Organization!

Ok teacher friends... I don't know about you, but I am NOT ready to go back at all!!!  I've been up at school quite a bit lately since I had to move rooms and get a whole new room put together. Word of advice: don't go to school unless you want to be stressed out already! :) 

As you can see below, I have made a lot of progress!

I absolutely LOVE my new library area! 

The word wall that took me FOREVER to put up and then take down to move up higher! 

The Calendar and Weather Frog! 

So as you can see I have made a lot of progress in my classroom.  I went to school today to laminate a few things, and just stood in my room staring at the everything... I had no idea what else to do!  I know I have a lot of organizing to do within the cabinets but that didn't sound fun! :)   I told myself that since this week is my last FULL week at home before heading back to work, I am not allowed to go to school anymore this week!  I am on SUMMER vacation and deserve to stay away for a few more weeks. 

That however doesnt mean I wont be working on things at home! haha.  I actually have two HUGE projects I need to be working on.  We will see if I actually get any of them done.  Im too obsessed with going to the pool all day, and hanging out with friends all night. :) 

One of my projects is actually pinterest inspired. 

I am going to be using these mini/small accordian style file folders to keep my lil ones organized.  They will use this to put their fish words (high frequency words), spelling words, and math facts in.  I am super excited to use these.  I hope they turn out to be as cool as Im picturing it. :) 

My other project is putting together my library.  I have been procrastinating this job for now 3 summers.  I am not looking forward to it one bit at all.  I know once its all said and done, I will be really happy to have it all put together.  :) I just know its going to take a lot of work, and time to get it as organizing as I am wanting it! OH WELL!!!  

Until next time... enjoy your the rest of your HOT summer days. 

Ok blogging friends.. its been about a year that I have actually blogged!  However I have some VERY exciting news to share!

I am very excited to share that I will officially be teaching first grade again... and this time its permanent!  YAYYYYY so excited to be back in first grade with the little ones.
So with me being back in first grade, I am in need of some help from you all!  I taught third grade last year so moving down is going to be different, but I am overly thrilled! :)

If you all have any blogs you recommend, awesome morning routines, reading station or math station ideas, SEND THEM MY WAY!

Anyway I hope you all have a great 4th of July!
I cant wait to be back in the blogging world of first grade! :)

-Miss Samson

3rd Grade Fun!!!

COME ON OVER AND VISIT THE LILY PAD.... 

3RD grade is so much fun and you don't want to miss out on our exciting year.  

Please visit me at:

Hopping Into Third Grade! :)

New Third Grade Blog!

hey to all my blogging friends!  I officially have a NEW blog for Third Grade!  Please check it out and following me!!!

http://samsonsthirdgrade.blogspot.com/

NEW BLOG!

HELP!!!!

I want to make a new blog for third grade, but I cant figure out how to make my new blog design.  A sweet blogger friend made my current blog so I am clueless!!!
If anyone is willing to help me make a new blog look super cute with a FROG theme let me know!!!

3rd Grade!!!

Woohooo!!!
I can officially say I am going to be a third grade teacher this year!  I am all kinds of excited for what is to come.  Of course I am three kinds of busy too...
I am going to miss the world of 1st grade but know that 3rd will be fun!
Please share with me any and all the third grade websites you know of...

Also be on the lookout for a new blog for third grade! :)

Habitats!

In Science that last few weeks we have been talking about habitats... Well today we wrapped it up with a fun art project! 

we decided to use the watercolors to paint the background of our beautiful habitats... then we took another sheet of paper and used crayons to draw our animals and plants that went with the habitat we chose!
This art project was an awesomely fun one!  I HIGHLY suggest! :)

Enjoy....
Im hoping to have some EXTRA fun things tmrw.
Good night.... Rest up, Tmrw is Thursday!!!!

Life after spring break!!!

Hi to my blogger friends that are left!  I've kind of slacking on the blogging world... SORRY!
I am so excited to share some things my kiddos have been working on lately...

