Little Miss Kindergarten - Lessons from the Little Red Schoolhouse!

Winner Winner Winner!

2013-05-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Trails Kinder Friends,

Well it seems that we have a...winner for the cutest teacher t-shirt giveaway! How darn exciting. Kind of a little surprise that the winner is Tanya in Texas! I guess the world is small. From one Texas teacher to another...CONGRATS! I just wonder which shirt you are going to get? Half the fun is just deciding.

All in all, it was a fun giveaway. Lots of new friends and lots of comments came with this one.

Teacher Shirt GIVEAWAY!

2013-05-18T07:48:00.001-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

You are not going to believe this super giveaway! You just have to enter for a chance to win!

We at Freebielicious are so excited to announce teaming up with A+ Teacher Images (the greatest t-shirt company for teachers and more, in case you haven't heard of them!). We all received the fanciest custom designed t-shirt we've ever owned AND now we can give a t-shirt of the winner's choice from each of our individual blogs.

I just love my t-shirt because it is so much more than just a shirt. It represents friendships, fun, and business relations (oh wait and STYLE, of course!) all in one "blinging" design. Where else could you get all that from one t-shirt? A special thanks goes out to Doug from A+ Images. He worked with us to make just the right shirt to represent our company and is still giving us a shirt to give one lucky winner for each of our blogs!

We have made this giveaway super easy for you to have almost 50 chances to win one of 23 t-shirts. It is a blog hop, so you can enter as many or as few giveaways you would like! The contest begins Saturday, May 18th, at 8:00 a.m. EST and ends on Sunday, May 19th, at 12:00 a.m. EST. Winners will be announced on the following Monday. Easy peasy, lemon-squeezy! Start by entering my giveaway here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Next, you will head over to my friend Regan at Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits and enter there and keep going until your fingers are too tired to hit click (that is how simple we made it for you!).

Go to our Freebielicious Facebook page and like us so you never miss a freebie or giveaway like this one!

File Update Sunflower Fun!

2013-05-15T22:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Days Friends,

Just letting you know that if you have downloaded the file for I Can Be A Scientist Exploring Life Cycles, it has been updated to include the Sunflower life cycle. The file has grown from 160 pages to 214 of print and go Science fun. Just wanted to let you know so you could download again and get in on all the fun! The product has been updated at Teachers Notebook and Teachers Pay Teachers! I hope everyone is having a great week!

Life Cycles Included
-Sunflower
-Apple Tree
-Frog
-Chicken
-Butterfly
4 Colored Printable Basic Needs Posters
4 Colored Printable Life Cycle Posters
4 Blackline Printable Life Cycle Pages
11 Blackline Printable Label It Life Cycle Pages
4 Blackline Printable Order The Life Cycle Pages
4 Colored Printable Teacher Big Books
12 Blackline Printable Student Readers
3 Alternate Versions For Each Life Cycle
3 Alternate Vocabulary Student Book Pages
8 Colored Printable Life Cycle Sequencing Cards
4 Colored Printable Life Cycle Model Making Mats
9 Blackline Printables For Notebook/Journal Making
Day By Day Lesson Plan Format Included!
Student Readers are perfect for non fiction independent reading!
Tons of Print and Go Science Fun!
Just added the Sunflower Science Craftivity!

Memorial Day Fun And Freebies!

2013-05-12T03:31:00.000-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

I really can't believe that I started thinking about Memorial Day already. I actually prepared for Memorial Day earlier this year. It was one of those holidays that I really had a hard time teaching because I had very little to go with it. We learned about American symbols earlier this year. Along with that we learned that the flag and liberty stand for freedom. On Memorial Day we learn about the men and women who have served our country that have given us that freedom. But since I started early this year and really had a good time with all patriotic holidays we have learned about so far, I thought I didn't really need a thing until... I found more books! I had to get these because they go well with so many different patriotic holidays.

L is for Liberty is the perfect for young children as it uses vivid illustrations and simple text to celebrate the statue of liberty, her history and the freedom she stands for.

I've been on the hunt for patriotic music and found this Memorial Day song for children. I'm still looking for more so if you know of some please let me know your favorites!

