Catching Up on Teacher Week: My Tuesday-Friday Posts! {including my freebie}

I don't know how some of you do it.  We haven't even started school yet, and I've been too beat to post anything!  I forgot how busy I get during the school year!  I've been hard at work setting up my room all week long.  I thought I'd finish by today, but I'm still gonna need at least one more {extremely long} day to finish it.  Seriously, Monday we're allowed to stay until 11pm.  I just might do it.

So, I fell behind during Teacher Week, but I am determined to still take part.  So I present to you my version of Teacher Week: Tuesday-Friday in ONE DAY!!! Ta-Da!!!!

TUESDAY: My Technology Tip:

1} Shutterfly Share Sites

I use Shutterfly's Share Sites as my classroom website during the school year.  I love it because I can post pictures {that parents can order directly from Shutterfly if they'd like}, send group emails, and write our weekly review all from the same spot.  It's password protected, and you even have the option of allowing parents to post or add photos themselves.  Post important dates to the calendar, and send out last minute reminders.  It is so user friendly. I have tested my fair share of websites in order to find one that works best for my students and parents, and this is it.  Try it out if you're looking to start up a website.

WEDNESDAY: Where I Teach:

Didn't you hear?  My room's not ready yet.  Here are some pictures of what I've been working on.

PS: I teach in New Jersey, but nowhere near Snookie. 

I managed to put my best friends up on a bulletin board.  yes, the trim matches the paper.  Yes, I'm changing it. Long story.

I'm organizing my books using Reagan's classroom library labels.  It's taking forever, but I'm really looking forward to having more specific bins for my kids.  My labels were too broad in the past.

It has a looooong way to go.

My popcorn word wall from The Teacher Wife

THURSDAY: My Therapies :)

1. Georgie, Comfort Food, Wine and My Hubby. Not necessarily in that order ;)

I'm fully aware of how adorable she is.  So is she.

Cheeseburgers. Love.

Lava Vine was our favorite winery on our honeymoon. Check it out.

Isn't he so handsome?

FRIDAY: Freebie!

And for reading all of that, I present you with my freebie!  It's a clip chart I made for my room.  It's really cute and polka-dotty.  I hope you can use it!  Click here to grab it.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Halle

Teacher Week: Monday Must-Haves

I am so excited to link up with Teacher Week this year! I remember reading all the entries last year, and loved learning all about my favorite bloggers.

It's hard to narrow it down to just a few, but I'll give it my best shot.

1. Scholastic Book Clubs is a Must-Have because of my addiction to picture books.  With the exception of garage sales and thrift stores, it's the most cost effective way to build up my classroom library, actually half the time I don't pay anything, so it's better than garage sales ;)

2. Address Labels.  I use them for all my classroom library books, to label folders and notebooks, and pretty soon I'll be using them for the Post Card Exchange {organized by Cheryl at Primary Graffiti}!! I'm so excited about that :)

3. Pandora.  I make sure my kids are addicted to the Disney station by the end of the year.  We also love oldies and the dance station for Freeze Dance games.

4. Water.  Which means another Must-Have is someone to come watch my class while I run to the bathroom for the 15th time.  I drink it all day long.  Filtered only. Not too cold. I'm spoiled like that.

5. Sharpies.  I am constantly making craftivities as models for my students.  Whether it's a craftivity I bought of TpT from a fabulous seller, or one I make up myself, I like to have an example for them to follow.  Sharpies allow me to make it once and use it from year to year because the color doesn't fade.  I probably own every color. Oh, and I really love them in pen form, too!!

6. My grade partners.  They make me laugh, inspire me, support me, and are usually stressing right along with me {so I know I'm not crazy}.  I don't know if I could do it without them.

There you go!  There really are so many more {caffeine in any form, a secret snack drawer, my printer, my husband, you know the deal!!!}

Head on over to Blog Hoppin' to link up!

See you Tuesday!

Halle

Owl Birthday Display Freebie

Hey there!

I'm back from my honeymoon.  It was so awesome.  I know, such an elementary adjective, but that's the best way to describe it!

I'm fighting jet lag laying on the couch, and making stuff for my classroom. I'm starting to panic.  We don't go back until after Labor Day, but I have done nothing.  Nothing.

