Freezing and a Freebie

Brrr….It's freezing in California. We are gearing up for several days of freezing temperatures!! Today my car read 19 degrees. Now I know to some that probably really isn't that cold, but in California we think 55 and 60 degrees is cold. So imagine how we are all freaking out with temperatures in the teens and twenties!!  

In honor of our freezing temperatures, I made a little freebie to share!!! All you need to do is click on the picture to download the freebie. 

I got the idea from Susan at Thank God Its First Grade. I bought her terrific What's The Difference? subtraction unit. There is a great activity in it where they build numbers on the tens frame and then remove a specific amount to find the difference. My kids were super engaged with this activity and it really enforced the concept of subtraction.

So,…here is what my kids will be doing tomorrow. They will have the Sippin' On Subtraction mat below. 

They will also have the below book to do their recording in. My students will read the problem and then build it on the hot cocoa tens frames with their real mini marshmallows. Yes, I did say real marshmallows! I might even throw in some real hot chocolate since we are having these freezing temps!!! LOL!! I love to get my kids excited about learning. 

The square in the book is for them to write their answer in. The rectangle at the bottom of the page is for them to write the number sentence that goes with the problem. 

I hope you enjoy the activity! 

Rudolph's Crazy Cousin, Math, and Dear Santa

So we are back into the swing of things after being off a week for Thanksgiving break. My kids were pretty mellow on Monday. So mellow that I wasn't sure if they were very excited about the little elf that paid a visit to our room or maybe the teacher just needed another cup of coffee!! LOL!! 

But…on Tuesday the walked in eagerly looking for her. They voted on a name for her and our elf is now called Rockstar! They are so into our Rockstar theme classroom that our magic elf had to be named after it. I thought I took a picture today, but apparently that was just a figment of my imagination. I promise I will share photos of Rockstar at a later date!

I wanted to share a super cute art activity and quick writing that we did on Monday. Thanks to Stacy over at Funky Fresh Firsties I know have Ruldolph's Crazy Cousins all over my room!! Here are 2 samples from my firsties!! They loved making these. I had them add the cute light bulb clipart!!

We have been practicing our math and language rotations. Since I am new to first grade this year it took me a little bit longer to get things rolling just how I wanted. I am quite pleased with how well my students are engaged and on task. They sure have made leaps and bounds since the first day of school. I can't imagine what they will be like after 2 years!! (I am looping with them to second next year.)

Here they are working on a super engaging subtraction task from Susan at 

Thank God Its First Grade. Her unit What's the Difference? is full of fabulous activities!!

The girls were building a number that was given to them. Then they were told to remove a certain amount. Finally they recorded the difference. For an added challenge, I had them write the equation to go along with the problem. They loved it! I loved how engaged they were and I could go around and help anyone who needed help.

Tomorrow during our language stations students will be working on working on writing a letter to Santa. I decided to make it a little more inviting by creating this:

I will let you know how it turned out!

It's time for me to go to bed. Five o'clock will be here shortly! Happy Hump Day!!!

First Grade Madness!!

I can not believe it is December 1st! Time sure does fly!! It has been very crazy busy the past several weeks!! When I moved to first grade this year I knew it was going to be a fun, new, and time consuming journey, but… it really should have come with a warning label…

First Grade kicks your @$!

Don't get me wrong, I am LOVING first grade!!! However, I have been sick twice in the past 5 weeks, my mom was in a car accident, I had my first round of first grade conferences, and we are in the process of changing our report card over to common core. Can we say it has been a little stressful!!

I seriously do not know how all you bloggers do it. I would love to blog way more than I do and create so much more for TPT, but seriously peeps do you not sleep??? Every time I turn around two of my favorite bloggers...Reagan from Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits and Kristin from a Day in First Grade have posted another AMAZING unit  and blog post!! Reagan has kids of her own too…I seriously think she has magical powers or is related to SUPERWOMAN. It is just me and my husband and sometimes I have emotional breakdowns because I can't handle just the two of us!!!! LOL!!

Anyway, I did have the week off and it did allow me to get a little rejuvenated!! I was able to create a new product for my TPT store just in time for...

(Thanks Krista Wallden for the cute graphic!!! Love her products!!!)

All of my products will be 20% off including...

Of course, I had to link up with Farley from Oh'Boy Fourth Grade for the December Currently.

Wishing everyone a happy first day back!!!

