Did You Notice Anything Different? Plus a Link-Up

Did you notice anything different?  Yup, check out the new blog name!  After spending that last 10 of my 14 years teaching in kindergarten, I am moving to 1st grade!  I am totally excited!  Don't get me wrong, I ADORE Kindergarten!  It will always have a special place in my heart.  However, I was ready for a change and there was an opportunity at my school and so I went for it!

I decided to keep my blog and just change the name.  Now, I need to get my blog button fixed as well!

My mind has been racing with this opportunity to start a new room.  I do plan to stay with my green and blue theme.  I have been inspired by some blog posts and Pinterest.  So, of course this involved shopping.  So, I am linky up with Ladybug's Teacher Files: Summer Shopping Linky Party-June Edition.  Yeah, I am just going to make in time to post for June!  I am sure there will be more to post in July and August as well!

On to the goodies I have found so far!

The baskets came from Dollar General.  I have plenty of baskets and tubs, but I am working on getting more in green and blue to go with my color theme.

I am sure that you have seen the tissue paper Pom Poms floating around blogland.  I wanted to give it a try!  This my first go at it.  Not bad, but hope to do better with the rest!

Last is the plastic tableclover.  This for an idea that I am kicking around....

I saw some blog posts about using butcher paper to make scrunchy borders for you bulletin boards. 

I got the idea from the pictures and links below-they both provide  the how-to's!

Peace, Love and First Grade:

You also HAVE to check out Just Another Day in First Grade!  Awesome!

Anyways, I went to get my fadeless paper (it lasts me a good 2-3 year without having to replace it) for my new bulletin boards.  When I got home I realized that they were white on the back.  That would not work for the boarder part.  I was bummed!  But them I saw the above tablecover at the Dollar General!  I tested it at home and I think it will work great for the scrunchy boarder!  If it works out, I will get more with also blue to complete my boards.  I'll post those once I can bet back in and get it done!!

Have a great Saturday!

A Luna Giveaway!

I know that a Luna from Learning Resources would be a great addition to my classroom!  There is a giveaway going on over at One Extra Degree!  We have until July 3rd to enter.  So, hurry for your chance to win!

An Awesome Pencil Sharpener!

I have seen this pencil sharpener popping up around blogland lately and just had to give it a try!  Troy over at Classroom Friendly Supplies sent me this green one.  It arrived within a few days and I was ready to give it a go! 

First of all, I really like the way it looks!  This will go nicely with my blue and green theme in my classroom in the fall!

This sharpener was super easy to use and will work well with my students in the fall.  It is also super quiet!  (I don't know about you but I do not enjoy the grinding sound of my old sharpener and then many times it does not sharpen all sides of the pencil....or the lead breaks inside!)  This pencil sharpener solves ALL of those issues! 

Over at Troy's site, he has videos to show how to use this product.

To get started, pull the silver front end out.  Then, squeeze the black tabs at the top and insert your pencil and sharpen away!  It will stop when it is done to prevent oversharpening. 

As you can see, it produces a perfectly sharpened pencil.

It will take some training with the kiddos in the fall.  However, once that is done, this will be something that they will be very independent with and will no longer have to look for me to fix their dull pencils!

It also has an easy to empty basket for the shavings! 

The easy to use hardware to clamp it down is also included.  Thank you Troy for sending me this awesome tool!  I look forward to all the benefits this school year!

Kaleidoscope Collection and a Joy Cowley Giveaway!

Hameray, the same publishing company that contacted me about reviewing some of the new Mrs. Wishy Washy Collection, has also asked me to review several books from their Kaleidoscope Collection. 

I reviewed a variety of books that cover the reading levels C, D, E, and F. This span of leveled readers will serve my students well who are reading in the K-1 reading levels.

Like the Mrs. Wishy Washy books, the illustrations are bright and attractive. They accompany the text well and are great support for any emergent reader! The Kaleidoscope Collection offers a nice variety of fiction and nonfiction titles. The nonfiction options work nicely with several science and social studies themes and covers many Common Core Standards!

Level C

The book, Planets, includes a nice diagram to show the different sizes of the planets and how they compare to one another!

Level D

Click here for a sample copy of Run, Haley, Run!

With all of the new technology constantly being introduced to us these days, this book does a nice a job of introducing different forms of technology to students and how they too can use them. 

Level E

Thanksgiving Dinner, would be a great book to use for text-to-self connections.  My students will easily be able to connect with this family's Thanksgiving meal and how it is different and/or the same as their family.

Click here for a sample copy of Thanksgiving Dinner.

Spider Sandwich includes labeled diagrams to explain the difference between the body parts of an insect and a spider!

Click here to view a sample copy of Spider Sandwich.

