Setting up Shop

Let me show you what I've been doing for the last few days....

Wait.

First, let me set the stage for you...

Wednesday, teachers report back....and we are leaving Sunday and coming back on Tuesday for my bday trip to the Keys....so that means I have TWO more days to get ready for back to school....

So, I've been a printing, laminating, cutting, and creating machine!!

Those are from my beach theme centers and my beach them A.R. back...

I also have all of Courtney's Unit 1 for Treasures in that pile...

look - B was helping with my boggle letters - ha!

I have run out of lamination though....BUT, aside from my boggle letters, I THINK I've laminated everything I need to start with ....

Yeah right...

We all know how big that list gets during pre-planning week, don't we???

Though it looks like I have done nothing but this for 2 days, I have also been a busy little bee in the mornings having some fun in the sun...

and chasing crabs....

getting harassed by the paparazzi...

and sheer splashing in the water 

ok - I'm off to do more cutting! Happy Thursday!

13

My Behavior System..

So, I've started printing up some of my beach theme classroom stuff...

I'm super excited about how they are coming out!

But when I showed this picture to a few friends, they asked,

"what do you use the pocket for?"

So....

I thought I'd share with you :)

It's for my behavior system.

My system is WAY different than most of what y'all do...I know a lot of you do the clip chart thingy...

I like this.

I learned it when I interned - a decade ago, and have used it with 5th, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders...

It works...and the kids like it.

You can use any pocket really...

I used to buy the bright color ones.....

but now I can make my own! yay! lol

I tape the pockets to the desk, and they keep their behavior card

(index card) in it.

Here's how it works....and it's changed slightly overtime, but I really like how it's evolved into this:

Each week, my students get and index card. They use a ruler to measure out exactly 1" sections - one for each day of the week (look at that - they are using some math skills too!). 

Now, in the beginning of the year, this is a whole group lesson in itself, but after a few weeks, about half the class gets it and they can help others, so it just becomes one of their morning work duties on Monday mornings when they come in the room.

Anyway - 

They label each day of the week on it, and put their name on the back.  Throughout the week, they get stamps for being extra-awesome, or if like the whole class is magically doing something awesome when I look up, then by golly, the whole class gets a stamp on their card!! They can also earn hole-punches...this is for not bringing back their homework, or not behaving properly, etc. With each hole, they earn time off their recess (I know - it's terrible, but it's really the only thing I have to barter with them)

On Friday, we use their cards to earn prizes.

This is where it gets a little confusing for them....for a few weeks, but they eventually get it - I promise!!

For each day they DON'T have a hole punch, they can get a tab (don't worry, you'll see what a tab is in a few...) AND for each stamp they can earn a tab. The reason I like this system is because even if you don't have a student who likes to shine, but is always doing well, they get a chance to get rewarded at the end of the week too, with all of their days that don't have a hole punch.

It also is a positive reward system, instead of just a negative one.

So....let's look at some cards from some of my students from one week this past year...

This student got 4 tabs. One for Thursday for not getting any hole punches (Friday doesn't count because we didn't have school), one for the stamp on Wednesday, and two for the two stamps on Thursday. 

This student got TEN tabs...4 for M-Th because there were no hole punches, 2 for the stamps on Wednesday, and 4 for the stamps on Thursday. And if you are wondering...yes, they have to tell me how many tabs they get...it's more math added in!

And this student got 6 tabs...1 for M, W, and Th (there are hole punches on T, so no tab for that day!), and then 1 for the stamp on Wednesday, and 2 for the stamps on Th. 

And here is what I mean by Tabs....

 

It's just a piece of square paper that they put their number on...all of the tabs go into a bucket, and we "shake, shake, shake!" I pull 10 tabs out....ONLY ten....and I've had weeks where only ten people got in the bucket (sad, I know...) and they get to choose either their job of choice for the next week or a piece of candy...

I've done, in previous years, time on the computer (no time for that anymore!), lunch with teacher (can't do that anymore since we have to save all of our closed lunch trays for special times in the year - don't get me started on our cafeteria lady), and reading with our media specialist (she's got classes almost all day now, so that doesn't work either).

