Monday Made It- Owl Pillows

On Pinterest, I saw some cutesy owl pillows. I almost bought some on Etsy, but thought to myself that I could try to make some. Something so simple has been a process for me... I am definitely not an expert, but a novice sewer. Good thing I have my seamstress friend Amy. :0) She has helped me with some tips that I would not have done. Later on this week, she will sew them up, and I will stuff them and hand stitch them. I think they will make a nice addition to my classroom library.

 

I am working on pillow #2. I have four that I plan to make. I think I will leave off the black and white bellies and maybe add some little feet instead.

 

I will also be decorating some sugar cookies for Meet the Teacher. If you are wondering what shape they will be... owls of course!

 

I'm linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It Linky! I'm looking forward to what everyone else is making.

 

 

 

 



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Monday Made It

I am slowly working on some projects for my classroom. My first project is READ blocks for my classroom library area. This was fairly easy, as I just traced the letters on some pretty scrapbook paper and decoupaged it on. I think I want to paint the back of the wood black and add some embellishment to the letters.

 

 

My second project is a new name tag for my classroom. We usually have a rectangular sign out on the window. Last year, I wanted to paint an owl sign, but I didn't get to it. This year, I decided to make a wreath. I used a cardboard wreath wrapped in black yarn and decorated it with some stuff I had.

 





 

I am linking up with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It. Now I am off to see what everyone is creating!

 

Click here to check out other Monday Made Its.

 

 



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Monday Made It- Pennant Banner

I am loving how everyone seems to be making all these beautiful colorful pennants. I was wishing somebody would make some in colors that I needed to match my owl classroom. Then this weekend, I had a realization. I could do it myself! It is really quite easy if you already use powerpoint. So here goes my first tutorial...

 

You need to be in powerpoint. I made sure my page setup was portrait 8.5 X 11 inches. Then I chose a triangle from the drawing tool box. If you don't have that on your screen, go to the Insert tab and click on shapes. You'll see a variety of shapes. After getting my triangle on the page, I went to shape fill... see where the red arrow is pointing in the picture below... this where all the variations can take place...

 



When you click Shape Fill, a variety of choices pops up. You can pick different colors. I wanted to use some pretty patterned background pictures I had. So I picked picture and selected the file I wanted. Next, I went back to the Shape tools, and under the Shape Fill is the Shape Outline. I selected the color that I wanted. You can also choose Shape Effects to add shadows or a glow. I didn't do that to mine. Once you have the triangle done, you can overlay on top other shapes or clipart frames. I had fun playing around with a variety of options. I've created some new things for my classroom with the colors and owls of my choice! I haven't printed it out yet, but I am thinking of how it will all tie together in my new classroom! Below is a preview of what I am working on. Click on the picture to get the Welcome pennant for free.

 

 

Two of my bloggy friends are having giveaways. Wendy from Read With Me ABC is having a 100 Follower Giveaway and Amanda from Mrs. Pauley's Kindergarten is having a 400 Follower Giveaway. Congratulations to both ladies on their wonderful blogs! Click below to check them out.

 

 

 

 I am linking up with Tara for her Monday Made It.

 

 

 

 

 

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Monday Made It- Volunteer Binder



 

I finally made it! I am joining Tara's Monday Made It today. I have lots of ideas floating in my head and finally I can check off an item on my to do list. I revamped my Dividend (Parent Helpers/Volunteers) Binder. Here is a picture of my original. It's hard to see the faded line up of turtles- my classroom theme from over 3 years ago.

 

Totally needed some help here!!

At the beginning of the year, I recruit parent helpers. The week before they are allowed to come, I schedule a Dividend Meeting with them. (Dividend is the term my county uses to describe a volunteer in the classroom.) Typically I schedule one meeting in the morning and one in the afternoon, so that my volunteers can choose which is most convenient for them. At the meeting, I go over my expectations, procedures, supplies, and ideas of helping children. This is also a time for my new dividends to ask questions and get an idea of what they will be doing in the classroom. It also gives me an idea of what a volunteer is comfortable in doing.

