Still waiting...

for my placement next year! I am sure 99.9% of you have gotten yours, where is mine?? My principal has decided to wait to tell me and I have already been out for summer for a week and a half! I am getting antsy over here! I honestly have no clue if she will leave me in first grade or send me somewhere else- it's making me a little anxious (but these pool days are helping me overcome that!).

So, since I can't really plan like I want to right now I can start reflecting on this past year, starting with my behavior management technique. If you look back here, you can see these behavior management sticks that I used this past year. Basically, the sticks had a happy side and sad side. If the student had to move their color then they moved a velcroed color from one side to the other. They kept the sticks in their desk.
To refresh your memory, here are some pictures:

Here are my thoughts:
Positives:

• The color they were on for the day was very private. It wasn't displayed for the whole world to see when they came in my classroom. 
• Students had an opporunity to move their color back if they got back on track (something I haven't done in the past). 
• I didn't have to make a whole display to take up room on a wall of cards or sticks to be moved. 
• They were cute :) and fun to make!

Negatives:

• I had a few stinkers that liked to play with them (because they were little people). 
• I had a few very unorganized students that lost them! (Only 2 (which I thought was awesome) out of 23!)
• I realized that I have a bad memory! Yes, without the visual reminder I had to depend on honesty until specials. We had specials at the end of the day, so the kids were suppose to leave their behavior stick on their desk while at specials so I could color in their behavior chart the appropriate color. Unfortunately, I would forget why they were on that color (sometimes). I didn't have THAT many behavior problems but you know there are those days where it seems everyone is getting in trouble! 
• If I decide to do this again next year, I need to make new ones.

So, I think I will be changing it up just a bit for next year. I need the visual display! After checking out many blogs and ideas I have decided to go with Erica Bohrer's management plan. Erica uses a warning board. This will be very helpful to my memory :)

Courtesy of Erica Bohrer

In addition to this board I always use a monthly calendar to display behavior for parents to sign nightly. I keep the calendars to help determine citizenship awards (based on behavior) for each 9 weeks. I have already created the calendars for the upcoming school year:

My school uses the three R's: Respect, Responsible, and Ready as main school rules, so I incorporated these into the calendar. I have created these calendars for every month and am happy to share. These are in pdf form and may not line up with your school's calendar. If you are interested, click here to download for free :)  UPDATE: If you want an editable version, click here.

Looking a little cloudy here in Nashville, so I guess I will take a break from the pool and do something domestic today!

Top 10 Pins this Year!

Who doesn't love pinterest?? I don't always have the time I want or need on pinterest but I have found some amazing ideas on pinterest and I am linking up with Rachel from Views from Room 205, sharing my top 10 pins this year (so-far)! If you like some of my pins come follow me!

ten:

Source: etsy.com via Leslie on Pinterest

I made this at Christmas time. Time consuming but so adorable :)

nine:

Source: theeducationcenter.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

My kids LOVED using this little creation this year. I am loving the paint chip ideas!

eight:

Source: acoupleofcraftaddicts.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

OMG... I love this one! I haven't done it... yet! This is a summer project sometime :)

seven:

Source: cornerhouseblog.com via Laura on Pinterest

This is a definite summer project- my soon to be three year old will be getting her big girl bed in the next month or two!

six:

Source: thesitsgirls.com via Laura on Pinterest

We did silhouettes during our president unit this year and it was A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E! I can't wait to make some of my own babies!

five:

Source: a2ndgradeadventure.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

This will definitly be making an appearance in my classroom next year!

four:

Source: ericabohrer.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

Am thinking I will be investing in Erica's polka-dot pack for next year! I had a different system last year for behavior management and I always forgot what "color" each kid was on... thank goodness for my assistant!

three:

Source: thelemonadestandteachers.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

I love this! Can't wait to do next year! 

two:

Source: katespade.com via Laura on Pinterest

If only I didn't live on a teacher's salary!!

and number one:

Source: lemonademakinmama.com via Lyndsay on Pinterest

and

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Jane on Pinterest

I couldn't choose between these 2! I want them both... and just might have them if I can get my other projects done this summer!

 I can't wait to see your top ten! Come link up here!

 

Summer Sight Words and some Fab Finds

 I did a little shopping yesterday... I didn't go too crazy (I still have time though-hehe). Here are some fab things I bought:

When I saw this I had to have it! I saw it on pinterest and was too lazy to make! Now my kiddos and I get to do this tomorrow and I am super duper excited!! Click here if you want it! 

I have been wanting to buy a guided reading packet for a while. I know Erica is amazing so I chose hers! It is awesome! I love the book bag idea and plan on incorporating next year!  Click here if you want it! 

