100 days....and counting:) Plus a **FREEBIE**

Here is our 100th Day Door Hanger, which was inspired by a Pinterest Pin of mine:) I thought is was funny that the older kids at our school thought that this was neat!!  They LOVED it:)

Here is another activity that was made possible by a Pinterest Pin!!

I LOVE the creativity that my "Firsties" displayed:) 

Here is a sampling of our 100th Day SNACK Celebration......I had them count 5 groups of 20's and they were AMAZED to see that it equalled 100:)  LIGHT BULBS!!!!  They LOVED it:)

....AND....just to end this post, we took a Field Trip to Junie B. Jones, the Musical from Theatreworks USA last week and it was WOWIE, WOW, WOW!!!!  Here are some writing samples that my "Firsties"did before we left:)

I am sharing the coloring sheet that you can find HERE and my writing journal page HERE which was made possible with the graphic from Random House!!! Enjoy:)

Doin' the "TAG" Swag:).....

I'm super excited to be Doin' the "TAG" Swag.....thanks to Tammy over at First Grade at Klinger Cafe'!!

Now I get to post the rules, follow the guidelines and pass it on to 12 other lucky bloggers! So on with the FUN!

Rules:

1.      You must post the rules.

2. Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.

4. Tag 12 people and link them on your post.

5. Let them know you've tagged them! 

12 Fun Facts About Me:

1. I am one of four sisters:)

2. I love to cook.....it's a PASSION!!! 

3. My 3 favorite channels are Fox News, Food Network and Bravo!

4. I am a NIKON amateur photographer that loves to edit my pics as much as take them!

5. I love my 1st Grade Team!!!

6. I am OBSESSED with Chocolate and always have been:)

7. My favorite "girlie" place to go is NYC!!! Love it:)

8. This past summer on our cruise, the chef gave me a lesson on making Chocolate Melting Cake:) 

 So fun!!!

9. I am a mother of daughters:)  Two to be exact!

10. I'm a Foodie...for sure!

11. I text more that I talk on the phone!

12. I love teaching!!!

Klinger Cafe's Questions for me:

How long have you been teaching? 10 years

What was your first teaching job? My 1st teaching job was an Accelerated Reader position with Kindergarten.

What made you decide to become a teacher? I wanted to be a teacher since I was in the 1st grade!!! I LOVED my 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Palmer!!! She was my inspiration:)

Do you have a teaching “idol?” Yes, Cay McAninch...I student taught for her and she is/was INCREDIBLE!!!
What is your favorite thing to do in the summer? The freedom to do whatever I want to do:)

Do you get a spring break if so when? Yes, March 10th-8th:)

Do you have extra duties besides teaching that are non paid? Serving on a district planning team. I also am the GT Coordinator at our campus...but I do get a stipend for that.

Who is the “go to” person at your school? Without a doubt, our SECRETARY!!!

What is your greatest dream in the world of teaching? That EVERY DAY I can touch someone's heart and mind to continue in their journey to read and write!!! Writing success is HUGE to me:)

What snack gets you through “those days?” CHOCOLATE!!!!

What would you be doing if you didn’t teach? Probably either be an author, a chef or a photographer.  Those are my three passions besides teaching!!!

Would we be friends if we taught together, why or why not? Yes, for sure!!! I play nice with everyone:) That's just the way I roll!!!

Here are my 12 questions:

Were you excited to be tagged?

What are you doing right now while trying to write this post??? 

What subject do you feel like you ROCK at teaching and why???

What grades have you taught?

Who is the person that you go to for help when you need support at school?

Do you have a lot of after school meetings?

What do you do for reading interventions?

What is your favorite blog post? 

Do you like comments on your blog posts?

Are you a coffee person?

What is your favorite show to watch on television?

What great book have your read lately?

The 12 I am tagging!!!!

A Cupcake for the Teacher

Technology Rocks. Seriously.

Cupcakes and Candy Canes

Oh Boy 4th Grade

Step Into 2nd Grade

Today in 1st Grade

Beg Borrow Steal

A Special Kind of Class

The Polka Dot Patch

Swamp Frog 1st Graders

Dragonflies in 1st

Pencils, Glue & Tying Shoes

SO.....do the "TAG" Swag with me:)  You've been TAGGED!!!!!

What's NOT Wrong Thursday....

