Fantastic First Grade Memory

Here is a little journal prompt that I had my firsties complete.  It's pretty funny to hear what they valued in first grade.  Click on the image, enjoy!

End of Year Autograph Book

Hello all,

I always feel so terrible for the little ones that were unable to purchase a yearbook at the end of the school year, so I created this little autograph book so they too can have their buddies sign their book.  I just love the clip art {scrappindoodles} and fonts {kevinandamanda}, enjoy! Click on the image below to grab a copy!

Happy Mother's Day

I really wanted to get these little goodies posted much, much ealier than this, but this week was beyond crazy{too much to tell!}  So, anywho these little goodies are what my firsties made for their mommies.  I made Love Juice {water bottle valentines} for my little kiddos for Valentine's Day...idea from Second Treat which you can find here.  I tweeked the idea to make LeMOMade {water bottle treats} for Mother's Day.  Here is an example...

{I just realized that you can't see the LeMOMade label too well, but they were quite cute.}

Then, we used one of our favorite sites, Wordle to make these sweet little treats.  I got this idea from a first grade friend {Mrs. Blazosky.}  You can check the original idea and other cool projects that Mrs. B has done here.  Here is a little chocoate treat for mom...

Lastly, I hopped over to Fabulous in First to print off Michelle's "All About My Mom" book {which is sweet!}  My kids had the best time filling this book out.  I learned a little too much on some of the pages from my little sweeties.

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope my three year old and almost six year old are perfect listeners this weekend...that would be a wonderful Mother's Day gift!   

Maybelle the Cockroach and Mystery Box

Hello all,
I typically like to use my Mystery Box {from the fabulous Babbling Abby at The Inspired Apple} on Mondays, hense...Mystery Box Monday, but my kiddos are really struggling this week after just coming back from our Spring Break!  So...in order to maintain my sainty today {Friday} we are going to have a Mystery Box activity and I would like you all to meet my friend, Maybelle.  This particular writing project/activity was created by Mary Carole Strothers, a Discovery Education Teacher {not me!}  I was introduced to sweet Maybelle by another awesome first grade teacher, Mrs. Blazoksy {you can check out some of her projects here.}

Maybelle is a cockroach {I know gross, right? But, she is pretty cute with her little bow.}  Just in case you are wondering, Maybelle is indeed fake!  My kiddos are going to be reading Maybelle Goes to Tea and Maybelle Goes to Soup by Katie Speck.



My firsties are each going to get an opportunity to take Maybelle home for a visit.  My firsties will document her visit to their home in a journal and will also include some amazing photographs {I can't wait!}

{Click here for the journal paper.}

Super Reader Card

Here is a card that I use with my kiddos during the week to ensure that they are indeed reading their weekly story to a partner.  We have very strict rules in the classroom about partner reading.  It's funny because I have heard my kiddos say, "I'm not signing your card because you didn't read the whole story to me!" {I'm such a proud mama!}

{CLICK HERE}

Jelly Bean Fact Families

Here is a math activity my firsties completed today as part of our Easter centers, this was a great activity to reinforce fact families.

My kiddos completed eight fact families.  I put two different, colored groups of jelly beans in a numbered egg {times eight}.  My firsties drew and colored the jelly beans in the egg and then completed the fact family in the box to represent the jelly beans.   If you would like a copy, CLICK HERE!

Colorful Nests

Aren't these eggs beautiful?  We had a great time decorating eggs and I love the brown bag nest. 
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So, this is what how been consuming my energy for all school related items...
I know I mentioned that I would have a Lemonade unit posted soon, but here is the deal...due to the drastic cuts to the state education budget for the upcoming school year, my district has been a teeter-totter for furlough talk, program cuts, and a district wide payfreeze.  Spring Break starts in 23 hours, 45 mins and I can't wait to find time to get back to creating some super cute units.  If your state is facing drastic budget cuts to education, I would love to hear from you.  I'm curious how other districts are handling this ugly reality.