My Truth Monday

Denise from Sunny Days in Second Grade is hosting a 12 part series called My Truth Monday.  Every Monday there is a new topic!  This week is all about fitness!! I decided to jump on the bandwagon because it would be a fun linky to do and it would get me back on a routine with blogging. I am enjoying my move to first grade, but it is very time consuming learning a new grade level.

Have a great Monday!!!

Woohoo I am Joining the Sale!!

I love TPT and I am jumping on the band wagon a bit late, but my entire store is on sale!!!

It's Been A While...Loving My Move to First Grade!

I can't believe it is already October 9th. I have officially been a first grade teacher for 41 days. Woohoo!!!  I am not going to lie...I have had my good days and my not so good days!! How is it that six year olds can wipe you out?????

We have done so many cool things and I have had so much fun!! I am really enjoying this grade more than I ever thought I would. I come home every night and stalk my way through more first grade blogs to see all of the cool things you all are doing. Thanks to all of you amazing bloggers who share so much!  I just love to see all of the photos and engaging activities you do with your kids!

I promise I will post more because I actually have some cool things to share.

On another note...Last Tuesday I went to 

I must say I am a big fan and I do have a major crush on ...

Let's just say that he is even more delicious in person!!! I must say I was in a little daze when he came out on stage!!! What a great concert!!!

Here is a little counting by fives freebie:

Click on picture to download.

Have a happy Thursday!!

September Currently

I can't believe it is already September!!  I can't think of a better way to begin September than  linking up with Farley for her September Currently!! 

Hope everyone is enjoying their Monday off!!!

A New Level of Craziness and the Back to School Sale

I may have hit a new level of craziness today. I decided to head down to Michaels because I was feeling a little creative. My wheels were turning and I was going to get projects done for school. I was making my way around Michaels checking things out. I find an amazing deal on those Scentos markers. They were on clearance for 20 cents and I had just paid a dollar each at Target. So, I did what any normal teacher would do...I bought way more than I needed too.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CRAZY PART!!

You know as you head up to the check stand they have the dollar bins as you wait in line. Well of course I had to glance through all of the bargains and that is when I found this:

And that's when I officially began my travels to an all new level of craziness. I decided that I would buy all the letters in my name to replace the wooden train that I have in my classroom. The bright colors would go perfect with my new color scheme this year. So I sifted through the bins of letters and pulled out what I needed. 

Cute huh??? Actually, not so cute because they had no "Y" that I needed to finish off my name. So, I did what any normal teacher would do...I went to another Michaels. I was super excited because when I arrived they had way more letters!! Guess what??? No, Y. So, I got in my car and headed to another Michaels. Guess what?? Even more bins of letters!!! Are you seeing where this is going?? No, Y!!!! What the heck?? I would totally get it if there was no A or E or S, but Y??? So, I called my sister and had her check the Michaels where she lives. (1 1/2 hours away). No...Y!!!!!

It's seasonal of course, so I just might buy myself a giant Y that is way bigger than the rest of my name just to prove a point. I don't know what point, but I want a Y!!

By the way I am participating in the big sale!! Woohoo!!

A big thanks to Michelle at 3am Graphics for the cute sign!!!

My First Day of First Grade...OMG...I'm Exhauste

Hello to everyone!! I have been missing from my blog for a bit trying to get ready for my big move to first grade. Earlier this year I had asked my principal if I could move to first and then loop to second.  It was official probably by the middle of June and I was super excited. Of course at the end of the school year  I couldn't wait to start summer vacation so I kind of lagged on cleaning my room. Alright, let me be totally honest...I did not clean it at all. I had every intention of going back after a week or two and getting cleaned and organized, but I kept putting it off. Before I knew it, SMACK me in the face it was time to go back to school!! Yes, I have spent the last couple of weeks getting ready and organized. You think that after 18 years of teaching I would know to clean before I leave. Of course not!!! I started my 19th year working and getting things ready until the very last minute possible!! Hopefully, I am not the only one that has ever done this!! LOL!!

So today was my first day of school with kids!! I have a very sweet class! I was surprised at how well they listened because I felt like all I did was talk. Oh we did other things, but the beginning always just feels like all you do is talk about everything and demonstrate how to do procedures. I am EXHAUSTED!!! These first graders are a lot different then beginning second graders. I wanted to curl up on the couch as soon as they walked out the door. My eyelids were closing as I was driving home! Not literally, but they were getting pretty heavy!!

