Getting Ready for Next Year... Giveaway!

Yes, I know this year is not even over yet... we still have a FEW more days, but I really like to try to get everything ready for next year that I KNOW I'm going to use all year or pass out in the beginning of the year. I'm crazy, but I just know how my beginning of year is, so I try to alleviate that stress as much as possible.  

For the parents, I like to send some of the same things each year....
My Parent Survey (it's free!). I keep this in my communication folder.



This is what I send home so that I can take pictures for my blog. I know it has my information on it, but if you need it for something else, then maybe you can use it as a template. Click HERE to download it.


And I send this home so that I can show some movies that are apparently PG. Click HERE to download it.


I've printed up more name tags and library pockets for my desk pockets 
(check out THIS post of why I use library pockets on my desks!)... I like to use my Blue and Green Classroom theme (kind of like the ocean and sky, right!?) but I have other color schemes in my store!






I already have my calendar pieces done...but I'm getting ready all the pages that I want to use IN the calendar bundle. Check out my post on the calendar bundle HERE.





And I had my students get our Numbers Every Day folders ready for the beginning of year for next year. We take out the pages we've been using at the end of the year and put in the first pages for next year. Check out my post on my Numbers Every Day pack HERE.




I've also sent my Spelling Journals to the Print Shop. 

I'm opting to use these this year instead of doing my phonics notebook, only because it's my first year in First grade AND at my new school, so I want to see what they can handle before I dive in full force! haha. But I used my Phonics Notebook this year and LOVED it...You can check that out HERE.


I've also sent my Vocabulary Journals to our print shop (I like send things to the print shop because they copy off a whole class set, with a cover and back cover AND bind them with a spiral thingy.... to me, NOT having to do it is worth me paying for it! lol) Check out my vocabulary Journals HERE.






I also have copied off all the writing pages and family notes for our Monthly Family Projects! IF I have enough time, I might even get frisky and run off all the templates for the crafts!



I also got ready our Time Capsules for next year. I do these EVERY year... and EVERY year, I LOVE how they come out! You can get the updated version for next year! Check out my post on this freebie HERE.

I always love how these turn out! Check out how I keep them nice and organized on THIS post.



OH! AND I got a subscription to Nat Geo.. LITTLE Kids! I got an email from Plum District, and snagged up the offer!  Click the picture to get the deal... and don't forget to use the code natgeo2 when you check out to get an extra $2 off!



I also have started making my summer lists....


 I've since added more to the lists, but you can get the point, right!? I wish I was one of the people that could take the WHOLE summer off... but nope. I've even signed up for 2 one week classes to take. 


I think it's funny that before the end has even come, I ALWAYS think about how to begin next year. Do you do that!?  Well, just in case you are, I'm going to giveaway a pack from this post! You can choose one pack of your choice. Just enter with the rafflecopter below!



If you don't want to wait around to see if you win, I'm throwing a sale! Everything listed in this post is on sale in my store until Monday night! Check out my TpT store!







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Changes are a-comin'!

I have some news... actually LOTS of news...
First up, I'm leaving my school. I'm also changing grades...I'm moving down to FIRST grade! EEK!  That park scares me a little bit, I'm not going to lie. ha! But, also leaving my school scares me. I've called Turner home for 10 years of my 11 years of teaching. It's bittersweet to leave. I will miss a lot of my friends there...people who I've known for the last 10 years.  But I'm so excited to be starting this new chapter of my teaching career. It'll be a whole new world to me.
Don't worry! I'm going to finish my 2nd grade Common Core monthly centers... I'm going to be doing August through December this month. I wouldn't forget my 2nd grade friends!!
Anyway, so I've been doing a lot of purging... and packing....
I've already taken 8 large tubs to a storage unit... and I've packed up ONE of my filing cabinets...


The other filing cabinet will take probably 8-10 boxes because it is SO jammed packed, I can't even get things out of it! lol

I've also been PURGING!! This is only the pile I had after one hour of purging... I have TONS more... I sent an email out to my school telling them to come grab what they wanted... the rest was going to go in the trash! Yep... I'm one of those... I don't have the time or patience to sell things. Just want to be DONE! lol



And here's the OTHER big news!!!!


Come on over to my Splash of Life Blog to read all about our new adventures...time to be a butterfly!!



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Rolling and Learning!

So, I like to do a LOT of dice rolling activities...

You can find one in all of my Common Core Literacy Menu packs....






(I'll actually be updating the "oldest" packs I have to incorporate all of the activities found in my newer grammar and phonics packs)





Even a long time ago, I shared a sight word freebie where I used dice!

Click the picture to grab the freebie!

and I even have thematic rolling sheets that I shared once upon a time... lol

Click the picture to grab the freebie
( I know there's only 5 columns...but I only had 5 words, so I just told them to roll again if they got a 6...or to use that one to help a word get ahead - ha!)

SO... as you can see, I'm a big fan of dice/graphing activities...ha!

Now...the big question... what kind of dice do I use??

I used to use jut regular ole dice...I have TONS of them... I really don't even know where they all came from, but I still have them...tucked away into my drawers.
But the noise was driving me crazy! And I didn't feel like making those "quiet" containers for all 20 of my kids plus some for my centers...so I just broke down and bought a $6 pack of 36 foam dice!

 
 And for my centers I like to have the kids use the BIG foam dice..it makes the centers feel even that more special. Anything to make them want to do the center even more...right!?  

 I also really like to use the photo cubes... I like to use them if I want to differentiate the words (for spelling or sight word rolling activities) for my kids and tell each kid (or group) what color die to use... 
It works great!

 When I bought them about 4 years ago, I could only find the baby photo blocks... 

   

 but now Carson Dellosa has a version too...but they're the same thing - ha!

 


So... do you use dice??? Are you like me and have such a wide variety?! haha




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Cinderella

This week, we're starting in our Cinderella unit. I LOVE doing this unit. I have done Cinderella for about 6-7 years now....one of my old teammates got me hooked on it years ago. I usually read a book a day for about 2 weeks....and I keep all of my books out on the display. 
Here are some of the books I have on display for my kids to read...and that I read aloud to them.


and a few more...

and here are some GREAT "Around the World" books that I like to read...


One of the ways I like to try and get the students excited about reading the books is to do Cinderella Bingo! This worked really well as an independent activity when I taught 3rd grade, but in 2nd grade, some of the books can be a little too hard. But those are usually the ones I read aloud, and then my lower kids take a quiz from that and my higher kids will usually reread the books on their own and take the quiz.




If you want the Bingo board, click on the picture to download! You might not have all of the books I have listed on there, but you can use it as an example...or just be like me and become a book hoarder! haha!

Also, if you're interested, you can check out my Cinderella Fairy-Tale pack on TpT!




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