I am here to admit to be 100% addicted to Krista Wallden's clip art . She is amazing. The quality can't be beat. On top of all that, she is a generous artist. I have been a member of the Summer and Fall VIP clubs. I am anxiously awaiting tomorrow for the first week of the Winter VIP.  She does numerous FREEBIES throughout the year, usually giving a full set, not just an image or two. WOW. Talk about impressive. For December she is doing Operation ELF, everyone loves freebies. The clip art includes a sELFless challenge for the week.  Here is week one, and my progress to date. 3. Done, I posted an Operation ELF freebie last week.  You can find it here.  4. Someone at work had already started this. It was a perfect combination of projects.  That is it for this week. I will be stalking , waiting patiently for this weeks Operation ELF. ...
With it being a long weekend, I decided to bring home all the devices I use in my classroom. After all, apps need updating, songs changed out, etc.. It is a good time. Just for fun, I collected all the devices I have available in my classroom and took a picture. WOW! Even I was a little amazed at what I have. This doesn't include the 6 desktop and 12 laptop computers. Here it is, in all its glory! With a brief explanation of how each item is used. 1. 3 iPhones (3GS) and 1 iPod touch. These are used daily during center time. The students work on Teach Me Toddler or Hooked on Phonics, depending on what they need. I use the guided access feature to make sure they are working in the correct app.  2. Various MP3 players and an iPod Nano. The Riptune MP3 players were purchased to send home with an Interactive Alphabet activity, but they are a little tricky to get to work. I am using them in the classroom with the activity in the classroom. I may use them for read along boo...
Here we go again. A new month, a new Currently post, hosted by Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade . Listening: At this moment I am listening to the quiet hum of my computer. It is early and I haven't turned on the music yet. My current ear worm is Benedictus by 2 Cellos. Check out their You Tube page. Fantastic music.  Loving: The cool weather here in south Florida. This weekend has been perfect, cool mornings, highs in the low 70s, great weather to sit on the porch with a good book (see reading) and a mug of hot green tea. Relaxation shall commence!  Thinking: It is Sunday, that means I am thinking about all the things I need to so for the week, school related and personal....  Wanting: More time to create! It is hard during the school year. I am a scrapbooker, card maker, learning to paint kind of gal. Not to mention creating items for TPT.  Needing:  Really, everything is good here. I can't think of any real 'NEED'... anything here would ...
If this is how you dress for Halloween. Not because it is a book character, but because this is how you dress for Halloween.  Happy Halloween Y'all! ...
The district I work for is piloting a laptop program this year. Each school was allotted a number of carts, depending on the student population. The carts hold 12 laptop computers. The aim of the program is for a 2:1 ratio to enhance project based learning.  Teachers had to apply for the laptop carts. I was lucky enough to be chosen! I am so excited about the program. Yes, I teach Kindergarten. Yes, there are obstacles to overcome. Yes, there are days the technology doesn't work. Yet I am still excited.    All the schools were outfitted with Wi-Fi access over the summer. Remember those obstacles... Well, the student logins didn't work for the first few weeks of school. That is behind us. Except the Wi-Fi network went down last week for 4 days. Window authentication problems; that has been fixed now as well. Logins themselves are another obstacle for Kindergarten; numbers, letters, capital letters, etc... make it challenging. However, my kiddos are starting to get th...
A new week is upon us, so what's up with Krogh's Kids. I get to read on of my favorite books... There are so many comprehension activities to go along with the book. Because of its repetitive nature, the kids easily remember the story. The kids love adding the sounds as I read and become part of the story telling. I will be adding the felt pieces to our library center for independent retelling. This year I am adding a new piece to the week, the video. How I have missed this all these years, I do not know. It doesn't matter now. I can't wait to share it this week. What's up with you this week?...
