Happy New Year! with a linky party

Happy New Year to all my bloggy friend out there! I wish you a spectacular 2012 at school and at home.

I'm not typically a New Year's Resolution person but decided to make a couple again this year. I have made them several times but only stuck to it once. That was when I resolved to learn CPR in the coming year. I took the class and got my card... aahhh, New Year's resolution #2...
So I've linked up with the party

Resolution #1- Bring more activity into the classroom to balance our heavily pencil paper curriculum.

Resolution #2- Redo my CPR certification. Does your district provide this? The one my mom worked for did but our doesn't. I updated it a few year ago through a fire department class. Maybe I call them to start with.

Resolution #3: Cook more, eat out less. And get my husband to cook more too.

Resolution #4: Drink less Dr. Pepper.

Anyway, have a wonderful New Year's day with football or whatever you're up to. Here's to 2012!

 Chrissy

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Fact Families and Giveaways

I went to my classroom today for a few hours and got a lot done. Of course I still have to go back for a while, but that's okay. Before break my kiddos were working on fact families. I wanted to have a "cute" paper to put on their desks when the come in the morning so I made this.

You might wonder why there are no numbers. That's because I'll put the numbers on the board in whole/part charts, triangles, or circles. I can also differentiate a bit this way- easier fact families in one color, harder in another. It's funny how 1st graders think they're harder just because the numbers are bigger... but I need to challenge a few really high students and I'll tell the rest they have to do the ones in the easier color then can try a harder one on the back. They'll eat that up! I might even give a sticker (like a chart sticker) for each additional family done correctly. This class will love that! Hope you might find it useful too.

If you read my "11 in 11" post, you saw that my school goal for 2012 is more activity, fewer worksheets. I feel like I'm going against my goal, but some things have to be paper, right? Activities are coming, I promise. If you download this, please let me know.

Changing the subject, did you see all the giveaways going on?
Erika at The Honey Bunch is giving away a "I can teach. What's your superpower?" bumper sticker. (I just love that!)




Kelly at Busy in K is giving away an electric pencil sharpener. I'm excited about this because I've had several and they haven't lasted at all. This sounds like the one I need!

Kelly and Diane at Made for 1st Grade are giving away an ENTIRE winter center set. The whole thing! How generous.

There's also a $25 TPT gift certificate giveaway at Swimming Into Second.
If you haven't checked out these incredible blogs, you may want to pop over and look around. Good luck, everyone.
 Chrissy

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Word Work Freebie

I just made this to use when we go back to school. We'll be working on Long A/silent E words and this could help some of my kiddos better understand rhyming too. If you think you would use it, please leave me a little note. I will make more for other vowels and vowel combinations if it seems like folks like it.

Pin It

UPDATE (Jan. 2013): I've added more of these. You can find all that I have so far HERE.

Also, if you haven't been over to see Beth Ann yet, she's doing a give-away you'll want to enter.  Isn't her new button adorable?

I'm hoping to win the gift cards. Got my fingers crossed!

 Chrissy

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Two Linky Parties

I'm really enjoying this vacation! I'm sitting on the couch right now listening to an I   Radio station from Austin, Texas. This couldn't be more relaxing. Tomorrow I'll get more done than just blogging. Has anybody been back to school yet? I'll probably go tomorrow and then maybe not have to go back anymore. There are bulletin boards, copies to be made, and desks to be moved around. It will be fun to get some of my January projects ready too.
Right now I want to participate in two linky parties going on out there. Fern Smith is hosting a party to show you top three blog posts of 2011.
I wasn't sure I should post because my numbers aren't high, but here are my "Top Three" anyway:

 What are your Top Three?

The other great linky party is being hosted by Kristin and Hadar. It's a fun way to find out more about fellow bloggers.


This isn't easy. Last January my husband I went to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and saw a documentary called Troubadors about James Taylor and Carole King. That was fabulous! The footage of the first time James Taylor played "Fire and Ice" publicly gave me goosebumps. We also saw Restrepo, a documentary about soldiers in Afganistan. Not a pick me up film but it was well done and thought (and tear) provoking for sure. As for a fun movie, I have to admit that I loved Horrible Bosses. I've had one two and it made me laugh so hard.

