Stories from the Cornfield

I do not want to see another scarecrow for awhile, but these are too cute not to share.  This is the art/writing project my class completed this week.  We had a blast and have received many kind complements on our friends.  I took a picture of each student on a bench outside.  Parents will receive an email with their child's photo.  Now, off to that task!  Students wrote a scarecrow narrative.  They had fun writing as if they were them!

We used a paper plate (with tempera painted face) and brown trash bags for the body.  I had them color their clothes, then we wrinkled them to add a wind blown affect.

Quite Frankly...

We have been having a lot of fun this month.  A few things that have added to the excitement are in tis Frightfully Fun Fall Activity Pack. A couple of activities include:
1. art projects
2. number collection spiders
3. fact family spiders

Check out the preview to see more activities included!

Oh Johnny! My New Apple Unit

My computer is working really hard right now converting my Johnny Apple Seed Themed Unit to a pdf! I have an amazing 56 page document heading to my TPT store as soon as it is finished uploading! I can't wait to share this with my grade level teammate. I think I'm going to let her choose which activities we will do this year since I like them all, wink!

So, what did you do this weekend? For me it was cleaning house, church, volleyball tournament (My 8th grade team took 2nd!!!), cooking chili with my little man and creating my new unit! Where do these weekends go?  I can't wait to print tomorrow!!!  If you are looking for a Johnny Appleseed product different from everyone else' look here!

Update:
Okay, had to include this...a picture of my little man wearing my props and dressed as Johnny Appleseed for Halloween!  He came home from kindergarten with Johnny's biography when we came up with the idea! 

Student Driver Addition?!?! Super Hero Subtraction?!?!?

I have two new products hot off the computer in my TPT store! They are games to get your kiddos ready to practice addition and subtraction facts. Every student in my class today rated this new game a "5!" I am so excited that they love to play the game. You'll need to get Avery labels, popsicle sticks and plastic cups. But, you'll be glad you did. Head over to my TPT store now to grab the newest games!!! A multiplication and division set are coming soon!

Round 2

I saw all of the cute creations friends were making on Second Grade Teachers Club, and I ended up with a new Vista Print promo code. This is my last trip to their website for back to school!

A sign for the 2nd grade hallway. I think this will go between the classroom doors. Our theme this year is space.

This will be hung from the ceiling in my reading area (minus the ground stakes).

These labels will go on student folders and notebooks. I am going to print their name on them.

This is a car magnet, but I am going to use it to do graphing with sticky notes, tally marks on the dry erase board.

I am going to attach a school calendar and lunch menu to the top right and bottom left corner.

These are notices for parents. I will use them to share their child's AR goals, Independent Reading Levels, etc.

Okay, Smartie Pants!

If you look below, there is a banner I made for Smartie pants. I am going to hang it above these pants. Kids will be able to exchange a coupon for a piece of candy in the pants. If I see kids ready to go, working quietly during quiet work time, standing quiet in line, getting a compliment from another teacher, etc...they will be able to reach in!

Till Death Do We Part...

My file folder games now have a home and are organized! Now, when I need math centers for any math skill I can pull out the drawer and have my centers ready to go! No more digging and knowing that I have something somewhere. The labels are on TPT if you want them. I have the same type of storage containers for my reading games/concepts as well. Thanks to Rusty Eck Ford Adopt a School Program, I received $100 to make this and other projects possible.

Raining Books

Who knew you could create a book display by using a rain gutter? I googled book display and a picture and instructions of a rain gutter book shelf came up. The whole project cost only $10. The gutter is made of white plastic. The only other things you need are some end caps (2 left and 2 right) and some brackets to mount. The guy at Lowes was even nice enough to cut the 10 foot gutter in half for me! Come to find out, he used to date my mom when she was in high school. Weird, I know! Anyhow, now I can display all of my space books and switch out themes!

She's a Freak!

I was in the Dollar Section at Target last week when I came across some really cute notecard holders. I didn't know what I would do with them, so I had to think of something quick so that I could keep the cute little things. Well, one thing led to another and now I've created a set of 24 word sorts. The word sorts I created are for sale on Teachers Pay Teachers. I plan to use these for reading centers, team work and tier. The document I created is 97 pages long! I've spent several nights thinking of words!

Sort idea one... I know I'm not the best photographer!

Sort idea two...

I will take a picture of a sort inside my large pocket chart
when I go back to school. Below are the file holders and storage boxes I got when I was at Target to keep everything. You could use a shoe box or whatever you have. Labels for the holders are included in the purchase. I will stick an original of the document in a 3 ring binder for keeps.

VistaPrint Freebies!

             Last year was the first time I had ever heard of the company VistaPrint.  I stocked up on business cards (changed into incentive cards), notepads, personalized pens, and a banner last year.  This year, I created some more incentive cards and made a morning procedures poster.  You can see the other things that I created for free below!  I like using the company because I can change my theme and the cost is minimal.  I'm still using some of the free products I received last year.  You factor in their shipping costs so it's not 100% free, but watch out for their specials and buy then. Google "Vista Print free items" and stock up. You can only get 1 set of each of the free items, but you can get around that by placing multiple orders if you really wanted to.  I restrained myself!  But, I did want to make a poster and some cards to go with my new "Smartie pants" that I am sewing.

This goes on my magnet white board.  Students write their
name below, so I can see how many need to take AR tests.

This is a yard sign, but I threw the wire away
and display it when the desk fairy arrives. 
She usually leaves a sweet treat for neat desks...
and I somehow always know when she is coming.

These are going to go in the back to school goodie bags I made. 
They are fridge magnets to display student work at home. 
I like how they have my SpAcE theme clipart I purchased!

I always have a few students who come in
totally unprepared in the morning. 
Last year I had crosswalk duty every once in awhile,
so my partner teacher would step in for
 a couple of minutes.  This is a nice visual for students to check.

This is one of those freebie items I just couldn't pass up. 
 I love my nieces and son!

I was almost out of notepad paper. 
Plus, I wanted to promote this blog!

I will add pictures of my "Smartie pants"
when this Vista Print order arrives. 
I can easily hand students one of these cards
when they are doing great and they can trade
it in for some candy! I like to catch kids doing the right thing. 
The idea came to me when I was "stuck" in the
Target $1 section with Smarties on sale for a dollar!

I hope this poster looks good when it comes! 
It will hang above the pants with candy inside.

I think we all could use sticky notes! 
I wish I could order 10 different sets in one purchase.

I am going to put this on my lanyard.  It also has my whistle. 
One of those freebies that I had to check out.

                                              The possibilities are endless.