My Under the Sea Adventure!

Ohhhhh! How I love a theme! I think my fascination with themes began when my twins (a boy and a girl) were born...
It started with their Nursery.... God keeps His promises and He sure did! Everything was Noah (and it was the sweetest nursery ever!)

Kim made up the words to this
announcement!  One of her amazing
talents! Love, Liz

And then the Birthday parties came... their first Birthday was a Carnival Theme...from clowns and old fashioned games to selling tickets for popcorn and cotton candy it was a hit! People at the park actually thought it was a real Carnival and wanted to buy tickets!

Each Birthday became another opportunity for me to express my love through a fun and exciting party. A Garden theme for their 2nd, a Pooh Bear & Friends for their 3rd, and a Princess/Pirate for their 4th. My babies are now 12 and this past year we had a "Double Blessing or Double Trouble Party" and played all kind of wacky games that had something to do with a dozen!

Well, I guess it is no surprise I love turning my classroom into a Thematic Wonderland... from Honey Bear Lane, and a Race Car Theme to a Beautifully painted Under the Sea Adventure... it is something that I will never grow weary of.
Let me show you just a few pictures of my classroom... with more to come when I set up again in the Fall...

"O" is for Organization!

New tags and cards to help me organize in my
Under the Sea Theme!  Get the unit HERE!

You've been Organized!
Or at least that is the note I leave my family and friends after I spend countless hours organizing their garages, closets, and offices! And for some strange reason I LOVE it! The last 2 Summers I have spent some time organizing other peoples personal spaces... my husband shakes his head in disbelief wondering why I get so much joy out of arranging others peoples junk and not our own?! I love the whole process of figuring out the best way for an area to work and that also relates to my classroom as well! Whether it is the organizing aspect or the WOW factor of a theme when you walk in the door... I love it all! Here are a few shots of how I try to keep my room productive...

This idea came to me after trying several different bins and crates... I just simply cut a hanging shoe rack horizontally and tacked it going across our Art table. The students can reach all of their materials for directed or independent play and they LOVE it and so do I! For an even more organized look, I hot glue the craft item to show which art supply belongs in each pouch! So little hands know where to put it when they are finished!

Further down is a look at some of my cabinets... I try to label each row so I can stay as organized as possible. Remember to always use tape when labeling so you can easily pull it off if you want to change things around.

These are some of the things I label.  If you don't see
something here you need, let me know and I will add it!

This is my main cabinet... when my students start off the year I label each table 1,2,3 and 4.
The matching green numbered container is filled with crayons and the matching blue is filled with
markers. Each week a student or "Table Runner" is in charge of getting the container before work time. In the past I have had containers for each child, however, I found for this age group this was a quick and effective alternative to chaos of boxes everywhere!

My new table labels

My scissor box always stays on top of my counter for safety, and I quickly pass the scissors out... when the students are finished they place them on their table number and I pick them up. Later in the year I do have a "Treasured Student" who is in charge of taking the box from table to table and picking them up.

As you can see I absolutely love these cute boxes... I found them at the dollar store and use them from everything from Play-doh, to Lost & Found (something EVERY class should have!)

My last idea is one that has made things much easier for my little ones, thus helping keep me sane... it is simply putting a picture of the manipulative in the container and showing through the outside of the box. I do this for EVERYTHING in my room and it really helps things to get back into their proper places!
Happy Organizing! And please share your ideas... I love new ones!

Light Table Deals!!

SHOPPING!!!  I usually only shop this much in summer...
So I was out shopping for some new bar stools for our family room and saw these things at Deals and just couldn't resist!!  My wonderful hubby made me a light table for my classroom last year, and so I am forever hunting for fun stuff to add.  Well.......Lookie what I found....A bunch of translucent toys!  I use these for counters, game pieces and well just fun!!

I want to add a black light to my light table so I bought
some glow in the dark spiders and snakes.  

This tray was $3 which is more than I usually spend,
but I thought it was perfect to put different items in and
see how light picks up through the beveled plastic.
I also added these shot glasses, perfect for water beads
and little jewels!

These were on clearance at TARGET!!!  My favorite store!!
Perfect to store my new little treasures in!  I have a wire shelf
in my classroom that I store all the manipulative's and games
for the light table center.

This is my light table and a couple of the things that my students do in this center.  I always model an activity first and then add it to the center.  I did purchase a light panel this year to model and have light activities at my table centers.  Would love to hear if you have any great ideas that I could use with my light center.....

Jungle Quilt

So my mom is this amazing quilter and she gave me a quilt for my classroom!!  I am amazed at her talent and so blessed to have a mom who loves me enough to make my room spectacular!  I love this quilt!  It is hung proudly when you enter my room!!

Lioness Arising!

While I was in my room I snuck a couple more pictures of things in my room....Oh and I got this amazing elephant table at my wonderful bestie Kim's garage sale!

This is the elephant!  Isn't is great....

Each year our school has a theme with a verse attached.
This is 2010/2013 theme!

This is my behavior chart!  

Bad picture but I hung vine from my ceiling with flowers from the
dollar store and added a clothespin and bird.  I hang the kids work from the clothespins.

Good or Bad Idea? To teach over the Summer?

Ok, everyone out there... I need to get your opinion on something. This is my "umpteenth" year of teaching, and when I was muuuuch younger I would teach all year then tutor, run a Camp or something that involved children over the Summer. However, as I get older I have found that I need to stay as far away from children over the Summer (even my own at times) as possible! Not sure if this happens with age, or if I am just a terrible person? Let me give you an example.. I was asked to help lead a VBS Bible Camp and I said yes (Liz thinks I've lost my mind) I think she might be right! Well, after four days I realized that the professional in me that wants to make these little ones have fun, but obey... in a 3 hour time frame when they have NEVER been to school, and I have absolutely NO AUTHORITY over them is just a combination for DISASTER! I will admit I have had to let go and pick my battles (the 4 year old sobbing because he does not want to go to the next center, or the child who does not want the cup of water because the cup is a different color) are things that in my head I find myself saying "you get what you get... and you don't get upset". However, I have had to smile and realize that I am not going to change attitudes and behaviors in one week. Although, I do continue to try. It's that same something that makes me tell total strangers in the mall to slow down or kids in a movie theatre to Shhhh! To the complete dismay of my husband I just can't seem to turn it off! So with all of that said... I will try and finish tomorrow with lots of smiles and few tears (I am referring to myself)...

Jungle Fever!

LIONS, TIGERS, AND BEARS, OH MY!!!
It's Liz's Jungle Safari Theme in her classroom!
This is a Jungle Safari Bingo Game that I created for the first week of school to enhance any jungle theme.  You can pick it up Here!