A New School Year Has Begun!

It is always fun, exciting, and nervous at the same time, when a new school year begins. Will I have my room ready in time? Will Open House be a success? Will my students be excited to be in my class? Will I meet the needs of each students in my class? These are questions that run through your mind as you prepare for a new school year.

This year my school has a SUPER HERO theme. SO my grade level did this for our doors. Each teacher has a different color background on their door.

My students will be the SUPER HEROES in TRAINING in my room. Each day will be full of training experiences to prepare them to launch into 3rd grade next year. We will be using technology to enhance our curriculum and learning in a variety of ways.

Here you will see that my room is setup for the first day of school. I am always so excite to see my students on the first day and to welcome them into our classroom community. Each student has a WELCOME pack for 2nd grade. I always begin with my desk in this arrangement so students can get to know each other. Then desk arrangements are changed as needed throughout the year.

Below you can see my new Job Board with the cutest kiddos from Little Lucky Learners. I love having a picture to represent the kid instead of just a name. Students has a job for the week. This is a part of building our community in our classroom. Students are held accountable for their job. We work together to keep the class neat and orderly.

Here is one picture of my students working hard. They have been some SUPER HEROES with Mclass testing that started on the first day of school. Learning classroom rules and procedures has been the main focus here for the first 2 weeks of school.

Come back soon to see what exciting things we will be doing with ipads and chrome books. I am ready to have a SUCCESSFUL year with this group of SUPER SECOND GRADERS!!!!!

Getting Ready For Back To School Blog Hop & Giveaway!!!

It is so hard to believe that summer break is quickly coming to an end. I have to officially return to work on August 17th for teacher work days. Then student return on August 24th. You always think that you have all this time during the summer but you blink and time is now ending. I have been to several PDs this summer and have more to  come.

Be sure to enter to win TPT items from my store. Join in on the fun to get awesome resources for your classroom to make this a GREAT year. A great group of educators with fabulous giveaways in this blog hop.

Summer Camp took place in my classroom this year again. So my room is still waiting for the flooring crew to coming and wax my floors. I always start freaking out when I am ready to work in my room and the floor is not even waxed yet. You can get a look at my room below with it being emptied out and packed up.

Most of mine belongings are stacked outside my classroom in the hallway.

SO now I have to wait until the end of the week before the floors are ready. 

Now since BTS is coming full speed ahead. I would like to give you a heads up on a great giveaway and blog hop. Be sure to check out all of the goodies that are in this giveaway!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Hop & Giveaway

Best to all for your new school year and check back soon to see my classroom reveal with new shiny floors and room ready for students!!!

Using Google Classroom

Using Google Classroom has become one of my favorite ways to use technology with my students. Google Classroom is a great way to share assignments with your students. My school is completely Google with email and Drive, so we are using Chromebooks that allow students to login with their Google accounts and begin learning.

I use Google Classroom with Blendspace and Thinglink. Depending on what we are currently working on in our curriculum. I mostly use it with Science and Social Studies. We are learning about Matter and Landforms. I can easily find lesson or even create lessons on Blendspace or Thinglink and add the assignments into Google Classroom.

Here is a Thinglink that I created on Plant Life Cycles. My students have really enjoyed getting to learn about Plants by using this awesome site. All you do is insert an image and you add tags on the picture that has videos, websites, articles, songs, books and more. Students work their way through each tag on the image and begin to learn. You insert a quiz or assign a journal or activity to complete the lesson.

Google Classroom

Blendspace

Thinglink

Would love to hear of ways that you use these with technology in your classroom. I highly recommend that you go and check these. We use them almost every day in my classroom.

Gettin' Techie

We have begun our new school year with a great start. I was lucky this summer to win 5 Chromebooks for my classroom to go along with my 12 ipads. My new group of students this year are learning how to use the ipads and the Chromebooks. We have been using many apps in our App-smashing activities.

This past week we used one of the Chromebook carts that we have at our school. You will see in the image below that my students are fully engaged in learning about plants. They are using a lesson that I created on Blendspace. 

Chromebooks

 

Blendspace is a great way to enhance learning with technology and Science. My students are guided through several activities, video segments or images that give them information about plants.

Students using Chromebooks

Students had to complete all activities in Blendspace then login to Discovery Education and create a board about the parts of plants. They may included images, video segments and text boxes.

The students really enjoyed getting to use the Chromebooks along with Blendspace to learn about Plants.

If you have never heard about Blendspace, then I recommend that you must try it out for yourself. Wishing you success this school year with your students.

5 Beliefs of Education

As being a part of my school systems Pinnacle Leadership, we were given the prompt to write a blog post about our 5 Beliefs in Education. This really made me think long and hard about what my beliefs are. I am very curious to know what other educators beliefs are as well. Please share your 5 beliefs as a comment below. Well here are my beliefs.

One: I feel that all children can learn. Each child will learn at their own level and speed.We are born learning as soon as we take our first breath. We learn how to eat, we learn how to roll over, we learn how to sit, crawl and walk are just a few of the ways we learn at the beginning of our lives.

