Silly Sentences

I have received several comments and emails regarding the Silly Sentences Workstation seen in the link below:

Click here to see the Silly Sentence Picture! 

I used the Silly Sentences last year as one of my pocket chart workstation activities. I will be posting a new version, stylishly made over my moi. I made the previous one rather quickly and I am not in love with the font!

Check back later for the Silly Sentences for Workstations packet!

Let's give them something to talk about...

Finally classroom pictures are here for your viewing pleasure! I told you I would be changing the theme of my room to a Rock Star Room! Luckily, Abby at The Inspired Apple had chosen the same theme! So I used her idea for the behavior chart, as well as some of her titles for areas in the room. I also, created an I-Pod similar to hers (mine will be used as a reminder of our morning procedures). I really am happy with the outcome of my room! It is WAY truer to my personality (because I personally think I am a Rock Star :) I cannot wait to see how to room looks after we have created our anchor charts and the classroom work begins to decorate the room. I do not like to put up posters already made because I believe that anchor charts created as a class are MUCH more meaningful to the students. 

Here is my little package that arrived from Reallygoodstuff.com! I was VERY happy to see everything!

My new listening station: 

Word Wall

Objectives and Agenda Board, along with our Morning Message. I use the morning message from Treasures (sometimes modified) usually to create their morning journal. Students copy the morning message, respond, and then draw a picture to represent their response. 

Main Stage- Reading Focus Wall/ Meeting Area

Classroom Library and Leveled Reading Library: The blue bins are my leveled readers from Lakeshore Learning, then the green bins are labeled by genres. I did not place all of my books out in the library so my students were not overwhelmed with choices! 

Poetry Station: I will add the writing materials, and a basket for their journals when we begin to introduce workstations later. 

Workstation rotation chart by Debbie Diller, sigh. I love this thing! And its double sided so I will use the back side for Math Workstations. 

Math Focus Wall/ Calendar Math

Pocket Chart Workstation: I will begin using the students names and pictures on sentence strips which the students will place in order. I still need to add 3M command books to hold the strips along with pointers, the recording sheets, and the I can list.  

New and fab read to self book bins! Makes me happy. The cups beside the bins are the sharpened/ un-sharpened pencil cups. 

Writing Workstation: This will obviously grow as soon as students begin going to workstations. I will add the students names, anchor charts of handwriting examples, and examples of great work! Also there will be papers for the students to use along with a variety of writing tools. 

This area is located beside my front door.  It includes the: 

How do I go Home Poster- I will write the students names in the appropriate spot (walker, van, care, bus)

I also added a board to post important notes! 

Also, notice my Scentsy cupcake! Adorable right?

The zebra file drawer will be used for homework and important notes. So far I have labeled the drawers with Monday through Friday. These are easily accessible to the kids as well so they can bring them to me in the afternoon, or grab a copy if they lost theirs! 

Celebrity of the Week board: I always start out as the celebrity of the week to model the type of behavior that a celebrity should have in order to receive their title!

My materials for small group, as well as other important teaching materials! 

Small Group table... and your glimpse into Ms. Thomas' room. Now we can slide open the door and see each other at our small group tables! 

Student work is displayed with these magnetic clips. This board is actually magnetic so it works out well! It is SO easy to change out the student work and keep it current with these clips. They were purchased from Lakeshore Learning. 

  

Now it is time for me to try to go to bed and get ready for my first day back with my firsties! I am definitely not a morning person. This may be hard. Wamp wamp.

Good luck if you are returning to school this week!

So no one told you life was gonna be this way...

Cue the theme song to Friends here... 

This post is dedicated to my girl, my teamie, my teacher bff... Ms. Thomas (at The First Grade Jungle). Monica over at The Schroeder Page is having a linky party dedicated to your teamie! So because I love my teamie, I decided to join in as well!

10 Questions about my Teamie: Ms. Thomas

#1 How long have you and your Teamie been teaching together? 

This is our 2nd year teaching together. She was in 2nd Grade the year before, but when a position opened up in 1st grade I was secretly plotting to have her on my team! 

#2 What is your Teamie's best quality? 

Her enthusiasm... she keeps me motivated! I love her for it!

#3 Who will retire first?

Please let it be me! I seriously think we will be doing something in the education world forever... but were young so we have lots of time to think about that later :)

#4 What makes you two an awesome pair? 

Luckily we have the same teaching philosophies... we share ideas, materials, and pretty much everything in between. It is nice to have someone who supports you, listens, contributes and just "gets it". 

#5 Do you both have any rituals that get you through the day or a hard time?

Ma' girl has a coffee pot in her room (also known as Cafe Thomas)... we both have an understanding that the day doesn't begin until we have had our coffee. However, the most important part to our sanity= sliding door. If you do not have a sliding door with your BFF on the other side, then simply put... you are jealous. All I have to do is slide the door and give a look and she gets it. 

