Pumpkins and RRW...

I'm trying not to be MIA but it sure has been tough keeping up! I promise I'll try to get better...Last week was Red Ribbon Week. I am just LOVING how our class poster turned out! This is perfect for this week, Owls!

We been having pumpkin fun for the last few weeks. We had our first field trip to the pumpkin patch. What a blast! Below are just a few centers we've been working on. They are from my Pumpkin Math and Literacy Unit.

Stamping color words

Number puzzles

Uppercase/lowercase Match

Ordering numbers 1-30

The pumpkin/fall fun continues! We carved our class pumpkin, after each kiddo had a chance to dig out some yuck, then lit a candle and enjoyed the beauty :)

 After our pumpkin patch field trip, where each student got to take home their own small pumpkin, we did some investigating. So many fun activities to practice such important skills.

This is random, but since I've been away, I thought I'd throw this one in. I am doing a Scientist of the Week this year, and it's AWESOME! I put together a book of experiments, including a lab coat and goggles. Every Friday, one student (and their assistant, otherwise known as a parent) presents their chosen experiment to the class. I am just loving it!

 We've also enjoyed some baking projects, including candy corn sugar cookies. 

Here's to hoping the next blog isn't a month away! :)
Adrienne

Yikes! Where has the time gone?

Does anyone else feel like there just aren't enough hours in the day? I'm finally starting to feel like I can keep my head above water, now that we're a month into school. I'm going to try and get myself back in the habit of sharing some fun center and other classroom idea. To start, I'm going to share some random things from the first month. Here goes nothin...

Centers are off to a great start! We spend about 30 minutes each day in centers and the kiddos are working so hard practicing their routines of working independently, cleaning up, and transitioning.

We have awesome interactive whiteboards this year. I am amazed at just how many different things we can do with them. Here are the kiddos working on sight words.

Just in the last month we've worked our way through Kissing Hand, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Brown Bear, and now we're just about finished with our Apple unit...Yikes, no wonder I can't keep everything straight!

I am so thrilled I found this cute idea!! We are loving having popcorn whenever we add words to our popcorn word wall. Such a fun addition!

Finally, here are a few of our apple centers from last week.

Apple Matching FREEBIE

Number Writing practice from my Apple Unit

Ordering Apples

Apple Emergent Reader by DeeDee Wills

I'm feeling like I'm due for another big project, and since the need is there, here's what I'm thinking...

Click here for a tutorial to make your own!

Have an awesome week!
Adrienne

My Classroom...FINALLY!

I finally have a moment to post some pictures of my new classroom...first, a little background...I work at a church/school property. The church uses our classrooms on Wednesdays and Sundays so we have to put EVERYTHING away, into a corner, on the weekend (except for what is on the walls). With that said, I do not have the freedom I'd like to decorate around the room, but I am pleased with how the room is put together, for now :)  Please excuse some of my clutter, it's all put away now!

 

I can't wait for the adventures that are to come in this classroom!
Adrienne

Back to School: Sale and Goodies

Tomorrow is my first official reporting day at my new school. I am so excited to start this new journey and can't wait for the ride to begin. My classroom isn't finished being painted so I'm going to have to wait a day or two to actually get settled. Until I can post some pics of my room, I have a few small projects to share with you.

Painted cork boards with button pins for my reading groups...Super cute and easy!

Pretzel Apples from http://makebakecelebrate.blogspot.com/2012/08/back-to-school-treat-apple-pretzels.html

One more thing...It is NOT too late to go shopping for some new back to school goodies on TpT and get an awesome 28% off when you combine the 20% off in my store and the TpT promo code! Click here to head on over and check it out! 

Adrienne

Common Core and a Freebie...

I don't know about you, but as go-time gets closer, I get more and more antsy. I am SO ready to just get in my room and get things going! There's nothing like laying in bed at 2 am thinking about all the things that need to get done. However, I'm positive I'm not the only teacher with that problem! So, what do I do while waiting to get into my room?...make fun things for my kiddos! I am really excited to share these products with you today.

The first is Monkey Business: Place Value. This pack includes three place value activities for centers/small groups. Click on the picture to view the details and preview on TpT.

Next is a pack for Decomposing Numbers. This pack includes work mats for numbers 1-10 and recording sheets for their findings. Your kiddos will love working with cheerios, m&ms, skittles, little erasers, or any other small objets for counting. Click on the picture to view this product on TpT.

Finally, a Fan FREEBIE! Behavior charts are a must have in any primary classroom. We all have at least one child that needs this visual incentive to help them stay on task and focused in the classroom. This is available as a free download for my Facebook fans!

One more thing...About a month ago, I began a Back to School Linky Party here on my blog. There are more than 100 awesome activities that you all should check out as you get ready to start school. Here is the link for the post: http://adriennepepe.blogspot.com/2013/07/back-to-school-linky.html

Enjoy!

Adrienne

More DIY...

It's crunch time! I'm working on finishing up those last minute details before getting into my room and tackling the set up and logistics of a new room at a new school. Library pillows. Check. I'm hoping these directions make sense. Please let me know if they seem foreign! Gotta get my brain out of summer mode.

Adrienne

It's always more fun to DIY!

