Measurement Freebie

Have you all seen this..... I found it from Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten blog and thought this was awesome.  I needed a way to make it just a tad more difficult for my students so I made this...

I am going to have the pieces cut out and placed in baggies. The children then have all their materials they need prior to placing the strips in order.  They can use the tree strips to measure the green paper in order to build the tree.  

A craft and a math lesson all in one and it's FREE.  

Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Do your students struggle with fluency???

If they do, then I have designed these fluency passages (builders) to help with that!  The reading passages are based off of Christmas.  As an added bonus to the passages, I have made a gingerbread and Santa graphic organizer as well as lined writing paper, and some other stuff.

They come in both English and Spanish.  I will give it to you for FREE if you are the first three people to comment. Please let me know which version you would like as well as your e-mail address.

Click on the first two pictures to take you to my TPT store.

 

Hello There!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, it's been a while, (dust flying everywhere).  I can go on and on about why I haven't been blogging since August, but let's be serious, you guys are all teachers and you know how crazy life is once the school year starts.  I don't know how all you wonderful bloggers out there do it with your awesome work you sell or give on TPT, having families, I just don't get it!!!

Well, I decided to come up with something for my English and Spanish readers (if you're still out there...). It's for Christmas or as we say in my class, Navidad.  The students have to put the words in Alphabetical Order. The students can work on in independently or in small group to reinforce the skill.

Click on the pics to take you to my store.

I'm going to give the product away to the first 3 people who leave me a comment telling me their favorite thing to do during the holidays and of course their e-mail address. :)

I hope you're enjoying your Thanksgiving break as much as I am!

Tired is an Understatement!

I apologize for not being around much but I was finally let into my classroom on the 16th.  That entire weekend I spent slaving away at making my classroom look perfect (in my eye) for my little first graders.
Well here in TX, they made us do an entire week of professional development (fun) and then we were free, to work in our classrooms.  I must say, teachers are the most dedicated and hardest working people I know.  I was at school for 12-13 hours EVERY DAY since last night.  I am beyond exhausted! But guess what....I survived my first day of school!  I have 18 cute little first graders, who were doing first grader things and I am so happy to be back.  I must say that I do have my work cut out for me, but I think it's going to be an awesome year.  I need to drill them with procedures so that I and they can have a great year.

I just wanted to end this post with a sneak peak of my room.  I promise to take better pictures and do a classroom picture overload on my next post and go into detail as to what my goals and plans are.  For now, it's time to brush my teeth and go to bed so I can have energy for tomorrow! Or they will eat me alive!

Night!

Completely Revamped Math Meeting Sheet (Calendar Journal)

After much tossing and turning on this one, I have finally come up with my follow along with the morning meeting sheet.  I had one that I made a few years back and to be quite honest, I didn't love it.
I looked over several calender journals on TPT and everything I found just wasn't what I was looking for. Don't get me wrong, there are some great ones out there but I want to challenge my first graders and trust me I do.

I've decided that I'm going to leave the calender journal free for a few days.  I will be charging $1 after Sunday because I worked very hard on it, so grab it while it's free!!!

 Click on the picture below to send you to my store! There's two pages that go along with the Math Meeting Sheet. Let me know what you think. :)

Night!

In the Freebie Mood

Since I can't get into my classroom yet, (ugh) I decided to make a classroom labels.
The labels are fairly simple and won't waste too much ink.  I wanted to do blackline but I can't spend anymore money on ink, fo' realz!  I really don't speak like that!

Anyway, you know the deal. Click on the pic to take you to my TPT store. If you decide to download it, let me know what you think.  I've been putting a lot of freebies out there but not many people have commented.

Have a good evening!

Teacher Week '13: Let's Talk About Me

I love me a good linky party and Blog Hoppin is having an awesome one! Being that I have not done one in forever and a day, I think it's time I participate. I can't participate in tomorrow's linky because guess what? I can't get into my classroom until Friday! Also, next week is an entire week of professional development. I can use all the words of encouragement and prayer I can get. I will be working my little tail off!
My classroom is a blank canvas since it's fairly new.  I have envisioned what I want it to look like so I think I can really get a lot done by Sunday.  Wish me luck!  Anyway, lets talk about me!!!!

