Okay...so it has been quite some time since I have shared one of my own ideas, so I thought maybe I should do my part.  

Our fabulous First Grade team of teachers decided to implement a new project with their students this school year for Halloween and it turned out to be a hit.  The students were asked to decorate a pumpkin like their favorite storybook character.  They had to bring the book and their finished pumpkin to school the week prior to Halloween.  All of the pumpkins were displayed in the media center and the entire school voted on their favorites.  The finished products were absolutely adorable.  Some of our favorites were Nemo, Hello Kitty, SpongeBob Squarepants, Spiderman, and The Cat in the Hat.  Here is a few pictures of my daughter (who is in first grade creating her Storybook Character Pumpkin).

Abby Painting her pumpkin...

Abby painting the face of The Cat in the Hat...

We painted whiskers, ears, and a bow...

The final product (without the hat...it was stored in a bin in my classroom).

Here is the final product on display in our school's media center.  I am so proud of my little Abby.  She did an awesome job.

Like I said, this was a great and fun project for the first graders.  You may want to try this next year. 

Happy Pumpkin Designing!

OMG!  A second post from me in a day!  Get out of town!  But, I just had to share what I just discovered.  I am so excited!

As I was searching blogs this morning (while drinking my third cup of coffee and thinking to myself that I really should get started on my weekend duties...you know clean the house...do laundry...feed the kids...etc), I discovered the coolest blog.  You MUST check out...

Teaching Blog Central

This is the answer to all bloggers dreams.  It is a website that connects you to other teaching blogs and it is ORGANIZED BY GRADE LEVEL.   SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!  What a useful tool!

I hope you enjoy this find as much as I have and Happy Blogging!

Happy Saturday all!  It was so nice to sleep in this morning...even if it was only until 7:15.  That is sleeping in for me.  How about you?

Anyway, here are some wonderful ideas that I have found this week while searching some of my favorite blogs.

1.  Marlana over at  Lil' Country Kindergarten has shared a very cute labeling activity just in time for Thanksgiving.  It is free printables to help your students label the parts of the Mayflower.  Marlana is such a creative teacher!

2.  Rachelle and Natalie over at What a Teacher Wants always share some wonderful ideas!  The ladies shared a really cute writing prompt free downloadable titled My Favorite Part of Halloween.  They have it for both primary and upper grades.  Grab it while you can and save it for next year.

3.  Fran at Kindergarten Crayons is amazing. If you haven't yet, you MUST check out her stuff on TPT!  However, she does have a cute freebie on her website to use at Thanksgiving with your little ones to check their beginning sound knowledge.  You can grab it here.  Also, take a look at her pumpkin science activities; they are just as cute.  She is such an awesome teacher and us bloggers are so lucky to have her.

4.  I recently discovered a new blog:  A Teacher's Touch.  Linda has shared some awesome ideas and has lots of freebies for you.  I especially loved her fall songs and free fall patterns.  These freebies are great and just in time for my unit next week on Fall.

5.  I must leave you with probably the funniest teacher story I have ever read.  If you want a GREAT laugh...click on over to A Teeny Tiny Teacher and read Kristen's True Halloween Story.  I laughed so hard my husband heard me and then I had to read it a second time to him.  The first time I laughed; the second time I laughed so hard I cried.  I hope no one ever has anything like this happen to them during their teacher career.  Bless you Kristen for surviving such an ordeal and thanks for sharing!

Well, that's it!  That is my top FIVE for this week.  I might have to up it to my top TEN, because my lists just keep getting longer and longer as I search blogs each night.  Thanks to all those wonderful teachers our their in blogging land!!!

Happy Printing!

Okay...so I may not have the time to post my own ideas, but I sure can find the time to search the world of blogs for great ideas.  Here is what I found...

1.  Marlana over at Lil' Country Kindergarten posted some free downloadable number worksheets a few weeks ago. I love them.  I have used them with my kinders and they are wonderful.  Check them out.

2.  Lindsay and Kerri over at Teacher Bits and Bobs recently shared two wonderful ideas.  First, I just love their color assessment worksheet which is a free download.  It is a quick and easy way to assess your kinders on colors.  Next, I loved their Halloween sorting and graphing free download.  It may be a little late, but it is never too late to save it for next year.  Thanks to both of them for sharing!

3.  Abby at The Inspired Apple shared some great ideas to use with all those pumpkin seeds you probably have sitting around from carving pumpkins.  She even included some cute free downloads.  You don't want to miss out on these ideas.  Abby always inspires me!

4.  Check out the free Thanksgiving printables and black cat puppet at Wild About Kindergarten.  I am always wild about the cute ideas that she posts on her blog.

5.  You can also print out some free Thanksgiving Calendar Cards at Doodle Bugs Teaching.  Kacey always shares some very cute calendar headers for each month.  I just love the cute clip art she uses too.

Well, that is my top 5 for today.  I actually have 5 more great ideas to post...but my bubble bath is calling me.  My husband installed a new jacuzzi tub and I am putting it to good use every night.  It is a great way to unwind after a busy day with little ones.

Happy Teaching!!!

It sure is nice to have so many incredible teachers out there in the blogging world.  Here are a few of my favorite posts from this week.

First, Kathleen over at Growing Kinders have some very cute ideas to help our little ones learn the letters of the alphabet.  Many of these ideas would make great center time activities.  Check them out.

Next, Lindsay and Kerri at Teacher Bits and Bobs have shared some cute bat writing samples and even have a free downloadable bat writing paper.  This idea would be great to use with Stellaluna or any other book about bats.

Then, Kristen at A Teeny Tiny Teacher has shared some adorable stationary to use at your post office center.  It is so nice that she shared these free downloadables as I am sure many of us are always looking for ways to get our kinders to write.

Last, Mrs. Williamson at Mrs. Williamson's Kinders has shared a great science experiment to do with your class called Oozing Pumpkins.  It includes a link to the video created by Steven Spangler that demonstrates what happens during the experiment.  She even has a free downloadable worksheet to use with the experiment.

All of these ideas are so fabulous!  I can't wait to use them with my kinders.  How about you?

Happy Teaching!

I continue to be blown away by all the wonderful teaching blogs that are out there!  And these hard working individuals offer up there ideas for free and even provide us with some incredible downloads that we can use in the classroom.  Teachers truly are some of the most giving people in the world and ask for nothing in return.

First, Pam over at Can Do Kinders has some very cute math ideas just in time for Halloween.  Check out her free downloads which include a free patterning printable using pumpkins.

Next, Tammy from Live, Love, Laugh Everyday in Kindergarten has a adorable Thanksgiving story that you can download.  It includes a great retelling activity to do with the little ones using colored beads and a pipe cleaners.

Lastly, Shannon over at Kindergarten Hoppenings continues to amaze me!  She has shared some great ideas to use with any fall unit and it includes so many free items to download.  I don't know where she finds the time but I am glad that she does and shares it with all of us.

I hope you enjoy these ideas as much as I have and...happy printing!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post.  We are just so busy learning in my classroom that I find it difficult to find time to post.  However, I continue to find time to search other blogs and find some terrific ideas.  Here is one of my favorites.

Shannon over at Kindergarten Hoppenings has some wonderful ideas for teaching kinders during the Halloween season.  The best part is many of her items you can download for free.  She has units on monsters, apples, spiders, and Halloween.  Take a few minutes to check out her blog.  It is awesome!!!