This year we have learned that flags are a part of many celebrations and we learned that we see flags in important places. I could not resist F is for Flag because it explains in simple terms that the flag is a symbol of unity, it stands for pride and it reminds us of freedom in good and bad times.

When we were celebrating President's Day earlier this year we had tons of fun flipping coins. I thought this one might be fun to get out again!

The week before Memorial Day we will be making Thank You Hero badges. I love badges because they are super easy to make and fun to wear to show our pride. Previously, we learned that costumes, traditional outfits and uniforms are often a part of celebrations and patriotic holidays. We will be wearing our red, white and blue with our badges to show our pride and unity as we observe Memorial Day. To make these with your class, just copy on white cardstock and color, laminate and cut or print on colored cardstock and laminate and cut. Punch a hole in the badge to pin!

If you would like the printable freebies that you see here just click on the picture to take you to the download. The first two freebies are from the preview file of my Let's Celebrate It's A Patriotic Parade Print And Go Unit. It's simple, just click on the preview to download the freebies. Patriotic Print and Go Fun...it just doesn't get easier than that!

Happy teaching Kinder friends!

Mother's Day!

2013-05-11T05:45:00.001-05:00

Happy Mother's Day Kinder Friends,

We have been super busy getting ready for Mother's Day. We started getting ready for Mother's Day last week when we got out our watercolors and started to paint.

It's kind of the golden rile in my class...watercolors make everything look better and especially after it is laminated! We painted some Mother's Day poems and then added our hand prints and names.

We made Mother's Day gift cards. We had a bag of tea tucked inside and the kids were excited to give these gifts to mom!

We had fun making the crafts for mom but really the best part was that the kids were very, very excited about making Mother's Day books for their moms. I knew that I really did not have time to create one on my own so I picked up a Mother's Day book at the Teachers Pay Teachers sale from Kinder Alphabet and I am so glad I did. I think this was the highlight of our week. Every single child was excited and motivated to write and we wrote a lot. And one of our favorite parts were the thinking maps that went along with each page! Even when it was time for lunch we didn't want to stop writing.

And as we wrapped up the week a fabulous teacher gave me the idea of making pockets to put all of our hard work together. I think I love these pockets to hold it all together and get all that hard work home safe and sound! I think that was my favorite part. The kids were so proud of what they were taking home to mom! And so was I!

Teacher Appreciation!

2013-05-06T21:46:00.000-05:00

Well Happy Teacher Appreciation Week Kinder Friends,

I just love this time of year as we wrap things up and look towards a new year and a new beginning. It's always fun to have time to plan and prepare for a new year. You have to admit that it always fun to grab those products that make you the effortlessly "wow" teacher that you already are. Sometimes you are juggling so many different things it is impossible to sit down and create something that you really need. And that is why Teachers Pay Teachers is the place to get well...the wow that you need! Best part is that this really is the place where teachers appreciate and support teachers hands down!

In the spirit of all teacher things and celebrating the wonderful teachers everywhere, I am having a sale in my Teachers Pay Teachers store! It's a small way to say thank you for supporting me and my blog and allowing me to be a part of your classrooms. It's pretty easy to take advantage of this sale. All you have to do is add items to your cart from shops having a sale and then enter the code TAD13 to get an additional 10% off. It works out to be 28% off original prices. It's a deal that just can't be beat! So grab a drink, take a break and let's get to shopping!

So if you are the plan ahead type, this is a good one!

If you are the on the fly type, Print and Go Graduation Goodies might be for you! And if you have time you can make this... Because sometimes you just have to get crafty!

And if you love all things apples, this one is a good one to use all year long!

And if you love teaching diversity like I do then this is for you!

And if print and go Memorial Day fun is what you need then you now have a plan!

And if your a Texas girl...enough said!

Texas Teacher Round Up!

2013-05-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

Just stopping by to let you know that there is a new blog in town that you might want to check out and follow. It's new and sure to fill up with great stuff that is aligned to our TEKS. And with new Math TEKS for us in Kinder this is sure to be a great place to grab some ideas and inspiration this summer as we prepare for the following year. I like the idea of searching for information by TEKS and I am sure you will too! So, click on the image above to take you there to sign up!

