Category Archives: Learning something new

Are YOU a HELPER ELF?

It’s the

MOST, WONDERFUL

TIME OF THE YEAR!

I do not own this video. This video belongs to SantaKlaws67 http://www.youtube.com/user/SantaKlaws67

SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN!

I work at a low socioeconomic,

Title 1 school.
This time of year can be very hard for some kids.
Some families DON’T celebrate Christmas.
Some families can’t afford gifts.
Some are VERY proud and won’t accept donations.
So…Santa doesn’t come to EVERY house.

via GIPHY

So today..we had
THE TALK.

THE talk about what December, Christmas, and Santa
are REALLY about.

GIVING & HELPING!

Today…we became
HELPER ELVES!

We talked about

HOW we can HELP at HOME,

at SCHOOL,

and help our FRIENDS!

We talked about giving from the “heart”.

Our class meeting was SO enlightening!

My kids were SO engaged.

It was NOT about “ME..ME..ME”.

It was about “What can I do for OTHERS!”

Sniff..sniff..made tears of joy come to my eyes!

IT WAS AWESOME!

And so…

Santa, you can come to ROOM 3.

(I have a feeling…he will)

But for now..

WE WILL BE HELPING YOU,SANTA!

WE ARE HELPER ELVES!

To help YOU out…

I have some

CHRISTMAS Goodies

for the classroom

in my TPT store.

1stgradefireworks

Here is a FREEBIE

from my store!

MERRY CHRISTMAS,

Helper ELVES!

How to get ready for Christmas without the STRESS!

4 Replies

I know…BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!

Folks..LIFE IS BUSY! Christmas time is BUSY!

Sorry to be the one to tell you that.

BUT…

30 days …from TODAY (11.25.23) 4 SUNDAYS!

YES, 4 SUNDAYS…

Christmas will be here!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

So??

How to get ready??

PACE YOURSELF!

Think

MARATHON…NOT SPRINT!

Where to start?

#1…..Make LISTS!

(I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE LISTS! )

List ALL ( YES ALL ) of the people you

WOULD LIKE to give gifts to.

Now…

PUT A STAR next to the people you MUST give a gift to.

(I know that sounds weird..but..I would LOVE to give gifts to

EVERYONE…but…my bank account says I must prioritize).

It doesn’t mean I won’t give a gift…

just might be a “thoughtful”… not-as-costly gift.

Reality people!

If money grew on trees…

#2…..DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN DEBT FOR THE NEW YEAR!

So…there is officially 1 more PAYCHECK until Christmas.

( Or figure out HOW many PAYCHECKS YOU have until DEC. 24 )

Take the number of gifts YOU MUST purchase

and divide by EXTRA $$.

***If you have been SAVING for Christmas, which you WILL DO for NEXT year, add that too!

That tells you HOW many GIFTS you MUST purchase and the amount you have to spend.

That’s important because

now you can begin looking for a gift

for the PERSON…not just a check-off on a list.

SLOW DOWN! Not ready to buy yet!

Now….start talking, texting, asking others…

#3…..DO YOUR RESEARCH PEOPLE!

ASK!!!!

What items do the people on your list WANT…NEED…LOVE?????

Add this to your LIST!

( If for kids…ASK THEIR PARENTS…sizes, likes, ages,etc )

Now…start looking…

online? Look for FREE shipping!

(AMAZON PRIME ..I am speed dial!)

Friends & Family …FAR AWAY??? ( Sorry )

SHIP TO THEM!

Don’t ship to YOU & then pay to ship to them!

SHIP DIRECTLY! FREE!

STOP!

YOU HAVE NOT MADE A BUDGET YET!

#4…..Figure out what you can spend…

AFTER PAYING YOUR BILLS & feeding your family.

They always come first…don’t forget to add them to your MUST list!

Your kids COME FIRST!

And NOT going into SEVERE debt!

Only charge what YOU can pay off the next month!

NO DEBT AFTER JANUARY!

