Our last day with those kiddos will be June 1st.  We will then have our homerooms till June 11th.....  So, we've decided to have "theme" days to get us through that last long week-where they are officially checked out anyway.  :P

Monday-we'll have Beach Day---which is just a fancy word for Field Day.  Our school doesn't do a traditional all school field day, so pretty much each grade does their own, if they want.  We have parents help and then also invite parents for lunch, outside.  In the afternoon we watch Finding Nemo.  We used to make "sand" with some gummy sharks hiding inside, but we are no longer allowed to give food to the kids.  period.  By the way-if you need a tool to help organize/get parents to help and/or RSVP----check out SIGNUPGENIUS.COM!  FREE!  So easy to use.  I highly recommend it.  We used it many times this year.  It's just PERFECT!

Tuesday-we are going camping!  I made up a packet to go along with this day.  First, I'm going to transform my room.  I have no camping gear, so everything will be made of paper!  I'll post pics after we have the day.  I'm going to make a tent cover my rug, where we'll sit and listen to stories.  This "tent" will start at the ceiling (attaching it to the ceiling somehow---clothespins possibly, and taping it to the floor---I'll use brown.  It'll be open in the front and back.  So---for you visuals.... umm... it'll be an upside down V)  I'll have paper "campfires" at each of my groups.  I have 5 tables that go around the rug, that is in the center of my room.  I created a packet that I will put up on TPT.  It includes writing, reading and math activities that will fill your day of camping fun.

Wednesday-I have a meeting all day----so I'll have a sub!!!!  AHHH!  It's going to be our Charlotte's Web Day.  Hopefully I will finish the book before that day!!!!!

Thursday-is our Bear day where we have the kids come to school with their bears.  We break up the classes into there 2nd grade classes and they go from class to class with bear activities.  I usually do jump rope.  Not sure if I'll do that again or not this year.

Friday---is our Step Up Day.  We meet our new kids for next year.  Afterwards is a game of volleyball--teachers vs. 6th graders.  We'll be working on our memory books on this day.

The following Monday---is their last day!  We have them for about 3 hours, so we'll continue to work on the memory books and clean up the last bits we need to.

What do you do during your last week of school??  Maybe there's a linky out there for it already!  I might need to search.

Click on the picture to grab a freebie from my bear unit!  It'll take you to my TpT store where it is listed.  You'll need to click "download preview" for the actual freebie!  (I cannot do it on my blog.)

Tell me what you like to do during your last week in the comments below and I'll randomly give away 2 packets to those who post by Wednesday!  I want to reward my followers, so please make sure you are a follower in order to win!  Have a great week friends!

Random and a Freebie for Reading

I was dragging today.  I'm not going to lie!  :)  I stayed up late watching the series finale of Desperate Housewives----so sad my Sunday night show is gone..  :(  The weather was less than perfect today--and just made me wish that I was home in bed.  Indoor recess, on a week that I don't have duty...  Kids who think it's June 11th already.  2 hyper kids at home-stuck inside.

I was looking at the calendar today and I started to panic a little.  While I'm excited for summer, there's so much to do and it's coming to an end quickly!  We group at our school, and I only have till June 1st to get everything done before our last week of school fun, where we will be keeping our homerooms!  I still have to get my Making {Common Core} Waves math games out!!!!  Hit the breaks!!! 

I've been working on recording sheets that are pretty generic that can be used with any book, etc.  Today I have another flip book, because my kiddos are just loving them!  This time it is for story elements.  There's space to write and draw.  Click on the picture to grab your copy!  I like to have things like this handy for when I'm out suddenly, so I don't have to panic so much about having extremely detailed plans.  As with the other flip books I have made, make sure to double side copy EXACTLY how it comes out of the printer! :)

I hope everyone is having a great ending to their year.  I have a heavy heart with all the cuts and teachers moving jobs around me (not in my district yet).  My one BFF's district is really hurting--cutting drastically!  Teachers with over 10+ years of experience........  KINDERGARTEN!   It's times like this that is making me feel grateful for what is happening in the blogging and internet world.  We are all posting and/or reading and finding ways to help our kiddos-and saving money and time, to some degree.  We are being inspired by each other and in some instances taking minds off the economy and shaky educational system.  I hope that things start to turn around soon------not only for the teachers but for the sake of the KIDS and our FUTURE!!!

