Cool Common Core Website

Hello Friends! Just wanted to drop a little line about a website that has free log in for August and September. All items on the site are Common Core aligned. The standards are on the site for grades K-6, and have activities, lessons, Smart Board files, videos, music and all kinds of things linked up. Imagine finding anything you need for any given Common Core standard right at your fingertips (literally!). Go check it out!

http://thecommoncore.us

Hope you enjoy!

First Linky Party Link Up for me!!!

I have linked up with Teaching with Z for a linky party about the first day of Kindergarten. I have to admit that this is only my 2nd year teaching Kindergarten, so my plans are not to MY level of expectation yet...but they are coming along. So...on the to the things that I have planned for our first day...so far. 

As students arrive, our grade level has a color sheet that all students are given to color. It includes the date and our school name. It is really cute...and made with DJ Inkers clip art (link posted below). Generally, parents walk their precious little ones in on the first day of school and we (the teachers) are caught in what I call doorway conferences. 

After we send the parents off to the BooHoo Breakfast, we get down to the fun with the kiddos. I start by welcoming the students with several welcome songs inviting them to the carpet area. We always sing "Good Morning" (I think it is Greg and Steve). As that ends, we sit down and  spend some time discussing our carpet rules. We also go over "Our Promise to Each Other" and talk about classroom rules. Because I believe in keeping the students interested, we get up and sing again...this time Dr. Jean's "Hello, Neighbor", along with a couple of other songs...maybe even an alphabet song/video (from HaveFunTeaching). 

After a couple of songs, I read "First Day Jitters" to the students. We complete an extension activity about why or what they were most scared about before coming to school. This year, I am also going to serve Jitter Juice (Hawaiian Punch and Sprite)...found this on Pinterest! (Gotta love Pinterest)!

We do lots of walking in the halls the first week of school. This is mainly to get the students accustom to where everything is as well as how to walk in the halls. So, we will take a school tour, and learn how to go through the lunch line as well as find our lunch table. We will discuss lunchroom behavior while in the lunchroom. 

We also teach our students how to use their supplies during the first week of school. The first day is the use of their crayons. I found a really cool coloring expectations chart on Pinterest (click on the pic below to find it on Pinterest) this summer, so I will be creating my own to use in my classroom. We also teach our students that they must use at least the same number of colors as they are old...so, if you are 5, you need to use 5 different colors in your picture. 

We also do our first day of Calendar Math (on the SmartBoard only). We will get into the students recording Calendar Math in September. However, this year I am starting Number of the Day...and the students will help and record this activity on their own. 

Our (the teachers) main goals the first couple days of school are to make sure we get the student's fed and back home the correct way. If we accomplish anything else we find ourselves on cloud 9!!! It's like herding cats some days in Kindergarten...especially the first few! Hope this is helpful to someone!

DJ Inkers Coloring Sheet (our version and a blank)

sorry it is not editable...I am just learning some of this stuff!

Have a great first day...whenever yours arrives!

Jen

WILD TIMES...

My life has erupted...I am crazy busy with trying to put my classroom back together (from the floor waxing), get things copied for my classroom, helping the newest member of our grade level (since I was chosen as GL chair...by default...everyone else left!), and answering 5,000 questions about everything under the sun (it feels like!). 

When I returned home from school today, I sat down and my mind and hands wandered to working on my TpT store. So, I have posted several new items. You can get to my store front by clicking here. Here a couple things I posted today!

                       

I am so excited about the new items I posted. I feel like my products are getting better, the more I work on them. The last item is really for 4th grade AL History. It was a fun project that we did during class daily. The students loved and hated it. It was a wonderful classroom management tool as well. 

I have a friend that is using dogs as her classroom theme. So, I am constantly thinking of things that she could use. The dog themed binder covers come in two different organizational mnemonics, the first is D.O.G. which means Daily Organizational Guide. The second (I came up with on my own, thank you very much!) is F.I.D.O. which means For Individual Daily Organization! I am so proud of me for figuring that last one out! I hope you find them as cute as I did!