OK..then..start listing whom you will purchase for.

After you purchase…keep the receipt!

I write the name of the person I purchased it for on the back…

RETURNS? Easy Peasy!

After you purchase…

or it arrives from SANTA’S HELPER

IN THE BROWN UPS TRUCK… 🙂

WRAP IT AND ATTACH A NAME TAG!

( This is from a Santa’s Helper…who has forgotten and was wrapping WAY TOO LATE INTO CHRISTMAS EVE! )

After Thanksgiving..

#5…..I begin to look at my

LIST of ” WANT to purchase for”

but NOT necessarily,

“Must Purchase For”

on my list!

( Yes I keep it in a little book in my purse! )

Now I have a better idea of “extras”…

Do I need to do “homemade”….giftcards…..”I thought of you- but have no $$ left” card?

What kinds of gifts can you give for NO MONEY?

How about a picnic at the park? A TEA PARTY for kids? A trip to the library to read books? Take a young child to the ZOO???

Gifts of “ONE TO ONE” time…ARE THE BEST!

And you can schedule them AFTER the holidays.

The gift that keeps on giving!

Whatever fits YOU!

RELAX!

NO GUILT!

Christmas is NOT about who can GUILT YOU the MOST!

It’s about telling the people you care about..

THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU!

Enjoy the season.

Spend time with friends & family!

TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!

Make Memories!

And when JANUARY comes around..

SMILE!

(And maybe a mani / pedi for yourself?)

But…remember…

Christmas is from the HEART..not the WALLET!

Have FUN!

Elf on the Shelf… FAILURE!

Do OVER!

What do YOU do to get ready for CHRISTMAS????

Happy Veteran’s Day from A Proud Military Family

1 Reply

Veteran’s DAY!

We are a military family.

Army & Navy.

We have heard stories from WWII to Korea to today.

Great Grandpa’s, Grandpa’s, Dad’s, cousins, sons, daughter-in-law…

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

In MY classroom

I spend a lot of time discussing MY SON

ACTIVE US NAVY…

and why it is SOOO important to say

“THANK YOU” for their service.

He is currently on deployment…

He was married to an active military US NAVY wife,

AND they had …MY GRANDDAUGHTER!

( She is sooooo cute!)

But he left them behind to live on a ship and PROTECT US!

So how can we say THANK YOU?

We send letters, pictures, stories, and cutsie art projects.

And this MOMMY sends BOXES of COOKIES! 🙂

I try to send things at least once a month.

This month’s ideas…

( Pinterest is GREAT FOR THIS! )

Let’s Talk Turkey

Let’s Talk Turkey

Next Month…… DECEMBER CRAFTIVITIES

Winter Wonderland BUNDLE

Just a little something to remind them of

All of us at home who CARE!

When my son is no longer on a ship…

we send things to friends & family who are

ACTIVE soldiers & sailors.

AND

We send things to the local Veteran’s HOSPITAL.

All who serve and who have served…deserve a THANK YOU!

I searched GOOGLE for a local VA Hospital address…

takes a little searching, but time WELL spent!

ALL will appreciate it.

Parents who cannot ( or are not) with their own kids

appreciate a little art project or note from a child, any child.

A little smile, a little laugh, a warm fuzzy from home.

No need to put names on them.

Here are a few addresses …

To those Veteran’s ( active or inactive )

AND THEIR FAMILIES …

THANK YOU!

Happy Veteran’s Day!

Wendy

NOVEMBER? Already? Don’t BLINK!

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I just LOVE

Kenny Chesney… Don’t Blink

I think he is really, speaking to ME!

As I am singing…no BELTING OUT… his song

( in my car of course…windows up..no one wants to

hear this voice)

“DON’T BLINK”

Don’t blink

Just like that you’re six years old and you take a

nap and you

Wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high

school sweetheart becomes your wife

Don’t blink

You just might miss your babies growing

like mine did

Turning into moms and dads next thing you know

your better half

Of fifty years is there in bed

And you’re praying God takes you instead

Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than

you think

So don’t blink

I can TOTALLY RELATE!

