It's a Sweet Give Away...and YOU WON!!

Ok, so here is how this thing is going down! I am teaming up with my new fabby friend Crystal (Kreative In Kinder) and we are GIVING AWAY a few of our mini units created for TpT! I know what you are thinking..."Suuuuuu-weeeeeeee-t!!!" I know, right?! Not only did we want to give our fantabulous followers something, but we also wanted to make it easy! You don't have to leave umpteen million comments here AND there. This is all you have to do is...follow both of our blogs and become a fan of our facebook pages...THAT'S IT! So, let's do this together. 1. you are already here....just follow my blog! 2. You can become a fan of my facebook page here. Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten Facebook Page 3.You can become a fan of Crystal's Facebook page here. Kreative In Kinder Facebook Page 4. You can follow Crystal's blog here. Kreative In Kinder Blog 5. While you are at Kreative In Kinder, leave one comment, WITH your email address, and let us know that you follow both blogs and both Facebook pages! Eeeezzzy Cheeezzzy!

Tacky Penguin Craftivity

Cannonballllllllllll!!! Who doesn't love Tacky!? Well, I know that I do and I think that I could possibly have a bit of "Tacky" in me...and darn proud of it sister! Helen Lester has created an entire series on this adorable penguin!

You can purchase all of these books by clicking on the Amazon link in my sidebar! Here is a FREE craftivity for you...including directions....INCLUDING PATTERNS!! Woot Woot!! Here are the patterns. I would print these on cardstock. Tacky Patterns These are how I had the patterns traced. They fit on 9 X 12 construction paper.

Before I had them cut anything, I had them design their shirt, the tie, and the eyes. Ok, before you comment...yes, my Tacky looks like the one in the book. I always make mine along with the kids. If I make I don't make it like the character in the book, then I will have 20 penguins that look just like mine. I don't tell them that they CAN'T make it just like the character, but I really do encourage them to make theirs unique.

Nooooow, they can cut those pieces out! I had them cut out the body and the wings next. Have them glue on the shirt.

Next, I had them add the wings, the tie, and the eyes.

Last, have them glue on the feet and the beak. For the beak, I had them fold it in half and only put glue on the bottom half! And VOILA!! There's your Tacky!! Ok, ok, ok...I tried to rotate this final picture umpteen-million times and NOTHING! All of the other pictures rotated just fine, but nooooot this one! SORRY! You just need to tilt your head! LOL

WOW! Long post! I would love for you to share this on your blog or FB page :-) Thanks!!

Valentine's Day Is Coming!!!

Well, I have been super busy this weekend trying to get all of my Valentine's stations done! I have to say that I did get quite a bit accomplished! I posted all of my new Valentine's units on my TpT and TN stores! Here is a sneak peek! I promise I will be back tomorrow with a few FREEBIES! Right now, I have to put the computer down....honestly, I think I am becoming quite delirious! My eyes are playing tricks on me! LOL!

Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten Teacher's Notebook Store Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten TpT Store

What Are We Writing!?

I don't know about all of you other Kinder teachers out there, but I think that the area that I struggle with the most is writing! My district does have a curriculum that we use, but I am not crazy about it. I feel like it is a little slow moving and just doesn't get them "writing." I would love to hear from you if you have a writing program that you just love! Please feel free to come on over to my Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten Facebook Page and tell me all about it! Back to business...since I am sort of struggling with Writing, my poor Writing Work Station has been...well, not so great to say the least! I have been searching the blogiverse for something, anything really, to give my Writing Work Station a boost! That is when I found Deedee Wills over at Mrs Wills Kindergarten. Well, she has the best writing station packets!! I just love it! I purchased the January Writing Work station packet. I introduced each type of writing, we practiced it, and then added it to our Writing Work Station! The kids love it! I am including some pictures for you too!!

This is a picture of our writing work station!

Here are pictures of the FABULOUS "I Can Posters" that come with Deedee's writing packet. They are great because they show exactly what each form of writing looks like.

These are pictures that I laminated and placed in a pocket chart. The kids can take the pictures out as needed. I was very specific when I introduced this station. They are only allowed to take one picture out at a time.

These are just some close up pictures of my writing station. The work station sign is one that I created myself. The ABC chart is also one that I created! You can find the ABC chart on my blog :-) I love the cute buckets. Wal-Mart and Target always have great buckets each month. I already have my February buckets...thank you Target dollar bin!! :-)

Here are some of my Kinders' writing! One little darling wrote about "The Three Little Pigs," another wrote a card to his sister (made me tear up when I read it) and one wrote a card to her mom!

Guest Bloggin' Over at Kreative In Kinder!

Hello fabulous followers! I just did a guest blog on Kreative In Kindergarten on writing! You do NOT want to miss it! Go check it out!!

Love To Joplin Linky Party!

