Saturday, June 30, 2012

Blog Hop and Swap! Welcome Little Miss Kindergarten!


Yay!  The day is finally here!!!!!!!!  I am over at Kinder Alphabet today guest posting.  Check it out! (Links to all Blog Hoppers are at the bottom of this post.)  BUT before you go please welcome one of my favorite bloggers:



Hello Kinder Friends,
I am so excited to be guest posting for Inspired by Kindergarten today! I can't wait to share a few of my favorite Kinder things with you! I know we are all busy thinking and preparing for a new year, so I hope to be able to give you a few things that you can use or that will get you inspired for a great start. I think Back to School time is my favorite time within the school year. I love it when everything is fresh and new. I love all the Back to School sales and just the planning and preparing to do it all over again. I always want just one more year...
First, getting ready for a new year, you might be thinking about your best teacher friends. If you click on the picture above, it will take you to a free download for a quick teacher gift. All you have to do is print, insert in a frame, add a bow and there you go...you are all ready for some simple and fun gift giving! You can find frames and teacher bags at Dollar Tree. They always seem to have those teacher theme bags and when I see them, I buy them all up!
After you have all of your gifts in bags and ready to go, you will probably start thinking about your classroom. Just like me you are probably wondering what your colors will be and what everything will look like. You know my motto is...sometimes you just have to get crafty! I can show you some quick and easy ways to get your creative mind working in the right direction. How about new curtains for your classroom? What if I told you these could be inexpensive and easy? What if I told you that you could easily change out the fabric and create look of your own? Are you in? I thought you might be so here we go.
Pick out your bandanas.
My bandanas are from Hobby Lobby and I purchased them for a dollar each.
Supplies:
Bandanas 3-4
Curtain rod
Stitch Witch no sew hem tape
Scissors
Iron
Ok, let's get going...
Lay the bandana flat and place the rod on top of the bandana and fold to make a pocket for the rod. Press the fabric down to make a crease.
Measure your hem, tape and cut.
Iron down the fabric over the rod and onto the hem tape. Make sure this pocket is snug. If you make it snug, it will look more like it is a sewn pocket. Now that you have one bandana made you will have to use this as your template to measure out the other bandanas. The reason for this is because bandanas are not made all the same size so you will have to make adjustments. Making these adjustments will allow you to have a straight hem. Trust me on this. Once you have repeated the above steps, you will have the perfect no sew DIY classroom curtains around and just for around ten dollars!
Now that you have the DIY No Sew Classroom Curtains down you probably want the Shut The Front Door Wreath? Yep, I did too!
I purchased all my supplies from WalMart.
Supplies:
Styrofoam wreath
10 packs of assorted size and color balloons
Floral pins at least 200
Ribbon optional
The directions are simple. Lay the wreath flat and pin on balloons in the middle with the floral pins. If you want to add ribbon just cut your ribbon in strips about four inches long. Make a loop and pin on the wreath. You just twist the wreaht and pin away. You pin and pin and pin. And for less than twenty dollars you have a Shut The Front Door Wreath!
Alright friends, if you do not know me you have to know I love dice more than anything. And if you are going to Hobby Lobby for bandanas, you might as well go and get this craft organizer for your dice. Do not forget your coupon because it makes this little nifty box $1.80. So if you get your dice box and have nothing to go in it, you can start your collection at Dollar Tree where they have dice that are colored and black and white in packs for a dollar. Grab a bunch while you are there because you will want them. My favorite beginning of the school year dice activity is my I Love Dice Recording Page.
Click on the image above for your own copy. 
I use this at the beginning of the year when teaching the children how to use dice.
Since we are thinking about all things Back to School, you know I have to mention Science. I LOVE Science so much that I had to create a blog just for all things Science. I hope this year you will join me for some Science Fun! And when I start thinking of Back to School I always think of safety because that is what we start talking about first. If you are talking safety, you have to grab my free Safety Contract. 
Just click on the image below and grab yours!
For more Science Fun join me on my blog!