I swear…I just looked at the calendar & it was OCTOBER!

Early OCTOBER!

THEN…WHAM!

Halloween is here..NO..GONE!

and now it is NOVEMBER!

WHERE DID OCTOBER GO??

As I turn the calendar, I realize

I need to slow down

and appreciate ALL that I have in the HERE & NOW!

So, my friends..

BEFORE the Holidays come…55 days to be exact!

Don’t BLINK!

Take a few moments to

STOP! Look around! Remember this MOMENT!

It will be gone in a BLINK!

Enjoy the…

LULL

( Before the RUSH!)

Take a minute, relish the moment, and

ENJOY!

BECAUSE…tomorrow will be here soon enough…

I wonder where I can get a

2024 CALENDAR?

(I better hurry…it will be here SOON!)

HAHAHA

Enjoy your weekend!

Here are a few

“helpers” to get you through the

Nov./Dec. rush!

DON’T BLINK!

Let’s Talk Turkey

Fact Family

Adding 3 numbers

November Vocabulary Banners

The Elves are Working OVERTIME!

Winter Vocabulary Banners

Enjoy!

Wendy

Primary Teachers are Quirky!

3 Replies

Primary Teachers are QUIRKY!

HUH???

Quirky is defined as…

” something that is strange/not normal but cool. Unconventional, surprising, odd.”

You mean ME? I am… ODD?

YES! YOU!

Here are the top 5 reasons PRIMARY Teachers are QUIRKY!

Number one reason Primary teachers are Quirky

We like to “DRESS UP”!

Now in most professions, there is a RULE of PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE.

Profession attire for QUIRKY teachers?

In Teaching…we are a little “QUIRKY”!

Elementary teachers dress up in tutus. QUIRKY?

Minions teacher costumes. Thank You https://teachinginroom6.com

Yo Gabba Gabba! Thank You https://teachinginroom6.com

Character costumes…QUIRKY? Thank You https://teachinginroom6.com

We tend to “go the extra mile!”

And it’s a GOOD thing!

( May have to add that to THING 1 & THING 2).

You get MY drift!

How many TEACHER Tshirts do YOU own?

Do YOU wear SCHOOL shirts on FRIDAY?

Do YOU OWN a Dr. Suess HAT?

Do you DESIRE a pair of shoes or socks that look like a PENCIL?

See? Just a LITTLE QUIRKY!

AND …HEELS???

Who can chase little ones

or grab the glue bottle

before it puddles

on the floor..

in heels?

You see…QUIRKY!

NUmber two things that teachers do that are QUIRKY!

SMELLS..

Who doesn’t LOVE to walk into a room smelling of…

LAVENDER

COFFEE

FLOWERS

COOKIE DOUGH

etc., etc.

We all DO!

And so we PACK IN THE SMELLY STUFF!

Sweet smelling sprays

Air fresheners are NOT QUIRKY!

Quirky teachers make the classroom smell sweeter.

And then …24 LITTLE ONES go outside for RECESS.

AND they come back in…

UGH! Quirky teachers DON”T like the smell of WET PUPPIES!

SMELLING LIKE WET PUPPIES!

UGH!

And SOME of those 6-year-old WET PUPPIES…

NEED DEODORANT!

And so…we retreat to our OLD FRIEND…

Yeah CLOROX!

* in MY district you NOW must obtain a 1 hr. PD and get a “CERTIFICATE” to use CLOROX wipes in the classroom.

A Little QUIRKY!

But…we do what we need to do to survive!

Myself…I prefer cookie dough candles…

JUST ME.

DON’T LIGHT THEM…

JUST SMELL THEM!

Number three for Quirky teachers

Lunch.

A Primary teacher’s lunch is a LITTLE QUIRKY!

First, it has to have pieces that can be held in

ONE HAND!

The Quirky teacher can do more in one lunch period, than most people do ALL DAY!

