Pirate Themed Word Wall Headers

Well, it's official. I am a first-year first grade teacher and I couldn't be happier! My dad spent the past two days helping me set up my classroom and as it turns out, the man has a knack for desk arrangements (unlike his masters-degree, certified daughter. HaHa) There's still a LOT to do in the next two weeks to prepare but I've at least decided upon my theme for the year...pirates!

I've found a lot of great resources to get me started but will be making some of my own things as well that I'm more than willing to share. In fact, attached (click HERE for the link) are the headings for my word wall. I plan on finishing the high frequency word list (on gold coins) later this week, so if you're interested in using these, check back later for free downloads...

 

Desk Fairy

One thing that I learned very quickly about first grade students is that they make a MESS in their desk! Luckily, a really amazing teacher that I know told me that her class has a "desk fairy" that leaves the students a reward at the end of the day if their desk looks nice. You better believe one of the first things I did when I took control of my coop's classroom was implement the desk fairy!

 

I took a picture of a clean, organized desk and uploaded it into Notebook. That way, I just pull up the picture on the Smartboard at the end of the day for students to refer to. Monday-Thursday the mysterious desk fairy left a dollar ("Monarch Money") in each clean desk, but on Fridays the students got something special like a shamrock pencil, sports erasers, hawaiian lei, mini tub of PlayDoh...

It was not only effective (until the pesky leprechaun trashed their desks and the students didn't want to bother cleaning them - oops), but the students loved it! Now that I'm done, my coop teacher is the "mean desk fairy" who makes students with messy desks pull sticks. Nooooot their favorite...

Gimme Gimme Gimme

Heads-up! Fun in First is having a $5 Scrappin Doodles giveaway riiight now. As someone with {zero} cool fonts and clipart graphics, I've got my fingers crossed (xx...see?) Follow the link to enter for yourself!

Oh, and EASTER HAPPINESS to you!

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Twenty Facts

1. I am 23 years old (24 in May).

2. I've been vegetarian since March 2010.

3. I live near the beach.

4. I'm afraid of needles.

5. I love making splatter paintings.

6. I still live at home with my dad.

7. I collect fortunes from chinese cookies.

8. I've been dating Nicholas for 5 years.

9. My favorite band is Paramore.

10. I want to solve a Rubix cube before I die.

11. Going out on the boat is the best.

12. If I don't write lists, I never remember anything.

13. I tweet.

14. I am the most indecisive person everrr.

15. Favorite Color: Purple

16. Chocolate Covered Pretzels. Enough said...

17. I love flying on airplanes! It puts life into perspective for me.
18. I don't feel old enough to have a full-time job yet(?)

19. I can't swallow pills. My vitamins are chewable.

20. I've gone skydiving, backpacking, snorkeling, hot air ballooning, snowboarding, rock climbing, and more...

Animal School

I love this video...really puts things into perspective.

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

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One of my favorite teaching blogs is having a giveaway until Tuesday, featuring Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a plush doll, and suuuuch a cute bag! Head over to First Grade Best to get involved in the action...

A Blog is Born

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Ssooo...

 there I am, scanning the playground on a sunny afternoon, when two of my first graders run up. "Miss S, when you go out in space.. and keep going...does it ever end?!" (Taps the air like she's inside a bubble) "Weeeell astronauts haven't been able to fly out that far, so we don't know if it ends..." (Insert genuinely puzzled look) "But...you're a teacher! You know everything!"

...and thus, the title of my teaching blog!
Ohhh, how cute they are!