Snow Days (X3), Christmas Units, A Freebie and Remembering

Yup. You read write. Tomorrow is Snow Day 3 for us!!! Here in Kentucky...we get some snow but we have LOTS of rural county roads (my whole school is county kids) and they just don't get cleared enough to make it safe for buses. They called school off for tomorrow about 2:00 today. :) The bug (my little one) and I are getting out tomorrow. I love a snow day...but whew!
So when we do return (not sure we will make it Wednesday either), we have big plans to get EVERYTHING done before Christmas break. EEK!!!! Here is my to do list:
1.Complete Rudolph shirts for all of the kiddos for our last day:

 

 

2. Finish Parent Gift from students:

 

 

 

3. Do this ADORABLE Christmas craft from pinterest that I did last year:

 







4. Write our letters to Santa and complete these little guys:

Oh wait! We also have to MAP test. (I guess that should have been #1...oops!)

If we return on Wednesday, we have 8 days to get it together. One thing I know we are doing in this Christmas unit:

This unit is packed with 9 Literacy Center/Games covering syllables, cvc words, sight words, abc order, letter/sound recognition, etc.
It also includes 6 Math centers covering numbers 1-20, positional words, ordering from least to greatest, and graphing.

These centers will carry me until Christmas.

I also have these small games in my store right now:

 

 

And a little freebie:

As much as we have to do in the madness of the Christmas season, one of the most important is remembering. I will never forget that day last year - the day of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. I was at school and another teaching assistant came and told me what just came up on her news feed. As fast as I could, without the students seeing, I looked it up on my computer. Shock, sadness, and an overwhelming sense of my responsibility hit me. Immediately I began thinking how these precious 5 and 6 year olds in my classroom were mine. I love them dearly and what on earth would I do if that were to happen at my small rural school. I would have protected them as the brave teachers did at Sandy Hook. Their parents are relying on me and trusting me with their child every day. I hugged my kiddos even tighter that day and my baby at home even more.

In memory of those who lost their lives that day, we as bloggers and teachers are committing to perform Random Acts of Kindness on December 14th. We can make a difference.

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School.  We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children.  We honor their memory with our service.  Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

Let's join together as a community of teachers, bloggers and FRIENDS to spread the word about this movement to honor Sandy Hook.  Let's not only commit to committing acts of kindness on December 14th, but let's commit to committing acts of kindness on December 15th and in the spring and the summer.  Let's commit do kindness for Sandy Hook.

Cyber Monday Sale

Yay! I'm so excited. It's the Cyber Monday sale on TPT!!!

I have my store marked down 20%....add the TPT code CYBER and you save up to 28%!!! Now is the perfect time to grab this perfect Christmas Gift for Parents:

Or my Christmas Math and Literacy Unit:

 

I'm not buying seasonal things right now, but I am stocking up on some great large bundles I've been holding out on! If you purchase my bundled RTI units (which are HUGE sellers individually), you will save almost 40%. (Bundled they are 20% off...add the TPT sale...you get the picture!)

Happy Shopping!!!!

Black Friday Deals

Be honest...who is a crazy and headed into that Black Friday mess? Go ahead...raise your hand. Well...not this chicka!!! I did do some Black Friday Thursday shopping from my home, on my couch, in my pjs!! I got everything I wanted from Black Friday Thursday deals sitting at home! :) Yay for me! Guess what I'll be doing today? Shopping from my computer again on TPT! Lots of my friends are throwing a quick 1 day Black Friday Sale with 20% off in our stores.

 

I'm diving deep into Christmas as soon as I return. We will be doing a Gingerbread theme next week!!! I'll be using this from Kindergarten Smiles:

 

 

and this from Kickin' It in Kindergarten:

 

 

I'm so excited to also be starting the students Christmas Gifts to their Parents. You can read more about that here:

 

 

We will also be doing my Christmas unit the following week. Grab it now while it is on sale!

 

 

Have a great day! Remember that Monday is the TPT sale and you can save an additional 8%...but if you are like me, you need things now so you can teach on Monday! :)

Turkey Time

Last year I shared this letter with you that I send home the day after Halloween. Well, I sent it home again and am loving our turkey display this year! Check out the cuteness!

I love how each one is completely different. Here are some of my favorites from my class. I love the ones that you can tell the kids did it all! (BTW...they are to put their last name on the feather.)

 

Look (sideways) at the family hands. CUTE!!! (I cannot get this puppy flipped. Have no idea.)

 

 

And Pom-Poms...how easy!

 

Now...I'm taking notes (from the other K classes too) because my little one will be in K next year. For real...check this one out! We might be duplicating next year!

 

Look how cute!!!

 

 One of my other favorite parts of my Thanksgiving unit is discussing with the students what they are thankful for. This year we did a writing from Apples and ABC's.

Love the family illustrations!

 

 

I LOVE this picture of his grandfofr.

 

(You gotta love this one...she's thankful for her teechr!)

I'll be back soon with what I am thankful for...I have a lot!!!

Kindergarten Conference and Oh My Goodness!

