WELCOME BACK

It has been over a year since I have posted on my blog.  I got so overwhelmed with everyone else's blogs and trying to keep up with everyone else that I forgot why I started writing my blog in the first place.  I don't know about anyone else but I started writing to share ideas with fellow teachers. I didn't start my blog to make money.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE and FOLLOW many teachers with wonderful blogs and teacher pays teachers items but my goal was to share things that work in my classroom to help fellow teachers.  SO . . . with that being said this will be my first post sharing same beginning of the year activities that I have used from my fellow bloggers.

One of my favorite blogs since moving to 4th grade last year is Head Over Heels For Teaching.  She has some wonderful ideas and I love reading her blog posts.  Since it is Saturday, I have decided to join her Spark Student Motivation Saturday Linky. 

Since I just finished my first week of school, I wanted to share two activities that I did with my students this last week.  The first activity was a Back to School Scoot Activity from Head Over Heels For Teaching. 

 I had never done a scoot activity in my classroom before and she had this as a freebie so I thought I would give it a try.  It went fairly well but some of my students got confused about how to travel around the room.  Go figures!!  It had nothing to do with the activity itself.  It was who was paying attention when I was giving out the directions.  I guess if I would to do another scoot activity, I will probably have to physically show them how to move from one area of the classroom to the other.  I probably shouldn't blame this too much on the students because I have 25 kiddos and a very small room to work with so the desks are arrange oddly so that they would all fit. 

ANYWAY . . . 

the information that I received from this activity was priceless.  I loved some of my students answers and was a little surprised at some others.  It was a good piece of documentation to let me see which kids knew themselves well and which students had no idea about what they thought. It gave me good insight into which students thought about their answers and who just didn't care.  I already have my red flag up for a couple of my students that I need to make connections with right away so that I can make this a fabulous year for them.  My students really enjoyed this activity and I did too.  It will be a keeper for next year.

Another activity that I started this first week of school was a motivational incentive program to do the right thing when we are out of our classroom.  It is from A Cupcake for the Teacher and it is called Secret Star.  My students love it.

I take two discs from the jar every time we leave the classroom.  I watch all the students as they walk through the building to where ever we are going but I especially watch my two secret stars.  If they do actually what they are suppose to do, they receive a starburst when we get back to the classroom.  If they don't follow the expectations, I don't give them one.  This has REALLY worked.  My students love it.  (I have had to get other candy for two students that can't have chewy candy so I brought in smarties for them.)  My students do not let me forget to pick two discs. Here is what mine looks like.

I did finally find some plastic jars at Walmart in the kitchen area but I don't have a picture of them. 

Please go visit these two teacher's wonderful blogs and enjoy reading about their activities.  I am so glad that I did.  Next week, I will be trying something new or blogging about something that I do in my classroom.  Until then,

Happy Reading!

Tammy

Five for Friday Linky Party

Today is the day to link up with Doodle Bugs for her Five for Friday linky. I don't think I've done this linky since last summer. Time sure goes by fast.

Number 1:

Well, I am moving out of my classroom into another classroom this next year. It is very sad because I just moved into this room last August. It really become Home Sweet Home to me. I loved all the colors and all the features of my second grade classroom.  BUT a new adventure waits for me ... I am moving into the round part of our building and teaching 4th grade next year. It is a little scary for me but I am always up for a challenge. I have taught 1st and 2nd grade for 15 years. I'm hoping 4th grade will be an amazing adventure like my principal thinks it will be. :)

 

Number 2:

I started working at a golf course for the summer in the clubhouse. I really enjoy interacting with adults. It is a nice change in pace and I am not in charge of anything.  YAY!!!! I just come to work, do my job and leave without having to take anything home with me.  It's such a nice feeling.

 



 

Number 3:

 I am changing my theme in my classroom for next year. I am having such a hard time deciding on which theme I want.  Here are the three that I am thinking about:

Polka Dots and Daisies ~ Schoolgirl Style



World Traveler ~ Schoolgirl Style



County Fair ~ Schoolgirl Style

I really like all three of these ideas and I may just have to put them together some how.  I like the thought of my students traveling with their learning using a Passport and I love the colors with the daisies and the fair. What do you think I should do?