Two: I feel that it is important to make a connection with your students. Students will feel valued and respected if this is achieved. Students will be made to feel a part of the group and belong.

Three: I feel that it is a responsibility for parents, educators and the community to help support the learning of a child. It is a united effort of all that come into contact with that child.

Four: Education is about enabling a student to learn by using a variety of methods to discovery of knowledge. This is obtained by using technology, explicit instruction, independent and cooperative learning. We are all lifelong learners by making ourselves be reflective thinkers.

Five: Learning is the primary goal of all students.Creating an environment that is conducive to learning for each individual. We should be challenge our students in their learning.

I would love to hear your beliefs of education. Leave a comment below.

In my classroom we are using technology is all areas of learning. We use ipads, computers, and smartboards with our instruction and independent/group work. Students love learning about a new app to create presentation on all content areas. This week we began using Pic Collage for retelling stories and grammar showing  what a noun is, an adjective, and verbs. Students have even worked with their 5th grade buddies and showed them how to use Pic Collage and Poplet.

Hope you find some ideas to use in your classroom.

Classroom Activities This Week

This week we are having fun getting ready for our holiday break. We have been working on writing about our Holly Days!!! Here in picture you will see the holly leaves with students writing about their holiday with their families and their traditions. This is always a cute display that I have my students to create each year.

Next, my students did a GREAT job creating their winter snowman pictures. They are hanging in our hallway for all to see. Students will be writing a story in class to go along with their picture. 

I think they turned out fabulous. I love snowman. SO any chance I get to make something with them I do!!! This activity was in our ART center. My students always look forward to what I have each week for them to create in my ART center.

So being that I LOVE SNOWMAN. I have my door as one. A few years ago, I made my door into a snowman and the ladies on my grade level wanted one too. So this year this is my door. Each teacher on my grade level has one just like it in a different color.
Mine is LIME GREEN cause that is my favorite color.

Let me know what you think.

This is such a busy time for year. I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Getting Back Into The Swing Of It

Hello fellow educators!!! Sorry it has been a while since I have made a post on my blog. It has been a crazy start to my school year. I had moved back to 2nd grade with a whole new classroom make over. To top that off, our grade level was flooded with 2nd graders. I have 25 kiddos and we just got another teacher to make our grade level have 6 teachers. So now after all of that I am with 21 kiddos now. Then this week I had a student to move. Now my roster is sitting at 20, WHEW!!!!!!!

Now, since we have settled into our new roster and getting the students that moved into the new teachers room placed and started. I now feel like I can begin my year. Wow, it to say the least. It has been an emotional ride. Having to let students from your room go it very hard. I had already became attached to them.

On to better things, my classroom is doing GREAT!!! I feel this is one of the best group of kids I have ever had. The students do a fabulous job or working together to build a real classroom community.

My students love using the ipads on daily basis. We use them with math, writing, reading, centers, whole groups, guided groups and this week we are having 5th grade buddies coming to work with us too.

Scootpad is a great app/website that my students use to work on reading and math. They can also access their account and practice at home. It will give me a message about the weekly progress made by my students. I suggest you go check it out and see if it may be something for your students. You can assign what grade level you need. It is Common Core aligned.  It is amazing how the kiddos love it.

Come back soon to check out all of the fun and amazing activities my students will be working on. I look forward to hearing your comments on your classroom. 

Getting Ready For First Day Of School

As many of you are doing as I am, getting your classroom ready for the first day of school. I always get excited at this time of year. Planning my classroom for my newest group of kiddos. This year is even more exciting since I got to move back to 2nd grade.

I will post a few pictures of my classroom and will display more as the days go and first day of school comes and goes.

Here are pictures of my classroom before I painted!!!!

 old paint and board

Now for a look at my room with a FRESH NEW PAINT JOB!!! I love the LIME GREEN board. Painting the classroom gives it new life. I love how it looks.

This is much better!!!!!

I use two shades of blue in my classroom. The front and back walls are the darker shade of blue with the two side walls being the lighter blue. I think it turned out great. Cant see in this picture but I even repainted the black baseboards too!!!

Here you will see some must haves I had to get for my room. I got the ORANGE lamp. Got the BLUE broom that matches one of the borders in my classroom and hallway. The chevron fabric is my curtains that I am putting in my classroom. My overall theme is the DOTS ON TURQUOISE!!!

Here is the start of my LIME GREEN bulletin board that I love!! I have my calendar on one side and the side you cant see has my Job chart. I will be adding my Daily 5 in the middle.

So there you can see that my room is coming along. I am very pleased with the progress. Come back to see more of my room and get some ideas for yours.

Before you go come check out this great FREEBIE at my TpT store.

I am using this for student to house their ipad work until completed to turn in. 

Summer Break

Well another successful school year has come and gone! This was my first year in 3rd Grade. As I entered this new year with new grade level and newly adopted Common Core curriculum, I was a bit worried about doing a good job. I am thankful for a great group of ladies on my grade level. We all worked hard together to design lesson plans. As I reflect, I feel that I did a great job with this new challenge.

