HAPPY BLOG-IVERSARY TO US!!!

Today, one year ago, three friends/teachers decided to start a little blog sharing teaching ideas.  We had so much fun designing our blog and coming up with our name.  Then, when we made our first post, we were so excited!  We had NO IDEA the response we would get from ALL OF YOU!!!  We are honored each day by your sweet comments and are so happy to know that what we write about inspires other teachers out there all over the world!  We have been blessed by each of you & continue to learn and be inspired by your blogs too!    

Today, we are more motivated than ever to make this blog a special place for sharing creativity!  We hope you enjoy reading what we three East Tennessee teacher gals have to say!  So, thank you for reading, for following, and for joining us on our blogging adventure!   We have a few fun things planned today to celebrate our BIG DAY!!!  


First, we are having a Blogiversary Sale in our Teacher's Notebook Shop where EVERYTHING is 15% off!  The sale will run from today through Sunday, Aug. 14.  

Check out some of our newest items...

Second, we want to offer a fun giveaway.  One reader can win BOTH my Back to School Unit AND my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Unit!  

{HERE'S HOW TO ENTER}:

(1) Make sure you are a follower of our blog and let us know that you are.

(2) Tell us one thing that has inspired you from our blog!

(3) Tell us one thing you're looking forward to for the upcoming school year! 


***The more times you comment, the more chances you have to win!

The giveaway will be open until Sunday, August 14 at midnight (EST).  The winner will be announced on the Tuesday morning, August 15. 

Best of luck, sweet friends!   

Teaching Trends Tuesday {Journals}

First I need to apologize because this post is going to be rather.....hum..short. I have so much on my mind right now I cannot even begin to tell you what teaching trends are! Ha!! But, I wanted to share a little idea that I'm working on right now as I type. 
Since I'm moving from 1st to K and student desks to tables I have been wondering about how to do journals and organize them without having my kids keep them inside their desks. So, this is what I have decided to do. 

I bought these:

folders with brads (15 cents at Walmart)

Clear plastic pencil case (75 cents at Walmart)

I found these from Castles and Crayons: I'm going to laminate these and hole punch them and put them inside their folders.

Put it all together and what do you get?? A super cute journal! I'm super excited. Oh yes--and to store them- I bought some really cute bins from the dollar tree and each table will have one so they can quickly spot theirs.

Happy Tuesday Friends....I have SO much work to get done. AHH!!

Making a Year Mondays {Rules}

What is one of the first things to teach your new kiddos when they come into your room?  Every teacher knows the answer to this one...RULES & PROCEDURES!!!  I know that doesn't sound like a fun concept, but without it, your classroom would be a bunch of confused chaos.


So, here are some cute ideas to make the rule-learning fun for your new sweeties!  {and they are all FREE downloads...yay}


Growing Kinders has an activity kit in her TpT store HERE called "The Day a Monster Came to School" that is super cute!

Castles & Crayons has a fun Marshmallow Toes activity teaching your Munchkins how to walk in the hallway.

Kindergarten Kiosk has a wildly adorable Jungle rules poster.

One of my favorite songs to use when introducing the rules was always Dr. Jean's "The Rules of the Classroom Rap."  Also, today on You Tube, I found a video from Teacher Tipster, Mr. Smith is so funny & very creative!  I used to sing this song with my kinders & it is really fun!

So, how do you explain your classroom rules to your kiddos?

Shout Out Saturday {First Grade OWLS}

Happy Saturday, Sweeties!  I have a new (well...new to me) blog to share with you all today!  I first visited First Grade Owls because of the name.  I LOVE owls, but cannot put a picture of one ANYWHERE in my home because my child is deathly afraid of them!  Can't tell you why...he just is.  We can't even go to some grocery stores if they have fake owls hanging outside to scare away the birds.  


Ok, focus...sorry!  I'm going on the 3rd night of very little sleep trying to create a preschool curriculum from scratch for my little one & I'm not even certified Pre-K...YIKES!!!  When I get all my "school stuff" organized, I'll show you pictures.  

Nicole, of First Grade Owls, is too creative!  Her classroom looks so inviting and has her cute little owls just hanging out to greet her kiddos!  I love it!  Please go visit her blog sometime this weekend...there's so much to "hoot" about!  Sorry, couldn't resist! :)  Here are a few goodies she has to share!

her classroom...so cute and organized!

reading strategies bulletin board

I am so lovin' this display area for work...she hot glued little clips under each owl to the concrete block wall. 

She puts restroom passes in clear 5x7 frames for the kiddos to put at their seats when they are gone!  The best part is she has these (in many themes) available as a free download in her TpT store.

So, be a wise owl, and fly on over there to say hi to Nicole!  :)  Enjoy your weekend!  

Fiesta Friday!

Going back to school is always an exciting time for me and my family!  One sniff of a new box of pointy crayons is all I need to get back in the school spirit!  The year my family is having a back to school party to celebrate the new school year.  I found some awesome ideas for this party-check them out!

I love the use of the lunch box and thermos for this display!  

Sundae School-LOVE IT!!  Especially since it is super hot right now!

These center pieces are super cute and easy to create!

This party set up is super duper cute!

Love these cupcake toppers!

Cute treat bags!

And check out this awesome party set up-definately one of my favorites!

Click the pictures and visits the sites I found these cute ideas for a back to school party!  

Happy Friday and Party on friends!

Classroom Theme {Pirates}

So sorry about posting about pirates again my friends, but I'm in pirate mode and I've been finding SO MANY fabulous ideas out there I just HAD to share! 
Click the picture to be directed to the blog I snagged the photo from! 

Pirate Numbers! Yay!

I couldn't stop myself from buying this! 

Love this idea for classroom jobs! Which reminds me....do ya'll have any ideas for pirate like names for classroom jobs?? 

This is where I found my inspiration for my hallway display. Thanks Mrs. Jump!! 

She also offers this as a FREE yes...I said FREE download! YYAAAHHOO!

Oh my word....TOO CUTE-- in our county- we cannot do ANYTHING with our doors. 

:( Blah.

Too precious!

Cute desktop tags

I really like this idea. I am going to use it, but change it just a little. I'm going to use the little metal buckets and put a treasure chest on the front of the buckets and label one Lunch from Home and the other School Lunch. I will have coins with their names on it inside a small pocket chart that they can place inside the buckets each morning. 

Sail ho! Have a jolly Thursday Matey!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

"Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room?"  I'm sure that's what some of you are saying as you try to find a spot for everything in your classrooms!  I know I thought that every year! :) 

One of my favorite books that I read to my to my kindergarten kiddos and now to my own little Munchkin is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by  Bill Martin Jr.  I'm planning on using this book as a theme with Noah when we start our "Flight School" in a couple of weeks.  I have searched the blogosphere for ideas & found some very creative projects to do and snacks to make (all with FREE downloads)

File Folder Game from Oopsey Daisy 

Coconut Tree Snack from The Page's of Our Story

Lapbook from 1+1+1=1

tree craft from The Crafting Chicks

  

magnet board activity from Playing House

Here's a video to show your kiddos.

So, if you need some fun activities to do in your classroom as centers or at their seats, I made a new Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Mini Unit.  It's for sale in our Teacher's Notebook Shop.  It is 22 pages of language arts, math, and fine motor activities including...

-Name Handwriting Practice

-Beginning Letter Sounds

-Uppercase / Lowercase Letter Match

-Patterns

-Find the Difference

-Handwriting 

-Fine Motor (Do-a-Dot or Circle Magnet Pages)

-Counting

-Number Recognition

-Color Words

-Beginning Reading

Click the picture to view the product.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, ya'll!