 

I keep the binder in a bucket at a parent table in my classroom. The bucket usually contains ziplock bags with templates and instructions to help prepare projects, a tying shoe book so students can practice tying, tutorial games to play with individuals, and predictable readers with directions to support beginning readers. The binder is set up with a weekly schedule at the beginning. Following are pages of tips and procedures to help volunteers remember what to do. There is a section for each day, so that my dividends can flip to that day and read my notes.

 

 

Here is an example of notes I write to a dividend.

It is nice to have this binder, as it helps me build routine with my dividends and they can come into the classroom with little interruption. I also love it for when I am absent. My dividends know what to do and need little assistance.

 

Here are some pics of my new Dividend Binder.

 

This is the new cover.



 

 

On a different note, I am trying to figure out what type of plant this is that we bought yesterday. Any ideas? My husband thinks hibiscus, which at first I did not think so because of the way the blooms hung down like bells.

 

 

Here is a worthwhile donation drive created by Lisa at Learning is Something to Treasure. Tears at my heart strings...

 



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Monday Made It

Have you seen this great organizational post by Mrs. Sheehan from Learning in Wonderland? She organized her teacher pay teacher files into a binder. Well this reminded me of my book inventory binder that needs sprucing up. I created this binder a long while ago when I found myself buying books over again, because I forgot I already had them! So I documented all my books onto spreadsheets by theme and kept them all together in a binder. It helps when planning, so I can easily access what books I have without going through my heavy theme boxes.

 Now, seeing Mrs. Sheehan's TPT binder reminded me I needed to update as I recently bought some books. I decided to add pictures to the spreadsheet so I can also see the covers of the books.This visual will also help me remember which book is about what. I will slowly update my binder in this way. Here's a picture of my Asian books spreadsheet.

Now I will need to make a cute cover for my boring black binder! On the home front, I am off to make some Vietnamese pho for dinner... which will be ready tomorrow night.

 

To check out other January made its:

 



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What's On My Shopping List?

I am looking forward to trying out some new games and activities. I plan to do some shopping at Teachers Pay Teachers! There is a sale going on today and tomorrow. Be sure to use the code BTS12 to save even more! I am always looking for ways to use manipulatives in different ways. Here are some items that I think will be fun in kindergarten.

1. Snap cubes alphabet (There are also pre-primer and primer sight words for snap cubes!!) I am so excited about these snap cubes because we have so many of these in my classroom. This will be one of our first activities at literacy centers. I will also use the sight words one later on in the year.

2. Fun in the Kitchen I am super excited about using the fun literacy and math games at my kitchen center.

3. School Time Rap I am trying to incorporate more song books into one of my listening centers. This will be one of our first songs.

4. Label it Nursery Rhymes  First Grade Blue Skies has created a variety of Label Its. They are a fun addition to a writing center.



5. Alphabet Vacation I will be making more things from my newest unit soon . My class and I will be taking an alphabet vacation after learning about all the letters during the first 5 weeks of school.



Here is a list of Activities and Common Core Standards that I included in this packet.

