New Adventures for the New Year

I'm so excited about this new blog I've gotten involved in. Erika from The Honey Bunch has started a new blog called The Best Endings (You can check out the button on my sidebar.). This blog is all about books which are some of favorite things. I love to read and am always looking for new books to read. Anyway, check out my post over at The Best Endings and all my other blogging friends who are contributors.


Speaking of reading books, I'm reading The Daily 5 on my kindle. I've read almost the whole book. I still have 2 chapters left. I can't wait to start this new adventure in my classroom. I've taken copious notes and I've been working it out in my head. I have a few questions for those that use Daily 5.

•  Are there other Kindergarten teachers out there who use Daily 5? (Any of you live in Tennessee so I can come observe.)
• Do you do any other literacy centers or do you just use Daily 5?
• Where does your basal fit into Daily 5 or do you abandon it all together?
• How much time do you spend on Daily 5 each day?
• Do you do other writing workshop time?
• How did you set up their book boxes the first time?
• If you do this in kindergarten, what kids of materials do you use? It isn't always easy to find on level reading material.

Right now I'm just going to work on introducing Read to Self. Once that gets going I'm really wanting to introduce Read to someone. I'm not sure about the other components yet. I will have my students again next year in first grade and I think I can definitely get it all up and running then.
This is the idea of how I want this to be structured:
1. Mini-lesson on Comprehension skill with a read aloud
    A session of Daily 5
2. Mini - lesson on Phonics and Phonemic Awareness
    A session of Daily 5
3. Mini lesson on Writing and Grammar
    A session of Daily 5
I'm trying to figure out where I'm going to fit in some fluency practice. I attended this great workshop about fluency and I'm super excited to try some of his ideas. I hope to post something about these ideas in the future. I'm thinking that Read to Someone and Read to Self might be the best ways to fit in fluency practice. This would also tie into the kinds of things kids have in their book boxes.  I would appreciate any advice, suggestions, or tips that you have. I would love to have someone to bounce ideas off of so if anyone is interested in that, please let me know. Leave me a comment or email me kheinrich9@gmail.com

100 followers Giveaway

I'm so excited that I've reached 100 followers and right before the new year. I've only had my blog for about 6 months and it has changed so much about the way I teach. I have really come to love this community that I've become a part of. There is so much support and so many great ideas out there. I'm excited to continue this journey into the new year. So to get the new year started off right I'm having a giveaway.
You can win a lanyard and lotion all hand made by a friend of mine who has a craft shop here in Gatlinburg. The name of her shop is Rocky Flats Pottery and she makes awesome stuff. She's willing to make a lanyard with whatever colors you want. I have a purple one and love it. Although my id is broken in half so I haven't been wearing it as much.

You can also win my Cupcake Math pack from my teacher's notebook store.

Here's how to enter.
1. First entry is to just follow my blog and leave me a comment telling me you follow it.
2. Another entry can be earned by following my Teacher's Notebook store.Leave me a comment tell me you made it a favorite.

3. A third entry can be earned by liking my friend Alison's store Rocky Flats Pottery on Facebook. Click here to like and then tell me that you did so by leaving a comment.

The contest will be over on Saturday January 7th. Happy New Year and Happy blogging!

11 in 11 linky party

I'm super excited to get to participate in this linky party finally. After going to church last night, I'm finally able to share my exciting news.  11. Favorite movie you watched
I have no idea what my favorite movie watched is. I haven't seen The Help yet and I feel like the only person out there who hasn't. It's on my netflix list. Chris and I watch a lot of super hero movies. I really liked Captain America.

10. Favorite TV Series
I love Burn Notice, Closer, NCIS, Madmen, Criminal Minds. Are you sensing a pattern here? I love crime shows and spy shows. My fiance (did you catch that change in how I'm referring to him?) banned me from all murder shows during the holidays. At least when he was around. I've still watched a lot of these shows when he's not around. I'm like Mrs. Coe at Little Miss Kindergarten and really like Jerseylicious too. 


9. Favorite Restraunt
Mellow Mushroom is probably my favorite. Or Little Tokyo. They know Chris and I at Little Tokyo because we frequent it so much. 


8. Favorite New thing you tried
Part of me wants to say blogging but it's not really a new thing. I've been blogging for a while but this is the first time I've been really successful at it. Well, I think it's successful. I'm only one follower away from 100. But I think creating materials for my class and sharing them with others is my favorite thing I've tried. I really enjoy creating new materials and using clip art. I wish I was artistic enough for creating my own clip art. I haven't been that successful selling anything but I hope that people have used my freebies and it's helped them in their classroom.


7. Favorite Gift I received

On the Friday before Christmas, my boyfriend took me up to where we first went on a hike and proposed to me. It was the best Christmas present ever. He picked out the ring all himself and it was perfect. We had a very busy Christmas of telling his family and my family. We don't have any dates set yet. His parents are leaving in a couple of weeks to be missionaries in Africa. I don't think I can wait for them to come back. I'm ready to get married to the love of my life.

6. Favorite thing you've pinned

I pinned a lot of different things that I loved. I enjoyed making some of the things I've pinned for Christmas presents. I also enjoy trying different recipes I've found. This is my favorite recipe I've pinned and made. 