Here is how I post them as I pull them....the dots by their numbers show how many times I pull their tab. Then we talk about Probability....How many tabs did you have versus how many times did I pull your tab (type thing).

SO....there ya have it....

Did I confuse you??

18

Beachy Made-Its

So today is my latest edition of Made It Monday with Tara....

(and she's on vacay - so go wish her happy travels!)

I have just a few little odds and ends to show you...

Then I'm off to UPS to print up like 300 PAGES of stuff!! lol..

No lie...I'm dead-pan serious.

but after I leave there, I'll be in deep-breathing mode...so I'll head to the beach, which always calms me down..lol (that sounded like a circle story right there from Laura Numeroff! haha!)

BUT I'll have to make a choice on the banner while I'm there...lol

(p.s...apparently some of you are special...lol...you can print color at school...say what?!?!  yeah..right...our B/W copies are counted, so I KNOW there's no color printing..lol...and my laser jet at home would just KILL the cartridges...)

Anyway.....

Autumn and I made this little frame for my dad for when we went to Colorado...

He's a surfer (the whole fam is) and he LOVES to collect shells.

So I printed up this picture...it's one of my favorites - he teaching her about waves and she's listening so intently to him...

Autumn collected shells and then I bought a clear plastic frame and we got glued her favorite shells...

It's nothing big, but you should have seen how excited he was about it she gave it to him in Colorado....

Then, I made these cute little pencil/supply holders....

Duck Tape, my friends...LOVE all the new patterns!!!

THEN....

mail came on Saturday.

I didn't check it until Sunday though.

But I was so excited when I saw what was in it!!

My fabric came from Hawaii (THANK YOU, CORINNA!!!)

AND my Birchbox!!!

I was like a kid on Christmas I tell ya.

Went back in the house through the garage so I could grab the staple gun...

and immediately recovered my chair for my classroom!

LOVE it!!!

(I actually had her get me like FOUR yards of it - so now the question is....WHAT to do with the rest of it??)

I think I'm going to keep it white.

Although, I'm scare of white.

Really - I am....Not one wall in my house is white...well, except the wainscott in our bathroom that we just redid...

But I don't count that - it's PVC...or something.

Anyway.  I have a feeling that it's going to get too dirty for me to be able to handle...

So I'm thinking about painting it the lime green or the dark teal that's in the pattern...

Ok, I'm of to make my printing lists!!

25

Fun in the Sun with some Freebies!

Hey y'all!!

Yesterday, I didn't get MUCH school stuff accomplished...lol

We were having too much fun in the sun!!

Boot camp in the morning...

and then I went paddle boarding again!! woo!!

(that's me in the middle -with the white and blue bathing suit)

LOVE this picture!! Everyone was making fun of me because I wanted to do a posed picture like this, but I think it turned out soooo cute!!

(me in the back on my stomach)

Did I forget to mention that my brother owns his own SUP company...that's why I get to go paddle boarding so much...lol.
I just get a group of people who want to go, and then I get to have fun too!!

Last year, for the Fourth of July, we went paddle boarding on the river to watch the fireworks...

(you can't tell, but A is sitting on the board with me)





I would LOVE to do this again this year, but we're not going to be in town for it this year....

Anyway...

THEN, came home and went swimming in the poolio...

See my future surfer girl??? hehe 

I'm sorry to keep showing you family pics of our lives, but I kinda feel that it's part of my blog now...it's evolved into my life as me and as a teacher...so...hope y'all don't mind. But I like showing you....

BUT anywhosit,

I DID manage to finish and upload my Where Are We sign....

I don't have this printed up to show you a final product, but it's pretty simple...just put this on your door, then  put velcro on the labels and the blank square and have the line leader, assistant, or caboose be in charge of putting where you are going.

It's free - if you wanna go grab it.

I also updated my IPICK sign...in addition to the beach sign, I also added the sports and pirates - to match the A.R. packs I have. I had a request to do the sports one, so I figured I might as well do the pirate one since that's a popular item.

So, if you didn't go grab the sign before, you can go back to grab it - all 3 are in the same file.

Today is the first day of July. I'm actually SUPER excited about it!!

There is SO much packed into this month...family reunion trip (TWO of them! but one is coming to me...lol), more paddle boarding, beach days, pool days, SKY DIVING, and birthdays!!!

