Who is EGGSCITED about SPRING??

I have been so busy teaching my AMAZING 2nd graders, and being a mom to my 3 youngest (twins in Kindergarten), throwing myself into this new Common Core State Standards Curriculum and all of the training classes (7 days so far)...that I never seem to find time to blog about my school year. To all of those SUPER teachers that teach, parent and blog on a regular basis...."Thank You," for all YOU do! I can't believe that it is almost April already. I am currently enjoying my family time over our Spring Vacation, and working on report cards. The sun has decided to shine and the weather is beginning to warm. :) Over the next couple my students will be busy with plants, birds, and Earth Day. In May, I have decided to change things up a little. Instead of learning about the magnificent and important rain forest, I am going to have my students learn about life under the sea! We have a new aquarium that opened up and I really want to take my class. They'll love the opportunity to touch and feed some rays and sharks, observe some creatures of the tides, see a sea turtle, and research a favorite animal of the sea. Idaho Aquarium I will share some of my lovely's amazing work as we venture into the sea of learning.

I also wanted to share a special milestone for an AMAZING 1st grade teacher, Erica Bohrer. She is having a "GRAND GIVEAWAY" for all that would like to stop by her FB page or blog site and wish her continued success with all of her teacher created materials! She, and the other "Wonders" of teaching, are donating lots of exciting and engaging lessons you just might win. Good luck! Click {HERE} and get going.

Who lives under the sea...

HearALL Assessment Recorder Giveaway!

An AWESOME giveaway is taking place!  Teaching with Love & Laughter is going to be giving away a "MUST HAVE" HearALL Assessment Recorder, thanks to Learning Recources.  Head over to her blog site and sign up for your chance to win this AMAZING and engaging resource.

Good Luck!!

Teaching With Love & Laughter

Hip, Hip, Hooray! Another Giveaway!

CONGRATULATIONS to "Once Upon A First Grade Adventure"....she is celebrating with a giveaway!  Head over to her blog and enter to win 1 of her creations!  She has so many great ones to choose from, but I know you will find the one just right for YOU!  

End of the Year & Summer Bucket List

I have seen some or your Summer Bucket Lists and have decided to create one for myself. :)  Although I haven't created it yet, I do know that classroom organization will be high on my list!  I was over at Create-Teach-Share's blog site and saw some cute things I want to make for my classroom.   I love the 22-drawer organizer idea    to store lots of  "little" extras like pens, highlighters, brads, staples, mini post-it-notes, etc.


I am also going to be sure and add something about trying a new recipe for the family at least once a week.

For now, I have 9 days of school left to finish up our "Rainforest Unit."  Our classroom is being transformed as we learn about each layer. We are currently learning about the canopy layer and what animals make this layer their home.  I really love teaching about the Rainforest and have decided that this will be my first unit I put together to sell on TPT/Teacher's Notebook.  I try to cover everything from geography/map skills to habitats, animals/animal reports/butterfly & frog life cycles, conservation/recycling, products from the rainforest, and more.   I will post some pictures when we are finished.  For now, I need to get back to report cards and planning out the last week of school.  I hope everyone makes the most of their end of the year activities.  I was reading an article on Edutopia that explained student's behavior as a direct correlation to teachers planning and activities at the end of the year.  In other words....Students NEED routine....yet, so many teachers disrupt student's routine toward the end of the year by taking down BB, packing materials away, and cleaning everything.  This essentially signals to students that they are finished learning for the year and procedures are no longer in effect.  To avoid unacceptable, unfocused, or out-of-control behavior this time of year...teachers NEED to be teaching up until a couple of days before school is officially out.   Be AWARE teachers, this is even true at my school!  I can honestly share that my students have been SUPER because they know, and are ENGAGED, with all of the learning that remains about the rainforest before the end of the year!  So many of my students have even said they don't want school to end!  Gosh, I love my class!!

See you in a few weeks, when I can really get into blogging!

School Girl Style Giveaway

SchoolGirlStyle is having an AMAZING giveaway!  I am sure many of you have heard of her, but if you haven't you are in for a real TREAT.  She has an imagination and creative style that goes above and beyond.  Melanie is offering one lucky winner the chance to own her newest "OWL COLLECTION" to decorate your classroom with for next fall.  This is a $55.00 value and has everything you need to welcome your newest learners next fall.  Melanie has teamed up with Natasha at Thirty-One, to be able to give the lucky winner an organizational tote also!  All you need to do is stop by SchoolGirlStyle and get signed up. Hurry over, as her giveaway ends on Wednesday the 11th.   Good Luck......WHOOOOO will be the next lucky owner of these two AWESOME gifts??

{Click on the picture to go to School Girl Style.}

Adventures with Frog and Toad...

Are you feeling lucky yet?  Once Upon a First Grade Adventure has reached 100 followers.  So, she celebrating by offering a give-away.  One lucky teacher will receive her newest literature creation.... "Fun with Frog and Toad."  What an adventure your students will have with Frog and Toad!  Be sure and stop by before Friday, March 30, and enter for your chance to win!

   

I just love her Frog and Toad patterns that I have pictured here.... aren't they just the cutest!?    Click on the picture above and you'll be there before you can say ribbbbit!  .. 

20 Super Spelling Centers Give-Away

WOW!  Three posts in one day...I guess I am starting to get the hang of this. Heehee

Have you heard the SUPER news?  Erica over at Erica Bohrer's First Grade Blog site has done it again!  She has just had her CREATIVE ideas published through Scholastic.  She is giving away a few autographed copies of her 20 Super Spelling Centers to lucky teachers like YOU!  All you have to do is follow her on Teachers Pay Teachers, Face Book, and on her Blog site.  Yep, it is that simple!  Click on the picture below and it will take you to her blog site to enter.  Good luck!  Everyone could always use some fun spelling center activities!!

Do You Have Cooties??

My second grade students LOVE Cooties!  I found these really cute Cootie Catchers today and wanted to share them.  This is a FUN way for students to practice their synonyms and antonyms.  I purchased 12 different Cootie Catchers from Kaylee's Education Studio for $2.00.  I hope you like them as much as I do. I am also hopeful that she'll make some homonym Cooties.

Spring Break & Dr. Seuss

Oh, I wish had some creative works to share with you today....sorry, I don't! Today, I am wishing I was somewhere sunny and warm. Instead, I am sitting in bed with a boot cast on my right foot, working on report cards and looking out the window at the hail and rain that Mother Nature is blowing our way. I think I am feeling overwhelmed at all the things I had hoped to do over spring break...and I haven't done any of them. I do want to let everyone know that I appreciate all of my new followers and all of your kind words. I promise to stop by your blogs as well. I know a blog is a work in progress...my progress has just been slower that I had hoped. I have also been working on getting my new website up and running. I did have to recruit a helper, but that isn't going so quickly either. On a positive note....I am eating graham crackers in bed with my twin girls and watching Strawberry Shortcake. Oh, they have been begging me to take them to Target to get their own Zhu Zhu pet hamsters. REALLY!? What is a mom to do? I am going to finally upload some of my students' cute Dr. Seuss works, thanks to Mel over at Seusstatic.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week!

Common Core Standards... At Your Fingertips!

Thanks to Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings and Fabulously First, I have added this wonderful CCS Widget to my blog site.  I love how easy it is and right at my fingertips.  Give it a try and add it to your blog.  You'll love it!