1. Even though I love Texas from the moment I stepped foot in the Lone Star State, I am a  girl! I moved from there when I was 25, but I go back every once in a while because it will ALWAYS be home. Plus Jersey food is awesome and I used to live 20 minutes from The City, so it was always fun to try new stuff. ;)  

2. Speaking of Jersey, I LOVE this show, no, not Jersey Shore. RHWONJ!

3. I have a slight obsession with all things bright! I love bright pink, purple, green, you name it! Not my flowers, just some random ones off Google.  So pretty!

4. I love dessert. If I could eat dessert after every meal, I totally would!  

5. I hate working out but I do it anyway (Sometimes :p)! 

6. I probably have the best mom in the world.  She would  take a bullet for me and is there EVERY time I need her.  She was very tough when I was little but that's only cause she had to. She was a single mom and I think she did a bomb diggity job raising me (yes, I totally just said that).

7. I love all things Disney. If I could get either engaged/married there I'd probably die from excitement. See picture below. I think I just about died that day meeting those two!

8. This is my bestest girlfriend in the whole world .  

We've been friends since the 5th grade and were pretty much soul sisters.  She'd do anything for me and vice-versa.  We are a force to be reckoned with.

9. I love to dance.  I can dance to just about anything! I often just break it down for no apparent reason.  Back in college, I was asked by a friends' friend to tryout to be a background dancer for an MTV show "Wannabe" but I was way to chicken.  No I really wish I would have done it!!!

10. Last but most certainly not least, is my wonderful boyfriend.  We met back in Early February and hit it off immediately.  He has such a lovely and bubbly personality and he gets along with anyone.  He makes me laugh and does what he can to make me feel happy and appreciated.  He loves that I'm a teacher and respects my career and all the effort I put into it.  

He's a good soul and a great man.  I'm a lucky girl!

Us in Galveston in June.

Well that's all for now, don't forget to link up. It's fun being selfish every once in a while!

Another Spanish Freebie

You know those roll the dice and write the word activities, well I had yet to find one in Spanish. So my little brain got to work and I created this bad boy...

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If you click on the picture it will take you to my store where you can download this for FREE.  Don't you just love that word?  I'm on a roll making all this stuff for my class! No pun intended :)

Have a great weekend!

Number Poster Freebie

While Pinning the other day, I stumpled upon First Grade Teacher Lady's number posters. Her blog is fab! Well I needed numbers to 20 but she only had them till 10, so I got to work with her inspiration!

Just click on the picture above to take you to my store where you can download these puppies for free!  I worked really hard on it so I hope you can use them in your classroom!

This post will be short and sweet because I'm so tired!

Also, since my room is still being put together, I can't get in my classroom!! I am slowly driving myself crazy because I want my room to be finished!  Looks like I will be going crazy next week (if they let me in!).

Night!!!

Spanish and English Behavior Freebie

I've been looking at those behavior stages where it says "Ready to Learn, Think about it, etc." Well I decided to cut out most of them and just stick to three.  For me personally, I don't like having all those options for the kids.  I focus a lot on behavior management during the first few weeks of school so that throughout the rest of the school year, disciple isn't that much of a problem.  Well if you would like a copy of what I made, click on the picture below. :)

A Little Freebie

So most of you have seen those number labels around clocks to help the kids identify time, right?  Well, I'm taking it a step further and I've decided that instead of using the plastic yellow clock, I'm going to take those numbers and make it interactive.  I will be laminating and placing magnets on the back of them to put on my whiteboard.  I found the perfect circle frames from this lovely TPT Shop. Trust me she's got some great stuff!
I also used the sketch font from here and by the time I dl it, I forgot that I already had some from another site! DUH!

Well, here's the freebie I worked on if you want it. Click the picture to get it.

This whole summer schedule is throwing me for a loop. I'm not tired, so I will be laminating and cutting these bad boys!

Goodnight!

Piggy Bank Math

Well I came up with this...

