Organizing with Stackables!

So as you know, I have been slowly packing up the school year.  We still have until June 26th but slow and steady wins the race!  Besides I am getting the itch to just pack and go!!!  

Usually my packing goes well at the beginning and towards the end I just stuff things where there is room.  I wanted to avoid that this year because I tend to lose things and don't end up finding it until  I start packing again.  So this year I went on a hunt for some organizing bins.  I found this at  and decided to give it a try!

I got these tubs from Really Good Stuff.  They come in all different sizes.  I ordered the medium but and large.  These stackables come in 3 for 19.99.  If you order 3 or more sets, you get a great deal of 14.99.  I love me a sale!

 It's seriously perfect for what I'm packing and what's even better is they are stackable!  You can keep lining them up on top of one another and it will fit perfectly.  This is what my markers looked like before in a regular bin.

Yes.. it's messy and I actually forgot I had my markers in there so I didn't even use these markers this year.  I hate that!!  So I had to change this.

I organized them a bit and then tossed in my new stackables, along with some other bins and crafts.  This is how perfectly it lines up!  And I hope I don't forget they are in there this following year.

As you can see in my other bins, I have clothespins which I am always in need of and popsicle sticks.  

I can't wait to order more.  I  will need to buy labels and stick them on the stacks just to be extra organized and know where everything is!  

Look how it fits just perfectly in my closet.  

How do you organize your things at the end of the year?

Packing Up Another Year!

Okay …so don't judge me, but I started cleaning my class for the end of the year.  Is it weird that school ends June 26th?  

I get slight anxiety just the idea of starting to clean up in June.  I like to move slow and steady and make sure I am not rushed towards end of year looking for things to store and find room for.  I like to make sure things are neat and orderly for when I come back to set up at the end of summer.  

So where did I begin?  Happy you ask!  I started small.  I just gathered some poster boards.  

Before you think, I'm just awful by taking away these posters…. my little ones have a copy of their own in their class word folders that they refer to on their own.  So I think they'll handle it just fine.

I like to store my poster boards nice and neat in my sweet little bag from Really Good Stuff.  It's only $14.99 and such a great way to store and organize your posters without feeling forced to tossed them somewhere because there's no room or space.  

Here's a shot of it …

Make sure to grab this as it will make your life much easier at the end of the year.


and just for giggles!  This is a shot i took last year using the bag!

I'm such a pro!

Teacher Appreciation Sale!

Okie so today's original post on my bridal shower last week will have to wait a bit because  I have some fabulous news!!

  We are having a SALE!! 

(thanks for the button first grade nest )

Woot Woot!!

If your curious as to what to grab…here are some things that could get your little ones excited about the end of the year or something to get you excited for the new school year!

Have a Sunsational Summer with this little cutie!  Your sweet ones will have a blast putting this together and thinking about Summer!

Or get yourself prepared for Mother's Day this Sunday.

Or if you haven't reviewed butterflies or froggies yet, drop by and pick up these cuties!

These have been such a hit with my class.  They love learning about these guys!

Or if your trying to prepare yourself for the upcoming school year.  My newest Sassy Sight Words Pack.  Your little ones will love learning new sight words with these very entertaining printables!

Here's a glimpse at what the printables look like.

Don't forget to type in the code TPTXO at checkout for an extra little something off!

Happy Shopping!!

April Re-Cap

UGH yeah…it's been a while since I last posted?  Did ya miss me?!?!

I've been so busy, but I am here today to let you know what my little ones have been up to this month!!

We finished out sweet little chicks.  The little ones really had such a great time doing it.  I can't believe how well they are writing.

Here's an up close shot.

Here's another example of one of my cuties….

So yummy!   She wants to eat worms with his brothers and sisters.  Sounds relish!!

LOL.  At least he's thinking of his family! 

So want to know what I have been up too?  Where have I been?  Well I have been busy busy but this past Sunday, I had my bridal shower!  I was definitely shocked.  My MOH's and BM's were prepared and had my dress and shoes handy for my when I walked in. These are my beautiful ladies!! 

This is right outside with the skyline behind us!  It doesn't look real right?  I love this picture!

Love love love this picture and my girlies!  They did such a fabulous job with the planning.  

I will be blogging about my shower Sunday so stay tuned if you need some fabulous ideas!  

Out with the Old & In with the New- Bulletin Board Style!

Happy Wednesday!  So happy the week is going by fast!  So close to Spring break I can almost smell it!!

  Spring is finally here and it's almost end of the year.  But instead of trying to clean up a bit and put stuff away, here I am creating a new bulletin board for my class!

This is what my bulletin looks like now…

I got these last year from Clutter Free Classroom and mixed it up with Rockin Teacher Materials.  It was an awesome set with tons of different choices for the board.  If you want to read a bit more about how I set it up and planned to use it, click here to take you to that post. 

It's not that I don't love this board, I just think for my class this year, it just isn't for them.  I will definitely try this again next year and see how it works with my new babies.

Okay after thinking..not hard of course…I came up with a sweet idea!  I have been seeing this kind of idea lately on pinterest and thought it would be perfect!

Okay so picture this...

I don't have kids of my own but I can kind of figure out that this is how the conversation goes when my kids gets picked up from school. 