I always laugh when someone says,

” You HAVE 40 minutes for LUNCH?”

Yeah…after I get 25 kids to the cafeteria.

AND…one doesn’t forget their lunch and we have to walk back & do it AGAIN!

AND…if I don’t have to call a parent.

AND..if I don’t need to run off papers.

AND..if I don’t need to correct spelling tests, prepare the SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS, write a note,

AND…HEAVEN FORBID…

GO TO THE BATHROOM!

( Don’t forget to EAT…it will be ANOTHER 4 hours until you are FREE!)

So…bring a lunch that can be eaten in ONE HAND!

The other hand MAY BE BUSY!

A LITTLE QUIRKY!

Number four for Quirky teachers

DIY? Quirky?

Those DREADED WORDS!

Do It YOURSELF…NEVER! NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

I don’t think I have EVER started a DIY where I didn’t involve someone else!

Thank YOU to my WONDERFUL HUBBY…

He puts up with my QUIRKINESS!

Spray PAINT!

Quirky teachers LOVE NEON SPRAY PAINT! Raise your colored finger!

Did YOU feel your hands get clammy?

How your heart rate INCREASED?

Do you have a smile on YOUR FACE?

NEON SPRAY PAINT!

Do YOU feel the “NEED”…to spray

SOMETHING?

I know..it’s OK…

I think some people are “wired” with it.

The NEED to PAINT!

And we do…

Sterlite drawers

Tool Kits for BRAG TAG drawers

Ahhh..organized storage for ALL. Quirky or NOT!

We will SPRAY EVERYTHING!

And…it’s OK!

( I’m sure SOMEWHERE…there is a 12 step program for this!)

QUIRKY?

YEAH!

Number five for the quirky teacher

Are you QUIRKY about BAGS?

No.Not grocery bags.

I mean BIG, LONG HANDLED, BRIGHTLY COLORED, (maybe) on wheels,

BAGS!

“I Like BIG bags & I cannot lie…”

(I think it’s a SONG)

Me dancing…

Quirky teachers LOVE big bags…and I cannot lie!

Colorful Big Bags!

Organized BIG Bags…be still my heart!

Bags on WHEELS! OH YEAH!

But…

LOOK AT THE BRIGHT COLORS!

We will carry 50-80 POUNDS of STUFF in ONE BAG…

GOTTA keep MY hands FREE!

And not think twice about it.

I AM NOT walking BACK to MY classroom AGAIN!

Yes…I can carry it ALL in one trip!

(Why do my shoulders & my back hurt so much?!)

But LOOK at the BRIGHT COLORS! So cute!

No…I will NOT buy 24 folders at TARGET for 17 cents each!

I just bought the CUTEST “31” BAG.. 🙂

A LITTLE QUIRKY!

And so…

Some of us were meant to be PRIMARY TEACHERS.

AND some are NOT!

To those who are…

HOLD YOUR SPRAYPAINTED FINGER UP HIGH…

WEAR YOUR T-SHIRTS PROUDLY…

AND SMELL the QUIRKINESS in YOUR WORLD!

WELCOME to the CLUB!

If you have HUNG in here for this LONG POST…

Keep GIGGLING…

Here is a FREEBIE for YOU!

Back to School Vocabulary Banner from 1stgradefireworks

Check out OTHER fun things from 1stgradefireworks!

Pin IT! 🙂

Do YOU Dress Up for Halloween?

1 Reply

I hate to wear hats when I dress up.

I don’t like things on my head.

I do enjoy a great laugh.

I want to participate with the group.

I am a TEAM PLAYER.

Grade Level Halloween Costumes

BUT… I don’t dress up for Halloween!

Sreaming Child

There! I said it!

I am the “old teacher” who does NOT dress up for Halloween.

Old Granny

WHY? I dunno.

Just never got “into it”.

The whole “make-up, costume, prop thing” just doesn’t appeal to me.

I don’t get the whole “dress up as someone else”, thing.

DON’T GET ME WRONG!

