HUGE Giveaway!

Just checking in quickly (I say quickly because I have 1 week of summer vacay left and I've got lots to fit in!).  I know I'm not the only one who struggles with my work wardrobe.  I wasn't born with natural stylist instincts and because of that shopping isn't always my favorite thing to do.  That was until I discovered the amazing blog, Pinterest Told Me To.  Seriously, it has been life changing!  I discovered it right before the big Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (lucky me) and was able to grab some amazing deals!  Sheaffer is like your own personal stylist and so far everything she's suggested has been amazing!  Check out her blog today as she is giving away a $500 gift card to Nordstrom - oh yes, that is correct, $500!!  What teacher couldn't  use this right before the start of a new school year?!  And even if you don't win, you'll score tons of fashion advice.  To me, that's priceless!

Happy Shopping!!

And August is Upon Us...

First, let me just say that I am really not sure who gave August permission to sneak up on us!  I mean...how in the heck did the summer go by so quickly?!  I was just settling in to late nights and mornings spent in pj's sipping coffee and catching up on all of the latest reality TV shows that have filled my DVR.  Then...BAM...August appears and ruins it all!  ;)  Now I find myself waking up to a long to-do list and the stress of trying to fit everything in before I return to work (well...officially return to work since the work has already begun!)

Oh and now for some exciting news!  I won a great giveaway!!!  Major thanks to Emily at Third In Hollywood!  It was a super giveaway and Emily seems like such a sweet person!  Her email to me just made my week!  Not only did I win some great products from fellow teachers, but also the dreamy sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies that has been on my wishlist for just about ever!  Be sure to check out Emily's TPT Store.  Thanks, Emily!!

We're off to a weekend of soccer for my middle daughter!  This will be our 3rd (or 4th?) weekend in a row of soccer tournaments.  I LOVE watching my girls play, but I'll be happy to have a weekend off to just relax!  

Enjoy your weekend!!

Ahhh.....Summer!

Summer has been glorious thus far!  We've had great weather (which for me means anything under 85!  I can't stand the heat), lots of family fun and a lot of lazy days.  The week after school got out was our "work week" at school.  Since I teach at a private school that doesn't have a custodial staff, the teachers put in a week of work getting things spruced up at school.  I was shocked that my principal actually trusted me with a paint brush (it's not a good thing)!  :)  I spend the week after work week rearranging my room and de-cluttering.  Last year I had a .6 contract and had a great teaching partner.  This year I'll be full-time.  So, I had the opportunity to redo the entire room.  It was fun - but lots of work!  I still have about another week of work to do, but for now, I'm happy to put that on hold.

I have spent a few nights this week doing some online work.  I got started on my teacher planner for next year.  I chose to use one of the great planners from A Modern Teacher.  I used one last year and it worked so well.  This year she has some really cute new designs!   I have also spent some time going through the great resources that Jennifer Smith-Sloane has on her website.  I'm going to implement interactive notebooks this year and she is the queen!  My next step is to order a pencil sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies.  I've wanted on for a long time and am going to get one for next year.  (If you want to win one, head over to Miss Elementary's Blog and enter!)I've heard nothing but great things about them.  If anyone has any other must-have resource recommendations, please share!

Here's wishing you all a great 4th of July!

Melissa

Well, well, well....

I guess my great plans for daily (weekly?) blog posts went right out the window!!  What a crazy year it has been!  We have 2 1/2 weeks of school left and oh so much to get done.   My new plan is to survive May and then begin blogging again as I 1) Job search 2) Plan for next year 3) begin reading A LOT of books on different teaching methodologies!   Here's to the end of the school year!!

Five for Friday (on Saturday!)

WELL...as usual I feel as though I'm always about a day behind.  But nonetheless, here is my Five for Friday (on Saturday!).

#1 - This was an incredibly emotional week for our community.  Last weekend there was a tragic accident in our neighborhood that claimed the lives of 2 young girls from  our high school.  The only survivor was the driver of the vehicle, also a student at the high school.  These two girls taught Vacation Bible School at our church, McKenzie played soccer in my daughter's soccer club and the mom of one of the girls was the counselor at my daughter's middle school.  It was a week filled with tears but also joy.  The community really pulled together and did some great things to honor these two amazing girls.  It's just tragic to see loss of life at such a young age.  It was also an opportunity for me to talk to my girls about being safe and not taking life for granted.  Lots of prayers and love for the families of Josie and McKenzie as well as prayers for healing to Preston and his family.

