Happy Valentine's Day!

Hey Kinder Friends,

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day! I think this year could have been my favorite Valentine's Day of all. It seemed like it was the easiest by far. I have to say our Valentine bags were my favorite. I swore I would never make anything with those accordion legs...ever. Somehow, someone changed my mind. The kids loved the bags and in the end I did too. I might even make them again next year.

The kids had a lot of fun working on Valentine projects throughout the week to give to their loved ones. Just simple paint and paper and everyone was excited to have these projects to look forward to as they finished their work.

I was sure glad to have this little reader on hand because it gave us a chance to review some sight words that we had been previously working on. If you need a copy of this freebie just click here.

We have enjoyed reading new favorite Valentine books and even enjoyed reading the old favorites. We were even lucky enough to find a Splat book in the library this week.

My class even got a little festive when working in their math notebooks. Considering this is a totally independent task that I use to check for understanding of the focus lesson, I was surprised at how creative they each were. As they were walking by my small group table they were holding them up for me to notice them as they walked by. I swear I tried hard to keep working even though I really wanted to look!

We have been working our way through our Math Fables book and talking a lot about different ways to solve problems and tools that can help us. It was nice this week to see some reluctant friends give it a try and explain their thinking.

We even had time to squeeze in one more gift to send home. You know no holiday would be complete without a painted hand print keepsake!

We even had time to make crowns to wear for the special day.

And envelopes to send everything home! All in all, it was a great Valentine week and we were able to accomplish our goals and keep busy with a lot of fast finisher projects. I can't wait until next year!

SPLAT! How About That?



Happy Valentine's Day Kinder Friends,

We are on a roll and don't want to stop! I think we all needed this holiday to remind us about caring, sharing and friendship. We all seem a little more willing to help out and even do our part. We were so busy making lists and editing our writing today that we forgot to make our valentine bags. I even learned a new lesson in Kindergarten today.

Apparently my kids love Splat the Cat. I really had no idea how much they loved Spat. But each week they have been searching for Splat books in the library. And each week they were disappointed if they were all checked out. And I was informed today that someone hid a cool Splat book in my room and I had no idea all this was going on since...November. I read my first Splat book this year in November. And my kids fell for Splat. I kind of did too. So, the following week I checked out the only Splat book I could find. And the kids hid it from me from then until now. Magically, it appears front and center on my library shelf today...perfect! Especially since it was a Valentine's book. The minute I sat down to share the news with my class, I get an email...from the librarian. She is checking on the SPLAT book that I have had since NOVEMBER because apparently there is some secret group of Splat loving kids that have been waiting on this book...since NOVEMBER! Honestly, I wanted to hide it too for the fear of never seeing Splat again. He is so cute and fuzzy and I am kind of smitten with that white girl kitten too. And don't think I haven't been on Amazon to find my special Splat book...the ones the kids wanted were on...back order. WHAT? No Splat, forget about that! I turned the book in and wanted to ask...how long is that class going to keep dear old Splat! So, just when I thought Splat was over...my kids asked me if we could MAKE a valentine Splat just like the book with a big heart and all. WHAT? I now have to create Splat for Valentine's day? All of the sudden Splat is all sorts of controversial. To make it worse, kids next door were visiting and they chimed in on the Splat talk too!

Better make sure I have this book on hand before the field trip!

 For information on the prints (not Splat) at the top click on the image above!  



Valentine Express!

Happy Valentine's Day Kinder Friends,

I can't resist the paper, the hearts and the glitter that scream Valentine's Day! Isn't it true that handmade Valentine's are so much more beautiful than store bought ones? Each year when I see the heart shaped doilies popping up early I always sneak a few in my cart. It doesn't matter if I have a plan to use them I just know I will. To me they just scream that special element of collage. Who doesn't love a cut paper collage? You almost can't go wrong with a collage of any kind. They always seem to take on a personality of their own!



Before a new area of focus begins in class, I spend some time looking at what I have and trying to find new resources to add. Quite unexpectedly, I was searching around for things to add to my science rock unit and I found some great new books to add to my collection which can serve as books I read for science and also integrate into other curriculum areas during the month of February.

To find out how we are using them in science click here!

