Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom Part 2

It's time for Doodle Bug's Five for Friday!

Boom, Chicka, Boom.  We had so much fun in our room!

We continued our Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom theme this week. On Monday we stamped letters on green and brown paper.

 I then cut the paper into a palm tree.  I used magnets to put it on our interactive whiteboard.  

 

We practiced adding and subtracting coconuts. 

This activity really held their attention.  :)

We ended our theme and week with a party.

We played pin the coconut on the palm tree.

We had coconut cookies, Alphabits, and Scrabble Cheeze-Its.  Yum Yum!

It was so fun!

A great fine motor workout was stringing pony beads on pipe cleaners attached to painted brown toilet paper rolls.

They loved these little chicka trees.  :)

I have a funny for you.  Last week we made our own ABC books.  Each little one was responsible for particular letters of the alphabet to illustrate.  We had read alphabet books all week and talked about letter sounds.  I also have the Lakeshore letter tubs.  When it came time to illustrate their particular letter page they could use books and the letter tubs to help them decide what to draw.  Well, The Mm letter tub has a miniature mug that kind of looks like a beer mug.

It also has some other really cool items to draw like mop, magnet, motorcycle, and magnifying glass.  I was hoping and praying my boy illustrating letter Mm would NOT pick the mug.  It could be kind of hard to explain to parents since everyone took their own copy of the book home.  But, of course that was the first thing he picked.  He was so excited and yep that is what he drew!

So, our book contains a beer mug! Ha!  He did a pretty darn good job, too.  Really, he said it was a coffee mug. Sometimes I forget the minds of my babies are so innocent! 

My week ended on a special note.   I was bestowed with the most fabulous gifts!

So sweet…..

And, this is one of the reasons I love my job so much.  :)

Link up your Five for Friday and check out all the other great blogs, too!

Have a great weekend.  :)

Currently~April!

I am not even gonna say it!  I say it at the beginning of every month.  I just can't believe it's already A.P.R.I.L!
It's time for 'CURRENTLY' hosted by Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade.

LISTENING: I always turn on the news every morning while I get ready.  I also like to get up early and putz around in the morning (ok, not really putz, but rather sit at my computer.  The t.v. is always on in the background, mostly so I can get the latest weather forecast)

LOVING: It's already APRIL!  Where did this year go?  I also love April Fool's Day at school.  My morning kids don't really get it, but my afternoon littles are older and catch on pretty quickly.  We get real silly, like 'there's a bug in your hair'!  I so love the minds of my four and five year olds.  :)

THINKING: This weekend I will get to catch up with some family and friends.  I cannot WAIT! It should be a fun weekend. :)

WANTING: It to stay warm!  The mid-west weather is WaCkY!  One day it's warm, even down right hot and the next it's freezing.  I just want it to be consistently warm….not too hot, not too cold.  That's not to much to ask, is it?

NEEDING: I need to schedule more IEP's.  This time of year is crazy busy with paperwork.  All the little ones on IEP's going to kindergarten need new ones and then we have new babies coming in the fall with summer birthday's that need brand new IEP's.  Aye, yi, yi….it never ends!

HOURS and LAST DAY: I have two different sessions of students.  My morning sweeties come from 9:30 to 12:30.  My afternoon little ones come from 1:05 to 4:05.  My hours are from 8:45 to 4:15, but in reality my hours are more like 8:30 to 5:30.  There's never enough time in the day to get everything done.  I know you hear what I am sayin'. We had five snow days this year, so now our last day of school is May 30th. It won't be long now!!!

Link up your 'CURRENTLY' with Farley at Oh Boy Fourth Grade!

Boom, Chica, Boom, Sale!

I know I am a little late posting this, but everything in my Teachers pay Teachers shop is 20% off until the end of the month!  I just put a new pack up for sale.  It goes with a  Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom theme.

Check it out HERE!

Thanks for reading. Have a great day.  :)

Freebie & Five!

