Prepping Alphabet Fun!

I’ve been super busy in my classroom all week trying to get everything ready for my *24* kiddos coming next week! This may seem like a normal (or even small) number for many of you, but for me – it’s HUGE.  As, I’ve been getting ready, I’ve been pulling games and activities out of storage to get ready for these little sweeties!

Here are some of the things I’m getting ready: 

1. Letter Muncher

This lovely lady is my alphabet muncher.  I made her a few years ago.  She’s seen better days.  I found these little mini trash cans at the Target dollar spot.  I added some hair, googly eyes and some stickers.  (PS – Don’t use doll hair – it’s really hard to manage!). 

Here’s how I play this game:

Pass out letter cards or magnetic letters to the kiddos.  Let Mrs. Muncher “whisper in your ear” (be VERY dramatic) the letter/sound she is hungry for.  The child with that letter gets to feed Mrs. Muncher and you and the class get to make all sorts of dramatic noises (specifically the name of the letter and the sound).  Super fun, and easy to have on hand.  There are all sorts of different letter munchers out their on the WWW, just Google it and you’ll find lots of ideas!

2. Pocket Chart games

This pocket chart game is a phonemic awareness activity that you can find in my Backpack Boogie pack.  It simply involves listening for the target letter that is on the wheel and deciding if it comes at the beginning or end of the word.

Find the hidden…..these games are my favorite time filler! We LOVE them.  We practice all sorts of skills with this game.  This friendly blue cat game and more like it can be found {here}.

3. Dramatic Play – I LOVE my dramatic play center.  The children do to!  They play there all year long. But, I do understand the pressure of academics too.  I’ve made some fun little activities to put into my dramatic play centers.  I always start the year off with the kitchen!

4.  Literacy Center games

Since I have such an increase in kiddos this year, I’m having to re-work the way I do literacy centers.  I usually do 5 groups of 4 kids, but this year, the children will be working in partners.  So, I’m getting games ready for them to play the first few weeks.  Alphabump is a fun game that I created this summer.  I can’t wait for the kiddos to play it!  You can find it {here}.

5. I Have Who Has games.  I LOVE these games! We play them all year long!  There are great because I can change out the skills and the kids still know the rules! I love having these handy for a sub!  We’ll start out the year with this letter I Have Who Has game.  This game is also in my Backpack Boogie pack!

What activities are you preparing for your little sweeties the first few weeks of school?

Teacher Week ‘13–Sneak Peek in my Room!

Nope, you don’t get a full tour yet! My room won’t be ready until the minutes before open house!!  We officially start next Wednesday, and I do feel like I am (dare I say)…ahead of the game.  Now, I might feel differently if you ask me next week!

So, for now, I’m giving you a few sneak peeks until my room is completely finished!  The pics are pretty simple, but it will give you a tiny glimpse!

At this point, I don’t even have all of my tables in my room yet, and the finishing touches are definitely not done!

 

I’ll post more pictures next week when it’s all done!!

Be sure to check back at Blog Hoppin’ for more pictures of fantastic rooms!

Teacher Week ‘13–10 Things about Me!

I can’t believe that it’s already time for Teacher Week.  That means if you haven’t started school yet, you will be starting soon! I don’t want my summer to end!
So, this week will look a little like this:

Every day, there will be a new linky on Blog Hoppin’ and you can follow along or join in!
Today, is all about me Monday!

So, here goes, 10 things you may or may not know about me!
1.  I am married to my high school sweetheart.  He came to the US from Norway as a high school exchange student.  We’ve been married for 14 years and together for eighteen.  Time flies when you’re having fun!

2. I speak fluent Norwegian.  I have a bachelor’s degree in Norwegian, and studied in Norway for a semester!  It was one of the best times in my life!

We usually travel to Norway once a year to visit my husband’s family.  This photo was taken during our Christmas trip last year.
3. I’m left handed – which means I always have marker smudges on my hand at the end of the day.

4. I don’t like to cook.  Well, maybe that’s not entirely true.  I don’t mind cooking.  I just don’t like cleaning up the dishes.  I do enjoy baking, but I don’t do it very often because I like to eat what I make! 
5. I love to travel.  Especially in Europe.  I have flown to Europe probably 20 times.  I’ve travelled through most of northern Europe.  I’ve been to London 3 times, and can’t wait to go again!  I LOVE it there!

6.  Speaking of London, when I studied in Norway, we went there for an end of semester trip, and I got my nose pierced.  I was 20 and having a blast! It didn’t last long though, I took it out when I got married that summer. (I was a young bride – 21!)
7. I love to knit and crochet.  I would be so happy just sitting on my bum watching reality tv knitting and crocheting all day long.  I have a pin board of all the things I want to make!  My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was a little girl, and I have wonderful memories of sitting next to her making granny squares.  I still cuddle with the afghan she made me when I graduated from high school.  It’s one of my favorite things.  My grandma passed away almost 2 years ago, and I miss her dearly.

