There are only a few hours left in my giveaway.  If you haven't left your comments, do so by Midnight EST.  You can get to the original post by clicking here.  I will announce the winner tomorrow, January 1st.

Freebie

It's hard to believe that it is Thursday and that I have only been out of the house one time since Saturday.  I hosted both Christmas breakfast and lunch at my house, so I haven't had to get out.  I have really enjoyed just being lazy and reading blogs, watching tv, playing with my little one and having good conversations with my big boy...he would die if he knew that is what I called him.  We have been book shopping online for this upcoming semesters books...yikes...one book is going to cost $200.  Has anyone ever rented college text books?  That seems to be the big thing the schools are promoting.

I have posted two different units, February Literacy Work Stations and More February Literacy Stations, on my TpT store.  Here is a freebie that is one of the units.

I am trying to decide what to work on next.  I really need to start planning for the first week back at school - I just can't seem to bring myself to that yet.

Giveaways

My friend Courtney over at Swimming into Second is having a giveaway for reaching 400 followers.  Go over and leave a comment to have a chance - she is giving away a $25 gift certificate to TpT!  

 

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway for reaching 50 followers.  Go here to get a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Target.

Hope you are enjoying your time off from school!

Merry Christmas and a GIVEAWAY

I would like to say that I hope each of you have a very Merry Christmas and a relaxing winter break!

 

I am so excited that I have reached 50 followers.  Time for a GIVEAWAY!!!  I am going to give away a $10 gift card to Target.  You will have three chances to win.  

1.  Follow my blog and leave a comment.

2.  Follow my TpT store and leave a comment about something 

you would like to see offered in my store.

3.  Blog about my giveaway and leave me a comment.

The deadline for entering is December 31st at midnight.  I will announce the winner on January 1, 2012!

THANKFUL but NEEDING my BREAK!!

First, I would like to start off by saying that I am blessed to be a part of such a loving, dedicated group of teachers!  THANKS Leslie for making a wonderful blog button!  I love it!  If you haven't visited her blog, its a must!

 

Now, I am one of those teachers who is still stuck in school this week.  I want to scream at the top of my lungs because this first half of the year has been very difficult on me!  Toughest group I have ever had.

 

My students decorated tiles for their parents this year.  We also made a few Christmas Tree decorations.  So, today we took the time and made these cute reindeer bags to take the presents home in.  The kids loved this.  We also made a calendar for 2012 for their parents.  The kids decorated every page inside of the calendar.

Today we also had Grinch Day in our class.  We all wore green, worked on the Grinch Unit by Mrs.  Jump.  We compared the book to the movie, we drank Grinch Punch, and at the end of the day, the Grinch had came by while the kids were out of the class and left them a note with a green candy cane.  We had a great day doing things we normally don't do.

There are a few "Grinch" items we need to finish in the morning and then we are moving on to begin our short Polar Express Unit.  We also have our class party tomorrow afternoon.  We have a nutrition guideline that we are suppose to go by, but I couldn't help making some things that I found on Pinterst.  I will post pictures tomorrow.  Then on Thursday we will have PJ Day and watch the Polar Express.  

Please wake me when its all over!  I'm ready for a break!

Meet Ben Franklin

I have uploaded the 1st Grade Treasures Unit 4, Week 4 (Meet Ben Franklin) to TpT.  Below are a few pictures from the unit.  If you would like to purchase it, click on the first picture.

I do not get out for Christmas Break until Thursday, which is a half-day for us.  The kids have been really wild and I am REALLY dreading this week!  I have a lot of things planned because we do not have a story in reading this week.  I am planning on doing Gingerbread activities and stories on Monday, having Grinch Day in my room on Tuesday, and reading Polar Express and doing activities with it on Wednesday.  Our class party is Wednesday afternoon.  On Thursday, the students get to wear their pajamas to school and we will be watching Polar Express.

I am ready for a BREAK!  This year has been really difficult...

I hope everyone is enjoying their time off!  I plan on working on some freebies on my break - so be on the look out!

TpT and Christmas Activities

I have now uploaded my 1st Grade Treasures Reading Unit 4 - Week 3 (Stormy Weather) to TpT.  Below are a few pages of it.  If you would like it, just click on the picture.

I have also put some Jeopardy Games on TpT for some of the 2nd Grade Treasures Stories.  There is one for The Moon, Stirring Up Memories, Officer Buckle and Gloria and Music of the Stone Age. 

We have been busy in my classroom.  Below are a few of the activities we have been working on.