 

Number 4:

We are selling our house so we did some clean up yesterday outside. What a chore!!! We started working on the sideway, doing the edging, sweeping the dirt and pulling the weeds that have grown through the cracks. It tooks us 2 hours to do only 1/4 of our sidewalk. The edging took the longest because we didn't realize how overgrown the grass had gotten. We really had to work at cutting through that.  (We have a corner house so we have a lot of sideway to clean.) More cleaning will happen next week I'm afraid.

 

Number 5:

I have just started reading Igniting a Passion for Reading by Steven L. Layne. I learned about this book through our Book Fair that we have at school.  I was looking at it and saw that the forward was written by Gail Boushey & Joan Moser, "The Sister" so I KNEW it had to be a good book and that I needed to read it.

 

So far, I have not been disappointed. Hopefully soon I will blog about what I have learned through this book.

I hope you enjoyed reading my post. It is so nice to have the time to read others blogs and to also post without feeling like a need to rush or stay up really late to do it.  Enjoy your summer everyone.

 

Until Next Time,

         Happy Blogging, Tammy

 











Wordless Wednesday

I am linking up with Sugar and Spice for Wordless Wednesday.

Here is my picture:

 

Common Core workshop for three days.

 

I am assuming that we give a question to everyone so here is mine.

 

How are you feeling about Common Core? Do you feel more comfortable with the standards or do you still need help understanding it all and how it all goes together?

 

 

Until Next Time,

         Happy Blogging, Tammy







March Currently

I'm not sure about everyone else but I sure am ready for Spring.  Today in Kansas, we had snow this morning and then by afternoon the sun was shining and it was about 40 degrees. 

Only in the fly over states does this happen. 

When do you have Spring Break? We have four more teaching days until ours.  So excited for a small break.  I sure hope that it is a nice warm break.

Well, I have not done a post since the last Currently.  I'm not sure why. Sometimes I don't think the things I want to talk about is really what people want to read. Or sometimes I think since I am not selling things on TpT that my posts are not as important.  I think I'm thinking too much about it.  I should just write and share my tips and tricks that I do in my classroom and be happy with that.  Hopefully I will find some time to do a little more posting about things like that. 

Anyway, I am linking up with Oh' Boy 4th Grade for the March Currently.  If you would also like to link up, follow this link above and enjoy the fun. It is always a great time surfing other teachers blogs and seeing what wonderful ideas they have.  Enjoy reading my currently.

 

Until Next Time,

         Happy Blogging





February CURRENTLY

Well, I am back to making this blog about me.  Our school district decided to let us have a Facebook page for our classroom and I am soooo loving it.  I have had more parents and students comment about posts and pictures that I have put on our Facebook page then I have had using my blog.  I am very thankful that our district is allowing us to do this because I love sharing things with my parents.  I do have a Newsletter that goes home each week in the students binders but you know that half the time it doesn't get into the hands of the parents.

Anyway, here is my first post back about myself using Farley's Currently.

 



I'm not too much of a Winter Olympics person but I will watch with my son since he enjoys some of the events.

 

I have been needing to fix my ceiling in my main bathroom for my visitors for sometime.  I had paint peeling from the ceiling and the bottom half of the wall was not pretty.  It was one room that I didn't paint or fix before we moved in.  We have lived here 5 years and I am just now getting that bathroom done because there is a good chance we will be moving.  I guess that was my motivation to get a start on it.  It does feel good to have gotten at least half of it done.  Now I just need to pick the paint that I want and finish it up.

 

My next two weeks are going to be a little crazy.  I will only teach 3 full days.  Isn't that nuts?  I have a day and a half of workshops to go to this next week.  Monday, Feb. 17 we don't have school because of President's Day. Then that Tuesday, Feb. 18 we have a District In-Service so I have another meeting to go to.  Feb. 19-21 we have Parent-Teacher Conferences so the students will leave at 1:30 in the afternoon.  Busy! Busy! Busy! But I'm not BUSY teaching students.  (Interesting!)

 

So that brings me to my WANTING. I need 3 good productive days with my students.  Well planned lessons with good content. I am very thankful for teachers that have shared lesson ideas about attributes. We are starting this in math and I really don't think our Math Series does a good job of teaching this subject.