The F.R.O.G. organizational binder cover means For Really Organized Girls/Guys. I have another Kindergarten friend that is using Flowers and Frogs as her classroom theme. And she is the reason that this binder cover came to mind this afternoon. I sent her a freebie of some personalized name/lunch tags and then thought an organizational binder cover would be cute too! I have also posted a simple frog name tag at my TpT store. The name tags look very similar to the binder cover.

Funny thing is that I am not using either of these themes in my classroom. I am using owls. Luckily, my BFF is using owls too and has already made our organizational binder cover. Whoo...one less thing for me to do! 

I hope I can get my mind back on getting my classroom ready! I will try to post some pics of the room soon! Thanks for playing along tonight! Hop on over to my TpT store and buy something!

Also, please leave a comment and tell me what you think! I would love to have some feedback!

Working Hard???Hardly Working!!!

It is summer time...shouldn't I be playing?? How is it that I am working my hiney off??? I have gotten my self into several new endeavors this summer. One being my TPT store. I am enjoying making things, but don't want to post too many that I have not actually tried in my classroom. I have redone the ReadWell K homework pages. I have made them in two packets...Units 1 to 10 and Units 11 to 20. I hope that if you teach ReadWell K, you find these items useful.

I have also been working on a website with a former principal of mine. It is aligned with Common Core and will be a wealth of resources for teachers and homeschoolers everywhere! When I get the go ahead to link it up I will. It has all kinds of resources...including SmartBoard files, worksheets, website links, songs and videos. You will want to be able to access this when it is complete. We are hoping to release grades k through 5 sometime in August! So, that is what I have been spending most of my time working on.

I am so excited that I will get to reenter my classroom next week. This summer our district decided that our floors needed waxing and I completely agree with them. I am so excited that I will have clean and beautifully waxed floors to welcome all my new Kinder friends. I have so much that I want to get in and change and do in my classroom...so Monday can not get here soon enough. Only problem is that I can't put any of my classroom furniture back in place myself. I am not allowed to lift anything over 10 pounds for about 4 more weeks...since I had to have my gallbladder removed 2 weeks ago. Doc says that MAYBE by the time school starts I can try a few things...but I MUST take it easy. So, I guess I will be giving anyone who is willing a good workout! One day I will be able to return the favor!

Hope you are having a fabulous and fun summer!
Jen

Not so easy after all!

This is not as easy as I wanted it to be! My head is going nuts with ideas! I am trying to slow my brain down so I can actually make some new things. I still have lots of questions...like where does everyone find all these awesome graphics?? I know about Scrappin' Doodles and Thistle Girl...but where else do you find graphics? Also, what are the policies on using their graphics? Does it depend on the graphics maker? Can y'all give me some ideas and feedback?

I have made a cute owl months of the year set for the classroom. It is a freebie, since I used DJ Inkers fonts on the set. Click on the picture below to get to the site to download this set! Enjoy!

Hello Again and a New Freebie

I know it has been a while since I have been here. I had to get my computer updated! Love my brother-in-law! He is my computer guru! I needed to have Publisher added to my computer...my computer is about 7 years old and probably on its last legs! So, I have to be careful and see how much longer I can make it last, while I save some cash to buy a new one! I will be getting another Toshiba...this has been an awesome laptop and I will be purchasing another as soon as I can afford to do so!

 I have a new freebie for those of you using a Doggie Theme in your classroom. It is not alot...but just a little something. It can be found on teachers pay teachers as well. I have placed it in my store there as well! I will try to link my blog and store before too long. I hope to post much more this summer and next school year.

I am also working on a new project with a former principal. It should be great for all of us going to Common Core! This is just sneaky speaky! I will let you know more as we develop our project!

First Upload

Okay so, I am going to try my first upload to my blog. I hope this works.

This is the Unit 5 Kindergarten Homework for Read Well.

Here goes!

6/15/12 I had to change the link since I am selling this work on TpT. 

Blog Changes

I have decided that I am going to change the way that this blog works. I am going to start posting about things that I am making for the classroom for other teachers to use and get ideas. I have been blog stalking a lot lately and I am as creative as some of these other ladies and want to share with others. I also plan on starting to make and sell things in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. My store is not up yet...but I hope to have something in there soon.

Since our school district uses Read Well, I am going to post the homework that I use...that I have made using a template that some of our first grade teachers use. I will try to keep things on the Kindergarten/1st grade level. I hope that I can do this.