I am linking up with Mrs Wills Kindergarten . Head on over to her blog to check it out. A Kindergarten teacher from Joplin, Mo emailed her and asked her for some help. Joplin was literally ripped apart by a tornado last year. The damage was just absolutely horrific. The teacher asked her for a unit to give away at an upcoming meeting on Monday...to hopefully lift spirits!

So, if you have something that you are willing to donate,
Send your TpT product or Teacher's Notebook to Erica
edoennig@joplin.k12.mo.us

Welcome Back DJ Inkers

LOL! Ok, soooo there was all of the "can we or can't we" use DJ Inkers clip art as freebies on our blogs. AFTER I deleted the items, then DJI changed their terms of use...AGAIN! Anywho...I still want to share those things with you, but I do not want to rewrite all of the posts. So, I am putting them all under this one post. Here goes! If you need an explanation on what anything is, then just shoot me an email livelovelaugh@gmail.com

Work Station Questions and Finished Work
My Literacy Work Station Folder Cover
I Can Write About 2 ……

Kindergarten Writing Office Shapes

Kindergarten Writing Office Months

Kindergarten Writing Office Colors

Kindergarten Office Cover

ABC Chart
ABC Word Wall Pictures

Clutter-Free Classroom Project Week #1

Ok, this is a big step for me. I can NOT believe that I am going to post these pictures! It is sort of like weighing yourself in public....YIKES! However, I think that by going through this CFCP I will be a better teacher, right?! First, let me say that my room is amazing! It is HUGE! I have plenty of space and storage! It is a brand new room. The one draw back was that I moved into the room about 3 days before school started and I haven't been able to catch up since. I actually feel like I am falling more behind than ever.

I am the kind of person who LOVES the idea of being organized, but can't seem to quite get it right. I start lots of project and ideas and then get distracted by a new idea. LOL! I am a piler....FOR SURE! I lose things constantly! I am working on being organized at home and at school. So, please don't judge me by my boxes, my piles, well...enough excuses...here goes....ugggg!! :-)

Ok, here is the fist picture! It is a view from my door. It is not really a "specific" area, but it's because I need to organize my whole room! Mr room is huge, isn't it?! I love having a door. I did not last year. I was in a room that was connected to 2 other Kindergarten rooms. Yep, it was loud. Good thing I like my teammates!

These next two pictures are of my desk area, my storage cabinets (should have taken inside pics darn it) and of the sink area. GO BIG RED! Yes, I love my Huskers! The small desk in front of my desk is SUPPOSED to be my safe seat (tee hee) right now it is full of left over Polar Express treats! I use the plastic bins to hold my daily materials needed.

This is the cubby area. As you can see, I use the last few cubbies as another catch all...which I am hoping to eliminate! Also, above the cubbies, I still have boxes that I have not unpacked! WHAT?! I know...I know! :-( All of the 3 drawer containers are what I use to hold of my Kinders' extra supplies...which I LOVE! It is so handy. I just put numbers on the drawers and I don't need to change them...EVER!

Ok, now it's getting gradually worse. This is my small group area. Ok, ok, ok...the storage boxes that are on the floor are my December boxes (which haven't been put away) and my January box (which I just got out). The piles are there because as I said before, I am a piler! :-)

Final picture...whew! This is the mack daddy of all storage! The problem is, I am not using it appropriately. The blue and pink fabric bins are used to store my Reading Street unit materials. They fit perfectly in those little cubbies. However, I am thinking that I am not using that space as best I can. Do I really "need" to have all of those materials there in the room. I do have the possibility of housing them in a separate storage closet (yep, more storage) The small containers are my Math manipulatives. I am just really rethinking this whole space.

Well, there you have it! We were also supposed to post what were our thoughts while taking these pictures. I kind of already answered that for each picture! But, again I am thinking, "Oh @#$%" :-) Not appropriate....I know, but honest!

To Be Free...Or Not To Be Free?!

That my blogging friends is the question that I have been asking myself the last few days about a new Winter themed Math unit that I created. I will be honest, my intention was to post it to my TpT and TN stores a few days ago. However, I have been thinking about how wonderful all of my fellow bloggers are and how fabulous my followers are (that sounds kinda creepy). Annnnnywaaaay, I have decided to post it for FREE. I am going to post it for FREE! My hopes are to post at least unit for FREE each month. I would really, really appreciate you following my blog, following my TpT store and making my TN a favorite. I hope that you will be able to use this unit. I would love to hear what you think about it...be honest....be nice :-) HAPPY NEW YEAR bloggy friends!

You can get it Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten TpT Store

There Was A Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow Literacy Pack

I just uploaded a literacy unit based on the book, "There Was A Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow." You can get the unit here:

Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten Teacher's Notebook Store

Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Are you ready to get ORGANIZED?!

Well, then The Clutter Free Classroom has THE project for you. You can check out the details
HERE

I can't wait to get started!