 

Math is my weak stop.  I LOVE READING!! I will research and redo documents for reading instruction and plan wonderful lessons for my students but when it comes to math, I just don't have that same love for it.  I am trying really hard this year to learn to love it.  It is part of my GOALS for this year.  We have read a lot about Number Talks and Discussions.  It has been interesting but my brain just loves reading more.  What does a girl do??

 

Truths ~ We did have 3 snow days this last week and I was by the third day going stir crazy. I live in a small town and we were pretty much snowed in.  Couldn't leave for much. I was so ready by Friday to go back to work. :)  My Fib ~ I did not go out and shovel any sidewalks.  It was way too cold, plus I have a bad back so shoveling snow is not a good idea for me.

 

Hope you enjoyed my Currently for February.  It feels good to be back.

Until Next Time,

         Happy Blogging

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

We have had a fabulous second quarter of school with a lot of fun learning going on in Room A25.  I was trying to put together a slideshow for parents to see on my school website but it would not work.  That school website is so frustrating!!  Since it would not work, I will post some pictures here on my blog.   Here are some activities that you might like seeing that your student enjoyed this last 9 weeks.
Seat back and enjoy READING!!

Students enjoy lunch each month with Mrs. Flickinger if they participate in the Home Reading Program.  These two students read 10 books for the month of November.  Way To Go, Girls!!

The students had a fireman come in and do a presentation about Fire Safety.  He talked about what to do when there is a fire and showed them what he would look like if he was coming in to look for them in a burning house.  The students loved it.

During the month of October we did a pumpkin seed estimation.  These two students were the closest with their numbers.  They were very excited about taking their pumpkins home that they won. 

Congratulations to these students.  They not only particiapted in the Home Reading Program in our classroom but they also passed their Book Adventure tests.  They got a chance to go with Mrs. Flickinger to a WSU Volleyball Game.  It was a lot of fun.

  We were studying Owls life cycles in Science and the students got an opportunity to investigate Owl Pellets.  Can you say excited?  There were ready to start digging in. 

We do stop sometimes with our fun activities and take assessments to check on their learning.  I have been so impressed with this group of students.
They are soooo smart!

I will continue with some pictures later on this weekend. 
I hope you enjoy reading this post.
I will try to keep up with this blog a little better so that you can see what is going on with your child.
I hope you have a wonderful 2014.

Until Next Time,

           Happy Blogging  ~  Mrs. Flickinger

Welcome to a New School Year

Dear Parents,

I am so excited to be starting a new school year at Kelly Elementary.  It has been so refreshing and so exciting to get to know some of you and also to get to know your children.  This blog is dedicated to you throughout the school year.  I will be updating it each month with activities that we have done in the classroom.  I hope you enjoy. :)




If you have not been in the classroom yet this year, here are a few before and after pictures to let you know what your child's classroom looked like before and after I got done decorating.



Here is a view of the Classroom Library area.

 

 

Here is the Classroom Library after I decorated. The children love to work in this area.

 

 

Here is a view of the math bulletin board, classroom door and mailbox area.

 

Here is what it looks like now.  (Close up of the children's mailboxes.)

 

Our first day of school we made Jitter Juice

and the students gave it a thumbs up.

 

A couple of weeks later after routines had been established, we began our unit on Monarch Butterflies.  It was such a fun experience and we had 11 Monarch Butterflies emerge from chrysalises this year.  Here are a few pictures of our experience with the butterflies.

One of our caterpillars decided to make his chrysalis on one of our reading baskets.

   A butterfly emerging from the chrysalis.

We let the butterflies go into the Wichita sky but one decided that he liked the flower bush beside the school.

Here are two of our students experiencing the butterfly on their skin. It was such a few unit.  We will be finished up this unit with making a butterfly that will migrate to Mexico and children in Mexico will watch over it and send it back next spring.  It is an exciting project.

I am very excited to meet and visit with each of you about your child's progress in second grade.  Remember, parent-teacher conferences are coming up October 16, 17 & 18.  Please plan to attend.  I look forward to it.

Until Next Time,

          Mrs. Flickinger

Sunday Smorgasbord

The sound of rain falling from the sky is so peaceful. I love sitting out on my front porch listening to the music of the rain.

