Busy Busy Busy

Last week I had three meetings, parent conferences, Pumpkin Book Reports were due, and we had a PTA sponsored Karaoke and Cookout.  This week I have a meeting, an event called Reach Them to Teach Them (Ron Clark is the motivational speaker), Halloween, and one parent teacher conference for a parent that could not come last week.  I also have to plan our school wide Math Night that is scheduled for the end of November.  I know what we are going to do, but need to get everything organized and ordered this week.

WARNING:  PICTURE OVERLOAD AHEAD

Here is a picture from our Bat unit two weeks ago.  We really loved this unit!

Now here are some pictures of our Pumpkin Book Reports

 

Now, let me add some pictures of our staff doing Karaoke.  It was a great night and enjoyed by all!

 Our 1st Grade Teachers singing These Boots Are Made For Walking

 Our Pre-K Teachers singing YMCA - this was hilarious!

 Now, this was great for everyone.  This is our current principal on the right and our former principal on the left.  It was great that he came out and joined us for our event.  All of the kids loved seeing him.

I have been trying to lesson plan off and on all weekend.  I'm not too motivated, lol.  The skills that I have to cover this week are:  making inferences, synonyms, contractions, possessive nouns, and long i spelled with y, igh, ie.  I want to use the wonderful Mystery Box, make Synonym Rolls, the Candy Corn Bandit, and have a Contraction Surgery.  I hope I have enough energy to do all these activities this week on top of the kids' excitement about Halloween.  

I hope everyone has a great week!

MIA and Overwhelmed

It has been almost 2 months since I've blogged.  My question to all you (if I have any followers left) is - how do you all find the time to do school stuff, be a mom, and a blogger?  I stay at school until 5ish, come home to cook dinner and help my youngest with homework, then I sit down to grade papers and do other things to get ready for the next day.  It seems that I am never going to get ahead...ugh!

This week is a three day week for me!  FALL BREAK is only 2 days, but it is better than none.  I really need a few days off!  Since it a short week, we are not doing our normal weekly reading story and activities.  I am really excited because I have several fun things planned to do this week on bats.  This includes reading Stellaluna and Bats by Gail Gibbons.  I will try to remember to take pictures this week and post them on here. 

 

This past week at school, a local farm came to school and put on a short program about the making of their ice cream and what it was like to work on the farm.  They even brought a calf.  The kids adored it.  The best part at the end of the program, they gave each student a mini ice cream cone and a glass of the best chocolate milk ever!  I was one happy teacher because they gave me a half-gallon.  If you are ever in Knoxville, TN in October, you must check out Cruze Farms!  Here are some pictures from the program.

Have a great week!

Welcome To My Classroom

It is hard to believe that we have been in school for two weeks already!   I haven't had time to post because there have been so many meetings and other things that I have had to focus on.  I thought I would take a few minutes and show you pictures of my classroom.

My classroom from the front door.

Room looking from my reading table.

My Monsterous Math Board and my What We Are Learning Board

What we did on the first day of school.  I really learned a lot about the kids with this.

Classroom Expectations Board

Flowers that a teammate gave me 2 weeks ago.  I can't believe they lasted this long.  BEAUTIFUL!!

Word Wall Board

This is a board that I use to place our anchor charts for the week on.  

 

 

I am linking up with Courtney over at Swimming Into Second (a little late)

So, I am about to begin my Sunday ritual of lesson planning for the upcoming week.  I am a little tired because I went to my 20-year high school reunion last night and was out past my bedtime.  We had a blast!

Have a great week.  I hope to be back in a few days with a freebie or two.

 

Back to School Sale

In case you haven't heard, the big Back to School sale is this Sunday-Monday!

I will be offering 20% off in my store.

TPT will give you another 10% off.

That means, you get 28% off!

Time to shop, shop, shop!

My cart is full already!

Giveaway Time!I !

I am back from vacation and I wished it would have been longer!  I really enjoyed the time I had with my family.  On our way home my hubby stopped at IKEA for me in Atlanta.  I wished I would have had longer to wonder around, but we were trying to get home.  The two things that I wanted to stop to get were both sold out. Boo!  

I go back to school on Tuesday!  The kids come back the following Tuesday.  I haven't gotten much done on my To Do List and I may begin to stress out soon.  I know many of us are in the same situation.

While I was gone, I reached over 300 followers, so I am having a giveaway.  I am going to give away a $20 gift certificate to TpT because I know we are all purchasing many things to prepare for the new school year.  The giveaway will end on Saturday.  Be sure to enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Linky Party and Giveaway

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!  I know it is going by really fast and school will be starting soon.  I go back on August 7th...I have listed and watched everyone going on vacation to relax, etc. all summer.  It's finally my turn.  We are leaving on Saturday to go to the beach....I'm so excited!

The Teacher Wife is hosting a fabulous Linky Party where I have to list my top 5 must have books. This, however, is turning out to be a very difficult task because I love using books in my classroom and it is hard to choose.  Here it goes

 

 

Be sure and stop by to see everyone elses' favorite and link up.

Amanda, over at Teaching Maddeness is having a super giveaway.  Be sure to stop by and enter.

 

Speaking of giveaways...I have 246 followers...when I reach 250 I will be having a giveaway.  

Enjoy the remainder of your week!

Giveaway and Freebie

I came across a super cute new blog that is having a giveaway.  Please stop by and check it out by clicking on the picture below.  Who couldn't use a $25 Target gift card?

Teaching Joys is also having a giveaway at

So is Delighted in Second



Is your classroom theme in monsters?  Here is a Welcome sign that I have put together to welcome my students back to school in the fall.  I printed these, cut them out, laminated and put together on ribbon to hang up.  If you would like a copy, just click on the picture.

I hope you have a great Friday!  My youngest son asked the other day how his ice cream got molded into its shape....instead of telling him how...we are off to take a tour of the Mayfield Dairy today.  I've been several times and it is just over an hour away from our house.