Where's My Mummy?

Here's a fun Halloween book and writing/art activity to go along.  This idea comes from The First Grade Parade.  I love doing an activity to go along with a story and this will be perfect for my 1st graders this year!  The art is made by using a paper plate, a black strip of construction paper and 2 orange circles for the eyes.  Have the kids rip pieces of white paper to create the mummy effect.  The kids then write about what their "mummy" does for them when they get scared. 

Using the same story and idea, here is a variation of the paper plate mummy from Deanna Jump.

What fun Halloween ideas!  Thanks ladies for sharing these ideas.  I'm thinking how cute this would be for a bulletin board display!

Me? A Versatile Blogger?

First of all, if you are a teacher using the Treasures Reading program in your school, and have not yet checked out Just 4 Teachers, you are missing out!  Last year was my school's first year taking on Treasures, and if you have been there before, you know any new change can be a major adjustment.  This year I have been using Debi's poems and ideas to create my own poetry journal for my students and they LOVE it as much as I do!  So there you have it, my HUGE shout out and thanks a TON to Debi for making poetry so much fun.  Recently, she left a comment letting me know that she was awarding me this:

Here are the rules of the award:

*Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
*Share 7 things about yourself.
*Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs.

Well, here goes.... Seven Things About Me!
1.  I am married and have 4 wonderful children ranging in ages 4 - 12.
2.  Only 1 out of my 4 kids were planned!  LOL
3.  I spent 9 1/2  of my childhood years growing up in Saudi Arabia.
4.  I was originally thinking of pursuing a degree in International Business with a minor in Russian.  Boy, am I glad I went in the direction I chose instead!!  I love teaching!
5.  I love everything about FALL! The leaves changing colors, cooler weather, sweaters, football and holidays on their way!

6.  Everything is better with peanut butter!  I seriously add it to my icecream and on top of my pancakes.  Crazy for the stuff!
7.  I have been snorkeling in the Red Sea and floating in the Dead Sea...2 of the coolest places! 
If you think you still need to know more about me...click here.

I am not passing this award on to 15 recently discovered blogs, for the main fact that I still can't seem to leave comments on half the blogs out there that I read...so frustrating.  So even if I were to award 15 people, there would be no way of letting them know.  Darn!  If you are reading this though, consider yourself one of the ones I would have chosen. :)

Pete the Cat

Earlier this year I won the book Pete the Cat from Mrs. Parker.  At that time, I had never heard of the then new children's book, but now it seems it is everywhere.  If you have ever listened to the song that goes along with the story, you would know why.  It is so cute and so catchy!
To begin, I think the most popular thing out there is this Pete the Cat unit from Deanna Jump. 

Can you see why?  You can purchase this entire 70 page download on Mrs. Jump's TpT for just $6.00!

After reading the story to your class, you will need to create a classbook to go along with it, so try this download from Finally in First.

Or from Made For 1st Grade, this classbook:

Mrs. Parker created these darling Pete the Cat puppets using blue paper sacks found at Target.

and her bulletin board idea using Pete the Cat...oh my!

Making Learning Fun has TONS of great printables for the book, including a dot to dot, coloring pages, reader book, math activities and more...

Kindergarten Crayons has SO MANY Pete the Cat printables/downloads, including this great little printable book...

This cut and glue in the right order sentence and draw your own picture page...wow and I call myself a  teacher?  {Nice sentence!  LOL}

(Kindergarten Crayons)

I love this idea of using shapes to create a Pete the Cat.

I also love this pocket chart center idea.  Click HERE to get your own for FREE!

The following ideas were found on Pinterest, so I am not sure where they originate from since the link takes you straight to Scribd.  If you know, please let me know so that I may give credit where it's due.  Anyway...this Pete the Cat school tour idea would be so fun if you used this at the beginning of the year to familiarize your students with the school.  Also, a great color book HERE...I can see it's from Kinderpond, but couldn't find the original post to link to.

Want to have a Pete the Cat classroom mascot?  Head over to Erika Bohrer's First Grade to see how.

From Cecelia Magro, here is a FREE 1st grade math journal download from TpT.

If you are a primary elementary teacher, or a mother of a young child, then this Pete the Cat idea is for you!  Peace, Love and Learning created this FREE unit which motivates your child to want to learn how to tie their shoes so they can join "Pete's Shoe Tying Club".  You have to check it out!

OK and finally, if you are into totally ridiculous birthday parties for your children, you have to read about this Pete the Cat birthday, where "Mr. Eric" (the author himself) was a guest!  You can read more about that at Made During Nap Time.

Hattie and the Fox

Hattie and the Fox is a younger aged children's book, written by Mem Fox.  Hattie tries warning her animal friends that she sees something in the bushes, but nobody pays attention to her, until they realize that what she is saying is true.  Here are a few activities to accompany the story...
I love this tear art project from Bloesem Kids.

Use the animal printables from Hubbards Cupboard to create the masks needed for a reader's theatre.

