NEW Format and Direction!? IMPORTANT!

Hello everyone! 

After two years on here, I am thinking about changing directions in regards to blogging, etc. 

I LOVE being able to share as many educational links, ideas, and resources as possible with everyone. However, I will admit...I am terrible about blogging regularly or efficiently!!

So, for now, you will see less posts on here. I will still try to add some every so often. 

I am also thinking of starting a new blog or site instead. I am passionate about so many things, with education being my top one. I would LOVE to share my other fabulous finds and ideas with you as well. Once I decide what I am going to do, I will be sure to share it here!!!


For now, please follow me on FACEBOOK and TWITTER ! I share ideas and links DAILY! 

You can also find me on Pinterest. 

I thank you wholeheartedly for following my blog and I hope you will continue to do so, as well as join me on Facebook! 

Thanks Dearly, 

Jenifer 

100th Day FUN and freebies!

I know many of our local schools and districts have been celebrating the 100th day of school! My daughter had a fun time doing this activity below on Monday for her school's 100th day: 

I have found many more fun ideas and resources to help celebrate being 100 days smarter! Just click on the links below and enjoy! 

Also, here's my link to last year's post: 100th Day!

100th Day of School Coloring Page

100th Day of School Clip Art

100th Day: Free Printables

100th Day Pizza Activity and Graph

100th Day Bookmarks and Certificates

100th Day Coloring Page

100 Year Old Me

Skip Counting by 10's

100th Day of School Activities

100th Day of School Activities for Upper Grades

Will He or Won't He?

Oh, the Groundhog: that cute, furry, little rodent that we love to hate each and every February 2. I totally prefer there to be an early spring every year, but apparently the Groundhog is the ultimate Weather predictor! 

Whether you believe in the groundhog's forecast or not, it's simply fun to find out what he thinks each year! Kids really enjoy the day as well! 

To help teach or celebrate this fun day, I am including links to many resources and ideas below. Enjoy! 

Groundhog Day Fun

Groundhog Day Books and more!

Groundhog Day Activities and Games

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Kids' Groundhog Day Activities

Free Punxsutawney Phil Resources

Dice Game Freebie

Mini-Book Freebie

Dear Santa...

Are you having your students write letters to Santa Claus? Are you needing some cute ideas or resources to help make it special?

I am including many links below to fun, free, and cute resources and templates to help with this fun project! Enjoy! 

Saint Nick

Letters From Santa

North Pole

Santa Letter Printables 

Postcard Template

More Santa Letter Printables

Santa Letter: Needs and Wants

Dear Santa: Letter Printables

Dear Santa: Letter Template

Singin' and Celebratin' Halloween!

Kids love Halloween!! I'm sure by now the excitement has already begun in the classroom as well as at home! My own kids seem to be getting more and more anxious by the day. 

Whether you're allowed to incorporate Halloween into your classroom or not, I hope these fun songs will be enjoyable for the kids in your life. 

Have fun! 

Be on the lookout soon for a post that includes some fun and FREE online Halloween games!

Halloween Songs for Kids

Pumpkins, Witches, & Ghosts

The Skeleton Dance

Ten Little Monsters

Halloween Party Playlist

Elementary Computer Lab Bulletin Board

Last year, I made my bulletin board outside of my computer lab into a giant Pinterest Board! Each of the boards on my page showcased work by the different grade levels, contained objectives, or involved teacher favorites. 

Because I only saw classes so often, I usually tried to change my board quarterly. Last year, I taught grades K-4. 

Here are some pictures of my giant Pinterest board: 

These were part of the I Love Technology board

Fun Links & Summer Ideas

Lately I've come across a few game sites and some other fun summer kid ideas that I feel the need to share! We all know that kids can get bored over the summer months, so here's hoping these ideas and links will help out kids of all ages! 

Whether they enjoy technology or hands on activities, hopefully there is something here for everyone. 

Enjoy! 

Summertime Fun: Pinterest Board

Highlights Kids

Watermelon Activities

Room Recess: Educational Games

Pinteresting Digraphs...and a Request

Recently I began tutoring a little girl. She is super sweet! It seems that one of the main areas that I am seeing her struggle with are digraphs (blends). Thus, I decided to look up some great resources to help me help her. Below are links to many Pinterest resources regarding Digraphs.

 

However, if you know of any more ideas or resources, please let me know. I would love to hear them!

 

I also have a request. This is my 199th Blog post! The blog has also now officially hit over 30,000 views!! Thank you so much to all of you who read and support this blog. I could not have done it without you!

 

I will be posting a BIG giveaway to celebrate these milestones, before April ends. However, I am need of more contributions. Please click the link below if you are willing to contribute in any way. I thank you all in advance!

 

 

Have a wonderful day!

 

Donate to the Giveaway HERE

 

 

Sorting Blends & Digraphs

Phonics Cards

Sorts to Use When Teaching Digraphs

More Phonics Cards

Common Blends & Digraphs

Tips to Teach Digraphs

Digraph Practice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Testing Tips & Tidbits

Just like many other schools across the country, our state testing begins this week. Anymore, that seems to be what schools focus on all the time, all year long. Sad isn't it?

