Why Didn't I Do This Sooner?

Happy Hump Day!  I am at the mid-point of my 2nd week with kids and am loving it!  I have an AMAZING class this year!  I had an Open House last night with a room full of parents.  My luck is continuing with my senior intern who started this week and she is fantastic.

I have been so busy at school, I have been neglecting my blog, but now I'm back and have so many ideas to share!  So here is one of my first "Holy Moly Guacamole" ideas.  It is very simple, but what a difference!  It all started with my personal lamination machine I bought...  I found these little ID sleeves with clips for the laminator.  They were 10 for less than $3 at the Discount Store.  We have collared shirts this year so the clips are perfect!  In the past I write out name tags for everyone the first few days of school.  I also do name tags for subs.  Well I figured these would perfect!

The kids liked them and they look adorable with them all on.  My little Lego Engineers!  It has also been helpful with wheel teachers, my partner teachers and other staff learning their names. Then to make it even better, I wrote their lunch numbers on the back!  (No need for lunch clips or sticks!)  I am so doing this every year!  Just thought I would share!

BTS13 and Freebie

Hello and yes I am still alive! I know it has been a while, but I have been pretty much living at school the past two weeks getting ready.  I am happy to say I did it!!!  I managed to unpack, set up my new room with a fun new theme (that I had to create everything for), attend numerous trainings/ meetings and be ready for "Meet Your Teacher" today.  To do all of this took so much time, but today was all worth it!!  My Lego Learners classroom theme turned out fantastic.  I will post pictures soon, and all of the things I made for it are in my TpT store.

I am relieved to have made it through "meet your teacher", but now to get ready for the first day of school!  I am so excited for the Teachers Pay Teachers Back to School Sale this weekend!  There are so many fabulous and finished projects I can get on sale and save time!  There may be something I could make in a few hours or I could buy it for $4?  Well hello!!!  My time is so much more valuable, especially this few weeks.  Time to purchase my wishlist and  save time!  If I'm lucky I will make it to the beach Sunday!  Make sure you enter the code BTS13 at checkout for 28% off!

I have made a few things the past few weeks that may save you time.  I want something new this year for All About Me, so I am taking my All About Me 3D with a dodecahedron.

We adopted the McGraw-Hill Wonders Reading series this year.  I have made focus wall mini-posters and home information sheets for all of the 1st Grade Units.  You can download week 1 for free.  You can buy them by the unit or as a bundle.  This will save you some serious time!  (I so would have bought this if I could have found it!)  I am also putting together a set of just take home information sheets.

The new creation I have made that I love the most is my Gingerbread Man QR School Scavenger Hunt.  Everything is ready for you, a cute story I wrote to introduce the scavenger hunt and gingerbread man card with clues ready to post around school.  I can not wait to do these with the kids.

The last new product I want to share is the "I Know My Alphabet Phonics Review Book."  This is a book the students will make and I will be able to quickly assess so many things while they make it.  It will also take a bit of time for them to complete and I will be able to meet with all of them while they are working on it.

Here is a freebie for you!  It is a home technology survey and student information form I use.

I am going to link up with Friday Freebies and go to bed early for a change!  Check back tomorrow to find out how I will be reading my new students a bedtime story the night before school starts! 

Made It Monday and Freebie

It is almost almost Monday and I am having mixed feelings.  I have one official week of summer left, however I can finally get into my classroom and I have LOTS to do!  So my plan is to work hard in my classroom for the first part of the week and then hopefully have Thursday and/or Friday to relish my last day of summer.

Enough about me and my world!  I love blog world on Mondays.  Two of my favorite linkys happen every Monday, Manic Monday and Made-It Monday.  Not only do I enjoy linking up to share, I really love blog stalking hopping to find all of the great things out there.

I have two things to share for Made It Monday this week.

Every year most of us start out with some type of an All About Me poster.  I have done this in the past too, but this year I wanted something different.  I created a template for an All About Me Dodecahedron.  (In case you are wondering what in the heck a dodecahedron is, it is a 12 sided 3D shape.)  I am taking All About Me 3D!  You can get it at my TpT store here.

The students will complete the 12 pages writing and drawing, assemble and then share with one another.  I will hang them in the room for Open House.  I think the students will be so excited to use their new school supplies to make these.  I do think they will take a while to complete, but will be worth it in the end.

My next Monday Made It is a charging station.  Last year, I was lucky enough to have several iPods for the class.  I loved them for the students, but they laid all over my desk while they were charging.  This year I am getting several iPads too and needed a solution for charging.  Here is what I came up with!

It is a small dish drainer I got at the mart for like $7.  I had to bend the wire a little bit and moved the silverware cup to the side.  There is a power strip behind the basket and I wrapped the charger ends around the wire to keep them in place.  It will be perfect and it was cheap too!  Click here to download the labels free.

Currently August

I can't believe it is already August!  I was hoping to link up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade's Currently on the 1st of the month, but I'm a few days behind.  (For good reason though, more to come!)

To explain a little more...

I am listening to my daughters argue... This is happening more and more lately.  Too much quality time together!  This always happens at the end of the summer.  I think it is the Lord's way of making me be ready to trade my 2 kids everyday for 18 firsties!

I am loving how productive and creative I have been the past few days and very late nights.  I have made so many things, just haven't blogged too much.  Everything I have been making is for my classroom, but I figure I should share too!

The item I just finished solves two of my problems!  I have been looking for a new sight word wall.  I really wanted posters with all of the words already on them.  I figure many kids will already know these words and others won't.  Students will probably learn these words faster than I will introduce them with the new series.  I also really don't want to give up prime space for this word wall.  My students will have personal word walls too.  I really want to add a few subject/vocabulary specific word walls too.  I was also trying to figure out some sort of window treatment to go with my new Lego theme.  I couldn't find material I really loved for a valence.  This is also some what wasted space.  So I decided I could solve both problems with a Word Wall Banner/ Window Treatment.  I made it to be printed in black ink on any colored paper.  You can get it here at my TpT store for $4.

I am in Florida and it is Tax Free Weekend for back to school.  I have decided I don't think fighting the crowds is really worth saving the 7%.

I am wanting what everyone wants!  A few more weeks of summer break.  (Although my bank account is ready for a pay check!)

I am REALLY needing to get into my classroom to start setting up.  We have not been able to get in all summer.  My room currently sits full of boxes!!!!!!  The stress, the nightmares, the panic attacks.  I can get in Monday to start.  I will probably be living up there starting Monday!

Now for my BTS must haves!  (Although shopping for 2 tweens and my class fo BTS, my needs also go to the back burner.)  First, I need a few new clothes, I was hoping to lose weight this summer, and it didn't happen :o(  A MUST is hair color!  I am going in next week for my BTS haircut and color.  I have let it go all summer.  My last must have and treat will be a new lanyard.  I haven't found it yet, but will let you know when I do!