Audio Boom tutorial

It's Fall Y'all!  A new year, a new series of trainings.  I've had so much response to my AudioBoom training, I'm posting my slides here.  

This is a great free app for teachers!  It allows you to record yourself and generate a QR code linked to the recording.  It's so simple, anyone can do it!

Can you say listening centers?!  Tape a QR code to the inside of the book & your students can scan it and listen and follow along in the book.  I use it when I send books to my nephew.  He's an emergent reader and listening and tracking text is part of the learning process.  lol, I also use my dog to bark when it's time to turn the page....I'm sure that helps ramp up the "fun factor."

However you use it, please, please, please give this app a try & let me know how you like it!

#edTech #iTeachToo

October Currently!

YAY!  I't currently time!

I am listening to Grey's Anatomy at the moment.  I am sooooooo excited TGIT is back with new episodes.  I <3 that I now have a reason to watch 3 straight hours of TV on Thursday.

I love this time of year.  Weather is getting cooler <kind of.>  In Texas, fall weather in October means it only gets to the low 80s.  We are in luck this weekend, because the lows are in the 60s!

Yeah....secret....must.not.waiver.  All will be revealed later, or when someone spills the beans (not me!)

OMG> Boots.  Must have.  I am #obsessed with them.  I do limit myself to one pair of boots each fall.....otherwise it's be outta control! These are the ones I'm just itching to buy this season.  I love that they have stretch across the back.  They get so tight when you get multiple layers....I feel like stretch would be more comfortable.  Must. Wait. for Friends and Family Sale.  Must. Wait.

Nuff said.

Last weekend was tons of fun.  All my brothers and I got together and just hung out. No distractions, just our families.  #perfect

We love linking up with Farley each month.
Check out her blog to see what she's up to.

Head Hunters! A sight word game

The art room is officially in full swing!  So many different projects working at one time, but sight words seem to be what we need the most practice on.  Kindergarten and first grade are exploring the Elements of Art....specifically color.  They can verbalize the colors, but most are having trouble identifying the color words.  We are practicing at every turn of our project!  Want to leave? Read a color word!  I literally walk around all day with a different color word around my neck....if they want to ask a question, they have to read the word.  Practice, practice, practice!

Enter the warm up game.  I saw this on Pinterest (see original post here), detailing practice for regular sight words.  Inspired by this game.....

I wanted to use it for our color words.  I whipped up a unit for the art room.  One set is just the primary colors, and the other is the entire color wheel.  Just click on the pics to download it for free!

Head Hunters Game

Set up is easy.  Type your kiddos names in the editable box.  Print out sheets for each student.  Print the word cards on cardstock.  Give each kiddo a word card to tape to their forehead.  They walk around and read the name on their friend's forehead.  Have them draw a line from the student's name to the word they read.  Easy Peasy.

If you'd like the file, just click on either of the pics to download the free file!
Enjoy!

Thanks to Alison at Hurray for FDK for the idea!
#practicemakesperfect

New year, new job!

Quite a bit has changed this year.  I'm out of the classroom, and back to teaching art!!  I am so excited to be back in the art room, and to share what we've been up to.  SKETCHBOOKS!

Our first project this year was a momentous undertaking.  My district decreed that ALL students shall keep a sketchbook.  Great, right?!  Yeah.....one small problem.  I have 1,000 kiddos and no budget. EEK!   I came up with a cost effective (free) solution, that I'd love to share!

First, I took reams of copy paper that we already had (with principal approval) to Office Depot.  Why?  Well, I needed each ream cut in half, and if I did it......it'd probably turn out like a scene from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  Enter Office Depot.  They will cut reams of paper for you!  I did 2 trips, the first time they charged me  .75 cents per ream.  The second trip, I was talking to the manager about why I was cutting all this paper & she cut it all for free!  Thanks @OfficeDepot

Next, I did the same thing with cardstock we already had in the workroom.  I used a different color for each grade level.  Now the assembly.  I had a supply station set up at each table. Everything they'd need.
First, they counted out 50 sheets of copy paper.  We talked about counting in stacks of 10....just in case you lost your count! Then, they made a "sandwich" with the cardstock.  One sheet of white cardstock for the front, and one colored for the back (based on their grade level.)

Next was the straightening & tapping it nicely to make a straight edge.  They were then instructed to find a friend to help clip their book together while they held it.  Surprisingly, they all figured out the alligator help with a short demo!