Discount on School Pictures!

Today was school picture day for me and you know what that means....one hectic morning with my own kids!  Anyway, I thought I would share a tip with all you teachers/school employees reading this post.  Did you know that if you write "faculty" on your {own child's} picture envelope, you only have to pay HALF of the picture price for their picture package?!?  Not all photographers may offer that deal, but asking never hurts!  I love a good deal!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Although I am now about a month into the new school year, I know that for many {primary} teachers Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a favorite for beginning the school year.  If it's not too late...check out these great finds!
From I Heart Crafty Things, start off with this cookie sheet/magnet board of ABC's

 and finish things off with this coconut treat snack.  OH MY!

From Peace, Love and Learning, a FREE counting game download!

The Crafting Chicks shows you how to create your own mini coconut trees using toilet paper rolls, a leaf pattern and foam letters.

oh...and another idea for a snack to follow the book.

Read Together Create Together has this idea for an art project.

Kinder By Kim has the following idea, which I could see using as part of a call book or bulletin board.  What a fun name and letter idea!

This bulletin board idea from Mrs. Jump's Kindergarten Class

Mama Dani's Musings came up with this lapbook for the book.

Along with this art project using an arm for the trunk of the tree, hand prints for the palm leaves, thumb prints for the coconuts and stamps for the letters.

Mama Dani's Musings recently added some ideas for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom 123.

Check out this writing area...using the coconut tree and letter recognition.  I love the lights, unfortunately I don't think I would be allowed to do something like that at my school though.  This picture was sent to me from a reader {Monica}, a pre-k teacher.  Love it!

Tattle Tell

Tomorrow marks the end to my first 2 1/2 weeks of school.  Already I am thinking about how I can address the tattle telling issue.  This summer my kids picked out a book at our public library called Don't Squeal Unless It's A Big Deal. 

This book does a really good job of explaining to the kids the difference between tattling and informing an adult in an emergency!

Another tattling book I came across was A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue...although I must admit that I have never read it.  Looks and sounds cute though!

I totally want/need to make one of these posters and basket. 

If you would prefer a tattling moster over the tattling turtle, here ya go from Giggles Galore...

First, make a monster from an empty Kleenex box.

Then print out one of these signs and Wa-La!  A simple solution!

Grow Up Learning uses the same idea of the Tattling Turtle, but uses a tiger instead.  Super cute!!

Also...Really Roper has a GREAT tattling song on her blog.  Check it out!!

Any other ideas out there I have missed?  I would love to know what all you are doing to address the issue of tattling...either in your classroom or at home with your own children. :)

Chrysanthemum

For the month of September, I am thinking of focusing on Literacy Ideas.  I LOVE integrating subjects and tying everything together.  Sadly, it seems as though the only way to be able to fit art into my schedule (with a jammed pack core and list a mile long of things to fit it...including my reading program Treasures) is to integrate.  Besides, lessons like these are great to have on hand for substitutes and S-L-O-W days!  I have a crate on my back counter with stories & activities just waiting to share with my class this year!
Starting with a back to school book is Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.

From Kinder Kraziness is a free "What's in a Name?" download (1 page) or a 13 page Chrysanthemum unit to print out.

Great ideas, including these name cards from Teaching Heart.

I really don't know where this idea originates from because I found it saved on my computer without a website.  If it's you, please let me know and I will leave a link, otherwise, I had it saved HERE.  Love the compare/contrast idea though!

Crazy For 1st Grade has this great little print out, including a letter to send home to the parents explaining what you are studying.  What a great introduction/get-to-know-you at the beginning of the school year!

First Grade and Fancy Free has a name graph available to print for FREE.  Great way to incorporate that math!

From The First Grade Parade, I L-O-V-E this idea!  Before reading the story, talk about how every student is different and unique and how they all have different names.  Hand a paper heart to one student, and as you read the story aloud to the class, have that students take turn crumpling the heart each time he/she hears and unkind thing being said.  By the end of the story, the heart will look pretty tattered.  Oh my...such a cute idea and great way to start off the year with anti-bullying.  Check out her blog for more instructions and details!

First Grade and Fabulous has a TERRIFIC unit on Chrysanthemum to download for FREE if you are interested.  It is a must have!

Back to School Gifts

Holy-moly-guacamole!  Can you tell that school has started back up for me...along with my cheesy sayings! LOL  I forgot just HOW BUSY the months of August and May are for me.  I am sure whether or not you are a teacher, you probably can relate to the chaos of it all!?!  I know I can't be alone on this!  Anyway...I did have a few back to school ideas to share.  Not so sure if all of you have headed back to school yet.  If so, you can file these ideas away for next year.  If you haven't, then you are in luck! 
From First Grade and Fancy Free, there are 4 different ideas with the printables, making this idea just too easy not to use!  What a fun idea to have these on the students' desks for back to school night or for the first day of school!