I will try to post my first thing tomorrow!

October 24-28

Ms. Messick's Weekly News for October 24-28

Reading - This week we will be learning about the letter w and the sound /w/.

Reading Homework - Please send in the Readwell Collage homework on Friday. Read a book to your child every night.

Library Day- Our library day is on Thursdays. Please make sure your child has their library book and library bag so that they can get a new library book.

Weekly Sight Words - eight, to, do, am

Math - This week we will continue learning how to represent, count, and write number 10.

Fun Friday - No Fun Friday this week!

Friday Uniform - Yellow Wilson Spirit Shirt and Blue Jeans. I will give them their Yellow KIndergarten shirt at school.

Report card will be sent home on Thursday, October 27th.

**Please try to send some candy or small toys for the Fall Festival. We are collecting now!!!**Fall Festival is Thursday from 5:30 - 8 pm.


Pumpkin Patch Field Trip: The information was sent home last Monday. Please send your money in as soon as possible. We have to have ALL MONEY BY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26!

I have not downloaded our pictures from Fun Friday last week, but I will try to do that tonight!

It has been awhile!

Wow! I have not posted in quite awhile here. I have been maintaining my school website, but not my blog. I want to catch you up! We have been having an exceptional school year. We are learning so much. Recently, I took some photos of the kids enjoying one of our SmartBoard activities. I found some songs on YouTube from havefunteaching. Here they are:




My class loves these songs!

We have also been enjoying Fun Fridays. This is a time when a child's parent reads the class a book and plans an activity to go along with the book. In essence the parent becomes the teacher. The kids love having the parents come into the classroom. Here are our first two pictures from Fun Fridays:



We had such fun during both of these Fun Fridays.

At the end of September, we celebrated Johnny Appleseed's Birthday! We made hats and I managed to get the kids to stand together long enough for me to snap a photo. Look how cute they were:



Last week was letter S week. We studied the sound and words that begin with the letter S. While doing that we talked about spiders. The kids totally enjoyed it. We wrapped up the week singing an old time favorite "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". I work with some of the best teachers...Mrs. Griffin came up with this cute house picture for the kids to color...then she added a straw and a spider ring so that our spiders could climb up the water spout. She is so smart. Here is my colored copy:



I love working with the other Kindergarten Teachers...they are all so great!

It will be a busy week full of review and report card testing! I can't believe that this 9 weeks is almost over. Gosh, before we know it, it will be Winter Break! WOW! This year is flying!

Love and Hugs!

First Week Complete...Bring on Week Two!!

Hello families and friends...

We have successfully completed the first week of Kindergarten! It was quite a wild week! We learned ways to use our supplies appropriately. We also learned how to walk in the hallway, get home in the afternoon, and go through the lunch line. We discovered where the office, library, lunchroom, and most important the playground are all located at school. I have a wonderful class full of sweet Kindergarteners that are so eager to learn. That excites me for this school year!

Next week, we will be learning about letter A. We will be most interested in apples and ants. We will also begin our new Math series. We will be doing interactive math using our SmartBoard, since our math books have not come in yet.

I can't wait to spend another week with my class!

Love to all!
Ms. Messick

Welcome to Kindergarten

Well, boys and girls...it is almost that time again. Time to go back to school. I have been very busy this summer getting the classroom ready for you! I am looking forward to meeting each and every one of you! We are going to have such a special year. I hope you are as excited as I am about the beginning of school.

19 more fun filled days of summer...enjoy each of them!

Much Love,
Ms. Messick

November 15th to 19th, 2010

This week we will be learning about the letter Tt. We will be talking alot about turkeys and tigers this week. If you have anything you want to send to share, please feel free to do so...you may also come in an visit or share any time you would like. Please join us in our learning journey.

We will also begin covering our 5 senses this week...touch, taste, smell, hearing, and seeing. I am in search of about 5 glass babyfood jars and lids. If you have any of these, I would love to have them. I am going to make some containers that have items that smell in them. The students will get to smell them items and discuss what they think the smells are in the jars. We will continue to cover the senses for another 2 weeks after the Thanksgiving Break.

