~~Summer Vacation & Freebie~~

I have been on summer vacation for a week now, and I am already doing school projects!  I am not changing much in my classroom except for a few things here and there.  I decided to try my hand at making some decorations instead of buying premade items.  Since my theme is Peace & Love, I decided to purchase some clip art from Scrappin Doodles.  I fell in love with the Groovy Kids Clip Art collection!!   Please check out my Groovy Jobs.   My next few projects include: Back-to-School Activity packet, behavior clip chart, AR tracker, desk name plates and center signs. Please check back often to grab some freebies and see how I am keeping myself busy!! Enjoy your summer!!

 

 

 

I am working on a Back-to-School Activity packet.  Check out the preview below!!!

Grab your freebie (HERE).

 

 

I am linking up with An Educator's Life: Share the Wealth Freebie Linky.  I am so excited to have found this super, fantastic linky party!! You can also find the freebies listed on Pinterest.  Who doesn't love Pinterest or a great Linky??!!! I know I LOVE them both!!!!

 

 

                             

 

 



~~Prayers for Moore, Oklahoma~~

On the last day of school (May 24th), the entire student body participated in a recitation of the rosary. This prayerful act was done as a special intention for the victims and survivors of the recent tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.  Our assistant principal spoke to the students prior to prayer, explaining how just as we suffer from the tragedies of hurricanes, these fellow Americans are bearing the pain to rebuild their lives from a tornado. It was such a moving experience to witness the students and faculty praying the rosary for the victims and survivors of Moore, Oklahoma. Our thoughts and prayers are with Oklahoma.

~~End of the Year Goodies~~

I can't believe this school year is almost over!  I have only 5 days of school left, Friday is our last day.  I will miss my kiddos dearly but am super excited to start my summer vacation.  Next school year will bring so many changes for me~~new partner teacher (SUPER excited!!), best friend coming back to teach at my school (YAHOO!!), my baby girl is starting 8th grade at another school (BOO HOO!), and 3rd grade will switch classes next year (SCARED!!)!!  I will need the summer to get ready for my 27+ new students next year. I love planning over the summer and will need this summer to prepare for switching classes.  Switching won't be so bad, I will teach religion to 2 classes.  I am really happy about not teaching science and social studies too!!  I always have a hard time fitting these 2 subjects in on a daily basis.

My students have been really busy these last 2 weeks doing my favorite all-time writing assignment~~~My Favorite Summer Vacation!  I just love this writing and really LOVE how the finished essays turn out.  Check them out below.  You can click (HERE) to download the sunglasses template.  You need to make 2 copies and tape them together.  See below!!

  


This year I decided to give out Candy Awards.  I literally ran all over town looking for each type of candy.  I even had my honey helping me (He was so cute going from store to store!)!  I had the hardest time finding Lifesavers (Who would believe that?!).  You can download your own set of Candy Awards from Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits.  I found these awards during the summer and have been saving them all year.  Check them out below!  I can't wait to share them with my students tomorrow!!!

 

Here is just a taste of what the awards look like! They are precious!!!!

 

Here is a fun project I did with my class last week.  I found this idea on Pinterest and just HAD to try it with my class!  Look at the pictures below and try to see the shape! I am in LOVE with this!!

~~Flat Stanley visits Louisiana & a Freebie~~

I was so excited when my cousin called the other night.  Melissa lives in Colorado and needed my help.  Her stepson was reading Flat Stanley, and he wanted to share his project with me.  Melissa knew I would LOVE to help out and show Flat Stanley around.  My daughter and I played the part of tour guides and had so much fun.  Check out his adventures!!!!  I made a book to mail back to the teacher in Colorado.  I hope the class enjoys it!!!!! 

 

 

 

 

Even though we only have 13 days of school left, my students are still busy learning.  In math, we are learning how to multiply using two and three digits.  I created a worksheet for my students to use as practice.  My students love playing with dice so this activity was loads of fun for them. You can download your free copy (HERE).  Don't you just love the cute worm and apple graphic!!  Check out Miss Kate Cuttables to grab yourself some freebies.  She has a free graphic you can download each day!!!!

