christmas gift!

I was lucky enough to find the perfect gift for my littles....

Personalized Travel Mugs

I found these at the Dollar Tree. I was lucky to find them in the store, so I didn't have to go through the ordering process!

Then, I made my kids some personalized mugs! I gave them a coloring sheet with their name and some cute pictures to color. Then, I went back later and added my own personal note and laminated the sheets to put inside the mugs.

I LOVE how they turned out! So, here is a little freebie for you...

Click the picture above and download the free *editable* PowerPoint slide. Just add your kiddos names and have them color! I used the KG Second Chances Solid, and made it so it was just an outline of the font. 

Update:

Had someone ask for specifics, so:

I had to change the font size a few times depending on the child's name. For most I used font size 150, but some I had to go all the way down to 80. The highest I went was 175. To make the font outlined, I formatted the font so the inside of the font was white and the outside was black line. I played with the boldness of the line too. 

I hope you can use this too and your kids will love it!

That's my quick freebie for you! Have a great week!

3 weeks until Christmas Break!!

The realization came to me today when I was looking at my plan book...

Next week I have this...

Then I need to fit in this....

Oh, remember last year when we had fun doing that??.....

Oh, yeah and remember how there are only 3 school weeks until break?!? It seems like once a number like that is put on it, there really isn't time to do anything!!

We are going to fit in a little something though... I mean we do have:

•  2 whole math standards to master
• to conquer the unknown out in space
• to learn about different cultures (which we will stragically place this Social Studies right into the Reading block!)
• Fun Christmas Activities!!!

Yes, in the words of Tim Gunn, we will "make it work"!

So, to get us off on the right track this week, we are starting off with a project that has partially been completed at home, and will be finished at school over the next 2 weeks. I try my hardest to make learning in our classroom about discovery, but sometimes we have to front load the little brains in our classroom to provide that background knowledge... which is crutial to understanding holidays and traditions from different cultures.

**You can get more information about the Cultural Traditions project by checking out my good friend's TPT store: Vandy Penguins. I was lucky enough to have her on my team!!

Here is our timeline:

 So, here is the *best* part of this project. We recently got some new, very large windows installed in our hallway! They are beautiful but right now when we look at them we think it looks like something is missing!

So, we have asked the artifacts that are brought in to represent the holiday selected be about 2 inches or smaller to fit in a clear ornament. Then, we will hang all the artifacts in the ornaments in front of the huge window.
*We were able to get an amazing deal on the ornaments from Oriental Trading! 

I am super excited to see how it turns out! So, technically, Phase 1 should be completed as of Monday, when the kids are suppose to return the initial graphic organizers.... I sure hope they do!!


Anyway, during reading we will soon begin our research on pebblego.com to learn about these holidays, but we will also do some "close" reading on different holidays too. I spent a lot of my day today looking for the perfect close reading passage that was (free).... but there wasn't much out there that was helping me out! I think I put about 10 in my cart, before I thought... I should have just been typing something up this whole time!

So, I did type something up. After reading this awesome guided reading book called "Celebrate Around the World" by Margaret C. Hall. I made a whole packet to keep us busy in reading for part of the week as we slowly begin our research.

There are about 4 pages with short passages with questions. Then at the end I put a Venn Diagram and a little Vocabulary chart to tie it all together. Please go download this freebie by clicking here or any of the photos above.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and didn't spend too much money because you know Cyber Monday is coming up!! Sale on TPT!!!

Courtesy of the 3AM Teacher :) Click above to make it to my shop for your spending pleasure!!

Secret's Out!

I didn't want to say anything...

I mean I know it is not really socially acceptable... but.... I've been listening to Christmas music for a week now! I have been keeping it under wraps, because I have been seeing tons of facebook posts that look like this:

I guess now it's okay though... ya know... Now that it's December! A new month brings a new currently. Link up with Farley here. 

So I started writing this earlier today and then got caught by the hubs.. and drug.... I mean literally drug away to do my least favorite holiday duty... tree trimming! 

I mean, I love spending time with my family, but I absolutely hate dislike (really really dislike) putting the tree up and decorating. I guess since I mostly have to do it by myself while the kids are messing around and the hubs watches... it becomes a chore. 

But, now it's over-- thank goodness! I don't, however, dislike decorating at school, but still haven't done that either! Oh well!

In other news, I am sure by now you have heard about the Cyber Monday (and Tuesday) sale TPT has going tomorrow! 

Click the pic to go straight to my TPT store!

You might be wondering what you could get.... and here are a few of my favorite things (just happens to be on the radio right now...hehe)

In the mood for math....

   

Do you teach with Treasures?

 

How about Journeys?

 








Of course there is LOTS more out there in my store and in the other fab sellers on TPT. I need to go get my wishlist ready!! :) Happy shopping... Only 20 days til Christmas break!!

You might be a bad blogger if...

You might be a bad blogger if...
you almost go a WHOLE month without posting! Especially when that month is December and you actually had some fun stuff to post about!

Like:
Our Merry "Cat"mas Week with Pete and Splat! We has lots of fun with this!

 

 

 

 

or this:

You might also be a bad blogger if...

you don't actually log on to your blogger account for weeks... yah, that's bad! I have just been so super busy with my kiddos (I mean my actual, biological kids!)

We went to ICE... without the hubs (who had to work!) That was a single-mom experience I NEVER want to have again! If you're a single mom, you know what I'm talking about!!!

 

Jaydon started back to basketball this month! I don't how it happens, his team seems to get the 8 a.m. games every Saturday!! grrr... I do love watching the games though!

He's the blond in the middle! 

He's got the ball!

Also, taking care of these cuties... Look at them before we went to see Santa! (Yes, that was one of those Saturdays where I shamelessly took my kids to work for a few hours before Santa!)

You might be a bad blogger if... 

if you didn't tell your friends about New Years sales! 

Woo.... glad I am missing this one... because I am telling you now! 

Check my newest January Math Tubs: 

and the beginning of Unit 4 Treasures:

I am hoping to actually do some work this week and get the rest of Unit 4 posted! 

Hope y'all have had a wonderful break! I am glad I get one more week with my babies :)