My Classroom!

So, I had to hurry and take these pictures at the end of the day..so not all of my books and stuff are organized as I like them. However, these pictures have been LONG over due. Here's my simple, but cute 3rd grade classroom :)

My Favorite Part

(Barn Bookshelf)

My father-in-law built this awesome bookshelf just for my classroom!! It's pretty much all the rage of the school. All the teachers want it! I'd have to say..it's pretty "barn" cute ;) hehe

Front of Classroom

I have 27 students! At the beginning of the year, the students were in rows. However, now they are in table groups of 4 or 5. I'm not much for decorating the walls to death... so it may look a little drab. Where I'm taking the picture is a pretty good size space, just perfect for a reading circle.

Classroom Management

The Stop Light is my consequence chart if students choose to not follow classroom expectations. I RARELY have to use it because my class is sooo awesome! Green- 2nd verbal warning, Yellow- Skill Builder during recess, Red- write reflection letter. The Spinner is the rewards chart: treasure box, work with friend, free time, tickets, positive note/call/or email, and mystery motivator (something really cool like a movie gift card)

Calendar/Lunch Count

As apart of Morning Routine, students move their clip to either School Lunch or Home Lunch. This makes it super easy for me to know who is absent for the day. Then, I have a student job of Lunch Counter.

Artsy Smartsy!

As I've mentioned, I now work at an Arts Academy. I LOVE doing visual art, so it has been fun for me to include integrated art activities in to my lesson. I could have done it more last year, however, we didn't have the endless art supplies that I have freely at my fingertips at this school. Plus, it's easier for me to do visual arts with Math, Science, & Social Studies.

Glitter Galaxies:
My first big art integration activity was with Science. We have been doing a unit on the Solar System. After we learned about how our Solar System is in the Milky Way Galaxy, and we're a very small spot in a galaxy full of over 200 billion stars... my students created Glitter Galaxies!! First, students drew their galaxy using a white crayon, then traced the lines with Elmer's glue, and finished by sprinkling glitter on top at different stations. The art integration was line design. Students used wavy lines and curved lines to create their galaxy.

Complementary Growing Patterns:
My second big art integration activity was in Math. Students were learning about Growing Patterns. Students used AB color patterns, and used complementary paint colors as well. We used paint trays that had 2 complementary colors at each table group, and sponge stamps cut into various shapes (sprial, triangle, square, and rectangle). The sponges were those green and yellow ones..where the green side is the rough side (stamp side), and the yellow is the soft side (the part the students hold so they don't get so messy). Look at all the cute designs they made!

Been a While...

So I went on my lovely vacation to Mexico, and as soon as I returned I was doing back to school training, getting my classroom ready, and before I knew it was back to school night! I've been extremely busy and I've neglected my blog!!

As you probably notice, I have a new look to the blog. I had to change it because the layout that I FINALLY fell in love with.. well the pictures got deleted from photobucket! :( I was pretty sad to find my blog in shambles. I had a cute font and a picture of Clint and I for the header. The header was still in tact when I came back, but I couldn't find the right template to match it anymore. Needless to say, I was not pleased. I spent a LOT of time making it the way I had it. But I guess that's my fault for neglecting it for so long.

On another note.. I LOVE my new 3rd grade class. They are so stinkin' cute, and they are great at following directions! We have a lot of fun. Since I'm at an Arts Academy now.. we do a lot of integrated art activities. To name 2 fun activites, we've used glue & glitter to make Glitter Galaxies (for our Solar System unit) AND sponge stamps & paint for our Growing Pattern Art (for our Math Unit on Patterns). I'll have to take pictures and post them. I don't even have pictures up of what my new classroom looks like!! Stay tuned... ( I promise it won't be several months before I write again)

Last 2 Weeks!!

It's finally coming down to the wire. I only have 2 weeks left of school with my very first class! Am I sad?? No! Just thankful that I survived! haha. But I definitely am going to miss those kids..they were a fun bunch.

I'm really excited about my summer vacation to begin. I really need the rejuvination! I'll start it off by visiting Bama from June 9th-15th. My sister is graciously letting me stay with her. I can't wait to spend time with her and her family, as well as my mom and friends!! It's been a while since I've been home..and I miss it.

On June 30th, I'll of course be going to the Eclipse movie with my wonderful friend, Crystal. She's the one who got me hooked on those Twilight books in the first place. I remember when I'd make fun of her for reading them. Then, she bought me the first book for Christmas 2 years ago. I felt obligated to read it, since it WAS a gift! :) I read the first book in 2 days, and finished the rest of them that week! haha.

I'm also playing outdoor co-ed soccer on Wednesday nights, and I believe Clint and I are planning to visit an all inclusive resort in like the Bahamas or something!! So in other words, I LOVE summer and I'm stoked for it to begin.

Treasures Be Lyin' Here..

For our end of the year Family Night, we chose the theme of "Pirate" stuff. Every classroom was assigned to decorate their door in some kind of pirate decoration. So, I put a treasure chest picture under my document camera (b/c it enlarges it on my whiteboard), and then I traced it on brown butcher paper. I decided our door theme would be "Treasures Be Lyin' Here".

For our writing activity, I had the students write 2 paragraphs about what they would do if they saw treasure on a deserted island. They had to use the voice of pirate while writing it as well! I posted these on the wall close to our door. Then, they colored a jewel or coin of their choice and put their mini picture on it. They stuck them in the treasure chest, and few on the "sand". I had 2 students stay after school, and help create a 3-D palm tree to complete the deserted island look.

