School Excitement! A New Year Beginning...

I have always said that the year I am not excited to go back to school, I will retire. Luckily I still get the butterflies of excitement thinking about my new class of students, new decorations and new activities and lessons to try. This year my goal is to blog weekly the amazing things my students do. I want to use it as a year long reflection of what I want to change and what I will duplicate for next year.

Every summer I think about a new theme for my classroom. I've had superheroes, animals, polka dots, under the sea, and retro. This year I am going to do something a bit different. I am  going to let my students decide.  The beginning of the year holds a lot of testing that is one-on-one with students.  I think that it will be fun to have the students get into groups and design classroom ideas for our year. They can present their ideas and the class can vote.  I am still working out the kinks but I think it could be amazing. I believe that students hold more pride in their rooms when they create the posters and help with the learning environment. My hope is that they feel like part of the process. (Plus, I am excited to see what they come up with!)

I don't want the room to be completely blahhh when they come in so I will have the bulletin board paper and door messages up and I am making small pom poms to hang from the ceiling.  My hope is to make about 40 by September- I'm on a roll....about 11 done! :)

Below I have included step by step directions for these pom poms. I have read and tried various versions but these seem to work the best and are the perfect size.

I got the paper at Homegoods. I tried to use dollar store paper but it was so thin it ripped all the time.  Place two of the same color on top of one another. Fold the paper in half and cut along the fold. You will now have four sheets. 

Fold the papers again and cut along the fold. You will now have eight papers. 

Accordion fold the paper and staple it in the middle. 

Round the edges. You can do a point also- I just like how the corners come out like flowers.  

Holding one end, pull and fluff down one sheet at a time. Don't worry about making them perfect here, at the end you can re-fluff to your liking :) 

Add the string before you fluff the other side. Makes it easier than doing it at the end.
(Trial and error research! haha)

Fluff them up and viola! Pom Poms!!

I'm Having A Sale On Teachers Pay Teachers!

My end of summer sale on TPT starts tomorrow! (9/12-9/15) All of my items are 10% off. Follow me on TPT to get advanced notice about my sales and special deals.  Follow the link here or click on my store to the right.

Summer is Winding Down.....

What an amazing summer! From a family vacation to the Cape to a mother/daughter trip to San Francisco to visit family, this has been a summer to remember. I stepped out of my comfort zone flew across the country, explored an amazing city, and biked the Golden Gate Bridge. There is nothing better than spending time with family.

During my trip to San Francisco I got to catch up with my aunt Diane, cousins, Todd and Jamie, and really get to know my new (two years new!) cousin-in-law, Taryn. We were so lucky to get some real bonding time over great dinners and wine country! Taryn works for a great organization called Common Sense Media.  (www.commonsensemedia.org ) This website is a great resource for anyone who works  with or has children. For educators there is an amazing technology curriculum - check it out!  

Here is their mission statement: "Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology. We exist because our nation's children spend more time with media and digital activities than they do with their families or in school, which profoundly impacts their social, emotional, and physical development.  As a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization, we provide trustworthy information and tools as well as an independent forum, so that families can have a choice and a voice about the media they consume."  (www.commonsensemedia.com) 

Check out their site and follow Taryn's blog! 

Taryn, Todd, Aunt Diane, Marsha (my mom!)

I'm riding a trolley!