Teacher Appreciation Freebie!

2013-05-05T07:28:00.000-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

It's Teacher Appreciation! Don't you just love this time of year? I'm always on the hunt for cute and crafty and quick teacher appreciation gift but let's face it...time is short this time of year. So, if you are feeling a little rushed this time of year and you still want to thank a teacher and you don't have that crafty mojo then this might be the answer for you...and me.

You will need Power Point to edit this. All you have to do is click on the text box in each of the white squares, change the font to something you love and type in the name of the teacher at the top and some brilliantly wonderful quote in the two other boxes. It is simple because that is it. You print your masterpiece and frame it! You can add a bow to the top. Insert your framed gift into a bag and you are pretty much done! Now you are ready for some fun teacher appreciation gift giving. And what about parent volunteers this time of year? It's simple, just add a name in the top box and some brilliantly thankful quotes and you are now ready to thank all the people who have helped you this year. Showing a little appreciation has never been so easy! Just click on the images above and it will take you to the free download. And if you are feeling a little happy please leave me some feedback!

It's A Sale!

2013-05-04T00:32:00.001-05:00

Happy Days Teacher Friends,

Teachers Notebook is having a Teacher Appreciation Sale and Giveaway! The sale runs from May 4th through May 10th. Such a great time to clean out that wish list and get prepared for the end of the year and look towards the year ahead. And part of my spring cleaning I did a little shop upkeep and uploaded some new things over there and updated some others!

This item was just added to the store.

And this one got a huge makeover this year with tons of new stuff added to the file. If you previously purchased this one you will want to download it again and check out all the new stuff. I had a hard time stopping on this one!

Added this one because you wouldn't want to start a year without it!

And added a little Science because you know I love it!

Can't live without this one either... Still in my classroom and used it last week!

This one got a huge makeover as well. It somehow has now turned into a Patriotic Print and Go resource for me that includes something for all school year patriotic holidays!

I told you I love Science, enough said!

My new favorite!

And my new print and go graduation...you know we are too busy to worry about this! And it gave me reason to make this...

I just could not resist!

It's A Wrap!

2013-05-03T02:53:00.002-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

Well the stage was set and we were ready to go! We wrapped up the week with a little bit of music, festivities, fun and a celebration of Mexican Heritage! We all had fun learning a little about history, the different ways we celebrate and about customs and traditions. And for us, we were all on board for our school wide celebration of Cinco de Mayo! We signed up for stage and lounge decorations and a performance that every single person was able to participate in. It was a big production and we learned that it was a lot of work and it took us ALL to pull it off! Every teacher and child had their hand in making this a special event for everyone and it was a huge success!

Nothing in the world say Cinco de Mayo more to most of us than a donkey piñata! And I will tell you we had more than enough to go around. Everywhere we looked and everywhere we turned, we saw one and that is just the way we like it! In Kindergarten, the donkey piñata could just be the symbol for celebrations!

We tried something new this year and added some guitars. What a great project to tie in some of those music objectives. I think next year we might just do more with this one. We all identify music with any kind of celebration. And the music this year for our program was The Mexican Hat Dance. We has so much fun practicing for the last several weeks, that we might be a little sad that this event has come to an end.

The banners we made for the stage are one of my favorite projects of the year. This project allows us a chance to look at some Mexican art and take a close look at the themes and colors in that art. The banners are our interpretation of that. And when these banners are finished and laminated you can see the big, thick brushstrokes on the page. These just say Kindergarten art in the best way...

In class we learn that some celebrations involve costumes. Oh, and we love an event that allows us to wear a costume! It's always an exciting time when the box of halos comes down off the top shelf. It kind of feels like getting down the Christmas ornaments for me. I look in the box and see the flowers and colors and I am reminded of all the past celebrations and good times. I always take a minute and pray for...just one more!

In the lounge we were able to ~~plaster~~ scatter some decorations to make the day even more special for visitors and our school friends. We were all happy to sit down together and have lunch. It's not often that we get to sit down with forks and napkins and eat face to face. It reminded me today that I work with wonderful people...

And in the end we...danced!