 

 

 

 

 



~~Teacher Appreciation~~

Last week was a wonderful & amazing week!  We celebrated Teacher Appreciation at our school.  The teachers were treated to a buffet of foods, mini-massages, and a gift card giveaway!! Every teacher and assistant received a gift card.  We picked a sealed envelope which contained a gift card and I picked Subway!!  Yummy~~my favorite!!!  Throughout the week, my students surprised me with all sorts of sweet gifts!!! I was treated to a fried artichoke salad lunch and an iced mocha & chocolate muffin for breakfast on Tuesday!! Not only did I receive gifts, my students were on their best behavior~~maybe it's because we only have 14 days of school left or maybe they just love me!!!!

My class gift, it is the fingerprints of my students!!!

 

Here is a T-shirt from my precious Maddy!!!

 

 

Drew showing me some love with his Buddy!!!

 

 

 My daughter and I wanted to show our appreciation to her teacher as well.  She has the most sweetest homeroom teacher ever!   Check out one of Mrs. Wagner's gifts~~she loves anything Disney so I knew the cover HAD to be Mickey!  I made 2 of these last year for my partner teachers and just LOVE making them!!!

 



 

 

 

Don't forget that Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook  are both having an amazing Teacher Appreciation Sale!!  My entire store will be 10% off plus you can receive an additional 10% off from TpT and TN!!  Use the code "TAD13" when purchasing from TpT. 

 

                                

 

Design courtesy of Zip-a-dee-doo-dah-Designs

 

 

 

Here are all of my products on sale!!!!

 

Teachers Notebook and Teachers Pay Teachers

 



 

 



 

 

~~Earth Day~~

We are celebrating Earth Day this entire week.  My students are writing thank you notes to Mother Earth.  We started off the week by reading, Dear Children of the Earth.  My daughter fell in love with this book in the first grade (she is now a 7th grader!).  She begged me to buy it for her.  I purchased the book and have read it every Earth Day to my class.  I love this book.  If you haven't read it, you must check it out. 

 

After reading the book, my class did a bubble map of ways to thank Mother Earth.  They will use these ideas to write a thank you note.  For the final presentation of the thank you letter to Mother Earth, students will make an earth from a coffee filter.  They color the filter using blue and green markers.  After the filter is completely covered with marker, spray the filter with water.  The water makes the marker spread and the coffee filter looks fantastic! I will post pictures as soon as we are done!!!   Don't forget to put paper under the filters before spraying the water!!

For an extra activity, my students watched a short 14 minute video on Discovery Education about Earth Day.  While watching the video, they had to take notes and write 3 ways to help Mother Earth.  Grab your FREE copy below!

 

Grab your copy (HERE: TpT) or (HERE: TN).

Don't you just love the cute, precious Earth Day clip art??!!!  Please check out Educasong Blog for more cute ideas!!!! 

I will post pictures as soon as we are finished our letters!!!!! 

~~Monday Made It: Something Special~~

It has been a looooooog time since I linked up with Tara @ 4th Grade Frolics: Monday Made It.  I miss linking up with her but knew when school started, I was going to be limited with time!!  I decided to link up something a little different than my normal classroom project.  I didn't make anything for my classroom but did make something special.  My niece, Abby, celebrated her First Eucharist this past Saturday.  She looked beautiful and the Mass was equally beautiful.  I decided to make her a cross cake.  Many of you (if not all of you) have no idea that I don't cook or bake much.  My daughter is the baker but not me.  I knew it was going to be a challenge but I dove right in and tried anyway.  I must say that the finished cake looked pretty good.  Check out my pictures below!  Don't forget to check out other Monday Made It projects with Tara!!!

 

 

Cake cooling down

 

cut out to form cross

 

covered cross with icing

 

purple trim (Abby's favorite color)

 

finished cross cake

  

 

 

 

Here I am with Abby