Another Monday Made It

I'm glad to be joining up for 4th Grade Frolic's Monday Made It again this week!

Last week I was off in the beautiful Destin area, and while I did work on some designs for my classroom (I know, shame on me for working on vacation), I didn't do any projects.

This was my view:

It was nice.  Now I'm back in the dang Texas heat.

Wait, where was I?  Oh yeah.

Well, today I did a simple project.  I'm not underestimating myself here.  It was the simplest of simple projects.  Which works well for me.  I am a woman of big ideas but small capabilities.  Crafty-wise.

I found these little goodies at...you guessed it, the Target Dollar Spot.  Man, I loves me some of that mess.

My classroom for the past 5 years has been a beach theme.  I haven't decided if I'll be keeping the beachy aspect or not, but I'm going to narrow down my plethora of bright colors (I LOVE bright colors) to just teal, lime, and black.  So I got me some goodies last week.  (Keep in mind my 2 favorite colors are teal and lime green, so I already had a ton of them in my room.)

Anyway, all I did was hot glue some coordinating ribbon around each of these little buckets.  They're going to be my table buckets, so I made 6 of them.  

They are FAR from perfect, but I'm not too anal retentive, and I plan to punch out some circles, etc. with my Cricut and mount the table numbers on the sides.  Hopefully that'll cover where the two ends of ribbon meet, at least.  Did I mention I got the ribbon for 60% off at Michael's??  YES MA'AM, that's what I'm talking about!

That's really all I've got unless you wanna see the program I created for my cabaret performance tomorrow night at the Elks Lodge Ladies' Fun Night.  (The things I do for my mother, people.)

And just because he is SO darn cute, and I can't resist: 

my little man helping me in the kitchen today.  

And by "helping," I mean taking everything out of the lower cabinets.  

Be sure to stop by 4th Grade Frolics' blog to link up and/or to find some new project ideas (just we all need, right?)!

Nighty night.

Newbie Blog Hop!

I came across a fun little blog hop over at Grade Three is the Place for Me!

Thanks so much for hosting; what a great idea to "meet" other new bloggers!

Here's what we are supposed to share for this party:

1.  what state you are in

2.  your current teaching position

3.  your teaching experience

4.  when you started blogging

5.  share a blogging tip / blogging resource

So here we go:

1.  I'm in North Texas

2.  I will be teaching 2nd grade this year

3.  I taught 3rd grade for 3 years, and this will be my 3rd year in 2nd.  LOVE IT.

4.  I started blogging personally back when I moved to NYC to finish college in 2002.  Yes.  I've been blogging for a VERY long time, and in that time I've had probably about 5 different personal blogs (due to privacy and other issues).  I've had a classroom blog as a means of parent-teacher-student communication for about 3 years now.  To visit that blog and see some of what goes on in my classroom, check it out at: Mrs. Cockrell's Class.

5.  I think it's really important to have an uncluttered blog where it's easy to find the following things:

--how to follow you/become a member

--past posts/archive

When I'm trying to decide if I want to follow a blog, I always look at lots of their past posts and even at the titles of old posts to see if it's things that I might find helpful/interesting.  If you don't have your archive on your sidebar and easy to find, then I have to scroll down and click "older posts" every. single. time.  Which is time consuming and unhelpful.  At which point, let's face it, I'm just gonna click on over to the next blog, because there are SO many blogs out there, you have to pick and choose.  Just my personal opinion.  :)

Thanks again to Grade Three is the Place for Me for hosting; love this idea!  Be sure to click the icon at the top to visit the Blog Hop and meet other newbie bloggers!

-Mrs. C.

You like me! (Bloggy Awards)

What a great day--I was given awards by 2 different blogs!

Thanks so much to Dede at A Series of 1st Grade Events for giving me The Versatile Blogger Award and to Emily and Antoinette at 4321...Teach for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award.  As a newbie blog, I'm always ecstatic when I get a comment, but a comment AND a blog award in ONE?  That's some serious awesome-ness in my day, folks.  So thanks again, lovely ladies!  I do appreciate it.  :)

Now let's get down to brass tactics.

First up,

Why, thank you, I'm feeling rather lovely today.

Here are the rules for this award:


1.  Follow the person who gave you the award.  (Gladly!)
2.  Link back to the person that gave you the award. (See above.)
3.  Pass the award on to 15 new bloggers.  (See below.)




 Next up is...

Yeah, baby.  I'm versatile.  I can blog a little this, blog a little that.  Whoo!

Here are the rules for this award:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.  Thank you, again!!!

2. Include a link to their site. (above)

3. Include the award image in your post.

4. Give 7 random facts about yourself. (below)

5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award. (below)

6. When nominating, include a link to their site.

7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated. (will do)

OK, here are my 7 random facts:

1) When I was in 4th grade, my best friend from down the street accidentally hit me in the head with a sledge hammer.  True story.  I have the scar to prove it.

