Made It Monday.....

Woohoo!  I put the finishing touches on my classroom

today.  I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it stays as

neat and organized when I get 24 little darlings in my classroom.

Okay... I'm a little behind on my Made It Monday but here it is.  I'm linking up with 

the amazing Tara at 4th Grade Frolics.

 If you haven't had a chance yet to check out this linky, click on the picture above.  There are so many fabulous ideas and projects.

Now to my Made It Monday project.... a line display chart for computer time.  We have Accelerated Reader at our school which means my students take MANY tests on the computer.  We only have 2 computers in the classroom.  So my kiddos have to learn to be VERY patient for computer time. In the past, I would have a large dry erase board in which my students would sign their name in order and then wait patiently to take their A.R. tests.  I found this was an easy system for me, but was not good for many of my students.  I would find them erasing, writing, erasing, rewriting, drawing pretty flowers and etc around their names when signing up as a way to use up their reading time.  Some students would erase names that were still waiting to take a test and so forth.  I needed a new system that would be easy to manage. 

So I came up with a new system using numbered clothespins.  I created the hanging display below.  Students are assigned a number at the beginning of the year so they know which clothespin is theirs.   When they need to take a test, they simply clip their clothespin onto the numbered chart.  When finished, each student places their clothespin back at the bottom of the chart.  I'm hoping this will be a much faster way for students to sign up.  Here's a peek at it below.

I had a difficult time getting a good close up shot of this display.

This is the top part of the display chart.

This is the very bottom of the display chart.  Notice the clothespins with the numbers that have been attached to them.

This item is $2.00 in my TPT store.  To find out more information, please click on the picture below.

Currently.....

Is anyone else soaking in their last Sunday night of relaxation

before the school rush begins next week?

Sunday evenings are always a little crazy at our house once school begins.

It's a mad dash to get everything completed that is school related since we put it on the back burner all weekend.

I LOVE looking at all of your amazing pictures of your completed classrooms. They look AH-Mazing.  I'm putting the finishing touches on my class this week and will be posting pictures soon.   Have you seen the new "do" of Reagan's classroom from Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits?  It is so FABULOUS!  If you haven't taken a peek at her classroom, click on her link below to check it out.

I'm a little behind with the August Currently, but I couldn't wait to link up with Farley from Oh Boy Foruth Grade for her August edition.  Click on the picture below to link up.

AND here is my August Currently....

First, I noticed that many of you have mentioned that a laminator is one of your B2S must haves.  I purchased the Scotch Laminator a few weeks ago ,AND I LOVE it.  It was only $27 at Wal-mart.  We have a laminator at school that was out of film.  I was getting so impatient so I went out and bought one for myself.  I like it better than our large laminator at school ,and it's so much more convenient.

Another one of my B2S must haves is the life planner from Erin Condren.  I am a bit old fashioned in that I still like to write things down rather than enter them in one of my electronic gadgets.  I like to make lists and cross things off my list. I got the Erin Condren life planner for my birthday last month.  It's fabulous!

Finally, I purchased this smaller version of the Cricut last summer.  JoAnn's was having a huge sale, and this was at a low price.  I didn't really get into using it until this past spring, but now I couldn't do without it.  I LOVE the things I can cut out with the vinyl.  I have used it for home and in my classroom.

Don't forget to Link up with Farley..

For those of you starting back this week, "Best wishes on a fabulous first week of school."

Stay tuned for Made It Monday....

Stress, Flash Sale, and Sea Lions

It is FINALLY finished!

My classroom library makeover that is.

Can I tell you I have spent many HOURS and sleepless nights over this little makeover?

( Yes, I lost sleep over my classroom library.  Sad, I know.)

Once upon a time, I was quite happy with my library.  It was simple and easy for my students to put away books when they were finished.  I had it organized according to Accelerated Reader reading levels.  I had book baskets that were labeled with levels such as 3.1-3.6 or 4.1-4.5.  There were colored stickers on the basket labels and matching ones on the books.  I was happy with this system until I read the Daily 5.  It made me rethink my whole classroom library.  I wanted a way for my students to easily find books they were interested in AND books that were at their reading level.  

So, I came up with a new little system that created  some more work for me.  

My husband would literally find me making supper with my laptop pulled up at the kitchen counter entering a pile of my classroom books into www.librarything.com. 