Summer Bucket List!

Hadar, Teri, and April are hosting a Summer Bucket List Linky! What fun!  We still have 20 days... but it is certainly going fast!


Here's a few things I'd LOVE to accomplish or find for the classroom this summer:

Find this storage thing to create this!  (and figure out what will go in each) :)

Reorganize my book shelf of read alouds to look more like this, but with my seasons/months/themes organization that I have them in....  It needs better dividers like in the picture! :)  (and of course, maybe throw some cutesy owls on there!!)

Create these!  ;)

And this!

I need to mentally prepare for school next year since our LA curriculum will now match the Common Core----and not to mention we will be getting another new math program-that matches the CCSS nicely.  And I think I am presenting (with my partner in crime) about the revised pacing and the new math program at an inservice in August before school starts?! 


And for the home summer bucket list......


1.  Use the 2 weeks I have off (before we leave) to PLAN PLAN PLAN our trip to:

(That my kids don't even know about yet!!! and might not know till we head to the airport!!!!  And who am I kidding?!  I already have it all planned out---for the most part.  Dinners, parks...  We went last year at that time and I had planned quite well, being that it was close to a holiday week-we waited no longer than 10 minutes for any ride!!!  But-that's a lot of pressure for a repeat trip---on our own this time!  But, I do need to pack, which takes quite the planning...)

2.  Enjoy my boys.  I'd love to say sleep-----but they are up at the crack of dawn...  and that's on good days!!!!!!!   

3.  Organize our basement to have a workspace area for all the junk art supplies that my kids have acquired through the last 6 years-and to give my 6 year old a space where he might actually have to do homework at!  gasp!  So-really this number should just be a TRIP TO IKEA!!!!  (with a big truck?!)


4.  Maybe find time to read.... to catch up on the crazes out there right now.  I'm really behind on everything.  I need to read the Hunger Games.  (At least I've read the Twilight books-so I'm not THAT far behind)....  

5.  And I would just love to fill my summer bucket with sand........   I can hear the beach calling my name.  (Or is it me screaming my kids' names....  ah, either way-the beach always makes me happy-whether I can actually relax, or if I'm chasing kids in or out of the water or off other people's blankets...  or away from the seagulls... etc... etc.) :)


Ahhhhhhh..... summer.  It's so close, yet so far away!  There's so much to do before it comes!  Testing, personal day, field trip.... "fun" days.....  headaches, exhaustion...

Head over to Teri's site to check out all the other great bucket lists!  My list is just going to keep on growing and growing!  :) 



 

So.... what did you buy???

I was blog hopping last night instead of doing my online grad work----I'll post later about this fab online/college that I've been taking classes!!! (both affordable, fairly easy BUT really useful!!)

I came across Erica Bohrer's blog and she's having a little linky about what you bought on TpT!  I'm still buying and browsing, but only have a little time left!  ahhh!!!   (Click on the pic to take you to her blog where we are all linked up!!!)

Here's what I bought so far to use in the next 2 weeks----forgive me for I have NOT been able to figure out how to get the cute covers to show up appropriately......

 

First up was On the Farm from A Cupcake for the Teacher

We are having a Mobile Ag Lab come in a few weeks and our schedules will be completely off for the day and I needed some farm things to help get by in the morning enhance the lesson!  This will fit perfectly! :)

 

Then there's the adorable Knuffle Bunny packet from Hope King!  My reading group is just going to LOVE doing this next week!!!!  I can't WAIT! :)

I'm still eyeing up a few more things, but I have so much going on right now!  I'm not sure I'll get it all!!!!  Good thing the hubby has taken the kids out tonight to "go to the pool store---but mommy can't come with us."  (Code for----shopping for Mother's Day!)  ;)  

 

What have you purchased that you are LOVING?!?!?!