2) I grew up in Texas and graduated from college in NYC.

3) I have been in LOTS of plays/musicals.  Mostly musicals.  I haven't done one since I got preggo with baby boy 2 years ago, though.

4) My degree is in music, not education.  And I don't want to teach music.  (People always ask me that.)

5) I started blogging personally when I moved to NYC in 2002.  Yes.  I've been blogging for 10 years. That's a third of my life.  And I totally blogged before it was cool.  LOL.

6) I am addicted to reality trash t.v.

7)  I don't like the number 7.  And I don't think it's lucky.

Now, here are my 15 peeps I'd like to send out the Versatile Blogger Award AND the One Lovely Blog Award to!  Ahem, here are the 15 peeps to whom I'd like to give the awards?  I think so. Ugh, grammar.  Anyway, go check out these blogs:

1) Surfing Through Second

2) Inspired by Kindergarten

3) Thinking Out Loud

4) First Grade Delight

5) First Grade Found Me

6) Grade ONEderful

7) Kindergarten Korner

8) Lessons Learned

9) Swimming Into Second

10) Teaching Fashionista

11) Flip Flop Teacher

12) Third Grade Rock Star

13) Pattie's Classroom

14) The Bubbly Blonde Teacher

15) Kids Rock

Whoo hoo, I even found some new blogs in this process!  

Of course, don't forget to stop by the lovely blogs who awarded me and made my day!

A Series of First Grade Events and 4321...Teach

CAFE Headers Freebies

Well, I planned to get a lot done this week.  Then my son got sick.  Then I got sick.  And we're STILL sick.  Ugh.  Don't you just hate being sick in the summer?  It's like, WRONG or something.

Anywho.

I did make something a few weeks ago that I'd like to share with whoever may be able to use it.  I made these cute headers for my CAFE bulletin board.  I didn't have a CAFE bulletin board last year.  Because I didn't do CAFE.  See, we were told back in like, September that we were going to be doing Daily 5.  Only we hadn't been trained.  Or read the book.  So basically I had enough on my plate to figure out how to implement Daily 5 without also taking on CAFE.  Good times.

So yeah.  I digress.  As usual.  Adult ADD.

So here are the files.  There are 2, because I made several different designs.

Here's a preview of the 1st file, which has one set of headers with red and blue stars and a set with orange and green stars.  (Click the image to download on TpT.)

The 2nd file has 2 other versions.  The first is 4 different brights with white polka dots, and the second design is bright colored stripes.  Here's a preview.  (Click the image to download on TpT.)

I'm linking up with Made It Monday over at 4th Grade Frolics.  I am so excited to have come across this linky party!  I have already seen such amazing ideas from you people!  :)  Keep 'em coming.

I know most people link up their classroom craftiness, and I have lots of that on my list, but I just didn't feel up to anything this week, and I hope the linky party will get the freebie out to more people who can use it!  :)

I hope these will help make someone's life a little easier.  :)  Just print, laminate, and staple 'em up.  I'd love to know if you like these or have any suggestions.  Thanks for stopping by!

-Gayla

On My Nightstand

I have issues.  With reading, that is.  I love it.  So much that I'm always reading too many things at once.  ESPECIALLY during summer.  Also, I read magazines back to front.  It's an illness.

So here's what's currently on my nightstand (or on the floor next to my nightstand, to be more accurate; my nightstand is covered with various medications and dirty tissues):

The CAFE Book

by The Sisters

(bought for myself on Amazon)

We implemented the Daily 5 for the first time this past year, and I'm looking forward to incorporating it with CAFE.  I went to a workshop the week after school got out, and it seems just as great as D5.  Unfortunately, I've yet to crack this one open.  Mostly because I'm already reading another school book...

Work Hard.  Be Nice.  

by Jay Mathews

(borrowed from school)

Each team is required to read a set of 5 books this summer (as in, each person picks one, not we all read all 5, thank God).  I chose this one because I actually put it on our list of books I'd like to have available to us in our library.  It is very good so far; about 2 college graduates who signed on with Teach for America and how they fell in love with the kids in their inner city schools, and therefore, fell in love with teaching.  They are the guys who started KIPP Academy, if you've heard of it.  I'm about halfway, but it's a quick read, and I recommend it if you're looking for some inspiration.

Positive Discipline the First 3 Years 

by Jane Nelsen Ed.D., Cheryl Erwin, Roslyn Ann Duffy

(found at my brother's house and took it)

I have a 13 month old.  And this is my first time being a parent.  So I know nothing about it.  Need I say more?  I like this book so far.  I'm on like Chapter 9 or something.  It's hard to keep track when you're reading so many freakin' things simultaneously.  LOL.  

