Still new to this BLOGGING thing

For those that read this, I hope you know that this page will be SOOO much better starting in late July-early August when I can get back into my classroom and start designing next year's room.

Since switching school laptops, I have lost all of my photographs!

Essential Books for your Classroom

These could be used as read-alouds, mentor texts, or just wonderful additons to your classroom library!

Next Year's Bulletin Board backing

I have been thinking of next year's theme ALREADY! I was trying to look at other people's blogs, bulletin boards, pictures, etc. but couldn't really find anything that spoke to an upper-grades classroom. I want to go with a beachy feeling, but not "under the sea" since it doesn't align with our standards and would be too "kiddy" for my 5th graders.

I thought of using turquoise blue, whites, beiges...then the next day, my husband and I went into KMart and BAM there I see this tablecloth---exactly what I was dreaming about. I bought every last one and am planning to make it the backing for my 4 bulletin boards next year.

I then bought 4 pale-turquoise placemats and 3 beige for my 7 tables. I am hoping to purchase 7 galvanized buckets (cheaply) so that the students can have a communal place to store pencils, highlighters, post-it notes, etc.

I am too excited about this....but for those teachers (if any) out there reading this...you get it!

Here is a rough sketch of next year's bulletin boards. We are starting SRA ImagineIt next year, so two of my bulletin boards are going to be used JUST for reading! Yikes...I am going to miss my 4 bulletin boards for each subject.

Classroom Procedures POSTER

Not centered, but these are the rules I have posted ALL YEAR LONG! I am constantly referring to them with my children. It is also a great idea for me because my classroom is a revolving door....I am always getting the new kids (even in May sometimes!).

Having a "T"rrific Bulletin Board.....

I spent the Thursday before my mini-vacation to Florida creating a bulletin board for outside of my son's 2-yr-old classroom.
It was soooo great helping his school out, and I had a blast being with the little ones.

Font Bonanza!

I have spent the last hour just downloading cool fonts to my school computer! WOW! I have only been out of school for 1 week and I am already gearing up for next year...I know, I am obsessed!

Scrapbooking FONTS galore!

I used this in my classroom this past year. My students loved it (and I did too)!

This is a wonderful way to start off the school year. It introduces the children to giving positive notes and encouragement in a form of a letter. The letter then gets placed in each other's buckets. I used a large pocket chart with library envelopes as the "buckets." The forms are available online and it's a simple and cheap way to communicate with your students either daily, weekly, or just as a surprise!

I would show a picture, but I switched computers and my backup files did not actually Back Up. Oh well. I will use this again next year and post photos.

Flocabulary Area of a Triangle Rap and Video

Flocabulary AREA of a TRIANGLE

My 5th graders LOVE this song for the Area of a Triangle!

some photos from last year's classroom

Saw this a few months ago, and I loved the idea! I replicated it in my classroom and my students were better able to visualize this tough concept.

I am becoming obsessed with Pinterest! There are so many wonderful ideas for the classroom. Once I find more photos of things I have done in my classroom in the past, I will post them. See...teachers DO work in the summer!!

It's June 4th...my last day of school. My classroom looks like this right now....but wait until July or early August, and this space will change dramatically! I am already thinking of my room decor for next year!

My Last Day of School

Today is my last day of school. I am truly going to miss all of my students, but am already excited to meet my next year's class!
I will be posting pictures, ideas, etc. throughout the summer.