Spring Craftivity

I just posted this fun craft. I did this back when I taught first grade and just got my spring stuff out. It was too cute not to share! 

The students are asked to create a spring creature. I had mostly bunnies and chicks, but one student made a lizard. I also really like how creative the students were, I love the floppy ear pink bunny. I also like the chick in a nest. 

The activity after creating an animal is to brain storm adjectives about the creature/animal. Then the student is to write a story about it or a poem about it. 

My product can be found here TPT or here TN! 

Happy Spring! My spring break is coming to an end. However I will be leaving for Washington DC next week! I hope you all had/have a great break!

Teacher's Notebook

I just started my Teacher's Notebook store. I am still getting a feel for it! Please stop by and have a look : https://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/teachinginbroncocountry!

Minecraft!

Minecraft is the biggest craze at our school! We have a Minecraft club and it is all the students talk about.

We created a Minecraft table for our silent auction.

Did you know about Minecraft Edu? This was recommended to me from our tech guy at school. It incorporates Minecraft in the classroom. It crosses Social Studies and Math with the potential to grow in to all subject areas! Check it out here http://minecraftedu.com/page/

My latest creation for Teachers Pay Teachers is Minecraft inspired. I know that as we near the end of the school student engagement needs a facelift.  I created a writing review unit that is Minecraft inspired. I talked to my students and even played the game to figure it out and make it as Minecraft aligned as I could.  Please check it out here.

On another note I am on spring break! I am looking forward to relaxing and creating! 

I have been busy!

Last week I blogged about the loss of a student. This is something that my students are still working to come to terms with. I feel that it has caused me as the teacher to stop and appreciate my students even more and it has bonded us. Before that I wanted to blog about all that I have been up to.

Here  it is!

My sweet girls turned one last week! Its hard to believe that it has been a year! We threw a big party with over 50 people. I turned to pinterest and made it my own. I was thrilled with the results and I had to share.

We made the hats and bibs using inspiration from Etsy. I am lucky to have a crafty mom. I was big on having a dessert table. I got cakes from Nothing Bundt Cake. If you have never had one and have the chance do it!!!!! Then I made a time capsule for the girls to open in 2033. People were asked to bring items for it that represented this year. We got some Duck Dynasty, Grammy CDs, People Magazines and some wonderful personalized items. 

Here are some close ups of the dessert bar and the stat posters. I also had people vote which parent they thought the girls looked like. I found pictures of my husband and I around the same age of the girls. It was fun to see the results. 

Here are my sweet girls. They really seemed to enjoy the party! They loved the smash cake too, also from Nothing Bundt Cake. It was a great day! It also took most of my free time for the month of February I am planning on using that time for creating for TPT now!

I did recently create a product that was so fun to see my kids work on. My Heritage Project this was designed to enrich my students learning about immigration. They did wonderful!!! Here is some of their great work:

Last but not least we have been working on our silent auction item. I thought long and hard about it and tried to come up with something the kids would be excited about. We are in the process of making a Minecraft Creeper table. We got a little table and then Mod Podged the paper squares on the table. The kids are so excited about it. The next step is painting the bottom green. I will post pictures soon. 

Okay, I think you are caught up for now! 

My Hardest Day Teaching

I have been away for awhile. I have spent my extra time planning the perfect 1st birthday for my sweet girls. It was a hit and I had planned on blogging about it now that I am back to life post party.

Instead today I am asking for prayers for my class and for the family that doesn't get to hug their kiddo goodnight tonight. We lost a classmate unexpectedly over the weekend. Being the bearer of this news for my students was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. But this isn't about me. Its about my 26, 8-9 year olds that are dealing, at a very young age, with the lost of a friend. Its about his parents and siblings that do not have him anymore.

The purpose of this post is to share because this blog is about all things teaching (Even the worst parts) but today I ask you for prayers for his family and my students.  I would appreciate any suggestions on how to support my students in this time.