It was a show stopper and one of the best performances we have done do far! Every person and child made this event so special. It was an all out affair and I am sure it will live in the hearts of the children forever...and mine too!

Graduation Goodies!

2013-04-28T01:14:00.001-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

Don't think for a minute I am wishing this year away. I'm actually trying to treasure what is left and go out with that feel good feeling. So, in the spirit of that I have been busy getting stuff ready for graduation. It still is hard for me to believe that it is almost here. Sometimes I wonder where did the time go? I know the last and final weeks will be busy and I will be preoccupied with other things so it seemed like the perfect time to get a jump start on the end of the year fun because when it finally gets here I want nothing more than to just...print and go and get on with my day! My class has been good to me this year. I have had a classroom full of visitors, observers and a student teacher. My kids have made me so proud because each and every time they kept on working and doing their best. Actually they do that all the time... I know I am lucky. I wanted to make them a Kindergarten keepsake because I was feeling a little misty when I realized that soon they will be considered first graders and they will be moving on. And like I said, we are so busy this time of year I needed a print and go file for graduation. So, I made a keepsake craftivity and a graduation edit, print and go file.

As I was out and about I found these cute hats from Dollar Tree. I never really thought that they would be so cute but out of the package and stapled together they are adorable and it just takes a minute to get these ready to go. How cute are the kids going to be as they leave wearing these after graduation? Too cute, I know I could not resist! If you are out and about take a look at Dollar Tree because they had lots of good stuff to get your graduation underway with very little prep! I saw some cute banners, tablecloths, table scatter, cups, plates, glittery decorations, bags and even graduation buttermints!

This is one of my favorite art projects for the end of the year. Nothing says Kindergarten more than some colorful and messy paint! We used markers on the frame, we used water colors for the picture and then we printed it with painted hand prints. If you want some end of the year fun too just click on the image above to grab your prek, kinder and first grade version! The poem was printed on cardstock and laminated when dry. Still gets me a little misty when I look at it!

Cinco de Mayo Fun!

2013-04-26T22:51:00.000-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

We are moving right along and things are moving fast! It is hard to believe that this year is quickly coming to an end. I'm not sure where April went but it is almost gone. And just as April comes to a close we look towards May. In the classroom May is a special time for us as we learn about celebrations and discuss Cinco de Mayo. As part of our school wide program we create and make decorations for the school event.

This gives us a chance to look at some Mexican art and get out some paint and get a little creative. It is a nice way to spend indoor recess and keep our minds off the great outdoors that we long for. We have been busy making banners for some stage decorations. But I think we would all agree that piñatas are our favorite because they remind all of us of our own celebrations.

The best part of the program is performing The Mexican Hat Dance. And this year we like to practice it a lot! It is one of those feel good get up on your feet kind of dances that every child can participate in and that makes it even more fun. A little chaos to some lively music and lots of kids...my kind of fun and I mean it. It can sure put a smile on your face pretty quick!

Lend A Helping Hand!

2013-04-21T12:49:00.001-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

I was recently contacted by my blogging friend Crystal from Kreative in Kinder and she asked me to join her and so many others to help the teachers from West ISD after the explosion last week. I was more than happy to help out these teachers and I knew that you guys would want to help too. This fundraiser is a wonderful way to reach out and help a fellow teacher and impact the children they work with. I am IN and I hope you are too! So here are the details... By donating $25.00 you will be helping the teachers and children of West ISD and you will get over $140.00 products from me and my blogging friends! These are some wonderful products that you can use in your classroom AND this helps the teachers at WEST ISD. It is really simple and a great way to send support to a fellow teacher in need! Nothing feels better than Teachers Taking Care of Teachers, nothing! So, I hope you join me. You can also help by spreading the word for this fundraiser and together WE CAN make a difference for Teachers and Children in Texas!

What an amazing way to help. If you are interested in donating to this fundraiser where ALL donations will go directly to the teachers of West ISD. All you have to do is click the link Teachers Taking Care of Teachers and fill out the simple form. So, what are you waiting for? Let's do this!

Happy Tax Day!

