Made It Monday

I've been a busy bee this past week, keeping myself busy while watching the Olympics and waiting for my second child to arrive in less than 2 weeks!

This is my new job chart...I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was so cool!

So I used my Cricut, scrapbook paper, letter stickers and fadeless paper.  I put magnetic tape on the back so it stays on my filing cabinet and will make little magnetic names for my students, which will go on the chart itself.

Outer Space is my classroom theme once again....with accents of red/black/white & white polka dots.  So I went crazy with fabric!

Used magnetic tape, stapled to the back
to adhere it to my desk.

I write student's names on fat popsicle sticks and keep them in a jar to use when I need to randomly choose or call on students.  So I've jazzed up the sticks and the jar!

I also, finally, put my favorite Smart Board presentation up on TPT. 

I use my beloved Smart Board to manage my Daily 5 groups 

(students, noise, & behavior).  The file was on my Mac Mini at school and I finally brought it home.

Find it Here!

Go check out all the fantastic ideas that are going on at:

http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/

Working on STuff & TPT Sale

I've been busy putting my classroom together and making lots of great things to go with my Outer Space theme this year...I'll post them on Tara's Monday Made It (4th Grade Frolics) this coming Monday.

But if you are a fan of TPT and haven't heard, they are having a sale this Sunday and Monday August 12th & 13th and are offering 10% off.  I'm throwing a sale at the same time, for 15% off...so that's 25% off of all my products!  I hope you'll come on over and check my store out....that's what I'll be doing too!

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrs-Locke

Mini Voice Recorders

I recently read about lots of great things other teachers just can't live without, via this linky party.

One of these things, mini voice recorders, is something I had never seen or heard of.  

What Would You Do...with this?

Teachers everywhere are getting great ideas for their classrooms from Pinterest and blogs and finding great supplies from places like The Dollar Store and Target.  As you're out and about, do you ever buy something thinking "What can this be used for in my classroom?"  

I do!  Then it's like a game to see what creative use I can come up with.  But I got to thinking...2 heads are better than 1 and others might have an even BETTER idea than me. Then I got to thinking some more...others might be finding some interesting things that I could go out and get too!

So this is going to be my first foray into a linky party!

Made It Monday!

I worked on 2 things last week:

#1

I found this short vowel practice idea on Pinterest and took it a bit further, turning it into a game.  I don't have a name for it yet, so I'd love some ideas.

 

I went to Lowe's and stocked up on paint samples to make it.

I would start by using this game in small reading groups and adding a vowel to it each week as our HM series progresses.  Blends & digraphs come in around January, so I'd add those then.

5 Things I Can't Live Without

This is from Kelley at the Teacher Idea Factory and it's fun seeing what different teachers can't live without.  Many things would make my list too, but there were a few JEMS in there that I didn't know about that I decided I had to have (um, Talk Point mini recorders....just got 3 on eBay!).


So here's my list:

1) My iPhone

apps:

* Pandora (love playing the George Winston, Jazz and Antonio Vivaldi stations)

* iTalk (I record and save all my student's running records)

* Timer (for timed math tests)

* Joann Fabrics app (for all the COUPONS!)

* Camera Pro Plus (for taking cute pictures)

Outer Space Themed Classroom

I love the colors black, red & white.

Kids think Outer Space is cool.

Two good reasons to go with an Outer Space themed classroom!

Last year was the first year I tried it and didn't do a whole lot of decorating, but now that I've joined Pinterest (yep, took the plunge) I'm finding lots of cute ideas and am excited to get into my room and start setting up!