I turn 30 this month...and while that might scare some people, I'm actually excited about it!!

I have accomplished SOOOO much in my first 30 years. I've traveled the world, got married ("eloped" to Jamaica!) and had two BEAUTIFUL daughters, bought TWO houses, graduated college - TWICE (one is my masters), got National Board Certified....have climbed mountains and jumped out of planes....the list is endless. I am so thankful for what God has abled me to do...I can't wait to see what the next 30 years is like!!!

14

Picking Books

So...

there's a Daily 5 "book study" going on in blogland....I'm sure you've seen it.

I don't do D5.

I like my system - it works for me, and it's a little more involved than what they talk about..

BUT I do a lot of the things that they talk about in D5....

And "shopping" for books everyday is something they need to learn how to do, and do it right.

They have a hard time picking books that are on their level...

In the beginning of 2nd grade, it's hard for them to learn to A.R. stickers on books. But we just keep doing it, and eventually some catch on and help out the others.

I don't put my books in my classroom library level...mine is organized by authors (for fiction) or subjects (nonfiction) just like a real library is...I want them to get used to it, especially since our library is open for them to go to everyday to get books (are you jealous, Kristin?? hehe).

I like to refer to my sign (just updated it) to help them when it comes to picking their level of books...even though I try to teach them to pick on their A.R. level, they still need to be able to tell if it's too easy or hard for them...

Download your FREEBIE in my TpT store...HERE

(I know I have a pirate and sports A.R. pack, so if you want this poster in that theme, let me know, and I'll do it.)

Gosh - I get all happy when I see pretty colors like that..lol

And I came across a CUTE stop watch for a goal that we're reaching for...

from Marsha {HERE} - 

I don't do Daily 5 in my room, but we do read EVERY day - and they have to to read for 15 minutes from day one...lol.

I'm mean. I know.

Although, I'm sure that'd be different if I taught K or 1st.

But, for 2nd and 3rd, I have never had any problems getting them to do it. I think because I'm CONSTANTLY moving around the room, conferencing with the kids - that's like my guided reading time too. I will have to do a post about how I do my small groups/daily conferencing/centers...

But anyway....I really like using that sign for other things that we are going to be timed on - like when centers are over, or if we are taking a timed test (district writing tests are timed), or what ever...I like it - thanks Marsha! I'll have to make me one that's blank.

In other news....the chair....

Hubs has vetoed the black chair idea. lol

He's pretty artsy-fartsy, so sometimes I listen to him -hehe.

So, yesterday, I painted her white.

Now, I just gotta think of HOW to decorate her...ugh!!

7

Stormy weather blues...

First off, this whole "staying inside because it's raining" ordeal for two days straight is REALLY not fun when you have an anxious 2 year old who NEVER. STOPS. MOVING.

lol

Thank you, Debbie (tropical storm, Debbie, that is)

That arrow is where I live...but this seriously is going to go on for all. week. long....

WHAT am I going to do with myself?? AND with my girls?? It's not like I can get much done for myself with A around needing my attention...lol.

Pray for me and my sanity. lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, so I REALLY wanted to link with Tara's Made-It Monday Party...except, the universe is against me and my crafting today....

First, when I went to JoAnn's, they didn't have ANY fabric in like a tropical/beachy theme that I was looking for...

BUT, I did find a few things that I could use...

But wouldn't you know it??

As soon as I started sewing, my sewing machine went all "kuh-put" on me....

oh jeesh...

Oh well...

And the bathroom isn't finished, so I can't show you that yet :(

BUT, I did got to Party City today - thanks to a fabulous comment left for me yesterday!

I got some cutouts that I'm going to lamenate, and hang around the room - though I might need to go get another pack...lol

And some green fans that I can hang with the paper lanterns I showed you the other day...

And I was thinking about maybe laminating the orange flower and using it as some sort of "message board" - what do you think??? Ideas??

But, I really like this little find:

I'm going to use this as my author table -


Yeah- that's what it was last year...though, I DID eventually put a cheap dollar store table cloth on it - but I think that the flower fringe will be fun! I'll see if I really like it when I get it all set up I guess...lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NEXT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Someone posted this on FB today...