DON'T FORGET!  TONIGHT IS THE LAST NIGHT TO GET A GREAT DEAL ON EVERYTHING!  USE THE CODE TAD12 FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF!!!  CLICK ON THE ADORABLE PIC ERICA CREATED TO GO TO MY STORE AND CHECK OUT SOME GOODIES TOO!  :)

Wow!

I'm choosing the title "Wow!" for a few reasons.  First, I am just in shock/awe over what happened yesterday!  I signed up to be apart of the Teacher's Jackpot, not knowing what would happen.  I thought I would be helping out a few teachers and gaining a few more bloggy friends, at most.  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe that in 24 hours (give or take a few hours, because I was SLEEPING and wasn't waking up to put my product back for sale) that I would have over 4000 downloads!  Never did I expect to have over 50 new followers on my blog and TpT store!  It really makes me feel appreciated.  My goal was to thank you for all that you do.  I know (obviously) what it's like to be a teacher.  We have ups and downs.  Most days the only appreciation that we get is knowing that another child's light bulb went off.  We are taken for granted-but that's okay!  We are making a difference, whether or not they know it. 

Teacher appreciation week couldn't happen at a better time during the school year.  This is the time of the year that becomes "crunch" time.  Testing is looming.  The end is in sight, but there is just SOOOO much more to do.  We don't sleep at night.  Then, something like the jackpot hits.  I'm hoping that you started the week with a "high" of having so many new freebies that can be used at different parts of the year from all of the other wonderful bloggers----and I have a new "high" of knowing that there are so many people who took the extra time to comment, leave feedback on TpT and/or just to follow me!

The flip side of Wow!  is..... MOM! ;)  This week is a big week in my room.  First, our caterpillars have just climbed to the top and are starting to get into their cozy home for the next week or so.  I've been so intrigued by this-----I really wanted to see how on earth that chrysalis becomes---but I think I'm missing it as we speak.... Every time I went to watch today, they were just hanging up there wiggling or appearing like they were sleeping (or I had one slowpoke that was back down on the ground, eating maybe?!) :)   Some of the fun activities that I'm doing with my Reading group is reading Clara Caterpillar and coming up with some fun caterpillar (and butterfly) alliterations.  I'm also having my kiddos work with partners to come up with a "Life Cycle of a Story" writing.  They are going to tell the story of a caterpillar where they will be figuring out what problem the character will have, etc...... it's still a work in progress too, as I had it while I was trying to sleep last night!!!!  ha!  :) 

With all of that excitement, we also need to fit in some MOM time!  I whipped up this Mother's Day booklet for my kiddos to work on this week.  (hopefully none of my mom's come across this blog!)  I know there are so many different things out there to do for mom, but none were completely MY style.  I wouldn't say this one is complete, but it is for this year.  After I see how my kids do this year, I'll know what more to add for next year.  Click on the picture to grab a copy for yourself!

I didn't add my copyright onto each page because I just didn't want it to ruin the booklet for mom.  I know that is putting myself out there for copying and the possibility of someone selling my product, but that is something I will deal with if needed. The cute borders are from Fancy Dog Studios.  (I LOVE them!)

Have a great week!  Remember that the TPT sale is STILL going on for one more day!  Use the code TAD12 for an addition 10% off!  You can get mine for a total of 28% off!  Check out this post for some of my kids (and mine) favorites!

Oh-and I set a crazy goal 2 weeks ago that if I hit 200 followers by the end of school, that I would have another giveaway!  OHMYGOODNESS!  I'm almost there!  I better start figuring out what to do!!!!!!!!!!!  (I do have 2 lined up for back to school----------in case you need another reason to follow me!!!!  They're good ones too!!!!!  But you'll have to wait till August....)  ;)