Five for Friday

Hey Everyone,

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for some Five for Friday Fun!

1. Back to School

This week was our first week back with the kiddies and it would be an understatement to say that I'm EXHAUSTED! I spent all of last week preparing for the students and all of this week getting back into Teacher Mode. An early night is in store for me tonight!

Click on the picture to read my Classroom Reveal post!

2. Hair

I have had dark hair my entire life. Long dark hair (that's not true - I did have a short do once but I grew it out immediately. Thick, wavy hair is hard to manage when cut short). 

A few months ago I decided to dip my toes into coloring my hair. I wanted something understated and no fuss. I did an ombre and loved it. So last week I was a little more adventurous and lightened the ends even more! I love it!!!

Don't you think I look better in the BEFORE photo. Thought so! 

3. Giddy-Up

Next week we will begin a Cowboy theme which will bring us right into the last few days of September. We will celebrate the first month of school with Cowboy day and have us a little party!

I love, love, love everything about these packs! We are going to have SO MUCH FUN!

   

Click on the pictures to check out these packs! And stay tuned for some fun posts about how we're doing down on the ranch! 

 4. BTS/FRIENDS

Oh dear! When BTS rolls around there is so much to do that I lose track of my friends. My sweet bestie Valerie over at All Students Can Shine and I are having withdrawal! We usually text A LOT and daily. We also see one another at least once a week. The texts are scarce at the moment and we haven't seen each other since work started up again!

Here we are living it up during our Girls Trip in California! 

Can't wait to see her again! And to get back to our normal routine. 

Good thing I work with my other bestie/sister Leslie from First Grade Frenzy because if not I'd be having withdrawal from her too!!

5. Travels

Speaking of vacations. I am getting the itch for more!

I love to travel and luckily I have a few trips lined up this year!!!! 

Here is my collection of trinkets. I love to bring back something from each country I visit (I still get something from each U.S city I visit hehe). It used to be each city but then it got to be a little much! 

I just can't wait to pack my bags again!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching!

Until next time...

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Classroom Reveal

Hi Everyone,

I am soooooooooo excited!!!!!!!! 

Tomorrow is the first day of school and my class is actually READY! 

You have to understand where I'm coming from. 

In the last 5 years, I have moved schools, moved classrooms, changed grades, AND changed themes. 

This is the first time I had minimal classroom prep (if that's even a possibility). 

So here it is! My bright and colorful classroom!!!!

I kept the same theme as last year and tweaked a few odds and ends. 

As you can see, I love three things:

COLOR

ORGANIZATION

SPACE

Everything I mean everything has a place and a home. 

Everything and I mean everything is colorful and bright.

AND I have minimal furniture which equals maximum space!

So let's get on with the tour shall we?!?! 

First stop my Word Wall! This is a MUST in any first or second grade classroom and I am lucky enough to have a magnetic Word Wall to boot! 

Next stop, my focus wall!

   

Here is where students will find the calendar, place value chart, number chart (they refer to that A LOT) schedule, math word wall, anchor charts, sound posters, and well some snapshots of our classroom happenings!

 I also have a pocket chart set up for word families and blends. I will put those up as we review them in the coming weeks. 

REVIEW is a must in September! 

Storage is key and I like to have everything in a labelled basket. 

I got rid of 3 bookcases in order to maximize space. I prefer having tables to allow students to have different work spaces available. In turn, that means that most of my books remain in storage and I change the baskets accordingly.

I also love being able to walk around the room without bumping into everything! 

Finally, having a large space for students to gather for whole group instruction and to move around in during brain breaks is really important to me.

This is the direction in which the students face. The Smartboard at the center of it all, a bulletin board to display work (our Back to School Silly Poems are going up there!), and our data wall. 

I chose to use only one bulletin board to display student work because I love to use the string to hang their work AND we have designated bulletin boards in the hallways too!

Showcasing their work is so important and I do so as much as possible!

The data wall will be used to display class progress in math facts and reading levels. 

As you can see, there is ample space for student gatherings and movement!

There are also two work spaces available (which come in handy).

On the far left you'll find my Theme Word Wall pocket chart. Right now it's filled with Back to School Words! I like to separate the word walls so that students get to move around during writer's workshop AND so that one area of the room doesn't get too crowded. 

The piece below the Smartboard is from Ikea (most teachers probably know this - we know the catalogue by heart!). I store scrap paper and cleaning products in the blue bins.

The following areas are at two opposite ends of the room but are both important!

 I LOOOOOOOVE my hexagonal table. It is constantly being used!

I also love my big windows and nice shelves.

I place the students in pairs for book baskets (according to reading levels of course) because I just don't want to clutter those awesome shelves! We get so much light and open space because of them and I like to keep them as clear as possible!

Of course I have a little designated corner for myself too! 

My desk and my picture wall. Had to add a few personal touches after all. 

I hope you enjoyed my little tour. Be sure to travel with Today, in Second Grade again!

Until next time...

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Back to School (Part 3 - PINNING)

Hi Everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! 

For some of you, the Back to School rush is almost behind you! Well, for me, it's loooooooming!!! We go back August 25th and the kiddies come in August 31st. 

Here are some things I have been doing to prepare!

PINNING

In short, Pinterest is A.W.E.S.O.M.E!!!

I can't even count how many amazing ideas and freebies I have found on Pinterest.

Seriously people, you are so innovative and talented. 

Blogging, Pinning, and TpT have helped me grow into a better teacher.

I want to share a few great Pins I have found in the last few weeks!!!

Back to School Board

First off, I thought I'd share my Back to School Board with you guys. 

My fave pins from this board are the 30 Back to School Read Alouds by Learning Lab Resources and Bits of First Grade's awesome class picture idea! 

  

No Mess Classroom

My Classroom Organization Board has some fun ideas to keep you class in order. 

My top pins from this board are Club CK's  Paper Towel Reference Holder and Kristen Dembroski's Duct Tape Pencils.

   

Classroom Management

I'm always looking for new ways to keep the kiddies engaged and on task. My Classroom Management Board is filled with great ideas for just that!

A Cupcake for the Teacher has the most awesome startegy for keeping the kiddies in check in the hallway and at assemblies. Her Secret Star Idea is so cute! I also love First Grader at Last's idea to put Good-Bye Rhymes up on chart paper. 

Classroom Decor

A nice classroom is a happy classroom in my opinion. If you show your students that you care about the space that you work in, they will do the same. 

My Classroom Decor Board includes pins that will brighten up any room.

This DIY bench from Sun, Sand and Second Grade is easy to make and looks great too! This DIY Decorating post by Buzzfeed is also a must read!

   

Look at these Walls!

Bulletin Board displays can really brighten a room! My Look at these Walls Board has some great pins to help you decorate your boards!

All Students can Shine has a great tutorial on how to make Tissue Paper Borders and I'm telling you they look GREAT! A Cupcake for the Teacher's pin on how to make Layered Borders is also super!

   

Who's at the Door?

I love to decorate my door! 

My Who's at the Door Board helps me save a lot of fun ideas for great door decor.

Jan K Wilson had the great idea of painting her door and turning it into a work of art! I also love this BTS door by The Chalkboard Garden!

   

These are just some of the many awesome pins I have found! Check out my Pinterest Page for more great ideas and keep pinning!

Don't forget to check out my Back to School (Part 1 - CREATING) and (Part 2 - SHOPPING) posts! 

Until next time...

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