Christmas Trees made out of upside down hearts and buttons

After completing an activity on summarizing the story Mooseltoe, my students drew their own version of him.

We have been working on fossils and this dinosaur activity from Deanna Jump is great!

Another idea from Deanna Jump.  I read half of the poem My Neighbor's Dog is Purple and had my students illustrate what they thought at first.  After finishing the poem, they had to draw their mental image again.  Read about the idea on Mrs. Jump's blog here.

I love doing these reindeer every year to hand on the Christmas Tree.

There are so many more things that I want to accomplish before we leave for Christmas Break.  Our last day isn't until December 22nd, so I am hoping to get most of them done.

I hope everyone had a terrific Tuesday - let's have a wonderful Wednesday!

Freebie

There are so many different things going on at school that I keep meaning to take pictures of to post - I took the pictures today, but then left my camera at school.  Maybe I can show things off tomorrow.

I made a few pages of writing paper to share with you.  I am sure you have so many different ones, but what are a few more?  Just click on the picture to get to them.

I am planning on posting the 1st Grade Treasures Unit 4 - Week 3:  Stormy Weather tomorrow on Teachers Pay Teachers.  I know that this is ahead of what most (if not all) Treasure users are on, but I wanted to go ahead and post it.

I hope I make it to 50 followers by the end of the week....I really want to host a giveaway!

Hope you have a great Tuesday!

Weekend Was Too Short

Here it is, Sunday night, and I am trying to get my lesson plans finished up for this week.  There was not a lot of school stuff happening at my house this weekend. 

Yesterday I was woke up by roofers tearing off my neighbors roof at 7:30 a.m.  This morning - on Sunday - the roofers knocked on my door at 8:30 asking if they could start tearing off our roof.  Yikes - I wished I would have had a little warning!  Needless to say, I wasn't home much this weekend because of all the noise and mess.

I did manage to do one thing that I wanted to get done this weekend.  I LOVE Pinterst....here is what I accomplished this evening (instead of lesson planning).....

I have 41 followers.  Remember, when I reach 50 I will have a giveaway!  I hope it happens before the end of the week :)

Have a great Monday!

TpT and Treasures Reading Units

I hope everyone enjoyed Cyber Monday shopping today!  Remember that there are still a few hours to purchase my units at 20% off and then the TpT 10% off.

For those of you that look for units on TpT.....I have a question for you.  What would you like to see in the units?  I am trying to get an idea for what sells the best and is most wanted.  If you are a first grade teacher that is looking for the Treasures Reading Units - is there something in particular that you want me to try to include?  I am really wanting to create items that will sell good because I plan on using this money to go to helping my son while he is away at college.  Thanks in advance for your comments.

I pray that each of you have a good week back at school.  I know it is now the countdown to Christmas...and I am the first to admit that I really need it.  Today was my roughest day at school yet!  Let's just say there are issues in my class and the only thing I know to do is pray that God hold my hand and protect me each day as I enter my classroom door. 

Heather

Winter Fun Unit and Treasures Reading Unit

I spent most of today finishing up the two units that I had planned on posting this weekend on Teachers Pay Teachers.  The first unit is my Winter Fun Unit.  This unit has four games and a few writing activities.  Below you will see a few pages from this unit.  If you are interested in it, please click on the first picture and it will take you to it.

The next unit that I completed was a Treasures Reading Series Unit 4, Week 2 - June Robot Cleans Up.  This is a 1st Grade Unit.  Below are a few pages from it.  Click on the first picture if you would like to get it.

I have really enjoyed my Thanksgiving Holidays.  Tomorrow I have to send my oldest son back off to college.  He will not be back until the end of the semester.  I have really enjoyed having him home and spending quality time with him!  After he leaves tomorrow, I guess I will look and try to finish up my lesson plans for this week and mentally prepare myself for the week.

New Adventure on Teachers Pay Teachers

I have pondered and went back and forth on whether or not to start making units/activities to sell on Teachers Pay Teachers.  My teammate at school, Courtney, over at http://swimmingintosecond.blogspot.com has been doing a wonderful job making units to go with our Treasures Reading Series for 2nd Grade.  I sat down today and put my first unit together.  Since Courtney is doing 2nd Grade, I thought I would try my hand at a 1st Grade Treasures Unit.  Below are just a few pictures of the unit.  If you are interested in purchasing it, please click on the pelican below to go to it.

I am working on the 1st Grade Unit 4, Week 2 next.  I am also working on a Christmas Unit.  If there is anything you would like to see on TeachersPayTeachers, let me know and maybe I can attempt it.  There are so many wonderful teachers and sellers - I hope to be as successful at this as them.

