Heading Back to the World of K!

Here we are almost ready to head back to school! I've had a very busy summer this year!  I decided this was the summer to downsize all my junk!  The Mr. and I spent about a month working to get rid of more than about 35 years of stuff we've accumulated, saved and stored.  Almost 4 truckloads later, I'm beginning to think I could get rid of 4 more!  Where does all this stuff come from?
Oh yeah, not just me but also a couple of sweet girls!

The last few days I've been back to my classroom, trying to get things out, set up and ready to go.  Here's a little peek into the beginnings of my 2015-2016 classroom!

I'll be headed over to continue set up on Tuesday!  Hopefully the final touches will be put into place by Wednesday or Thursday! I'll share some additional photos as I go!

Have a great day!

I Just Gotta Tell Ya......

Mercy me!  It's been a few days since I've posted and I'm sorry about that!  Woooo-wheee.  It's been a busy start to this school year and lots and lots and lots of work.  Here are a few pictures of my classroom this year!  This is the Mailbox Spot and the Partner Reading Area. 

 

This is the view from about halfway into my room.  I use this long table for Cut and Paste Center, Create a Puppet Center, Make a Book Center and other centers that need table space to work.

 

 

This is the Calendar Corner and Whole Group Time Space.  I made that groovy Chicka Tree from the long cardboard tube that my rug came rolled up on!  I wrapped the tube in brown felt and added black marker lines to look like a trunk.  The leaves are laminated paper and the letters were precut with an adhesive backing.  The letters come off easily and I use them to teach letter identification and sight word recognition.

 

These are some of my Center shelves.  I also have another Center cabinet (in the second picture) that I use for Center activities.  You can see my Word Wall, Poetry Place and 123Math Wall. 

 

 

This is my work in progress shelf area!  It has all of my Math manipulatives and the white tubs hold my most frequently used books, materials and resources.  I have plans to add a fun, creative, colorful band/wrap around ribbon to each tub.  I do have that plan.  I do.  I just have to plan for the time to get it done!  LOL!

I hope you're having a great start to your school year!  I also hope that you're taking a little time for yourself everyday! 

Tomorrow's Friday! 
 Yahoo!
Kimmie!

Friday Linky Party- Five For Friday!

Doodle Bugs

I love doing the Linky Party thing!  It's always fun to see what everyone is doing and to gain inspiration and motivation! 

So, here we go!

1. I've been shopping!!  I've been to lots of Dollar Hollers to pick up some cheap inexpensive and fun Center stuff!  Yahoo!  I think it's fun to shop for creative and colorful Center activities!  I found these blue baskets and I'm going to use them to store (and air dry) watercolor paint brushes!  The index cards come in packs of 4 colors, perfect for ABC and sight word practice.  The clock is to show when we go to Centers and I know, "Who" will love the owl stickers!

 

2.  I've been working on the Kindergarten Common Core Curriculum and I've posted it as a TpT Freebie and a Facebook Fan Freebie too!  The standards are put into a monthly format over the school year to help align our lessons to the Common Core!  Did I mention that it's a FREEBIE?

 

 

Kindergarten Common Core Curriculum

Facebook Fan Page

 

 

3.  Reading and Reviewing and Revisiting!  I love to take a look and reread those books that are so important to the beginning of the school year!  Then I also try to find something new to read, either a short article or a piece by another teacher author.  Here are a few of the books that I like to revisit before school starts and that I've already started rereading!

 



The Next Step in Guided Reading by Jan Richardson  

 

Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller

 

Guided Reading: First Good Teaching For All Children by Fountas and Pinnell

 

 

4.  I work on my school daily schedule!  Here's an outline of what I start with and then I add and tweak what I need to each week because in Kindergarten we just have to be flexible!

 

 

Schedule for the Beginning of the Year

Daily Schedule: Here is a general schedule for our classroom. We’ll add on activities as we go, but this will give you a framework for our busy days!

8:05-8:15 Attendance, Lunch Count, Pledge

8:15-8:30 Handwriting Without Tears

8:30-10:00 Calendar/Songs/Phonemic Awareness

Reading/Making Meaning/Phonics

Reading Activities/Interactive Writing

Science/Social Studies

10:00-10:45 Math Investigations

10:45-11:20 Specials

Mon. – Music Tues. – P.E Wed. – Tech Tools Thurs. – Art Fri. - Music

 (Library on Thursdays at 10:15)

11:25-11:35 Clean Up/Ready for Lunch/Mystery Box

11:35-12:25 Lunch/Recess

12:30-12:50 Teacher Read/SSR/Guided Reading

12:50-1:30 Writer’s Workshop

1:30-2:05 Centers/Guided Reading

2:05-2:15 Clean Up/Pack Up/Ready to Go

2:25-2:30 Dismissal
 

5.  I try to spend a little time relaxing!  It's nice to be home, following my own schedule and routine!  It's nice to take time to plan and create some delicious food for myself and my sweet hubby!  Every weekend I look forward to spending time with my smart, beautiful girls!  We're having a Waffle Breakfast this weekend!  You are welcome to join us for good food, good fun and great conversation!

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this post!  I love to link up with new friends and old friends!

Have a great week!  See you soon!

Thanks Doodle Bugs!

 

I would love for you to follow me!  That way we can be connected! 
Kimmie!