Sight Word Phrases

My class has become pros at the first set of Fry's sight word phrases and quite frankly, they're a little bored with them.  I've been trying to think of some way to spice them up a bit and challenge my kiddos.  I decided that I needed to add a little holiday/seasonal flair to the phrases as well as make more than just the first 100.  So, I had to start somewhere so the first 100 it was.  Click below to find my Thanksgiving Fry's Sight Words, the first 100.  Keep you eyes open for the following sets.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/November-Frys-Sight-Word-Phrases-First-100-952299

My Favorite Time of Year...

       October! The sweet smell of pumpkin candles, pumpkin spice latte's from Starbucks, the crispness of the morning air...I LOVE October!
        October also means report cards...GAG!
       My class has been knee and elbow deep in pumpkins!  I had an amazing NAU partnership student who put together a pumpkin unit that my class absolutely LOVED!

We started Oct. 1st with pumpkins on everyones tables.

We then made HUGE pumpkin life cycles ( I thought it would be a great idea to make them gigantic but I didn't really pre-plan where I would put the darn things.)

We opened pumpkins and explored them.  We learned that pumpkins have seeds, pulp, and the more ribs a pumpkin has the more seeds there are inside.

Finally the kids had the daunting task to count all of the seeds from 3 different pumpkins.

Check out this freebie that fed right into our pumpkin-mania...

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkin-Math-915161

After we exhausted all aspects of pumpkins my classroom became invaded by bats!

We've only begun to scratch the surface of our batty unit and the kids are so excited to learn more.

A New Start

This year has be C to the R to the ZAY!  After 6 weeks our leadership decided to change the entire schedule!  Like, from scratch!  Like, new new new!!!!  I can't say that I'm loving it yet.  We had to change our schedule because we are so understaffed that our RTI groups are HUGE!  Huge as in, intensive small group has 12 kids!
So here come my new start.  I'm trying to start this school year over, though we are ending our first quarter.  Part of my new start includes opening my new Teacher Pay Teachers shop!  I'm so excited for this new journey in my life.  I just pray that I have time and creative juices to start really creating.  I've decided rather than start with things I'd like to make and use, I'm starting by making things that I will use right now.
I had my principal's observation today so I got busy over the weekend and I created some pumpkin math activities since we have been learning about pumpkins for the past week and a half.  My unit is up on TpT for free so please go check it out, download it, try it, and give me pointers and feedback.  I'm trying to remind myself that everyone has to start somewhere and this is my  somewhere......wish me luck!

So check me out on TpT and follow me.

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Sweet Summer Time!!!

Oh sweet summer! Staying up late, sleeping in, working out, reading, just plain 'ol relaxing!  This summer the hubs and I decided that we better just stay home and work on the house...it needs painted inside and out, fences need stained, deck needs stained, etc.  I have to say, it has been a wonderful summer!  I do miss taking a vacation but this is the first summer in a long time that I've been able to sit back and just relax.
This summer, well in June, I've read 5 WHOLE books!!!!  I'm not much of a reader for numerous reasons but mainly because I can never find time to read and comprehend what I've read during the school year, I always find my mind wandering off.  This summer I've sat out on our deck, while the girls play in the back yard, and just read!
My girls have been doing great a swim lessons, my youngest if FINALLY a swimmer! I actually think they're both growing gills and fins since I can never get them OUT of the water.....boy has that chlorine wreaked havic on their hair.
The hubby and I finally joined a gym, working on our fitness.  Sadly, he's been working crazy overtime  so I haven't been going as much as I want to but July is my "focus on fitness" month, my goal is to hit it hard before I go back to school.
So that pretty much sums up my summer so far.  I've really wanted to get busy creating materials and starting my TPT shop, but I'm just not there yet mentally.  I was a terribly hard school year so I'm just trying to rest and replenish myself...I will create soon enough.

CHEERS to summer!!!!

Can you say M.I.A.?

Holy Cow! I can't believe that I haven't blogged in weeks....actually I can!  Since the dance recital and field trippalooza we've had a birthday and Mother's Day.  School has been busy with the usual end of the year junk PLUS 3 extra random days off due to snow day makeups.  My student teacher recently left so I've been busy to say the least.  I don't for see myself blogging until summer when I can devote 100% effort to it, otherwise you get random babbling such as this.
Anywho, after this coming week I'm taking my oldest to the Taylor Swift concert then it'll be SUMMER!!!!
Enjoy the end of your year, hope you survive with a smile!

My Busy Busy Week

This week has been so crazy busy, I'm looking forward to passing out on the couch Sunday!  Here's a run down of my fun, exciting week...

Monday:
Monday I went with my 4th grade daughter to Walnut Canyon to go look at and explore ancient Indian ruins.  The day was perfect!  We had warm sunshine and 70 degrees!  Hey, I was even able to work on my tan while I hiked with the kids.

Tuesday:

Tuesday was our first grade field trip to Bearizona.  Bearizona is a wildlife park located about 30 mins. west of town.  At Bearizona you stay in your car (or school bus) and drive through the different habitats while the animals come right up to your windows.  After the drive thru part we watched the bird show then did the walk around trail where we say itty-bitty baby cubs that were born in January.  It was a little breezy but all of my kiddos LOVED the field trip.

Wednesday:

I actually had to work on Wednesday but I spent my evening, until bedtime, at school so my girls could take their dance pictures.  I love all of the costumes and how dedicated to dance both of my girls are BUT  Mommy was T-I-R-E-D!!!

Thursday:

Thursday I went to the Arboretum with my Kindergartener.  The weather was horrible! We were under a red flag warning day due to the terrible wind and low humidity.  Luckily I was on this adventure because after about 10 minutes off of the bus the wind caught her ear and she developed a horrible earache so we left the field trip and were off to the doctor....ear infection!

Friday:

And well, that's today and here I sit at dance dress rehearsal.  I finally got smart and brought my district issued laptop so I can use the internet for the next SEVERAL hours. Today was the school's talent show, of which my 4th grader was the MC so she's been practicing that shpeel all week.  After the talent show my class was off to the 4th grade Arizona Animal Walk.  The 4th graders spend close to a month researching AZ animals, they write reports and have to create a life size model of their animal.  Finally after school we held our Parent Volunteer luncheon.  

Saturday:

Tomorrow my girls have their dance recital, I look forward to tomorrow night when all of this will be past me and I will be in my warm comfy bed. 

I hope you all had a great week!  Cheers to 15 days of school before SUMMER!!!!