Day 1 in Classroom

Here are some pics of what I did in an hour and a half. The custodians moved all the furniture back in, so I did:

1. Student desk arrangement
2. Laminated a lot of things
3. Organized supplies
4. Setup 2 out of 6 computers

Take a look! I will be back Sunday with highlights from the IB conference!

Classroom Day zero?

Currently there is no furniture in my room. I have been told, though, that it will be in there today. I want to try and get a few things done before I go to Austin tomorrow.

I am so excited to be attending another IB conference. This one is all about Inquiry in the classroom. I will tell you all about it when I get back.

Here is a picture of my room right now on day zero.

Made-It Monday~!

Hey all!  It's my favorite day of the week again!  Tara, I just have to think you so much for making Mondays exciting!!  (Did I just say that?  :D)  I have truly enjoyed not only making my own things, but getting inspiration from teachers all over the world.

If you're interested in linking up with Tara's Made-It Monday or you're simply curious about what other teachers are doing click here

School Made-It

1. Labels

I have been wanting to make my own math manipulative labels and organizational labels for a long time.  Then I read Kristin's post yesterday from Ladybug's Teacher Files and I thought.  Hers are super duper cute.  Why spend my time reinventing the wheel right?  Well, there's only one problem.  My kids have Mandarin Chinese as one of their specials.  So I used her as inspiration and made a Mandarin Chinese label.

I fully intend on buying every single thing in Kristin's store.  I just love her new Bright & Clear decor!  If you're interested in the hype that is Kristin please visit her blog here.

I also wanted to take a dab at creating some math manipulative labels.  Here's what I have so far:

So those cover most of the math manipulatives that I use in 3rd grade. There are so many cute labels already out there, but I wanted to create something in my pink and lime green color scheme.  Plus I really like how the black makes it pop.

I have also started working on strategy cards for the CAFE/CRAFT/FACE board.  Here's a preview:

So before this weekend, I had never really made labels before so I'm just playing around with it.  I am trying to make things I will actually use though.  So many times I see things on Pinterest and my cuteness alarm goes off before my brain has a chance to say "You would never use that!"  Haha.

Home Made-It

Collage Wall

Nate and I currently live in a two bedroom apartment.  While we have lived here for over two years, our walls are primarily white with no decoration.  I have calendars up and a few pictures, but all too often I am staring at white walls.

Well,  as most of you know I am engaged and getting married in Maui in June.  We just got the prints back from our engagement pictures, and all I could think about was this...

Source: elegantlyeclectic.tumblr.com via Courtney on Pinterest

AND THIS....

Source: potterybarn.com via Courtney on Pinterest

\ AND THIS!

Source: tatertotsandjello.com via Courtney on Pinterest

AND THIS!

Source: smallchichome.com via Courtney on Pinterest

So remember this from the other day?

All those 50 cent things from the Dollar Spot at Target!  And all of these frames that were on sale?

Well this is the finished product...drumroll please!!

I know it's nothing you would ever find on pinterest.  BUT  total cost including decorations, prints, frames, thumbtacks, cork board = $11.34

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Besides my wall in the apartment, I really haven't done anything major for school in the past week.  I'm kind of realizing that summer is passing me by.  It seems between blogging, wedding planning, and classroom decor so many hours pass by.  Don't get me room, I'm having a fabulous summer, I just need to remind myself to stop and smell the fiancee or appreciate time with loved roses.  :D  Or something like that.

Happy Monday!

Cupcake Theme!

I am linking up with Corinna from Surfin' Through Second today.  This linky is all about Classroom Themes and providing inspiration to one another.

My theme for the past year has been cupcakes with a hot pink/lime green twist.  I'm not changing any time soon because I have so many cupcake things!!  Plus I still love them!  Also, there's not a lot in the school decor market for them so it kind of makes it more unique.  So here are pictures of things I've made, bought, found, etc.

Because it's 1:15 a.m. I'm just going to put pictures up - if you have any questions about where I got something just leave a comment!

 Vista Print Creations

 Purchases

 Decor In the Classroom

*Notice all bulletin boards have cupcake fabric. 

 Notice pink and green!

This is just more of pink and green color scheme. 

There have been several notebooks, sticky notes, pens that have all been cupcake theme that I have picked up over the year.  I also have some etsy inspired things that I posted about last summer.  See that post here.

Fabulous Find Friday!

Today I'm linking up with Elizabeth at Fun in 4b for Fabulous Find Friday!  It's all about shopping and blogging about those great finds for your home or classroom!  Shopping is so therapeutic isn't it?  Every time I go shopping, especially to Target, I feel like all of life's problems are minimized as soon as I walk in the door.  Of course recently, it has been because they have air conditioning, but in all seriousness, it just does something for the mind.

So everything I found today is from Target.  Now I have seen other bloggers' purchases from the Dollar Spot recently: purple table pocket charts, dry erase boards, everything school supply.  Well my Target is a little behind the times.  They as of today put most of the Dollar Spot at 50% off to clear out space with the goal of getting the school supplies stocked and ready to be in there on Sunday.  (Yes I even asked a Target employee).  So you know I will be there at 9:59 a.m. on Sunday morning.  But wait, 50% off in the dollar section?!!! YES please!  There were still some things that were not marked down, but most of the things I got were!  So here are some pictures!