Currently, I am a part of the Daily 5 book study for Kindergarten. I have had a lot of fun participating and hosting this. If you are interested in joining me and my friends, as we walk through the chapters, I welcome you! To find the previous posts for chapters 1-3 use the search feature on my Little Miss Kindergarten blog and type in Daily 5 Chapter 1, Daily 5 Chapter 2 or Daily 5 Chapter 3. You will find freebies from my kinder friends too!


And when you need a break and are looking for some DIY and cooking fun, I hope you join me on my home blog. This where where I post everything else. Currently I am working in my home office and trying to figure out my new work spaces. One of my favorite posts has some super organizational freebies from Ginger Snaps! I love her graphics and blog. I hope you hope over and check out My So Called Life...
I hope to see you in the hallways of blogland this summer and new school year. I wish you the best year! I hope that we can learn from each other and encourage each other.  And a special thanks to Michelle from Inspired by Kindergarten for inviting me here today and inspiring me along the way! Best wishes from my life's classroom to yours...
Be sure to check out the post on my blog from Apples and ABC's! You are going to LOVE the freebie she is sharing on my blog! Click on the image below and have fun!

Apples and abc's

 


Here's the code for the linky.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Freebie Friday



Here's the latest installment of the cards I'm making for math centers this year.  Working my way through our manipulatives so this could take me awhile! Click picture for your free copy.

If you haven't grabbed the other cards click here:
            


There will be more of these so stay tuned and check out some more freebies at:




Freebie Fridays







Thursday, June 28, 2012

Pin Up Thursdays (Linky with Buzz Buzz Buzz)

Love this linky from Buzz, Buzz, Buzz called Pin Up Thursdays.  Check MrsMc out at her site:





Here's some of my fav pins from this week:

This would be so much fun the first few days of school when it is still HOT outside!



Very non-teaching related but SO CUTE:



The mom and teacher in me LOVE this:



That's it for today!  Check out Buzz, Buzz, Buzz for other great pins!



Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Wednesday reWind

Monday was:   Motivational Monday
Tuesday was:   youTube Tuesday
 Wednesay is (drum roll please). . . . reWind Wednesday!

I've been going back through old posts from when I first started this blog (about 8 months ago) when I only had 10 followers!  I thought I'd re-post a few of my favorites that new followers might have missed.  

Here's one of my word work centers that the kids really liked:
You can laminate these or print them off.  The kids pick a book (any book they want) and find words in the book that follow the listed rule in each box.
Click on the picture to download your copy!

AND
Don't forget Blog Swap Saturday!
Check out all these great bloggers who are participating:

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

youTube Tuesday (and blog swap countdown)



I'm in summer mode.  Yesterday I read a whole book and tomorrow I'm going to the water park with my kids.  It's hard to find things to blog about and I'm sure you all don't want to see pics of me in a swim suit. . .yikes!

So, above is one of my kinders FAV videos.  They sing it all the time.  You know how that is. . .

Another great source for YouTube Vids for your classroom is the pinterest board:


If you're not following it yet, what are you waiting for? :)


One more thing before you go:



I am so excited for the upcoming Top Teachers' Blog Swap and Hop!  Come back Saturday to check out who's posting for me. . .you will not be disappointed!  I will be also be guest posting on a different blog.  You know we'll all put a LOT of extra effort into it when it's for someone else. . . we're teachers, that's just the way we roll!  And of course extra effort for us mean freebies, sales and our BEST ideas for you!


Monday, June 25, 2012

Motivational Monday


I love reading motivational quotes so my goal for this year is to make one a week and hang them around my desk at work.  Hopefully I'll spot one during my "crabby" moments and it snap me out of it!  Hopefully!  
Grab your free copy by clicking the picture.

I've also uploaded a new Read the Room activity on TPT and TN ($3.00).

Have a GREAT Monday!



Sunday, June 24, 2012

Facebook Party


If you haven't heard yet. . .there's a party going on!   Well, a Facebook party anyways!  Best part of a Facebook party:  you can attend in your jammies!  

It starts at 9:00 Eastern/8:00 Central and last for 2 hours.  Don't miss all the great giveaways, freebies and a chance to see lots of teacher's facebook pages.  I've just started mine so come check it out, grab a freebie while you're there and join the party!  




