Five for Friday August 28th

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday. Thank you for hosting, Kacey! It's been a busy couple of weeks. We've been moving/settling in.  My daughter got a job teaching 6th grade ELA- and it is SO EXCITING!  We've been doing quite a bit of shopping- in the real world and on TPT.  Fun, fun, fun!  

Here are some of my favorites from the week.

When we were moving,  I discovered that we had LOTS of shells.  They are beautiful, and apparently I kept thinking I needed to collect more and more. I kept a lot- but I decided the others would make a great sorting center for the beginning of the year- keeping a little summer in the air!

I found this fabulous sandpaper- 10 sheets for $1 at Valu Home Center!  I also got 40 smaller sheets for $1- because I KNOW I'll think of something... and they were a DOLLAR! (I am the classic sucker shopper who says, "It was only a dollar."  But come on- it really was a dollar! Paper without the sand would be that much.  Right?!)

This...  happens...

OR they have to go to the bathroom SOOOOOO BAD!

Herding Cats in Kindergarten shared some favorite clean up songs at her blog last week.  I LOVED seeing the variety! You can check out all the different songs at her blog.  The kids always work better/faster when they sing or try to finish before the song ends.  SO- I decided to put these songs together on my Character Education Prezi so I can have them handy whenever we need to clean up- AKA always.   

I, of course, got carried away and found lots of songs I loved so I added all of them for variety-so we can choose a different one each day.

And then, I decided to add a "Be Kind Friends" section to the Prezi- because we always in case we need reminders. 

 THEN- I found some relaxing guitar music that I liked- and thought there may be days I would need that playing peacefully in the background as the children worked, so I added that.  Basically, what I'm saying is that I redid the Prezi.  It's free at my TPT store if you would like a copy of it.  I leave it up all the time- and we visit and revisit videos all the time for reminders.  

I had fun working on that Prezi, so I went back over all my other Prezis at my TPT Store to check the links and videos.  I use Prezis all the time on my Smartboard.  It's such a great way to use technology in the classroom, because the links are all right there together- AND it's also a great way to show some anchor charts and tips through videos right at your fingertips.  I don't have a lot of extra wall space - any extra wall space- so during Writer's Workshop or Reading Centers, and even Free Choice time, I leave up an anchor chart or reminder for the children.  It's just another way to reinforce any and everything.  

You need to be able to access Youtube videos at your school to use these.  (And click the "allow pop-ups" at the bottom so you can access the links for the educational games.)  Many times if something is blocked at your school (like Youtube) and you bake cookies or get donuts explain why you need it - for teaching- the IT person will unblock it for you. 

I have lots of free Prezis:

Earth Day

 Frog and Toad

My Favorite Things

 Kindergarten Websites (This is a good link to send home for parents who are looking for some good sites for home!)

and lots of other Prezis that I use all the time!  I always have two or three up so I can switch back and forth between them. 

Learning is Fun!

Letters and Sounds

Common Core Math Prezi Bundle (4 Prezis)  This one took FOR. EVER.  to make, because I searched for all the best links and videos to go with each standard. But, now that it's done, everything is right there for me!

 

 

Primary Writing

Beginning Reading

Eric Carle

Fun in the Fall United States

Fun in the Fall- Canada

The Five Senses

Discovering Great Artists

Bird Nests

Perspective and Optical Illusions

Authors Prezi

I kind of like Prezis.  :)

I also spent a lot of time with Eric Carle this week.  Jeff may have been a little jealous.  I put everything together in my Eric Carle Packet- my Prezi, QR Codes, and writing prompts.  

I scanned each video through Viewpure to take out ads and anything extra you don't want on there.  

In this packet, I also scanned the videos through SafeShare because a sweet girl bought the set and realized she couldn't access Viewpure and needed SafeShare- SO - since I did it, I just added it to the packet in case you need that version.  

You can check the sample codes to be sure you can access the videos.  Again, sometimes your school will unblock a site if you beg or bake need it. Our school LOVES technology and nothing is blocked, so we're lucky.  

I am just a tiny bit over the top about Eric Carle because his books can be used for SO MANY things and are such a wonderful springboard for so much science, art, and discussion.  

We have our Kindergarten Picnic next Wednesday- a week before the children come back.  This year I made these Super Year super balls for their little surprise.  It was so simple and went along with our Superhero theme.  

If you would like a copy of these tags, you can get them HERE .

This song will be a definite part of our first day!  

Thank you so much for stopping by!

  

Have a ...weekend!

Back to School!

Oh. My. Gosh.  This just made my day today.  Except I think "Second week of school" is generous, because for me it is that first Friday night. 

Today we have our meetings and some time to talk to everyone work in our rooms- so I am glad I have most of my work done and ready to go. We still don't have bus numbers for our kids- which could be a tiny problem tomorrow, because it isn't like you ask a classroom of 5 year olds, "What bus do you ride?" 

Yesterday in my "Currently" I mentioned that my goal was to start my day with my devotion and then get on that treadmill after school at home.  I have been pretty good at the treadmill devotion part.  My favorite one lately has been Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

 

It seems like it's written for ME each day- and is just one, really well-written quick page. For example, today's was really timely as I start back to school and need to NOT focus on trivial things but sort out what is important:

 

Let the dew of My Presence refresh your mind and heart. So many, many things vie for your attention in this complex world of instant communication.  The world has changed enormously since I first gave the command to 'be still and know that I am God.'  However, this timeless truth is essential for the well-being of your soul.  As the dew refreshes grass and flowers during the stillness of the night, so My Presence revitalizes you as you sit with me.  A refreshed, revitalized mind is able to sort out what is important and what is not.  In its natural condition, your mind easily gets stuck on trivial matters.  Like the spinning wheels of a car trapped in mud, the cogs of your brain spin impotently when you focus on trivial things.  As soon as you start communicating with Me about the matter, your thoughts gain traction and you can move on to more important things.  Communicate with me continually, and I will put My thoughts into your mind. 

I need to be reminded of this- because this little saying is ME when I go back into my room after it has been cleaned and "put back together" in summer:

Have a WONDERFUL school year!  I am off to some meetings!

(He is supposed to be blowing you kisses- but he looks kind of embarrassed instead.  :)