 I am patiently waiting for these books to arrive and I can't wait to use them in class this week. And since I was doing a little Valentine sprucing up, I decided to look at my own files I had saved for Valentine's Day. I guess between a hard drive crash and a backup or two later I discovered I had little on hand. So I sat down and stared creating the things I had always wanted in one little place. I want a file I can open up at home and school and print and...run with it!

It wasn't hard to make a pretty long list of the things I wanted or wished I had in my file.

After all, I am a busy teacher!

Just like you, I do not have time to worry about all of this during a busy week. One thing I new I needed to have on hand was emergency cards for the kids who do not bring them. That was a lesson learned my first year of teaching...it happens. I really didn't want to spend my morning grabbing supplies and worrying about all of that. And then I started worrying about parent gifts. I wanted something the kids could do and do successfully on their own. And yes, I didn't want a lot of prep time on my part because I have objectives to master and really not a lot of time to devote to the perfect parent gift. I created a few different versions of parent gifts that are print and run and a lot of fun. I was kind of getting a little excited about this week in Kinder. But then I remembered that I needed a gift t give to the kids in my class! So, I was inspired and created some print and attach cards. I am all kinds of excited about that too!

But like I said, I have objectives to master and a whole lot of assessment and progress monitoring to attend to this week. So, I added writing, language arts and math to the ever growing file... And now I think I am ready to tackle this week of love and learning! If you are a busy teacher like me and need a little help to pull this holiday of friendship and love off, just click on the images above!

Sending you and your class Valentine wishes!

 

Cupid To The Rescue! FREEBIES

Happy Valentine's Day Friends,

I hope everyone has a fun filled Valentine's day at school. I posted these emergency Valentine cards last year and used them myself. I wanted to re post them just in case someone forgets their Valentine cards this year. This way everyone can participate and have fun without any worries. And as I was looking around I found some cute additions to add to my Valentine collection.

 



Such a cute new book to add to my growing collection.

 

 

And really who can resist Charlie Brown?

 

 

And this video sure could get us all moving bright and early on Valentine's Day!

 

 

And I could not resist this from The Wonderful Moffatt Girls! Just click on the link to get yours too!

 

 

And since I love badges I really wish I had seen these sooner. They made them into cards and you can find that information here but when I look at them they remind me of badges but either way they are cute!

 And if you might need some counting mats to go with all those conversation hearts just click on the image above to grab yours!

 

 



Filling Your Hearts!

 

Happy Valentine's Day Kinder Friends,

I am linking up with the wonderful authors from Freebielicious for a Valentine inspired Blog Hop! I am so excited to be able to share with you a reader that I made for my class. I am just as excited to be able to grab some wonderful stuff from my blogging friends all along the blog hop!

 

 

 

If you would like the reader just click on the images to get your copy and then come back to continue grabbing you goodies and fill up that Valentine bag with some great stuff for your classroom!

 

Hop on over for more fun...just click on the image above!



Thanks mom!

Mom this one is for you! Thanks for stopping by and delivering my class their Valentine Graphing Activity. We are sure going to put it to good use. When you are in Barnes and Noble you will have to check out the book above and see if your favorite Kindergarten teacher needs this book. Does the character in the book remind you of anyone, hmmm? Love you forever.

Emergency Valentine Cards!

No matter how hard you plan and think ahead, sometimes things just don't go as planned. Valentines is just not as much fun if everyone can't participate. And don't you just love it when someone is just one or two cards short of passing out cards to everyone? What about the little one that forgets his cards at home? Don't worry and never fear... Cupid to the rescue is here! 

Cupid has you covered so never fear. 

She's going to help make it your best Valentine year! 

Just click on the image above to get your emergency Valentine cards! 

I LOVE Valentines!

Alright, alright I am going to admit it. I have been bitten by the LOVE bug. I just LOVE Valentine's Day. I love the colors and the cards. I love the sayings and the sentiment. I just love it all. I have had more fun this year joining in Valentine Exchanges and sending well wishes to classrooms near and far. I have had so much fun I think it has to be a new tradition. 

I came to work yesterday and my teacher neighbor brought some Valentine cards to look through. I had more fun looking through the cards and reading them. It made me remember Valentine's Day as a child. I used to get so excited as a child giving and receiving Valentine's. I guess some things never change. It's funny how such a simple thing can bring happiness and it's interesting how just sending a Valentine to someone can bring happiness within.

