Apple Week!

Where does the time go?? I blinked and it's November! I went to blog this morning and realized there were several things from September that I didn't even post about it. I'm going to try to back track with some catch up posts. So, first up I wanted to pop in today to share with you some highlights from our apple week! :)

We started our unit with a good ole apple KWL chart. Our interactive read aloud for this week was Apples by Gail Gibbons. I love her books!

These Johnny Appleseed cuties are one of my favorite crafts every single year! They make me smile!
These cuties and much more can be found in my Bushels of Fun with Apples packet.

We did apple investigations on Friday! The fabulous Cara Carroll has an awesome little Apple Investigations packet that I love using every year.

We also had an apple feast on Friday! So many yummy apple treats to munch on. Which is your favorite??
We did an apple taste test and the votes are in... red was the favorite in room 4!

We labeled the parts of an apple. You can find this in my dear friend Tiffany Gannon's September Interactive Read Aloud pack.

Well friends... that was just a little peek at our apple week! Have yourself a happy, happy Saturday!

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Fire Safety Week!

We had our fire safety week a couple weeks ago. We learned about all fire safety and a firefighter's job and tools. 


Abby from the Inspired Apple's monthly anchor charts are my absolute favorite! They are so cute, tie in with your monthly themes, and are super easy and quick. You can find this one in October Anchor Charts and Posters.

I used these firefighters from my sweet friend Jenny at the Multicultural Classroom's Community Helper Research Project packet. Be sure to check her out! She has great products.

I've been using my sweet friend Tiffany from The Lemonade Stand's monthly interactive read aloud lessons this year for my core reading instruction. Her lessons are amazing! This little guy can be found in October.

We ended our week with a visit to our local volunteer fire dept. One of our firstie parents was so kind to give us a tour and tell us all about his job as a volunteer fire dept. 

Well friends, that's all I got for today... Don't forget to stop, drop, and roll! Happy Sunday!
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Classroom Reveal 2017-2018 {And a HUGE Giveaway!!}

Hi! I'm popping in today to share with you my 2017-2018 classroom. This is my tenth year in this little classroom, and I love it more and more each year. Last year I completely redid everything with a woodland/camping theme from Creative Teaching Press. I loved that theme so much that I decided I wanted to keep it, BUT I spiced it up with a few new things and some new decor from the Bold and Bright Collection from Creative Teaching Press! What I love about the Bold and Bright Collection is that it could easily be mixed and match with themes you already have to add a little extra touch. One thing I did was added a border from the Bold and Bright Collection to the borders I already had up form the Woodland Friends Collection. I thought it turned out super cute!
I'm so lucky and thankful to partner with my favorite teaching company, Creative Teaching Press again this year as a Brand Ambassador!! Creative Teaching Press is my go-to for all things classroom decor!! 


First up on the tour is my little reading corner. This is where my reading focus wall is, our classroom library, and our reading camper.

Camper is from IKEA
Focus Wall Headers are from Learning in Wonderland
Library Book Bins are from Target Dollar Spot
Stools are from IKEA
Library Book Bin labels are from Missing Tooth Grins
Student Groups-- I group them by colors.
Shelves from Wal-Mart
Chair Pockets by Seat Sack
Colored Caddies and Tubs from Target Dollar Spot

The shelves on the back wall are student cubbies and also where I store my teacher manuals, books, etc. On top you will find some of my collection of Kohls Cares animals and books.


Math Focus Wall
Strategies for Math Poster is from Really Good Stuff
Mini Shape Posters are from Cara Carroll

Writing Station
Mammut Table is from IKEA
Mammut Stools are from IKEA (my mom made the cute little cushions.. I love them!)
Woodland Friends Extra Large Library Pockets from Creative Teaching Press
Woodland Friends Toadstools Border from Creative Teaching Press
Writing Station Cards from Deedee Wills
Woodland Friends Peek-Overs Bulletin Board from Creative Teaching Press

Camper of the Week Display
Welcome Felt Banner from Target Dollar Spot
Woodland Friends Toadstools Cut-Outs from Creative Teaching Press
Woodland Friends Jumbo 10" Cut-Outs from Creative Teaching Press
Chevron Uppercase 2" Letters (on sign) from Creative Teaching Press

If you are interested in learning  more about the Camper of the Week you can find the pack here Camper of the Week Activity :)



Well friends I hope you have enjoyed the tour of my little home away from home! I would love to give ONE LUCKY WINNER the COMPLETE Bold & Bright Collection from Creative Teaching Press!!!!! HOW EXCITING!!!!


