I Love behavior sheets where the students color in and keep track of their behavior for the day!!!  They are so handy for helping students to set goals for their own behavior, and then helps them to be accountable by adding a colored sticker or coloring in a paw.  Then they take it home to show their parents, letting them know what kind of day they had.  They are GREAT!

       

Class T-shirts 

     

     Check out our class t-shirts. This is something I started doing for the kindergartners about four years ago.  I would get with my teaching partner and we would ask the Art teacher to help the students learn to draw tigers.  Then he would pick out the best three or four from each class.  We would then get a panel of students, parents, teachers, and staff to vote.  The best tiger from each classroom went on the front of the shirt.  It would look like this when it was finished.  Every student would write his/her name and with the names going on the back. Then we would wear our t-shirts on special days, for field trips, or special occasions.  

     I almost did'nt do the t-shirts this year, to be honest.  I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and it just seemed like more EXTRA, if you know what I mean.  But then we had spirit week, in honor of homecoming.  It was the last day, it is also purple and gold, and show your school spirit day, and as I was working breakfast duty that morning, I looked around and many, and I do many, as in a lot of students were wearing their former Kindergarten t-shirts, many squeezing in to it, so it would still fit.  So that lead me to thinking about how cool that was, and then how this year's Kindergarten was such an amazing bunch, and I decided that we couldn't let them get by without creating a classroom t-shirt too.  But I did know that my heart couldn't take doing the same t-shirt again, so my teaching partner and I put our heads together and this is what we came up.  I had seen one similar on Pinterest.  Don't we love Pinterest!!!  Anyway, this year the kiddos did self-portraits, and with their names on the back, and I scanned them and sent them off to the Printers.  This was the result!!

     I was so glad that we did the project.  It turned out awesome!  

Hope you are enjoying what is left of your summer.  I go back in to get my room started in a week and a half.  Already, planning at home though.  That is what we teachersdo!!!! I know you know exactly what I mean.  Enjoy!

God Bless!!!

Summer School Fun

     June is the month when we think of summer school.  For my school that means the offer of free breakfast and lunch, field trips, lots of extra help in math and reading, and if you are a student going into Kindergarten or First Grade, it meant an opportunity to do the play, "Soup Opera," by Jim Gill.   We didn't have enough students to play the part of diners, so students made a cardboard self-portrait of themselves, dressing them in their clothes.  They turned out really cute, then I put a speech bubble on each table, the first side saying something someone might say when visiting a fine restaurant for example, " I've heard the onion soup, is really delicious!"  Then on the other side, the speech bubble says, " He can't eat his soup!"  The kiddos worked hard, and had a great time.  We are putting up an area with a paper background saying " Soup Opera". And "Staring" so parents can get a picture of their child in their costumes.  The costumes belong to the Kindergarten classes, and won't be going home.  Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!!!

     For Christmas this year, and every year, I got my students books.  They received a copy of, "No David!" a copy of " Sneezy the Snowman," and " Snowmen At Christmas,". I felt very blessed to be able to give  these.  I love giving books, of course, what teacher doesn't, right?  Being a teacher in a smaller community it is cool to be reading a book and have a student tell me they have that book at home and sometimes it is the same book I gave to one of their siblings when I had them in Kindergarten. I love knowing that the book gifts of the past are still giving and being used.  This year I also made solar North Pole lights, I called them Cozy Lights to go home with the books to make holiday reading time a little cozier.  The lights were something I found on Pinterest, and then adapted it to my classroom needs.  The kiddos liked them. Here is a picture.  God is good.  

 

    To celebrate the Christmas holiday we had a two week theme on Gingerbread stories.  The theme was common core based and involved a Comparison chart that we use to compare and contrast the different stories I use in the theme.  My classroom kiddos loved it!  Covered the hallway with brown paper to make a Candy House, to go with the theme.  
     Then we read the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and made these cute cookies.

         

        For our Christmas party I always do Goody Bags instead of a Present Exchange.  The reason for this is mostly expense.  With a Goody bag every student brings in one item for the bag.  The Goody bags for the hoys are the same and the Goody bags for the girls are the same.  Or that is the goal anyway.  With a present exchange even buying a small gift if you have more than one child in the family can add up pretty fast, the amount the family chooses to spend with the Goody Bag is optional.  This year the boys had blinking noses, candy canes, gloves, popcorn, a puzzle, a motorcycle that was small and plastic, an activity book, a yo-yo, candy, a Pez dispenser, a ring, a whistle, a pencil and eraser, etc.  The girls bags had a small purse, a coloring book, an activity book, bracelets, a ring, gloves, popcorn, candy canes, and more.  They made out like bandits!  So much fun.  Buying bags are expensive, so I got bags from a local grocery store and decorated them.  They are a little time consuming, but not too bad.  I like to number the boys bags and do a drawing for each numbered bag and then do the same with the girl bags, then we say go and everyone opens.  It is a lot of fun.  It helps to do this too if you have a student with an allergy because you can keep that bag can be kept    separate and know exactly what's in it.

Here is a bulletin board that was made by my teaching partner.  It makes me smile every time I walk by it.  I think it is really cute. Don't you?

Grandparents Day

Here are some pictures of Grandparents Day!  We got the idea for the owls from Pinteret.com, so I can't take the credit.  Didn't they turn out cute!!!!