Do the Dragonfly Drop!

I honestly can't make my brain think or do one. more. thing. tonight! I certainly, can't bring myself to write anything substantial---lots to say, but little motivation. The first day back from spring break is exhausting---plus I had a grade level meeting after school from 4-5pm, then grocery shopping with all 3 of my little loves, then home to make dinner, snuggle, read books and tuck in the little loves of my life!! The husband is out of town, so I am single mom-ing it until he returns. 'Nuff said!  I know you understand exactly how I feel! 


Regardless, I managed to get one game out out of my tired brain tonight and out there on my TN shop for you to to pick up! And now, G'night! :) 

Looking for fun springtime fact family games? Here's a new one! 

Click HERE to grab it! 

Springtime...or Anytime Sorting!

Little people love hands on learning....we all know that! I am always looking for cute, and inexpensive ways to make a quality activity that occupies little hands, and engages little minds to the fullest. Besides the Dollar Tree, Michael's Craft Store would be my next favorite place to gather items for my classroom. Often, I can find many things under $5.00 - and even in the dollar bins. The closest Michael's craft store is 45 minutes away from me (notice I charted the distance in minutes, not miles---a Michigander for sure!)---so I always make the most out of every trip.

I found these great little boxes (unpainted) for $1.00. It took very little paint to make them bright cheerful colors. Just a couple of aisles over, I found great little wooden pieces in a variety of types (trees, umbrellas, cars, animals, etc.)---already painted for about .25 each! The larger ones were just a tad more. A steal of a deal that I could not pass up. I knew my students would love them!

So----immediately, I thought----SORTING! 

These are just a few of the sorting pieces---I have lots for students to use.

I used wood glue to attach the larger wooden pieces to the front of the boxes. The smaller wooden pieces did not need any extra work from me! Perfect!

I found a little flower box that holds all the small wooden sorting pieces - and this activity stays at my math center all the time. Students come back to it time and time again---and it's such an easy visual for me to walk by and see if pieces are getting dropped in the correct boxes while students use this at free choice time. If not, I can pop over and offer a little assistance right away.

I hope you have found this activity useful, and an inexpensive way to add a FUN fine motor/visual discrimination activity to your math center! You could also make this a beginning sound sort for your ABC Center! There were many more types of wooden pieces available.

What is YOUR favorite teaching materials to pick up from your local craft store?

Drop me a comment, I'd love to know! 

Hatch!

Well, today I bought a new incubator for our chick hatching project at school. I've always borrowed one, but after a few years of doing this project, I decided I might as well invest in it. I am super excited!! Who knew I'd be a girl to own an egg incubator?! Ha---I never would have guessed it! 

So....in thinking about hatching chicks....I've hatched yet another chick theme activity! This one can be used for many games: memory, Go Fish, letter matching, and a game rightfully, titled, "Hatch!". Ever heard of Crash? It plays just the same! :) 

Click HERE to peep a look at this new game! If you decide to grab it for yourself, please leave me some comment love to let me know! :) 

<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>

AND

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Click HERE for the sight words version - Dolch Lists 1-3

THANKS! And---Happy Easter to you all! 

Peep, Peep, Peep!

I am gearing up for my upcoming science project - in which I fully immerse my students in a cross-curricular study of all things chicks! Yes, chicks!! For the past three years, my associate teacher and I have thoroughly enjoyed playing mother hen by caring for sweet young chicks! Ok, honestly...I don't like to touch the critters---they kinda creep me out. But I LOVE the growth/development study, and the peeping from inside the egg, and the excitement that bustles about the ENTIRE school on hatching day!

It's a good thing you can't hear my squeal through the computer when my associate teacher/friend put one on my desk! Ewwww! And yes, we do let the kids hold them and watch them walk around....but I'm the photographer---ONLY! :)

We begin with fertilized eggs---typically gathered by other local teachers/farmers (the beauty of living in a rural farming area in a midwestern State!), an incubator, and 32 VERY excited young scientists! Put that all together in my classroom - and we have a perfect science experiment with so many activities to boot!