I have been 'kindergarten blogging' for less than a year and as I was packing up my classroom I came across some fun things I realized have not been blogged about yet.  1. Crate Seats 2. Refurbished file cabinet

More than a year ago I came across the wonderful crate seat invention. Cute and incredibly useful in the classroom. Double the fun! I went out and purchased 5 quality crate seats. I knew I didn't want the cheapy ones since they would be sat on A LOT. I think I ended up buying them from Office Depot for about $8/each. Next, I took some scrap pieces of wood, about 1" thick. I passed those pieces and the crates off to the woodworking teacher at my school and he cut and sanded them down, so nicely I almost didn't want to cover them! The wood pieces fit perfectly inside the lip of the crate. Then, I went to my local craft store and purchased foam (about 3/4 inch think). This was a bit more expensive than I expected but you gotta love those 40% coupons! Finally, I purchased my fabric. It just had to be polka dots, the alphabet was just an added bonus ;)

 Once those pieces are completed, the crates are really quite simple to assemble. Cut your foam to rest inside the wood seat, cut your fabric to wrap around all edges, then staple gun your way around on the bottom side, nice and tight. Done! These seats worked fabulously in my classroom this year and I'm happy to say that I even occasionally used them as a seat for myself. I'd say that makes them a success! 

Next up was my file cabinet. I had an UGLY file cabinet in my classroom last year. It was old, stained, rusted, and just yucky. Who wants kids and parents to have to see that yuck? I didn't, so I made a plan to rescue it. I decided I would tape over my handles and just leave them be. I knew once I painted my cabinet the handles wouldn't stand out. I bought several cans of matte spray paint and painted the front, one side, the top, and just a little on the back. I didn't paint the back until it was a perfect blue since I knew it would be against the wall. Then I bought a can of black chalkboard paint and painted the one side I knew the kids would have access to. Works like a charm! The final touch, which made more of a difference than I would have expected, are the little pieces of scrapbook paper in the drawer label area. I just love a successful DIY!

Anyone else have some DIY success in your classroom?
Adrienne

Fan Freebie #2...

What a week! I Teach K was awesome and I can't wait to implement some of those wonderful ideas. I'm especially excited to improve my iPad (and iPod) effectiveness within my classroom. Once I get settled in my new classroom I will post some awesome apps that I hope to explore with my kiddos this year. Until then, I posted my second fan freebie on Facebook! It is a simple left and right game your kiddos can enjoy with a partner. I plan to print off enough for my entire class to work in pairs and play at the same time! Enjoy!

Adrienne

DIY Class and new adventures...

My school runs a fabulous summer school program each year! We offer nearly every type of class you can think of- reading, writing, math, cooking, woodworking, nature, sewing, skateboard making, science, and so much more. The kids sign up for two new classes each week. This week I taught a DIY class. We had such a great time making fun Pinterest-y crafts. Take a look!

Now, speaking of 'my school,' on a bittersweet note, 'my school' is not my school anymore. This was my last week teaching there. I accepted a position at another private school about 45 minutes away. I am so excited for this new adventure as I will get to continue teaching kindergarten, but starting over is always a bit overwhelming. New students, new families, new curriculum, new coworkers, new schedules, new new new. Yikes, I'm tired just thinking about all that new! Anyways, I will be posting pictures of my new classroom when I'm in and settled. I can't wait to share in this adventure with each of you! But first, Vegas (I Teach K) here I come!

Adrienne

Fan Freebies!

Whew, what a process! I'm working hard to install my 'Fan Freebies' tab on my Facebook page. Here is the first freebie I'll be posting. Check it out!  

Here's to hoping I can figure this thing out! :) 
Adrienne

Back to School Linky...

 As the summer flies by, I am beginning to think about the fun and effective back to school activities, crafts, and materials that I want to plan for my kiddos for the first month of school. Link up here to post your "must have" back to school products! It will remain open until August 15. Feel free to pass this post on to your blogger friends and be sure to come back and look through some of the awesome resources posted over the next month.



Adrienne

Bloglovin...

 Google Reader is going bye-bye so click on my Bloglovin icon (on the right hand side of this page) to follow me there! With the start of a new school year comes new projects, ideas, tips, and products! Don't miss out!

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5668015/?claim=ggtsvnm8db9">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Adrienne

1st day memory maker...

Today, I want to share one of my favorite first day of school memory makers. I put together this special frame and took each of my students' pictures holding it. Afterwards, I printed, backed, and laminated each picture and passed them out to the parents at Back to School Night. They were a huge hit and something I must do every year!

The frame was super easy to make. First, I purchased a large, cheapy frame. I was super excited when I found a blue frame as that cut out one step in my process, having to paint an unfinished frame. There was a downfall to this though. This particular frame from IKEA is super slick so once I had my product completed, I had to be very gentle with it as the letters popped off pretty easily. Now that I think about it, maybe an unfinished frame would've been easier ;) Do as you wish! Next, I found wooden letters and a few stars from Hobby Lobby and painted them to my liking. Finally, I glued my cutsie letters onto the frame! Done!

What are your favorite first day memory makers?

Adrienne

Back to the beginning...

No agenda. Sleeping in. Breakfast. Relaxing...Just a few things that come with summer! My family and I took a wonderful trip to Seattle last week to kick off summer. Here is a pic of my boyfriend and I...love :)

 Anyhow, as I began thinking about how I'd like to start the new school year, I decided to make this simple shape sorting activity. There are students who have their shapes down and there are those that need continued practice. This activity will be great for some independent center work! Click on the picture to head over to TpT and download this freebie. Let me know what you think.

On another note, I am getting pumped for I Teach K! Anyone else heading to Vegas to hang with some awesome kindergarten teachers?

Adrienne

Completed 'Thank You' Mugs...

I completed my parent thank yous...Click here to download the tags!

 7 days left!
Adrienne