Monday, April 29, 2013

And the winner is...........

CONGRATULATIONS to......
CHARME' DENNEY McCABE!!!

You are getting the room theme of your choice from 
Head over to Cyndie's store and start looking around.
Be sure to check your email.

Thank you to everyone who entered!!

Memory Verse Monday

So how many Mondays do you have left? 
I'm trying not to count, but we are getting close........

Our verse this week is Galatians 15:5 and it's the last one for the month of April.
It's also one of my favorites:)
Click on the cover to get your verse picture, fill in the blank sheet, and word cards.
Classroom Freebies Manic Monday
P.S. If you entered the drawing for our giveaway, be sure to check back today. 
Winner will be announced soon!!!!

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Pumped about Polka Dot Pirates!

Do you ever look around your classroom and just think "YUCK!!"? I've been teaching for 20 years and have changed rooms 6 times and I think I have inherited 40 years worth of other people's junk. You know how it is, especially if you have moved into a teacher's room who was retiring that year. They DO mean well by leaving you their stuff. 
But my room now feels like an episode of Hoarders! 

Well, no more! 

This summer I am cleaning out that closet that may house rats, 
throwing away all the purple ditto copies that I come across AGAIN 
and giving my "treasures" to the new teachers 
who I know will be "thrilled" to inherit them. HA!

So with that thought in mind, the planning has begun for a new theme for next year 

(ok, who am I kidding? we'll still be pirates). But I want some new stuff, new baskets, new curtains, new words for the word wall, etc., etc., etc. I want neat, clean and matchy, matchy!

And that thought brings me to what I am super excited to share with you!

I've found matchy, matchy and PIRATES and even better than that....they are Polka Dot Pirates!!!
My sweet friend Cyndie over at
Chalk One Up For the Teacher, is the 
QUEEN OF ROOM THEMES!
If you want a new theme, she has it.
If you don't know what you want, she has that too!
I found over 60 sets of theme packs in her store.
Here are just a few......
rockstar
baseball
superheroes
olympics
jungle
space
racing
nature
western
circus
Hollywood
groovy
bees
bugs
dogs
zoo
and many more!


Although the other themes were VERY COOL, 
I headed straight for the Pirate section.

Here's what I found....

This packet is a Room Theme DELUXE 
and it has everything you need to give your classroom that 
themed look!

Included in this unit are:

2 Sets of Coordinating Calendar Pieces
Monthly Headers
Day of the Week
12 Pieces to Assemble a Birthday Banner
Lost a Tooth Chart
Weather Graph
Word Wall Header
Word Wall Letters
Themed Letters for a Work Display Board
Decorative Pieces
Give Me 5 Poster
5 Different Team Sign Posters (Ready for you to add your team names.)
Desk Nametags

Since we only have 22  21 and a half days left of school, I can't put up a lot
(because I have to strip the walls before I leave).
But here is what I've started on......
Pirate boy and girl calendar numbers, along with month banners.
Days of the week.
(This picture made me fall in love with the lime green and light blue - colors for next year)!
Give me 5 poster.
Desk name plates.
Word Wall Alphabet Letters (must redo my word cards next year).
This sweet girl was so thrilled to get a Pirate Girl note from her teacher:)
These number cards could be used in order on the wall, in a pocket chart.....
or as a math game on the floor. They loved them!
I laminated this list of things to do, so I can just wipe and start over each day.
I used this template for our field trip note. 

You can see why I am so pumped about this packet.
I can't wait to pull it all together before school starts again in the fall.

Now for the EXCITING news!
Cyndie has agreed to give away a
Room Theme + Matching Accessories to one lucky winner!!!
And she is going to let you choose your own theme!!
So have you been making plans for your room next year?
Enter the giveaway below and then head over to her store
and browse through the MANY items she has to choose from.

Winner will be announced on Monday, April 29, 2013!
I sure hope you win!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Monday, April 22, 2013

Memory Verse Monday and a Personal Note

Happy Monday and Happy Earth Day!!

I know that when Earth Day rolls around each year, many of us are busy with thoughts of plants, growing things and taking care of the planet.

And I'm right there with you. We are right in the middle of a Spring, growing, planting unit ourselves.

But for the last 5 years whenever Earth Day rolls around, my thoughts turn to my Daddy.
My Daddy passed away on Earth Day 2008.
So if you would, allow me a little detour today.....
To my Daddy, "I love you & miss you and look forward to seeing you again!"