2 Clever Blog has a great way to enhance a book given to the teacher.  On the inside cover of the book, trace your child's had and write a little about what you did over the summer.  The girl who gave this gift, fed the monkeys over the summer, so the mom glued a picture of that even inside and chose the book 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.  I love how personal this gift is!  So cute!!

The Crafting Chicks has several great ideas.  If you like the "fry" container, there is a template to make one!

And a tutorial for this little magnet board.  Perfect for getting those notes on the {teacher's} desk out of the way!

From What's the Buzz in 1st comes this simply idea.  Put some Lucky Charms cereal in a baggie and attach one of her FREE downloadable tags!

Good luck to each of you as you enter a new school year!

Great Room Parent Tool!!

When I first began this blog, my primary purpose was to reach out to room parents in hopes of helping them out, since I was new and clueless to being a room mom myself.  I had the hardest time finding ideas (door decorations, parties, and more) so I decided to create my own site to help others in the same boat. Since that time, 3 years ago, I have returned to teaching (1st grade) full time.  My blog still shares ideas and tips for room parents, but it also offers teaching ideas.  I guess that is why my header says "Room Mom 101...where you can find ideas for ALL your school needs".  Hopefully my blog has and does help people do just that.  I feel like it does by all your nice comments and great followers I have now!!  You guys are GREAT!  Anyway...At the beginning of summer, I had the great opportunity of gaining a sponsor for my blog. A representative from Volunteer Spot contacted me in regards to my blog. (You might have noticed the green button in the top right corner of my blog?!?)  She told me all about her site and how it could greatly benefit Room Parents everywhere.

Looking back on being a room mom, one of the most time consuming parts of being was scheduling parents for class volunteers, holiday parties, and conferences. Lost clipboard signup sheets, long ‘reply all’ email chains, and phone tag – ugh! Some room moms give up and end up doing it all themselves. DON’T!
Instead, save time {and sanity} and try out VolunteerSpot's free online sign up sheets – it makes coordinating parents simple and easy! Just a few clicks of your mouse and you can have your class volunteer calendar all set up. Email the parents the link (or put it on your class website), they click and sign up – choosing when they want to read to the class, help at table-time, or what to bring to the class party. Automated reminders help parents keep their commitments and remind you if a parent doesn’t have an email address. Parents can even signup on the go – from their smartphone! It’s so easy it feels like you cheated ;)
VolunteerSpot has terrific free eBooks including a new Classroom Party Guide – with fun ideas throughout the year!
Volunteer Spot has made life much easier for many room parents AND teachers.  Check out some of these comments:

"I'm a HUGE VolunteerSpot fan - we signed up over 350 volunteers and it could NOT have been easier!" ~ Allie, Highlands SummerFest, Atlanta, GA

"Wow! You have saved me hours and hours of emails and phone calls. Thank you, VolunteerSpot!" ~ Joyce F., Kindergarten Homeroom Mom, Farifax, VA

"VolunteerSpot has been the answer to my prayers for an easy way to have parents sign up for a parent-teacher conference!! It was easy to create and easy for parents to use. It really cut down on paper and notes back and forth." ~ Jennifer, 4th Grade Teacher, Apex, NC

I am so excited to have such a great sponsor! They have been great to work with and I absolutely LOVE the idea behind this site.  If this is your year to be your child's room parent, or if you are a teacher looking for a new approach to scheduling conferences, head on over and check out Volunteer Spot!

Magic Playdough

Last night I stumbled across the neatest 1st day of school idea from Jodi at Fun in First.  Maybe you have seen or heard of this idea before, but this was the first time I had and I thought it looked so fun!  It's called "Magic Playdough".


The poem reads "Magic Playdough, oh so white, I make this wish with all my might.  If another color does appear.  We're sure to have a GREAT school year."  Basically, you make your own homemade flour playdough recipe (or head to Fun in First for the included recipe).  Leave it white, but in each portion, add a drop or 2 of food coloring to the middle, but DON'T knead it.  When the student pulls out their playdough and begins to play with it, they will see it change color.  Can you imagine the look on some of the younger students' faces?!?  I swear they would all think I was magic!  LOL  This seems like it would be a fun thing to have on the students' desks at either back to school night or waiting for them on the first day of school.

Jodi also had some other great 1st and 2nd day of school ideas on her blog, including some printables for writing.  Super cute!  Thanks Jodi for being so willing to share!

All About ME

So this post isn't really all about ME, but it is filled with "All About Me" get to know you activities for the first of the school year.

Simply 2nd Resources created this great "All About Me" foldable book.  Check it out to see just how fun it would be to use!  I totally love it!

Here is a FREE "All About Me" poster download from Step Into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons.  She copies this poster onto an 11 x 17 piece of paper so that it is just like the ones you BUY at the store!  What a great freebie.  These posters are always a lot of fun to use around birthday times!

For older grades, you could make one of these All About Me paper bag books!  This ideas is from Mrs. Sloane's Creations.

Your students can create an "All About Me" doll to represent themselves. 

(This idea was found on Dresses N Messes.)