I wanted to find an activity to engage my students in story telling and story retelling. I wanted it to keep the students interested and be specific to the books we have been reading, or just fun topics. I've been using a felt board in my library center for a couple of years, with limited resources. After a quick Google search, I realized I could make any felt board pieces I wanted. With the proper supplies.  First stop Amazon, I buy most office supplies from Amazon. I live in the country and going to Wal*Mart, Target, or an office store is not a 'quick trip'. Instead I pay for Amazon Prime and shop online.  I purchased the Avery t-shirt transfers and a pile of white felt. I printed some graphics onto the transfer. Your possibilities are only limited by your clipart supply. Just remember to print in Mirror mode if you are printing text or it will be backwards.  Following the instructions, I preheated my iron, folded my pillowcase, and iron the transfe...
Goal: To post to this blog two times a week.  Not necessarily the same two days a week. I CAN blog two days. I CAN write to posts a week. I CAN do this.  Not promising anything earth shattering in the life of this Kindergarten teacher, but I WILL blog twice a week.  ...
You know you are a Kindergarten teacher when you wake up on Saturday morning and your the song running through your head is...  The Octopus's Garden; Raffi Version.    ...
I have made it the ought the first two weeks of school. Procedures and routines are being learned. Now it is time to add a few more.  In that order, I have laminating and sticker charts to cut out. Feet up and DRV going, relaxing teacher style. ...
Have you heard the news? TPT is having a one day sale this week; Wednesday, August 20th. That's right, a second chance to buy all those things we missed during the first BTS sale. TPT is offering 10% off prices with the code BOOST. If you favorite seller is having a sale, you get the 10% on top of the sellers discount. Be sure to check out your favorite seller on Wednesday.   Did you buy a lot or a little earlier in the month. I bought a little. I couldn't resist this Color the Room set by Erin from Creating and Teaching. Many of my students aren't ready to write the room in August. Coloring is something they can do. Click on the picture to go directly to the product.  My wish list is always at least 3 pages long. The majority of the list is clip art, but there are plenty of activities as well. The Listen Up bundle by Fluttering Through First Grade looks like a great way to practice listening skills.  Finally, I added a new product to my store this w...
It is official. School starts tomorrow. Bright and Early! Ready or Not!  I am ready, well my room is at least. I really don't have a theme that carries throughout all my decorations. I like bright colors. I have started putting border around large displays on the walls. It adds a finishing touch to the display. It also helps the display stand out on the cream colored walls. This is the view from my desk. Complete with my Tervis tumbler. I drink iced tea all day. I have several tumblers that follow me everywhere I go.  This is the view from the door. We use tables for Kindergarten. I am using shower caddies to hold the scissors, glue, and pencils for the table. Each student will have their own box for crayons.  I have set my tables and chairs so that everyone will be able to see the piloting a 2:1 laptop program this year, so the kids will need to see the board. Lots more on that throughout the year.  Here is the reading corner. I found the little...
Oh My! There is so much to do for back to school. I could post something new for a month to talk about all the items I am creating and things I am doing. But I won't bore you. I have been using clothes pins on my bulletin board for a couple of years. It makes changing out the student work so much faster. As I was redoing the board this week a teacher stopped by and commented that the clothespins would be cute if they were painted. I completely agree, but decided to use washi tape instead. Less Mess!!  Here are my supplies all lined up. Hot glue gun, thumb tacks, clothes pins, and washi tape.  I started by gluing the thumb tacks to the clothes pins.  Once the glue dried, I put the washi tape on the other side. I found this tape at the dollar store. Primary colored hearts will match my bulletin board perfectly.  The little bit of color adds just enough to go from blah to cute. Add washi tape to your supply list. It is a simple way to add the cute. ...
I spent the day in my classroom. It doesn't look as bare as in the earlier post from today. There are no 'in progress' photos. I will do after shots next week. I have more to get ready than my room though. My goal for the year: Paperless. I have been trying to use Evernote more and more for personal and work related organization. If you haven't heard of Evernote , check them out. It is a cross platform organizational tool. Everything syncs, so your phone, tablet, and web versions are always current. I love using a really cute desktop calendar. A calendar app is perfect for recording important dates, but they just aren't cute. So I made my own. I really like the graphics from KHDigi on Etsy. They are bright and colorful. Just what I wanted. I use an iPad; with Pages I will be able to type right on each month. Just like a real calendar.  For my friends, I posted a PDF version on TPT. Click on the calendar cover or here .  Enjoy. ...