In Math, we will be reproducing, predicting, and extending patterns. Students will use concrete items (manipulatives) to reproduce, predict or extend a pattern. Students will also use one-to-one correspondence to count the items in their pattern.

Upcoming Events:

November 19th: Laura Montgomery and Dawn Owens will visit our classroom with a story for American Education Week. We welcome them to our room and look forward to a wonderful story time with them!!

November 22nd to 26th: No School...Thanksgiving Holiday!! Enjoy some turkey!!! Gobble Gobble!!

November 29th to December 3rd: School Book Fair. Please send all money in an envelope labeled "BOOK FAIR"! Thanks!

Sept 14th - Sept 18th, 2009

Quick Note: The Math Test scheduled for this week has been postponed. We have not completed enough material to take the scheduled test. I will let you know as soon as we have rescheduled. I also have activated the file attachments on schoolnotes.com for the AL History and Science study guides. Sorry about the confusion...I am still learning the NEW schoolnotes system.

Homework for the week of Sept. 14th - Sept. 18th:

Beginning the week of Sept. 14th ~ Homework will be checked EVERYDAY!!

Reading: Read for 20 minutes every night. Study the Vocabulary words. They are on the test!

Vocabulary/Word Meaning
wilderness / place that is in a natural state
naturalist / person who studies living things
preserve / save
impressive / amazing
species / type of animal or plant
slopes / sides of a mountain
glacier / huge sheet of ice

Reading Tests are EVERY THURSDAY!


Spelling: M-Write the words in ABC order. Tu-Write the words 5 times in cursive.W-Syllabicate the words. Th-Write a sentence for each word. F-Spelling test at school.

Spelling Words: usual, huge, flute, mood, smooth, threw, afternoon, scooter, juice, cruise, truth, bruise, cruel, excuse, pupil, groove, confuse, humor, duty, curfew, influence, aluminum, nutrition, accumulate, igloo


Words in italics are the challenge words. I have placed several students on a list of 10 words only. I am trying to build their abilities and confidence.

Math: M-page 586-7 #'s 2-16 even Tu-page 49 odds (1-21) W-page 589 odds (3-13) Th-page 51 odds (3-19) F-NONE!!


AL History: M-Read Ch.3, section 1, do Check your words and Check your Reading. Tu- Read section 2, do check your words and check your reading. W-Read section 3, do check your words and check your reading. Th-Complete the rest of your Activity Sheets for sections 1-4.

Science: M- Study for your Chp.2 Test Tu-Reread Chp.3, lesson 1 W-Reread Chp.3, lesson 2 Th-Reread Chp.3, lesson 3.


Looking forward to a wonderful week of learning!

Ms. Messick

Sept. 8th - Sept. 11th, 2009

Welcome to 4th Grade!

A quick note: I realized after the students left today that I had not placed their behavior charts in their Signed Papers folder. As you return the Signed Papers folder, I will place those in and return it to you. I do want you to be able to see what has been going on. Remember that every time I write on the sheet, that is one point off the conduct grade and EVERYONE began at 100.

Homework for the week of Sept. 8th - Sept. 11th:

Tuesday you should receive a Field Trip Permission Slip. Please return that ASAP, we will be going to the Archives building on Friday (9/11) and everyone MUST have that slip turned in to go!

Reading: Read for 20 minutes every night. Study the Vocabulary words (these should come home on the Family Ties sheet each week, with the spelling words). Reading Tests are EVERY THURSDAY! This week our Reading Test will be moved to FRIDAY!

Spelling: M- Tu-Write the words in ABC order. W-Write the words 5 times in cursive. Th-Write a sentence for each word. F-Spelling test at school.

Math: M- Tu-Rounding Worksheet W-Rounding Worksheet Th-Rounding Worksheet F-Rounding Worksheet

AL History: Th-Study Guide should be complete and Chapter 2 test will be Sept. 14th.

Science: W- Study Guide should be complete and Chapter 2 test will be Sept. 15th.

Upcoming School Events:

September 11th-4th Grade Archives Field Trip
September 24th-AL History Section II of Portfolio Due

Have wonderful week!
Ms. Messick

Welcome to 4th Grade!

