Fall in the air and a Linky!!

Hi! It feels like Fall in the North Georgia Mountains and I love it! My husband went by one of the many apple houses we have here in Ellijay and brought me some Mutzu apples.  There is nothing like an Ellijay apple at the beginning of Fall!  And guess what--my friend Cynthia is having a linky party over at the 2nd Grade Pad. You have to check it out. There are loads of freebies!

My Favorite Freebie I have made so far:

 

This is my favorite because:

 I LOVE HALLOWEEN! I guess I love it because it is in fall of  the year and fall is my favorite season. I love the cool air and when the leaves begin to change into beautiful colors. It is so beautiful here in the mountains!

 How to use it:

This can be used as a station, as independent work, group work, small groups, or needs based groups. It would be great for extra practice using capital letters and punctuation with sentences and also as a mini-lesson about safety when trick-or-treating!

Just click on the picture and go to my TpT store and download it! Don't forget to link up your favorite freebie! Just click on the Linky sign and go to Cynthia's blog and join in!

 

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Collective Nouns and a Few Pictures

 Well, I am not keeping up to date with my blog as well as I would like. I seem to stay so busy, and then when I get home, I am so exhausted! Anyway, we have been learning about Collective Nouns this week and I made an Anchor Chart for my kiddos to use throughout the next couple of weeks as we continue our lessons. Check it out! Remember I am no artist, but my kiddos think I am! They kept telling me what great pictures I drew.   Gotta love 'em!

Collective Noun Anchor Chart

  Sorry it is not very bright, my camera was getting low on batteries.  
I also have a couple of more pics to show. One is a bookshelf in my reading corner, I plan on buying some of those wooden or paper mache' letters that spell "Read" and cover them with pretty scrapbook paper. Then I am going to hot glue them onto the big pig hanging over the shelf. What do you think?

Bookshelf in reading corner

I have one more picture to share. This is where I keep my Write the Room Station. My students get a clipboard from the basket and a Write the Room paper and find designated words on the page from all around the room. This is one of their favorite stations.

Write the Room Station

Well, I hope to be able to blog more often as soon as I get in the "groove" of things in my classroom.

I have linked up with Kelly over at Teaching Fourths Fun Friday #2 Linky! Come on over and join in! You can find some great classroom ideas!

A Few New Things in my classroom

Hi! I can't believe I have not been on here since the big TpT Back  to School Sale! I have been super busy with getting my classroom ready and trying to get my head together for the beginning of school!   I don't have pics of my entire classroom as we are in our second full week of school, but I did take a few pics of some new things that I made for my room. Check them out below!

I use this for my classroom jobs. I put the students names on index cards and move them down each day. I want to fix up something cuter, but ran out of time before school, maybe later. 

This pic doesn't show up very well, but of course there are pigs on this behavior chart. I used the ribbon to attach them too and used a magnetic clip to hold it in place. I saw this on pinterest!!

These are the words I put on door to go with my pigs programmed with each student name. P I G S:
Prepared  Intelligent   Growing  Students.. I wanted to put paper on the door, but as I said, I ran out of time. They were thrilled to see their pigs anyway!

I made this from an idea off of pinterest. It is hanging outside my classroom door to let others know where we are at when we leave the room.  I keep forgetting to move it back when we return!! I will have to get used to that!

And last... a dear friend of my daughter made this for me to hang outside my classroom. Don't you love the pig with the bling-bling!! She is so talented and I absolutely love it!  Sorry I have been gone for so long, won't be gone this long again, unless something drastic happens!! Hope you like the pics of some of my new things. I was so excited to have them in my classroom

Happy Wednesday!!

Big TpT Sale and a LINKY Party!!

WooHoo!! It is finally here! The big Back To School Sale at TpT! Not only is everything in my store 20 % off, but you get an extra 10% off if the use the code BTS12!! What an awesome deal! Is you cart already full? Mine is!

Just click on the picture above and go straight to my store!! Have a look around and grab a bargain!

I am joining Cassandra over at Adventures in Room 5 for a linky party! If you want to join in click on the cart.

Here are a few of the things I have in my cart ready to buy!

I have had my eye on this unit from Cynthia Vautrot over at 2nd Grade Pad for some time. After finding out that we would be teaching spelling this year, I knew I would need some activities and guidance with teaching. Cynthia has some awesome games, a bee craftivty, and a bee that is looking for good spellers! I love it! Just click on the picture and it will take you to it. Grab it while it is on sale! Cynthia has over 100 items in her store, so stay a while and shop around. I know you will find somthing you want!!

