Making Classroom Celebrations Special

So........ we are STILL in school until Thursday!!!  We are spending our last few days with fun classroom celebrations!  Today was dedicated to The Polar Express. We dressed in our favorite PJ's, comfy slippers, stuffed animals, and blankets.  We all had a golden ticket to enter the room and I punched messages on the tickets.  It was great to see my kids as just sweet little ones in PJ's. We tend to forget they're just little kids and need play and imagination.  We enjoyed cookies and hot cocoa at the exact point in the movie when the waiters are serving hot cocoa. 

It was magic!!

We had such a great day!!  Some of my favorite quotes from the day:

"This is the best day---I'm happy!"

I've always heard jingle bells--so I Believe!!

"I'll believe what ever they tell me to believe as long as I get a bunch of presents"--LOL

"Mrs. Hudson, you believe don't you?"

"Oh yes I replied"

After the movie we had some fun with our reading stations and my newest Roll and Write Center!!

The kids had such fun writing their own Polar Express stories!! 

If you're interested in this and other writing centers check out my

Writing Centers-Growing Bundle

A few more snapshots of the season!!

We will cap off the celebrations with our Gingerbread Houses during the Classroom Party!!

Even Jingles get into the act!!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

Too Cool to Think About School....Just Cool Apps!

Yeah I'm right now I'm feeling "too cool to think about school".  I'm 14 glorious days into my well deserved summer vacation.  Vacation seems like the wrong word though.  We have all earned these days---so enjoy them!!  Who am I kidding though?----we all still think about school!!!  Summer gives me a chance to catch my breath and "think" about the coming school year. 

       Although, I have hit up my favorite spot to gather much needed supplies and ideas for next year. 

      Use #targetteachers  and #dollarspot on Instagram to follow more great finds!!!
I can't wait to add these little gems to my word work and math stations

Now onto the cool apps!!

  I would like to share my favorite apps to use during guided reading and even math!! 

I personally use all of these apps with my second graders on a daily basis. Our favorites include Reading Eggs, Brain Pop Jr., Math Blaster, and Sum Dog.

You can find them all on Favorite Ipad Apps for convenience.

On a different note I am getting so excited for TpT Orlando!!  

Use #tptorlando16  and  #findmeattpt on Instagram to follow all the fun!

I can't wait to see my CTR friends again this year-missing some others!

Comment below if you'll be there too- I'd love to connect with you!

Happy Summer Everyone!!

Holiday Cookie Hop

 

So excited to bring you Classroom Tested Resource's Holiday Cookie Hop!! 

 The best holiday cookie recipes all in one place!!!

 

 

My cookie contribution is one of my all time favorite cookies-Pecan Tassies. 

 

 

I hope you enjoy this recipe plus all of the others included in this linky.

 

 

 

Check out all the great recipes in the CTR's Holiday Cookie Hop

Autumn Authors we Love--plus LOTS of FREEBIES!!!

My hope with this blog post is to provide some fun activities to go along with a few of the favorite books from my October bookshelf.  This bookshelf is by far the most packed one I have and I keep adding to it on a daily basis.  Check out my blog post for Classroom Tested Resources.

 

Station Set Up, Organization, and Fun Freebies

 

Check out my post from yesterday on Classroom Tested Resources . The post includes tips for setting up classroom reading stations.  It also includes FUN FREEBIES to help get you started!!  I hope you stop by and grab your freebies!!!

Fun with Fairy Tales

My second post for our collaborative blog is live on Classroom Tested Resources.  Click on over to read all about Fun with Fairy Tales to see one way we are surviving those last CRAZY days!!!

 

 

My post on Classroom Tested Resources!!

Go to our Collaborative Blog to check out my contribution Planning for Spring Literacy Stations and a Freebie!!  You'll find some ideas and a great freebie to use in your classroom!!

 

 

Classroom Tested Resources Blog Kick Off and Giveaway!!

 

 

I am so excited to bring you our brand new collaborative blog-Classroom Tested Resources. We are a group of over 30 teacher bloggers. Each day we will post about our own classroom tested resources and activities.

 

                     

 

 

Head over to our blog to enter to win one of three teacher Swag Bags valued at over $100!!!

 

 

Classroom Tested Resources will be your go to place for tried and true teacher resources!!!

 

                 

Cooking Up a Great School Year!!

I am so excited to bring you Cookin' Up a Great Year Blog Hop! I created a special writing center for this hop. Click on the link to grab yourself a free copy just during this blog hop only!!
                                                            Cookin' Up a Great Story

During this busy back to school time we could use a little help with easy slow cooker recipes to prepare for our families. This is one of my family's favorites.
                                                           Easy Pizza Pasta Bake

                                         Enter the giveaway below to win these great prizes!!!




a Rafflecopter giveaway








                                               Your next stop is  B is for Bilingual

TpT Back to School Sale !!!!!

I am so excited for the TpT Back to School Sale that starts at midnight tonight!!! My wishlist us SO full of wonderful clipart and teacher resources!! Not that this first lady needs a shout out from me---but she is one of my absolute favorite clip artists!!! She is Nikki from Melonheadz. I have so many of her items in my cart ready to check out including this little gem!!!
Visit her store---Melonheadz Illustrating.

Another item in my cart is from Angie at Lucky Little Learners. Her Interactive Notebooks are awesome!!  I own all of them except for her subtraction one which is in my cart.