Mom:  Hey honey, what did you learn in school today?

Child:  Nothing

LOL  I figured, this bulletin can help kids remember what they learned that particular day. We can discuss in class all the new topics we covered and the things we reviewed.  That way when they walk out, they have been refreshed with what they learn?  Are ya with me?  Okiee..

This is what I was inspired by on pinterest.  This was created by Teach from the Heart

Cute right???

Well I started to make it mw own.

This is mid progress…

I use the letters from the previous bulletin to help me set up this one.  I whipped this up so quick.  

Final product…

Side view…

If you squint your eyes, you could see what I wrote! LOL

Here is a before and after shot.  I just realized I have been doing those a lot lately!

My plan for this is,  at the end of the day, I will ask my little ones "What Stuck Today".  The point is for them to backtrack and think about all the things we reviewed and went over.  Everything they come up with, I will put on a post it and slab on the "What Stuck" wall.  I think it will be a fun way to get my little one's minds going, even if it is the end of the day.  This way when their parents ask them what they learned, they can remember this!

It's worth a try and I am excited to get started!!

Have you guys tried this?  How has it worked for you ?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Sassy Sight WordsPart 1!

Happy Sunday!  I originally had another post planned for today thinking my latest product wouldn't be done in time, but it is!  I am excited to share with you all.. my one of many packs to come!  

Sassy Sight Words - Part 1

This pack is a small unit of other packs to come.  

In this bundle you will see all the pre-primer sight words from the dolch sigh words list.

This is a great way to practice these words and get your little ones to know how to sound them out and write them.  

Let me explain some of the printables….

The format is the same for all the words.  The rules are as follows…

1. Color the bubble words up top

2. Write the sight words as many times (in your neatest handwriting of course) 

3. Rainbow write the words.  Use different colors or just one.  It's their choice!

4.  Find how many syllables the word has by clapping or whatever strategy the students use to help them.

5.  Find the sight words as many times as you can in the word search.  the words can be found going across, down, diagonals, or even backwards!  

6.  Write the sight word on the line to complete the sentence and draw a picture to describe your sentence.

I started using these with my kids last week.  They absolutely love it!  I slipped it into their "Word Work" bin and didn't explain the directions, in hopes it was easy enough for them to catch on.  I was right!  It was easy enough for my little ones to figure out exactly what needed to be done. PHEW!!

There are colors also in the list.  So it's fun for the kiddos to work on their color as well.   Their favorite by far though is the word search.  They love to see how many words they can find.  It's so cute to watch them itching to find the words so quickly!

Just by the time they were done with the worksheet, it was time to clean up!  If I did have the students who finish early, I had them simply write a sentence in the back using the sight word.

There are so many different uses for this pack.  I have used them so far during centers, for buddy work and even homework.  It's not even considered their typical homework for them because it's so much fun to complete.  They really enjoy it.

It's so important for my class to be able to know all these words and have them down packed before they move on to second grade.  I think with this pack, it will be such a great way to help make that happen.

In this bundle, you will find

*directions for how to use these effectively

*40 sight words printables to help promote sight words recognition 

What do you think of this?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Check out more by clicking here or check out my TpT Shop to see my other goodies I have.

Leave a comment letting me know you follow my pinterest and I will be giving 2 of these copies out to you.  

Congrats to #9 and #10!  I just e-mailed you. =) 

Enjoy!

Organize that Classroom!

So I am always trying to find different ways to organize the class.  I feel like I fix one side of the class then the other side falls apart!  Can I just have a robot that fixes everything? LOL

While waiting for that robot, let me show you what I have been up to in my class!

Now, I personally don't think it's that bad.  I just think it's messy and could be a little more tidy and put together.  So I did a little research and found such a cute book bin from Scholastic.

I loved it and ordered it right away.  I had one of the custodians put it together when he got a chance and organized it.

Tada!!!!!

Doesn't it look much more organized and put together than before?  Take a look up close…

I feel so much better now just looking at that corner.  If your wondering what all those books are …well the red spines books are from our reading series. Treasures.  They range from everything from transparencies to home instruction workbooks.  I try to incorporate them as much as I can so I need them to be nice and neat if I need to grab it.    The blue are folders filled with student data and test scores.  And the workbooks in the middle.. well….

my monthly idea books!  Yes I have all of them and yes I use them ALLLL the time.  They have such useful resources for the little ones to complete during centers, homework or buddy work.  It's definitely something I am happy I purchased.  

To see more on these books, click here to take you to the September month.  These books are from the Teacher Store over at Scholastics.  They are $17.99 but so worth it.  It's 144 pages full of just awesome printables and resources to use for years to come.

………….

So look what we were surprised with yesterday!  

Yes…cute little caterpillars!  They are busy as can be trying to slowly transform.

It actually came unexpected so I quickly had to pull out my Bopping for Butterflies Unit and start copying….

I  know my babes will just love it!!  

OMG!!  Have you check out Farley's Currently today?  Guess who the sponsor is?!?!!?  

It's ME!!  I am the sponsor.  I can't believe it!  I am so excited to even be mentioned or considered to be a sponsor!!   

So here is my currently!

Stay tuned for a pretty sweet Space Unit coming soon!

Off to watch my Yankees home opener!!  Ahh Love them. =)