This week just FLEW by!  Of course, it was spring break…..isn't it always like that?  I did manage to get a lot of things checked off my 'to do' list, which feels good.
1} I had lunch with all my special people whom I don't get to see much of because of work schedules.
2} I got my hair did!  My Marsha is the most amazing hair dresser {and dear friend}.  I don't know what I would do without her.  I can't even go there in my mind!
3} I was able to get my overdue doctors' appointments in and even managed a little retail therapy!
4} I finished my 'Old Lady Who Swallowed a Chick' Easter themed retelling pack.  You can find it HERE on TpT or HERE on TN.

5} And last, but not least…. I have a freebie for you!  I used this little shape emergent reader with my 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' theme, but you could use it with any bear theme.  Click HERE or on the picture to download!

I hope your week has been enjoyable!  Link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to tell about your Five for Friday.

Thanks for reading!  Have a great day.  :)

5 for Friday and Lots 'O Freebies!

This week we finished up our fairy tales/fables theme and then moved on to St. Patrick's Day.

We made our own 'Three Little Pigs' book to take home.

In the book we made houses out of straw,

sticks,

and bricks.

We also made Mama Pig,

and the three little pigs.

I love how it all turned out!

We then read some St. Patrick's Day stories.  Because we start spring break next week, we went on a 'Rainbow Walk' this week. 

Guess what?  That sneaky leprechaun left us clues to follow, which led us to a pot of gold! {rainbow licorice and spring Oreo cookies}

We were so happy!

I have a bear sort for you.  :)

This bear sort can be used with small, medium, and large bear counters.  Click HERE or on the picture for your own copy.

I also have two St. Patrick's Day freebies for you on TpT.

Click HERE or on the picture for the shape sort.

Click HERE or on the picture for the alphabet game.

Next week is spring break! Yippee!  I wish I was able to go someplace warm and/or exotic but no such luck!  Hopefully the weather will be warm.

Well, at least I can sleep in.  :)

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 'Conference on the Young Years' with these amazing ladies!  We stayed together in a house and had SO much fun.  We laughed so hard our abs hurt.  L.O.V.E. these girls and feel so lucky to teach with them.

I hope your week was wonderful. Link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and tell us about your 'Five for Friday'.

Thanks for reading!  Have a great day.  :)

Good Day, Sunshine!

It's been about a year since I started blogging.  When I first began I wasn't sure what I was doing, and I didn't know if anyone would want to read what I had to say.  I just knew I wanted to belong to the community of teacher bloggers.  I had been following many blogs.  These teachers inspired and motivated me to be a better teacher.  I was just hoping I could do the same, even if it was just one person.  What I didn't know was how much I would L.O.V.E. blogging!  I love the friendships that have developed.  I love the support. And, I love giving the parents of my little ones a glimpse into the day of their child.  I never knew blogging could be so rewarding.  I am extremely honored and humbled that Kayla from Rooting for Third Grade nominated me for a sweet little blogging award.

{Thank you Kayla!}

The rules of the Sunshine Blogger Award are:

{1} Post 11 random facts about yourself.

{2}  Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.

{3} Nominate 11 bloggers you think bring sunshine to the world.

{4} Make up 11 questions for your nominations to answer.

11 Random Facts About Me

{1}  I have two children I am extremely proud of:  My daughter teaches in Arizona and my son is in college and plays baseball.

{2}  I am the youngest of eight children.

{3}  I am double jointed.

{4}  I have taught from Preschool through 7th grade.

{5}  I was a Parent Educator in the Parents as Teachers program.

{6}  I have traveled to 49 states. 

{7}  I lived in Hawaii.

{8}  I lived in the Dominican Republic.

{9}  I lived in Canada.

{10}  Working outside in the yard is a passion of mine (I love planting flowers!)

{11}  I am slightly addicted to creating new materials to use in my classroom.