Okay....Just so you know, the original "What's Not Wrong" post from Mrs. Davis at Carried Away in Kindergarten was NOT "What's NOT Wrong Thursday"!  It is "What's NOT Wrong Wednesday", but she kindly stated that we could choose any day we felt needed a little positivity:)  Therefore, after a day like today....(insert major sighs and consecutive yawns)....I'm choosing Thursday to be my day!!! Link Up to Carried Away in Kindergarten...I can't wait to see which day will you choose????

So, link up whenever and take some time to focus on what's NOT wrong in your world!

Here's how it works... copy and paste this little button...

Think of five things that are NOT wrong in your world.  List them.  Share them.  Link up below! Lets share the love! :)

1. TECHNOLOGY....it can't be wrong!!! The kids love it, I love it, etc.  My Firsties and I have had so much fun this week using math games on Johnnie's Math Page!!! Try it out....it's fun:)
2. COFFEE....Coffee is NOT wrong on any day!!!!  It's what get's me going in the morning:)
3. FIRSTIES....are NOT wrong.....unless one moves away and makes you very sad!!!! (I always hope that their next teacher will love and appreciate them as much as I did!!!)  After all, we LEARN as much from them as they LEARN from us!!!! 
4. FIELD TRIPS....AHHHH.....tomorrow is TGIF and a Field Trip Day.....just an afternoon Field Trip, but going to see Junie B. Jones, The MUSICAL is going to be WOWIE, WOW, WOW.....AWESOME!!!! 
5. My Fellow FIRST Grade Teacher Friends/Bloggers...Boy, do I LOVE keeping up with my Teacher Friend Blogs!!!! Such a great resource, support and inspiration to me!!!

Be careful what you ask for......

Be careful what you ask for.....

You just may be surprised....

When two "Firsties" on the group time rug....

A scheme they had devised!!!

I asked for their attention,

"Quit playing on the back row!"...

"Don't you know it's Calendar Time???"

But the excitement they couldn't forego!!!

My teacher voice softly said,

While walking toward their space...

"Hand it over please...my 'Firsties"

Ugh....I should've known by the look on their FACE!!!

While thinking that I was taking 

a mere trinket from their grasp,

Suddenly, it moved....

"Is it real???" I GASPED!!"

"YES" the class exclaimed...

Much to my surprise!!!

Shocked was my reaction,

I chunked him to his demise...or so I thought!!!!

He scurried among the "Firsties"...

Fast as he could go!

He thought he had an exit plan...

but they didn't let him go!!!

He was safely put in his bug catcher cage...

While they observed his every move!

The "Firsties" gave him the name Fernis....

...and, I think that he approved!

Okay, so YES....this is a true story and this is how I started my morning this morning at school!!!! Gotta LOVE memories like this:)

Leave a comment and let me know about what "Firstie" stories you have to share!!

"A Day In The Life of a FIRSTIE Teacher"....

I decided to join Miss Klohn's Linky Party!!! It looks like GREAT fun!  

Here is how it works...
1. Right click and save the button above to put in your post. I
suggest also making the picture a link when you add it so others can
easily find the linky party. (I wish I knew how to write the HTML code
to make it a button)
2. Tell us about a typical day in your classroom. You can share as
little or as much as you would like.
3. Come back to my blog and link up.
4. Visit the other links to see what a day is like in their class!


A Day In My 1st Grade Shoes.....goes a little like this.....
4:30....alarm went off...hit snooze approximately 2 times, which gave me 18 GLORIOUS minutes longer of my long, holiday weekend:)  YES....I know that's early, but only 30 minutes early for me! I had all intentions of going early to school this morning to rearrange:)  <I do that QUITE often!!!> 
4:48ish....I made coffee, turned on FOX News Channel, let the dog out, let the dog back in, checked the weather, blog, Facebook and Pinterest.....
5:10....enjoyed some COFFEE....about 3 times:)
5:30......started working on my freshly washed, curly hair with my best buddy.....BabyblissPro!!!
5:50....put biscuits and bacon on for the fam:)  (Did I mention that my parents had spent the night with us....well, breakfast is not an option, it's mandatory!!!:) smiles:)
6:00...finished getting ready for school.....made lunches for my girls.....picked my Autistic daughter's clothes out....woke the girls up....woke my husband up....more coffee, and SHHHHHH.....I secretly watched half of the RHBH:)  
6:25.....FAMILY was up and in full force getting ready for our day!
7:20....kissed family "bye"  off to my Firsties......
7:45.....welcomed the Firsties into the classroom with a warm smile and soft voice....
8:00....served "Breakfast In the Classroom", checked folders, checked homework, took breakfast count, collected Field Trip T-shirt money...bathroom break
8:20...enjoyed a BKFLix book online with the smart board....
8:30...Calendar Wall.....GROWING NUMBER....DAY 90!!!! 10 days till the 100th day of school!  The Firsties are excited!!!!
8:45....Guided Reading Groups/Literacy Centers....managed 3 great groups and introduced 3 new centers:)
10:00....Junie B. Jones read aloud.....(SO EXCITED....going to see the musical in two weeks.....above mentioned Field Trip)
10:20.....WORD STUDY....introduced new WWWords and Spelling Chunks to Firsties with list and clapping, tapping, etc. Then we brainstormed spelling chunks -ock and -uck with magnets.
10:30.....Writer's Workshop.....LOVE it:)
Lunch at 11:15......worked during that break.....getting folders ready, etc.
11:45....Firsties came back from lunch and we practiced our words.......
12:30....another BKFlix book....they LOVE!!!
12:45....RECESS!!!!!! Yippee:)
1:15....skip counting....smart board style!
1:30.....Conference Period for me/Music for the Firsties
2:15....Math, Math and more Math....today we worked on before and after numbers!  Still amazed that this can present a problem at times!
3:00....smartboard math games....pack up and dismissal:)
WHEW......T.I.R.E.D., but ready to do it again tomorrow:)