Here it is. All ready for me to rearrange and decorate. ...
I am a few days late, but with everything going on this month I shall not fret. I am joining the Currently Linky at Oh'Boy 4th Grade this month. It is my first linky. Listening: I am listening to my Broadway Musical playlist. Tomorrow?? I change playlists daily, I always have music in the background. Loving: My new computer, see post a few days ago. :)  Thinking: About my classroom and the school year. I have rearranged my room at least 5 times. Wanting: I have lists for Amazon and Home Depot. All for my classroom. FL gives us supply money in September, so everything is a want. Needing: My supply money so I can get the things I want. 1st Day: Me... 8/7               Kids... 8/18 ...
It seems early to be having a Back to School sale. Yet it really isn't. I have family and friends that all start school this week, the kids not just the teachers. Here it is, TPT's back to school sale. I am linking up with Nicole & Eliceo from Teacher Tips Around The World to share the sale with my fellow bloggers. Check it out here to see other fantastic stores on sale.  Happy Shopping.  An InLinkz Link-up ...
I really enjoy creating things, art, whatever you want to call it. I can't draw my way out of a box, but give me some materials and I am good to go. I have discovered I don't care what medium those materials may be, as long as I can manipulate the into something pretty. In my life I have tried my hand at quite a few things: hook and latch, sewing, photography, scrapbooking, card making, mixed media, painting, crotchet, probably some I have forgotten, and now digital design. Who knew it would be so much fun?!?!?! Clip Art, Design Elements, Digital Papers, Fun Fonts... all put together to make art. I am hooked. So what does this have to do with my classroom you ask? Read on.  One of my classroom goals this year is to blend play into the content areas as much as possible. It is so easy to get carried away with the academic expectations. I strive to make those interactive and engaging, but I want to add more play elements this year. Besides, I need to be reminded of that as...
After 10 years with a laptop, I decided to return to a desktop this year. I have an iPad that goes with me all the time, greatly reducing my need for a laptop. I went to the Apple store tonight and came home with this. A new iMac. The box itself is pretty to look at. But what's inside is even better. First out if the box are the keyboard and mouse. Both are Bluetooth, so no cords.  Next came the computer itself. The iMac is all wrapped up like a Christmas present.  The iMac contains everything in one piece, no separate CPU tower. This also means no cords. Can you tell I am excited about the lack of cords. I have a love/hate realationship with electronic cords. I love the devices they power. I hate the way they get tangled up.  I plugged the power cord into the battery back-up, ran it up the back of the desk, plugged it into the iMac and I was ready to go. Well, almost. I had to get my files and iTunes library from my old MacBook. That didn't take long and then I was reaady to g...
I completely and wholeheartedly understand why blog designers charge the prices they do to create beautiful blogs. Last week I started finding tutorials and examples of blogs I like. I went through my clip art; deciding what I liked best. Because I like all of it. All the papers, and designs, and elements, and shapes, and, and, and... I finally decided on elements by KDH Designs. Her Etsy store can be found here . Her spring morning designs are bright and fun to work with. I wanted to carry over my Teachers Pay Teachers store name, Teaching Under the Sun, without being tied to lots of oranges. These papers and elements are perfect. The sun is the work of Ashley Hughes. You can find her on TPT . The sun and sunglasses are from her Summer Lovin sets. I still have a few tweaks to do; the font styles and colors, the sidebar, adding a navigation bar, and other minor things. Those can wait a few days. Thanks for looking, please let me know what you think; positive or constructive....
Here is my favorite tip for handling dry erase markers and erasers. After struggling for years over lost  markers and paper towels that don't erase, I found this somewhere. (I didn't say it was an original idea)  Use a Sock!!!  I just got a cheap pack of white socks from Wal*Mart. I store the markers in the socks.  This has reduced the lost markers. The socks erase better than anything else I have found. Plus, the students only have less to carry with them as they move.  When the socks get dirty, I take them and wash them. No worries about missing pairs. :) I don't even worry about getting them white; they still work.  ...
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