Teacher Week-Technology Tip Tuesday!

Hey yall!

Are you having a blast keeping up with Teacher Week? I know I am!

Today is Technology Tip Tuesday!

So I have a couple of different tips for you today.

The first tip is a website that I used a lot in my classroom last year. Have you ever heard of Sign Up Genius?

It's a really awesome website that allows you to create sign-ups for just about anything in your classroom and send out emails to all of your parents!

Need some weekly volunteers? Sign Up Genius!

Need some extra materials in the classroom? Sign Up Genius!

Need some snacks or materials for that class party? Sign Up Genius!

Do you see where I'm going with this???

Click on the picture to take you there!

Its free and super simple, too! Once you have created a sign up list {for whatever your heart desires}, you just type in the email addresses that you want to send it to and it does the work for you! It allows parents to sign up for multiple options and also see what others have signed up for. It also sends you an email every time someone signs up, so you know what you are still missing.

Awesome, right?

I seriously used this website a ton in my class last year, and was always surprised at how fast everyone signed up! This is especially great for those parents that want to be involved but can't due to their jobs. This way they can still feel like they are contributing!

My second tip is something that will help you when creating units for TPT.

When I first started making units, I used Microsoft Word for everything. I also used screenshots and Paint to create my preview pages.

Some sweet little bloggers encouraged me to use PowerPoint, and I have not looked back! It is so much simpler to use and much more user friendly.

I also found out about this little gadget!







This little guy is called a snipping tool and he has seriously made life so much easier!

Mine is down at the bottom of my toolbar, and I hadn't ever really given him much of a second glance before until recently.

Why is he so awesome?

Well, if you just click on him, it allows you to take a snippet of anything that is on your screen. Then you can Save it, Copy it, Mark it, Highlight it, or Send it.

This is perfect for when you want just a quick picture of something on your computer.

Remember that picture for Sign Up Genius up there?

Yeah...I snipped that :)

And see that tool bar picture up there with the highlited yellow?

Yeah...I snipped that, too!

Hopefully you all have that genius little gadget, because he really does make everything ten times easier than using Paint.

Hope everyone has learned something new today.....now go check out Blog Hoppin' for more tips!



Teacher Week-Must Have Monday!

Hey yall! Happy Monday!

I am so excited to be linking up for Teacher Week! Last year, I wasn't a blogger yet, so obviously I didn't participate...but I read each and every  blog that did participate! And I got so many great ideas!

I know this year is going to be even better!



One thing that I must have in my classroom is Pandora!

No, not the pretty Pandora you wear on your wrist....the Pandora you listen to!

Seriously, in my classroom, we have Pandora on quite a bit. Whether its the quiet piano station during our center time or reading, or the Kids Bop station during craftiviy time, that thing stays pulled up on my computer all day long!

Sometimes it goes a little crazy, so you have to make sure to keep it in check! There may have been one occasion where Usher started playing on my Kids Bop station....

Another must have for my classroom?

A cozy chair! Or couch, or carpet, or spot....anything! As long as its a place where my littles can go to relax and read!



I wasn't lucky enough to have a large room that could hold a couch, so we made do with this little baby. This was perfect for our D.E.A.R. time, and could fit 2 littles at a time.

Along the same lines, I also had my room equipped with reading squares.



My students could grab one of these babies and find a nice spot in the room to get some reading done.

Now, I know some of you might be worried about some nasty little critters hanging about....ew!

No worries...I just sprayed these puppies with Lysol once a week, and they stayed nice and fresh all year.

Another must have for me is our Bucket Fillers board!



This is my board from last year. It is actually the side of my filing cabinet. I found all those little magnets from the dollar spot (where else??) and the paper buckets are from Hobby Lobby. I also wrote the students' names on the buckets, but they were turned backwards for this picture.

We used these little bucket filler cards. Click the picture to get your copy!



I am also linking this post up with Manic Monday!

 

Now...off to see everyone else's must haves!

Where are we? Freebie!!!

Hey yall!

Well, it is the start of a new week again, and another crop of awesome teachers are starting a fresh year. Good luck, friends!!! Hope your first day back was amazing :)

Manic Monday....indeed!



Here is your freebie this week!



I know you have seen these signs everywhere, so here is some for those of you with a jungle! There are 20 different locations and 8 blank signs to add your own.

These signs are NOT EDITABLE. However, I am working on the editable set (with more graphics) to put in my little stores. I will let you know when I get those up.

In the meantime, click here to get your freebie!

And keep thinking about me, yall! I have had some really great interviews, but am just playing the waiting game now...

Back to School SALE!

Hey yall!

I'm sure you've all heard by now, but there is a HUGE sale going on at TPT, and I have decided to get in on the action!



Everything in my store is 20% off, and TPT is adding an addiontal 10% off! That means you can get everything for 28% off! That math seems a little funny, right? But just go with it :)

Here are some of the items you can pick up at my store. Click on the picture to purchase!



