Pinterest Inspired

     A few recent projects inspired by Pinterest.


Birthday balloons--Pixie Stick Birthday Treat






Bubble gum machine.  We used this at open house.  Each of the three second grade teachers wrote out small wants on the gum balls.  Parents were able to take a gum ball if they were interested in donating that item.  I took this picture after the parents were finished.  It was very full.

Habitat Sort

    My first love is teaching Reading.  However a close runner up is Science and Social Studies.  I love the freedom of teaching fun units for these subjects.  My habitat unit involves research on the school's laptops and then a project creating a habitat.  Unfortunately due to a death in the family I'll be out of town the next few days.  So I need something that is more sub friendly.


    Thus, I created this habitat sort.  There are two animals and 1 vegetation (does a ice berg count as vegetation?) for each habitat.  I used black and white clip art so it will copy well.  My kids will glue it on one of the large sheets of construction paper.  The habitat labels are on the second page. Its very simple but serves the purpose.  I would love for you to leave me a comment if you are able to use it.
(Click on the words not the picture.)

Habitat Sort

Meet the Teacher

    Today starts week three of this whole back to school thing.   I finally feel like I'm getting my body back on a routine.  Hopefully I'll be posting more ideas here more frequently.


    The girls over at Blog Hoppin' have declared this teacher week.


Today is Meet the teacher Monday:

 My husband, Michael, and I on our vacation this past summer.

How long have you been teaching?

This will be my seventh year….yikes.  At times it still feels like my first.  I have been at the same school all seven years.  I have taught second grade and Kindergarten.  I’m currently teaching second.

What are you looking most forward to this school year?

A fresh start!  Last year was a little trying on this ole gal.  I’m loving my new group and can already tell it’s gonna be a great year!

What do you need to improve?

I have spent a lot of time this summer putting together mini-lessons for writers workshop.  I’m excited to put more time into implementing that.

I also want to start Math Centers for the first time in my teaching career. 

What teaching supplies can you *not* live without?

Promethean Board, New document camera that was delivered Friday J, post it notes, sticky tak, hot glue guns, great teaching friends, books, clip art and fonts, and my cricut.

And we're off

First things first....I am super excited to be an author at Me and My Gang!




  If you haven't checked it out you need to!  It's a great place where second grade teachers can collaborate and steal borrow ideas from one another!   If you are here from the Me and My Gang Blog, Welcome.  Put your feet up and stay awhile.  


   My first week at school couldn't have gone any better!  I'm loving my group of kids and am starting to remember why I started teaching.  Last year was a tough year for me...it's nice to have some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing.  I'm working on the finishing touches to my classroom so be looking for pictures soon.  

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     Every student can't wait for recess.  I have to admit as a teacher I'm pretty big on it myself.  They need that time to run and play and yell.  I hate days that mother nature throws a wrench in our recess plans.  So last year for my sanity sake I created  a ring full of Indoor Recess ideas.  It has been a life saver.   I'm sharing that with you today.  It's a 16 page document that has two cards on a page.  Yep, you read that right 32 ideas for indoor recess and all you have to do is print them off, and cut them out.  I did not come up with these ideas.  I just complied them from my many resources and cutesied them up.  I hope you can put them to good use as I have.   Click the link not the picture.

Indoor Recess Cards

Top Ten Ways I Know It's Back to School Time

Day one of "back to school" begins in a few hours for me.  In the meantime I'm joining Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits for a linky party:  Top Ten Ways I know it's Back to School Time.

10.  I've been spending time on the weekend at school...this doesn't happen once the school year starts.


9.  I'm so unbelievable tired.  My sleep patterns are out of whack!  And I can't sleep at night for thinking about all I need to be doing.


8.  Laundry and house work are more piled up than what I like.

7.  I'm covered in a fine blue dust from cutting out classroom decorations from foam insulation.


6.  I'm visiting the material department at Jo Ann's.


5. I have been looking at more blogs than ever and searching for new ideas.


4.  I get excited to be browsing my clip art files again.


3.  My hands are tired from all the cutting.  I asked Michael if I could cut out laminated material during youth choir practice at church...he said no.


2.  I spend lots of time assessing my teaching strategies and procedures.

1.   Lesson plans...yuck!...need I say more.