What is a day in your classroom like?  Link up to share a "Day In Your Shoes"!!!

My "Perspective" on Currently ~ January!

Okay, so I happened upon this great Linky Party topic Currently ~ January on Holly's Blog, Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade!!  I loved reading about the OLW "One Little Word" that you choose for the year and how you should let it encompass your thoughts and ideas for the better! So I decided to Link Up!!! You should too....you can find the template here !! 

Here's my word:)...

..PERSPECTIVE..

I didn't choose PERSPECTIVE, it chose me!!! Perspective has come up A LOT in my conversations of recent, and I pondered what it meant to me personally way before I found this great "Currently ~ January" Linky Party!!! I knew immediately which word was right for me in 2012!   My "Perspective" is to look at other's "Perspectives" before I utter a word, form an opinion or offer advise!!!  I am positive that my PERSPECTIVE just might change on some things!!! 

Definition: Perspective- a French derivative-  the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see things objectivity.

Link up here....

Thanks Holly & Farley for inspiring me to accept my 2012 word!!!

Hip, Hip, Hooray.....It's Award's Day:)

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!! A BIG "Thank You" goes out to Traci at Dragonflies In First for the AWESOME Versatile Blogger Award!!!

She was kind enough to award my blog this treat!!!! 

{The Rules}

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.  Thanks a MILLION Traci at Dragonflies in First!!!! You're the best!!!

2. Tell 7 things about yourself.

Seven? wow.... 

• I LOVE to cook/bake!!! It's a passion...thanks to my grandmother!
• I LOVE LOVE to take photos....but better than that, I LOVE LOVE LOVE editing my photos!
• I absolutely could NOT live without my MacBookAir!!!
• I am an Apple junkie....and I do NOT mean the red, green or yellow kind:)
• I am a mother of daughters. 2 to be exact!  
• I am an Autistic mother and advocate!
• I am a Child of God! Obviously, the most important!!!

3. Pass this on to newly discovered blogs and let them know they received the award. Here are a few adorable sites that would love for you to pop by and follow them. :)

Here's a few....:)

First Grade Fever

1st Grade Connections

First Grade Jabber

First Grade Best

A Special Kind of Class

Pencils Glue & Tying Shoes

Today in First Grade

Thanks again Traci....and happy Blogging:)

Inspiring Crafts....SNOWMAN style:)

I have seen many cute paper snowflake snowman crafts out and about....SO....I decided to incorporate a little WHOLE group "Snowflake Snowman" making in Room 21!!! 

I had a couple of ground rules though!! You MUST with FIRST graders, otherwise-CHAOS ensues!!!!

1. Follow directions.
2. Make symmetrical folds:)  Getting a little math involved in the literacy activity! 
3. Make small cuts with careful hands and first grade scissors. (Incorporated a little SHAPE talk...triangles, circles, ovals, hearts, etc.  I also had them predict what they think would happen if they made a cut at the top of the snowflake craft. i.e. It makes the snowflake have a hole in the center. Some did this, others didn't.)
4. You MUST write your weekly Word Wall Words on the snowflake and any other words off of the Word Wall with a blue crayon. (After all, this is a Literacy Word Work activity:)

Here is our finished product!!! Great practice, great fun and the Firsties LOVED it!!!