Pinterest Pandemonium

Summer is here! (Well, technically for me it begins at noon tomorrow!) With the arrival of summer I've found myself pinning more and more! I'm not sure if this is just to fill my idle summer months ahead, or if I'm truly just an addict.

Hello, my name is Lee Ann and I'm a pinning addict. Admission is the first step right?

In honor of my addiction (Pinterest and I are approaching our one year anniversary in our relationship, it's the only thing that kept me awake when hubby stuck me on the hotel desk working 3rd shift last summer!) :) (P.S. I'd do it again in a heart beat love!)

I am making a "Best of Pinterest" post this week. These are the best pins I've found recently. You know those things that you ponder making at 1 am, or while your in the shower. :)


Classroom "I Cans"

With the new common core standards we use "I can" statements and I think this would be a perfect way to display them with each unit/lesson. Will do if I have a classroom! (This is where you can insert your prayer that I get a job this summer!)

Organized!!!

I LOVE these simple crates with cups hot glued into the bottom. Since I began teaching, the Dollar General store has mesh metal baskets made for holding picnic items, I've always wanted to use them for supplies for groups, but I'm far too stingy to buy them. I guess this is the next best choice! See lustful baskets below!



Letter/Number Tiles

Okay, so this is the one that is keeping me up at night. (I think not because I want to make it so badly, but because I have no class to put it in place in.) This is the greatest little center activity! You can make each tile with letters or numbers and use them however you like. For the tiny kiddlets, you can do word families, or math problems, and for the bigger kiddos you could use for spelling practice with difficult vocabulary words, maybe even some phonic activities like chunking and prefixes/suffixes. Just thoughts.... WANNA DO THIS SO BAD!

Okay, so here is my Pinterest rant for the week. Now, go make something wonderful, and say a prayer I get a job so I have a reason to make my own!!

Ain't no cure for the Summertime Blues!

Well I've managed to compete one full week of Project Blast and SMARTS camp. These two summer programs offered at our school have been a blast, but have certainly worn me out this week!

We've made some of the CUTEST crafts including drawings on the glass of a picture frame (traced from a coloring page of course) tic-tac-toe boards with painted rocks as their pieces, and today we will finish up with some very cute tin can wind chimes. See pictures below!

       

Fancy Tin Can Wind Chimes

     

        

Tic-Tac-Toe Boards!

Color Hunt in Nature!

We also had a great field trip to the local new station this week as well. We were able to tour the studio, see a live taping of the mid-day news, and some of our kids got to pretend to do the weather! Neat stuff!

We still have one more week of Project Blast next week and we will be focusing on SUMMER FUN!!!! We are going to have a blast next week, and then MY summer gets to start! I cannot wait!

Hubby bought Aaron and I two passes to Beach Bend Park. Think this is a sign he just wants us our of his hair for the summer? I don't think I'll mind going.... Look at this oasis where I'll spend majority of my time!

Gripe

Does anyone else hate cooking? I'm not sure how I have such a love for food, but I LOATHE going to the kitchen and actually making it. (Sometimes- there are those times I don't mind it at all...) 

Hence just this morning, Russ wants bacon and biscuits, yes, a very simple meal, but I just did. not. want. to. fix. it. :(

Well, one pound of bacon, a can of biscuits, and several hasty stomps through the kitchen, breakfast is done, the kitchen is cleaned, and what for dinner is on the horizon.

In other news, I'm busily working on the decorations for my sister-in-laws wedding coming up in July. For all of my ideas, feel free to check out the pin board I made for her wedding. Ninas Pin Board

This week begins my last two weeks of work with school. We have two summer programs going on this coming week, Project Blast is the first, where we'll be focusing on nature & weather this week, an SMARTS camp where we will be covering topics from human anatomy, to nature & weather. Looks to be a promising week with a super fun field trip scheduled for this Thursday!

Schoooooolllllllllsssss Out for Summa!!!!

Well friends, WE. ARE. DONE!!!
I cannot believe it is only mid May and we are OUT of school! (Inset happy dance here!)
All of my summer chores are finished as far as packing up the classroom. My room is spic-n-span clean!

Now that all of the technicalities are out of the way- What are you doing today on this BEAUTIFUL first day of summer?

Please comment below- and since you are reading this post, I hope your answer it not " I sat inside on the computer all day!"

On a related note... in about 3 days, when you run out of things to do, I found another very neat "I'm Bored" buster via my true love, (besides the hubby of course) Pinterest! (Click here to print the items for the jar, click here to see how to make the jar super cute like the one in the picture.)

Check out the activities in this "I'm bored" jar and let me know what you think. 'Till next time... Ta ta!!!

P.S. Wear some sunscreen on these hot sunny days... Nothing is uglier than an old wrinkled lady at the age of 30! :)

Ugh... I'm bored!!!

Okay Friends, you know it's coming! We have 3 days of school left, and those of you who are lucky enough to join me in Project Blast or SMARTS camp, you will have an extra 2 weeks of entertainment... however, those of you are are headed for the hill in a dead sprint, your going to be uttering those words before long.... I'm bored.....

In an effort to help you (and your sweet parents) overcome those times of boredom, I'm posting this link to help keep you entertained.
This is from a pin( Oh Pinterest- how I LOVE YOU!) that I've found, and it may give you at least a few things to do while on your break. Think- if you did 2 a day, that's a BORED free summer!!! Click here to go to the site. (I LOVE numbers 7, 16, 33 and 55.) I challenge you to see just how many of these you can do this summer! Please post comments so we can all share our experiences over the summer!

Enjoy!

Pinterest Post

In honor of my addiction to Pinterest I wanted to share with you all some of my very favorite pins I've come across lately!

Craft Pin: This is the neatest thing! I combines my love of craft + re purposing + manic organization! Perfection!

This is a hanging magnet board made from.... you ready... an old stove burner cover wrapped in fabric! Wa la!! LOVE!












Blog Pin: I'm certainly on the blog kick these days. I've been searching blogs-mostly of the educational kind- to find great tips to make teaching more fun, exciting, and this particular blog is GREAT for organization tips!


To Do Pin: With summer break beginning this Friday- (Yes! Did I just say this Friday? YAY!) I have found several projects I'd like to do around the house, and this is one of them! I love this bird bath bade from an old flowering pot..Cute!


Just for fun: This pin is just super funny. Nothing beats a good ol' Diet Coke, and it's even better if it's in a can!


Go Pin something fab!!

I've been away too long!

In an effort to keep my kiddos learning over their very long summer, (no complaints here for a longer summer vacation) I am linking up my blog with my school website so my students can come here to keep in touch- and most importantly keep learning!

Since my last post, we've covered TONS of content, had an amazing Spring Break practiced On-Demand writing till it was running out our ears, and finally we made it through the first ever new testing for the state of Kentucky using the new Common Core Standards- The KPREP!

In addition to all of that, on a personal note, I've found out that I will no longer have a job for next year. This is okay. I took the 5th grade position mid-year, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to work with these 37 amazing kids! I'm again on the job hunt...No rest for the weary!

Hubby and son are both doing well. Aaron is ready to head for the 3rd grade and I'm thrilled to report he is well above grade level, AND he is going to have the same teacher again next school year. Yay for looping! :)

First up- who has exciting plans for summer? Post about what you plan to do over the summer months! Can’t wait to hear about your plans!