1. Alphabet Vacation- RL.K.10, RI.K.10, RF.K.1, RF.K.1d, W.K.8, SL.K.1, SL.K.1a, SL.K.1b, SL.K.6
2. Alphabet Passport- RL.K.10, RI.K.10, RF.K.1d, RF.K.4
3. A is For...- W.K.2, L.K.1a, L.K.2c, L.K.2d, RF.K.4
4. Alphabet Vacation Classbook- W.K.3, L.K.1a, L.K.2c, L.K.2d
5. Postcard- W.K.3
6. Beginning Sounds Quiz-Quiz-Trade- RF.K.2, RF.K.2d, RF.K.3, RF.K.3a
7. What Else Starts Like...- L.K.5a, L.K.1a, L.K.2c, L.K.2d
8. Vacation List Craftivity- W.K.1, L.K.1a, L.K.2c, L.K.d
9. Five Little Letters- RI.K.10, RF.K.3c, RF.K.4
10. Chicka Boom Name Chart- RL.K.10, RF.K.1, RF.K.1d, L.K.2, RF.K.3c, RF.K.4
11. Syllable Sort- RF.K.2b
12. Capture the ABCs- L.K.1a, L.K.2c, L.K.2d
13. Counting Quiz-Quiz-Trade- K.CC.1, K.CC.3, K.CC.4, K.CC.5, K.CC.6
14. Sunglasses Graph- K.CC.1, K.CC.3, K.CC.4, K.CC.5, K.CC.6, K.MD.3
15. Beach or Pool Graph- K.CC.1, K.CC.3, K.CC.4, K.CC.5, K.CC.6, K.MD.3
16. Plane or Boat Graph- K.CC.1, K.CC.3, K.CC.4, K.CC.5, K.CC.6, K.MD.3
17. Show Me Five & Show Me Ten- K.CC.1, K.CC.2, K.CC.3, K.CC.4, K.CC.5, K.CC.6, K.OA.1, K.OA.2, K.OA.3, K.OA.5, RF.K.3
18. Sort the Coconuts- K.MD.3, K.CC.1, K.CC.3, K.CC.4, K.CC.5, K.CC.6
19. Ten Little Coconuts- K.CC.1, K.CC.3, K.CC.4, RF.K.3c, RF.K.4
20. Chicka Boom Tree Snack- W.K.3

Now, it isn't quite Monday, but I wanted to go ahead and post my Monday Made Its... I think this will be the last one for me to link up to. Tomorrow will be my first day with my new kindergartners! I am excited for a fun filled year. I will take a picture of each student with this particular frame. Here's one of our little dogs with it...

I also made special treats for my kinderkids on their first day of school- kissing hand cookies. Here they are before going into the oven. It is a tradition of mine and many other teachers to make these to go along with The Kissing Hand book.



If you are going back to school, I hope it will be a great first week! If you are on summer break, enjoy your rest! If you are already back in school, may your little ones be getting into the routines!



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Made It Monday: Organizer

Today is my first day back in my classroom. I will be busy busy busy getting this room back in order. After today, there will be many meetings and getting prepped for Kindergarten Open House & Meet the Teacher later this week! Here is what it looked like when I entered my classroom:

This is from the main door.

This is also from the main door.

This is the view from the planning room door. On the counter is my first rounnd of stuff brought back to school from home.

Since everyone has been making these great organizers, I was inspired to make my own. I really like the ones with the larger drawers, but it stood taller than what my cabinet would hold. So I went with the one that would fit in my cabinet. I got mine at Lowe's. When I went to Joann Fabric's the next day, I saw similiar containers doubled the price!! My organizer labels are not quite done. I have to figure out what will fit in my organizer box.

I also created one of these for my How We Go Home chart! I love it!! I got it from Beg, Borrow, & Steal's site.

I velcroed the going home circles to my ribbon. I will use clothespins with names to show how children go home. Since some go home different ways on different days, I will keep my own schedule in my teacher binder. Each morning, I will move the clips that need to change.

I am looking forward to getting my room set up, especially with all the inspiration from my bloggy friends! Click below to see more creations by others.



Have a wonderful day!



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Monday Made It: Owl Lanterns

I have bought some lanterns from Target at the beginning of summer with intentions to make some owl lanterns I saw on pinterest. Now at the end of my summer, I am getting to it. In less than a hour, I made 4 owl lanterns. I plan to hang them around the room for 4 different areas. They will be hanging up in my classroom next week... when I go back for teacher planning. Summer has passed by quickly!!

Supplies: assorted lanterns, scrapbook paper, circle punch, black buttons, scissors, Stampin Up Crystal Effects, & Glue dots

 

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