Love Notes...a FREEBIE

Can you believe that January is almost over?  Where has the time gone?? I sure don't know!! So what does that mean...

That the month of LOVE is on the way.  

I am working on my Master's in Administration and Supervision so my time is filled with reading, writing papers and the like and I don't have much time for anything else.  As a matter of fact I have a paper that I should be working on right now-but I wanted to take a moment to check in.  This is why my posts are so sporadic... I am trying to do better but it is so hard. Please bare with me!!  So, I whipped up this February Writing Paper Pack to share with you...All I ask is that you leave me a LOVE NOTE saying that you snagged a copy...

Click on the picture if you would like a copy:

Have a Super Sunday!!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a FREEBIE

Let's all remember why we have this day off and see how we can contribute to Dr. Martin Luther King's Dream!!  In honor of Dr. King I created a writing activity that I will share with my student's tomorrow!! Click on the picture to download a copy..

Have a Marvelous Monday...

And The Winner Is....

Congratulations to Diane at Schoolhouse Treasures  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

You are the winner of the 
"Quietest Classroom Pencil Sharpener" 

Giveaway!!  

Thanks to everyone who entered and to my newest blog followers!! I appreciate each and everyone of you!!  

Please be sure to check out Classroom Friendly Supplies to order your own pencil sharpener it is well worth it. You can get three for the prize you pay for one electric sharpener.
Have a Super Sunday!!

Library Mouse, First Grade Beginning Writing Pack Freebie, and Pencil Sharpener Giveaway

Saturday Greetings Friends!! 

As we enter into our third nine weeks of school I continue to evaluate my little learners writing.  They just want to do the bare minimum and some won't try to go beyond that.  My school library finally got a copy of one of my favorite books:

 I read this book to them on Friday!!  It is a great book that inspires children to develop a love for writing and to see themselves as authors!!  I created a small beginning writing pack that I will start using with my kiddos. Click on the picture to grab a copy.  

Happy Writing!! I hope you find this useful. Please leave a comment to let me know you snagged a copy.  How do you encourage your young authors?

There are only a few more hours left to get in on the Quietest Pencil Sharpener Giveaway.

Have a Super Saturday!!

No Longer a Skeptic and a Giveaway!!!

When I got home Thursday this little box greeted me!!  

I was delighted to discover that inside that box was this...  

These bad boy's come from Classroom Friendly Supplies and have become all the rage in Blogland... well I don't always believe everything that people say... I must see it for myself!  So let me tell you that I am now a believer.  Oh my goodness if you have not gotten one of these babies you need to!!  It is one of the best pencil sharpeners ever!!!!!! 

This is what they can do...

Are those babies sharp or what!

This is the sharpener that I spent $50 on...

that does not do a very good job at all...It would have taken forever to sharpen all  of those pencils.

From that to this...

I sharpened those pencils in no time at all...

I am sold on these sharpeners.

They can be found at Classroom Friendly Supplies.

They come in these great colors: groovy green, cool blue, firehouse red, and midnight black. 

Would you like to get your hands on one of these.  Well have I got news for you!! 
Can you say...G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

4th Grade Flipper 300 Follower Giveaway!!

Holly over at Fourth Grade Flipper is having a 300 Follower Giveaway.  She is having two giveaways in one.  She organized her giveaway for 3-5 teachers and K-2 teachers along with 18 of her bloggy friends!! How awesome is that!?! I love the way that Holly has organized her giveaway!!!.  I am part of her giveaway and will be giving away 2 items from my TN store. 

So head on over and enter for a chance to win some great prizes.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!!!

200 Follower Giveaway Winner

We have a winner!! 

Congratulations to:  Delighted  

You are the lucky winner of my 200 Follower Giveaway. 

 I want to give a shout-out to these sweet friends:  Lisa, Jodi, Leah, Tracey, Janine, Corinna, Cindy, and Stacy, for helping me celebrate my 200 Follower Giveaway. 

I also want to thank  all of my followers for your support as I embark on this blogging journey.  I continue to be amazed at the kindness of fellow teachers across the USA. 

Enjoy the remainder of your Marvelous Monday!!