On Pirate Night, I was in charge of the Cannon Ball Toss. We had a million balloons filled with water. The kids had to start close to one another and carefully toss the balloon back and forth. With each complete pass, one of the kids had to take a large step back. The game ended as soon as the "cannon" exploded!! :) It was sooo much fun. I even got in a water balloon fight with my janitor buddy, Mr. Fisher. He's in his 60's! Needless to say, he lost ;)!

The next day, they announced the winning doors. Our classroom got 3rd place!

Teaching Moments

Hey Everyone!!

I took up an idea from a fellow friend who told me I should blog about my teaching moments. I've created a new blog:

http://www.thrillsandshrills.blogspot.com/

Add it as a blog you follow, and check it for the fun and interesting moments I have with my little kiddos at school!

Yummy Chicken Enchiladas

Since we had chicken enchiladas tonight, it reminded me that I should share the recipe. My husband and I LOVE them!! I do believe his mom, Debbie, gave me this recipe. It's a simple, delicious recipe (the best kind, right?). Try them, and tell me how you like them:

Ingredients/Materials:

Chicken Breast
Las Palmas Green Chili Sauce
Shredded Cheese
Salt
Pepper
Soft Tortillas (soft taco or burrito size)
Casserole Dish & Boiling Pot

Cooking Instructions:
1. Boil your 3 chicken breasts in a pot for approx. 20 minutes.

2. Drain the water, and then pull apart chicken to make shreads. If the chicken is too hot for you to handle, either use gloves or use 2 forks to pull the chicken apart. Salt & Pepper your chicken to your tasting.

3. Pre-heat the oven @ 350 degrees. Open the Las Palmas Green Chili sauce, and pour enough to cover your entire base of your casserole dish.

4. In each soft tortilla, spread about a 1-2 tablespoon(s) of the Las Palmas Green Chili sauce in the middle. Grab a handful of shredded chicken and lay it on top of the sauce. Then, put a good pinch or two of shredded cheese on top.

5. Fold your tortillas, and put the folded side down in your casserole dish. Place each tortilla right next to the one you placed in previously.

6. Spoon Las Palmas Green Chili sauce over all your tortillas (cover them well so they aren't dry). Cover the top of your tortillas with shredded cheese (the more the merrier!!).

7. Bake in the oven for approx. 20-30 minutes.

*I usually use about 1/2 of that Las Palmas sauce, but they do not make another size. It really is the most delicous green chili sauce. You'll probably have extra chicken left-over, which can be used to make a yummy chicken salad :)

Make-Up Discussion

Hey Everyone!

So I've been looking for really good makeup. Believe it or not, I got sucked into one of those Sheer Cover informericals 2 months ago. I ended up ordering a set of make-up for the special price. At first, I LOVED it! I got so much stuff: concealer, 2 shades of mineral powder, mascara, lip/eye palette, face wash, moisturizer, pore minimizer/blemish cream, 3 make-up brushes, and bronzer.

I still LOVE the bronzer, mascara, and lip/eye palette. However, the concealer doesn't seem to be covering my blemishes as well as before. Speaking of blemishes, I keep breaking out on my chin. Either the face wash or the concealer is drying me out as well!! I'm a little disappointed.

So here's my question.. do you have a make-up brand you love? What is it? WHY??

Spring Break!

I got to enjoy a wonderful girls' night/day in Park City with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and niece! We went up Thursday afternoon, ate at Ruby Tuesdays (the mini burgers are delicious), and made our ritual snack run to Wal-Mart. We played a game of aggrevation rummy & munched on Red Vines!

Friday was the treasured day! We woke up early, had the hotel's yummy breakfast of southwestern omlets, fried potatoes, and a delightful pastry :) I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Then, we headed straight for the outlet mall, which we could see from our hotel room!

We spent from 10:30am-5:30pm shopping like crazy mad women!! I made sure I wore my Reebok Easy Tones, so that I got in some good exercise while walking from store to store. Plus, the mall is on a bit of a hill :). At the end of the day, I ended up with a pair of really nice heels that I got for 80% off, indoor soccer shoes, soccer shorts, a green cardigan, a white frilly blouse, a pink hoodie shirt, & 2 nice pairs of dress pants!! I really had a hay-day in Banana Republic.

I'm BACK!!!

Wow! I kind of forgot about blogging once I started teaching this year. My last post was about my new classroom, and now I only have 2 months left. This year has went by really fast. I've had quite the year.

The students in my class are pretty comical! Each day, I have some crazy, funny story to share with Clint. Most days are pretty good. At the beginning of the year, I wasn't sure I was cut out to be a teacher. The students struggled with following directions, and many had outrageous attitudes. I was not prepared for students to behave the way they did. However, they learned to trust me, and by November my classrom was running like clock work. And many of those students that I found to be hard to deal with ended up surprising me with new, positive attitudes. That was such a relief!

Now, it's Spring and the kids have cabin fever! They're pretty talkative and ready to be outside at any moment. We're practicing for the end-of-level tests, so I can understand why they're busy bodies. They want to be outside in the sun just as much as I do! And to top it off, we only have 39 days left of school. Hopefully, they've learned something important from me. I've definitely learned a lot from them!

Right now, I've been spending my federal money on things for my classroom for next year. I'm so excited with all my new materials: base ten block magnets, money teaching magnets, ABC & # magnets, plastic coins, site word boxes, Reading Comprehension board games, student nametags, classroom posters, pocket charts, scissors, math manipulatives, and calendar stuff! Instead of teaching 5th grade, I believe I get to move to 2nd! I'm SOOOOO ready for it..because I absolutely LOVE 2nd grade! Cross your fingers for me ;)