Don't you love this picture? Too Cute! I had to add it.

Today I am linking up for the first time with Fabulous in First for her Sunday Smorgasbord. (All things random)

 

#1

Yesterday I gave myself a treat and I went and had my nails done. I got overlays on my fingernails and I had a pedicure on my toes. It felt fantastic. I had Hana use one of the colors of my classroom and put chevron stripes on them. I think they turned out very cute.

 

I just hope it last until the first day of school which is in 9 days.

#2
I finally finished my dining room chairs. It feels so good to have these redone.

This is my old dining room chair seats.  Very UGLY!! 



 Here are my new and improved dining room chair seats. Love how they turned out.

#3

I was inspired by a Pinterest post about making a READ sign. Here is how mine turned out. It really fits my decor in my classroom. If you would like to see how I did this. Click on the picture and it will take you to that post.

Didn't it turn out cute? I really like the colors. This is how it looks in my classroom library.

 

#4

I am trying to decide if I want to start a TpT store for myself. Here is one item that I remade from a friends idea. We each had student teachers and we were gradually taking our classrooms back and having a hard time remember what needed to be done each morning. This was a great reminder that I had on my board to make sure that everything was ready for the day.



I am trying to figure out how to do Google Doc or another Google site that Ladybug Teacher Files had a tutorial on and I am having NO LUCK getting it attached. Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks

well, I am off to get ready for Vacation Bible School this week. Very exciting time to see children singing and learning about God.

Until Next Time,

       Happy Blogging

                Tammy

Hurricane Kansas

This is going to be a quick post because I am very tired from today's activities.  We had the biggest storm that I have seen while living here in Pretty Prairie.  Rain, Hail and 100 mph winds. I felt like I was watching one of my videos for my weather unit in school about Hurricanes.  Here are a few pictures of what we had to clean up today. (Tree limbs, branches and leaves, leaves, leaves.)


This is our porch when the storm was halfway through.

During the storm, the tree across the street was uprooted.

Part of our tree in the front yard was on the sidewalk. Our pool was still standing though. :)

This was our neighbors trampoline and it was a block away from its house.

Our neighbors huge tree was uprooted.

This car was actually on the other side of Main Street and the wind blew it across the street and the steakhouses roof came off and crashed into the building and car.

Another neighbors tree.

Roof metal hanging from the powerlines.

It was a crazy day of clean up around my town. It was like being in a tornado but no houses were torn down.  Anyway, I am off to get some sleep because my body is extremely tired.

Until Next Time,
         Happy Blogging
                     Tammy

R . . . E . . . A . . . D

I am nearing the end of my summer break. I have two and a half weeks left so I am working hard on finishing up my projects that I wanted to do this summer but didn't do or complete yet because of other things that popped up.

 

 I am linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for this Mondays post.  My Monday Made It was an inspiration that I found on Pinterest from The First Grade Parade.

 

 I had the letters READ up last year over my tree but I just put the letters on the wall.

. . . BORING . . .
so when I saw this picture, I thought, "I can do that". So here is what I did.

I went to Hobbly Lobby and bought the wooden shapes and the ribbon. I had the paint from painting my bulletin boards and I had the letters from last year.

I painted each of the wooden shapes.

Tacked on the ribbon using small tacks.

This is what it looked like with ribbon on.

I placed the letters on using glue dots. I don't like my letters always being straight so I made each letter a little crooked.

I made the bows using a tutorial off of Pinterest also. It took me awhile with the bows. Never made bows before. I think they turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. (FYI ~ the bows are not glued to the ribbon yet)

Final piece was to put it up in my Classroom Library. I really love how it turned out and my tree is still there. It is right beside it on the left.  I stapled the ribbon to the wall and then I hot glued the bows on.  Put a few butterflies and bird's around the read sign and it will be finished.

 

I also remade my "sharp pencils" and "need sharpened" cans using my rooms colors. Here is a before and after pic.



 I really like how these turned out too.

I hope you enjoyed reading my post today.  Hop over to Monday Made It and see what other people are creating and maybe you will get inspired to make something.

 

Until Next Time,

         Happy Blogging,

                    Tammy