If you haven't taken a peek at this website, I recommend it.  I easily entered all

700 of my classroom books into this program.  I now can easily see my book categories and what books I have.  It's also great for categorizing your books.  I haven't read all the books in my library so I am uncertain as to what category some of them might fall into.  Once a book is entered into Library Thing, a list of categories this book falls into will appear towards the bottom of the page.

Here's a snapshot of my old library.

And here's a little peek at my new library... I LOVE the book baskets from Dollar Tree and my new categories.  This will make selecting a book so much easier for my students.

I created 44 different categories for my classroom books.  I included pictures to go along with each book basket label.  Then I created labels to put on my books that include the same pictures as the book basket label.  This will make it easy for my students to know which book basket to return the book when they are finished reading it.  Finally, I didn't want to lose my reading level on the books so I created color coded labels that go on each book so that students know the reading level of each book.  Then I created the poster below  to hang in my library about the color coded reading levels.

I just loaded this " Label It" Classroom Library Kit onto my TPT store.  It is $5.00.  This item is made specifically for grades 3-6.  If you purchase this item and find there is a category that you would like added, please e-mail me or leave a comment below.  I can't make any promises, but I will try my best to create a new category.  ( It's a busy time of year right now.)  Here's a sneak peek below.  Simply click on any picture below to be find out more about this item in my TPT store.

 

Book basket labels

Labels created using Avery 5160 format for the books.

Labels created using the form Avery 5160 for the book levels

I just had to share a few pics of our trip to the St. Louis Zoo yesterday.  I woke my kids up bright and early to get there before the 100 degree heat set in (It was great practice for getting back into the school mode.)  I really wanted to check out the new Sea Lion Sound exhibit ,but we also visited a few favorites too..

 

The outside view of Sea Lion Sound

One section of the underwater viewing tunnel... the sea lions loved to show off for their guests.

My "gang" (minus the one in yellow ,who is my daughter's friend)

Touching the stingrays at Caribbean Cove

And of course, no trip to the zoo is complete without the train ride.

Do you notice my daughter's less than happy expression about the train ride in the background.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Workin' The Word Wall....

Oh my goodness!

It's August 1st.... a day that always makes me panic.

Why?

I realize just how few days are left for me to prepare for my new crop of third graders.

While watching the Olympics last night, I worked on my word wall.

I had been putting it off ALL summer long.

( On a side note.... does anyone actually turn their head the other way when the announcements are made on the news about the Olympic results BEFORE the events are ever broadcast later that evening?  I try, but I just can't.  I have to find out... then I am able to watch the events a little more stress free because I already know what's going to happen.  I often do that with books too.  After reading only a few chapters, I often skip to the last chapter just to see how it ends before reading the rest.   Sigh!! )

I am embarrassed to admit that I actually took down my word wall last winter as I was doing some classroom redecorating.  The word wall was  plain. It was just a blue background in which words could be added to this background using velcro.  ( It was so BLAH and did not match my classroom colors.)  My new word wall will be located on the wall below my bulletin boards.  This is generally empty space, and a great new place for the word wall.

This " Working the Word Wall" is $1.50 in my TPT store.  Simply click on the picture below to find out more information.

Putting it all together...

Where has the summer gone?

I mean it just seemed like yesterday that I said goodbye to my group of

third graders for a LONG summer and now .... it's OVER.

I've been busy like the rest of you getting ready for a new school

year and getting my "craft"on.  

Here are the things I've been working on this week:

1. Boggle board

I wanted one of these BUT had no wall or bulletin board space for one so.... Voila!  I created a magnetic board.  It was so easy.  I purchased an oil pan from the local automotive store.  It was around $10.00.  Then I bought some cute tape to place around the edges.  I then downloaded and printed out some already made Boggle pieces from Mrs. Petite's Teaching Passion store that I found on TPT.  Click here to access this freebie. Finally I had to laminate and add magnets to the back of each letter.   I LOVE this Boggle board.  It can easily be moved around the classroom.

2.  Those FABULOUS seat crates. LOVE!

This has been on my teacher wish list all summer long.  I now have 5 of these fabulous seats for sitting and storage.  I enlisted the help of my Dad.  He does carpentry in his free time, and he just so happened to have some extra board that I could use.  So.... he quickly cut the size of the pieces I needed ( and even did the measuring for me).  I already had leftover fabric from my curtains and  red crates I was not using in my classroom.  The only thing I had to purchase was some bedding foam from Wal-mart.  It cost about $10.00.  I doubled the foam to make the seats a bit softer and still had enough foam to do 5 crates.  Woop!  Woop!  Ginger Snaps has a great tutorial for making these.  Click here if you are interested.