Guest Blog Post-Creating Class Books by First Grade Schoolhouse

I am excited today to be a part of the guest blogging exchange -  “New Year, New Ideas, New Possibilities Linky Party, hosted by PrimaryPossibilities. And I’m especially thrilled to be a guest at Ms. Jones Junction first grade blog.

Hi. My name is Mona. I’m a first grade teacher in California and absolutely love teaching first graders. First Grade Schoolhouse is the name of my blog. Blogging about teaching ideas and sharing experiences with other teachers has been a FUN and rewarding extension of teaching.

I love to read and I want my first graders to not only be successful readers, but also enjoy reading. I want them to be lifelong readers.

I want to share one of the things I do to promote a love of reading, and that’s with class books. I make class books throughout the year with the students. The books go into our reading center to be read over and over again. The books are quite worn by the end of the year, because they are read so much. {And that’s what I love most about them – lots of rereading, because the students enjoy reading them.}

Throughout the year, I have volunteers cut butcher paper that is 24” by 12.” These are folded to make a 12” x 12” book page. I have found this to be a good size, because the children like putting the books on the carpet and reading them with a partner. I like having them prepared in advance, so it’s easy to quickly put pages together to make a book.  

I put a folded paper spine on the side opposite the folded side of the book pages. The spine is made from a 12” by 4” strip of butcher paper. I fold it lengthwise in the middle and then fold each side to the middle. It reinforces the book. I bind them with a binding machine using the combs pictured above. The books can be prepared ahead of time and then writing and pictures added to them as needed.

Here’s a sample of a book cover for a class book I use at the beginning of the year

Many times I’ll have the children make the illustrations for the book covers. They especially love creating art for the books. Don’t you just love first grade art? I would suggest laminating the covers if you plan on keeping them throughout the year.

Here’s a page from the inside of the book.

I use silhouettes of the students and when the book is opened, the silhouettes face each other. It appears as though the two children are talking to each other. The repetition is perfect for beginning first graders. They also quickly learn to read each other’s names.

I do keep the class books in our reading center all year long. At the end of the year, pages can be taken apart and given to students to take home. Or, I raffle them off, and the winner gets to take the whole book home. {They love the whole raffle idea.}

I also use binders and add pages to them. Here’s the one I will be using when we get back to school from winter break.

Graphics by FancyDog Studio and Sarah Cooley

I use the binders that have a plastic cover in front, so I can slip the book cover in. I will add the writing as students complete them. I help students edit their writing and rewrite before adding it to the books. Sometimes I type their stories before adding them to the binder. 

This writing activity will be a fun one, especially since it never snows where we live.

I hope I’ve given you some new ideas on creating class books with your class. I would love to hear about class books you’ve made with your class. I’d love for you to visit my BLOG for more teaching ideas and activities and FREEBIES, too!

Thank you so much, Crystal, for having me as a guest blogger today. I will be checking out the other teaching blogs that have joined the link party. I hope you all will join me.

Thank you Mona, for guest blogging for me. I love what you are doing with your class books! 

Be sure to head on over to Primary Pointe where I will be guest blogging.

Don't forget about my 200 Follower!! You still have time to enter to win some great prizes..

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH MY 200 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I am "RINGING" 

in the 

NEW YEAR

 with a 

200 Follower Giveaway!!

One lucky winner will win any 20 items from my Teachers Notebook Store.

I also got some help from some sweet (awesome, generous, and fabulous) blogging friends:

1. Lisa from Learning is Something to Treasure winner's choice from her TPT store.

2. Jodi from Realistic-Teacher winner's choice from her TPT store.

3. Leah from Learning 4 Keeps winner's choice from her TPT store.

4. Tracey from Third Grade All Stars any 2 items from her TPT store.

5. Janine from Faithful in First a $5 Gift Card to Starbucks,

6. Corinna from Teaching Fabulous Firsties winner's choice from her TPT store.

7. Cindy from Granny Goes To School is giving away her Snowman Craftivity  

8. Stacy from Leading and Reading winner's choice from her TN store.

I will be using Rafflecopter.  Please be sure to follow all of the rules set forth.  Each entry will be monitored and verified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy New Year and Good Luck!!