 Items from Target

• 4 corkboard squares - $4.99
• Green Thumbtacks - $3.49
• Relax and Welcome Signs - $.50 each

So I know the cork boards and the thumbtacks weren't really cheap, but one of my projects  for the next Monday-Made It is redoing my wall and making a cork board/picture frame collage area.  Plus I saw the "relax" sign and the "Friends are Always Welcome" in the dollar spot for 50 cents and I needed somewhere to hang them right?

 Items from Target

• 4 corkboard squares - $4.99
• Green Thumbtacks - $3.49
• Dream, Faith, Hope Sign - $.50 
• Hanging To-Do List - $1

I just love the teal and orange color scheme, don't you?! And I just love the to-do list.  They actually had 4 different color schemes and I took them all.  You will see the other three below. 

 You can see the two cork boards here.  I haven't hung the other two yet or any of the picture frames.  And YES my cat likes to sit in front of the monitor.  It makes it hard to blog!  :)

 Target Dollar Spot Goodies

 Same stuff different picture

***Notice the spray bottle and the pink/green/orangey things right on top of them.
Those are frame magnets.  I will probably use those to hold up pictures on my filing cabinet or cute pitnerest quotes.  The water bottle spray bottle will either be for "quiet juice" or to water my apt. plants.  Haha.  I didnt' take a close-up of those two objects.  Both items were $1 each.

 Pen/Pencil holders.   

I bought 5 black and white polka dot holders.  I'm not sure exactly where these will be, but I am re-thinking student supplies.  I have been using Clutter Free Classroom's Setting Up the Classroom Posts as inspiration along with Kristen @ Ladybug Teacher Files.  I am thinking of having caddies or plastic organizers on the counters for markers, glue, etc.  I thought I could definitely find somewhere for these!  

As for the 2 pencil holders that allow for pictures (the pink one and a black and white polka dot one you can't see in this picture), I'm thinking something like this in my writing center. 

Source: mrsrojasteaches.blogspot.com via Courtney on Pinterest

I also read this post from CFC today about student number cards.  I really like the idea of having numbered cards by the homework bins and then students take them out when they turn in their homework.  Maybe those sticks could go in here?  I don't know - any other cute ideas?

Target Dollar Spot Finds in this picture

• Navy/Orange Letter Stickers
• Beige/Black/White Alphabet stickers
• Navy/Orange Beach stickers
• Flower magnets
• Lint Roller
• Humungo Pink Clothepin
• Black and white polka dot magnetic to-do list
• Flower/Aqua magnetic to-do list

I like the letter stickers.  I don't know what I'll use them for: decorating frames, word work, magnets. 
I was thinking of using the beach stickers to accent my cork boards since they have a beach theme to them.  Or I might keep them and add them to the wedding scrapbook after we get married in Maui next summer.
The pink and aqua flowers are magnets.  I will most likely use those on the whiteboard or on my filing cabinet to hold up notes, agendas, etc.
The lint roller is self-explanatory. We needed one!
The humungo pink clothespin.  I have seen them used on gifts to hold bows and so forth.  That is cute.  I could also find something to hot glue it to...Hm...
The two magnetic to-do lists.  Now you will notice that these two are magnetic but the other one from before hung by a ribbon.  Don't you just love how they differentiate for you!?  Like I said before, I couldn't pick just one!  I will most likely gift these to teacher friends since I already have my framed to do list at school.

 Target Dollar Spot

Another To-Do list!  This one is hung by ribbon.  I liked it because it not only as a spot for the days of the week but also a to do side.  I picked it up because the black and yellow daisy theme is so in right now.  I was thinking of putting these on the board behind my reading table to monitor reading group activity during the week?  

 Target Dollar Spot

So these are little round magnetic containers.  I know I saw somewhere where a teacher was using something similar to these to hold counters for math.  I like that idea.  I was also thinking of cutting letters off of cardboard cereal and cracker boxes, putting them in here, magnetizing them to an individual whiteboard and using them for Word Work.  I could also use them to hold thumb tacks on the whiteboard.  Do you guys have any other ideas?

I also can't resist new hair ties!  Especially 50 cent ones!

Target Dollar Spot

These are pretty self-explanatory.  Sorry the picture is sideways.  One is for time, the other two are for multiplication and division practice.  Actually, they can be used for all four operations.  I will use these for math workshop.  I need to get cute plastic containers to put these in now! 

Target Dollar Spot

I have no idea why this picture is upside down.  Oh well, you get the idea.  This is another 50 cent pack of beach stickers. The table cloth all bright colored and fun will most likely cover one of my counters in the classroom or possible a table.  I like the idea of having table cloths and lamps to make things cozy!

So how much did I spend??

$36.54 :D  It would've been $25 without the cork boards and the thumb tacks but oh well.  I am so excited about that, because I didn't just get stuff for school.  (Remember I have two other cork boards with decorations you still haven't seen that were included in the price).  I would show you those, but alas I will not ruin Monday for you.  But to help you figure costs, there are 5 decorative pieces that were 50 cents a piece that haven't been seen.  So only $2.50 isn't  shown here.  But yeah!  I was really happy with that!

On a non-teacher note......

Some pictures of me and the Mr!

Happy Weekend!!