To my God, "THANK YOU for choosing this man to be my Daddy. 
Thank you for allowing us the time that we had together. 
And thank you for the promise that I will see him again."

To anyone who might be reading this, 
"While you're taking care of the planet today, 
don't forget to love those who are around you on the planet. 
Make every moment count."

Earth Day always comes to me with a reminder,
that this world is not our home. And so I would pass that on to you as well.
Make sure that you know what comes next & if you don't know, 
please spend some time looking for answers.

And now, here is your memory verse packet for the week.

It features Psalm 104:14 
and it contains a coloring sheet, find and color, draw and label, and word cards.
 Click the cover to pick up your copy.
Be sure to stop back by tomorrow for something special.
Freebie Fridays

Friday, April 19, 2013

Sail Away....and an Earth Day FREEBIE

Well, I'm a day late linking up with Cynthia at The 2nd Grade Pad
but still wanted to share this with you.
Do your kids love puzzles as much as I mine do?
This puzzle is one of the many activities setting sail in my latest unit "Noah's Ark."
I love it, because you can just print, laminate and throw it out in a center or for free time use.
Easy, right?! Well here is your FREEBIE.
I started making these as puzzles but when I got finished with the pictures I decided that maybe my kids would just like to have a coloring sheet instead of a puzzle.
(Maybe I'm indecisive today!)
So I decided to leave them alone. You can print them out for coloring sheets or chop them into pieces and make puzzles. (Or you could be indecisive like me and do both.)
Click on either picture to grab your FREE copy.
Classroom Freebies Manic Monday
In case you are interested in the Noah puzzle or other activities,
here is a preview of the entire packet.
Don't forget to pick up your other FREEBIES today.
Freebie Fridays

Monday, April 15, 2013

Monday, Monday

Every week when I start to type the word "Monday" I hear THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS running through my head. If you are too young to know what song I mean, then don't tell me:)
It really was a few days before my time, but very catchy.

Ok, back on track....Here is our Memory Verse for the week.
It's Genesis 1:29.
Still trying to follow the plants/Earth Day theme.
Click on the cover to pick up your packet
(coloring sheet, word search, and phrase cards to rebuild the verse).

Remember to click on the FREE LOOT tab at the top if you have missed any packets.

Monday, Monday,so good to me!
(now it will be stuck in your head too LOL)

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Congratulations to .............

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in our giveaway!
We are ready to announce the winner of 
15 Writing Lessons for Primary Grades from Primary Paradise.
Congratulations
   Becca Bundy
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you didn't win, you can still pick up this SUPER writing packet from 
Primary Paradise at her TpT store.
My Primary Paradise
Thanks again to Martha for sharing this great packet with us!!!

Be sure to check back this week for 1 more product share and giveaway!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Well, Shiver Me Timbers!!

My Teachers Pay Teachers store has reached 400 followers!!
Thank you!!
Here is the treasure I promised!  Enjoy!!
This is a FLASH FREEBIE and will only be FREE until Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 4:00pm EST.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

You have to see these!!!!!!!!

OMGosh! Y'all have to see these paintings my kids did!!
We have been working on a plant unit and the kids wanted to plant sunflowers.
Well one thing led to another and it just turned into a sunflower unit:)

My buddy teacher and I have a great space right outside our windows that's like our own private yard.
So we got out there after testing on Tuesday afternoon and turned them loose!

We dug up the brand new sod along with some critical tree roots.
Farmers we are not. Anyway, back to the sunflowers.

We have read sunflower books, planted sunflowers, made construction paper sunflowers, eaten sunflower seeds, and it seemed the only thing left to do was paint them.

We read a "G-rated" book about Vincent Van Gogh. 
(The first one that I checked out from the school library even shocked me. LOL)
We looked at pictures of many of his paintings and ended with his "Sunflowers" painting.
They could not wait to paint them.
I gave them a template for the vase because I was hoping that it would help them with sizes and placement on the page.
They could choose to use the pattern and trace it lightly on their paper,
 trace, cut and glue on a vase,
or just draw it on their own.
After the vase, they started adding the flowers and stems.
Next came the table and the background.
After they dried, we went back and mounted them on construction paper.
I think they are amazing. And they were super easy to do.
(So, if something will just sprout from our sunflower garden then we will be all set.)
Be sure to head over to The 2nd Grade Pad for other great Take It and Make It ideas!
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