12 in 12

Well, I'm joining the party! Because I LOOOVVE me a party! I can't believe it's the end of 2012 already but I'm ready for 2013 to bring me some luck!

12. Favorite Movie Watched.
My husband and I love going to the movies but I am stick to what I like: comedy, romance & action. It's why the remake of 21 Jump Street was my favorite movie this year! There were some others that I really liked but 21 Jump Street topped my list for now. I'm really looking forward to to This is 40.

11. Favorite TV series.
BIG BANG THEORY! I do have many things on my DVR, I'll give you my scheduled recordings: Modern Family, Big Bang, Real Housewives of any city =), Teen Mom, Happy Endings, Glee, The League, Chelsea Lately, The Office, New Girl & Grey's Anatomy. When all else fails, HGTV & the Cooking Channel win. I'm a TV junkie. Please don't judge me.

10. Favorite Restaurant.
Hmmm... I do love to eat.... I don't really have a favorite restaurant... I can't choose... Oh! No! The Pressure! I'm not sure!! Anything with a good salad & pizza =)

9. Favorite New Thing I Tried.
Can I be totally cliche and say blogging, pinterest & TPT? It's true! All 3 of things have truly and sincerely made me a better teacher. I love the instant feedback from all of you reading. I just appreciate anyone being here at all. I can't tell you how it affects me when I make a sale on TPT or find out that I have more followers. I absolutely am in love with my work and I am happy to be a part of an online community that feels the same way I do. There are so many teachers out there who are being let down by their school systems & the ever growing budget cuts AND because of this, losing faith in their positions. I admire all of us on here that are doing what we can with what we've got AND with a smile. This is 100% my favorite new thing I've tried.

8. Favorite Gift Received.
A friendship bracelet from my BFF. Thank you Zuleyka- love you!

7.  Favorite Thing Pinned.
Anything on my For a Laugh Pinboard. My favorites are the e-cards. I LOVE those!

Well, any Pins really. I am grateful for all of the wonderful classroom ideas I've gotten from Pinterest. I have a whole bunch of KinderSchminder boards dedicated to different subject areas.

6. Favorite Blog Post.
Teaching with iPods I liked this post because I like using my iPods and I like to help others out with getting started as much as I can. Actually, I am going to start using them more regularly in my classroom especially for differentiation in January. Stay tuned! 

5. Favorite Accomplishment.
Successful implementation of Daily 5. I got so excited about it, I started telling everyone who would listen at my school and now first grade is doing it, second grade is on board and we are all LOVING it. We haven't started in kindergarten just yet but we will in 2013! I can't wait!

4. Favorite Picture.
Because my nephew is the best. He only has aunts and girl cousins but somehow figured out how to tackle Tia Vanessa. This is my favorite.

Can't figure out why it's sideways

3. Favorite Memory.
Camping and hiking with my best friends, my sister & my nephew. Camping at the beach is awesome and I love the little footprints they left in the sand. 

My 2 favorite people: My hubby & my nephew

2. Goal for 2013.
Get excited about working out and doing it routinely. I know I can do it. I know I can do it. I know I can do it.

1. One Little Word.

Ready. 

Ok amigos, it's your turn. Write about your 12 in 12 and link up!

It's almost 2013!

Hi everyone!
I talked yesterday about my favorite site Starfall and today, as promised, I have pictures! =)

We are making calendars as we teach calendar parts and our goal is to make them as cute as can be because we will send them home all wrapped up as gifts for the students' family.

First, you'll have to pick up my newest TPT product: Calendars! The one we used in class in not as cute as what I made for my product, you all lucked out!
We had the students start making their pictures for the months and then we'll glue them all on for them. Today, we glued in the missing months. It was so awesome to hear the students singing as they were gluing. "january, february, march and april..." Ah! So cute! We had a tour group (I teach at a popular school!) come through as some of the kids were gluing and they were so impressed!
The pictures below is my sample with a discolored paper...

Now on to the cute stuff:
The students have been working hard on these things!

We haven't gotten August, November & December done yet but we will tomorrow. I can't wait to see all of their finished products! Well, yes I can because I have a lot of gluing ahead of me!
Here is my new product, if you'd like a copy for FREE then comment below and don't forget to leave your email.