Happy shopping, friends!

Weather Owls and Updated CAFE Freebie!

Hey yall!

For those of you that have started or will start a new school year, good luck! Your students are so lucky to have such passionate and dedicated teachers :)

I have been keeping busy working on all kinds of custom orders! The latest order I have decided to put up for sale for everybody. I just couldn't keep this cuteness to myself :)

Of course, it coordinates with my Owls on Dots classroom set. I mean, I just cannot stop creating coordinating packs! Someday, my classroom will be totally pimped out in colorful owls. Until then, YOUR classroom can be pimped out!

This is a coordinating weather set!

Click on the picture to get your set!



This 22 page set includes:

*weather bulletin board: weather header, individual weather owl cards (sunny, rainy, windy, cloudy, snowy, and stormy), and weather words

*weather graph (can be used weekly or monthly): graph poster, 30 of each type of weather (sunny, rainy, windy, cloudy, snowy, and stormy), and monthy data sheet



Since I have not yet found a new school home, I have OODLES of time on my hands! So I am definitely available for custom orders :) Just shoot me an email!

I also had a sweet follower ask me to customize my CAFE freebie posters for the older grades. I have changed the posters from "accuracy" to "awareness."

Click on the picture below to get these older grades posters!

Just a helpful reminder: when you are directed to Google Docs, go to File and click Download. You will then have the option to Save the file to your hard drive.



Currently and the Jungle!

Hey yall!

I cannot believe that it is already AUGUST!

This summer has really flown by, and I feel like I have been the worst blogger ever! There are a few reasons why I have been a terrible blogger this summer...

1. Between moving and starting back to graduate school, family visits, and then moving AGAIN, I have been one busy lady. Seriously, just this past week I feel like I can breathe again.

2. I don't currently have a classroom, or even a job for that matter! I don't really have any prospects either, which is completely depressing. This area is just swamped with amazing teachers and there are just not enough jobs to go around. I have only had 1 interview and I was certain that I got the job...but then the principal called and said the teacher had decided NOT to leave, so they didn't have the position anymore. This news was crushing for me.....I definitely may have even cried...a lot a little. 

3. Since I DON'T have a job, I have been trying to spend my time productively! I have been obsessively looking for jobs, and also creating packets to sell. Hey, this may very well be my only source of income for awhile, and hence, my full time job!

Sooo...I hope you will forgive me for being the world's worst blogger. :)

Okay, on with my Currently...August edition.

I am sure my back to school must haves are very similar to everyone else's...but that would be expected, right? These are things we cannot live without, so naturally we would all have the same needs :)

Head on over and link up with Farley!





I have uploaded my new In the Jungle Schedule Cards pack to TPT today. This coordinates perfectly with my Jungle Themed Classroom Set. Click the picture below to get your copy!

And lastly, I am getting close to 500 followers and am wanting to do a big giveaway to celebrate. Anyone interested in donating some goodies? Please shoot me an email if you are!

Back to School Bonanza and Jungle Set

Hey yall!

I am so jealous of all of you that are busy working hard on your classrooms. I still have hope that I will have a classroom to decorate soon! Definitely keep thinking of me, yall.

First up, I wanted to let you guys know that I finally finished my Jungle Themed Classroom Set! Whoo-hoo! This little baby has really taken all my focus and energy the last few days, so I'm super excited to be done with it.

 It is a MONSTER with 122 pages...what? My computer was definitely protesting towards the end there!

This set includes:

*Attendance/Transportation Board: header card and 8 different transportation options

*Desk Tags: 8 different options to choose from

*Calendar Buddies: days of the week, months of the year, today is, tomorrow is, and yesterday was header cards

*Number Cards: numbers 1-31

*Alphabet Cards: large cards, letters A-Z with Zaner Bloser print and cursive

*Table Numbers: 6 cards

*Jungle Jobs: jungle job header, student animal cards, and 18 different job headers

You can get this from my TPT store here

Have you guys heard about the Back to School Bonanza at Teacher's Notebook?

This is an excerpt from their site...

Teachers Notebook is sponsoring a campaign to raise $10,000 (or more) from corporate sponsors and parents. All of the contributions to the campaign will be given to educators in the form of gift certificates to purchase the educational resources that they need.

They need your help to make sure educators have access to the educational resources that they need for back to school as well as for the school year. Additional educational resources enables educators to better reach the varied academic levels of their students. Educators constantly strive to reach students above and below their grade level. Additional resources will help students be actively engaged and more likely to reach their fullest potential.

Please help spread the word by visiting the fund-raising site and sharing it everywhere. Share it on Facebook, your blogs, your Pinterest boards and Twitter. The more people view the campaign, the more contributions will be made and the more gift certificates can be given away to educators.

 

 

If you are interested in making a donation to help teachers, go directly to the website here

Good luck to all of you out there that are starting back to work this week!!!