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler

by Elizabeth Ward

(someone who thinks I'm an idiot my mom bought for me)

Again.  I have a 13 month old.  And not only do I not know how to discipline him, but I don't know how to get him to eat big people food.  *sigh*  He will basically only eat pureed baby foods, yogurt, cheerios, mum mum crackers and puffs.  With a few exceptions, but it totally depends on the day.  This book isn't really helping me much with my son's picky-eating issues other than to tell me the fancy-pants name for it.  Something or other-phobia.  Thanks for that.  Now tell me how to fix it.  

White Girl Problems

by Babe Walker

Please don't read this book if you are easily offended.  Or if you don't like cursing.  Or the word vagina.  You've been forewarned!  That being said, this book is hilarious.  I'm reading this one on my Kindle.  I hard core love my Kindle, but one can only afford to buy so many books at one time, eh?   

I'm usually reading a fiction book, chick lit, etc., but after finishing The Beach House by Jane Green last week, I decided I'd better read my school books before starting a new "for fun" book.  :)

So what's on your nightstand, peeps?  Anything I should read?  

Currently...Catching Up!

Well, it's official.  I dropped off the face of the bloggy planet.  School is out, summer is about halfway over already (*sob*), and I have mostly recovered/moved on from the horrible end to the year I had.

You know how there are just people who only care about themselves and will do anything to help themselves, regardless of how it may hurt others?  Yeah.  Those people can suck it.  Also?  I THINK I FINALLY (MIGHT) know what grade I'll be teaching next year.  Oh yeah, it's one of THOSE situations.  Alas.  Don't get me started on that one.  But I digress.  I'm working on getting a happy attitude in my heart (and on my face) before we go back in August.

I will say that I have LOVED discovering Pinterest this past year, because it has revived my excitement for the classroom and ways to teach, organize, decorate, etc.  Such a great resource with amazing ideas, many of which I will be tackling before school starts.  Yay.

Well, here's my contribution to Farley's Currently Linky Party for July.  This blog doesn't have much to look at, so if you're interested in what went on in my classroom this past year, you can check out my classroom blog (link on the left sidebar).  :)  Holla.

My little guy turned one in May, and he is at SUCH a fun age!  He finally started walking, and he's talking more after having tubes put in his ears.  He is just learning and doing so much.  He is also much more attached to Mommy than he ever was before.  So August is going to be pretty hard for us both, I think!  Pobrecito.  

The hubcap and I are going to the Destin area here pretty soon, and there is so much crap to get done before then.  Cry me a river, for I'll be leaving the baby for the first time EVER, and for nearly a whole week!  :(  I'm nervous but excited to get away with the hubs.  

BOOKS!  I LOVE to read aloud the Wayside School books by Louis Sachar.  Fabulous writer, hilarious books.  My students never laugh as much as they do listening to these books.  So fun.  Although, for a short read, I also LOVE reading aloud ANY of the Skippyjonjones books.  I get to use my Texican accent, and the kids love it.  

I don't really have an ongoing "go to" professional book, because I pretty much stopped reading those when I graduated, HA!  But this summer, I'm reading the CAFE book so I can (hopefully) implement it correctly this year.  Good times.

OK peeps, if you've made it this far, you get a gold star, or a slap on the back, or something.  THANKS and peace out, happy summering to ya.

-Gayla

iPad Frenzy: Sock Puppets App

It's official.  My student teacher, Mrs. O'Bryan, and I are obsessed with the iPads.  We use them almost every day in Daily 5 (Listen to Reading, Word Work, Read to Self), and we are continually trying to find ways to integrate them into math, science, and social studies.

My new favorite App is Sock Puppets.

Make a 30 second sock puppet show about anything!  (My students would chime in: "as long as it's appropriate for school.")  Yes, I've taught them well.  :D

You can choose your own sock characters, choose your background and props, and you can even change the pitch of the characters' voices to higher or lower!  The students had a blast, and it's actually a great way to assess a recently taught skill or content.

We recently made sock puppet shows explaining the difference between needs and wants during our big economics unit.  Check out a student's example below:





Tips for using the Sock Puppets App:
-Watch the countdown timer at the top to see how much you have left to talk.
-Have students write their "script" first to save time and mistakes.
-Have them sit as far away from one another as possible (as you can hear in the video, it gets very loud if they are all recording at once!)  :)
-To make a new character talk, you have to click on it (an arrow will appear above its head).
-You totally do not have to upload them to YouTube!  I only did that for blog purposes and to share with parents, but it is by no means a must, of course!  (Side note: it was quite easy to upload them if you're into that sort of thing-haha.)