Monday Made It- Freebie

I have been a busy lady.  I have made so many things for the classroom that I'm almost ready to get back to the classroom to get set up. Umm not really, but my hubby wants his office space back I'm sure.
Click on the picture above to join the party.

Here is a list of things I have made. 

I apologize that the pictures are not the best. It's what I can get done during my son's nap time and with the heat wave. 

1.  Hall passes:  I'm using this from The Brown-Bag Teacher.

2. Where are We at... sign:  I got this one from Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera.

3. Lesson Planner:This lovely creation is from Surfin' Through Second.

4. Sound Check:  I made my own Sound Check banner/ribbon. This is the freebie.  The great chevron is courtesy of The Bubbly Blond. Click on the picture to download it.  Please let me know if you have trouble.  I haven't posted a freebie in a while so I'm not sure it is working properly.

Oh, on the freebie I created two, Ask Me, name tags.  I want to have two students that will be the experts during my Math time.

5. C.O.P.S.- I painted frames with some purple glitter paint that I had around and hot glued them to a ribbon.  This will be placed by my writing workshop banner. I used frames my hubby got me from the thrift store.  Making these with foam would have been a better idea since these are pretty heavy.

6.Box Tops container- I had an old container and someone had this as a freebie. I just can't seem to locate that awesome teacher.

I've used our printer and laminator like never before.  I have games and other classroom decor that needed upgrading.

I've been trying to update my product, Teacher Binder- Flowers.  Last year our computer crashed and I didn't save my clipart or products.  Well I have learned my lesson.  I was able to get the wonderful daisy clip art from the artist in France.  So I've been working on an editable version. Here is a look at my progress.

I finally reached 300 followers but I'm not sure how accurate that is. Over the few years that I've been on and off blogging it is nice to reach that goal. I'd like to do a giveaway, just not sure what you would like.  Any suggestions?

Also I was so happy to see one of my post on Buzzfeed.com- 25 Clever Classroom Tips For Elementary School Teachers.

This week I'll be plugging along on the teacher binder and getting more wonderful ideas from the Monday Made It!

Busy Summer

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My four year old.  Happy Birthday!

I started the summer with a good week of just getting things tidy here at home.  Then we left for California for my nephew's graduation at Stanford and to celebrate my little guy's 4th birthday.  I had a great time visiting with friends and family.  I actually had a dinner date with my husband and it had been years since we have been able to do this.  The babysitters did a great job watching our son.

When we returned my husband got sick then I did.  Not fun at all.  We are finally at the tail end of the cold.  I have so many projects that are on my TO DO list that I hope I can get some completed before I have to go tackle my classroom organization.

My husband and I on our date.

My son and I playing on the laptop.

My guys playing around.

Enjoying the graduation!

The projects I hope to get to when my little guy goes to bed are a jewelry organizer and restroom passes.  I'll post about them soon.

I'm trying to get set up on Bloglovin.  Hopefully it works.

June Currently

Join the Currently linky party by clicking on my currently image.  So excited for this week since we will be reviewing but having an indoor campout all week. I'll take pictures and share our fun.

I can't believe we are already in June.  I'm so happy about it.  It has been a tough year since we had to implement a new reading program that isn't my favorite.  I try to support it but it doesn't allow for differentiation.  As an educator you can see my dilemma. Anyway school morale is at an all time low.  We continue to support our kids and each other.

I should be finishing up my report cards but my son will soon ask me to join him in tower or puzzle play.  I'll have to get to it later.  I'm almost done which is wonderful since my deadline is tomorrow morning.

I have had a wonderful time seeing other teachers with their students on Instagram.  I've enjoyed seeing what they are up to since I can't always blog stalk until the weekend, if I'm lucky.

The giveaway table for teachers is up and starting to get filled in one of our hallways. I'm so ready to get rid of materials I haven't used at all.  Then comes the organization party I need to have on my own.

I haven't been on a vacation in a long time but when I am I just want to be comfortable in the heat and sun.

Can't wait to see what everyone is up to.

A Special Thanks! End of the Year/Teacher Appreciation

Monday Made it is back again on a weekly basis and I'm so excited about that!  I hope it is helpful. Link up by clicking on the image above.

Times have been a little rough for my little family financially.  We are being troopers and trying to get through.  Well since I would love to thank my son's teachers and therapists I decided I'd do it like this.

They will be getting a letter from my family and a small piece of jewelry.  The only way this is possible is because at the beginning of the year I attended a jewelry party for another teacher and signed up to have a party.  Well although I didn't purchase anything for myself this time I was able to get some jewelry because of the great people who bought and attended.

I tried to pick classic pieces that I hope the ladies will love.

I used some inexpensive thank you cards.  What I'll write inside will be:

We appreciate that you leave your halo at home.  It would distract Joshua.

I tried to get Joshua to write his name but he wanted to write the whole alphabet.  So we stuck to just putting Toy Story stickers on the back.

Rock N Learn DVDs - Review and Giveaway!

I had the pleasure of reviewing two Rock N Learn DVDs this week.  I received them from Educents.    Educents currently has these and a few other DVDs on sale. They are up to 38% off. I was not paid to give this review.

I let my students view portions of both DVDs to both review what we have learned in Life Science/Physical Science this year and to get their take on the DVDs.

First, I really enjoyed that the material was easy to understand.  There were sections that I skipped because the students didn't go over plant life cycles this year.  We focused on the butterfly life cycle.  The students enjoyed the game show scenes and loved trying to answer the questions along with the character in the DVD.

Also, the Physical Science DVD did a wonderful job going over the Scientific Method and the States of Matter.  My students enjoyed both DVDs and I thought it would be a great tool to use in the classroom next year to introduce the concepts at my grade level.  It would be a wonderful review as well.