3. Confetti Poem for Back To School Night

I found this adorable poem floating around on Pinterest.  I copied it and have it placed on top of each of my student desks.  This will be perfect for our Back To School Night on August 13th.  I didn't purchase the cutesy confetti but purchased 5 bags of different colored filler at the Dollar Tree which serves as confetti.  I tried going with the theme of red, white, and blue for the Olympics.  Click here to download this poem.


4.  Dice containers

I wanted a way to keep the dice from rolling everywhere when my students were playing different games.  I found these small plastic containers at the Dollar Tree to keep the dice in.  My students can shake them up and then take a peek to see what numbers they have rolled.  I think there were 10 containers in each package at the Dollar Tree.  This project was too easy.  I just added the dice to each container.

5. Math baskets for manipulatives at each table.

I wanted a place to put math manipulatives or other material I might need for different subjects in a basket for each table.  I thought this would be great for organization.  I would have the baskets loaded with the supplies needed the night before, and simply have the table leader pick them up.  I purchased the baskets at the Dollar Tree and added the number labels from the Clutter Free Classroom.  I then used Mod Podge on the numbers.

Don't forget to link up with Tara for another Made It Monday!  I can't wait to check out more fabulous ideas!

Ready to Write..... and did I hear Giveaway??

So are you ready yet?  Have you heard that question a lot lately?

I think I have heard that wherever I go.  I am ALMOST ready.  The summer

always seems to go by so fast.

I wanted to share with you my writing center. It needs a few more finishing touches. I am so excited to FINALLY

have ONE area of my classroom designated as a writing center.  Last year I had writing binders in one area, writing posters in another, and supplies in even another.  CONFUSING for 3rd graders for sure...

So here it is.... New and improved

Please ignore those mismatched chairs....  This little corner of my room is the writing center.

I purchased a white organizer to place envelopes, lined paper, plain paper, post it notes, and writing forms.  It's hard to see but in the corner is a bubble gum machine that serves as an eraser dispenser.  ( My son  bought it at a yard sale a few years ago and no longer uses it. SO after paying him $5, this fabulous find is now mine.)  On top of the white organizer is a clear acrylic straw dispenser that now holds many sharpened pencils.  The galvanized bucket was decorated to hold our dry erase markers.  My kiddos writing binders are located on the right.

I LOVE this bulletin board for my writing center.  Isn't it so cute?!  I found it from Miss Nelson's TPT store.  It's FREE.  You can download this fabulous packet by clicking HERE.  If you download this PLEASE let her know how much you like it. Don't forget to visit her blog, Run Miss Nelson's Got the Camera for more fabulous ideas... She loves to decorate with polka dots also.

This is a picture of my student's writing binders.  Included in these binders is the packet shown below.  Click on the picture below if you are interested in finding out more about this. It's FREE from my TPT store.

Above the binders I have my writing posters which are aligned with the Common Core and go over the writing process and the different types of essays.  This packet can be found in my TPT store.  Click on the picture below for more information.

I also have these fabulous classroom journals located in my writing center.  This will go great with the "work on writing" portion of the Daily 5.  I found this from Tara at 4th Grade Frolics.  If you haven't had a chance, you MUST go check out her posts about the Daily 5 in her classroom.  LOVE her ideas!!

Click on the picture if you would like to be find out more information about these journal covers from Tara at her TPT store.

I also have this bucket of story starters in my writing center.

These silly story starters are also from Tara at 4th Grade Frolics.  I told you I LOVED her stuff.  Click here to be taken to these story starters.  I made a little bucket to put the story starters in.  The bucket came from Target's dollar spot.  Click here to download the picture I created for the bucket from Google Docs.

If you have any more suggestions for my writing center, PLEASE share what has worked for you.  I would LOVE to gather more ideas and improve upon my writing center.  On my to do list are story stones and vocabulators.

Melissa at the Dalton Gang is having a 100 follower Giveaway.  It ends on Sunday.  Check this giveaway out!  There are so many fabulous prizes. Click on the link below to enter this Giveaway.

I JUST had to share a few pics of some fun we have been having  before school begins again in a couple of weeks.  It's been SO hot and my kids are tired of the pool so... a neighboring town has a SPLASH PAD.  It was fabulous, free ( can you believe that?), and brand spanking new.  ( It's also a perfect excuse to be able to drop by Home Depot or the Dollar Tree for school supplies).  We have neither of these stores in the town I live in.