Thursday, June 21, 2012

Noodles Noodles Everywhere!


I have BIG plans for next week.  It's noodle coloring time!  Woo Hoo!  Truthfully. . .not that excited about it buuut it must be done!  Colored noodles are a nice cheap math manipulative and don't we all LOVE cheap!!!  :)

Here's the method I use:
Put dry noodles, about a Tbsp. (or less) of rubbing alcohol and as many drops of food coloring as you want into a baggie(the more food coloring you use the darker the color).


 Let it sit in the baggie for about 10 minutes, flip the bag over and let it sit for another 10 minutes.


Spread the noodles out onto wax paper and allow time to dry (usually at least an hour). The coloring will bleed through the wax paper onto your counter so I usually put a few layers or newspaper under the wax paper.


This same method works well with clothespins as well.  If you have a better method I would LOVE to hear it! 


If you're crazy like I am and dye your noodles grab this freebie for your math centers:


Click picture for freebie

If you like the noodle cards don't forget to grab the jewel cards by clicking here.  I'm still making more cards so check back soon for more!




P.S.  I'm playing around with my blog title so please ignore for awhile until I get it the way I like it!  THX!  :)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Last Day For Giveaway!

Click the picture to check out my deals and all the other blogs hosting their own deals:

This is the LAST day for the Fishing For Ideas Extravaganza!  At midnight tonight (ok, probably tomorrow morning) I will be e-mailing everyone their free packet and sending my TPT and TN store followers a bonus freebie!

  If you still want in on the deal you have:

                           





Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Have You Seen This?

This was forwarded to me by a teacher friend of mine.  




I



I started typing about this video 10 different times and then deleted everything I was going to say.  I think this video says it all.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Freebies, Awards, and Blog News....Oh My!

FREEBIES:


Interested in a Read the Room Monster freebie?
You still have 2 more days to get it! 
Check out the great deals by clicking on this picture:



AWARDS:
And the awesome news for the week:
My friend Heather over at HoJo's Teaching Adventures was nominated for this award:


Click on the award picture to vote for her and all the other awesome blog that were nominated. . .trust me it's hard to pick just one they are all so great!

Check out her blog here:

BLOG NEWS:
Just 2 updates:
1.  I've added a Facebook page for my blog if you want to follow along with all your blogs in one spot "liking" a blog is a fast way to find out what's being posted and what everyone is talking about!  It's become a little addicting for me actually. . .so many good things happening and this is a way to find out FAST what all your favorite blog writers chatting about!
If you're interested in "liking" my blog click the "Like" button on my page.

2.  If you are a blogger and would like to add your blog to my blog roll click on the tab at top that says "Blogs I Love." I would love to have your Blog listed on my site!

Have a GREAT day and don't forget to vote!




Sunday, June 17, 2012

Jewel of a Find!

First off I apologize for the quality of these photos. . . my camera is on it's last leg.  : (

My daughter received a bucket of jewels for her 6th birthday and she LOVED them!  It kept her busy for 2 days and at just the right time because the weather outside was windy & rainy and we were stuck inside! She made them into necklaces, bracelets, anklets, glued them to pictures, sorted them into piles, on and on for 2 days!

\
The mom is me was saying "YAY!" and the teacher in me was thinking "HMM...."

My coworkers and I are trying math centers for the first time this year and are thinking hard about what to put out for manipulatives.  So of course I call my sister (the genius gift giver) and find out where and how much.  Get this. . . .Hobby Lobby on sale $8.00! WHAT?!?!  I'm in manipulative <3!

Then I call my coworkers and one of them says "We'll probably have to pat the kids down after that center."  HA!  So true!  (Anyone else mysteriously lose things every year. . .ya, me too.)

So, short story long.  I go to Hobby Lobby and get 2 buckets (because 50% means buy 2, right?)  and tonight I sat down and made this:

You can click on the picture to get your FREE copy but just keep in mind we haven't done math centers yet so we are just "feeling" our way into this.  
If you have any suggestion on how to improve the freebie I am all ears!

I don't do a pirate theme but the pirate possibilities entered my mind as well. . . I might be back with more jewel freebies soon!  :)