Bright Ideas Blog Hop!

Check out my new blog, The Colorful Apple, for some pretty awesome ideas from some great bloggers!  There are over 100 bloggers sharing their top classroom idea - how awesome is that??  Click the button below to start hopping!

Educents Bundle just for Grades 2-3!

This HUGE bundle of best-selling products from top Grades 2-3 sellers is on sale over at Educents!  It's 78% off {I just love a great deal} and is a great way to jumpstart your planning for 2014!

Looking for a Holiday Present for Parents

Hi all!  Here's a post from my new blog, The Colorful Apple.  I thought I would share here too, in case you haven't had a chance to venture over there yet!

Are you looking for a gift for your students to give to their parents this holiday season?  Well, I have just the thing for you!  Okay, did that sound like a corny commercial or what?  But seriously, I am in LOVE with my latest product!  

It's called Create A Calendar and it stems from my elementary school years.  My parents have been cleaning out their basement, which means they drop a bunch of boxes of my stuff on my doorstep.  More than once.  Anyways, as I was going through the boxes, I came across a calendar that I had made in school.  Of course, it wasn't all fancy and done on the computer.  It was hand drawn and copied by my teacher.

Here's how it worked.  It looked like a regular calendar that you would hang on the wall or on the fridge.  The bottom portion was the days of the month and the top was a hand-drawn portion by me.  Each picture was related to that month in some way.  For example, in December I drew a Christmas tree with presents.

I remember my parents loving these calendars, so I took the idea and ran with it!  I created a 2014 calendar for your students to create for their parents.  Each month comes with a drawing and a writing prompt.  You could use the writing portion for older students.  There are also blank pages if you want your students to come up with their own idea for a drawing.

I did the April page to show you what it looks like:

All the pages are in black and white, so you won't use a lot of ink when printing them.  It also gives your students the option to color in the pictures as well.

The pages should be copied back to back so that it creates a calendar.  For example, on the back of the April calendar is the May drawing page.

 Here's an up-close look at my April page.  I worked hard on that coloring!

Each calendar page has a spot for notes...

...as well as a to-do list on the side (my personal favorite!).

Here's the cover right now.  I don't like it.  I am in the process of re-creating it to make it look more appealing.  Any idea of what I could add??  I'm completely stuck on this one.

Also included in the set is an undated calendar, so you can use it for years to come without having to re-purchase it!  I will update it next year to include a 2015 calendar.

Click here or on the picture below to grab a copy from my TpT store.    Let me know what you think.  I hope you like it as much as I do!!

Win $50 in Gift Cards!

Hi all!  Come check out my new blog, The Colorful Apple, and you could win $25 to Target and $25 to TpT!

Enter to win the Target gift card here and the TpT gift card here.  YOu have until tomorrow night - good luck!

Long Time, No See!

Hi all!  Have you missed me?  In case you haven't heard, I've moved!  I am no longer a second grade teacher, so I changed my blog.  I am now The Colorful Apple!

I have so many wonderful fans here and I would love for you to come visit me in my new home!  I will be sharing new fifth grade ideas, as well as some of my popular posts from second grade.

Since I appreciate all of you so so much, I thought I would host a double giveaway.  Since there is less than 8 weeks till Christmas (ok, maybe you didn't want to know that), I thought $25 to Target sounded like a good prize!

Then, when you come visit The Colorful Apple, there will be another gift card giveaway waiting for you there!  Feel free to enter both!  Both contests end on Thursday, November 8th.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Washi Tape Giveway!!

I'm giving away a prize pack of Scotch Washi Tape over at The Colorful Apple!

Win $50 to Really Good Stuff!

Who doesn't love Really Good Stuff??  Come enter to win $50 at The Colorful Apple!

The Big One!

It's my biggest giveaway yet!  Come over to The Colorful Apple to win a $50 gift card to Really Good Stuff!!

Brand New Blog Giveaway! Day #3

It's Day 3 of my Brand New Blog Giveaway!  Come visit me at The Colorful Apple and enter to win a Panera gift card!

Brand New Blog Giveaway! Day #2

In case you haven't heard, I've moved!!  Come visit me in my new home over at The Colorful Apple!  Today you have a chance to win a $25 Target Gift Card!

 

Brand New Blog Giveaway!

Just popping in quick to tell you that I no longer live here!  I have a brand new set of students {5th graders} so I have created a brand new blog!  Come find me over at The Colorful Apple!

And just for coming to visit, you can enter a giveaway every day this week!  Today I am giving away a gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers!  

Head on over and let me know what you think!

{Please come visit, I only have 7 followers!}

Currently...September

I'm still alive - I promise!  Back to School was a busy one this year.  I have switched grades and am now a 5th grade teacher!  Along with switching grades, I also switched classrooms.   Without exaggeration, my new classroom is the furthest classroom from my old one.  Seriously, 3 flights of stairs and the entire length of the building.  And I have a lot of stuff!  Thank goodness for best friends and husbands!

Speaking of a new grade, my new blog is almost done (I think!).  It's taking a little longer than I thought,  but if you want a sneak preview, go check it out!

Once, my new blog is all set, I will be posting pictures of my classroom as well as pictures from the first week.  I can't wait to share!

Now it is time for this month's Currently from Farley!

Fall is my absolute favorite season.  I love the smells, sights and back to school of course!  I am also super excited to be teaching 5th grade.  I have so many ideas and can't wait to implement them!  I am definitely looking for your help though too.  What are some awesome activities to do with 5th graders??

The last box is for loving yourself.  I really need to make sure I am eating healthy.  I think going back to a regular routine (and not as many bbq's) will help!  Cooking dinner is something I really want to focus on as well.  I love to eat out and hate to cook.  But I need to save money and eat healthy!  

Happy September!

Best and Most!

It's back-to-school time!  Back to school always reminds me of high school, when I got to see all my friends again after summer ended.  Yes, it's been 10 years since I've been in high school.  I'm currently planning my high school reunion {don't even get me started on that one}.   Senior year, I was voted "Done Most for the Class" and Prom Queen.  Here are some embarrassing photos.  Check out those braces!

Since I am no longer in high school, I am linking up with Christina Bainbridge to show your the Best and Most of my Teachers Pay Teachers store!  Just in time for the Big Sale!

Teacher's Pet

Something that every teacher needs!  Check out The Calendar Notebook!  I am so super excited to use this product this year.  I was always carrying a calendar and a notebook to meetings (among other things).  So I decided to combine the two!  See more pictures here!

Most Likely to Help Your Students Succeed

This is my absolute favorite product!  {Also my best-seller!}  It's great for students and for teachers.  Writing Journal Prompts are a set of 12 calendars with writing prompts for every day of the school week - over 300 writing prompts!  There are journal covers for each month and a variety of writing pages, depending on the level of your students.  Read more here!

Best Couple

Who doesn't love owls??  These two products are a perfect match and they both use the most adorable owls ever.  Open House is a Hoot is a set that includes everything you need for Open House or Meet the Teacher Night.  There are signs, banners, bookmarks, sign-in sheets, activities and more!  Owls in the Classroom will help you decorate your room!  It includes name-tags, a calendar set, voice level chart, behavior clip chart, schedule, classroom jobs and more!

      

Go on over to Christina's blog to see some more "Best and Most" posts!

And, tomorrow, head on over to my store to get all these items (and more) on sale!