10. Favorite TV Series

That's easier. I would choose Parenthood, oh wait, no, Big Bang Theory, no wait, oh I guess it's not so easy after all.

9. Favorite Restaurant

This one really is easy, I swear. It's Rooney's Irish Pub. Everything we've had there has been so delicious and the restaurant is pretty inside too.

8. Favorite New Thing You Tried

Definitely blogging!

7. Favorite Gift You Received

My ipad for sure.

6. Favorite Thing you Pinned

Probably this project, although I've found so many terrific school and non-school things.

from http://ourartlately.blogspot.com/2010/11/are-you-up-for-winter.html

5. Favorite Blog Post

Math Work Station Freebie because I was so excited that I'd created the game.

4. Favorite Accomplishment

Starting my blog. It's given me so much enjoyment and the teacher blogging community is one I'm proud to be part of.

3. Favorite Picture

This is a picture of my husband and I when we went to the ballet to see The Nutcracker. We had never done that before and it was spectacular. I love sharing that story with my class every year.

2. Favorite Memory

Many good memories came to mind, but one stands out since it had to do with the worst part of the year. We nearly lost our little 1 1/2 year old kitty to kidney problems in late July. We cried and worried and took him to the vet every 2 weeks for a while to be checked. When the vet said in September that his kidney values had stabilized and he was healthy, I cried again. He's still doing well. I clearly remember that vet visit. I was so happy!

1. Goals for 2012

School goal: To make more activities to supplement my curriculum so that my kiddos can be more active and do fewer worksheets.
Home goal: To make going to the gym a regular thing again.

 Chrissy

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Holly Bloggy Christmas, thank you's, and classroom pictures (edited)

Christmas at our house was wonderful this year. We got to see my nephew who goes to music school in New York City, spent good times with my family and my husband's family. His mom lives most of the year in northern Panama so we don't see her except for a couple months this time of year. All went well and I got an ipad from my favorite Santa (my husband). I could hardly put it down! The only bad thing was that I left all my password info for my blog at home. Normally I'm always logged in, so I was stuck! I read blogs like crazy and it sounds like there were a lot of very merry Christmas' out there.
I really need to say some thank you's.
Thank you to
Mrs. Cockrell who was my Secret Santa in the Holly Bloggy Christmas. She sent me a fabulous gift of hot chocolate mixes, biscotti (YUMMO!), and a pencil vase I cannot wait to put on my desk at school! Thank you, thank you. I love all of it! The personalized "H" will have a special place in my home office. ( I opened the gift in a hurry before we left town and was so excited about the items on top that I hadn't looked under the rest of the tissue. )

Thank you to Caitlin and Sarah too for organizing this Christmas exchange.

Another thank you goes out to Christina Bainbridge for sharing her Christmas Around the World activities. I did them with my class the last week of school (December 19-22, yes were there 3 days before Christmas!). My kiddos LOVED it! I don't know about your class population, but mine is quite limited in their experiences. For example, the ocean is about 6 miles away and some of first graders have never been to the beach. Many of them know little of the world beyond the distance they walk. So it was fun to expose them to different places and cultures. Here is a picture of the "souveniers" my students made. If you don't already do something like this in your class at Christmas, I highly recommend it. Also, her power points are AMAZING too!

Boy it's taking me a long time to finish writing this. My little kitty Stevie crawled up on my lap is laying on my left arm. But we've been gone for 4 days and I can't bear to make him move. So typing is slow.
I have been wanting to post some classroom Christmas pictures, but it just got too busy before the holiday. The last week of school was so much fun. I have a wonderful class so they're able to do a lot and although they were extremely excited, their behavior was still great.

Every year we make a graph of the favorite Christmas story I read to them (I select a few to choose from) and I re-read that story on the last day before break.








And the winner was...

 

My Christmas party is a Gingerbread House Social where parents come and make gingerbread houses with their children. This year I had the best attendance ever! Only one student was without a parent. She made her house with another parent instead. Here are some photos of their creations.

