Currently!

I'm linking up with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade!

 

  

 

 

 

My kids are different this year....They don't like anything that has worked in the past.  I can't figure them out.  Nothing seems to motivate them.  It's really strange.  There are a few that are motivated but as a whole not so much.  They are a very sweet group of kids I just feel like it's taking us a longer time to mesh because I can't figure them out.  Anything I suggest is "baby" or "not fun" I just can't win.  I'm hoping that something at some point will work I've tried just about everything!

 

 

I hope everyone has a happy Sunday!  Enjoy your extra hour!

Election week ideas

So I read the following 2 books to my class this week while talking about the elections

 

 

&

 

 

 

Duck for president was great for an unrealistic presidential story mainly for fun.  Grace did a great job of talking about the whole election process.  My kids really enjoyed both books. 

 

 

We are going to have an election between Grace and Duck.  I have made voter registration cards and ballots I also created posters like this with my kids names on them instead of mine and their faces in them.  I have hung these on my bulletin board.  I plan on decorating my classroom this weekend with red white and blue anything to try to get the kids pumped up about voting!

 

 

 

My kids LOVED these Click the picture to head to the website.  They loved seeing their faces on Uncle Sam.  I plan on letting my Reading group make more campaign posters for my classroom and hallway.  I had this vision this summer I'm just trying to run with it!  I'm sure I will come up with several ideas over the weekend.  How are you teaching the election to your K-2 kids?

 





 

How We Count Money

I struggled with this last year but this year this seems to be a great method and it's working for my kids so I thought I would share.  I'm sure many of you out there do this.  Counting money and time are 2 of the things in Math that make me groan out loud literally!  The kids are so excited about it though so that makes it bearable :)

 

I give the kids some coins to look at.  I tell them that we are going to give them a new hairdo.  The kids look at me like I'm slightly crazy but I tell them that this will help them count their money.  I tell them for every 5 cents in a coin we are going to give that coin a hair on top of its head.  We then go through and count how many hairs each coin has.  Quarter-5 Dime-2 and a Nickel-5.  A Penny does not get any hairs because it doesn't have 5 cents in it.  So the coins should look like the image below

 

 

 

Then all the kids have to do is count the hairs (by 5s) and they should come up with the correct amount.  Of course I have my kids that can actually count the coins and come up with the correct answer I still make them do this I just think it helps them check their answers.  For those who do that hehe!

 

 

We are tackling time this week and I think I am going to have them make paper plate clocks.  I found a new one on pinterest that I want to try with them.  Hopefully I can get them outside and do one with sidewalk chalk or something fun like that :)

Money Freebie

I created this money freebie for my kiddos click here to get it. How do you teach coin value and counting money? I will post this weekend how I do :)

I have also linked up with TBA for Freebie Friday!





Happy Friday!

Happy Owlloween

I normally take pictures of things that I come up with but this just hit me so suddenly I didn't have time to make it myself.

My scanner didn't work very well so you will have to finish some lines on some of the parts.  I wanted to make it to Manic Monday so I was in a bit of a hurry!


My classroom theme is done in owls so I thought I would make some ghost owls for my classroom.  I know it is weird but I thought it might help bring some halloween to my room.  I'm doing the body in white, eyes yellow, and beak and feet orange.  I hope you enjoy my weirdness :)

You can grab your freebie here

Missing in Action

So it's been awhile since I have blogged.  I think I just got burnt out and let down somewhat.  I don't want to go into details but lets just say I lost my faith in some people out there who I thought a lot of. 

I have officially survived my first six weeks in a new school and I've lived back at home with my parents for a few months now as well.  I'm still adjusting to everything and for some reason at the beginning of the year I always forget that they are still basically first graders.  I've been back for a few visits to my old school and I won't be going back again.  It broke my heart to talk to some of my kids and I can't go back so I can't look back anymore. 

Some nice things about being halfway back in civilization is I can now enjoy what I have missed out on for 2 years!  A SONIC DRINK.  You never realize how much you miss things until they are gone so cherish the opportunity to have one of those drinks.  Some afternoons they are the glue that holds me together. 

I've made quite a few things in my classroom but I don't think I will bore you with that right now.  I went to a workshop this summer.  I was introduced to books that help kids with grammar at this workshop.  I was introduced to the book What dogs do and What Dogs do Too?

My books is a combined edition of the two and has a Boston Terrier on the cover (go figure!)

This book is one word action verbs followed by a picture of the dog.  So I then got the brilliant idea to make my own video of basically the same thing only involving my students.  Clip Art Came from KPM Doodles, The Pond, The 3am Teacher and Dream Like Magic.  I also published it into a photo book from shutterfly.  The kids are so excited about it being an actual video more so than the video.  They told me they did all the work and I didn't really do anything HA!

I had never used Microsoft Movie Maker and let me tell you it is so easy!  It is like using power point!  I can do these fairly quick and hopefully I can do some more in the future!  So check out our video What Ms. Harris's class does.

 

I hope everyone is enjoying their school year and hopefully beginning to find their groove :)

 

Currently and Ginormous Bulletin Board!

So I have been in a blogging funk lately I have no idea why.  Soon I will be posting my complete classroom pics.  I am still waiting on some clip art for a few key items and then I promise I will post pics!  I did however complete the GINORMOUS hallway bulletin board.  This board is huge!  I had no idea what to put out there that had to do with fireworks.  I wanted a cute saying etc.  Well since our theme is surrounded by the whole Katy Perry song where did I turn...those lyrics!  I chose "Ignite the light and let it shine"  I changed the to your.  I think it turned out really cute!

We hung up Christmas lights on the board (when I say we it is my mom and me.  I am way too short even on a ladder to reach ha ha).  We bought 3 black tablecloths from the dollar tree and covered it with that.  We made the firecracker out of wrapping paper and stuffed it with shredded paper.  We used dollar spot sparkly stars and Dollar tree bows (they look like fireworks).  I also used the idea of the clothespins with the thumb tack on the back.  I tried those 3M strips last year but those didn't work.  I think it turned out really cute if I do say so myself! 



I hope your back to school transition is going smoothly.  If you are in a new school/classroom I hope your transition is going well and that you are coming to love your school as much as I love mine!