Enter to win using the Rafflecopter gadget below! Good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Giraffes Can't Dance

A few weeks ago we read the book Giraffes Can't Dance for our Interactive Read Aloud. We had so much fun reading this book. It's one of my favorites and has such a great message! Here is a little look at what we did during the week!

We made these adorable Gerald the Giraffe crafts that make me smile so much!
We wrote all about real giraffes after reading National Geographic Giraffes book.
We compared and contrasted Gerald the Giraffe to real giraffes.
We wrote about something that we can't do YET!
We discussed what real giraffes can/have/are.
This year I'm doing something different for reading... I'm using Tiffany Gannon from the Lemonade Stand's Interactive Read Aloud journal activities. If you are a first grade teacher you need her monthly interactive read aloud packs in your life! They are amazing and so is she!! :)

If you are interested in the other activities you seen in this post you can find them in my Giraffes Can't Dance Literacy Companion Pack in my little TpT Store

Happy Saturday friends!! Go out today and dance like no one is looking! :)

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Dot Day!

This week for our interactive read aloud, we read The Dot by Peter H Reynolds. This is such an wonderful book, with such an amazing message! We ended our week celebrating International Dot Day with some fun dot themed stations that we worked on after lunch. We listened to The Dot Song by Emily Arrow on repeat {by request} while doing our stations. The kids LOVE THAT SONG!!! And I must say....so do I!!!


Station 1: Bingo Dobbers... students created a dot scene using only bingo dobbers. 
Station 2: Water Color Dot Painting 
 I attach their water color paintings to a freebie frame I got HERE in this Dot Day handbook. I print the frame on gold paper. I save these and give them along with The Dot book to my students as an end of year gift with a little message inside reminding them to make their mark! :)
Station 3: Paper Plate Dot Painting

I displayed these in the hallway for everyone to enjoy their dot masterpieces!
We ended our day with some dot snacks. :)


International Dot day has become one of my favorite classroom traditions. And this book and is most definitely one of my all time favorites!

Well what are you waiting for friends?? Go make your mark!! :)
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Kwik Stix Math Ideas {And a Giveaway!}

Hi friends! I wanted to pop in today and share with you a couple of ways that I have used the amazing Kwik Stix in my class recently for math. 

The first couple of weeks of school we focused on counting to 10. We read the books Ten Apples on Top and when I was looking for ideas to go with this book I found a super cute freebie from Mrs. Thompson's Treasures. I thought it was the perfect activity to use our Kwik Stix with!


This week we have been working with different ways to make numbers. We used Kwik Stix for this super simple idea. Students picked a number and showed how to make that number using two different colors of Kwik Stix and then wrote the problem beside of it.


So what are Kwik Stix?? I've blogged about them before, but in case you missed those posts or haven't heard of them I will tell you a little bit about this super, amazing product that I was introduced to last year. 

Kwik Stix are solid tempera paint sticks that dry in 90 seconds. (FABULOUS!!) Kwik Stix look like a glue stick and work very similar.... simply uncap, twist, and get busy painting! No water and no brushes necessary! Kwik Stix make painting projects so much quicker, easier, and mess free. I love that I can incorporate more projects like this into my week because Kwik Stix take up very little time and no prep! All I do is get out the container and some paper and they are good to go.
Kwik Stix work great on regular paper, construction paper, card stock, poster board, cardboard, canvas, wood, and more. Kwik Stix are AP certified! This means they are non-toxic and perfectly safe for young children.
Kwik Stix are available for purchase on Amazon and come in 6, 12, and 24 packs of classic, assorted, neon, and metalix colors and also available in a thinner, longer version called Thin Stix.

Kwik Stix are now also available for purchase at BJ's Wholesale Clubs!

Kwik Stix are one of my absolute favorite classroom supplies and I would love to give one of my blog readers a FREE pack to use in your classroom! Enter using the rafflecopter below! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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