Back to School 5 days of FREEBIES and Linky Parties

First things first, a look ahead...future linky parties I plan to host...
1. 5 Days of Freebies this week only!
2. Classroom Tour
3. 50 Weeks of Picture Inspirations Linky (pics throughout the school year)

Who does not like free things?!?

I don't think I know someone who doesn't...so I am hosting a freebie week for everyone!

Everyday this week I plan on giving away something for free...something I will use for the beginning of the school year.  I thought this may be helpful to new teachers especially!

If you have something you want to give away for free go ahead and link up.  I don't expect people to link up, but thought I would include a link bc there are some people who too, like giving things away to help fellow teachers!

Freebie #1: Supply Labels for Meet the Teacher Night/Back to School

Click on the picture to receive your freebie!

Picture Books and Vacation

I'm baaaack!  Sad to say that...just joking!  I was on vacation for the past 3 weeks, so yes it was hard to get back to reality, but I am ready!  I had the most relaxing vacation, with no worries in mind! It was lovely!  My family and I spent time at my brother and sister's lake house, then headed off to South Carolina.  We visited Charleston and Hilton Head.  It was my first time...it rained the whole time in Charleston, and only for a few days in Hilton Head...I know, I can't complain!  I will include a few of my vacation pics below, after my picture books that I found. While I was on vacation I went shopping of course!  I found a cute Storybook shop and couldn't resist going in...that's definitely the teacher in me! ;)  Anyways, I found a couple of books that intrigued me and thought you might want to check them out as well.  The first one I went ahead and bought and the others I figured I could find on Amazon.  "The Day the Crayons Quit" is a book that inspired me to create a bunch of products for my TPT store.  The other books did as well! The products will deal with learning about colors, letter writing, mapping, friendships, etc....STAY TUNED and look back often to check those out! Take a look at the books I found below!

"The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt

by David Elliot

by Bob Staake

Back to my relaxing vacation... I didn't take pics of the lake, but I did take a few pics of Fort Sumter and Hilton Head.

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter...go check out the website for Fort Sumter.  There is a lot of interesting information and things for teachers.

Hilton Head
This is the home where we stayed, well the back of the house.  It was in the Sea Pines Resort Area.
My brother's coworker owns this house.

This is the house from a distance.  I took it on the path to the ocean.  We were 3 houses down the walking path, to the ocean.  You could still hear the ocean at the house.

I love, love the Spanish Moss in the trees.

The ocean...huge waves.  The guys all went deep sea fishing...you wouldn't believe how many sharks are in the area!

My niece, Kate could not get enough of the water. She loved every bit of it.  At 1 years old, she sure is adventurous!  My brother would take her in the ocean and she loved the waves.  We couldn't get her off the beach! Too cute!

My niece and I...not sure why I wore a long sleeve shirt! LOL it was over 80 degrees the whole time we were there! I love that weather.

My niece again...sorry I love her!  She is such a big girl now!

Ready for the beach!

So relaxing!

Refreshing drinks!

One last look at the ocean...

There you have it...well these were the only pics I had on my phone...there are tons more on the camera!

I wish you all a relaxing summer break...soon school will be starting and we will be back in the swing of things!

How to Record your Screen and Voice using Quicktime Player

Have you ever wondered how people record their voice and screen at the same time?

Well...I created a "How-To" video to help you out!

What do you think? Are there others ways to do this?

Don't forget to follow my blog on BLOGLOVIN!

Happy 4th of July everyone!
xoxo

Record your Screen and Audio using Quick Time Player and Bloglovin

Have you ever wondered how people record their voice and screen at the same time?

Well...I created a "How-To" video to help you out!


http://youtu.be/ERC6zECcFos

Freebie and To Do List Linky

I am linking up with Lorraine over at Fabulous First Grade Froggies for her To Do List Linky.

Here it goes:

1. Finish creating TPT products for the beginning of the school year.

2. Create a new classroom website on blogger (we use to have ours on iweb, but some of us are making a new transition into blogger...shouldn't be much trouble since I already have one.

3. Send my teacher planner off to have tape binding put on it.  Can't wait to get organized!

4. Laminate and cut out my new Chevron Classroom Decor Set.

5. Laminate and cut out my new "I Can Write" bulletin board set.

6. Map out my schedule, look over my long range plans, share my "Back to School" Packet with my teammates. You can find the packet here...

7. Rearrange my classroom.

8. Go to Bradburns: I need fadeless bulletin board paper...I am sure I will find more things to buy!

9. Organize my Word Work Center.

10. Print off beginning of the year letters, all about me, folder cover, wis list, etc....more to add to this list later for meet the teacher night!

11. Create my class wordle and frame it again!  I thought it turned out cute last year and my kids loved trying to find their names...gonna do it again!

12. New curtains??? Hmmm?

13. Makeover my bulletin boards (math board, calendar, writing board)

14. Sit down with team to look over my long range plans that I looked over, first six weeks plan, beginning of the year plans, etc.

15. Number my coat hooks and mailboxes with my colored chevron theme. Switch around my coat hooks?

16. Clean out my closet and shelves.

17. Revamp my listening center.

18. Read all about the new phonics program and read the new Lucy Calkins writing set.

I think this is a good start so I will stop adding to my list of to-dos...do you have similar things to do?
Since we are alreading discussing the beginning of the year to-do list I thought I would give away a free "to-do list".  I created this to help you start checking things off your list!