Each day we observe any changes in the eggs inside and out. I LOVE the model eggs that show detailed illustrations of what's happening on the inside.

We chart their progress on a photographic timeline (so it can be read and deciphered by our little ones), and much, much more! 

But before I go on forever about this project (my all time favorite of the entire year!!), I'll toss a math FREEBIE at you! It's spring time, and whether you hatch chicks or not---these little cuties can't be passed up! 

(Click the photo)

If you grab this game, I just ask that you leave me a comment. 

I love your feedback and reviews!

SALE!

Grand Opening Give-A-Way and SALES! 

In light of launching this new blog, I'm offering 15-50% off most of my Teacher's Notebook items...go check it out! Sale ends 4/30/12.

Love a good spring sale!! PLUS - I have not yet hit 25 followers. New followers can still pick out 1 paid item (for FREE) as your THANK YOU gift for signing up. You have to drop me a comment or Email me to tell me your selection.

ENJOY!

Spring Cleaning!

I don't know about you, but I am itching to clean my classroom - big time! It's that time in the school year when everything has been used - A LOT, by little hands who like to play, play, play. Not that I will have any time before my students'  last day of school, but I might be able to tackle a few projects here and there.

I recently just presented with a friend and colleague of mine, Tiffany, at the MiAEYC (Michigan Education Association of Education for Young Children). You can check out her great classroom blog at HERE! We had a great time presenting "File Cabinet Rebellion - Get Your Classroom Organized". Much of our research consisted of scouring the internet, Pinterest, and visiting great blogs and local classrooms, and organizing our own classrooms!

Organizing is my guilty pleasure---my "geek" thing to do! I thought I'd take a moment to share a bit of what I do for any of you Spring cleaners out there!

But first...take a peek at our ambush make-over for one of our First Grade teachers, Mrs. Jennings! We gave her a great jump on HER spring cleaning!

I just love her desk afterwards! 

Everything has a place now! 

I personally can't wait until the day I do not have to have a shared classroom---I would SO get rid of my desk. I used to not have a desk when I had my own classroom - and I loved it. I mean - what early childhood teacher really needs a desk any way?! We never have time to sit at it, and most of us struggle to maximize our space for our students and centers. BUT - even I want my desk to look like this! Which it currently does not. 

I think it's important to always start with yourself and your teacher spaces when wanting to feel organized and put together. Even though I know you have it together - sometimes we feel like we do not---and that's in part to the busy days we lead and things just get tossed and piled up. There's simply NO TIME! I get it.

BUT - if you are feeling un-organized and overwhelmed - start with your teacher space. If you feel great about your space, you will feel more calm, put together, and fully prepared for each day. You will also begin to project that feeling to your students, too. We certainly expect our students to be calm, prepared, and organized----so we must model that just like we would model a great writing lesson.

If you are up for setting aside just a couple (okay - maybe 3) hours of your time...you could have a great space that looks like this, too! Here's a few tips on how to get this great space.

1. Visit the Dollar Tree. I'm up for organizing anything - especially if it only costs me $1/item!! SCORE! Grab everything you think you need to get organized (who cares if you buy too much---you will certainly use it later. Definitely buy more than you think you will need...I bet you will end up using it.)

Doing the FUN part first---shopping, labeling, etc. will get you in the mood to organize. It's the carrot hanging in front of you----striving for that finished product.

2. Come up with a labeling system. What will you use - chalk vinyl? address labels? Pre-printed labels? Be sure to use something colorful, visually appealing, and nice/neat looking. DO NOT label on the container with a sharpie in your own handwriting. It just looks messy. You are a professional----go for a polished look! 

3. PITCH, pitch, pitch it! Trash anything that you do not need. And DONATE anything of value that you can part with. Have a student teacher, or a first year teacher in your building? They will not turn away freebies. Share your junk treasure. 