I am off to make some sugar cookies... a practice batch before I make them as gifts next week... fingers crossed!

Hasta manana!

Is it vacation yet?

Is anyone else feeling the drag?? I feel like my students are getting a little crazier, my patience is getting smaller, and I just want to sleep! =) Anyone with me??
Even though we have been on the coo-coo side, we have still been getting lots of work done!
The past week we have been teaching calendar: the parts of a calendar, how to read a calendar, etc. My students are already pretty strong in this area but we teach and re-teach, modify and extend for all! The reason why they are so great is because we do the Starfall calendar each day along with our morning meeting. The Starfall calendar is an AWESOME way to get the students talking about the calendar and interacting with the calendar. I just added a bookmark to my desktop and so that it is easy and ready to go! Before I had my fancy schmancy interactive whiteboard, I just used my projector and my laptop and a wireless mouse. If you don't have a interactive whiteboard, I HIGHLY suggest a wireless mouse. They are about $20 but it is soooooo worth it. I used to just hand the mouse around and the students were involved!
Here's a glimpse...
First go to the homepage...

Click on the calendar and you are set to go! AND if you haven't explored this website... DO IT NOW! Especially if you teach Kindergarten or first grade.
Here's a snapshot of the first calendar page...

I LOVE this calendar and site... My students are excited to play even when they can play any Starfall game! The best part of it? It's free!!! In the picture above you can see that there are little icons to mark special activities throughout the month. It doesn't save but by the end of the month, all my students have those special days memorized because we do them over and over again.

Tomorrow I'm going to snap some pictures of the students and the calendars that they are currently making AND if you're back tomorrow, I'm even throwing a freebie your way!

One last thing... I decided that I wanted to change my RAK (random act of kindness) to something different. I really like the idea of the Starbucks thing BUT I was thinking about it a little more and I'm going to donate to a Donor's Choose classroom of someone who I don't know and someone who is far away from me. I know how much all of us need things for our classrooms and I know it is so exciting to get a donation so I figured that that would be worth my $10-$20 instead of a cup of coffee (which is also much needed sometimes). So, who is with me on that one??? If you are, feel free to donate to my classroom (hehehehe). If you do, I'll give you anything you want from my TPT store... ANYTHING! 

Be back tomorrow!

Currently

I made it back just in time for December's Currently!
I have had a whirlwind past few weeks! My mom had surgery, my husband is in his final weeks of school (fingers crossed it all goes well), I have a student teacher and you know what? I sure do love my naps! lol. But I'm done being a blog slacker...
Here's my currently...

RAK= Random Act of Kindness... I'm gonna do it! Pay it forward friends!

Oh! And I wanted to share that I got an award today! Well, everyone gets one, it just so happened to be my turn. =) My students were so excited for me. I really hate being put on the spot though, I could feel my face turn tomato red in front of all of kindergarten, first grade, and their families. The nicest part was that the administrator giving the award had some really kind things to say about me AND it just so happens that her daughter is in my class. It was sweet.  Does anyone else feel their ears burning and face turn red in public or is it just me? Anyone know how to control that?? lol.

Anyway, head over to Farley's blog to read all of the other wonderful Currentlys...

Happy Monday!

Teaching Tip Linky Party

Teaching Tip Linky Party?? Yes, Please!!! Miss Kindergarten's Linky Party? Absolutely!
I love me a good linky party and this one is great! I've been reading through almost all of the teaching tips...
Soooo... what's my teaching tip? I've been trying hard to think of a good one. One that everyone will remember and come back to my blog about BUT I couldn't think of anything that good.... lol... Here are mine:
1. STAY ORGANIZED! Take 10 minutes at the end of each day to organize files, clear off your desk and get the day started for tomorrow.  My summer is usually spent organizing my books, files, and what nots into places where I know I can find them and get them quickly. If there is anything in front of it, it's never coming out. Can I always find my things? No. Can I always take the last 10 minutes of my day to organize? Almost.

