The Crazy Pre-K Classroom

I have decided to have a giveaway of one of my TpT Units. I just finished an "All Star Spelling" Unit that would be great in any Pre-K to 1st grade classroom. I won't explain the whole unit here, please see it and download the preview via the TpT link to the right. I am planning to have a giveaway each month, you will be automatically entered every month from now on for completing the simple entry instructions! If oyu don't win this onth you are bound to win soon! TO ENTER: Join my blog and follow me on TPT, download a freebie and rate it. Three easy steps for the possibility of winning a unit worth $7.50. I will enter everyone who does this from now until January 15th and announce the winner on this blog. Please make sure when you join to enter a correct email address so I can send you the unit as soon as you win it. I can't wait to choose a winner! Please pass the word to your teacher friends and fellow bloggers! The unit is 45 pages long with 10 extens...

Well sadness abounds in my house since Christmas is over and the excitement has worn off. My one saving grace: GEARING UP for the return to school on Monday! I have been racking my brain to try to figure out a system to help me with reading groups and general center organization. My school requires that just about everything goes back into cabinets at the end of the week so my system has to be streamlined. Last year I used a Carson Dellosa 12 pocket chart and this worked great with 9 students because I used the nine lowest pockets, one for each child and then used the top three for assessment sheets, homework sheets, pens and rewards. All was perfect until I ended up with a class of 14 this year. DILEMA! There are only 12 pockets and 14 kiddos! 2 could share, maybe, but I think I will try something different. I have connected 2 file pocket charts together which gives me 24 pockets. So that handles the daily books. Now what to do with the others while I am working in small reading...

I have a great unit on Teacherspayteachers.com and thought of a few more uses for the materials included. These extension ideas can be used in centers and for lesson planning. Have fun with these activities: Place the position posters around the room and have the children read the room. Give each child a clipboard (I use binder clips on my student white boards for this) and a piece of paper. Instruct the students to walk around the room and write the words on the paper. Name and date for portfolios. Cut out the frames on page 10 and use them to make number, letter and word flash cards. Cut out the blank acorns and use them to make a letter, number, CVC word or sight word flash cards. Use the clip art of the animals to create a graph, have the children choose their favorite animal, have them add their name above the animal. After all of the children have completed the graph, count the numbers for each animal, write the number and then show the numbers in tally marks. ...

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year. I change up my normal routine and make sure all of our activities are centered areound Christmas. I found some great free printables on teacherspayteachrs.com and have gotten a few tricks up my sleeve over the last few years. I have listed a few activities that I think are the best of the season. Christmas Tree crayon resist: make copies of a black and white christmas tree on cardstock, have the children color with crayons, adding ornaments with different color crayons, once the coloring is done, go over the tree with blue watercolors. Gingerbread man geography: Decorate paper gingerbread men, have them run away, notify the parents to have friends and family from all over the world send postcards saying they saw the gingerbreadmen where they live. Use a US map on the wall to track where the gingerbread men have visited, look up the different cities and show pictures from them on your computer. On the day before school  ends for ch...

Every Christmas I bless the families in my class with a picture ornament. My favorite ornament to make is a wreath that I saw made many years ago when my youngest brother was in Kindergarten. It is super simple and fun for the kids. Here is what you do: Shredded wheat crushed white glue mixed with green food coloring red ribbon for hanger wax paper Put crushed shredded wheat in a bowl, pour colored glue over and mix, place a scoop on the wax paper, have the kids shape the blob into a circle, allow to dry, glue hangar on the back and glue a picture of your studenton the back, label with name and year.

Thank you to Caitlin over at Kindergarten Smiles for giving me the Sunshine Award! I am so excited to get my first aknowledgment from my fellow teachers! Kindergarten Smiles I would like to nominate the following blogs for the Sunshine award as well: To accept this award the rules are: 1. Thank the person who gave the award to you and write a post about it. 2. Answer the questions below 3. Pass the award to 10-12 fabulous bloggers, link their blogs, and let them know you awarded them. Clutter-Free Classroom Pre-Kinders Teacher to Teacher Kindergarten love Creative Classroom Pre-K Paradise Here's my answers to the questions: 1. Favorite color? red 2. Favorite animal? Our new bearded dragon Maxwell, this little lizard is super cute and friendly! 3. Favorite number? 42 4. Favorite drink? Sonic Cherry Limeade 5. Facebook or Twitter? facebook 6. Your passion? teaching pre-kindergarten :) 7. Giving or getting presents?Giving 8. Favorite day? Sunday...