I am at 26 Followers - I am planning a giveaway when I get to 50...so be on the watch :)

I hope you each had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

Giveaway at Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade is celebrating 100 followers! I'm so excited for her! I hope I make it there someday! She is giving away a $20 gift card to ANYWHERE! Yep... anywhere!! Time is ticking, so head on over there because it's all over at 9:00 pm - November 25th.

I've Been MIA and My First Freebie

Wow - I am not finding the time to blog like I had thought I would. I have two days this week at school and then I'm off for five days. I can't wait because my son is coming home from college. He is a freshman this year and I have really never been away from him until now. He is going to a college a few hours away and I'm missing him something terrible.

I have put together some activities to do one day this week based on the book Turkey Trouble by: Wendi Silvano. I am giving it away as a freebie. I hope you enjoy my first creation.



I hope you each have a very wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving!

No Monkeying Around

Wow! It has been right at a month since I last posted something on my blog - school is a little overwhelming right now!

I want to thank Rockin' Teacher Materials for awarding me the






Here goes the 7 things about myself - in no particular order:

1. I have a difficult time saying no to people who need me...I know this and am trying really hard to say no. I tend to take on too much and spread myself a little thin.
2. I love to have family time - my husband and I have an 18 year old son (who is away at college) and we love when he comes home...or we go on a road trip to see him. We are also raising one of my sisters children...we have had him for six years, so he is ours in our minds.
3. I really love to be on the water - lake, river, ocean...it doesn't matter which. I think they are all very peaceful.
4. When it comes to my classroom, everything must be in its place or I go crazy! I am very OCD at school, but at home it is a different story.
5. I LOVE football!! My son plays at his college (not this season due to a knee injury and surgery). We love to go tailgate and enjoy the atmosphere.
6. I love blog stalking - I wish I could be as creative as alot of these people!
7. I pray that God will guide me through my teaching career and let me be a light to at least one student - I would take each of them home with me if I could.

Giveaway

Please go over to Swimming Into Second and enter for the giveaway of a $20 gift certificate to Teachers Pay Teachers....but hurry....it ends Wednesday at midnight. Good luck everyone!

EXCITED

I was amazed to open up my e-mail and find a surprise! I won!

Thanks Jessica Winston!

Giveaway Winners!

Give Away

Oceans of First Grade Fun is having a giveaway to celebrate 1000 followers!  

WOW!

Help her celebrate by entering!

Blog Mixer Linky Party

As I am trying to start blogging - I love to stalk blogs...just not sure about actually finding the time to blog myself - I am ending this day with a Blog Mixer Linky Party that Yearn to Learn is hosting. This is a great way to find some new blogs that you might not know about!

Here's what you need to find and list.

1. A blogger who is a "New Kid on the Blog"
(Let's say someone who has blogged 2 months or less and has less than 200 followers)

2. Post a blogger in your same grade level

3. Post a blogger in a different grade level

4. It's all about the button. Find a cute blog button and post it.

Ready, Set, Go!

1. My kid blogger is The Bubbly Blonde Teacher. Be sure to check her out!

2. I love all of the second grade blogs! I will have to say that Swimming Into Second is great - you should check her out. She is very creative and teaches next door to me :)

3. I fell in love with Shai Winston the first time I ran across her website over a year ago. Now she is moving to 3rd grade and has started blogging. Check out her blog at Ms. Winston's Teaching Blog.

4. I LOVE the blog button from A Teeny Tiny Teacher. I think it's adorable.



Go link up with Yearn to Learn and start hunting around for those blogs to spotlight!

Attempted to Work in My Class Today

I went into school today for a little over an hour to try to wrap my head around how I wanted to arrange my room this year. My school is blessed with wonderful custodians who puts a lot of our "stuff" back where it was before they moved it out to wax our floors. I am posting some pictures of my class that I took today. I am going to TRY to go back next week...but I am also trying to get my oldest son ready for college and trying to spend as much time with him as possible.

Taken from one side of the room.


Taken from the front of the room.

Taken from the door.

Target

I wish you could bulk order the items in Target's Dollar Spot! It would be so much easier on everyone...Target would probably make a lot more money off of us. I have been searching several Targets to get the baskets to redo my classroom library. I have 12 of them now - I really need about 30. YIKES!

Stepping Into A Land Unknown

I have been blog stalking for several months now. I have went back and forth wondering if I would be able to keep up with a blog if I started it. I don't know if I can, but I am going to take that step and try.