Giveaways!

Just in time for the beginning of the school Erica Bohrer and friends are hosting a HUGE giveaway.  There are 12 files up for grab and several ways to enter!  Head on over to Erica Bohrer's First Grade and check out all the great units.

I hope to have my first giveaway soon.  I am working on ideas to host my own before the school year starts!

It's Almost Time!

I looked at my calendar and realized that next week is the first week of August.  Most of the teachers at my school start heading back to do the usual to get ready for the students.  School starts for us on August 22nd and our school has grown by about 70 kids this year.  This will be our second year in operation and it is so exciting that we are growing.

Hopefully when I get back our Mimio boards will be ready for us to try out.  If you haven't heard of Mimio it is an interactive board system that will work on virtually any service.  Just think of all the ways that I will be able use this. 

This week I will spend time updating my BEE books (the daily folder I use), gearing up for our first year of Words Their Way (another folder to put together), and putting together a floor plan since I have a brand new room this year.  Isn't the beginning of the year so exciting!

Here are a few pictures of the folders I am putting together to keep my First Graders nice and organized:

This is my Bee Book:

Most of the printables I use I have gotten off of other websites such as Meachams Classroom snapshots.  She has some of the best First Grade resources.  I could run most of my classroom off of her ideas.


Instead of word notebooks I am using a Word Study Folder.  Students will keep all of their Words Their Way items in here and paper to use as a word notebook. Keeps them all organized and tidy:

The brown envelope will be for their word sort pieces and a graph to help them keep on track of their required tasks for the week.

I can't wait to share these with my new studnts. 

Making Your own Units

I see all sorts of gorgeous printables and units on the various blogs that I visit.  They are intricate units and simple printable that look absolutely gorgeous.  My question to you is how??  Where do the graphics come from so that you can give away your packets or even sell them.  How do you make sure that you aren't copying someone else's idea?  I would love to start doing this for myself so I guess I am asking.. where do you start?

Please share any ideas you may have.  If I can learn how to jump into this great trend I would love to share my own ideas with all those that have given me inspiration.  YOU!

Watch for my next post on the classroom environment.  I am reading Teaching With Intention and want to share my ideas as well as yours!

Storing all those files!

I was checking out a linky party on Kinder Kraziness  so here goes my first linky party.  I am so excited to have ideas to share with everyone out there since I have gotten so much from all you other bloggers out there!

It is all about how we save all those files we find online or create.  Many people use an flash drive or external hard drive.  I got tired of having to remember to bring it with me, so while blog hopping one day I found this great resource.  It is called Dropbox.  You can use their free storage program or pay to have more storage.  I haven't had to pay yet and still have room to grow!  The best part is you can use any computer and access your files as well as share them with other users.

By inviting others you can even get more free storage.  If you want to help me out and get more storage leave your email in the comments or just head over to drop box and create an account of your own!

My First Post

So I am on summer break right now but have decided to dive into the world of blogging.  I have become addicted to reading blogs and thought why not try it myself.  I see all the great resources that others have shared and thought that maybe I would have something to contribute.  Who knows.... 

So here begins my journey into the blogging world.