8.  I am the youngest of three.  I have 2 older brothers. My *big* brother is 13 years older than me!

9.  I am a homebody.  I love being at home.  Just hanging out.  Doing nothing.  I’ve never been a social butterfly. I’m very quiet when you first meet me.  I’m cautious to open up to people until I really get to know them.
10.  I started this blog as a project for my master’s degree.  I was going to blog about how I teach reading and writing for a year.  My advisor didn’t approve the project, but since I had already developed a large number of readers, I kept at it.  This little blog has been around for 3 years now!  Thanks for sticking with me all these years!!
Now, hop on over to Blog Hoppin’ and meet some other teachers!

Stop back tomorrow and I’ll give you a sneak peek of my room.  I don’t start for another week, and I’m not quite done yet, but I think I can scrounge up a few pictures!

Alphabet Chants!

One of my most popular blog posts has been my post about sight words and sight word chants.  You can find that post {here}.

I found some chants on the web, retyped them and added them to popsicle sticks.  I choose from the sight word chants throughout the day, and the kids LOVE them.

I knew I needed something for the alphabet, so I started hunting for alphabet chants.  I found some on one of my very favorite {old} websites….Little Giraffes!  If you have never been to this website before, you must check it out – there are tons of great resources there.

So, here’s what I did…

I used her sight word chants, typed them up, and added a corresponding picture to each one.  I did change a few of them as I went, but many of them are the same.

I didn’t put them on popsicle sticks this time though.  I simply printed them on cardstock, and laminated them.  They’re pretty sturdy, and if they do get bent, it’s easy to just print them out again!

Does this look like something you can use this year?  You can grab it {here} or click on the image below!

PS – I would love a little note if you download! Comments make the blogging world go ‘round!

Oh, I used an empty Crystal Light container to store them!

OfficeMax LOVES Teachers {Another Give Away!}

How much fun was the Back to School Bash giveaway?!  If you were one of the lucky winners, congratulations!  If you didn’t win this time around, keep reading, because you have ANOTHER chance to win something BIG!

Raise your hand is you love office supplies?!  I can’t even tell you how many pens, pencils, and markers I have in my drawers! Way too many! I LOVE a good pen (like most of us, I think!)
Well, guess what... I have an awesome OfficeMax giveaway for you!!
They recently sent me an awesome gift box packed with everything we need for back to school!  and holy smokes it’s worth $125!!
Take a peek…

Pens, pens, pens! Sticky notes! Binder clips! A pencil sharpener!! and…scissors! I am forever misplacing my scissors! Do you see that little orange card..it’s a $50 gift card!  I know what I’m spending mine on (or at least part of it!)….Mr. Sketch Markers!

Do you want one of these teacher care packages?! (I KNOW you do!)  Just hang tight for one second, I want to give you the deets of OfficeMax’s opportunities for teachers!
Teacher Appreciation Days at OfficeMax To help teachers stock up and save on much-needed supplies, OfficeMax is hosting its special, three-day Teacher Appreciation Days events where teachers receive 25% off their purchase of hundreds of essential classroom supplies, exclusive coupons and other great values, increased purchase limits just for teachers and a free reusable tote. To participate, teachers can join OfficeMax’s MaxPerks Rewards for Teachers program at no charge either in-store or online at officemaxperks.com. Visit www.officemax.com/celebrateteachers for details on Teacher Appreciation Days events in your community or others across the country.
Save on School Supply Purchases at OfficeMax
· OfficeMax is providing big deals on education essentials and more throughout the season, offering 25-cent, 50-cent and $1 value deals on a variety of supplies, including markers, notebooks, glue, scissors and more. Visit OfficeMax’s back-to-school web page at www.officemax.com/bts to shop or search by zip code for in-store and online promotions.
· Teachers also receive special discounts at the OfficeMax Print Center in-stores nationwide and can select from one of two bundles including:
o Teacher Value Bundle includes 100 B&W copies, 1 poster (18” x 24”), 3 feet of lamination and 50 business/event cards for $19.99 ($60 value)
o Teacher Premium Bundle includes 50 color copies, 2 posters (18” x 24”), 3 feet of lamination, 50 business/event cards and a teacher planner for $29.99 ($100 value)

^^^What an awesome deal!!^^^

OfficeMax’s A Day Made Better Support for Teachers OfficeMax is hosting its annual A Day Made Better In-Store School Supply Drive where community members can donate much-needed supplies for local teachers. OfficeMax associates will donate the collected supplies to local schools on October 1 during the annual A Day Made Better events in which OfficeMax associates surprise 1,000 teachers in their classrooms with a total of $1 million worth of OfficeMax-donated school supplies. Learn more about A Day Made Better at www.adaymadebetter.com.