#6 What is a word that describes your Teamie? 

Organized (trust me, you would be jealous)

#7 Is your Teamie in the blog world?  If so...what is their blog?

Duh she is. 

#8 What is the funniest thing that you and your Teamie had to face at school?  

We are funny. Period. 

Honestly, there is so much to say here but let me just say a few: we have been known to show up to school in the same outfits, not a joke and a tad embarrassing, I also enjoy catching Ffi talking to herself in the morning (about all the things she needs to do and her frustrations ha), her voice recordings in the listening station, mocking people, being pushed around in her rolling chair by students when she was sick, high kicks and twirls when we are happy, and in general "The Park"... it gives girls like us lots of comedic material. What can I say... we are a good time. 

#9 Complete this sentence...I would not trade my Teamie for a $1,000 gift card at the Dollar store  because...

Really? My teamie is worth more than $1,000 dollars to me... she keeps me sane and saves me time through our collaboration/ sharing! Plus, if I am going to spend money on teaching supplies I would prefer her to do it with me!

#10 Add a special tribute to your Teamie:

To my boo, ma' girl...  You are no longer just my teamie, you are truly one of my besties. 

You know me better than some of friends! ha It is nice to be able to spIit up the weight with our teaching resposbilities and to know someone will always have my back. I am BEYOND grateful to have you a sliding door away. 

Listening Workstation Poster: Update

Here is another version for a follower... click the picture below :)

Listening Workstation Poster

A follower of mine asked if I could send her the sign I used in my Listening Workstation last year... however, of course I did not know where the sign was from or where it was saved! So, like I promised that follower I re-created it! (Using sassy fonts and colors of course!)

Click the link below for the sign!

I decided to use the neon colors for the dots instead of primary colors since those are ALWAYS at Walmart... however, let me know if you would like different colors and I will change them for you!

There are three good reasons to be a teacher...

June, July, and August. 

Ha! Just Kidding! However, as the summer comes to an end I'm sure we can all agree on that statement! Even though whoever said the quote lives in a dream world where summer break lasts for three months!

This is what I walked into Monday morning. Blah. 

Yep. Its been a long three days... and I am still not done. 

My glue gun and I are at war right now, and by the look of my hands... I think the glue gun is winning. 

Ms. Simoneaux - 0, Glue Gun - 1 

My goodies from Mardel came in yesterday! Thank the lord!

The border I bought... overboard, yes. Spent too much? Yes. 

Things that make me smile, even just for a while...

Really though, I passed these up last time due to my budget but this time around Mr. Sketch 18 pack was calling my name. Buy me, buy me! So I did just that.

 The Time Tracker for small groups...after four years of needing a timer, I finally got one. It is about time.

The following item I am not even sure what exactly it is or why I bought it. Ha. However, for five dollars I was hoping that it would be worth the purchase.

I haven't listened to the CD but I "think" it is something that could be used in the listening station. It also came with the books below.

I will be posting pictures of my classroom as tomorrow! 

It's all starting...

This is such a bitter sweet time of year... excited for the upcoming school year, sad to leave behind my summer social life. Ha.

Seriously though... look at my last few posts compared to the school year posts. The changes are coming... where the school hobby obsession takes over my life! This years goal: balance without killing myself trying to fit it ALL in! 

Now on to new teacher purchases (am I the only one that starts getting a lil' anxiety with all of the teacher purchases I make, ugh)While spending time away from home... the highlight of my day: Wal-Mart trip. Woo hoo. Anyways, while wandering around the Wal-Mart what did I find... the Scotch Thermal Laminator. It was the last one and I caved. I just... needed it. Right? Yep. In the cart it goes. Happy girl. 

  I also, stocked up on the necessities: new glue gun, card stock, post-its, scissors, binder, glue, posters... let the making of classroom decorations begin. 

 Also, remember I told you in a previous post that my BF bought my class some books while in NYC. These are the two books! They are adorable! Can't wait to read them to my kiddos! 

Now, on to the online shopping. This is where a problem can occur, am I right ladies? Its just a few clicks and done, new teacher stuff at your door in a week. I have had to make sure I am on a budget and I will not spend over. Fingers crossed. 

I found a lot of cute borders to go with my new rockstar room over at the website www.mardel.com. My new room will be filled with neon colors and zebra. I have been eyeing this rolling cart for OVER a year now. When I saw it was on sale. Click, in the cart. (Apparently, they were having a sale on Thursday... I'm not sure if this is a regular event or not but you cannot beat %20 off).

I also finally bought the Time Tracker I have been wanting. Most timers annoy me but I really like this one (saw it in ma girl Ms. Thomas' classroom). It's been on my wish-list so I clicked it and scored that too! 

Question: What all is on your Wish-List that you finally caved and bought?