A quick note: I realized after the students left today that I had not placed their behavior charts in their Signed Papers folder. As you return the Signed Papers folder, I will place those in and return it to you. I do want you to be able to see what has been going on. Remember that every time I write on the sheet, that is one point off the conduct grade and EVERYONE began at 100.

Homework for the week of Aug. 31 - Sept. 4th:

Reading: Read for 20 minutes every night. Study the Vocabulary words (these should come home on the Family Ties sheet each week, with the spelling words). Reading Tests are EVERY THURSDAY!

Spelling: M-Write the words in ABC order. Tu-Write the words 5 times in cursive. W-Syllibacate the words. Th-Write a sentence for each word. F-Spelling test at school.

Math: M- page 31 evens Tu-page 32 odds W-page 585 evens Th-Rounding Worksheet F-Rounding Worksheet

AL History: Test on Wednesday, Sept. 2nd. Study guide was completed on Thursday, Aug. 27th. Check back soon for information on the AL History Portfolio. The first check will be in September. Your student will need a 2-3inch three ring binder and some tab dividers to organize their portfolio.

Science: Tu- Finish defining the Vocabulary Word on page 43.

Upcoming School Events:
September 7th-No school-Labor Day Holiday

Have wonderful week!

Ms. Messick

August 31st-September 4th, 2009

Welcome to 4th Grade!

Homework for the week of Aug. 31 - Sept. 4th:

Reading: Read for 20 minutes every night. Study the Vocabulary words (these should come home on the Family Ties sheet each week, with the spelling words). Reading Tests are EVERY THURSDAY!

Spelling: M-Write the words in ABC order. Tu-Write the words 5 times in cursive. W-Syllibacate the words. Th-Write a sentence for each word. F-Spelling test at school.

Math: M- Tu- W- Th- F-

AL History: Test on Wednesday, Sept. 2nd. Study guide was completed on Thursday, Aug. 27th. Check back soon for information on the AL History Portfolio. The first check will be in October. Your student will need a 2-3inch three ring binder and some tab dividers to organize their portfolio.

Science:

Upcoming School Events:

September 7th-No school-Labor Day Holiday

Have wonderful week!
Ms. Messick

Welcome Back to School!!

Welcome to 4th Grade!

This is an extra page that I post information on. Typically, the information found here is the same as that found on Schoolnotes. I know that some of you have access to Schoolnotes at work and will not be able to access a blog. Either place will be an excellent place to find out homework information as well as be able to contact me. I look forward to working with both you and your student this school year. Please feel free to contact me as I am here to help you and keep you informed of your child's progress in school.

The address to my schoolnotes site is http://new.schoolnotes.com/msjmessick/

Thank you,
Ms. Messick

May 18 - 22, 2009

WOW!! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful class and wonderful parents. This past week I was completely overwhelmed with your kindness and generosity. Each flower, note, sweet treat and gift was very much appreciated! I can't thank each of you enough for making me feel so special. I also want to thank the PTA who served the faculty lunch on Thursday and to Sarah Sheffield who came and kept the children while I went to the luncheon. You all are the BEST! Thank you so much!!

I can't believe that there are only 7 days of school left...is seems as though we just started last week. I am so very impressed and excited how far all of these students have come this year. I truly believe that all of these student will go very far in life. I have been blessed with an amazing group of students this year. I am so sad to see them go, but I am very confident that they will do well in 2nd grade.

We had Honor's Day today. Every student took home an award. If you were not able to attend, please check the B.E.E. book, where you should find your child's award.

This week will consist of some work. Although, I will not take any grades this week. We will be taking care of some make up work and trying to complete those last assessments prior to moving to 2nd grade. If you have questions or need any information, please feel free to contact me.

I spoke with Mrs. Green today, there will not be an end of the year party. We will have ice cream on the last day of school as a treat. I hope that you can make it to school that day and enjoy ice cream with us!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
May 22nd: Grades must be posted.
May 25th: Memorial Day Holiday - No School!
May 28th: Last Day for Students!
May 29th: Teacher Workday!
May 30th: 1st day of summer...for me! WOOHOO!!

Thank you for all that you have done this year!
Ms. Messick

Slideshow for this year...so far!