2013-04-14T22:38:00.001-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

It's that time of year again...tax time. In order to make this day a little fun I am having a sale in my Teachers pay Teachers store to celebrate putting yet another tax season behind me. WHEW, it's done. It's time to move on and move forward and look towards the bright side of things and get Uncle Sam right straight out of my head for a while.

This is a great time to stock up on all the things you will need to make the end of the year as stress free as possible and a great time to look ahead and plan for the year ahead and just get things ready while you have access to the school laminator and copier! Nothing beats the feeling of being ahead of the game!

Number Talking!

2013-04-14T00:04:00.002-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

We have had a lot of fun this year talking numbers and gaining ground on number sense. Throughout this process I have created some resources to keep this routine fresh and lively throughout the year. I know I am more likely to keep this routine going with the resources ready to go! The children have given me tons of ideas this year and often request another version of something. Sometimes it is hard to keep up with all those new ideas! If you are interested in more information on this product just click on the image.

Standards Addressed:
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.3 Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4a When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4b Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4c Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.5 Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.1 Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings1, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.3 Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more than one way, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 5 = 2 + 3 and 5 = 4 + 1).
CCSS.Math.Content.K.NBT.A.1 Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (such as 18 = 10 + 8); understand that these numbers are composed of ten ones and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.

What's Included?

Over 210 Print and Go resources to start Number Talking in a flash!

5 Colored printable Number Talking Routine Posters.
Information about Number Talking in the classroom.
Teacher Tools for Number Talking-
Quick Image 10 Frames printables- 2 Versions, 2 Different Dot Arrangements for numbers 1-20 suitable for printing on colored cardstock.
Quick Image 1-20 Numeral colored printables.
Quick Image Dice Blackline printables- 1-6 dot arrangements suitable for printing on colored cardstock.
Quick Image Dice Blackline printables- 1-6 dot + 1 More arrangements suitable for printing on colored cardstock.
Quick Image Dice Blackline printables- 1-6 dot + 2 More arrangements suitable for printing on colored cardstock.
Quick Images Base Ten Colored printables- 1-20.
Quick Images Scattered Images Colored printables- 1-10.
82 Blackline printable BUILD YOUR OWN Math Notebook/Journal page inserts.

It's A Frog Thing!

2013-04-12T02:28:00.000-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

This week we were able to wrap up our research writing and celebrate a project well done. This was a great way to walk through the writing process while working on some of our writing goals. We sure learned a lot about multiple revisions. I think my favorite part as a teacher has been allowing time for this project to develop and having a flexible mindset in the planning. I have to admit I never have enjoyed one on one conferencing so much as I have these past few weeks. At times I felt like a coach rooting each child on as we went through the writing process and ultimately ending with a published piece. The children liked evaluating their work and deciding which pieces they would like to display which really made each child have a unique display of work. We worked so hard on each piece I had a hard time sending home the work that did not get displayed.

During the revision phase we did get frustrated at times. What really helped was taking a break and talking about those feelings and making a personal plan for writing the next day. It was so nice to be able to come in and hear the children talking about what they would be working on in writing each morning throughout the project . We all really started thinking like a real writer. We had a plan! What I noticed halfway through the project was that the children were very willing to retry some of the writing strategies we had discussed and make their writing better than the day before. We got a little inspired each day as we shared our own success. They were proud when the work was displayed in the hallway. I was proud too.

So, what did we learn?

Students used elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text. Children planned a first draft by generating ideas for writing through class discussion. As a class we decided on frogs and ponds. The frogs were the vehicles we used to teach the writing process. The children developed drafts by sequencing the action or details in the draft.

The children revised drafts by adding details or sentences. The children edited drafts by leaving spaces between letters and words, adding capitalization and punctuation as needed.

And the children used the following parts of speech in the context of writing such as singular and plural nouns and descriptive words. Students determined, located, and explored the full range of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the information they gathered. And used pictures in conjunction with writing when documenting research.

I will admit that I was surprised when the children wanted to know what kind of research we would be doing next!

I Bought It Now What?

2013-04-07T18:24:00.000-05:00

Hey Friends,

I had to post this when I saw it because it is one of the best or probably the best help post out there. I found this on Pinterest and the link led me to Second Grade Stuff. You can read the post by clicking on the image above. I swear you will want to bookmark it. If you run into problems this is a great place to start for help because it covers many very common issues and provides a step by step guide that reads like a tutorial. With so many visuals this post is sure to help!

