Missing in action blogger! I've been packing my classroom :(

I took today off to work on a few new fun things for the classroom! All I have to say about that spider book is EWWWW!!! It was fun to research, but that pile of spiders was tough to look at! Have a great day!

Morning Work & MOVEMENT!

Hi Friends!!

I just got back from a weekend away watching golf with my husband! What a terrific break it was! I don't know if any of you follow golf, but I got to meet Lexi Thompson! Highlight of the trip!

Anyway, I came back and stayed up half the night to finish my newest, and probably my favorite ever product! I recently posted an article about why our kids fidget - you can read it here. I've always believed that my kids need to move, and the article got me thinking about more ways to fit it into my day. Here's the result...

 Morning Work & Movement!!

 It includes 12 weeks of morning work with the answer keys.

It's broken up so the kids do a small academic task, then a small physical task. Perfect for those short attention spans!

Thanks friends! Have a GREAT day!

Annie

Teacher Love Wednesday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Fidgety Kids! Must-read article!

The real reason why kids fidget - I'm posting this article here because it's something all of us need to read. I've always allowed my kids to stand up and fidget. It doesn't bother me as long as they are listening. It was tough to get used to, but it's actually much easier to teach when you aren't worried about every move the kids make. This article discusses the fact that kids simply don't get enough exercise and they physically NEED to move. Not just ADD or ADHD kids - but ALL kids.

"The problem: kids are constantly in an upright position these days. It is rare to find children rolling down hills, climbing trees and spinning in circles just for fun. Merry-go-rounds and teeter-totters are things of the past. Recess times have shortened due to increasing educational demands, and children rarely play outdoors due to parental fears, liability issues and the hectic schedules of modern-day society. Let's face it: Children are not moving nearly enough, and it is really starting to become a problem."

Let's get our kids moving!

Annie

Tried it Tuesday {Twitter}

Hi Friends!! I'm linking up with Fourth Grade Flipper for Tried it Tuesday! Hop on over and join - she posted some great information for new bloggers :)

So, I finally dove in. This summer I started with Instagram and Twitter! I was already struggling with blogging because I was so new and I felt like I didn't really have a place. Then I got transferred from K/1 to 8th grade math and suddenly I REALLY didn't have a blogging identity, so I set it aside. When I started reading blog posts from the summer TPT convention, and how important social media is, I decided to jump back in - boy did I!

I have benefited from both, but today I want to tell you why I love Twitter:

1. Twitter is an amazing place to keep up with educational news. I am following some brilliant teachers, but I've also been following places like  @educationweek and @HuffPostEdu  
who post daily articles that I love to read and share.

2. Twitter is a great place to meet teachers, and to learn from them! Did you know you can go join discussions on twitter? I sure didn't! The first time I visited one it was #teacherfriends. It happens every Tuesday night at 9. There is usually a guest speaker, they give away prizes, and at the end they leave a few minutes for you to post your blog, insta, and TPT information for sharing. The first time I joined I was completely overwhelmed. Tweets were just flying everywhere! The moderator there took the time to help me get started with tweetdeck. It's a great platform that makes it easier to follow a stream of tweets. If you are going to join, I have also found that it's much easier to tweet from your laptop than your phone. (Maybe that's just because I have old eyes and big fingers!) If you head over at 8:30, they have a newbie chat so you can get used to the frenzy before it really starts. Here's the information on tonight's chat. Hope to see you there!

3. Well, it's just plain fun! Follow a few comedians and get your humor fix, too :)

4. You can follow local restaurants and favorite places and get coupons and information about sales. Who doesn't love a good sale?

5. Finally, it's a great place to advertise your products. Unlike instagram, you can include a link directly to your blog or your TPT store.

YAY TWITTER!!! Go TRY it!

Thanks for listening and have a GREAT day!!

Annie

I am crackin' myself up with this one! After working so hard to get things ready for the sale, I just didn't feel like working. Then, as I was downloading all of the new clipart that I now hoard, I decided to write a book about homophones. It's a riot (says me).

Have a great day!!

Annie

Read, Think & Move with the Sight Words Bundle #2

Workin hard to get them done!!

Thanks :)

Annie

Hi Friends!

Well...since can't yet get a room ready, I'm working on books like crazy! Here's the second bundle - it's half off in the bundle :)

Also, bundled my short vowel word family mats for a much better price:

I love using bottle caps, or inch tiles in place of the little paper letters. Kids love 'em too!

Have a great day!

Hi Friends!

Since I'm in limbo with my job, I'm going crazy creating new things....this one's perfect for back to school!

Hi Friends! I think I'm joining my own linky party :) I had trouble setting it up, but learned a lot! Please scroll down a few posts to join the linky yourself.

So, today I would like to share a video with you. If you have already seen it, you should watch it again. This kid is SO talented....Some of my favorite quotes by Kid president:

"It's time to be more awesome!" 

