Warning: This a long one but there are freebies!

I thought that when I graduated with my Master's, I would have tons of time to blog, make units for TPT,create blog designs, make crafty things, and read.   HAVE MERCY! That has not been the case!

That is my friend Sam and me holding the blue folders.  We are working on a book blog as I type, so be on the look out!  The other two ladies are other first grade teachers and the best team members/friends that anyone could ask for!  I love them!

Anyway,  here is a little rundown of -some- of the things that have kept me from blogging.

This has been the busiest school year in my 5 years of teaching. During a team meeting, our Curriculum Coach walked in and a fellow teacher (one from the picture above:)) looked at her and said, "If you say, 'It's just on more thing' one more time, I am going to scream!"

Home life has been just as hectic. This summer we started remodeling/adding on to the house and are still not finished.

My poor Nana has been diagnosed with late life anorexia and dementia. She has broken 3 bones in as many months. I try to spend as much time with her as possible but my job in the situation has become taking my Papa to the grocery store on Friday night while someone sits with her. Please keep her in your prayers!  Isn't she precious?!?! :)

Silly Nana at Christmas.  She would kill me if she knew I put this pic on here, but I LOVE it!

I had planned on using Spring Break to catch up on all the fun things I love. Well, I woke up Sunday feeling like POO! I went to the doctor on Monday and found out I have the flu...ON SPRING BREAK! Ugh. SO the first few days were spent sleeping.

So Wednesday was the first day I got to check something off on my to do list.

Months ago, Katie King from Queen on the First Grade Jungle, contacted me about creating a blog design for her. She was so patient, sweet, wonderful, and understanding. She never gave up on me and I cannot thank her enough. Her new blog design is up and cute! Go over there and check out all her wonderful ideas. Make sure to check out her TPT store while you are there too!   Looking at her blog makes me want to fix me up a new one.  :)

I have made a few things to use in my classroom, I just haven't gotten around to sharing them. My school is Pre-K-2. Our sister school is 3-5 and is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) School. To prepare our little ones for what's to come, we do some kind of engineering/ inquiry based lesson at least once a week. I wrote about another engineering lesson {here} if you would like more information about it.

One of my favorite STEM lessons we do is building houses for The Three Little  Click the image below to check out the Freebies I created to go along with that lesson.

This next little freebie is a Contraction Word Work Center.  I saw something like it last year but could not find it anywhere this year, so I just made my own.  If you are the original "sharer" of the Green Egg Contractions please, please let me know and I will make sure you get the credit.  Click the pic to get the file.

Well that's it!  Give yourself a brain kiss if you made it to the end!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!  I am praying this week goes by quickly, because I cannot wait much longer for THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!!!!! One week... WOOOO HOOOO!

A Birthday Card for Dr. King!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is right around the corner. Each year I have my students make a birthday card for him with some kind of thank you statement written in with the B-Day wishes. You can get your free birthday card template by clicking the image below.

Check out what else my kiddos did for Dr. King's birthday last year by clicking {here}.

Finally, if you have not seen my sweet Tennessee friend, Erin Eberhart's latest post with her fabulous (and free!) MLK mini-unit, you have got to click on over there! 

Hope you have had a restful weekend and are recharged for another exciting week!

Critters in the Classroom

If you have not been to Erica Bohrer's new blog, Critters in the Classroom, go check it out now! I am so pleased to be a part of this blogs! I love animals and thanks to Erica, I have a new place to share the love! :)

NEW BLOG ALERT!

Hey everyone!  There is a new blogger on the block!  Her name is Sandra of Sandra's Savvy Teaching Tips.  She has some really cute stuff to share.  Click on the picture below to visit her blog and check out her first TPT product.  

Craving Pumpkins and Building Character!

My church is doing a pumpkin patch as a fundraiser right now. One sweet lady brought this wonderful "Pumpkin Prayer" to share.

I would love to use this with my firsties, but since I teach in a public school, I decided to write a "Pumpkin Pledge" instead. 

Download your copy of both {here}!

Science Week- Day 4 ~Activities and Experiments~

We have been learning about properties and how they can be changed by heating and cooling.  Last week we changed old crayons by melting them.

Now ours were nowhere near as cute as the beauties from Holding the World in a Paper Cup, but the kids had a blast making them anyway.  Students chose five different colors and put them in foil cupcake liners.  Then they placed them in an electric skillet.  So sorry there are no pictures, but when heat is involved that is the last thing on my mind!


Tomorrow we will be changing the properties of a liquid by cooling it.  That means we are making ice cream!!  If you click the image below, you will get the instructions for making baggie ice cream and a little writing mat that goes with it.

Check out all the other Science activities and experiments at Learning with Mrs. Parker!

Science Week- Day 3 ~Freebies!~

My science freebie is to help students get acquainted with science tools and their uses.  I created these sheets to be used as a log for students as they rotate through various science tools stations.  In the document you will find station signs, teacher instructions, an explanation for each station and recording sheets.   Click the pic to get it!

 Here are a few pictures of our stations in action.  I missed out on a picture of the timer area :(. 

 Don't forget to check out all the other freebies at TBA!!!