Frogs and Fun!

2013-04-06T17:49:00.001-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

What a week it has been. I swear we are sick of the rain. We are sick of the indoors. And we sick of being silent! Even though we have had a lot to deal with this week it has ended up on a good note for us all. We have been busy working on research writing. As a class we decided to do research on frogs and later opened it up to ponds because we were looking at pond water in Science this week and we all became a little curious about life near a pond. For our research the students determine, locate, and explore the full range of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the information they gather. Students (with adult assistance) are expected to gather evidence from provided text sources; and use pictures in conjunction with writing when documenting research.

We have used many different books, our librarian and the internet as sources to learn about frogs and ponds before we started to write about it. We spent a lot of time just researching what we would write about and asking questions. When we began writing, Thinking Maps were used as a tool to gather our thoughts and provide us with a little writing focus.

We are now in the phase of revising our work and editing what we have written.

Students use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text. This week we will be able to finally publish our work and we are all excited about that. I know the kids are excited to be able to share what they have worked so hard to accomplish. We all agree it has not been easy but we have enjoyed the process and we have learned a lot through it along the way.

And for my class I made the page you see above Jump Frog Jump! If you need a copy click on the image above to grab yours! Actually in this freebie download there are now 9 free pages of frog fun!

The Ultimate Freebie Collection!

2013-04-06T00:52:00.001-05:00

Happy 2nd Birthday TBA! What a great way to celebrate 2 of the best fun filled years of teacher support and inspiration. This has always been one of my favorite parts of TBA especially when things are super busy at school. I love to just click and go to one place for the best of the best freebies around. And this post contains over 280 freebies! There is no time to chit chat...get over there and grab all you can grab and have fun celebrating teacher goodies galore!

Fill Your Baskets Freebie!

2013-03-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter Friends,

I am teaming up with my friends at Freebielicious and joined in for the "fill your basket" fun! I am super excited to be able to share with you some science spring inspired freebie fun for your classroom. I was really inspired when I saw this picture on Pinterest from Play Create Explore. I loved it and it instantly made me want to create a pond in my water table to go along with our research writing on water and ponds.

How simple this is to put together for some pond fun? Naturally I thought this would be a good time and a good way to cover the objective-

The student is expected to observe and describe physical properties of natural sources of water, including color and clarity.

So I created this simple recording sheet to help us out with this investigation! It was fun to get out our magnifying glasses and get a good look at some water.

And since we were doing a little research on water and ponds we had to do a little labeling too!

You just know all the water and pond talk got us thinking about frogs so we just had to sneak a frog in there somewhere! And on my search for some more pond fun I came across some new books to add to my collection!

By far this one is my favorite pond book especially for young scientists! This book provides a lot of great pictures and information about pond life.

And who could even think about ponds without reading In the Small. Small Pond. I love this book and it is great for a discussion on descriptive words!

For more science fun about frogs and life cycles please join me here by clicking the button above. I just bet there might be some frog and pond inspiration there too!

To keep this fun moving right along and to fill your basket with some wonderful stuff from the best of the best, just click on the image above to visit Mrs. Miner's Monkey Business and keep on hopping! Mrs. Miner is one of my favorite "go to" teacher bloggers so I know you will love what she is sharing today! Have fun Kinder friends!

PS. To get your freebies from this post just click on the images of the freebies!

Read Aloud Challenge!

2013-03-24T07:48:00.000-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

How about joining me for the National 15 Minutes Movement? Help spread the word! Read Aloud 15 MINUTES is a non-profit organization that is working to make reading aloud every day for at least 15 minutes the new standard in child care. When every child is read aloud to for 15 minutes every day from birth, more children will be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten, more children will have the literacy skills needed to succeed in school, and more children will be prepared for a productive and meaningful life after school.

For free downloads about the campaign just click on the image above. By making 15 minutes of daily reading aloud the new parenting standard, we will change the face of education in this country.

So, I guess you are wondering what we are reading this week?

My new favorite Rocket book.

