Birthday Bash 2013!

I don't know about you all, but I am not crazy about cupcakes coming to school for student birthdays.  Our district limits us to four parties a year, which includes birthdays.  I never had the heart to turn sweet parents away holding cupcakes for their little one's birthday.  I would be the worst person ever!  

I was excited when I saw how Rachelle celebrated birthdays.  So, we have had our own un-birthday parties at the end of the year ever since.  She has some super cute ideas and a great packet you get download, too!  Thanks, Rachelle!

I didn't tell my class ahead of time that we were celebrating birthdays so they would be surprised.  They were super confused, which was hilarious!

I got the girls tiaras and the boys birthday hats to wear all day at Dollar Tree.  

They loved writing about their favorite birthday gifts!

 

We played some fun minute-to-win-it games. They started with an oreo on their forehead and had to get it from there to their mouth.  I didn't time them.  This one was pretty entertaining!  You can see the shock of one in the background above when she dropped hers!

The next game called for spaghetti and penne pasta.  They had to get as many pieces of penne on the spaghetti, which was in their mouth, as they could fit.  They could not use their hands!

We had more games to play, but we ran out of time.  Finally, it was cupcake time.  

Funny story about the cupcakes.  I had planned on making them myself the night before, but I just ran out of time preparing lunch for the next day for my student teacher's last day.  So, I told my husband to just swing by a store and pick up two dozen for me.  I got home and saw that the two sets weren't matching, which was fine at this point.  I was looking at one set and thought it had little black dresses on top.  But then, I got to thinking...those weren't dresses!  That's lingerie!!!  He had picked up cupcakes for a bachelorette party!  Only Todd!  Luckily, they were little plastic pieces that I just took off.  I don't know how I would have explained those little numbers to the parents!

Today was our last full day with our students.  I am really going to miss this group.  They have truly been one of my favorite groups.  They were so eager to learn, had such sweet souls, and truly just wanted to make me happy.  Here's to another year!  

Instagram!

I have finally jumped on board the Instagram band wagon for blogs!  I love that I can post things quickly that may not get a chance to make it to a blog post.  I just started our Lemonade Stand account so bear with the small amount of pics so far.  ;)

You can follow me online or you can download the free app from iTunes.  Our username is

thelemonadestandteachers

Or you can click HERE to follow online.

Here's what I have so far:

Every Tuesday, teachers will be posting to Instagram using the hashtag #teachertalktuesday.  You will be able to find lots of Insta ideas for your classroom and everything else!

Be sure to join in the fun!

Sale!!!

Today is the last day of the Teacher Appreciation Sale on Teachers Pay Teachers.  I am super excited about the things in my cart!  You can click {HERE} to visit my little store.  All of my items are 20% off and you can enter the code TAD13 for an additional 10% off.  These are my favorite packs and best sellers.  Happy shopping and happy teacher appreciation week!!!

 

End of the Year FREEBIE!!!

We're down to 11 & 1/2 days until summer!!!! The kids are ready and so are the teachers. We've all worked really hard this year. I created this little freebie as a fun review for my students. They love using technology every chance they get. Hope your students enjoy it too!

Click here to download.

 

Enjoy your last days with your students!!!

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Time!!!

If you don't have this book, order it....TODAY!  Lol!  But seriously, you have to get it.  It's precious!

I have a little literacy unit that goes with it.  Click on the pics below to check it out!  {If you already own it, download the revised file on TPT.  I have updated the graphics and fonts.}  We are all about Cinco de Mayo in my classroom!  We will celebrate on Monday, May 6th.

I found some other super cute activities and decorations on Pinterest.  The links can be found below each image.

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We are headed to McKay's in Nashville this morning.  This is our first time going.  I hope it's worth it and I can find lots of books for my classroom library update!  Have a great weekend, friends!

Standardized Testing Prep and NYC!!!

Hello, sweet friends!  I hope your spring is going well!  We started taking our SAT10 test today.  :(  We have been super busy getting geared up for that and TCAP.

We had our 2nd annual awards night this past week.  We take scores from the past year's tests and give gold and silver medals to those who did well on the test to motivate students for this year's test.  Holly, Rayann, myself, and some other teachers were on the decorating committee.  

The kids were all about walking the red carpet!  We gave out more medals this year than last year, so it was definitely a success!  We also had a big pep rally to get us ready.

We finished our last set of test prep centers this past week.  These activities are geared toward 2nd grade and are in my Springing Into The Test packet.  Click on the pics to check it out.

I just returned this past week from a girls trip to NYC!  We try to go every year or two for the weekend.  I always go with my mom and sister.  This year, our friend, Anna, went with us.  My sister is the blonde in the pics.

We try to do different stuff every time we go.  We have to always go to the Flatiron district.  We ate at Eataly, which I recommend.  It's super good but really crazy busy.

Had to also revisit Serendipity after a long day of shopping in Soho.  What's NYC without a frozen hot chocolate?!

Why am I so happy?  Frozen hot chocolate, of course!!!  I'm not crazy about desserts, but this thing is awesome.  I just can't recreate it at home, either!

This is my cute little mom.  

Here we are at Top of the Rock.  This was my first time to go up there.  I think I could have stayed up there for hours!

Some of my teacher buddies from work also went the same weekend we did.  We met up several times and ate.

I needed a vacation from the vacation!  That city will wear you out!  But I love it!

 If your kids are anything like mine right now, they have some serious spring fever.  Don't forget to check out my Classroom Management Mini-Packet freebie.  Have a great week, everyone!!!