Go link up!

College or Grad School Anyone? Need to save money on TEXTBOOKS?

Anyone in Grad School or even College for that matter?

I completed grad school a while back, but thought about my fellow coworkers who have to go back to get their Masters...if they don't, their pay will freeze. Yes, FREEZE!  This means, no increase in salary until they get their Masters. Which then led me to think about my younger cousin who is going to college as well.  You will see why below!

I have one coworker who is going through this process right now.  She has 3 children under the age of  eight and her hubby travels for his job quite a bit.  She is now going back to get her Masters because she does not want her salary to freeze. I don't blame her, but could you imagine trying to balance work, family, and grad school?  I know, I know...some of you are going through this right now!  Others are trying to complete college, to get their teaching degree, and trying to find a job.  This all can add up...as well as text book costs.  I know from experience...I have one book that cost over $100 or more for one class...we didn't even use the textbook that much...AGH!  

For those of you going through this process I thought this site might help you out a little, www.campusbookrentals.com...especially when it can come to MONEY! Yes, it all adds up I know!  This site offers affordable textbooks, that you rent.  They even offer FREE SHIPPING BOTH WAYS!  You really should check it out.  They also offer 30 day risk free returns and LIVE customer support.  It doesn't get any better...I find this type of textbook shopping less stressful and more enjoyable...easy too!  They also have a quick search engine that helps you find the books that you need.

Ok so if that isn't awesome enough check out their new program called Rent Back, www.rentbackcom.  It is a new initiative that allows students to rent the textbooks they own to other students.  This is soooo what I needed!!!  It is a great option because it makes the students more money!

One more thing: This company has also partnered with Operation Smile and donated over 1,000 life saving cleft lip surgeries this year to children in need.

I partnered with this site because not only do I love the idea that they have partnered with Operation Smile, but I love the idea of renting textbooks... I still have most of my texts from grad school and have never sold them or even picked them up since I last used them in school.  I WISH I would have known about this site before I bought my books!

So what do you do now?  Go to www.campusbookrentals.com and rent your college or grad school books! It's so easy!  I would love to hear in my comment section about your experience with grade school or college!

Need more info?  Watch this clip!

Happy shopping everyone!

Economics Unit and Linky Paaarties

Economics...

Yes economics can be a lil boring...just my opinion!

However, I changed it around and kicked boredom out the door!

FUN, ENGAGING, and CREATIVE would be the words that I would use to describe my Economics unit. I have been meaning to share my economics unit. A while back I mentioned it in another post and haven't had a chance to further discuss this engaging unit. I absolutely love it and had A LOT of POSITIVE feedback not only from my teammates, but parents and students as well. This unit took about 2-3 weeks to teach, which wasn't too long, but long enough to teach each standard for first grade. Within the unit your students will learn about needs, wants, goods, services, producers, consumers, and opportunity cost. I did not include a full on lesson plan format, but just daily lesson ideas. We all write out or type our plans differently, this is just a way to fit everyone's needs. Do not fret the whole unit is mapped out for you. I even included a parent letter, mini-posters, an invitation, worksheets, book suggestions, lesson ideas, and activities to help teach the economic concepts. It's all there! Whew! Next year I will definitely be ready to teach this unit again. It is so nice to know that it is mapped out. I will just need to add my lesson ideas that were provided in the packet and write them out into my lesson planner. I just love that it is all there! It makes planning and teaching so much easier. Isn't this what we all want?!?!?! Go check it out! If you purchase this item and implement it into your classroom I would love to hear all about it!

I linked up with Sarah from Educasong.  She is having a Bestsellers Linky Party.  Thought this was fitting since I needed to blog about my economics unit.  I included more classroom pics from this unit below.  Scroll all the way down to see how we created the town in my classroom.

Ok so go check out Sarah's blog and link up. Click on her blog title above or her button below.
If you want to join my "Tour My Blog" linky party, click here or the picture below.

Pics from our "Make a Town", economics unit:

Pics from the classroom town...my class named their town "Cardinal Town"....

Freebie: Summer Activities Calendars and June Currently

Happy Summer!!!  Since summer break has officially started I decided to create calendars full of activities for kids. These activities will keep your children engaged and having fun during the summer months!  This freebie includes 3 full calendars and 1 blank calendar.
Click on the picture below to receive your free calendars for the summer!

Example of one calendar...

I am joining Farley and filling out my June Currently....

Listening: I am watching and listening to The Bachelorette...girl night!
Loving: I am loving summer break!  I am so thankful I have this time to relax, have fun, organize my  
             home and classroom, and I could go on and on!
Thinking: I am thinking about my fishing trip in the am. Yes...I love to fish...many are surprised by this!
Wanting:  I am wanting the weather to stay warm and stay sunny.  It has been raining nonstop!
Needing:  Now that it is summer break, I am in need of a mani/pedi! Time to get back in that routine!
3 Vacay Essentials:  I would need my suit, phone, family/friends...if I could add more I would add my  
                         sunglasses, I don't go anywhere without them!  I would also add magazines and bevies!

Don't forget to join my "Tour My Blog" Linky Party! I would love a tour of your blog...I know other bloggers/readers would too!
Click on the link or picture to link up!

Happy Summer Break Ya'll!