Saturday, September 28, 2013

5 for Friday Catch-Up

Somehow I have gone almost an entire month without posting....how did that happen?

Are you busy busy like me trying to keep on top of things?  I look back over this month and there have been some good things happening that I would like to share and probably a couple I would like to forget.  Here are 5 pictures to show you a few of my happy memories of the month.

 My husband first surprised me by suggesting we buy a new car for me (okay...not new, but new to me).  My old refusing to die car was becoming unreliable even around town.  And then he ordered these new license plates which he put on just yesterday when he went to do all the registration stuff for me.  I LOVE that man!

Here we are on our get away weekend to Stanley Lake, Idaho.  It was a little smokey the day we went, but we had a great time and vowed to stay longer the next trip (we spent too much time in Twin Falls shopping for the above vehicle).

 I am loving my classroom this year.  And this is one reason why.....the view.  Can you see the trees?  My room looks out onto the outdoor ed area of my school.  I LOVE it!  Trees, weather rolling in from the west, bird feeders, quiet....I just love my view.  It makes me happy every day.

This year the apple blossoms froze, but we have tons of pears.  We went out and picked them last week (or we picked some of them).  

We looked at the skin, core, stem, and seeds.  Then we made pear sauce.  I was a little disappointed about not having any apples as we moved into Johnny Appleseed mode.  But my grocery store provided plenty.

We had a switch around day on Friday.  All the kindergarten classes do one activity and the classes switch every 30 minutes.  It is fun for us to get to know all the kiddos and fun and different for them too, as they get to be in each of our classrooms.  In my room we tasted apples, picked a favorite, and graphed them by painting the apples.  I did the same activity last year (you can read about it here), but this year I had 5 of my moms come and help me and they were awesome!!  I cannot thank them enough.  I got so caught up in the day I kept forgetting to take pictures.  Here is a couple of the finished graphs.


Thanks to Deanna Jump and Fran Kramer for all their apple fun (we will be continuing next week).

In honor of apple week, fall, and the fact that I am having so much fun making new missing addend themed recording sheets.....here's my latest apple one.  Just for you!

Here's to a great week!  I am so excited to be linking up with Doodle Bugs again!!  Happy September...almost gone, bring on fall.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Peek into my room

Remember my before pictures?

Well I am finally ready to show off my after pictures.  It is still a work in progress, partly by choice (I like to leave room to put up things as we make them) and partly because I just couldn't get it all done.  This however is a big deal...for a hoarder like me to show you an all over view like this.  I will confess to being pretty proud of the progress I have made.
This is the view from my library.
This is the view from my front door.
This is what I see when I sit at my desk...
and when I stand by my sink.

I love my library.  Students return to see if I still have my couch.  The books are organized by author and by genre.  I do need labels (it is on my to do list).  The ones I want to use are not kinder friendly....so it is off to find or make labels small enough with pictures.
You can see my signed prints (one from Steven Kellogg and one from Vera Williams).  The one from Lindsay Barrett George broke, so it is waiting a new frame.

My Couch

You can see my Dr. Seuss shelf (with Fox in Socks), Poetry and songs are underneath.  On the right books are sorted by author.  I trade them out as needed....I have too  many authors I want to highlight.  My mom's books are one the shelf above my white IKEA book boxes that are just waiting nametags for Reading Workshop.
One of my mom's books (Patricia Thomas)

Here is my word wall...the songs are from Hadar Maor.  I keep them right on the wall, so I won't forget to sing them.
This is my small group table.  The shelves behind are the next to get cleaned out (before I start up my groups).  Red boxes have my chapter books (I did pack away all except the ones I hope some of my Kinders will be able to read), Yellow boxes are non-fiction.  Non-fiction probably needs the most work.  My library inspiration came from Mrs. Newingham.  You can find her website here:
Under my table is a browsing box (from an old Saxon Math tote), it moves so easily whenever we are ready to browse for books.  The bucket seats are from Home Depot and Cabela's (Two years ago all we had to sit on were the buckets...Home Depot donated them when our chairs didn't make it in time)
We say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning during calendar time and I keep the flag here in my milk can.  It is a favorite job of our special, mystery helper of the day.

Lots of organizing still to go....but now that the big push for the first day...my room must be perfect...push is over I can focus on continuing what I started.  Files, Labels, making it all work, kids, lesson plans....does it ever end?  Next is to get my Peek at my Week ready for someone (besides me) to look at.