Again some of the portions of the DVDs are not right for my second grade students but some of the portions are just right.

Click on the image above if you want to check out the deal they have on Educents.

I am giving away both the DVDs I was able to watch.  Please enter below.


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My Summer Bucket List Linky Party

What is on your Summer Bucket List?  Join up with these wonderful bloggers and share. Just click on the image after you have checked my bucket list out.

One

I must organize my lovely classroom.  I'm pretty sure I'll be in my classroom and at the same grade level.  I have the tools but just haven't had the time to set up the library like I want it. My filing system is really stacks of paper throughout my desk area.  I can find things but boy it is an eye sore.

Two

Have as much possible fun with this little guy.  We will try and be outdoorsy and social on our budget this summer.   We have been reserved with going to many places since my little guy might get a sensory overload, but we are going to be adventurous. Back yard camping and picnics on our agenda.

Three

I'll actually have time to spend with my hubby.  We can actually have a few lunch dates since our son goes to a year round school.

Four

My hope is that we will make it to the beach when we visit California.  If we don't I want to at least enjoy the outdoors and warm weather while we have it.

Source: Style Me Yesterday

 If I can steal away some time.  I'll have a review of a couple Science DVDs and a giveaway.  I'll be sure to try and keep you all in the loop.

Instagram Fun and Giveaway

I have joined the fun for Teacher Talk Tuesday.  What the Teacher Wants and Apples and ABC's are having gathering the wonderful teacher bloggers to share pictures of our school day.  Click on the image above to get the details and to see their post about it.

I've also joined The Pinspired Teacher with her Photo a Day Teacher Challenge. Click on the image to get the details as well.

To find me you just need to search for littlepiratetreasures.

Can't wait to see what is going on in your classroom.

Oh there is also a great giveaway going on.  Click no the image below to check it out.

May Currently

I finally have a quiet moment to get to the May Currently.
Remember hop on over to Farley's blog to join in. Just click on the image.
Well here is what I'm up to.

Wow, it is nice to have both my guys sleeping in.  We are usually up and hustling our behinds way earlier than this.  

My son is doing wonderfully at school but we have had some tough moments with mini meltdowns. We are working through them. I feel better now knowing about his bedtime routine being a bit tougher since he is having separation issues that most kids do.  I love talking to experienced moms they help me see a much clearer picture.

As always I would love to get organized to the point that I can pinpoint units easily and have everything laid out much easier for me.  I need an organizer to give me a class.  

I would love to go and soak in a hot tub for an evening.  I really need to get my big girl panties on and make this a wonderful last month for my second graders.  I've been trying to keep art, writing and science a great learning experience for them.

I am saving up my money (any change I can find) to make a fund to take my son to as many places I think he will love.  My husband and I have been hermits of sorts because of the fear of having my son get overloaded with sensory input.  We have decided to be cautiously optimistic and just try.  I've developed a thicker skin for dealing "with the public" and now I just need to be focus on my little guys mood.  

Can't wait to check out the other blogs.

Full Moon and Fun

This week was a tough one since my students had a wackadoodle  kind of schedule  because of the testing that was going on in the upper grades.  It made for a long afternoon.

Also the full moon might have had a hand in the naughty behaviors that arose this week.  Luckily my students shined before the moon rose.  I had my wonderful observation by the captain of our ship.  She was cutting it close since the evaluation cut off is the last day of April.

My students continued work on their animal writing and their clay models.  The weather has been so wonderful so picnic lunch maybe in our near future.  Do you do something similar with your class?

My son was able to help some wonderful people complete a certification class on working with swimming students that are diagnosed with ASD.  He had a blast.

As a family we decided to go out and visit the Discovery Museum.  It was perfect for him to interact with all the exhibits.  He didn't want to leave and we only had a small meltdown.  I would love to take my students to that museum. We will most likely have our one field trip a week before school ends. 

Last week my husband and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary.  It has been a wonderful adventure. As you can see we had an intimate family wedding.  Our bagpipe player was wonderful.   

My two gentleman relaxing after a long day.  

 I've decided to join in a challenge to get healthy.  If you are interested just click on the image below to get the details.

I have alphabet activities that I need to post this week.  I have been making more items for my son to work on as the summer nears.  That is all for now.  

Science, Writing and Art, Oh My! and a Giveaway

My students have come back refreshed  for the last quarter.  We are working hard before they leave for the summer. Sorry for the quality of the photographs, they were taken on my phone.  

We have been working on habitats.  I got a donorchoose grant for art supplies and have been able to mix science, writing and art.  The kids have been so excited to express their knowledge through art. It is so wonderful.  

Our first project was a flip book to jot down all our notes about the habitats.  From there we moved on to water colors and wrote poems about the habitat. The ocean one turned out to be an Acrostic poem.  Here are some samples.

My hope is to make a class book for each habitat.  

We still need to do forest.

Now on to our research project.  They are writing about an animal. They worked on each step.  Research, flow map, and now we are on our rough draft.  They are also trying to create their animal in clay.

My students are so creative.  Their creations will be painted when fully dried.

Before I leave the classroom I get to turn off the lights and see their bright butterflies.  What types of art do you do in your class during spring?

On Earth Day we discussed Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  This lovely creativity was on on TpT.  The kids loved it.

Speaking of Earth Day, Educents has teamed up with Conscious Box to bring you a free Conscious Box delivered right to your door!

Consious Box delivers eco- friendly products to your doorstep every month. So this would be a sneak peek at the products you could receive. The giveaway starts at midnight and ends on Sat. April 27th. Your prize will be mailed to you on May 10th.

Also, be aware that you will be added to their mailing list for future giveaways.   

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