I love HALLOWEEN!

I dressed my kids up in HOMEMADE costumes AND store-bought costumes.

Halloween Costumes for Kids

They were SO CUTE!

Teachers EVERYWHERE dress up and they are AMAZING!

Teacher Group Costumes

I just can’t do it at school!

My kiddos are NOT allowed to wear costumes to school.

I will NOT, if they cannot.

I wouldn’t dress up, even if THEY could. Sorry, Not me!

Maybe I’ll dress up at home!

A cute T-SHIRT! YES!

Maybe. Maybe not.

Maybe??

So for now… I will live in my “COSTUME”

vicariously through all of YOU on PINTEREST!

This post might help me…

My Fall Dilemma

WOW! CUTE hat!… Maybe… Gotta go…

I think I found a HAT I LIke.

Halloween Hat

Stay tuned. Check out my Instagram.

There may be a HALLOWEEN pic.

Maybe. 🙂

Do YOU “dress up” for Halloween?

Help me out…What do YOU dress up for on HALLOWEEN?

Leave me a comment. 🙂

Wendy

I SEE PUMPKINS! Meet the “little ones”…

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I SEE PUMPKINS! Meet the “little ones”…

My hubby, AKA Farmer Without a Farm, is growing

pumpkins!

In our backyard.

On the fence.

Across the lawn.

In EVERY garden we own!

And FINALLY…Yes, I say FINALLY…

WE HAVE PUMPKINS!

2 to be exact!

Meet the “little ones”.

Clara the colorful…

She is turning ORANGE the fastest.

Sidewinder SAM.

He is growing SIDEWAYS ON my ladder!

Just like the “STEPS” he can take to grow!

HAHAHA

Pumpkin HUMOR 🙂

And this is Junior!

Junior is was growing in our garden at school.

I work at a TITLE 1 school…someone STOLE him!

RIP junior.

You would have made a great PIE! 🙂

To help my FIRSTIES get into the FALL SPIRIT…

I have brought out the FALL GOODIES!

Remember…it’s 95 degrees in NORCAL this week…

hard to feel “FALLISH!”

Fall BUNDLE

Falling for NOUNS ( Common Core Grade 1 )

and

FALL Fluency

BUNDLED TOGETHER to save $$

FALL THEMATIC UNIT

Includes:

Reading-
Reading Passage
Comprehension Printable
Reading Response Printables
Vocabulary Pocket Chart Cards
Poem ( And Cut a part printable )

Writing-
Spelling List Forms
Word Family Charts
HFW Lists
Journal Pages & Covers
Interactive Journal Pages
Flap Book Graphic Organizer

Assessments-
BPST printable
Fluency Assessment
HFW List

Grade 1 / 2

AND…

BRING ON ANYTHING

HALLOWEEN “ish”…

Fact Families

Finally,

MORE TASK CARDS

These are ADDITION ONLY!

Good starting PACKET

Fall ADDITION TASK CARDS

Now…If I could just get the PUMPKINS

CARVE THEMSELVES!

( I Hate the SLIME!)

Oh, well.

Stay COOL my FRIENDS!

Wendy

Trick or Treat! Happy October!

1 Reply

OCTOBER

It’s HERE!

I LOVE OCTOBER!

See my other posts about October.

I See Pumpkins!

Fall Feast

October at the Guided Reading Table

Today I am helping YOU get ready for October.

First, It has it ALL!

October Centers for ELA & Math

Includes:
Syllables…Pocket Chart Picture /Words Cards
Printables Color & B/W
Nouns/Verbs… Picture Cards / Sorting Mat
Printables Color & B/W
Let’s Write… Complete sentences / Fragments
Who? Did What?
Interactive Notebook Page
Close Read / Comprehension Questions
October Writing Paper
Graphic Organizers
HFW BOO Bang! game
Math Centers:
Math Mountains…Printables
Number Bonds…Printables / Booklets
Missing Addends… color & B/W
Fact Families..color & B/W
printables