Too Many Seagulls, is a great book to help with teaching the story elements.  There is a distinct problem and solution for the students to identify with.

Level F

I really like how the book, Brush! Brush! Brush!, uses photographs of an older and younger sister.  The older sister teaches her little sister how to correctly brush her teeth.  I think this book would be great for my little readers to make text-to-self connections.  This is a great way for them easily connect with the text.

I would highly recommend any of these titles to use as interventions, small group reading, or for Reader's Workshop!

Hameray is also having a giveaway for the Orange Joy Cowley Collection! This giveaway ends on June 25th!  So hurry and enter for your chance to win!

Kool Aid Playdough

I know it is only Tuesday, but we are having a great week with Volleyball Camp, our local library program, swimming, and enjoying our days together! 

Yesterday afternoon did bring us a thunderstorm (we soooo needed the rain!).  So, as we were stuck inside we decided to complete another item on our Summer Bucket List.  We made Kool aid Playdough.  You can find the recipe here!

It was super easy to make, smelled yummy, and they had a blast playing with it afterwards! 

I wonder what our next Pinterest inspired activity will be!

How is your summer reading going?  I have been reading and following along with a few Daily 5 Book Studies.  I am also reading, Debbie Miller's Reading with Meaning.  What a wonderful book!  I am so excited to put both of these books to use in my teaching this year!

Father's Day Card

Just a quick post to share with you the card my two gave their Daddy yesterday for Father's Day!

This photo is from Pinterest since the card did not "last" long enough to get a picture!

Pen Pals!

Sorry for being so MIA!  I have been soaking up the summer days with my family inlcuding camping!  I hope that all of your are enjoying your summer!

I wanted to share with you a new activity that we are starting!  Pen Pals!  We have cousins that live all over and we do not get to see them much at all.  So, I thought that it would be fun for my kiddos to get to know some of them by being pen pals. 

We wanted to do something special for them for our first correspondance. So, where did I turn?  To Pinterest, of course! Here is a photo of our kits that we created for our cousins! You can get the printable label and poem here!

We also included a fun information sheet that was also found on Pinterest.

You can get one too, here!

Do you do pen pals with your kiddos or in the classroom?  I would love to hear about it!

Mrs. Wishy Washy Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway! 

The winner of the Mrs. Wishy Washy Floor puzzle is:

#17:  Krogers Kindergarten said...

                     I follow your blog :)

Kroger's Kindergarten-I have emailed you so that we can arrange the delivery of your puzzle!

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading

You may already know about Barnes and Noble and their Summer Reading Program, but I just learned about it today.  If you go to the link above, you can print out a form for your child to record their summer reading.  Then, take it to your local Barnes and Noble for a free book!

Our summer is just getting started, so this will be a great addition to our Library's Summer Reading Program!

I will post the winner tomorrow night for the Mrs. Wishy Washy floor puzzle!

Giveways!

There is a great giveaway going on at Once Upon a First Grade Adventure!  To celebrate, she is giving away a TPT item of your choice to 4 winners!  So, hurry and hop on over!

Also, don't forget about my my current giveaway for a Mrs. Wishy Washy floor puzzle!  I will announce the winner tomorrow!  Also, I am really close to 200 followers!  I see another giveaway coming!

What I Am Reading Linky Party and Giveaway Reminder

Now that it is finally summer I can also finally focus on some reading that I have been wanting to get done!  So, when I saw that there was Summer Reading Linky and Contest going on over at Clutter-Free Classroom, I had to join in the fun! 

Here are some things that I have already read, but will be reviewing this summer:

The Daily 5 by the Sisters

Making the Most of Small Groups by Debbie Diller

If time allows, I want to also dive into:

The Cafe by Gail Boushey

Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller

Also, don't forget about my own giveaway that ends on Friday!  I will be giving away a new/sealed Mrs. Wishy Washy floor puzzle!

go here to enter! 

A Mrs. Wishy Washy Giveaway!

I am having my first day of Summer Vacation!!  Woo hoo!!  Ok, so I do need to go back for a day here and there to work on a few things. But hey, summer vacation is officially here!  I have spent today going through every inch of the playroom.  It is amazing the things that these kids tuck away and keep!  All those loose and broken pieces!

I wanted to celebrate summer vacation with a giveaway. It has been a LONG time since I have had one and it sounded like fun!

I will be giving away a brand new/sealed Mrs. Wishy Washy floor puzzle!

So, here is how to enter! 

1.  Post a comment that you are a follower of my blog!

2.  Blog about my giveaway and post a comment with the link.

3.  Add my blog button to your blog roll and post a comment with the link.

That's three chances to enter!

I will randomly choose a winner on Friday, June 8th!  Good luck!