I'm so glad to have finally been able to post those things. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas a home and at school. I'm on break now, so I still have a pajamas on and I'm loving it. But I need to go take a shower so I can meet my husband for lunch. He works near a golf club that has fabulous taco salads, but they only serve them every other Tuesday for lunch. So YIPPEE! It's that Tuesday and I don't have to work! Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to lunch I go!
(Followed by more blog stalking of course!)
Have a great day!
Chrissy

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I feel so lucky and honored. I was given the Liebster Award by Sheree at

Peterson's Pad 

(I love that blog name. It's adorable.) Thank you for that, Sheree.

This award goes to blog with less than 200 followers. I would love to pass it along to these great blogs!



Teach On  

Inspired by Kindergarten

Mrs. Cockrell's Class  

First Grade Connections- This is a blog with different contributors and it is a source for all things first grade. Great authors too!

Grade ONEderful

Happy Blogging!

 Chrissy

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Currently...

I love this! It's so fun to read what everyone is up to.

You can join the fun at Oh'Boy Fourth Grade too!
 Chrissy

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Great Blogging Resource

Happy Thursday, everyone!
You may have already watched this, but I just got around to watching some of the Blogging 101 event put on by Teacher's Notebook and Teaching Blog Addict at http://virtualteachingexpo.com.

My husband and I had plans when it was scheduled in September and I was disappointed I couldn't take part. But I purchased it later and started watching it today. OMG! It's AMAZING! If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. I've watched 1 1/2 of the sessions and it's already been worth the money. I knew there must be easier ways of doing some things and there were things I hadn't yet figured out how to do. This is a great resource if you have questions too.
Happy Blogging!

 Chrissy

3

Merry Christmas!

What a great idea from Kristin at
Ladybug Teacher Files.


I'd like to pass it along to Lori at Little Priorities. She was helpful and encouraging when I was getting my blog started. If you have someone who influenced you, this might be a nice way to say Merry Christmas!
Have a wonderful holiday!
 Chrissy

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Gingerbread Men, Christmas trees, and a Liebster Award!

Isn't Christmas a fun time in the classroom? There are so many great projects and not enough time. Yet I'll be happy next Thursday when the children go home and I have 2 weeks off. I'll miss them, but enjoy my break at the same time... you know what I mean.
Sorry I haven't blogged in a little while. I've been wanting to but that's how it goes sometimes. I checked my email today and was so thrilled that Kimberely Moran at
First in Maine passed the Liebster Award on to me!

Thanks, Kimberely. This award brings to light blogs with 200 or fewer followers. I'm excited to pass this on to 5 other deserving up-and-coming bloggers. Here are my picks:

Notes in First Grade

Miss W. Teaches



Flying Into 1st Grade

Loving Life and Teaching

I wanted to add some of my Christmas projects to share with all of you. Every year my kiddos paint Christmas trees. First they paint a green triangle which I let dry for a day. We do that whole class. The next day I bring students to my horseshoe table in small groups to add the trunk, garland, star on top if they want, and ornaments. I took these pics before I cut them out. I love how the kids all paint the same thing but they turn out so different.

Another classroom tradition is to have my students write their own endings to The Gingerbread Man. I read this version

I stop just before the Gingerbread Man gets eaten and challenge my kiddos to write their own ending. The rules: the gingerbread cannot get eaten. He can go on adventures, travel, anything else as long as they're creative. I found this gingerbread man shaped paper and enlarged it. Some students need multiple sheets. I will cut the brown construction paper leaving a small border and put them up on a bulletin board in my room.

"The Gingerbread Man ran away from the fox. After that he went to Disneyland. He thought he was far enough but he wasn't. Then he went on the highest ride because he thought he was high enough and he was. He was safe from the fox."

"The Gingerbread Man ran away from the fox. The gingerbread man had a lot of fun because he went to another place. He went to the store and hid in the refrigerator because for the fox couldn't find him. He like it." (This student is a native Spanish speaker.)

"The Gingerbread Man ran away from the fox. He ran home and locked the door. He was safe and happy." (This student is also a Spanish speaker.)

A couple of students wrote about the Gingerbread Man going into space. One went to the moon and brought back a piece of the moon. My students got very creative and I was so proud of their stories when they finished.

I hope all of you are enjoying these last few days. Smiles and hugs to everyone who is on break at the end of the week. I have 6 days to go! Merry Christmas!




 Chrissy

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