Which takes me to...
2. LABEL EVERYTHING! I teach kindergarten and labeling everything over the summer saves me SOOO much time throughout the year. The kids know where to get things and, more importantly, where to put things away. Can you imagine? YES! They can do it. Someone always asks how I keep my classroom so clean and my answer is: hard work! My next answer is: teach the kids how to clean! =) Most of them don't clean up after themselves at home (just being honest) so, it's time to give them that responsibility! =) Can you tell that I'm passionate about it?? lol.

3. USE MUSIC! Save your voice and use music to countdown, clean up, transition, teach EVERYTHING! In my classroom right now we use music to: *tell us when to clean up and when to end ("When the song is done, we can sit down") *help us remember the days of the week, months of the year, and letter sounds *the seasons of the year (thanks, Harry Kindergarten), *numbers in the teens (Harry, you're the best)

Alrighty everyone... be back tomorrow... wait... no I won't.... it's my baby sister's 21st birthday!! We'll be out to dinner for her tomorrow. Will we do anything else to celebrate this milestone?? Why, yes! Yes we will! We are going to VEGAS!! Woo Hoo! Totally excited. Aw man, I just realized that I have been a blogging slacker again. I'll try harder next week. THANKSGIVING WEEK!

A Saturday post? Yup!

Happy Saturday everyone! I rarely post on Saturdays but I here I am!

We continued our numbers through 20 centers this week and the kids are gobbling it up! (haha, since Thanksgiving is coming, haha) Harry Kindergarten's Numbers in the Teens video has been really fun and engaging for the kiddos, thanks Harry!

Here are some shots of my kid in action...

This activity is part of my UPDATED Number Books

Uh, oh! He got carried away with the dot marker!

Look at this kiddo... she decided not to go on the traditional route to the treasure.

He's going for the more traditional route.

WOW! Look at her go!

I loved seeing the variation of work with all of my students. Our centers are only 15 minutes long so for some of them, I had the ships pre-cut so that they could focus on the number part. Others cut in 10 seconds and were gluing away in no time.
Check out my updated products The Number Book now with 11-20 and The Treasure Hunt with the number sequencing activity shown above. They are both $4 for now but the price will go up next week!

Last thing...
I have been reading a new blog that I LOVE! She is a special education teacher and the way she talks about her students is amazing. I think she belongs at my school but she doesn't! She is so close to 100 followers... head over and check her out!

Ok folks! Enjoy your weekend, I am spending mine with my veteran hubby. Don't forget to thank a veteran this weekend!

Learning numbers through 20

Hi everyone!
We FINALLY got some rain today! Luckily, it only rained during classroom time and after school. The bad part of any rainy day (besides crazy kids locked in the classroom like wild monkeys) is that I don't have any closets so I have piles of backpacks. Ugh! Very disrupting to my OCD tendencies. Although today, one of my students, let's call her "I", did such a nice job of lining up all the backpacks and putting them in boy/girl lines. It was so cute! I'm sure my OCD is rubbing off on her a little. One student walked in and threw their backpack on the pile and "I" jumped up and said, "That doesn't go there, it's the boy's pile!" So awesome!
Here's a snap...

Ok moving right along... We also finally got to use my Treasure Hunt Pack!

Click on the picture to grab your copy!

The kids LOVED it! It was so successful!! Well, aside from the little meltdown that included throwing everything in sight. BUT, even with that going on, the kids we so focused on counting and matching the numbers. You could use them for what you want but we talked about being Pilgrims and looking for the Mayflower and using our maps to find America by finding all of the ships. SUPER CUTE!
Here are some shots of the fun...

 Sorry there are some blurs but you get the point. Now that I look at these pictures, I realize my classroom is quite messy. lol. Don't judge me.
I am giving away 3 today for 3 people who want the pack and comment!
Oh, one other thing... I reached 100 followers on my TPT store!!! I'm so excited about that!!! I'll have to do something special soon, any ideas?
Last thing, the elections were so exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. On Tuesday afternoon, the director of our school had a long conversation with us about what would happen if Prop 30 didn't pass in California. He said, "Don't worry yet but if the prop doesn't pass, we are getting a paycut, furlough days will come at the end of the school year and our school alone loses $700,000. But don't worry yet" So that wasn't an exact quote but you get the point. I went home and cried to my husband. One of my co-teachers and I called dibs on teaching summer school and I contemplated calling Red Robin to be a server again. When I went to sleep on Tuesday, I cried a little again because at 10pm, the Prop hadn't passed. My husband tried to lift my spirits and reassure that all would be fine but I was a mess. Then I went to school on Wednesday and found out that Proposition PASSED!! Woo Hoo! I don't have to be a server again. Phew. Our school budget is still a hot mess but it is out of hot water, for now.
Ok, I just wanted to share that because I didn't get to post yesterday. Let me know if you'd like a copy of the Treasure Hunt! I'm giving away 3!

