Thursday, July 25, 2013

iPad Rules Posters

Our K-2 classrooms are finally getting some iPads this school year! My colleague and I were chatting about what cute iPad rules posters we have seen pop up on Pinterest, TpT, etc., but none we had seen were in both English and Spanish. Thus, we decided something had to be done so we could join in the "cute rule poster" fun. I just finished them up...hot off the press..."iPad Rule Posters" that are in both English and Spanish folks!


This pack includes 8 rule posters with corresponding images (to help the little ones and our language learners) as well as an "iPad Rules" title poster to be hung with the bunch. All are 8.5 x 11 in size and you can pick and choose which rules you would like to use in your classroom as you see fit! Click on the spread to take you to me TpT store to get your copy!

So excited to see what our little ones can do with the iPads this year, and hopefully these posters will help start them off on the right foot!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Updated Calendar Labels for You!

I recently had a request for my "Spanish Calendar Labels" to be translated into English as well. Thus, in an effort to please and appease, I have done just that! Those of you that are looking to update or create your own calendar this school year may be interested in one of these packs!

Here is a photo of my mathematics bulletin board at the beginning of last school year with these calendar labels displayed.

The pack includes all months, a "Today is..." strip with corresponding days of the week to be Velcro-ed on, a "School Day" poster where students can continue adding numbers to count the days passed, as well as optional smaller days of the week labels for the top of your calendar, and 31 circular numbers to represent each date.


Here is a little spread of the recently created English version to help you visualize it a bit more :)!


Click on either of the images below to take you to my TpT store to check out the labels in English/Spanish!



Monday, July 15, 2013

Made It and a Freebie!

I am linking up with Tara @ 4th Grade Frolics for another edition of...


This week I came across a Pinteresting DIY project that I just had to try out. I absolutely adore headbands especially those that are comfy and I can wear lounging or working out....and this one was absolutely free and oh so simple to create!


I had recently put together a bag of clothes to donate and just snagged a tee out of there to use pre-donation! Cut a few strips off the bottom (as pictured), tied it up, and voila. Cute right! Here is the link to my pin for more in depth instructions.

In other news, July 5th was my handsome man's birthday! He absolutely LOVES the Bears and has still never been to a game (I can see why after purchasing the tickets...yowzas!). Thus, I figured I would be every man's dream gf and get him some tickets to celebrate.

I put the gift together in this little DIY frame. (I apologize it's all Instagrammy...for some reason I didn't save the photo anywhere else...but hey if you aren't following me yet...I'd love for you to snag my name and join in the Instafun!).
I bought the frame at Kohls for 40% off and then headed over to Michaels for a few scrapbook touches (football sticker, scrapbook paper, and the adorable Bear's themed buttons). Printed off a lovely little note and hot glued the frame touches and then presented it to my man! 

(I think he liked it ;))

And for the freebie...one of my kindy colleagues is doing a safari theme in her classroom this coming year and was searching for an "All About Me" type poster with this theme in both English and Spanish. I helped her out and thought I would share the creation with you all as well in case you wanted to use it in your room. It has a lot of picture spaces as it was designed with K/1 in mind. I believe she is planning on blowing it up a bit so you could do that to make the spaces bigger for your students if needed as well. Just click on the images to grab your free copy in the safari theme or I created a plain one as well! 




If you are lookin for more freebies of the day...check out "Manic Monday @ Classroom Freebies"!



Friday, July 12, 2013

Favorite Pins Friday #1

Just got back from vacationing at the lake and a visit to see my best friend and her family in Minnesota. Such a wonderful time had by all! And I cannot believe it is already mid-July. What happened to all of my time?!

Here is a pic of me and the beffer at a rooftop restaurant in Minneapolis. Gosh I love that city! SO fun!


In other news...while vacationing look what arrived in the mail!


Yes...to answer your question this is an Erin Condren Life Planner...and yes I am in love! It is an organizer's dream! She does sell the bands and fun markers as well...but I just bought both of mine pictured at Target to save some mula. 

Now that I am back to reality...I have had a little more time for some pinning! Thus, I thought I'd link up for my first "Favorite Pins Friday" with First Grade Parade.


Here are some of my faves as of lately...

Love this wrapping paper idea that can be used throughout the year. Just a little black Kraft paper and chalk markers...voila! 


Love anything that I run across already created in Spanish. I have seen this poster pin in English....but this is the first time for good ole' EspaƱol! I will be sharing this one with all of the newbies in our building this fall!


I have been on a huge clean eating kick lately and loving how it makes me feel! Here are our recipes I pinned for today and dinner tonight! Can't wait!