 

 Visit her store---Lucky Little Learners

I also have a all of my products on sale for 20% off, including my already discounted Mega Roll and Write Bundle!!  Writing Centers for an entire year!!  Visit my store---Second Grade Surprises

4th of July Blog Hop

Happy Independence Day America!!! Are we proud to be Americans?---Yes Indeed!! Thank you to all of our veterans who have fought to protect all of the freedom we enjoy! Thank you to my dad who served in the US Army, my brother US Navy, Father-in-law US Air Force!! To celebrate our nation's birthday I am joining over twenty of my blogger friends to bring you The 4th of July Blog Hop!! In celebration I am offering one of my Roll and Write centers for FREE during the hop!! My students love these Roll and Write Centers!!! They use dice to roll a character, roll a setting, and roll a plot!! They then add their own ideas and details and hilarious stories are created to share.

Click  HERE to grab your freebie!!!!

And as an added bonus, all of the participating bloggers have 'pooled their cash' to purchase 4 $25 TpT gift certificates and 1 $10 Target gift card!

The first four selected will receive the TpT gift certificates and the 5th winner will receive the Target gift card!

Enter here, or on any of the participating blogs:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To Continue on the Hop click on any of the boxes below!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Flip-Flop Blog Hop

We had such fun this week making these adorable Wrapping Up the Year in 2nd Grade Memory Books.  This comes from Amna over at Teach Two Reach-2nd Grade Happenings!!!   We colored, cut out, wrote our favorite memories, assembled package and shared with the class!!!   Some of my kids said that this activity was their favorite memory right now!!  It was wonderful listening to their memories of second grade.  I especially liked hearing why they thought I was special!!

 Click Here to go to Amna's TpT page to grab this great product!!

For additional fun check out this FREEBIE sampler of my newest product coming soon!!

CLICK HERE to grab your FREEBIE!!!

To Go to the Next Stop on the Flip-Flop Blog Hop!!!

Kinder Doodles

My kids love to "Roll It, Roll It!!!

So my kids have really been enjoying my Roll and Write Centers this year.  I put a new one in the writing center at least every month, sometimes twice!!   I thought it would be great to bundle them all into one MEGA bundle for writing fun throughout the year!!!  12 writing centers for half the price!!!

                                                        Mega Roll and Write Bundle

  I am so thrilled to  have been nominated for the Liebster Award!!!

       Thanks to Amna at  Teach to Reach 2nd Grade Happenings 

                          http://teachtoreach.blogspot.com

                                The guidelines are as follows:

#1- Link back to the blog that nominated me.

#2- Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers.

#3- Answer the questions posted to me by my nomination. 

1)  What's your favorite T.V. show?  

A---Downton Abbey

2)  What kind of student were you in school?
A---Hard Working student never straight A's until my college years :)

3)  What kind of child were you to your parents? 
A----loyal, loving, they are both gone :(

4)  When you started your teaching journey, did you get the grade placement you wanted?
A----yes I started in kindergarten, but quickly moved to 1st for 21 years, now in 2nd for 5-----love 2nd.

5)  What is your usual weekend like?
A----very busy, hectic

6)  What chores do you leave until you absolutely HAVE to do them?
A----House Cleaning

7)  Do you see doing anything more with your education degree in a few years?
A---no already achieved Masters plus 30

8)  What is your favorite fruit, vegetable, and junk food item?
A----Strawberries, Broccoli, Potato Chips

9)  If you could live anywhere in the world besides the country you live in now, where would it be and why?
A-Wouldn't live anywhere else but here-greatest country on earth!!!

10)               What’s your favorite animal?
A----Dog

11) What’s your biggest strength as a teacher? What would you like to work on?
A-Organization, LOVE what I do!




Blogs I nominate:   (Same Questions)
 http://savvyinsecond.blogspot.com/
http://www.storiesandsongsinsecond.blogspot.com/
http://luckylittlelearners.blogspot.com/
http://www.tickledtoteach.blogspot.com/

"I know some other fun games we can play"

It is getting so close to my all time favorite day of the year!!  Yes that would be Read Across America Day.  In honor the great Dr's birthday I have spruced up some older products and made a new one.  Of course, all the names have been changed to protect the innocent characters who appear in the good Dr's books!!  Click on my TpT store button to find these great fun products!!

                                                     For my pre/K and K/1 Friends!!!

For my First through 3rd Grade friends

Bloglovin

I am excited to start using Bloglovin

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/7542795/?claim=f5suhxqfver">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Loveable Little Eskimos

 

 

 

Mama Do You Love Me?

 

 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Loveable-Little-Eskimos

I can't wait to make these adorable little eskimos for Valentine's Day!!!  We will write love notes to our moms asking----Mama Do You Love Me?

Let It Snow!!!

       We've been having a little snow lately and it reminded of a really cute activity we did a couple weeks ago.  This activity has been done by many teachers--originally by Deanna Jump.  This was just one of the many really adorable snowglobes.
I used this free writing pattern posted by:
 http://gingersnapstreatsforteachers.blogspot.com/2011/12/if-i-lived-in-snow-globe.html

Elf on the Shelf Fun!!!

This was my first year having an Elf on the Shelf visit our classroom. On the first day he appeared on our tree as a present.....  We named him "Jingles"

He wants us to play Kooshball on SMART Board!!!

He listened to our story "The Secret Life of Trees" and rode a pinecone!!!

Jingles found the recess games!!!!

Riding the Rosemont Rocket!!!!

He loved playing in our prize basket and treasure chest!!!

Jingles brought back "magic snow" that stayed cold all day!!!!

He decorated our SMART Board :))

Taking a rest!!!

Finally he decorated a Gingerbread House of his own!!!

Jingles made our holiday season sooooooo much fun!!!!

The kids loved him soooo much!!!!