It's so good to remember this....

I guess I could say the same thing about my laundry that I HATE folding and putting away (that I was talking about yesterday...no...I never did it...lol).

And THIS song has been stuck in my head for like 4 weeks... I LOVE it...lol.

So I thought I'd get it stuck in your head. :)

You're welcome! ha!

16

Trip to Hobby Lobby

 So the other day, I was in Hobby Lobby (I know, DANGEROUS, dangerous....are you singing?? lol)

And I turned the corner and entered into THIS aisle.....

I mean - how can you NOT be instantly happy when you see all these colors?!?!

(see B in the cart there?? lol)

It really brightened my day - hehe...pun intended...

My only problem??

WHICH color scheme do I want to do!??!

ahhhh!!

Well....I ended up with a blue/green/yellow scheme...

I think these will be perfect to hang in the beginning of the year before we start hanging our own crafts

Well, my friends, today is a very drab day.

But after DAYS of beach, pool, and traveling, I guess it's good for us to stay in for a day.

Besides...

There's laundry to me done.

Bleh.

I ABHOR laundry...

I don't throwing it into the washer or dryer...it's the folding and putting away I don't like.

I'd show you the MASSIVE pile on our bed that needs to be put away, but I don't want you to get that image of me stuck in your head...lol

16

Mermaids, Birthdays, and A.R.

We've had a busy, busy few days!!

Yesterday, we had birthday party to go to...it was Little Mermaid themed.






We LOVE The Little Mermaid!!

It was my FAVorite growing up.

eh...who am I kidding? It's STILL my fave...lol. I can sing all the songs, and say all the words.

This girl is a swimmin' fool!!

Doesn't matter what the body of water is  - beach, pool, bathtub, puddle...lol.

She's a happy girl in the water....just like her mama!

The birthday host gave goggles to everyone who came as a "thank you" gift...

A LOVED them...lol

She wore them for the rest of the day...



hahahaha!!!

Sorry, I just HAD to show you....

but that brings me to a question I've had for a while.

Why has it become customary that we, as birthday party hosts, have to give out "thank you" gifts to the guests?
I mean, we spend all this money on the food, decorations, possibly a rental of some sort, and all kinds of other things - I just don't get it.
Don't we give out thank you cards??
Can someone let me in on this secret? I mean, for our thank you gifts, it's usually a craft that the kids do while they are at our parties...I mean, that's good, right??

Anyway, back on track....

Then we went up to St. Augustine for a bit - remember??

I went to Flagler College up there....BEAUTIFUL college.

I still have friends up there...

One of my friends was having a birthday party.

So we went, but we also visited some other friends...

We had lunch at the place I worked while going to school up there -


And A got to play with some of her friends...ok, a LOT of her friends...and swim in the pool - AGAIN..

Check out my "totally 80s" girl...hehe




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Squirrel~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last Monday, Tara posted her Made it Monday craft she did...and they were birthday tags, owl themed.
So SUPER cute!!
But I'm not doing an Owl theme...

I'm doing the beach theme...
So I decided to make my own :)

Like the circles??? I got all techy with my hub's Corel Draw program...I feel all special now..lol

And here are the surfboard tags.

What do you do with them??

Well, you can attach them to whatever you get for the kids, but I was going to hole punch each end of the surfboard and then "thread" a silly straw or pencil through both holes...and you can do the same with the circles.

You can get them from my TpT for free :)

AND

I FINALLY got around to making my pirate A.R. theme pack into a beach/surfing theme :)

I absolutely LOVE it!!!

There are surfer bookmarks with A.R. levels, genre and series graphs, reading logs and A.R. quiz logs, bulletin board pieces so they can "surf" to each island as they grow in A.R. points, monthly goal sheets and a certificate if/when they reach that month's goal, a poster for skill focus during reading (with suggestions), and a letter to the parents.

If you would like a different theme, I am open to suggestions!!
Also, I know some of you do reading counts, and I was trying to make this fit for that as well, but I don't know enough. If you are someone who wants this set made for Reading Counts, please let me know and we can work it out!

And I leave you with THIS smile...



I mean, seriously....how can that NOT make you smile?!?!

17