They were delicious. This is a pin of my favorite craft project I made. I didn't quite follow the directions on it but I was making bracelets instead. I made several of them for Christmas presents and they were a big hit.

5. Favorite Blog Post 

I really don't know what blog post is my favorite that I wrote. I just write about what is going on in my classroom in hopes that someone can benefit from it.

4. Favorite Accomplishment
I think my favorite accomplishment is just being willing to try to new things in my classroom. I've been working really hard on being positive this year and trying to be a positive influence at my school. I started a prayer group at school and I'm pretty proud of that. I think it's helping to create a more supportive environment amid all the changes and difficulties we're faced with as teachers.

3. Favorite Picture

This is the other love of my life my sweet niece Sophie. She's 16 months old and is the funniest, sweetest child I've met. I love her to pieces. She's a lot like me. It cracks me up. She loves books, paper, and is fiercely independent. We have had a ton of fun playing together this Christmas. 

2. Favorite Memory
My engagement is going to be one of my favorite memories of my life and this year. I'm also just loving this past year that I've spent with Chris. We've camped, hiked, eaten and just spent a lot of time together. He's the best thing that has happened to me. He believes in me and supports me through all the new things I'm trying. My brain is always going 90 to nothing about school stuff or church stuff. Chris does a pretty good job trying to keep up with all my random thoughts.

1. Goals for 2010 
I've already posted my New Year's resolutions. I hope to get more organized this year, try Daily 5 and run more.

Goals for the New Semester!

There are several linky parties I'm wanting to partcipate in. I can't wait to do Kristin and Hadar's 11 in 11 party. But my answer to some of the questions I still can't share in the cyber world yet. (I know I'm being really mysterious and I don't want to be. I'm busting at the seems to share my great news with my blogging friends.)
So I've been wanting to post about my goals for school for the upcoming semester and I thought I'd join the party at A Teacher's Treasure and include my resolutions in general.

 

My personal  resolutions are:

1. To start running again and get healthy. My mom and I are joining Weight Watchers in January and I miss running a lot. So I'm not setting a weight loss goal but just trying to get healthy. My stomach has hated me the past few weeks with all the junk I've been eating.

2. To get organized and clean. I have pinned a ton of things on pinterest about cleaning schedules and being organized and I really need to get on it. I've lived by myself for the past 8 years and now that my boyfriend spends a lot of time at my house I need to do a better job of keeping things clean.

3. To have quiet time in the mornings - I was doing really well with reading my Bible and praying every morning before school until the last week of school. I just need to get back in the habit. It's the best way for me to start my day.

My professional resolutions are:

1. I want to start Daily 5 this semester. I downloaded the book on my brand new kindle on Christmas day and I'm almost half way through it. I plan on introducing a little at a time in hopes of having the structures in place when I have my kids in first grade next year. 

2. Working on writing workshop type of structure in my class as well. I have been slowly adding in more writing in my class and I hope that this will tie in with Daily 5 as well. 

3. Tailoring lessons and groups more to my students' needs rather than trying to do what is always expected of me. I want to really use the common core to guide my instruction and where my students are at.

My blogging resolutions:

1. To blog 3 or 4 times a week.

2. To offer a freebie once a week

3. To create a unit for Teacher's notebook every 6 weeks ( I have not been successful with Teacher's notebook so far but I need to finance my addiction to buying stuff.)

I'm only 5 followers away from 100. Once I reach 100 followers I plan on having a giveaway. So if you're just checking me out and not a follower yet, please consider following me or at lease leaving me a comment. I love getting comments.

Top 3 Blog post of 2011 and Holly Bloggy Linky Party

I'm joining the linky party over at Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas about my top 3 blog posts of the year. (Really it's 6 months. I've only had my blog since July.)

My top three posts are all from other linky parties.
1.Color Week Activities  _ There are a variety of activities to use when teaching colors with some freebies included.
2. Recipe Linky Party from Growing Kinders. - This was my first linky party I participated in. Aww. This is still one of my favorite quick recipes. So check it out if you are looking for something easy to make for dinner when school starts back.
3. What's in my School Bag linky party - This was one of my favorite linky parties from The Inspired Apple. It was a lot of fun to see what everyone had in their teacher bags.

I'm trying to post a little more often and I still have some exciting news but I can't share it yet. I had the best Christmas as an adult this year. I loved what I got from my Holly Bloggy Christmas partner. It was Hadar over at Miss Kindergarten. I can't find the pictures of what I made my blogging partner, Stacie Guerra. I made her a sign, some binder clips, book marks, and a Christmas ornament. I hope she loved it. I don't think she has a blog. I really enjoyed participating in this fun. I especially loved winning the new blog makeover. I love it!
 Check out Kindergarten Korner to see what everyone got.

Merry Christmas to All!

I have some exciting news I'll be sharing after Christmas is over. So be sure to check back after you enjoy your time with your family and friends.

The border is one From the Ponds and the clipart is from scrappin doodles.

Recipe Linky Party

It is obvious I'm on Christmas break since I'm participating in linky parties two days in a row. Jennifer at Rowdy in First Grade is having a holiday recipe party. She made a cute recipe card to use. So I'm including my recipe for a cheese ball. This is something I kind of made up using a friend's recipe. Hope you enjoy. It's easy and yummy.

Check out the other recipes at Rowdy in First Grade.