First things first....your desk is probably filled with little misc. items: game pieces, things found in your carpet, dice, band aids, etc. Corral that stuff with a little "Lost and Found" box on your desk - or somewhere in your classroom. Encourage your students to not hand you a bazillion microscopic game pieces, sequins, and dice 50 times per day. Simply have them drop it in the Lost and Found. From there, you can put everything back where it belongs daily or weekly. I suggest daily---it will take 5 minutes. Have older students? Make this part of your classroom helper responsibilities.

This box cost $1....at....you guessed it----the DOLLAR TREE! 

Grab some typical lock-n-seal tupperware at the Dollar Tree! $1/each. Oh Yeah!

Slap on a chalk vinyl label---and you can easily change the contents and label anytime.

It's by far the best labeling system----my new trendy favorite!

Again - great little interlocking tiny blue bins found at the Dollar Tree. $1 for a set of 3!

Always, always have a daily drop box - a place for things to land that need to be filed, graded, put away, etc. The key is to empty it DAILY and put things in their rightful place. It only takes a few moments---and you will feel great walking to your desk each morning, knowing there are not yesterday's leftovers waiting for you. Just Git-R-Done! 

I have LOTS more cleaning and organizing tips up my sleeve....so stay tuned! I should probably do a weekly feature. But as to not get overwhelmed, you must choose one space, and start small. Your teacher space would be a great place to start your spring cleaning! Go ahead....take one last look and be inspired and motivated! 

Drop me a comment/picture of your before/after desk make-overs! 

Have FUN! 

Put Me In Coach - I'm Ready to Play!

As I was looking through my Easter totes in the basement, taking inventory of what's in stock for the big arrival of the E.B (that's Easter Bunny), I couldn't help but browse through my old Kindergarten totes as well. Even though I currently don't teach Kindergarten, there's always some items that I can tweak to fit the levels of my Pre-K friends....it's just a matter of taking the time to do so.

Here's an old game that I used to have available during Literacy Stations in my K class. It includes Dolch word lists 1-3. I've tweaked it to include the alphabet and numbers so that PreK kids can use it as well.

You will need these great little sports Easter eggs. HURRY---go grab some before the stores are out! The great thing about these eggs are that you can use them at any time of year. They don't seem a bit "Easterish" and your sports enthusiasts will love them! 

You will also need a basket of some kind. These sport themed Easter baskets do the trick, too! 

Inside each egg, hide a little letter of the alphabet, number, or Dolch word. Students can record their findings on the Score! sheet. Some PreK kids may be ready to write their findings, others may just want to say the letter or number. Older students, or those that are ready, can definitely find it, read it, and write it! 

It's soccer season - and baseball season is right around the corner! Gear up!

Get your FREE game HERE!

Get lists 4-11 HERE!

Welcome to My New Blog!

Welcome to my new blog! You may know me from Planet Preschool, which was turning into a hybrid blog for both parents and teachers. I thought I'd try it for a little while, and see how it worked, but it wasn't really giving me the opportunity to expand and grow in the blogging world of fellow educators. I know I said I'd wait until summer vacation---but here I am on spring break, and I just couldn't wait!

So....with that said, welcome to "The Sweet Life of Teaching"! I am happy to have a new place for educators to follow me, grab ideas, and network with me along my teaching journey. I love, love, love that technology has given me instant access to so many great teachers, and I'm hoping to give back just a little bit of what I have taken from so many of YOU!

Of course, this blog is brand new, but Planet Preschool was not....so if you are looking for any archives, be sure to check there. This site will move forward from here on out!

Because I am so happy you are here to visit me, I am handing out some "house warming" FREEBIES! Be sure to drop me a comment and let me know if you grabbed one of my games---I'd love to hear from you!

I'm still working on by blog button code (why does it have to be SO hard?!)---hang in there and check back soon!

Enjoy!

Click HERE for "Going Buggy!"

Click HERE for Letter Match

(be sure to look for the lowercase letter match freebie, too!)

Click HERE for Easter Egg Rhymes!