I never thought that first grade was an easy grade by any means because both my mom and sister teach it, but HOLY COW...thank god it is only a 3 day week!!! I need the weekend to recover!! I am definitely going to have to work on my singing, dancing, and bags of tricks!!! And I can't believe in another ten hours I will be back there!!!


I just wanted to thank all of the wonderful first grade bloggers out there for sharing such great ideas!! It has really helped me to get a better feel of what first grade is like!!


I am off to get some sleep! I will post some pictures of my room over the weekend!! If you haven't started school...enjoy the last bit of  your summer!!!

Congrats and Cleaning

Congrats to Debbie and Pam. My husband picked you two lucky ladies for the freebies. Please check your emails to make sure you received the products. If not, please email me.

On Thursday I went to school to clean. It is something that I should have done before school got out, but I didn't. I spent about 5 hours going through things and getting rid of things I hadn't used or didn't need. I probably have 1 more day of the same thing and then I can start setting up for this upcoming school year! It's freaking me out that school starts in 3 WEEKS!!!!!  I still have golf lessons to take and exercise classes to attend!! This work thing is just getting in the way!!LOL!!!

It is supposed to be 105 degrees here today so I need to get moving and get my workout in so I can relax by the pool!! 

I hope everyone has a fabulous Saturday!! Relax and enjoy!!!

Back to School Shopping, Revisions, and New Products!!

Happy Tuesday to everyone!! Why is it that once June is over the summer seems to fly by??? I officially start school in less than a month...August 12th!!! OMG!! Where does the time go??? I try not to be Debbie Downer and just enjoy the rest of my summer, but of course the brain starts turning and it won't shut off. Last night I had a dream nightmare that it was the week before Open House and I hadn't done a thing!!! Yes, I tossed and turned the whole night trying to figure out how I was going to get my room ready in 3 days!! Does this happen to anyone else???

So I have been doing a little school shopping...

These are going to be my kids wallets to hold their Rockstar Bucks!! They were 47¢ a piece at WalMart!

I recovered my seat crates! I just love the orange chevron!

New rug from Ikea! It was only $19.99. I think I am going to get one more.

Book boxes and notebooks for Daily 5!

Couldn't resist the zebra accents!!

New color scheme for updating my Rockstar Theme!!

Here is my new product that I just uploaded to TPT!

My sister Marissa (Wild About First Grade!) has been trying to decide on a new theme for her classroom most of summer. She liked my first Owl Theme pack I had created for other friends, but when we found this border at Lakeshore she new Owls was going to be her new theme.

So this was the inspiration for my second Owl Theme pack!! It contains 225 pages of decor items!! Here are some pictures to show you what is in there:

                                      

Of course I would love to give one away to my blog followers. Just leave a comment below with your email and I will have my husband pick a lucky number tonight!!

I also added :

Here is a preview of some of the wrist bands!!

Yes, I will also give one of these away as well. Just leave a comment with your email address and the hubby will pick another lucky number!!

Finally, I did add a few new items to my Rockstar Classroom Theme Pack:

Below are the new additions : a new set of table group signs, 2 different sets of birthday months to display kids b-days, and a new design of tens frames posters.

I am off to a golf lesson and a Tight and Tone class!! I do love summer vacation!!!

A Big Change, New Products, and Some Freebies!!!

I hope everyone had a great fourth of July and is enjoying the beginning of their weekend!! We finally have had some cooler weather today...in the mid 90's. I live in California and the last 5-7 days have been 105 +. Miserable!!! 

So I have some news...Earlier this year I had asked my principal if there was a possibility of me moving to first grade and then looping to second with the new class. My current grade level partner and I thought it would be a great opportunity for many reasons. We knew there was one opening, but we wanted to take on this new adventure together. Guess what?? On Wednesday we found out that we are able to move to first and loop to second!! We are so excited!! I am a little nervous because I have never taught first, but I think it will be a great challenge and lots of fun too.

I just uploaded some new products today at my TPT store:

Each one has denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $100, and $500. They are personalized for grades first through fifth grade.

I am going to give away 5 free copies!! All you have to do is be a follower of my blog on Bloglovin and tell me what your classroom theme is going to be this year!! The first five people to comment will get to choose. Please make sure you leave me your email!! 

TGIF to everyone!!