In third grade we did not have to do morning meeting, but in first grade, it's a requirement.  I LOVE morning meeting. I'll tell you why, 1. It's in the morning, most kids are paying attention (at least we hope). 2. You are able to review TONS of concepts. 3. It's fun, if you make it fun!  Anyway, I saw this....

which came from this...

 (click on pics to take you to their blogs).

So I came up with this,

It was very cheap to make and will be effective in the classroom. I am way too excited to use it! If I make any other things, I'll be sure to post about it!

Math Fact Packet

Yikes! It's almost 1:30 in the morning here and I have to get up early for a professional development session on the new math standards Texas is implementing! Well technically I don't have to be there til 12:15ish but I'm a girly-girl and I spend (waste) lots of time getting ready. :)

Anyway, since I've been out of the blogging scene for a while now I promised I would get cracking on something.  I made my very first Math Facts packet. It's 11 pages worth of math facts that I'm sure your kids will love.  It's over at my TPT store but I'm putting out one freebie for ya!

Click on the big pretty picture to go to my store..(I'm so proud of this little image) I still need some practice but I'll get better at making it prettier.

Here's your freebie...

Okay, I'm off to bed. This teacher needs her sleep!

Where Have I Been?

If anyone is still reading this blog, which I doubt, I have to humbly apologize for my huge absence. Funny, I had perfect attendance this past school year and even got a reward :).  As for my blog, well that's another story.

Well, I survived my "first year" as a third grade teacher in public school. I think the STAAR test was going to be the death of me, but my kids and I did it.  I made lots of wonderful friendships along the way and I couldn't have asked for a better team to work with. Seriously, we were the best team in the school, hands down!

My ending to the year was bittersweet because I have another friend who teaches in the same district but at a different campus who told me about a first grade bilingual position that was opening up at her school.  If anyone knows me well, they know that I just LOVE first grade.  I taught it for four years and it's where my heart lies.  Well, I took a leap of faith and applied for it and got an interview.  The interview was tough and I work for the district so it blew my mind that questions they were asking.  I was up against a few other people so I said, may the best person get the job.  I prayed for it and I told myself that I already had a job no matter what and that if someone else needed or wanted it more than I did then they could have it.  Well, 45 minutes later I get a call from the principal saying the team would love to have me!! So many emotions ran through me, I laughed and cried a lot.  I think it's because I know that's where I am the most at ease and where I know I shine as a teacher.

It's funny how things will work themselves out if you just have patience and hope.

I'm currently enjoying my summer to the extent that I can.  I've been working out twice a day and eating as best as I can. Not only to lose weight, but to make my body feel healthier.  That's a goal I want to maintain now that I'm in my thirties! Yikes!  Ha! No, I'm actually loving it and I love where my life is at this present moment.

I have a new man in my life and we'll just call him "K" for now.  K and I met online at the end of January when I was losing all hope in life, no joke, I was in such a bad place and I was struggling with anything and everything.  Then I "met" K and he was actually the first and only guy I talked to from the site. I was honestly not thinking of falling in love but he has truly swept me off my feet and continues to do so.  We've been dating for four months now and I firmly believe K is my soul mate.  He makes me happy like no one else has in a really long time and he makes me laugh and just pampers me.  It's so good to be in a relationship where the love is equal.  He's been helping me workout and goes through it with me so I'm not alone.  We have our slips with food now and then but who doesn't.  I could probably sit here and write about him all day but no one wants to hear that.  If you want to know more, just ask! I really am an open book!

Summer projects:
-Relax
-Get to know my first grade standards well
-Finish my required summer reading
-Think of a theme for my new classroom (i'm thinking chevron)
-Create materials in Spanish for elementary teachers such as myself because there isn't much out there!!!
-Keep working out
-Eat right
-Enjoy my time off

Well, I think that keeps me up to date, I have to get moving because K, his parents, and I are going to Colorado tomorrow! I am so excited!!! I've always wanted to visit and never had the chance.  We plan to go back in the winter and stay in a cabin just he and I, which will be so romantic!

Okay peeps, I'm off! Have a great day/week!