Thursday, August 29, 2013

Everybody is Somebody

Our school's theme this year is "Everybody is Somebody."  So I decided to have the kiddos decorate puzzle pieces to display their unique personalities: their interest, their hobbies, their favorites, their families, etc.  Then I put all of the puzzle pieces together to show how even though we are all unique, individual people we all still fit perfectly together as one class.  Thus, "Everybody is somebody...and we fit right together!"

 Our Board Right Outside Our Classroom Door

A Close-Up of Some of the Kiddos' Work
They Did Such an AWESOME Job!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Signed, Sealed, (and Hopefully) Delivered...by Saturday

Welcome to First Grade Letter with "Magic Confetti" Poem


Just finished my "Welcome to First Grade!" letters to my new firsties.  My awesome teaching partner shared this great idea with me.  We're sending these letters to all of our firsties so that they receive them before school starts.  It's a little welcome back to school letter about how fun first grade is going to be and how not to be nervous about it.  At the bottom there is a super cute poem about "magic confetti," thus the little bag of confetti that is included.  I don't know where the original poem came from, so unfortunately I cannot give proper credit where it is due, but here is the poem:

The night before school is exciting and fun,
there are so many things to be done.
Your clothes are ready; your backpack is, too,
your classroom is full of fun things to do.
Many questions go through your mind,
all types of thoughts of every kind.
But sometimes we get the jitters down deep,
and that makes it so hard to fall asleep.
So here is some magic confetti for you,
full of promises to last the whole year through.
Tonight when you lay down you head,
sprinkle some under you pillow in bed.
The confetti will help you sleep through the night,
and you will wake up in the morning fresh and bright.
I'll sprinkle confetti under my pillow, too,
because I am SO excited to meet you!


UPDATE:
The kiddos DID get their letters on time, and I had almost every parent approach me on the first day of school to tell me how special it was for their child to receive their letter.  :D



Monday, August 19, 2013

My New Home

I know a lot of you have been "waiting on pins and needles" for pics of my classroom, and the wait is finally over!  Here it is!  I've still got some little bits to finish up here and there, but this is the basic idea of it all.  I hope everyone likes it because I sure do.  :D

 View from the Door

 Front of the Room

 Word Wall and Guided Reading Area

 Large Group Meeting Area/Back of Room
 
 Library

 Library

 Writing Center

 View of Entrance

 My Awesome Toolbox
 
 View from my Desk


Sunday, August 18, 2013

Good Fortune

I was craving Chinese food all day.  So I went up the street to this little dive restaurant and got some General Tso's Chicken.  Needless to say the food was wonderful.  And cheap.  $7.07, yes please!  But that's not the point of my little story.  I finished my dinner and came to the novelty fortune cookie.  Usually I just eat my cookie and don't even look at the fortune because they are so insightful ridiculous.  Tonight, though, I glanced down and received a heartwarming fortune:

"Someone who deserves special attention awaits your magic voice." 

I can't wait for school to start.  It's going to be a great year. 

Friday, August 16, 2013

It Starts...

It's finally time!  I've begun moving into my classroom.  Needless to say it's been a bit more overwhelming than I anticipated.  I moved all 90% of my stuff in on Monday, then just sat there staring at everything wondering where to start.  Well, it's Friday evening and I'm getting very very close to the end.  Everything is put away and I'm putting finishing touches up; posters, alphabet, word wall, etc.  I got my desks in today and that helped things come together a lot, too.  I know by Monday night I should will be done.  (Please; I hope.)  Here are some before pics.  I'll post the finished product when it's finished.  ;D

 Pile by my Door

 All of my Books

 It's Not as Much as it Looks

 My Cute Little Cart

 At the Door, to the Right

 At the Door, Across to the Left

 Straight Across from the Door

 Wall Adjacent to the Door

 Entry to my Room

 My Desk