Monday Made It - Welcome Banner

This week I am once again linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Folics for her Monday Made It linky party.

This week I made a welcome banner that I plan to hang above my classroom door. I think it turned out very cute! I found the pieces at Live Love Laugh Everyday in Kindergarten and printed them on cardstock. The ribbon that I used to tie them together came from Walmart on a roll for $1.00. So the entire project only cost about $1.50 with the cost of the ink and cardstock.

Of course right now it is laying on my living room floor
because I cannot get into my classroom to hang it.

Newbie Bloggers Blog Hop

Hi everyone! I am linking up with

for a

I still consider myself a newer blogger and I am hoping to gain some new friends for my little blog! Here is my info...

1. what state you are in: South Carolina (If you are a blogger from SC, I would love to hear from you! I have already "met" some other fabulous bloggers from SC.)
2. your current teaching position: Kindergarten
3. your teaching experience: I started teaching after graduating college in Dec. so I taught a 1st grade class for 1/2 a year. Then I taught kindergarten for 2 years, changed schools and moved to 1st grade for 3 years. Now I am back to kindergarten and this will be my 2nd year in kindergarten at my current school.

4. when you started blogging: I started blogging in Sept. of 2011.

5. share a blogging tip / blogging resource: Turn off word verification for comments on your blog. They are too annoying and time consuming. I find that I don't comment on blogs as often if I have to use the word verification.

This is a Blog Hop! Now it is your turn to link up!

Must Have Picture Books linky party

Lindsey at The Teacher Wife is having a great linky party about must have picture books. 

 

Since I love to read aloud to my kinders, I had to participate in the fun! Here are my favorites in no particular order:


1) The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn - This is a must read for me every year on the first day. It is so sweet and touching and has beautiful illustrations.

2) Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle - This books has such cool illustrations and the repetitive text is perfect for kinders. They always want to read it multiple times and then learn to "read" it to themselves.

3) Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes - I love using this book during my All About Me unit at the beginning of the school year because it shows my kinders how they are each unique and special. They always become champions for Chrysanthemum!

4) The Sand Castle Contest by Robert Munsch - This is an adorable book that always keeps the kids laughing. Robert Munsch books are always a hit in my classroom!

5) A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon - The perfect book for my kinders who are ALWAYS sick! They love how her appearance changes throughout the book!

So now hop on over to The Teacher Wife blog and link up with your must have picture books!

Monday Made It - Dry Erase To Do Board

I am linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Folics for her Monday Made It linky party. Hop on over to see some other great things made by teachers! :)

Ok...I have been reading everyone's cute Made It Monday posts and feeling like such a bad teacher for not having one too. I have been so busy this summer and just haven't gotten around to completing all my projects. This week I did manage to complete my dry erase to do board.

I think it will be adorable sitting on my desk!


The idea came from Pinterest (of course!).

http://pinterest.com/pin/39688040436887598/

Letter Sounds Concentration Games

I have made a few more concentration games for other alphabet letter sounds. I hope you can use these too!

Cc Concentration Game - color

Vv Concentration Game - color

Ww Concentration Game - color

I am sure there are many ways to store these kinds of games, but here is the way I store mine. I purchased a set of index card dividers (4x6"), put each game in a labeled envelope and store them alphabetically in a plastic shoe box. This keeps them organized so I can go back and pull them out each year.

Ocean Calendar Pieces Winner(s)

Well I only had 10 entries in my giveaway, but it is summertime and I am not spending as much time on my blog as I do during school. So without further ado, the winner of the ocean calendar pieces is...


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Louanne! I will be emailing you the file in a little while! 

More Giveaways!

Wild About Teaching is having a fabulous 500 follower giveaway. I hope one day to have 500 followers too! Her blog is adorable and I have found so many great ideas on there, so head on over to enter her giveaway. The giveaway ends on July 16th. Click on the blog button below.

  

Mrs. Shelton's Kindergarten is having a 100 follower giveaway with lots of prizes from some great blogs. The giveaway ends on July 17th. Click on the picture below to enter!



Also, please don't forget to enter my quick giveaway. It ends Friday night. 

Ocean Calendar Pieces Giveaway!

I have updated my Ocean Themed Calendar Pieces set I have for sale on Teachers Pay Teachers. I am hoping to generate some interest in it so I am giving away one set to a lucky follower.

You can earn up to 4 entries for this giveaway:
1 entry for following my blog
1 entry for following my TpT store
2 entries for blogging about my giveaway and posting the link in the comments

The giveaway will end on Friday, July 13th so you only have a few days to enter. I will draw the winner's name on Saturday. Please help me spread the word! Thanks a bunch!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Also, if you have already purchased these calendar pieces from me, please go back to TpT and redownload them. I have updated them.

Common Core Standards for Math

I have found a great resource that I plan to use during the coming school year. Little Minds At Work has posted a free 40 page Common Core Math Skills Check. It looks fabulous! I can't wait to use it! The only thing she asks is that we share it. If you would like a copy, click on the picture below.

Teaching Letters & Sounds

In our school district, we teach 2 letters each week so that we have taught all 26 letters by the beginning of December. I am always trying different ways to help my students learn the letters and their sounds.

One way that I review letter sounds is using letter sound concentration games I created. I have my teacher assistant use these with her small group (about 6 students) while I am working with my guided reading group and two groups are doing individual activities. I print 2 copies of each on cardstock and laminate for durability. Then they play concentration with them by identifying the two pictures they have found. Some of these concentration games have been updated with color clipart.

Hh Concentration - color

Ii Concentration - color

Jj Concentration - color

Mm Concentration - color

July Currently

Well I somehow missed the June Currently linky party so I am joining in the July Currently linky party hosted by Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade. I can't believe that we are already 5 days in to July! The summer is going by too quickly!

Happy Independence Day!

Hey everyone! I am so sorry that I am still not on a regular posting schedule. I have been oh so busy with our garden. Over the past few days I have picked and shelled 4 1/2 bushels of butterbeans and put up over 100 ears of sweet corn. If you have never grown and put up your own garden, let me tell you it is hard work but it will be oh so worth it when I have vegetables to cook this winter. I wish I had taken some pictures, but that was the last thing on my mind at that time! 


During my time away, I also celebrated my birthday. Wow! I can't believe another year has gone by. It was great spending time with my family and friends. We went out to dinner and spent some time on the water. A perfect birthday by my standards! 

Photo by my sweet niece

I just wanted to stop by and tell you Happy Independence Day! Here is a photo of the flag that I took on our weekend visit to the beach a few weeks ago! I hope everyone has a fabulous 4th of July with family and friends! Don't forget all the soldiers who are fighting for our freedom instead of spending the day with their families.