Ok so I am on this writing kick... probably due to my Masters Writing course.  My kids used to HATE writing and now... they are BEGGING to write!  Its so fun.  We just finished our HOW TO books.   Let me tell you, so cute and fun. :)
A few of the papers we used for these included the following:
Table of Contents!
How To!
Think Pad!
Graphic Organizer!

Im in a crunch for time... so I will update more later tomorrow! :)
Good night all- Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Fun in First Grade!

Wow, well if I have any blogging friends left... Sorry- I have been so busy with graduate classes, report cards and the regular day to day activities!
We have been having LOTS of fun the last few weeks... and now its time for a little break.  Tomorrow we have our FIRST work day all school year.  I am super excited to create some stuff for my kiddos.

Something I started working on this weekend was making some ultra CUTE mod-podge clip boards.  My kids love my walk the room activity, so I figured I would spice it up with the adorable clipboards.

Speaking of Walk the Room... here are just a FEW of my templates!

Walk the Room
November Walk the Room
December WTR
Jan WTR
Feb WTR
March WTR

I have a bunch more templates for Walk the Room... however Im posting them on my TPT site.

Teachers Pay Teachers!

So I decided to break down and finally open my own TpT site...
My first posting is FREE!  Go check it out :)

Dr Seuss Week!!!

Well its only Monday... but our week has gotten off to a great start!  In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday this week, we are having a different guest reader come everyday and read their favorite Dr. Seuss story.   Today was our first guest reader... who happen to be a 2nd grade teacher at our school.  The kids LOVED it.  What a fun way to be exposed to a variety of Dr. Seuss stories... and what a great way to squeeze in more re-alouds!

I dont have time to go into great detail... but we have a ton of FUN activities planned for this week.  Hopefully Ill be able to capture them for you to see. :)

Math Math Math!

Lately I have been trying to focus a lot of my time on my math stations.  I recently received in the mail, the long awaited new Debbie Diller Math Stations book.... Oh my word- I never knew it was possible to love teacher books more than I love Debbie Diller's!  This book has definitely inspired me to make my math stations improve.

Something we are getting ready to work on in our next chapter is MONEY! I am so excited to pull out the money rhymes!!!

Also in my math stations, I try and have a variety of options on each cabinet shelf...  I continue to hit time really hard.  I also am trying to incorporate a lot of addition and subtraction activities.  My kiddos need this so badly!  Something I put in a station is...

 

Snowman Addition

I love this idea.  

My kids love using the dice... they love it so much that they have "misplaced"(aka- stolen/taken them home!) all of my dice.

Word Work Addition

This is fun too. 

 My kids can practicing their spelling words while also 

practicing addition and subtraction! :)

I am continually working to improve my stations... and for that I need some ideas from you!
Do you do math small groups?  How do you group your kids?  How often do you meet?
Also, for math stations where and how do you store your materials for each station? Baskets? Tubs? Shelves?

fashionable late... or should I say WAY overdue!

Hello to my blogging friends!
Oh how I have missed updating my blog, and reading all of your AMAZING posts.

The last 3 weeks I have been one BUSY teacher, between conference and becoming a homeowner!  I have been busy decorating and organizing my new home, I kind of forgot to blog/didn't have internet!  WOW how nice it is to be back (somewhat) into my routine.

While I was away, I received the STYLISH AWARD!

Thank Sarah at http://snippetsbysarah.blogspot.com/ for giving this award.  :)

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 5 recently discovered great bloggers.
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.

7 things about myself (in no particular order): 

1. I was a cheerleader for 7+ years- high school and all star teams.

2. I have had 3 knee surgeries, and my knee is still messed up!

3. I have 2 wonderful sisters that I love dearly.

4. I love sushi.  My friends and I get sushi weekly! :)

5. I am a Starbucks addict. Ahhh I love coffee!

6.  I absolutely love summer.  I cant wait for this winter to end. 

7. I am officially a homeowner! :)

Point to the Word...

Small Group Reading: 

In my reading small groups, we do a lot of echo, and choral reading.  I like to have my kiddos following along pointing to the words as we read/they listen. I along with them find it BORING to use their fingers... since I am so creative this weekend- haha.  Ive decided to make these lil guys- 

I know my kids are going to LOVE them- with the little wiggly eyes and the fun little pom pom ball.