Now for gluing.  I found a youtube video on binding books & surprisingly good ol' Elmers glue works like magic!  They took a foam brush and a small cup of glue & tap-tap-tap the glue into the spine.  I had them wait a few minutes for it to dry & put on a second coat.  It doesn't need to be sloppy, as long as it gets all the pages on the spine; it will hold.

Last, we put it on the drying rack for it to dry!  To finish it off, I let each class choose a duct tape pattern for the spine.  this is mainly for me to identify any rogue books not in the right place.  With the grade level colored cover + duct tape....it makes for easy identification!  All grades 2nd-5th were able to do this completely independent.  I did make an anchor chart with directions for anyone who forgot, but I was very impressed with their DIY prowess!  I had some 5th grade students come in and help with my Kinder and 1st grade students.

That's it...pretty easy!  How about y'all....any cool cheap sketchbook ideas? #PennyPinching

First Days of School in the Art Room...Second Grade

It's finally here....the first day of school!!  I really think I'm as excited for it as the kids are.  We've been inservice-ing and prepping for our kiddos going on 2 weeks now.  I'm ready, they're ready...I know the parents are ready!

I figure I'd start this school year out with what I'm doing these first weeks of school.  We all know to start with the basics; read them the riot act collaboratively create class expectations. Standard.  Well, what next?

I have 7 grade levels each day, and I'm working on 7 different projects.  I'll try and share one at a time.  First, I'll start with second grade! YAY!  My mighty second-graders will be working in groups to complete a photo scavenger hunt.  They will each be given a list of 20 items and an iPad mini. (I love these cases by i-blason....handles AND kid-proof!

 They are to only take ONE picture of each item.  I told them they can't move on until they complete the item before it--no skipping around.  This is basically just to help me in the reflection/ sharing time.    They will have 15-20 minutes to complete as many items as they can, with ninja-like stealth.  Did I mention I'm letting them out of my room? eek! They will have boundaries--I have to be able to see them AND they can't be distracting.  This leaves them with the hallway outside my room.  Not much freedom, but it sure seems like it when you're 7!!

I'll post the results sometime next week.  If you'd like the list I used, you can find the link to my google drive here.

What are y'all doing these first few weeks of school?

Classroom Reveal!!

It's that time of year again.....teachers everywhere are primping for a new batch of kiddos to come back to school!
I am no different.  I am going to bed dreaming of more projects to start for my room this year!  Sad to say, I have cut myself off.  Finite. Donezo.  No mas.  It is what it is, and I am ok with that.

Now it's time for the good stuff....planning!  But before we get into that, I'll give you a little peek into my new room this year!  I've moved to a new school (literally 4 blocks from my old school.)  I am going to teach art this year *squee*  to kids in Pre-K to 5th grade.  I am so excited to be back in the art game.  Back to loving my job, and not being able to wait to get to work!
Here's what I have so far:

This is part of my counters.  It's where my supplies for each grade level are housed.  I'm not a fan for scrambling for things at the last minute & this helps me plan out my day & make sure I have paper, supplies, and read alouds collected for all my classes.  *Remember my dish rack, er..iPad holder?  It's making a cameo next to 2nd grade supplies!

This is the beginning of my crazy reainbow theme.  I figured I needed to tone down the color, so all my boards are backed with graphic black & white paper.  Note: thanks to our friendly neighborhood Fire Marshall, my poofs are NOT hanging from the ceiling.  Cause bad things happen when you hang things from the ceiling. Clearly.

My big board... #love.  Places to hang each grade level's masterpieces.

I color coded each table this year.  Hopefully that means no fighting over supplies.  #inMyDreams

My focus wall for each grade level by the Smartboard.

GT Icons #holla  I used arrows attached to clothespins to move to whatever our focus icons are that week.

My only group behavior besides Class Dojo.  When they get too loud, I flip a letter.  Lose all three letters, no talkie.

Then my behavior plan.  These are just laminated sheets.  A clip chart is not conducive to 1000 kids.  So, after a warning, I write their name on the yellow.  If the behavior continues...I write the name on red.  Red= note home.  Those are housed above the chart for easy access.  At the end of the day, I note the behavior in my data binder; which helps with documentation if the need arises!

That's it for now.  What about y'all?  What cool things are you doing in your classroom this year?

#iTeachArt