Love Monsters!

I hope it's not too late for a Valentine's post, but I just HAVE to share the simplest, littlest, cutest V-day treat baggie that I made with my class this year. I'm always inspired by all of my wonderful bloggy friends and pinterest. But sometimes, I feel like it's my obligation to commit to a little collaboration. :) I'm not the greatest artist in fact, when I draw, I remind my class of this little fun fact and they love seeing what I come up with. I once drew a family that they said looked like feet and...they were right.

Anywho, check out my love monster below! Feel free to tell me what you think! Mind you, this was just a little idea I came up with like 3 days before Valentine's lol. I have lots of ideas for improvement, but I love him!

 

Here are the materials you need to make a little love monster:

-white paper bags 

-Die cut solid hearts (see feet)

-Die cut open hearts (see hands, the center of the hear is open)

-Two  11" x 2" strips of red/pink construction paper (legs)

-Two 8 1/2" x 2" strips of red/pink construction paper (arms)

-1 large circle template (tracing a large coffee can is recommended)

-1 piece of red construction paper (normal size)

-1 piece of pink construction (normal size)

**Glyph ideas**

So I used the Love Monster as a glyph opportunity. It went something like this

Pink face/red hair: Girls

Red face/pink hair: Boys

6 year olds: Pink arms

7 year olds: Red arms

**Glue on opposite colored hands

LOVE Reading: Pink legs

LOVE Math: Red legs

**Glue on opposite colored feet

Happy Sunday! Here's to a nice, relaxing Monday aka President's Day off! WAHOO!

Common Core GALORE!

Hi Friends!

I'm somewhat snowed in right now, and thoroughly enjoying it. :) Our Library/Media teacher (aka The Information Goddess), recently passed along an AWESOME website to me that I thought I'd share with you. Worried about the common core like me??? Looking to stock your classroom library with books that support and teach the common core standards??? Then, check out Read Works !

Ok, so Read Works aka "The Solution to Reading Comprehension" lists all of the common core reading strategies and skills as well as lesson plans to teach the said strategies/skills/standards for every grade level AND wait, there's more! They even list books to go with each lesson plan/strategy/skill. Holy Moly, what a find! 

Honestly, I was pleased to find several books that I already have included in the 1st grade lessons. But, as we all know, the common core has a heavy focus on nonfiction texts and nonfiction writing. So, after looking at some of the lessons, there are a few nonfiction books that are on my list to locate at libraries or on Amazon over the summer.

Happy Exploring! Hope you enjoy! 

Currently February!

Okay, poor 49ers!!! C'mon guys!!! I never like to see any team take such a hard loss. Here's to hoping they get a few TD's soon. 

So halftime show...Beyonce? Not sure, we sang all of that live-particularly parts of Halo. Just didn't see the vocal chords moving the way they should have on some of those runs. (For those of you that don't know I've played the clarinet classically for over 20 years and toured with Philharmonics. I'm pretty retired now, but music is one of my fortes). On another note (haha), how touching and moving and incredible was Sandy Hook's choir and J. Hudson??? 

Also, please, Please, PUH-LEASE let someone like One Direction get the halftime show next year. I'm tired of watching these mommies (Beyonce and Madonna) pretend to still be young. Dress appropriately, respect yourself, your someone's MOM! Oi vey!

Lastly, my pet peeves babying-we don't need to carry first graders or cuddle them publicly OR make a big deal out of zipping their coat ALL the way up bc their teacher didn't. At this point, not only is this a hw assignment, it is also simply inappropriate! We can walk, we can talk, we CAN zip! We have to develop some independence. Disrespect-nuff said. Since when did it become okay for children to talk back? That was the ULTIMATE crime when I was growing up, I'd never do that. Arguing and talking back is disrespectful, clips WILL be moved down-no questions asked. And EXCUSES!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!! Pets and parents getting sick, bad weather, late arrivals to school are all PARTS of life NOT excuses for lack of self-control and bucket dipping behaviors. In what world is hitting or refusing to do work okay bc you woke up on the wrong side of the bed? Not mine. 

See...these pet peeves get me worked up just thinking about 'em. :)

Oh boy! The lights are out! What will happen nowwww???? Oooohhh...