I also have an item from Patricia Ellis' store, The Original Doodle Bug. It's an All About Me Bag. What a great way to get to know each other!

Just click on the pic and there you are! Check it out(sorry my pic is kinda blurry).

And one more thing I have in my cart!!

This creative writing map gives you all the steps you need and even posters to display. I so need help when it comes to teaching writing. I know this is going to help me accomplish what I want my students to achieve this year! This is from Educational Insights Today and if you click on the picture you will go right to the page so you can purchase it!

Here are a few of the items in my store you might like to see!

TpT  Back to School Sale!! 20% off of my store with an extra 10% off of that with the code

BTS12!!

Happy Shopping!!

If you would like a looky see at some of the other shops that are having sales click on this link and look at the list!

http://ilove1stgrade.blogspot.com/2012/08/blog-post.html

Pinterest Linky!

Hi! Happy Saturday! Sitting here thinking about all the stuff I need to do in my classroom. Although I have a week before I am supposed to go back, I will venture back on Monday so I can get a head start. So much to do!! Anyway, Debbie Clement over at Rainbows Within Reach is having a Pinterst Linky Party. You can find all kinds of teacher pinterest boards!! Click on the picture below and link up!! Lots of great resources!

Oh! Forgot to tell you, I am typing this on my brand new laptop!! Was so excited to finally get one!

More Great Finds!!

Well, yesterday was payday for me, so of course I went to the Walmart. I had to visit the .88 aisle again. I even found a goodie that had been marked down!! Take a look!!

I love to use the giant paper clips in my plan book! I found some colored staples, some cute clips that say today, do, file and ASAP(sorry for the glare, I hope these clips can help me be organized!). I bought a stamp pad and the trays were on sale for $1.00 for 2(thought I could use them in a station, going to put some cute picture on them and modpodge when I decide what game I will use). The hand is an air freshener, because let's be honest, 2nd graders can sometimes be STINKY!!  Then I found this tote basket on sale!!

I bought this for $3.00!! I love it! Don't know what I am going to use it for, maybe carry my books back and forth from school to home(but the only drawback to that is, it will stay in the car because I never bring my stuff in the house when I bring it home!).  I could use it for storing books, do you have any ideas?  Let me know.

    I just finished another back to school theme and posted it to my TpT store. It is called Welcome to a "Moo"-velous Class! Check it out! Click on the picture above and go right to the page! I have added several new items, so check those out while you are there. There is also a freebie! A MOO notebook cover!

Click on the picture and download it for free!!

I hope to be Motivated, Optimistc, and Organized in my classroom this year! But alas, I am the"Pig Lady"! Does anyone have an inspirational idea for PIG that I could use on a notebook cover for my classroom?  Give me yor ideas!!

Can we talk about me?!!

Hi! What a title !! Well Amy Lemons is having a linky party over on her blog. So I joined up to tell a little about myself. Let me see---what secrets do I want to make public--HMMM!

1. I was born blind in my right eye and until about 11 years ago I had 1 green eye and 1 brown eye.

2. About 11 years ago I had to have my right eye removed and now have a prosthetic eye made out of glass or acrylic and so now they are both brown. So don't be sneaking up on me on my blind side!!

3. I am happily married and have been for 36 years to the same man!

                                                 Here we are in England! My absolute favorite vacation!!

This is my grandson.

4. I have a son, a daughter, and a grandson that I love dearly.  We all love to laugh together and have fun.

5. I belong to a local acting theatre and have been in several plays. I think I have found my second calling!! When I retire from teaching, I may take this act on the road!! LOL

This is me playing Mrs. Fezziwig in the play "A Christmas Carol". So far this is my favorite role.



6. I have been teaching for 27 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. I have taught LD/BD, 4th grade, 3rd grade, 1st grade, and now 2nd grade.

7.  At my school I am known as the "Pig Lady" because I have such a collection of pig stuff. That is why my blog is called: 2nd Grade Pig Pen. I still have former students that bring me "pig" gifts!

8. I have sung on the radio before. I started singing in church when I was 4 years old. I had to stand on a piano bench when I sang, so everyone could see me. My family, mama, daddy, and my two older sisters, used to sing together in church while my dad played guitar. I later learned to play the piano and we would sometimes sing while I played.

9. I love to laugh!

10. I love to read and am a BIG Harry Potter fan!!

Well, this is about it. I could probably go on and on and on, but I am sure you have heard enough about me. Now, share something about yourself with all of us bloggers! Go link up with Amy and join in! Just click on the picture below!