My Room and Some Stuff to Share

I have been wanting to post pictures of my room for a couple of weeks.  But, I just had too much work for my class to get on here and post anything.  Now that I am *kind of* where I need to be, I thought I'd take a few minutes and share some of this summer's work with some classroom photos. (Sorry, I know they're not the best quality.  I used my iPhone.)   Let me know what you think in the comments, if you would! :-)

My door:

I didn't take many whole-room shots this year.  Not sure why.  Here is the closest thing I have:

My "Celebrity of the Week" board.  I have started decorating it with my items in this picture, but it is only halfway complete:

My Math Corner:

My number posters (at the top) are available for purchase in my Teachers' Notebook store for only 99 cents.  I think they are awesome for helping students with place value  (if I do say so myself!).

The Calendar Board:

If you like my weather cards, you can download them for FREE from my Teacher's Notebook shop.  Just print them out, mount on cardstock, laminate, and cut out.  I hole punched mine at the top and put them on a ring.  It just hangs on a normal push-pin.  The students love choosing the correct weather card.  Then they read a sentence (you can kind of see it in the picture).  It says "Today's weather is:" and the students insert "sunny" (which is all we have had here since school started.).  I hope you enjoy these with your kiddos, too!

I made the colorful pockets out of card stock and just stapled them together and onto the board.  I painted wooden stars and glued them to tongue depressors for "today, tomorrow, and yesterday" and used scrap-booking stickers for the words on both the stars and the pockets.  Maybe I'll get a better picture today so you can see it better!

My lunch count/attendance:

 I use electrical tape, shrinky dink magnets, and the side of my file cabinet!  So easy!

New idea for this year's library corner:

My new peg board writing center.  I personally love it!

Sweet - Top 10 Rating!

I also found this weekend that...

Thanks SO much to Leslie from Jack of All Trades who included my blog in her top 10!  I have enjoyed reading Leslie's blog since it started.  She's awesome, and I am honored that she has found my blog inspiring. :-)

I just handed out Versatile Blogger Awards today and don't want to overload my blog, but look for my Top 10 coming soon!  (Some are so amazing I almost don't want anyone else to know about them. Ha!)

So excited... my First Award!

I have been absent from Blogland for the past two weeks, and VERY present in my classroom.  School has started and is in full swing now.  Imagine my surprise when I finally checked my blog yesterday, and saw that Mrs. Wyand over at Keeping it True in K-1-2 left me a comment, and has awarded me with my very first blog award! I ran around telling everyone who would listen (maybe I'm not modest enough...), and now I get to post about it!  It's the Versatile Blogger Award.  

Here are the rules:

 The Rules after accepting the Versatile Blogger Award are:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
• Share 7 things about yourself
• Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs. 

Thanks Mrs. Wyand!!

7 things about me:

1. I don't watch T.V. except for the occasional PBS cartoon with my boys.
2. I do, however, watch certain shows on Netflix, and I get so addicted I watch the entire series in only a few weeks.  My loves:  Grey's Anatomy, Glee, and Merlin (the current one).
3. I am also addicted to chocolate - only the real stuff. I dream of DARK chocolate cakes and brownies.  
4. I know how to make old-fashioned ice cream sodas, milkshakes, etc. as I used to work in an old-fashioned ice cream parlor.  
5. I am a listmaker - I have a list for everything!
6. I love writing my family's menu each week, and trying out new recipes I find on blogs.
7. I enjoy children's books and young adult novels more than books written for grown-ups.  

15 blogs I've recently found: 

1. Shenanigans in 2nd Grade (Very creative teacher!) 

2. A Teacher's Touch  

3. Counting Coconuts  (Montessori-inspired activities for preschoolers!  I heart this website so much!)

4. Gluesticks

5. Miss O's Library Land  (Great idea for a blog, and great place to find new books for kids)

6. Miss B Busy Bee   

7. Pencils, Glue, and Tying Shoes  (Wow!  I haven't checked this one in a month or so and she has tons of cute stuff up -- some of my same ideas, too.  Great minds think alike! Ha!)

8. Playground Duty

9. Quench your First

10. Smiles, Crayons, and Endless Stories

11. Stickers and Stars

12. Teach it with Class

13.First Grade to the Core  (I linked up to a GREAT idea!  Buying my brain today! ;-)  )

14. Teach Play Smile

15. Tickled Pink  (New one for me -- I need to explore it more!)

Thanks so much for reading my blog! :)

My Little Projects

I have just 12 days until students arrive in my classroom!  12 days!  Waaahhh!  I want to pretend like it's not happening, and go have fun with my little boys!  

But, alas... I have been diligently focusing on my classroom for last few days.  I am either at school, or at home thinking and planning about school.  I've also stayed up WAY too late working on little projects.  I thought you might like to see a few of the little things I have done:

This year's bathroom passes.  I'll spray with lysol every day, but I think it's going to keep them out of the toilet, and maybe just a little more germ-free!  Made with sparkle visors from Wal-Mart, and sparkle letter stickers from Dollar Tree.

"Ask Me" visors are for my student helpers during lessons where students need help.  I use during writers' workshop, and/or I will have my first finishers put them on to help other students during any type of lesson.  They would be great during centers, too, when you are working with small groups.  Students would know if there is something that can't wait, or they need help with their electronic equipment, they can go to the "Ask Me" student.  I'm sure you have more ideas of how to use!

My new Star of the week bag! Made with a black snap bag from the Target Dollar Spot, iron-on letters, and sparkle fabric paint.  I also painted "Mrs. Geary's Class" on back in case it gets left on a bus!

These awesome notebooks were an idea from Leslie, at Jack of All Trades!  See her tutorial here.  I made some for my co-workers and I, and next I will make some for my boys' teachers.  I think it's a great little back to school gift!  

The "Rock Star" Desk.  Hot-glued a wooden guitar from Hobby Lobby, and used sticker letters.  I'm sure they'll need replaced several times.  This desk will be used for the student with "Rockin'" behavior each day.  I'm doing a Hollywood theme in my room, and I thought it would be fun to choose a rock star at the end of every day.  Since I use tables, the desk is a novelty for students, and they love to be the one who gets to sit in it for the next day!  I announce at the end of every day, and we cheer for the student selected.

I love this little owl cover I made for my shelf!  It hides all of my personal items.  This shelf is part of the student writing center on top, but since I don't have a teacher desk this year, I needed to store some of my things below.  You can't see in the picture, but I sewed button holes on both sides, and the curtain is resting on some hooked magnets  (metal shelf), so I can open it at any time.  

Two more sewing projects -  skirts for a table and projector cart.  I sewed ribbon around the top to make it cuter. :)

Now I have to get busy with my walls.  I have a goal to be organized by Wednesday.  I'm not sure if I'll make it, but I'm sure going to try!

Phonogram Wall Giveaway Winners!

Due to the low response to entry in my giveaway, I am giving away a free phonogram set to everyone who entered. In return, PLEASE give me any feedback you may have! It's the first item I have ever listed for sale, and I want to make sure it's everything you hoped! Thanks in advance! :)

The winners are: Laurel from "Teach Them Love"; Delighted, Prudence,

Tina from "Quench Your First", and Christine!

Laured, Delighted, and Christine - I have sent you an Email.  Let me know if you don't get it!  Prudence and Tina, I will need your Email addresses as well as whether you would like the polka dot or black and white set.   You can send me an Email at kendralr@yahoo.com.    I'll do my best to send out before Thursday, if I can figure out how to do it from my phone.  But you will have it by Thursday, for sure!  

Thanks, ladies, for reading my little blog, and entering the giveaway! You're awesome!