A Blog Makeover

What do you think of the new design and title??  I absolutely LOVE it!!  


A very big THANK YOU to Erin over at Creating and Designing for my new blog design!  She even helped me with my new title!  I haven't really posted since moving to 2nd grade, but now with my new design and title I am all set!!


Erin is fabulous to work with and I think my blog speaks for itself!  If you are in need of a blog makeover, be sure to hop over and check out her portfolio!

A New Twist on Sticker Stories

I have been using sticker stories with my students this year as a choice in work on writing for Daily 5.  They get to pick 5 stickers to start their picture.  Then they add detail and write a story to match their stickers.  They have really loved this!  Who doesn't love stickers?  I buy the sticker packs that Michaels, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and ACMoore sell for $1.  They have lots of little stickers in a pack.  They always have them out for each holiday.


While blog stalking tonight, I read Cecilia's post at I Love 1st Grade for her new Work on Writing Labels-Sticker Stories. She was kind enough to let me try it out with my students! I am excited to offer this new choice to my 2nd graders! I'm sure they will love it!




Stop by her blog and check it out!

A BIG Thank You!!!

A BIG thank you goes out to Julie from Thoughts of a Third Grade Teacher and 

Karen from Baffin Bags!! 

I won Julie's giveaway a few weeks ago and my things from Karen arrived today!!! 

I was very excited!! Here they are!

I got the fabric organizer

 and key fob!

Click on the pictures to go get them for yourself!!

Karen has lots of great things for you or to give as gifts!!!

Pinterest Linky Party

Are you a member of Pinterest?   If you are, then you already know how awesome it is because it helps you organize all those wonderful ideas and inspirations that you find around the internet.  If not, then you MUST check it out!  You will not be disappointed!

Michelle's Math in the Middle is hosting a Pinterest linky party.  It's a great way to share ideas and pins.  So if you're already pinning, just add your link!  If not, then you will need an invite.  All I need is your email address, and I'll get you set up!  

Follow me on Pinterest too!

Kindergarten Graduation

Here is the Kindergarten Graduation video slideshow I created using animoto.com.  This is my second year doing a video slideshow for graduation.  I really like how it turned out this year!  I added video clips of the students saying what they liked about kindergarten.  Their voices are a little quiet on some, so I added text before each clip so everyone will know what they are saying.  It was a hit at graduation on Tuesday!  


This was my last graduation as I am moving to a new district in the fall and will be teaching 2nd grade.  I am filled with so many emotions right now...happy, sad, excited, and nervous!  


If you have never created a video with animoto, you definitely should try it out!

Flag Day

Flag Day is June 14th.  To get ready to celebrate we begin by creating our own flags!  This is a one of my favorite projects we do each year.  

I give each student a piece of red, white or blue paper to start.  I then have squares, strips of paper and stars (small, medium, and large) at each table in red, white, and blue for them to create a flag!  Here are a few photos of the students creating the flags.  

Star Templates

Graduation

Our Kindergarten Graduation is less than a month away!  I can't believe how fast the year went!  I am looking for a new speech/poem to read at Graduation.  I always like to change it up a little each year :)  This is the letter I read to the parents/families last year.  I found it online last year, author unknown.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Dear Parents,

We give you back your child, the same child you confidently entrusted to our care last fall. We give him back pounds heavier, inches taller, months wiser, more responsible, and more mature then he was then.

Although he would have attained his growth in spite of us, it has been my pleasure and privilege to watch his personality unfold day by day and marvel at this splendid miracle of development.

I give him back reluctantly, for having spent ten months together in the narrow confines of a crowded classroom, we have grown close, have become a part of each other, and we shall always retain a little of each other.

We have lived, loved, laughed, played, studied, learned, and enriched our lives together this year. We wish it could go on indefinitely, but give him back we must. Take care of him, for he is precious.

Remember that we shall always be interested in your child and his destiny, wherever he goes, whatever he does, whoever he becomes. His joys and sorrows we will always be happy to share.  We shall always be his friend.

Love,

Your Kindergarten Teachers