Sharp Pencils....even BAD pencils!!!

I am so stinkin' excited about my new pencil sharpener! It is from Classroom Friendly Supplies.  It is A-MAZE-ING!!! It is by far the best pencil sharpener I have had EVER!  It is a crank style but I don't care!  I can still sharpen 2-3 pencils in the same time it would take to sharpen, then resharpen ('cause it broke) 1 pencil in my electric sharpener. I mean look at these pencils.....

and these are really BAD pencils. You know the kind that break every time you sharpen them and end up grinding them to nothing!  I can hardly contain my excitement!!!!  

I sure hope you are all having a great day I am going to finish watching the OKC Thunder basketball game! GO THUNDER!!!! BEAT THE SPURS!!!

Blessings,

Fonda

Classroom playlists...

I love love love music!! I like to use all kinds of music in my class.  I used Katy Perry's Firework last year for our clean up song.  Kids loved it and they knew as soon as I played it, that it was time to clean.  I found this link to a classroom playlist.

Mr. Vasiceks Classroom Playlist

I am looking for new songs to use in my room this year.  What are your favorite songs in your classroom?

Fonda

Cabinet troubles.....

So, I bought this cabinet....

It is HEAVY and sturdy...but needed assembly. So my 11 yr. old daughter and I took the challenge and started putting it toegther.  About 1/3 of the way through we realized that we were missing one critical piece. A cam bolt.  Dang it!!!!  So now it is partially assembled on the floor of my classroom while we wait for the company to send us another bolt.  ARRRGGGG! I cleaned around it, kinda of....but I have piles of stuff that could go in my new cabinet!! Sure hope it comes today so I can get my room completly ready for summer school that starts on MONDAY!  Teachers work is never done!!!

Have a great weekend! 

Love,

Fonda

P.S. Editing to say...YAY!! The cam bolt came in the mail....headed to school after lunch!

New Paint...Fresh Start!

My buddy teacher and I painted our rooms last week and it looks FANTASTIC!!!  I'll try to post pictures sometime soon. It started out a yucky baby blue here is a picture of me and Monique. You can see the ugly walls in the background.

Background on this precious little girl: She was in my class 3 years ago. She had Osteoscaroma. Bone Cancer.  In July of 2009 she passed away. That was the hardest time I've ever been through in my teaching career. Even though we were out of school I went to Monique's house at least 3-4 times a week. Her foster mom (yep, add in being a foster kid) is a FANTASTIC lady and I would help her by sitting with Mo so she could go grocery shopping or just get away.  Monique holds a very very special place in my heart.  I miss her terribly. I am a better teacher, mom and just a better person by her being a part of my life even if it was only for a little while.  I know she is waiting for me in heaven. See you later little girl!!

OK...back to my room... So we painted a beige color.  MUCH BETTER!! It is so much warmer and feels more like home! But now I have a huge mess.  I have the rest of this week to get everything back to its home and organized before summer school starts. Joy Joy!!  Maybe tomorrow I will be able to see the middle of my room! We can always dream right?

Love, Fonda

Common Core is here!!!! Time to get ready!

I spend Wednesday and Thursday at a Common Core training.  I admit...on Wednesday night my brain was mush! It was A LOT of information and I just couldn't wrap my mind around it.  But, on Thursday afternoon I was feeling a lot better. I even came home and worked on a checklist for K, 1st and 2nd ELA standards. 
Check them out -- they are free!!!!

Kindergarten
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-ELA-Common-Core-Checklist
1st Grade
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/1st-Grade-Common-Core-ELA-checklist 
2nd Grade
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/2nd-grade-Common-Core-ELA-Checklist

I'm pleasantly overwhelmed....

WOW! I haven't had any time to work on my newly designed blog. So I thought I would add a little something.  I started looking around at other first grade blogs and OMGoodness!!! FANTASTIC!  Jennifer at First Grade Blue Skies

has tons and tons of great stuff. I have added lots of new blogs on my Blog List. And to be honest I haven't had a chance to look at all of them....but I will, and I can't wait.

Do I really have time for this....

NO!  But I have been looking at other teachers blogs and I think it really looks like a great way to share ideas and things that work and don't work in my classroom.  So....I'm giving it a go!  Wish me luck and I hope to be posting things in the near future. 

Blessings,

Fonda

First Grade

A blog for first grade...How fun!