If you need to know the seasons, give me a call!

Hey everybody!
So remember how I told you yesterday that I LOVE Harry Kindergarten? I realized today that I REALLY love him. I used 2 of his songs in just one day! So first, we discussed the seasons, our new Science unit. Moby & Annie taught us a little about fall and we read The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle AND we heard the Seasons Rap one more time! Oh, BRAINPOPJR is free all this week! You MUST check it out! I use this site all the time to introduce or reinforce lessons. Anyway, I like to read The Tiny Seed because of the beautiful colors in the text. We started making our seasons trees using just the colors we see during fall...

These are the simple supplies needed. Cut up "leaves" I cut so many, I have some for next year!

What some of them look like. Since we have only taught fall, the other trees are still bare.

This is what my sample looks like... Winter is with paint & glitter, spring is crayon & glue drops for rain and summer is tissue paper. Isn't it darling?? even better when it is student work... that will come, I promise!

We also made an anenometer to measure the wind speeds during our windy fall weather. So much fun! The kids were so excited to be the "wind"

And here's the song, "If you need to know the seasons, give me a call!" So clever, cute & catchy!


Then for Math, we started teaching the dreaded Teen Numbers! Today it was just practice counting, writing, counting & writing. This was such a cute song and basically guided my lesson.

Tomorrow we will start in My Number Book: 11-20! It is just like My Number Book available on TPT right now but with 11-20...

Wanna copy?? I'm giving 3 away today... just leave a comment below with your email! =) I'll post some pics tomorrow of the kiddos in action.

Thanks for stopping in friends!!

November Currently

Hola Amigos!
I am so happy to be back! I have been nursing my family back to health for a week now and I am ready to be done! hehe. Seriously, I don't know who has been worse, my husband or my mother! Well, we all know the answer to that... MY HUSBAND! lol. They are both healthy and I am glad for that!
Here is my November currently... I can't believe it's only the 5th and I'm already late for the party... better late than never AND I LOVE the rule of 3... Head over to Farley's blog to find some new blogs and read ALLLLL of the currentlys (if you have enough time!)...

Listening: The Big Bang Theory! I love that show! Soo glad there are re-runs on everyday!

Loving: The extra hour of sleep. Enough said.

Thinking: HOW THE HECK DO ALL OF YOU DO IT!?? We had Halloween, Report Cards and parent conferences last week... I was pooped! I don't know how all of you juggle work, life & blogging so well...

Wanting: New fall clothes... c'mon.... everyone needs them, right?

Needing: A BREAK! A THANKSGIVING BREAK! Who's with me? We don't get a Fall Break like some of you others out there so I feel like I am running on empty about now. I need a little break to recharge my batteries

Music: Oh man, I didn't even know what to write there. Music for myself is the local radio stations... Music in the classroom? SO MUCH ALL THE TIME! I use a song for clean ups, to introduce new lessons, review &  brain breaks. I also use videos (now that I have my pretty whiteboard) all the time. I went to a professional development my first year of teaching and got a chance to see Rick Morris who is AMAZING! He gave us a CD that I have used everyday since... Check it out... The videos? I like to see Harry Kindergarten's work... it is fantastic! I "rapped" about the seasons today, my kids LOVE his work! As do I...  
I use this one everyday for clean up...

One last thing...
CHECK OUT AIMEE'S GIVEAWAY... TARGET... STARBUCKS... PANERA... ITUNES... ENTER TO WIN AT PENCILS, BOOKS & DIRTY LOOKS

Ok friends... That's all I got today... Be back tomorrow!