FREEBIE

Here is a little FREEBIE for your classroom if you need them. I am changing my room around and making new items and needed a color wall so made these to put up on my whiteboard. Hope someone can use them!!!

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3yPPqroXSP5dlVKeEtOQ3hhenM

Dramatic Play Cabinet

BEFORE

AFTER

I finally finished (well almost, still need to find some hooks for the top part)the dramatic play area dress-up cabinet. I L-O-V-E the way it turned out. The best part is it only cost me around $10 to make. I found the dresser on Craig's list for FREE, then tore it apart and used 2 of the drawers nailed together to make the top shelf which will house the hooks for all the hats and tiaras then nailed the bottom piece of one of the drawers to the drawer casing along the inside of the cabinet so the remaining drawer has a top. After that, I primed and painted, glued in wrapping paper to look like wallpaper. Mod podged the paper as well as the knobs. Then I added a white shower curtain rod and some cute little white hangers. I repaired my little table and chairs white too. I can't wait for school to start! Okay, maybe I can.. Sorry about the quality of the pictures. I use my iphone and ipad and for some reason they always turn out dark and grainy. :-(

WALMART FIND!!!!

I went to WalMart today just to return an item and look what I walked out with... I know, some of you will probably say, "Well that isn't anything special" but to me, glue sticks are like GOLD. I got 63 of those bad boys for $6.30! That is .10 a piece. I also scored 4 notebooks for .17 ea, 4 Elmers glue @ .50 each, and 6 boxes of crayons @ .50 each. That is $11.98 for ALL those goodies. I am just tickled pink! I noticed that Walmart was just starting to put out their school supplies and had good prices on most items. They had water color paints for .25 each but they didn't have any out or I would have jumped on those too! I know, it is pretty pathetic that I get so excited for school supplies. It is like black Friday to me... I seriously would stand in line for school supplies! :-)

Happy Shopping everyone!

Another New Adventure!

My life keeps changing all the time. I was informed that I would not be teaching Kinders this coming school year as I was asked to pilot a new program platform for our Pre-K special education kiddos. I am very thrilled and excited about this as my background/credential is in Early Childhood Special Education. I will be providing these little ones with early intervention and will most likely have most of them for 2 years. I will be doing a transitional PreK which means I will have these little munchkins for over 4 hours a day. Kind of a long day for 3-5 year olds but I on the other hand feel blessed that I will be able to teach them and mold their minds. I have some very incredible kiddos this year, and can't wait to start my new adventure. (Okay, I would be lying if I didn't say I am loving my time off, as I had a VERY rough year with a particular parent) but up to the challenge of finding new Blogs (PreK) and writing my own curriculum. Oh yes, you read that right! We do not have a PreK Special Ed Curraiculum so I will be piloting that too! I am trying to find a good solid base curriculum and possible funding for a pilot program. I would LOVE any advice from all my fellow bloggers! On top of that, I have been cleaning out my classroom, rearranging my classroom so It will be more conducive for my new students and making it "pretty" for me since I will be spending a LOT of hours in there this year. I have been sanding, painting and refurbishing old furniture for the classroom as well. I have a LONG way to go still but it is on its way. Here is a sneak peek at a few things I have done already.

LIFE CHANGES AND A NEW ADVENTURE!

I know, it has been a very long time since I have posted anything.  Not out of laziness that is for sure.  We have had 2 immediate family deaths (my mother-in-law and a future son-in-law), 1 very close friend death and 1 past student of mine death all in a matter of 6 weeks.  On top of that, our 3 year old labrador was rushed to the Vet, had to stay 4 days as he was entering renal failure and has been diagnosed with Addison's disease.  All this PLUS still be a teacher and take care of all my kiddos!  Anyone want to start a HAWAII VACATION fund for me?  I NEED to bury my head feet in the beautiful sand on Maui!!! (I go there often in my mind)!

During my spring break I had to take care of some personal items and get affairs in order for the "Celebration of Life" that we will be organizing for my mother-in-law.  During this time, I began designing the decorations, celebration invitation and celebration of life theme decor at the stern jovial request of my sister-in-law.  After showing everyone what I had come up with, and after a lot few oo's and ah's, something in my brain clicked.  I LOVE to design (as I have an interior design background) and I love to change my classroom A LOT!!  I have decided to start a new business with my son (graphic designer) and came up with "Classroom Couture"  Putting a little "BLING" in every classroom.  I am SO EXCITED for the little adventure and cannot wait to get up and running.  We are currently working on a special theme and hope to have it done by this weekend.

Here is my new website:

Please visit me and tell all your friends. I hope you will like what I have to offer! Until then, many blessings.

Dr. Seuss Part 2

Here is our Lorax bulletin board.  I drew the Lorax (don't laugh!) and added tissue paper to him to make him 3 dimensional.  I saw the truffula trees on Pinterest and just had to make them.  I loved how they turned out.  My students made Horton (another pinterest inspiration).  They turned out so darn cute!  The kids love standing in the Truffula tree forest.

I also drew the Cat in the Hat (again, NO LAUGHING) and we play pinned the hat on the cat.  My students are still working on name recognition so I used this opportunity for them to be able to "read" their names and the names of their friends.  They absolutely LOVED this.  We did it over and over and over!  Glad it is time for him to come down!

Valentines, Pinterest, 100th Day and Dr. Seuss

I am so behind on getting my postings done so I am going to condense it all in to one post so that way I can get caught up.  Ok, who am I fooling?  Caught up?  That is just a great way of saying I will soon be behind again but at least I got everything I have done since the last posting done!

I have found so many great ideas on blogs, pinterest and friends so I want to thank everyone for all those fantastic ideas and give credit where credit is due.  My students loved doing all these activities as do I and it is so nice to be able to have fun in class and still incorporate many state standards!  Loving it!

Here is what we have done in class so far!

                                                                       President's Day

                                              Our Valentine bags.  They turned out so adorable!

                                I HAD to make these when I saw them on Pinterest!  LOVED them....

 ANOTHER Pinterest inspiration.  I wanted mine to be white and red and I must admit, they turned out so cute!  So cute that I had to try different colors too!

 Our 100th day celebration.  We counted out snacks, made snack trail mix once we were done then made our own special hats and "cool shades".  FUN, FUN day!

                                   YUM.... Green EGGS and HAM and toast with Green butter...

 I can't believe how my students just gobbled these down.  They LOVED it and asked for 2nd's and 3rd's!  I must admit though, I could not eat the ham.  To me it just didn't look appetizing!

                                                      And finally, our "Cat in the Hat" snack.

Forgot to take a picture of my One Fish, Two Fish and The Lorax bulletin boards.  We are still adding to them so will have to post next week.  I am off tomorrow for a Professional Development Seminar so will have to wait until Monday to finish my Seuss week!  Hope you have having a fun week and can't wait to see what everyone posts!