I am sharing with you today a Valentine Pencil Printable that was inspired by the same teacher neighbor of mine. Years ago I came to work and she had printed hearts on colored paper and simply threaded a pencil through it. I loved the idea for so many reasons. One, it was a great idea and it was personal and better than any cards you could buy in the stores. But most importantly, it was cute and all I had to do was print, cut and assemble and I was instantly ready to pass out some super cute Valentine cards without ever having to go to the store after a long day at work. It is still one of my favorite ideas, ever. So this year I had to make a set of my own and share it with you. Like I said, it is the simple things that can bring happiness especially into a teachers busy life. Click on the image above for your printable. 

In my school not all children bring cards to pass out for Valentine's Day. Truth is, some families can't afford it. In the past we have always purchased extra Valentine's for anyone who did not have any to pass out. When I was sifting through the Valentine cards today and remembering how fun Valentine's has always been, I wanted to make sure that I could give that same kind of experience to the children in my class. So I have decided to update that file and I will share it here when it is ready...so check back!

And for some extra fun... I am having a FLASH sale in my stores to celebrate the LOVE of Learning! 

I LOVE Bugs!

I bet you had no idea that I LOVE bugs. Yep, I am a bug lovin' girl. You see when I was in college and forced told I had to take Entomology I almost died. Seriously, I almost died twice. And when I was told I had to have a bug collection of FIFTY bugs, I was starting to contemplate my career choice. Trust me friends, I questioned why in the world a girl wanting to be a Kindergarten teacher was forced to take a bug class and who in their right mind would EVER, EVER require someone to run around and catch bugs for a grade. Just the thought of this task almost made me become a social worker. 

Long story short, I HAD to major in Science in order to become a Kindergarten teacher. You can find that entire saga somewhere in the archives of the Teaching Blog Addict blog. So this meant I had to catch bugs, walk around with kill jars, learn about nature, dissect things large and small, observe the night sky, learn to love a rock or two, scrap my way through Meteorology (wasn't that nightmare fun) and 40 more hours of "ology" classes. Oh, and what about Cell and Molecular? That one was so much fun talking about the genetics and those wild eyed tree frogs. This is not a joke. And while I am on memory lane, what about the semester in the Physics department? I hope NOBODY remembers me from my stint over in that department. YIKES! But this is what it would take to become a Kindergarten teacher...

I can't believe that I would actually put this in print but my Science education actually did prepare me for Kindergarten. And I am a tree hugger, bug lover and a Kindergarten teacher. But my favorite part of Kindergarten is Science. And so my Math Friends do not flip out, I will clarify my statement by saying Science includes Math... it's hand and hand. I LOVE Math just as much. But most important I love Science and Math within the Kindergarten classroom because this is where the foundation is...magically in Kindergarten. And when I was running through the nature center catching the prize winning YELLOW JACKET, I was thinking I was just one step closer to being a Kindergarten teacher or maybe a prize winning Science teacher... 

Now that you have read all of that... I really just stopped by to share a FREEBIE link with you to some really cute Valentine's for your little Scientist. It's over in my Science Lab. I guess when you hop over there you will see why I had to travel down memory lane and share my story with you. Oh, and if you are wondering how I did on the bug collection of 50 bugs? I got all 49 fair and square. Yep, hopping through fields, dragging nets and chemicals with me where ever I went. Needless to say, nobody invited me to a picnic that spring. Oh, and bug number 50? It was supposed to be a flea. Magically no dog around me had a darn flea I could see. I was really upset about not having the ever elusive common everyday flea. My lab partner came up with a plan. She took the head off one of the not so prize winning bugs and pinned it to the collection and tagged it as the ever elusive flea. I guess all of the ooo la la over the prize winning, rare, Texas STINGING Yellow Jacket distracted my professor. 

I carry those nightmares memories with me and every once in a while I tell the kids that when we learn about something even bugs we can appreciate them. And when the kids need a real talking to... I tell them I crawled around on the ground searching for bugs and I flew with my net over hills and rough terrain JUST to become their Kindergarten teacher. It gets them every single time!