New Year, New Grade!!!

Hi, well I know it has been quite awhile since I have done a blog post.  Let's be honest, life has just been busy like we all know.  I'm glad to be making a blog post again after a long time.

When I first started my teaching career, I started in Special Education and taught it for four years.  Then I went to first grade for a year and looped up to second grade.  I taught second grade for a couple years and then went back down to first grade and have been in first for the past 15 years.  The opportunity came up this year for me to move back to second grade and I'm excited to say that I am now teaching second grade.  I have always loved first grade, but really enjoyed second grade as well when I taught it.

The downside was that I had to move.  Although, there is a good thing about moving...it makes you or should I say me clean out and throw out what I don't use anymore!!  So, I made the move and changed rooms.  Since I would be in a new room, I decided to use some of the mint owl theme that we have on TPT.  I actually started school 1 1/2 weeks ago with kids.  I am loving 2nd grade!  Below are some pictures of what my room looks like now. 

Our reading area

An extra work area.  On the back board will be where I will show off their good work.

Word Wall

Calendar-I had to put a post it note on Friday because I tell the kids that day is my Sad Day because I don't get to see them on the weekends.  So we call it my Sad Day instead of Friday.

Material area and where we do our lunch count and milk count.

Another sitting area

My small group area

My dollar tree find-this room that I moved into doesn't have as much storage area as my other room.  I found these baskets at dollar tree and got chalkboard labels to label each one of them.  It definitely helped with more storage area.  

Hope all of you are having a great year so far if you have started back!

Dollar Tree Finds!!

I absolutely love the Dollar Tree.  I was excited to make a trip there this week even though I don't like to shop.  I have always dreaded shopping....no malls etc. for me.  But the Dollar Tree is one place that I enjoy going to because you can get so many neat things.  Well, my trip to the Dollar Tree this time did not leave me empty handed by any means.  

  

These are the items I purchased to use in the classroom:

 

1.  baskets-I believe that I will be putting the students in groups/teams at the beginning.  I saw where you can place plastic cups in the baskets and put some supplies in it.  I thought I would do this and keep the group's pencils and erasers in it.  I'm sure I could use it for something else as well, but haven't thought of it yet.  :-)

 

 

 

 

2.  Krazy Straws- last year we did krazy straws for birthdays.  So, I picked up some of these for the kiddos' birthdays.

 

 

 

3.  Mechanical pencils-I bought some mechanical pencils for the kids last year that they could use in their writer's notebooks.  They were so excited about them.  So, I picked some up for this year as well.  This year, I am going to try this idea found by Melanie Pinola on pinterest:

 

http://pinterest.com/pin/244320348507870192/

 

You just tape a straw to the side of their journals and put the pencil in it.  That way they always have their pencil when it is time for them to write. 

 

 

4.  Small magnetic wire baskets-these things are so neat!  I thought I'd put my extra daily 5 choice cards in them.  I should have got more of them because I realized that I could have used them to put my expo markers in as well.....oh well, guess I'll have to go back and get some more and maybe find some more neat things!  :-)

 

 

 

I am in the process of working on a Monday Made-It project.  I am not crafty by any means.  But sometimes I think I am because I will try out a lot of stuff.  I always find things and think....oh I want to do that.  It wouldn't be that hard......then I find out that not only can I not do it, it is hard and it doesn't turn out for me.  So, I am working on something that I have always wanted in the classroom and have seen others do.  I have adapted it a bit and I am crossing my fingers in hopes that it turns out.  Tune in on Monday to see if it worked or flopped.  :-)

 

Oh, and...you might want to check out two new items in our stores. They are on sale for this weekend only!

 

Our short vowel "I Have, Who Has?" games are some of the most wishlisted items in our store. We've combined them into one convenient pack at a great price - $5 this weekend only - that is 50% off if purchasing them separately!!!! Available in our TPT or TN stores.

The possibilities truly are endless with this pack! Check it out in our TPT and TN stores.

 

 

 

P.S. Don't forget about the Fan Freebie Blog Hop!!! Check back tomorrow for the details!