^^^This makes my heart happy!^^^

Okay, back to the teacher care package….

Here’s what you can win:

OfficeMax Binder Clips

$50 OfficeMax Gift Card
OfficeMax Color Paper Clips
TUL Electric Pencil Sharpener
TUL Liquid Pocket Highlighters
Just Basics 36 Pack of #2 Pencils
Papermate 12 Pack of Purple Pins 
OfficeMax Brite Self Stick NotePads
OfficeMax 12 Pack Blue Grip Gel Pins
OfficeMax 8" Stainless Steel Bent Scissors

Everything in this care package is amazing, and I can’t wait to bring it to my classroom and unload everything into my desk! 
Here’s what you’ve been waiting for….your chance to win!
Simply enter in the RaffleCopter below and tell me in a comment:
1. What kinds of supplies do you like to purchase at OfficeMax
and
2. Will you be checking out OfficeMax’s Teacher Appreciation days?

Please be honest and leave a comment!  We are using the honor system here!!

Good luck and thanks for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer: I received the school supplies and gift card mentioned in this post from OfficeMax in order to facilitate my review. The items featured in this giveaway are also provided by OfficeMax and will be sent to the winner directly. Opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. I have not been compensated for this post in any other way.

Winner! Winner! Bash Basket #13

I know y'all are DYING to know the winners...but first let me say THANK YOU to every single person that participated in this giveaway. We never dreamed that it would turn out to be such a HUGE event. On our final giveaway, we had just shy of 70,000 entries! THAT is CRAZY...and yet another reason that I love teachers! Also one more thank you to our sponsors for donating such fabulous prizes and for being such big cheerleaders for teachers. Make sure you show them lots of love and follow them on Facebook. If you missed those links, you can check them out again right {HERE}. We can't wait for our Back to School Bash 2014!

The winners for my Bash Basket, as well as the Grand Prize Bash Basket are below. If you didn't happen to win...no worries! Many of our sponsors know how much money teachers pour and invest into their classrooms and students. So, they have been extremely generous {once again} and have provided coupons to help cut down on expenses. You will find several coupon codes below! 

Now! Here we go...

 

{All winners have already been contacted via the email address that you entered into Rafflecopter. If your name appears below, please check your email and respond with the information requested.}

and the winner is….

 

And our GRAND PRIZE Winner...

Congratulations to all of our winners! We hope you enjoy your prizes!

For those of you that did not win and would like to get your shop on, here are some coupons to help you out!

Silhouette America

 

Silhouette offers a 20% off ongoing discount. Register at by clicking {HERE}. 

Erin Condren

 

Visit Erin Condren now until August 15: Enter "TEACHERLOVE" at checkout and receive 10% off {Teachers' category only}.

 

Put a Case on Me

 

Visit Put a Case on Me and input code "back2school" and receive 10% off of your entire order!

 

 

 

Tiny Dazzles

 

Visit Tiny Dazzles for some Back to School shopping! We know every teacher loves her accessories!

 

 

We hope you enjoyed our Back to School Bash! Congrats again to all of our winners! Wishing all of our teacher friends a fabulous start to a brand new year!

XOXO!

Back to School Bash! Basket 13

It’s here!! Are you excited?! I certainly am – there are some AMAZING prizes up for grabs! 17 baskets in fact! Are you ready to enter to win ALL of them?!
If you missed yesterday’s post, you will want to go back and read it {right here} so you know how this blog hop will work!
Okay, let’s get started!  Start by reading this:

Make sure you look for THIS apple on each blog.  Click on it, and it will take you to the next give away!

Now on to my adorable gift basket!! Are you ready for some cute-ness!?

Rosie Pink Designs gave us an adorable chevron jewelry holder.

But, wait – it doesn’t have to be JUST for jewelry! I could totally see this hanging in my classroom! My whistle, my classroom key, my line-up chants and songs, bathroom passes.. What would you use this for?!

The Polka Dot Pavilion is donating this:

Holy cuteness.  I NEED this for my classroom!!
and finally….

Sydney’s Jewells Boutique is throwing in this SWEET locket!

This great basket is valued at almost $100!

But wait, I’m not done yet! {Oh yes, there’s more!}

You can win these three brand new items from my shop!

 You can check out these items in my shop by clicking on the images below!

Here’s what you need to do to enter!
1. Like Rosie Pink Designs on Facebook {here}
2. Like The Polka Dot Pavilion on Facebook {here}
3. Like Sydney’s Jewells on Facebook {here}
4. Like Growing Kinders on Facebook {here}
5. Follow Growing Kinders on TpT {here}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now that you’ve entered this fabulous giveaway, click on the apple below to go to the next one!