I also purchased some cutesy graphics from Graphics from the Pond.. I couldn't resist these cupcakes and these cute birdies! Love them and can't wait to use them! 

I also found some more borders super super cheap here!

I might do some more shopping--- who can resist!?!

Anyway, I have a freebie for all you first grade teachers. Have you ever visited this site, The School Bell? There is an amazing dolch sight word book on here that I sent home for the summer with my firsties last year. 

My kids are a little bit smarter this year (I am not bragging or anything!) and have been using the dolch book ALL year so I made a new sight word book using a mixture of dolch and other sight words for my firsties to practice over the summer. I got the list here and just spruced it up a bit. I love these long books! 

This is the title page! Here are some photos of a printed copy:

Basically, you will print regularly and fold in half (with the writing on the outside), then staple on the non-folded edge. (after you put the lists in order of course!) I am still in such an appreciative mood that this is posted for FREE here! TPT is having an overload and not accepting any new uploads so for now this little book is available here... again... click here! ha! If you are a K teacher I really recommend that other School Bell site. That dolch book is awesome- it includes the words and common phrases they are used in. I think these books are a perfect send home for summer! UPDATE: I did upload the sight word book to TPT last night, so you can click here to download for free :) Don't forget to visit TPT... The awesome sale going on will last another few days- Check out my store for a 20% discount!  Have a great night!

Basically, you will print regularly and fold in half (with the writing on the outside), then staple on the non-folded edge. (after you put the lists in order of course!)

I am still in such an appreciative mood that this is posted for FREE here! TPT is having an overload and not accepting any new uploads so for now this little book is available here... again... click here! ha! If you are a K teacher I really recommend that other School Bell site. That dolch book is awesome- it includes the words and common phrases they are used in. I think these books are a perfect send home for summer!

UPDATE: I did upload the sight word book to TPT last night, so you can click here to download for free :)

Don't forget to visit TPT... The awesome sale going on will last another few days- Check out my store for a 20% discount! 

Have a great night! 

Teacher Appreciation Sale and one for free!!

It's finally here! Teacher Appreciation Week! I can't imagine what my job would be like if I hadn't discovered the bloggy world. I love seeing the new products everyone creates and the fun ideas we all have. I really appreciate you!! So, I am participating in the Teacher Appreciation Sale on TPT.

With this sale and the TPT discount code you could rack up for next year!! In addition, I am giving away my newest activity pack ALL DAY TODAY ONLY!! That's right a $5 value for you FREE today! 

You can finish up your year with these fun centers!  Click here to download! 

Have a great day!!!

TGIF (in 2 hours) and Currenlty!

Yay! Tomorrow is Friday! Happy for Friday.. stressed about what it brings. We have a spring carnival and concert tomorrow evening called "Spring Frolics". I am sure it will be a great time but the prep for it is overwhelming (when it seems there are more important things to do!) Luckily, my kids are having a a read-a-thon tomorrow so I will have a little bit of free time to get stuff together.
It's the last day of AR testing tomorrow so perfect timing for a read-a-thon... and the kids are super excited about this (it's our second one).

My pageant title is actually a real joke... if you ask my husband I forget everything!! I am actually worried about forgetting all my stuff for the carnival tomorrow. I know I should take my own advice with a post it note but at this point I can't remember what I need to remember! Maybe that's my cue to go to bed... So, TGIF to all my friends out there!

Take a load off...

...and that is just what I did today! I mean, after testing for 4 straight days, I think I deserve a little break. I dropped the kids off this morning then thought I would finish up my newest packet. So, I sit down to the computer and

what?! I think my dog chewed my macbook charger...grr! Not a fun start to a day off. Spending $80 on a new charger was not cool! So, I got the charger, I made it home, then I finished my newest and favoritest (I know thats not a word...) group of activities- and just in time for summer!

Click on here to visit my TPT store and download a preview to this activity pack. 

If you choose to download, here is what you get:

Literacy centers and comprehension activities:
**Parts of a sentence: subject/predicate!
**WHO AM I? dominoes: PRACTICING ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS!
**Syllable sorting!
**Mystery sentences!
**Nouns: proper or common? And person, place, or thing?
**Summer camp circle map!
**Favorite part postcards!

Math centers and activities:
**Math problem solving questions (bonus printable writing
assessment)
**Using a hundreds chart scoot

Bonus: Summer Camp Bus Glyph- template, examples, and printable to go with. 

I plan on using this to finish out the school year :) You can use it too... first 3 commenters get a copy for FREE! (Don't forget to leave your e-mail!) 

Have a great night, I am off to a T-Ball game!