"Teachers see the person we can all become some day."

"What if Shakespeare didn't go to school? Then his plays would be even MORE confusing!" LOL!!!

"Get your learn on!"

ENJOY!!

Hi Friends!!

Um...instead of working on things that I need to work on, I got a little side-tracked and made some fonts instead :) LOVING the monster font!

Talk to you soon!

Annie

My newest bundle!

I love fluency triangles, and so do my kids! I finally bundled them up so you can get them for a better price!

Have a great day!

Annie

Hi Friends!

Today I'm joining up with Mrs. Plemon's Kindergarten for her "Postitively Pinspiring" linky! WOO HOO!!

Here are my favorite pins for the week:

This is from the Math Maniac's blog (click on the pic to go there). It's so simple and fun! I love it!!

Aren't you just always looking for a cute bug craft? Nothing more fun for kids than making bugs!! Thanks to Toddler Approved for these ideas!

Heidisongs posted this great idea for managing water bottles in her classroom. I LOVE IT!! Now I just need to go find some colored baskets!

This idea comes from the Teaching Ace. I think the kids would have a BALL with this! I love that they are color coded so you can send kids to a color and differentiate it! Where can you find cheap ping pong balls?

And finally...this one is a link to a board that I have created that I'd love you to follow. I'm collecting as many brain break videos as I can find. My kids LOVE these!

Thanks again to Mrs. Plemon for letting me join your linky. What fun!!

Have a great day!

Annie

Teacher Love Wednesday

An InLinkz Link-up

Yes, it's a linky frenzy!! Joining up with teachingblogaddict for Freebie Friday! Click the graphic to see many more Friday Freebies.

Thanks for looking!!

Annie

Five for Friday Weekly Linky Party!

Hiya Friends!!

So, I'm new to blogging and struggling with finding my place in this huge blogging world. I saw this great linky and thought it was the perfect way to get going...with random thoughts! THANK YOU DOODLE BUGS! I love it! Here goes nothing....

Did you know that you can make any text look beautiful? It's easy as pie! I just learned this messing around. (Definition of messing around: playing with technology instead of doing what you are supposed to be doing.)

I have been working like crazy to get my store in shape, and I have TONS of new products. I'm really focusing on products that keep the kids moving. Here's my favorite freebie (for now)!

Totally unrelated to teaching - I LOVE MY HUSBAND!! It's Friday - date night! We never miss it. It started because I'm SO tired on Fridays. I used to come home and fall asleep every Friday. Teaching kindergarten is EXHAUSTING! (Right?) So, I started to feel guilty that we were missing one of the few nights that we could really spend quality time together. We've been doing it for a little over a year, and it is absolutely the highlight of my week, even during the summer. It really doesn't have to be fancy, but it brings so much strength to or marriage. If you aren't doing date nights, you should be!

Trying not to complain....

All I can think about is going back to school. I've been teaching K/1 for 5 years now. This year I went from, "You're getting laid off," to "No, we are putting you in 8th grade math," to, "No, you're getting laid off," to, "NOPE, back to 8th grade math." I can't shop, I can't get my room ready, I'm kind of lost. I'm pinning and reading blogs and pretending like I'm staying in K/1, or at least elementary! How many of you out there get laid off every year, and/or moved around? How do you handle it?

OH MY GOSH! I made it to number 5! Woo hoo!! Let's end on a happy note...

The cutest thing I've found on Pinterest this week: How fun is that?!!

Have a great week everyone! And thanks for listening :)

Annie

Hey Friends!

Here's a great article for your reading pleasure!
"An Open Letter to My Son's Kindergarten Teacher."

Have a great day!

Annie

More Freebie Fun!

Here's another freebie to keep those kids moving!

Have a great day!

Annie

Book Talk Tuesday!!

I'm so excited to join Deanna Jump's Book Talk Tuesday!

The hard part was deciding which book I should choose! There are so many! It's funny how I can make a million decisions a minute in the classroom, but at home I can't make a decision to save my soul! (Yes, I know I use too many exclamation points!!)

So...drumroll.....here it is! One of MY favorite books (yes, the kids loved it, too!)

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian

This is a cute little story, written like a diary, about a goldfish who is perfectly happy all alone in his bowl. Then things start changing. Day by day, friends are added to the bowl. He is NOT happy.

I can't tell you how it ends, but it's a great story about appreciating your friends :) I didn't do a project with my kids for this book, but there are some cute ones on Pinterest.

P.S. Devin Scillian also wrote Cosmo's Moon - One of my favorite books of all time! It's a story about how the moon seems to move along with you. LOVE IT!

Have a great day!

Annie

New things I've been working on this summer!

I have so many things in my head these days. I'm not one of those people who starts a project and then finishes it. I always, always have ten things going on at a time! Makes for sleepless nights! Maybe I'll fix that someday :) Anyway, here's a peek at some of my favorites from the summer...

Have a great day!! Annie