11 Questions From Kayla

{1} Decaf or caffeinated?   Definitely caffeinated!  What's the point of decaffeinated?  {ha!}

{2} Do you have a teacher Instagram account?  I do not have a teacher Instragram account, but that is one of my next goals.  :)

{3} What makes the level you teach/work at special to you?  I absolutely love the mind of a preschooler.  It's so fun to watch them figure out things.  They also give great hugs.  :)

{4} Where are you located and what’s the current whether like?  I am located in the mid-west.  The weather is currently cold, but it's a place where you can go from one extreme to another within 24 hours.

{5} You win a magical field trip to anywhere in the world with your students. Where do you go?  Hmmm, that one is hard because of their age.  With older students I would go to Europe.  There would be so much history to explore.  With the age range of my current teaching assignment, I think I would take them to Disney World.  It would be a magical place to them.

{6} Three words to describe your teaching style.  Structured, hands-on, and spontaneous 

{7} Subject you most enjoy teaching?  I love teaching little ones science and math concepts.

{8} If you weren't in education, what would be your alternate professional?  I have always joked I should have gone into sales instead of teaching, but I think running a nursery (a.k.a. green house) would be my dream job.

{9} What do you enjoy doing in your free time? What's free time? Ha!  I love hanging out with family and friends in my free time.  I also love creating new materials {see #11 above :) }

{10} Favorite teacher as a student?  My sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Arnote, was my favorite teacher.  She treated us like we were people instead of just students.  I'll never forget the way she connected with us.

{11} What's your go to snack?  Fruit is my go to snack!  I love fresh fruit.

11 Bloggers Who Bring Sunshine into the World!

{1} Fun in ECSE

{2}Sprinkle Teaching Magic

{3}Books, Bugs, and Boxes

{4]}Hoots N' Hollers
{5}Joyful Learning in KC
{6}A Tender Teacher for Special Needs
{7}Gluesticks 'N Giggles
{8}Autism Classroom News
{9}Covered in Glitter and Glue

{10}Camp Kindergarten
{11}Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

Questions From Me

{1}What's your favorite subject/theme to teach?

{2}If you could travel anywhere where would you go?
{3}What's your favorite snack?
{4}What do you like to do in your free time?
{5}What person has been most influential to you?
{6}Where is your favorite vacation spot?
{7}How long have you been teaching and what grades/subjects have you taught?
{8}What is the most frustrating thing to you about teaching?
{9}What's the most rewarding thing to you about teaching?
{10} If you won the lottery what would you do with the money?
{11}If you had unlimited time what would you do more of?

Thanks for reading!  Have a great day.  :)

Currently~March

I blinked and February was gone!  Well, that's how it felt.  :)  It's hard to believe it's already March.  The end of the year will be here before we know it!  I am participating in Farley's monthly linky called 'Currently', so here goes:

LISTENING: We are supposed to get a mixture of sleet, snow, an ice over the weekend.  The sleet definitely made it here.  Now we will have to see what else arrives.  I would hate to be a weather anchor.  The weather is just too unpredictable.

LOVING:  I was able to spend some time Saturday evening with a very special five and a half month old sweetie.  Her grandpa is completely crazy for her and I love her as if she were my own.  Sometimes I wish I could re-do being a parent with my own children.  There are so many things I would do differently.  

THINKING:  With IEP meetings and spring break, etc. I need to plan out in advance as much as possible.  That's hard for me because I am sort of a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl.  Sometimes I get an idea and scrap plans.  I hate to be tied down!

WANTING:  I was sick a couple of weeks ago and I just haven't been able to rebound like I was hoping.  I am tired of being sick and sick of being tired!

NEEDING:  I am so ready for spring break, although honestly I will probably spend a good amount of time working on school stuff.  At least it will be on my schedule.  :)

???????  This is where you are supposed to guess the question to my answer.  But, I really just asked a question, so you can answer my question!

Link up with Farley for your March 'Currently'.