Now, I am luck to say that I am moving back to my beloved 2nd grade. My comfort zone, my home, my love for teaching GRADE. I have taught 2nd grade for 6 years. 2nd grade is my favorite grade to teach. I have taught several different grade levels. I will be with a group of awesome ladies. I will be moving classrooms again. But I am happy to do it since I get to return to 2nd.

Summer break has finally begun for me!!! I will be relaxing around the pool soaking up some rays. Spending some much needed time with my girls. Although it is summer break my To Do List is already started for jobs needed around the house.

I know I"m supposed to rest but this is the time for me to begin thinking about the next school year  and changes that I want to make to my classroom, lessons, and find new ideas and activities. School is in my blood and I will always be planning. I feel that is what makes you an awesome teacher instead of just a good teacher.

I would love to hear of some ideas that you are planning in your classroom for the next school year. I will be painting my classroom and redecorating some with minor changes. Adding some new pops of color and flair. I will post pictures when it is all finished.
 HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!

Using QR Codes In Education

Since I was lucky to being Pinnacle this year in my school system, I have ipads in my classroom. It has been fun getting to explore all the apps and find amazing things for my students to work on. The last 9 weeks I have become addicted to using QR CODES!!!! I think they are amazing! My students have worked with them in all subject areas.

Here you can see that during our Human Body Unit, students used the ipad to scan a QR code. Learn about a specific bone an then locate and label the bone on their skeleton. This was fun for them to learn about how the name of bone originated. The QR code gave them a description and location of the bone on the skeleton.

We have used QR codes in math, students work out math problem then scan the code to self check their work. In Guided Reading students would scan a comprehension QR code to answer a question with their partner.

If you do not have ipads, you can use a smart phone, ipod touch or any tablet that has a QR reader. You can go to a QR code maker website to create your QR code. In the code you can put a video link, document, instruction, question or answer. The list can go on and on!!! I highly recommend that you use QR CODES IN YOUR CLASSROOM!

Amazing Freebies

Come check out this amazing opportunity to get some FREE items from a wide range of educators. The website TEACHING BLOG ADDICT is celebrating 2 years. Go to the site and get on  the band wagon to snatch up great resources for your classroom.

I have already put a bunch of great activities that will have my printer busy for days. I just love being apart of such awesome people. Being an A+ blogger member is great. 

Classroom Progress Update

Here is an update on the progress in my new classroom. This first image is of my room after a fresh paint job and all my junk being moved in. It is so hard to believe how much you can collect in a classroom after 6 years. As I was packing up my room for the big move, I was decluttering and weeding out all the unneccessay items. I gave away tons or stuff and still I am frustrated at all that  I still have.

As you can tell by all the stuff this is not the half or it, still more in the hallway. I moved all of it in all by myself. As I am setting up my classroom, I am getting rid of items that are only for 2nd grade now that I am  in 3rd grade. I have been working all week in my room to get ready for my students. We have orientation on August 24th. I hope, I will have my room ready!!!

Check out this amazing bins I got for my book caddies.

A colleague found these on Craig's List for 50 cents each. They were a gray color and I spray painted them. I am going to add library pockets on them to write student's names. I think they turned out amazing. I picked colors out of my borders Dots on Turquoise that I am using.  I will be posting more pictures as I get my classroom ready. 

Come back and take a look and let me know what you think. I hope this will inspire you with getting your classroom ready for a new year.

Technology Is Awesome

I am currently on my new MacBook Air that will sync my iPads for my classroom. It is so amazing how little something can be and be so amazing. Learning how to add apps and sync them to the iPads is a great experience. This will be an amazing resource for my classroom and STUDENTS!!!! These elements of technology will be a valuable asset for  teaching 21st century skills. This is the technology generation and we must provide them the resources necessary to prepare them for their future here and globally. I am very excited about having these resources for my students to take advantage of in their learning. I have also been pinning technology pins on Pinterest that deal with technology and iPads. You can see my pins on my Pinterest account. Pinterest is a great place for loads of resources for educators. I have gain some value tools to use in my class this year. Here is to a great year with technology in your classroom.

Workdays and then summer here I come!

Hope your end of the school is near or already came. I have only 3 workdays and then I can begin summer break!!! I have had a great year with my second graders. It is always bitter sweet when I have to say good-bye on the last day of school. Now I have to get paper work completed and pack up my classroom for summer floor cleaning. I also was told that I am being moved to 3rd grade. So I will be including 3rd grade in on my blog. I am very anxious about this change. I have been in 2nd grade and the same classroom for 6 years. It has become very comfortable to me. I feel that this is the right time due to our county changing to Common Core this coming school year. So we all will be new to the curriculum and changes it offers. I have an awesome group of ladies that will be on the grade level with me. Once I have my new room setup and I have pacing guides and lesson made. I will then be ready to start a new year. One added bonus, I will hopefully have some of my students I had in 2nd grade in my 3rd grade class.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!!!!!