My favorite feel good book!

My new favorite book for Number Talks!

The best ever book when you are in a writing slump...it happens to us all!

And I am waiting for the doorbell to ring to get this one! So, what are you reading this week? Help spread the word and click the button below to support this campaign!

Five For Friday!

2013-03-23T01:12:00.002-05:00

Ok Kinder Friends,

I am linking up for the first time for Five For Friday with Doodle Bugs Teaching. The week started out busy as we prepared for our Open House and Texas Public School Week. I'm super glad we started getting ready for this early because it made the week a lot less stressful.

Number One Highlight Of The Week!

Open House is OVER...YAHOO! It was nice to see and talk to the families that came out for this event and discuss what has been going on in the classroom. And with such a great class full of kids I suddenly realized that time is passing quickly and soon they will be FIRST GRADERS!

Number Two Highlight Of The Week!

Early this week I was able to meet a group of teachers for dinner. It was hard to arrange schedules for such busy girls but it was a highlight of my week. I was able to have the chance to sit and talk and discuss a lot of things that were heavy on my mind. How does a three hour dinner seem like it just flies by? Just can't wait for the next one.

Number Three Highlight Of The Week!

Got a letter from someone I totally admire...asking me to be a part of a new committee. OM~gosh the answer was YES and quick! I hope I didn't shock her with such a quick reply...

Number Four Highlight Of The Week!

We have been busy with Number Talks in class for quite some time now. I have been determined this year to make this a regular part of my routine and to become comfortable with it as a regular part of my classroom routine. I started this earlier this year and have taken it slow. Well, I can honestly say that this is time well spent and it is paying off. We had Number Talks going on while I had a visitor that was observing my class. Before we started I was ~~praying~~ wondering how our Number Talk would go. I was ~~praying~~ hoping that we would have a rich discussion. And much to my surprise we had some real ah-ha moments in my class that day. I guess it hit the boys all at the same time. I swear they were on fire and would not stop! These moments on a regular day are to die for and these moments on an observation day...priceless!

Number Five Highlight Of The Week!

As the week was wrapping up I began to think about next week. Next week will be a short week for us and we started planning a family road trip across Texas. And I am hoping to see a lot of Texas wildflowers along the way and hopefully some bluebonnets too! I am looking forward to just having time to be together and worry about...nothing. I look forward to just one extra day to enjoy the sights and the sun wherever the road takes us!

Open House Make And Take Freebies!

2013-03-12T17:31:00.000-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

It is such a busy time of the year as we gear up for our Open House for Texas Public School Week. We have been working hard and getting ready for weeks and this is one night I think we are all looking forward to. As I was looking through my files, I was wishing and hoping to find some quick go to resources to make this event easy to prepare for and something I could use next year without all of the time spent searching for ideas. So, I decided to update my own files and share some with you! One of the first things I think about when thinking about Open House is my door. I wanted a way to say welcome. On the top of my door I have a valance hanging and I also wanted to change it out. I remembered a post from this summer for a quick, easy and inexpensive valance made from one dollar bandanas from Hobby Lobby. So, if you are feeling a little crafty you can look at this simple tutorial HERE to make your own and for a list of materials.

A couple of years ago I saw this cute fabric from Hobby Lobby and used the tutorial mentioned above and made mine out of this fabric. I just saw this fabric this weekend at Hobby Lobby.

Once I had the valance in place I wanted something to say welcome. I had made one of these banners the other day for a bulletin board display and remembered just how easy it was to make. All I had to do is print, cut, assemble and go! I swear I love banners so much now because it is like the easiest craft ever. The one in the picture above is stapled together and the one I made the other day was put together with brads. If you would like a copy of the Happy Trails Banner just click on the picture above and grab yours. I swear getting ready for Open House just doesn't get easier than that.

Now if your door is all decorated and cute, I bet you are starting to wonder about the tables. I was wondering the same thing too! And just like a Texas tornado, you can whip up these table toppers just like that! I promise, this is simple.