Finally I ran across this adorbs watch from Etsy. The price is quite reasonable...I am just a cheap skate. What do you guys think? Cute? Buy worthy?


Have a great weekend you guys! And don't forget to link up your fab pins today as well!




Sunday, July 7, 2013

Flash Sale and a Winner!

And we have a winner folks...

Ms. Tammy N. you have earned yourself any 3 items from my TpT store along with the text "How Much, How Many, How Far, How Heavy,  How Long, How Tall is 1,000" by Helen Nolan. Congrats!



Thank you again to all for not only entering in the giveaway, but for your continued support! I appreciate it immensely and am thankful each and every day for you all as you continue to shape and inspire me as an educator!

With that being said...I would like to offer and opportunity to all of you who participated and may not have won to also be "winners" ;). If you had some items in mind you were thinking of snatching up if you won, here is your chance to get them at a discounted rate my friends! Today I will be hosting a "Flash Sale" for all of you as just another way of saying thank you in which you can get 20% off of all items in my TpT store! You can click on the image below and/or my TpT store link on the side bar of my blog to take you to the store for some shoppin'!



Friday, July 5, 2013

Duolingo

Anyone love learning about new languages as much as I do? Or are you interested in learning a new language but cannot afford to travel abroad or purchase Rosetta Stone!?

I have your answer: Duolingo.

I actually ran across this site on Pinterest a little while back and finally had some time to mess around with it now that it is summa' time! 

And let me tell ya folks I am quite impressed for a freebie. I am hooked and have officially taken up learning some French this summer. 

So here is a little preview...you can utilize their website if you prefer....


You can see I am working on learning my animals right now ;)! There are so many skills on the skill tree (see the scroll bar....yea it scrolls down for what seems like forever with skills to learn!).

You can pick up on each lesson where you left off or if you feel like you still need more practice you can click on that blue button that says "Lesson Practice" and go back and continue to practice the skills you have already learned. The site will also monitor your progress including the strength in understanding/usage as well as how many words you have learned over time. See that little W in the blue circle - I have officially learned 107 words!

Here is an example of one of the lesson components:

In each lesson you are introduced to vocabulary with photos, given sentences to translate in each language, and introduced to new words through the context of sentences (you can see the blue highlighting the new word in this sentence....if you scroll over it, it will provide an explanation). You are also required to listen to the language and write what is said, as well as speak a variety of sentences. You can listen to a phrase at any time by clicking on the listening icon next to the sentence and in some instances they even have a turtle icon in which she speaks slower for you!

Now, if you get so excited about this this that you want to take it with you on summer road trips or you simply just prefer to work on your iPhone, iPad....THERE IS an APP for that!


Once again it is free for you to use! (claps). It is pretty much equal to the site in most respects with a few minor differences. 

I believe currently Duolingo offers instruction in the languages of French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese....also if you are a native speaker of these languages you can do the reverse and learn English. Therefore this may not only be a great way for you to learn a language but for some of your ELL parents to practice English in the comfort of their home, the library etc. as well for free!

All in all, as a language learner myself and as a dual teacher, I must say I am pretty impressed with this site and the way it goes about teaching language through the context of sentences and more of an immersion style versus just strictly through grammar and vocabulary drill and kill. It may not be perfect...but I am having fun with it. I told Ry we must take a trip to Paris once I have passed all the levels...how's that for incentive ;)!

Finally...just a reminder that today is the last day to enter in my "1000 Facebook Fan Giveaway" as well as take a moment to grab your "I Can Count to 1000" freebie counting book! Click on the image to take you to the post to enter! You have until midnight folks'!





Tuesday, July 2, 2013

1,000 Facebook Fan Freebie and Giveaway!

Well thanks to all of your support I reached above and beyond the 1,000 Facebook fans I was hoping for! Have I mentioned you guys rock?!

Thus, as my way of saying thanks a "thousand", I am posting a new "1,000" themed freebie and giveaway!


(Graphics and Fonts: The Enlightened Elephant, Kimberly Geswein, Jessica Smith)

First....the freebie for you all...fresh of the press...

"I Can Count to 1,000" counting books that your students can use as a resource throughout the year!

Each book comes in English/Spanish and includes a full or half page cover sheet with corresponding number grid paper! 

Click on the image to snag this 1,000 themed freebie!


And now for the giveaway...duh..duh...duh...

The winner shall receive:
1. Any 3 items of choice from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!
2. A copy of "How Much, How Many, How Far, How Heavy,  How Long, How Tall is 1,000" by Helen Nolan. (Had to stick with the 1,000 theme!)


Enter any and every way you choose through the Rafflecopter below!

Giveaway will run through midnight June 5th/6th.

¡Buena Suerte!