NEW Classroom, NEW District, NEW Year!

I cannot begin to tell  you how happy I am working for the Pasco School District!  It's incredible to be working with such talented, heart- felt, compassionate people!  There are just not enough words to express my gratitude and love for my job and those I partner with each day to bless our beautiful students.  

To learn more about us, visit our District Webpage HERE.

Now, here's the moment I've been super excited to share with you....a peek into the magic of my new "Emerald City....."

Here's a look of what I started with:

Although I was thrilled for my new job, this room was a bit smaller than my last classroom.  So I needed to condense and be creative.  I also share a wall with another fantastic teacher, Mrs. Thorne, but it's covered with a carpet material, so I also had to add Velcro and TLC to whatever I chose to hang on it.

But, it was a challenge I enthusiastically accepted!!!

I decided that to go along with my Wizard of Oz theme, I would incorporate two of my other favorite things: gingham and polka dots...lots of red accents.  

I tried to back all my bulletins boards with white and then accent with red polka dots or red gingham.  I'm super excited!

 Leave a note and let me know what you all think!   Thanks for stopping by!   See you in OZ!

Be Blessed,

5 Senses STEM Unit, FREEBIE and GIVEAWAY!

I'm super excited to begin our STEM Unit on the 5 Senses this next week!  STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is at the core of what I believe about good teaching.  The only thing I would add is an "a" for the arts.  But, being the musical/drama girl that I am, it will be added.  This is the first unit I will be using from those developed for the OSPI website.  Click HERE if you'd like to check them out.  I attended a workshop during the Starting Strong Conference on STEM and my district is opening three new STEM schools within the next 2 years, one will be right next door to my current building!  STEM is all about hands-on learning.  The activities are relevant, only guided by the student inquiry, allowing students to draw their own conclusions, get messy and learn about concepts.  Perfect for Kindergarten!!!   We are lucky that in the State of WA we have some great new guidelines for Full-Day Kindergarten, stating that learning must be developmentally appropriate and value play.  This is my goal as we embark on this unit.

Along with the OSPI unit, I have added some of my own resources, as well as, this great unit by Kathryn Warner from Kindergarten Kindergarten!  You can purchase it at her TPT store here. It's jammed packed with fantastic printables.

I will be doing CLOSE READS with the Heinmann Raintree SUPER SENSES Series.  Each Sense is detailed with realia photos for ELD/ELP Practices and bold new vocabulary.  All of their books are PERFECT for Kindergarten/First Grade!

Also, we will enjoy these other classic texts:

And if that's not enough information for you....

Here's my new Literacy Pack available today at my TPT Store!

Click here to take you there right away!

Just purchase, print, laminate and enjoy.

But that's not all!  You can download these awesome 5 Senses Posters FREE today!  Who doesn't like a FREEBIE? 

Click here and grab the link for your goodies!

Don't forget to follow this blog and find me on FACEBOOK to ensure you don't miss out on more ideas and resources!  I'd love to hear from you!

And here's the giveaway!  Enter to win this amazing Literacy Bundle full of some of my most popular printables! You can enter once a day!  Share, Comment, Tweet, LIKE, and Pin!  Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Musings

What does a Kindergarten Teacher do when she's stuck in the house because it's close to 106 degrees outside?  My current projects are strewn around the house, and my children are listening to the end of their book on CD, left over from this week's trip down the California coast.  My husband actually drove all the way from San Francisco to Kennewick, WA in a day! It's awesome and a bit frightening, but the call of your own bed can be overwhelming sometimes.  

Musings for today:
What am I reading?

 Follow this link to my friend Marsha's page for DAILY 5 and then scroll down to the bottom!

A Differentiated Kindergarten

For FREEBIES Connected to CLOSE READS be sure to check out:

Little Minds at Work

A Year of Many Firsts

What am I listening to?

  

These two ladies' music have been such a blessing to me lately.

What am I touching?

Antique Scarecrow Doll for my Oz Collection!  I couldn't believe my luck to find two collectibles that were on my OZ Bucket List.

This plate was one of them too!!

I've also been working on a Hexagon wall hanging for our newly painted "retro" kitchen.  I've created the flowers with English paper piecing.  I'm working toward a circa 1950's look.  I'll be sure to showcase everything when it's finished.  

In the meantime, I will give you a peek at the project I'm putting together.  I think it's turning out awfully cute.  I'm very pleased!

I've also continued to work on many printables for my classroom and TPT Store.  Be sure to follow this blog for more updates and FREEBIES.  

COMING SOON!!!!!!!

Today, I am simply grateful...I love my job...family...and the new adventures that await me.  Choosing to thrive, just like I promised my special Grandma I would....

Be blessed,

Printables

All of these resources are available in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store:click HERE.

All products are Kindergarten Common Core Aligned and labeled accordingly.

Nursery Rhyme Poetry Journals

Each journal comes with poems to cut and glue into literacy journals and clip art to facilitate the concept of an illustration matching the words of the poem.

Literacy and Math Centers

Emergent Readers

Poetry Journals