Queen of the First Grade Jungle: 2013

New Year's Sale!!!

31 December 2013

I will be back tomorrow with this little number....

January is Swiftly Approaching... Kidding...Kinda!

27 December 2013

I am working on a Year in Review Post, but that post is a WHOPPER...so I thought for you crazies who are actually planning your January out that I would post about my first grade products that would help you out in January!

My ever-so-helpful Busy Teacher Packet:

You can find two freebies within the preview if you head to my TPT shop and download the preview:

Here are my January Centers that I created last year {aligned to the Common Core} :

If you don't need both Literacy AND Math, you can get them separately with the links below:

I also updated the the 2013 part of the packet. You can snag it by clicking this link:

I also included my money packet in this post, because it was super helpful to me right before the break. I think many teachers are getting ready to teach money as well!

Have a WONDERFUL weekend friends!

Looking for a Christmas RAK?

21 December 2013

Blogging has blessed my life beyond belief.

Friends.

New Ideas.

Creativity.

Opportunities.

Almost every time I read someone's blog post I am inspired to look at things in a new way.

Sometimes I run across a cause that makes me stop and think.

Last week I was moved by many teachers stepping up and committing random acts of kindness in memory of lives lost at Sandy Hook just one year ago.

I did a few acts like bringing coffee and breakfast to Nash and Emmie's teachers, but I really wanted to do something that felt like it mattered to me.

Yesterday when I was perusing facebook, I came across a post from a high school friend. I hadn't talked to this girl in ten years, but something about her post really moved me.

Here is what Brittney had to say:

"Friends! My husband Anthony Canty teaches autistic fourth and fifth graders at a public school in Brooklyn. As you may know, Tony is passionate about the performing arts and believes that theatre, particularly improv, helps kids to develop their communication skills and provides a constructive outlet for self expression. Sadly his school does not offer any arts enrichment programs(!), so Tony is making an effort to raise money in order to bring a performing arts program to his school by the end of winter. His students could seriously benefit from such a program, so I urge you, in the spirit of this holiday season, to donate to this very worthy cause. Give the gift of the arts to these kids, who, I believe, need it most. Thank you, thank you, a hundred times over."

Well, she had me- hook, line, sinker. I donated.

Then I actually watched the video that Tony made about his project and I just knew that my small donation wasn't enough.

So I decided to use this little ole' blog of mine help Mr. Canty and his students.

I believe in the arts, and I believe in ALL kids. Our job as educators is to do whatever it takes to help our students to reach their full capacity. I am so impressed by this project, and I hope that some of my readers are moved to help too.

Please help me in my Christmas RAK.

Let's help Mr. Canty get the funding to provide his students with Arts opportunities.

You can visit his funding site HERE.

Take me Back Tuesday: Polar Express Day AND A little FREEBIE

17 December 2013

I'm linking up with the fab Hope King to bring you "Take me Back Tuesday!"

I am one of those teachers that reinvents the wheel each year because I get bored easily, but y'all I am running on EMPTY. I am so glad to have these plans and resources from last year to get me through the last day!

Original Post on December 9th, 2012

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Many of my memories growing up revolve around books. I was the kid who couldn't wait to go to the beach for a week because I could read a chapter book a day and there wasn't anything to stand in my way.

One my my favorite books to this day is The Polar Express. I know many of you have had Polar Express days in your classroom for a long time. Well, I am jumping on board. :)

Although my day will be gobs of fun (complete with some moms delivering hot chocolate in costume), there is still learning that has to occur. So I have 3 math and 3 literacy centers/activities.

Here is how I expect my day to go:

8:00 Kids enter with their train tickets (I think I may ask our principal to punch their tickets as the conductor).

8:10 Morning Work

8:30 Read the book

9:00 Respond to the book

9:15 Literacy Centers and recording sheets.

10:45 Math Whole Group

11:15 Math Centers

After lunch, recess, and specials we will come back in the room to watch the movie! I am planning on trying to do a craft too- I will let you know when my friend Stephanie gets the craft finished!

Like I always do- the unit is 20 % off today and tomorrow!

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UPDATE: I had a sweet buyer point out that one of my Spin the Words options would put you on the naughty list...OOPS! You can snag the clean version of the spinners right here:

Sunday Catch-Up and Flash Sale

15 December 2013

This is going to be one random post... we have to leave for Nash's birthday party in thirty minutes, and I know my coffee will have worn off before I get back!

Speaking of which, I saw this today---

---I know I am not the only one that can't function without their cup of joe.

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I say this over and over again, but I am so incredibly thankful for my time in first grade. My RTI groups benefit from my experience AND my resources.

This week during guided reading, we used two of my word work centers from my All I Want for Christmas Pack.

On the other end of that spectrum, I began Chocolate Fever with another one of my reading groups. We explored the meanings of words with prefixes and used Amy Lemon's Chocolate Fever Book Study to check our comprehension. You can find my prefix center in my Santa's Surprises Pack.

I spotted this ADORABLE hairdo in the hallway...so of course I had to snap a picture. The little Rudolf informed me that her mom hot-glued the pieces to bobby pins to make the whole thing work!

I used *TONS* of printables from my December Busy Teacher {2nd Grade} for homework, morning work, and general seat work to help get me through the second to last week before Christmas Break.

Although it is all a blur, my kids did write these Santa letters at some point in the last couple of weeks. We used Cupcake for A Teacher's Santa craft to go with them.

I have lots of Santa Writing Papers and other ideas in my Busy Teacher packs.

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During the sale I snagged this Winter Break Challenge pack from Kate. Kate did her student teaching at my former school in first grade and now teaches 5th at that same school. Although she has graduated to intermediate, she hasn't lost touch with primary, and I am super excited to use this pack with my 2nd graders.

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Among all the holiday crazy, did I tell you we moved into our own townhouse?!?!? {recap if you aren't a regular reader: re moved to Charleston last July but have been staying with my parents while we wait for our house in KY to sell}.