Materials Used:

Brown lunch bags

Bandana napkins

Ribbon

Boot and hat cupcake toppers

Bluebonnets

Vegetable can

Sharpie

I trimmed a few inches off the brown bags before I started and then I fringed the bag and stitched it with the Sharpie. I put an empty vegetable can inside the bag. I added the flowers, cupcake toppers and ribbon. And last, I cut a bandana napkin in half and stapled it on the bag. All in all, this craft took just a few minutes. These would look cute with red, blue or black butcher paper on the tables... I hear ya, maybe not enough time to struggle taping that on!

Since your door is cute and now your tables are looking good what about hanging something around that just looks cute? Well, Texas Mockingbirds are my answer here! Who can resist a kindergarten glittery, feathery take on a state symbol...no parent ever! The way I look at it is if I hang it high enough maybe nobody will notice some of my teacher piles I have hidden...

Here's another idea that was given to me by a teacher friend 12 years ago. This is super simple to prepare and send home. All you need is a large hat cut out and a parent letter. These are sent home and decorated before they come back to be displayed for Open House. These would be great paired with some western writing!

And a recent trip to Dollar Tree had me thinking of all those dice and domino games cowboys play so I was inspired to make something for that! Just print it and throw that down on the tables for a little bit of fun. Open House is a sinch, right? What about some friendly competition with an estimation jar? I thought so too when I saw these super cute banadana mints at Hobby Lobby and I must say I could not resist. I threw those in my basket as fast a Texas thunderstorm. And when I was just about to create some estimation jar slips, I just happened upon this. Yep, it's free and fast to get ready for any event! If you need it too just click here!

Now with all this work you have put into this event you have to have a way to get them into the door on Open House night, right? Yep, you sure don't want to be standing there alone. I was thinking about that too. So, just print the badges above on colored cardstock and pin them on the kids as they walk out the door. And before you ask, I use safety pins and I have never had a problem with it but if I did I would tape it on and just hope for the best!

Alright here is the biggest trick. Once you get them in the door to oooh and ahhh over all the work you have accomplished and displayed you have to have a way to get them out... I mean, send them on their way because it is late and you probably have school tomorrow. I am right there with you friends. Nothing says get on your way like Happy Trails Trail Mix. Just remember to put your snacks inside a Ziploc bag before putting it into the brown bag to prevent any stains.

All the freebies in this post can be found in the FREE PREVIEW FILE from the unit Let's Celebrate Texas Our Texas Print and Go available on Teachers Pay Teachers. If you have previously purchased this unit from TpT please redownload to get the new updates. New classroom photos and pages have been added to this unit so be sure to get them all! I hope you don't forget...what was once 133 pages is now over 190! WHEW... I think I am finally ready!

Happy trails kinder friends!

What's Been Going On?

2013-03-10T03:08:00.001-05:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

We have been busy working on projects for Open House which is coming up soon. We did take a break and have some Armadilly Chili at the end of the week and it was nice to spend some rime together and talk about all we have accomplished during our fast paced and busy week.

One of our favorite projects was our watercolor sunsets. It was simple and easy to complete and looks great hanging in the classroom.

We also have been busy working on landform maps as we learn about the different landforms in Texas.

And our Texas poem has given us lots of opportunities to review concepts of print and it has given us a chance to sing our hearts out which at times we have needed during our testing and silent lunch week...YIKES!

We had a lot of fun working with some new centers from our friends 2 Crazy Texas Teachers. I was lucky enough to find this Texas Unit for my class. This has been a go to resource for me during our Texas unit. I love how easy these centers are to print and prepare for the classroom!

My kids love syllable sorting so this was a must for me to print and have ready to go while we were talking about Texas! I am excited to get the math centers ready from this unit by the 2 Crazy Texas Teachers Store! And if you stop by their blog you can grab a landform book freebie!

Rainbow Words Freebie

2013-03-03T17:52:00.002-06:00

Hey Kinder Friends,

I am linking up with Sharing Kindergarten for some fantastic kinder freebies. This Rainbow Roll and Write a Word is always a favorite and it is fun. This could be fun with some scented markers and colored die. My kids love it when I send this a a die home for homework. This freebie contains multiple pages of words so get your die and markers ready and have some fun with your kids! Just click on the picture above to get your freebie here and don't forget to stop by Sharing Kindergarten to grab more!