#2 - We're continuing on with our author study of Chris VanAllsburg in our classroom.  My favorite lesson this week was using Ben's Dream.  I used the book to transition into a geography lesson using the landmarks in the book.  It was a great lesson...but also one that proved my kids need some extra help being able to differentiate between cities, states, countries and continents.  I can't tell you how many times I had to say "No, South Dakota is not a country".  Oy!

#3 - Still very much in love with the Interactive Math Journals packet I purchased from Runde's Room on TPT.  It has been a great way to incorporate some new, interactive activities into our daily lessons.  THANK YOU!

#4 - I was BLESSED this week at school!  Our school began a new program this year that provides parents with an opportunity to "BLESS"  teachers throughout the year.  This week a family blessed me with Starbucks (enough said!), candy and a gift card to one of our favorite restaurants!  After such a difficult week, it was really nice to know others were thinking of me.  Thank you!!

#5 - It's FALL!!  The weather is chilly and the days are getting shorter.  For me this is EXCITING!  I love fall and winter and am probably one of the few people already wishing for snow!!  

Have a great weekend!! 

Ahhh....Sunday!

Normally I would dread Sunday - the day when my focus seems to be on gearing up for the week, catching up on laundry, making a menu of weekly meals, nagging my girls to pick-up so that we can start the week with a clean house....and on and on.  But today I'm actually enjoying my Sunday immensley!  Why?  Because I'm FINALLY getting some planning done!  Woo Hoo!!

I had posted previously about my desire to plan ahead more than one day at a time.  It stresses me out and makes me feel like most days I'm just flying                                                                                       by the seat of my pants.  I seem to never have time.  Today I decided to make the time.  It's cold, windy and rainy here and after spending all day in the rain yesterday watching my girls play soccer, I vowed to not leave the house today unless absolutely necessary!  So here I sit in front of a warm fire while my girls watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the original - oh yea!) planning my entire week!

This week will be a week of new ideas and I'm both excited and nervous!  I'm introducing my students to an author study this week.  We're starting with one of my favorite authors, Chris Van Allsburg!  I've mentioned before that I find our reading curriculum a little....dry...so I'm hoping this will jazz it up a bit and get the kids a little more excited about our reading block.  I wasn't really sure where to begin, so I spend some time researching online and found two really great resources (and they are free, too!).  The first came from www.readingrockets.org and the other came from Jennifer Buoy (love her author study units!).  

Geography is the other subject that's getting a makeover!  I wanted to jazz it up a bit, too!  I found a great set of lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers (I'm addicted!) from Meg Anderson.  I think it will work really well in my class and provides them with some fun activities to enhance their map skills!  The bonus is that it incorporates art, which my class will LOVE!

Maybe these new and fun lessons will help take the edge off of the fact that we have 3 tests this week!  :)

I'm BAAACK!

Oh my goodness!  I feel as though I haven't blogged in WEEKS!  Oh...wait...it's probably because I haven't blogged in weeks!  My fellow teachers will understand how this happens.  I feel as though I've been sucked into this crazy place in the universe where time ticks by much more quickly than it should.  I feel as though I need a few more hours in the day in order to just stay above water.  It's probably  also a symptom of being a first year teacher.  The only way I was able to carve out time to blog tonight is because I'm doing it in the car here:

Thank goodness for soccer practice!  ;)

So, here's what I've been up to.  

1) I'm struggling with the fact that I find myself planning the night before the next day of school.  I just can't seem to get ahead.  I am such a planner that this daily planning is killing me!  I hope that I can find a way to remedy this.  Any ideas?

2) I REALLY don't like our reading curriculum.  It's pretty dull and the kids think so too!  I'm trying to find some supplemental activities to jazz it up a little.  I really would love to do an author study, but am not really sure how to begin.  Does anyone have any advice?

3) I also need a serious nap!  My class spent two days at a great camp right on the river.  It was loads of fun, but I'm exhausted!!  They did some super activities like this:

They (speaking of the boys!) also woke the girls cabin up at 6am!  Ugh!  Needless to say, I'm tired!  :)  

Until next time....