Well, I'm full of disappointments...I know. I didn't do my Peek this week. Come to think of it, I didn't email my lesson plans to my admin at my 7:30 deadline Monday morning either. But I swear, I have some GOOD excuses! I've been at a PD. Now, before you start rolling your eyes (because we all roll our eyes at the thought of PD), this was FABULOUS! I asked begged my principal to send me to the Tennessee Kindergarten Conference. Like on knees begged. It worked!!!!!
I spent Monday and Tuesday in Nashvegas for some AWESOME PD with these ladies:

 

Oh wait! Is that THE Deanna Jump and Kim Adsit. Yup. It is!!!!! Y'all. They do not disappoint. Deanna is the cutest little thing....like she's tiny! She has awesome ideas that I will be using in my classroom! And Kim...she's a riot! Funniest presenter ever. But wait, not only did I listen to them present....I met them!

 

 

Like...Hi. I'm Sarah from Kindergarten Korner and they say Hey! (And I get my picture with them). I was SO excited!

 

I also met Elizabeth from Kickin' It in Kindergarten.

 

She is sooo funny and adorable! She's good buddies with Kim and Deanna and had already heard some of their presentations at Vegas this summer, but listened again because they are that good!

 

Last, I met Mr. Greg. Don't act like you don't know who he is. I know the fact that he doesn't have glitter on is throwing you off, but it's Greg from Kindergarten Smorgasboard.

 

If you have the opportunity to attend one of the SDE Kindergarten Conferences and hear one/some of these people, I totally would! Now I MUST figure out how to get to the I Teach K conference in Vegas this summer!!!! I'm exhausted and have to prepare tomorrow.

 

Thanksgiving Unit is Doubled and A Freebie

Sorry for my lack of A Peek At My Week. I spent the MOST FABULOUS weekend with the girls in my family in Nashville this weekend. It was my birthday and we had so much fun. I love my little one, but this was my first trip (without husband) that I did not have her (and she is 4!). It was relaxing and wonderful! We didn't get back until late Sunday, so my peek didn't happen!

We are full on Thanksgiving now. I love teaching Thanksgiving. When we began this unit, we did a KWL on Thanksgiving. As we discussed what we knew thought we knew about Thanksgiving...I was cracking up! They are so funny. Not a single student mentioned Pilgrims or Native Americans. That is exciting to me because I have a lot to teach them!

As I was preparing for my literacy and math stations, I realized my Thanksgiving unit was not large enough for what I needed. I began literacy centers about this time last year, but this is my first year for math stations so I had nothing. I decided I needed to add more to my Thanksgiving unit and we are LOVING it!!!

 

This unit included 9 Literacy and 9 Math Stations!!!

 

Counting objects (1-10 or 11-20)

 

 How many more to 10? This is a concept we needed LOTS of practice in. I am happy to say....we are finally getting it! :)

 

Graphing - What's For Dinner? We are also getting a lot better at graphing!

 

 

CVC Match or Beginning Sound

 

Pocket Chart ABC order

 

I cannot believe how fast this month is going!!!

 

We will also be doing this Turkey Treat book (a freebie for you) that I created last year!

 

Inspiring (Non-Teaching) Blogs

The blogging world is nothing new to me. I began blogging for personal reasons back in 2006 when I was planning my wedding. It was so much fun and although my personal blog is private now (and I may or may not have posted on it in a year), I love having that record of my life since before my husband and I were married.
Since I have been blogging WAY before I found these awesome teacher blogs....I follow quite a few blogs that are non-teaching related so....I'm linking up to share them with you!

 

First up is a blog I have been reading FOREVER!!! Sweet Kelly from Kelly's Korner.

 

I will NEVER forget the day she had Harper (as I sat in bed 5 1/2 months pregnant myself) and I read the story of her birth and how both Kelly and Harper were not doing well. I bawled like a baby. Forever. I followed so closely has Harper struggled to hang on to life, but thank goodness came home after over a month in the hospital. Kelly is so sweet, southern, and such a wonderful example of a great Christian. Love her!

 

I also love Cara Carroll's Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour.

 

I am so.not.a.cook. Like I don't like it and I don't think I'm very good. About a year and 1/2 ago, I found Cara's blog. I have tried several of her recipes and not only are they easy, but SO good. I love that she has pictures (because I am a visual learner) and takes me through the process. If I can do it, you can too!!!

 

A more recent favorite of mine is Young House Love.

 

 

They are a young couple who purchase a home, live in it, as they flip it. The crazy thing is that as we were building our house, I was OBSESSED with lighting from Shades of Light. About 80% of the lights in our house came from there. I noticed the Young House Love collection, but didn't realize that it was this couple with a blog. I recently found there blog and was like "Oh wait! I love their lighting collection!" Anywho...they are in their 3rd house and I love reading their daily posts and watching their house transform.

 

Another blog I love it Tatertots and Jello.

 

 

This is a blog full of crafting and creating and decorating...all DIY. I LOVE crafting. I love it, just don't have the time like I want. If I did...I'd be ALL OVER everything they do.

 

Also, don't forget about the AWESOME Winterlicious bundle going on over at Educents. You don't wanna miss it. I promise!!!

 

 

 

 

Peek At My Week and Updated Unit

It's late, but I'm here with My Peek At the Week!

 

 

This week we are on to Thanksgiving! I LOVE teaching Thanksgiving. It is so much fun! Here are my Literacy and Math stations for the week.

As you can see, we are doing my It's Turkey Time unit. I created this unit last year, but since I have fully implemented math and literacy centers full time, I needed a few more activities, so...it is DOUBLED!!! Yup! And guess what?? It is ON SALE through tomorrow night! Grab it while it's hot! It included 9 Literacy Centers and 9 Math Centers!

 

 

I hope you have a wonderful (and much more relaxed) week than last week! :)