I'm going with an owl/polka dot theme this year. I don't ever go all out with any theme, but it's hard not to resist owls. They're so darn cute.

Clip art and some backgrounds from Jessica Weible and Fancy Dog Studios.

I made these owl birthday posters for my classroom, and thought I'd share.  I hope they'll work for your classroom!  If they do, leave me a little love!

Click here to grab them.

Halle

A quick little post and a picture from Halle's wedding! (ps..laptop is still not working)

Greetings from Elmira, NY!
Anthony was able to drive to his audit this week, so he asked me to be his co-pilot ...not sure why, I always sleep in the car!! So here I am, not working in my classroom and not able to work on my laptop! I'm typing on my iPad which I really love, but creating PDF's is tricky for me to do on a laptop. I don't think your even capable of doing them on an iPad..I am not so good with certain technology. Lucky for me I have Halle..my technology savior. So I am here in New York until Friday. We are going to a drive in movie theater tonight and tomorrow we are going to Niagara Falls (the major positive of me tagging along, aside from qt with Ant). I have never been to Niagara Falls, or a drive in movie, so I am really looking forward to it. 

I just got a quick work out in, and ran to the local Kmart/Family dollar. They didn't have exactly what I needed, but I got to kill some time while Ant is at work. (Elmira is CRAZY small, everyone is extremely friendly though) I purchased some construction paper and glitter glue. I'm doing something a little differently for my birthday board this year. Guess where I got the idea? Pinterest! (the only website that makes me want to eat, drink, do crafts and work out all at once ) Birthday Board plan of action: On a piece of construction paper, I will write the day of a child's birthday. I plan on decorating the paper with glitter glue to make it pop more. On the first day of school you group the children together by birthday month holding their number and take their picture. After developing their pictures you hang them under their particular month. I'm pretty excited about it.. School doesn't start til the 4th of September so I won't have a picture for a few weeks. I will post some of the numbers when they are completed. 

Thats my main project for today due to the stores not having what i need. No biggie, it would just be more for me to lug home! A few things I plan on purchasing are ice cube trays( for math game: pinterest inspired..pictures to come when finished), clothespins ( hot glue push pins to the back of the clothes pins, makes it easy for hanging up students artwork and switching it out) photo albums( put flash cards inside and have students use dry erase to solve! You can even make your own problems and slide them in!) 

Aside from all things, my fabulous friend and outstanding grade partner had a gorgeous wedding! She looked absolutely stunning and I've never seen a more glowing bride! Congratulations again Hale and Dave! We were so happy to attend your special day! She is taking the red eye home and will be home tomorrow! And probably blogging as soon as she gets home! That's all for me right now! I'll post tomorrow from Niagara Falls. Below is a picture of Halle and our other grade partner on Halle's special day! I am on the right. Didn't she look fabulous ? Talk to you soon

-Jenna 

This is a (SECRET) Blog Post

My new husband is gonna kill me. I should not be blogging.

I am on my honeymoon.

In Tahoe.

It's amazing.

And we're doing lots of honeymoon stuff, don't get me wrong. It's just that he's researching golf courses. And I'm researching spas blogging and adding to my TpT wish list.

And dropping in to let you know that my awesome, amazing, romantic, beautiful honeymoon will not stop me from joining in on the fantastic-ness  that is the TpT back to school sale!!

All my products will be an additional 20% off the TpT sale price. Yayyyyy!!!

I'm doing this on a iPad, so bear with me if it looks wonky.

My newest item is a really fun, cute, and easy way to teach sums to 10. It's the first math skill I review because knowing facts to 10 is the foundation for a lot of 2nd grade math skills. It's also a concept that's introduced in the earlier grades. I haven't gotten to blog about it yet, but I promise it's a math must have!

Visit my store here.

Happy shopping!!!

Halle

Checking in from Napa Valley as a MRS!!!

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to check in really quick, and say hello!

My wedding was everything I hoped it would be!!! And once I get some pictures, you're all subject to a wedding post or two!

Can't wait to see pictures of classrooms, and catch up on my favorite bloggers...but now we're off to our wine tasting tour (yes, we hired a driver! Yay!!)

Here's a picture of me at auberge de soleil, you need to go here (and sit on the bistro side...the actual restaurant is not teacher salary friendly)

Have a good week!

Halle