I'm Done!!!! What do I do now?

Early Finisher Tubs worked great in my classroom this last school year. You always have those students who whip right through an activity, and they are ready to move on to the next activity before you can catch your breath. This usually isn't a problem during center time, but what do you do when it's not center time??? I have tubs that I used to call the "Early Finisher Tubs", but thanks to Dee Dee Wills and her blog I stole her great idea to call them "Dessert Tubs". I like this idea because their purpose is to be a quick after dinner treat to keep early finishers engaged, so that the other kiddos can finish. NOT a whole meal 20+ minute free time. Who has time for that with all these standards to teach????
 Anyway.... I made labels for my dessert tubs and I thought I would share them. Just click on the link below. I forgot to take a pic of my students doing their dessert tubs before the school year ended, but I'm  sure you get the idea. Enjoy :)

Click for Dessert Tub labels

What's the Point?

I read this article by Dr. Jean called What's the Point?. When I read it I can really reflect on my teaching, and realize that I need to keep kindergarten fun and exciting for these kiddos. That's why I decided to recreate the article into a chalkboard style printout so that I can frame it for my classroom. I will read on those days when I am so stressed out, and feel like test scores, assessments, and standards are creeping in my classroom a little too much.

Link to get one for your own classroom.

Long Range Plans!

Long range plans are not what you want to think about when you are ending your very busy school year. Trust me I know! All you can think about is sipping margaritas on the beach without all those 5 (now 6) year olds screaming your name all day. However.........It's only a matter of time before you start missing those 5 year old screams, and kicking yourself in the butt that you didn't plan ahead by making long range plans because now you have a million other things to do and who has time for that? Right? Well my grade level did it this year, and we are already feeling a little more stress free to start the school year off. I thought I would share this editable treasure so that you too can be prepared. We carefully planned out all the common core standards so that we will be organized, prepared, and ready for those little kiddos to walk through our doors in August. Who am I kidding? I am I ever ready? I still get nervous after year 10!

Link to Long Range Plans

Mother's Day Tea!
Next week is our annual Mother's Day Tea Party! 

I'm very excited because of all the cuteness that will be going down! 

I will post more later, but I just wanted to add this freebie. 

Click to get your free Mother's Day RSVP card

This Week in Kinder!

Spring Break is next week WOO HOOO!!!!
RL.K.3 is the Common Core Standard I am working on. We also have an Easter/Spring theme going on in kinder-land.  I need a little silliness to get me through this week  so I am going to read Dumb Bunnies Easter. It goes with my theme and the students love it when I read these books. I have created a story map that can be laminated and used whole group. I think I will use it with multiple stories, but we will give it a try with the Dumb Bunnies.  I am also going to give each student one to work on as well. We will work all week on our story map book by doing one or two pages per day. I will read the Easter Bunny's Assistant also when we come back from spring break and have the students work in groups to complete the story map. I will see how it goes this week :)

Please feel free to download it from the link below (it's free yay).

Ms. Murray's TPT store

Glue Sponges!

If you are a kindergarten teacher you probably have heard about glue sponges. Well... years of pulling my hair out over glue sticks and glue bottles clogging are over. I watched Kinder Smorgasboard's youtube video about using small plastic containers which was great! I decided to use school boxes for glue sponges, and they work wonderful!!! Plus you don't have to mess with lids which could lost or misplaced. Just put your sponges in, and pour your glue right over the top. My students use these all year, and I have only had to refill the school boxes with glue two times. I used them last year and they are still going strong this year. Every once in a while I will add some water to keep the moisture going, but don't add too much water because you don't want mold to grow.

WORD FAMILIES!

Do you have a smartboard? I had one in my old classroom. I miss it so much, but I am scheduled to get one in February at my new school this year. I am starting word families this week, and I love having the students use the smartboard to manipulate their word families. I introduce it whole group for a little while and then turn it into a smartboard center. I have a word family check off list as they make each word. Can't wait to do this again with my current kinder kiddos.

SNOWBALLS!

This week in kindergarten we read the book Snowballs for shared reading. The students all brought in "good stuff" as referenced in the book to make their own snowman. They were so engaged in this activity. They were really taking time to design their snowman. I love seeing my students engaged! Compliant is one thing, but engaged is where the magic of teaching happens.

Vowels in Kindergarten!

We just finished our study of vowels. Check out these cute flap books the kids make.