Simple cheap and fun... My kind of thing!

Enjoy! :)

Sadly I probably wont be posting for a few days... I start conferences tomorrow and we all know how BUSY AND TIRED we are after those!   Hope to post some new ideas soon- maybe Wednesday or Thursday.  Hope my blogger friends have a great week. 

Brain Feelers!!!

Here are the long awaited pictures of the CUTE brain feelers aka brain feelies as I've been calling them all day!

Attached also is a list of labeled questions I used on my brain feelies! 

List of reading brain feeler questions!

NOW FOR THE SURPRISE... don't get too excited, because it isn't that cool- 

I am a sucker for new fun cute things that can be used in my classroom, and today I have the brilliant idea of making NEW pointers!  These are only the first few that I've made- cute, not the best but a start! I bought a cheap package of dowels from Walmart, and the fuzzies are from there as well. :)

arent they cute?!! 

I know my kiddos are going to love them!!!

excuse the horrible picture of myself! haha... 

Hope you all love the new fun brain feelies and cute pointers! :)

Something new is coming....

You all have something to look forward to!!!
Ok so like I promised, on my TO-DO list are the brain feelers.
Tonight I made my questions on labels.  Tomorrow after I the finished product is done, I will attach the questions for your use, along with my pictures- requested by some blogging friends! :)

(Dont worry this is just a screen shot...) 

Brain Feelers

Ok so I am totally LOVING the brain feelies that Miss Knight has shared with us....

Im always coming up with questions to ask, but having these fun little sticks with questions already typed up and ready to go- looking cute might I add!
Ahhh so fun.  Certainly on my TO-DO list this weekend :)
That TO-DO list is getting a little ridic!   Oh well, the life of a first year teacher is always crazy right?!!

Do you have anything fun you do to strike up the comprehension after reading a story to your kiddos???

MY NEW BEAUTIFUL BLOG!

Ok so who loves my new beautiful blog?  I DO! I absolutely LOVE it.  This is was not my doing....
I have to say a special thanks to Miss Claire Knight!  What an awesome job she did- wow... total blessing.
and... its a crazy world, but we have mutual friends/we both worked at Kanakuk and didn't even know it! AMAZING! SMALL WORLD- but God sure knew what he was doing! :)

I dont have anything AMAZING to share tonight- a few teachers and I volunteered at the Homeless shelter so I am just now getting home sitting down on the couch in my comfty clothes! :)

TEACHERS... DRUMROLL PLEASE.... THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY!!!!!


FYI: check out Miss Knight's amazing cute GIVEAWAY!

Pop!

Kids love games... especially when they get to play a game at school.  A friend and I play this game in our first grade classroom ALL the time.  The game I am talking about is POP!  Ok so you all know those popcorn buckets in the $ section at Target (my favorite store!).... I use these for my players to keep track of their cards.

Attached are the POP rules, and POP playing cards. The first set is lower and uppercase alphabet letters.  I am currently working on our high frequency words to play POP with.  I'll post them when their done. :)

Enjoy... I know your kiddos will love it!  Put it at a station, play it in small groups, or even play it to review spelling words.  

Pop Directions

Pop Rules

ABC Pop Cards

Here is the second form- again lowercase and uppercase cards... these are football.
Football Whistle Cards!
Football ABC CARDS!
Football Rules!

Here is the last one for today...  This is baseball themed.  Instead of ABC, these have simple words.
Homerun Rules!
Homerun Cards!

Sorry pics still wont load... :(

If you would like the doc on word feel free to email me... I know how it goes and your might want to tweak things!  Id love to do that for ya.  :)

The Blogs NEW LOOK

Ok... So I want to make my blog cute like all yalls!  However, I just cant seem to figure it out.  Can someone please tell me how to either use a Leelou blog template or how to make a blog header with my blogs title in it?!  Or better yet, can someone just do it for me!? haha.

Let me know because I would love to make my blog look cuter!!!!