New Digs After Pics

I feel like I've been planning, cutting, copying, coloring, printing, laminating, sorting, stacking, logging-in, logging-out, checking, smiling, laughing, crying, and learning for 20 hours a day 12 days a week since this journey began around the 2nd week in July! I absolutely LOVE every minute and wouldn't trade it for anything...except maybe sleep occasionally.  But my little ones are sweet, smart, and creative and I couldn't possibly ask for anything more! I just wanted to give an update on my classroom since my first or second entry was a meet-the-classroom blog. So....drum roll please....TADA:

The bright and black stripes made me crazy so I covered them up as much as possible.

Here's what I came up with for the in-class bathroom:

Bathroom Procedures Visual Guide

There was an Old Lady Who...

Do you love that crazy old lady like I do?  You know the one--she's going gray, really hungry, and probably a little bit senile--but that doesn't make her any less lovable!  "There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" is a classic tale that has always been a favorite of mine.  I began my old lady book collection with Simms Taback's brilliantly illustrated version.  Along the years I've collected quite a few of Lucille Colandro's books including "There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed...  ...some books, ...some leaves, ...a bat, ...a clover, and ...an egg".  These stories are great for reinforcing lots of skills including repetition, rhyme, sequencing, and retelling...not to mention the kids absolutely LOVE them!  This year I decided to create a new "old lady" for my classroom.  I had an idea in mind so I googled it. (Find my google images search results here.) I took some mental notes and headed shopping.  
These were my materials: 

With the help of my reliable hot glue gun, the birth of my little old lady was ready to begin.

1. I began by hot gluing the decorative felt to my mini garbage can (this would become her dress). 

2. Next I cut and glued a lace trim, collar, and buttons for her dress.

3.  I then tied and glued yarn for hair, eyes, as well as a tiny hat to match her dress.  The hat was a last minute idea I created from the lace trim's plastic container.

4.  Here is the finished product.  I still may add more to her mouth (any ideas on materials to use for lips and teeth are appreciated).  I also added a tongue and uvula on the back of the mouth for extra fun.

 

So that's it!  My new old lady is ready for hours of gobbling and storytelling.  I also found some more great  lesson and activity ideas to use with these stories.  I've included descriptions with the links below.

Here is a great idea using an old lady pattern and ziploc bags from Mrs. Vento's Blog (just scroll past the TLC farm activities).

One of my favorites is this small group and bulletin board idea from Doodle Bugs Teaching .

I love these Old Lady Printables! They can be used for individual student activities or as patterns for making your own old lady kits using felt, cardstock, magnets, etc.

The Big Idea's for Little People Blog posted about a student-made puppet storytelling set.  Students use a paper bag and popsicle sticks to make story puppets.

The author of I am Momma, Hear Me Roar's Blog posted about a fun fabric storytelling kit.

I hope these are helpful for you and I'd love for you to share your favorite "There was an Old Lady..." ideas and activities in the comments section! Thanks!

Orientation and Donors Choose

Today is the third day of New Teacher Orientation for my new district.  I have been listening, learning, and absorbing all kinds of new knowledge.  While I've been trying to focus on all of the information, my brain has occasionally slipped off to my classroom and lesson plans for next year (which is only 3 & 1/2 weeks away!).  I have a notebook partially full of doodles, notes, and ideas on everything ranging from literacy and math stations to room arrangement and supply needs...and new teacher orientation information, of course!  While coming up with ideas for my kindergartners  I thought of a need we have in our classroom and a fantastic resource that has helped meet my students' needs before.  I LOVE DONORS CHOOSE! 

Have you heard of it?!  If you are a teacher, it will become one of your favorite resources for helping your classroom.  I created a Donors Choose profile a few years ago and have decided to post a new project for my kindergarten kid-o's!  If you are interested in helping out our classroom, know someone who might be, or are just curious about why I'm so excited, click my project link here: Ms. Scrivner's Donors Choose Project .  For the next 6 days (until July 30) the donors choose team will match every donation given to our project $1 for $1--that's a double donation!!!  Just enter the word INSPIRE at checkout to have your donation doubled.  Thank you for your help.  Please spread the word and I'll do the same for you when you try it! 