 

Regardless of the heavy testing focus, schools are still required to administer these high stakes tests. Students are very aware of their importance, and just like on any other test, they can become anxious or nervous.

 

Thus, it's important to be even more positive with students this time of year. There are great motivational ideas and testing tips out there to help with this.

 

I am sharing a few of these below. If you have any other ideas, feel free to share! We'd all love to hear them!

 

Good luck to everyone on their state testing!

 

Free Testing Tips Bookmark

Cute Motivating Candy Labels

Testing! Testing! 1, 2, 3...

Jog Nog

Standardized Test Prep

Test Prep Stations

Soaring Through Standardized Tests: Freebie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My New Bulletin Board!

I decided that since the school year is half over, that it was time for a new theme for my bulletin board outside my computer lab. It's a very large board, so the possibilities are endless!

 

My previous board tied in with my lab's Social Media theme. It was a giant Facebook page.

 

Well, my new board is as close to a Pinterest page as I could create. Each board is a different grade level, featuring projects that students have created in the lab. I also have a board titled "I Heart Technology". This is a board that features hearts from teachers. On the hearts they wrote various technology related tidbits: favorite websites, technology goals, memories of technology as a child, etc. This way the students can see that teachers and staff use technology often as well. I will post some pictures of those hearts in a different post.

 

I will also post more details about some of the student projects in a future post. For now, enjoy these pictures. I am super proud of my students and their hard work!

 

 

P.S. On a personal side note, Happy 5th Birthday to my beautiful daughter, Elizabeth!! Daddy and I are so proud of you and love you lots!

Winter Wonderment

I sincerely apologize for the lack of recent posts. It's been a very busy beginning of 2013, both personally and professionally. I hope to get back on track with blogging very soon! 

First, I would like to say thanks to everyone who helped me to celebrate my blog's 1st birthday! You are all amazing! I would also love to thank each and every one of you who reads this blog. We have now hit over 20,000 views! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 

Since we are pretty much in the heart of winter now, I thought it would be fun to post many online winter games and other winter related activities. These could be useful for children stuck at home on snow days or for students who may have to endure indoor recess. Enjoy and I hope these are helpful! 

Snow Days

Kids' Winter Activities

Winter Fun & Games

Squigly's Winter

Funschool Winter Arcade

Winter Storms

Happy 1st Birthday!! BIG GIVEAWAY!

Today this Blog has officially turned 1 year old!!! I am again so grateful to all of you who follow and share this blog. Your support is most appreciated! I look forward to an even better and brighter 2nd year in the blogging world. 

To celebrate this awesome milestone, I have enlisted the help of a few fellow blogger friends. Together, we are holding a BIG giveaway of free teacher created items. I appreciate each an every one of them for their generosity and support. Here is more about them and their items that they've chosen to giveaway. 

Below all of the descriptions, you will find separate Rafflecopter links the individual giveaways. The raffles run through January 9th. Thanks again for your support and I wish you all the best of luck! 

Giveaway #1 is courtesy of Brian over at Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings. He is giving away a copy of his Wintery Owl Decimals pack. This pack has 3 Decimal games and centers designed for 4th and 5th grade. Be sure to also check out his page on Facebook. 

Giveaway #2 is courtesy of Laura at Love to Teach 123. She is graciously giving one winner any 2 items of their choosing from her TpT store. Her products are best fit for grades 1-5. Be sure to also check out her page on Facebook. 

Giveaway #3 is courtesy of Nikki at Teaching in Progress. She has donated a copy of her Five Frosty Snowman pack. This K-2 packet is perfect to help teach ordinal numbers, quotation marks, sequencing, and seasonal change., and includes literacy station activities, worksheets, reader's theater, and math activities. Please also check her out on Facebook. 

Giveaway #4 comes from me, myself, and I. I am giving one winner the chance to pick any 3 items of their choosing from my TpT Store. My products are suitable for grades K-5 and not all of them focus on Educational Technology. Please also checkout my Facebook page for even more resources!

Good luck to all of you and please feel free to Pin or Tweet about this giveaway as well! Follow me on Twitter or Facebook and you will gain access to even more Freebies that I am offering for today's celebration! 

Thanks again for being a follower!

Giveaway #1:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #3:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #4:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thankful for Networking!

Today I am including links to some of my favorite Blogger and Pinners (in no particular order)! There is not a big enough Blog Post in this world available for me to be able to include all of the amazing fellow educators, bloggers, pinners, moms, etc. However, I decided to include the ones that I feel always have great ideas, share often, and are just naturally creative! Again, there are soooo many not included in this list that totally should be!

Thank you to EVERYONE who networks via Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. I enjoy and appreciate each and every one of you!

I may not get to another post for a few days, so just in case, have an AMAZING Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy your day and count your blessings!

BLOGGERS

   

 

 

 

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    PINNERS  

• Erin Klein
• Heidi Raki
• Kathy Schrock
• Vicki Davis
• Cheryl Tidymom
• Jan Bernard