Technology FAIL!

Hi Friends! My Internet service has been very cranky lately and so have I so I haven't been able to get on blogger long enough to get a post finished! So, I'm crossing my fingers and this is going to be short and sweet...

Thanks to all of you who have become new followers! I have a bunch of new people and I'm thankful you're here!

Here's a little freebie for you! I've wanted to make a book hospital for about two years quite some time, so here it is finally. Just print this label and stick it to a tub. Kids can put the hurt books there so they can be fixed up as soon as I get a parent helper to do it for me right away!  Click on the picture and save it.

 

I hope everyone is having a fabulous summer!  Have a great week!
♥Corinna

Summer Planning Scavenger Hunt Giveaway!

 

Happy Saturday, Everybody!  Have you joined in the Summer Planning Giveaway Scavenger hunt for awesome freebie prizes?  If not, be sure to grab my secret word button below (and be sure to follow my blog with Bloglovin' by clicking the heart-shaped button to the left)!   Everybody wins prizes in this one!  If this is your first stop on the Summer Planning Scavenger Hunt, be sure to visit Erin, our scavenger hunt hostess at I'm Lovin' Lit for more details and links to the other stops in the hunt.   Here is the item I've donated to the giveaway: Hollywood Star of the Week

 In case you missed the post telling how I use these in class, here it is.  I send home the parent letter with one boy and girl who will be the Stars the following week. I have new students go earlier in the year so we can get to know them. Then, I "randomly" choose students for the rest of the year (but I have my shy kids and kids who need to make new friends go first--don't tell!). On Mondays, the Stars share their posters that they worked on over the previous weekend. They are also allowed to bring a special item for sharing. This is a big deal because the kids don't get to share toys or things like that normally—only items related to what we're learning in class. Each day of the week the kids have the option to share other items or stories about their hobbies, families, etc... On Thursday, the class writes a page to go in a book that each Star gets. Usually, kids write compliments or tell why they like the Star. The writing is just priceless.“Hanna, I thenk yu are beeyutifol.” Then, at the end of the week, the stories are collected and bound into a book for each Star to take home. The kids LOVE this! Even the shy kids want to talk about themselves! I laminate the posters, 3-hole punch them, and bind them with binder rings. The Star of the Week big book is by far the favorite buddy reading choice in class! 

In addition to the Hollywood Star of the Week pack, I also have created an Ocean/Beach themed Oceanographer of the Week (it includes some variations--Sea Star of the Week and Big Fish of the Week).

You may also be interested in my Jungle themed Explorer of the Week Packet.

Have fun planning for your school year, and thanks for stopping by!   Be sure to hop through all of the blogs to get your scavenger hunt words for free goodies!  Leave a little love in the comment section if you like your freebies!  Have a great weekend! 

♥Corinna

It's My One Year Blogiversary!!!

It is my Blogiversary!  Or, at least it was when I started this post a few days ago… Haha! I never thought that I would learn so much and “meet” so many great teachers when I started this blog.  I really didn’t know if anyone would ever see and read it.  It was so exciting when I started getting visitors that were not just my Mama and teammates.  J  It was so great to find other teachers that were really crazy about teaching and more than a little OCD about creating amazing materials to use with kiddos in the classroom.  It feels so good to have a virtual, online team that will share ideas, answer questions, and make you feel like a million bucks even on your worst day.  So, without further ado, here are some people who made me feel welcome in the Blogosphere.  Lisa R. from Learning is Something to Treasure who was one of my first readers to leave me a comment and make me feel fabulous!  Delighted from First Grade Delight was also one of my first visitors.  Alisha from First Grade Follies and Heather from Heathers Heart were there from the start, too.  Another person to visit my weeks-old blog was Marie, from The Hands on Teacher In First.  Marie was so kind as to tell me how I could leave a comment with a hyperlink back to my blog instead of having to type it all out!  It was such a great tip for a beginning blogger!  As  I blogged more and joined in some linky parties, I found two of my favorite people that I haven’t met yet—Leslie from The Groovy Teacher and Crystal from Mrs. Jones’ Junction!  I love their blogs and I wish that we all worked at the same school.  It would be fabulous!  Go and check out their blogs in case you’ve missed out!

Now for my giveaway winners!  The winner of my new product giveaway, is Cheryl Hoff!    The winners of my Blog’Lovin’ giveaway are listed to the right -->
 Ladies, contact me with your choice of item from my store and I’ll send it to you right away.  Thanks for entering and following everybody!

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

♥Corinna