Summer Yard Sale Excitement

Does anyone else get excited for summer yard and garage sales?  I have been up before 8:00 am for two Saturdays in a row looking for the best bargains.  My idea of a bargain???----classroom supplies, of course!  I've been looking for summer deals and freebies to stock up my new kindergarten classroom and digging through other people's "junk" to find creative and decorative treasures is just the thrill I need on an early Saturday. ;)  Here is a picture my collection from the past two Saturdays:

Here's the list of goods:

4' x 6' City Roads Carpet 

2   Boggle Jr Games

1   Candy Land Board Game

71 Piece Leg Set

6   Unit Themed Hats

1   Storytelling Felt Board, Glove, and Characters with Book

1   Glittery Hand Pointer

1   Humane Insect Observations Bug Vac

1   Table top dry erase, chalk, and magnetic board easel

12 Piece Grilling Toys

10 Number Magnets

20 Animal Magnets

2   Chapter Books

10 Picture Books

4  Book Box Set of The Ramona Collection  

ALL items were less than $5 a piece except for the Lego's splurge of $12 (the same set is on Amazon for $45!!!)...Coming to a grand total of....bargain hunter drum roll please....$35.00! Amazing, right?!  Well, I was excited at least.  In order to celebrate my success, I'm having my own yard sale next weekend.  It's actually a moving sale and not teaching related at all, but I thought I would mention it anyway.  In case this gives you the itch to get out there and dig for bargains, here is a link with some tips on finding the best deals around: Thrifting, Yard, and Garage Sale-ing Tips by ThriftyFun.  Happy hunting!

Pizza Party Smarties

I am lucky enough to have the summer opportunity of being a nanny/tutor for two little girls ages 4 and 6.  They are super smart and my job is to prepare them for preK and 1st grade while making sure they have an entertaining summer break.  We do lessons that are fun and creative while incorporating reading, writing, and math in a low intensity environment.  Call me crazy, but the extra income and experience has actually been great!  We have different themes that we are covering throughout the summer including cooking, plants, animals, and Spanish fluency vocab.(colors, numbers, food, and farm animals).  I wanted to share the pizza/cooking activity we did last week because it turned out super cute! 

These girls love music.  (They are both learning the ukulele and piano.)  We have a music time everyday.  This week I started the day with this song about pizza (click the link to hear) You Tube "I am a Pizza" Song , and built a lesson from there.  

We discussed cheese, vegetables, and other pizza toppings that we all love and acted out making a pizza with hand and arm movements.  Next it was time to build our pizza with construction paper materials.  I had a variety of paper toppings including mushrooms, cheese, pepperoni, and peppers.  They rolled, folded, and glued the crust into place and then chose the ingredients they wanted for their own pizza.

Next, we added a writing and drawing element to our lesson.  We did a guided drawing of their pizzas (I only guided the shape of the toppings).  They were to draw the pizza they created and then write a sentence about it.  [Remember they are sisters so of course there is a little competition among them, as you can see from the sentence choice below, lol.]

The last thing we did on our pizza/cooking adventure was a sequencing activity to plan our recipe. We brainstormed and listed everything we would need for the recipe.  Then we wrote the steps in order and included which materials we would need for each step. Lastly we mixed, rolled, spread, sprinkled, and placed each ingredient to make and bake a deliciously messy, handmade, kid-created pizza! 

I am lucky to have a little more freedom when planning activities this summer, but I'm sure this could be extended and modified to be classroom friendly using playdoh and/or other supplies.  This same idea could also be used with cupcakes, sundaes, or some type of healthy meal. 

     

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New Name, New Adventures

Hi all!  I'm getting ready to be in my new classroom with my new last name!  For those of you that don't know, I got married May 4, 2013:

{Photo Courtesy of  April Stanley Photography}

That means this year I'll have a new school, new classroom, new grade level, and new teaching title.  To celebrate my new title, I just finished my first classroom decoration with my married name on it:

I also just bought the "Back To School Lessons and Activities Mega Pack - Cruisin Into Kindergarten" by Kindergarten Squared on TeachersPayTeachers.  It is only $10.00 right now and has so many cute templates, activities, and materials that I can't wait to introduce to my little Kindergarten lovelies!  I'm especially excited to include the "All About Me Bags" into my first weeks of school fun.   TeachersPayTeachers is easily one of the greatest new tools for teachers...but be careful, it's quite addictive! 

Check the Mega Pack out for yourself:

Back to School pack by Kindergarten Squared: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-To-School-Lessons-and-Activities-Mega-Pack-Cruisin-Into-Kindergarten-274355

The New Digs

Yesterday was the first day I was able to look at my new classroom.  I've taught in this classroom before, but yesterday it was officially mine.  I have already sketched out a layout and started brainstorming furniture, center, and supply arrangements!  Here are the views all around the room.  I am lucky to be receiving all of the books and supplies that are left on the shelves.  The in-classroom bathroom will also be a new experience for me so any tips or rules that have worked for you are welcomed and greatly appreciated!  

Here is the view from my doorway:  

Back Wall (tons of storage):

Front Wall with TV and White Board:

Left or West Wall (bathroom on the right):

Our Hallway Hangers and Door (my last classroom had neither

a door nor hall hangers so I'm super excited about these

seemingly simple things!): 

I'll be posting my progress as the summer continues.  Stay tuned for the classroom metamorphosis amazement!