Classroom Reveal: It's SUPER!

Happy beginning of the school year! I *think* I finally have gotten my school groove on enough to blog about my new classroom. I am sure I am preaching to the choir but starting back to school and getting back into the groove is ex*haus*ting!!!

I LOVE this!! I feel like this every day. It's a good tired because I love my class but it's beginning of the year tired. You get it! I know! 

We have a new block schedule that I am getting used to and just feel I can't fit everything into my day like I did last year so that has really thrown me for a loop. And my class is split for special area so I feel a little disconnected from the special area teachers that I really love. I am sure the stars and planets are also misaligned that is also adding to my loss of class/school mojo, too! LOL! I'll get there! 

What I do LOVE is my class! I say that every year and I am lucky to have another great group of kids to love on for the next 180 (now 170) days. I am SUPER excited to have created a super hero classroom for them! Now, I will have to admit that I am not a super hero aficionado (my hubby and kids are) but I thought, I could incorporate so much with character ed into it, too! Kids also love super heroes and they were so excited to see the decorations in my room! I didn't take pictures of everything in my classroom-- just a few! We've been busy! Here's just a few highlights! 

This bulletin board is outside my door. I used 2 Super Teacher's Clipart, typed their names on the kids,  and made buildings with construction paper. Very easy to do! 

This is also in my hallway and perhaps my favourite! I wanted to create a "Metropolis" feel to my classroom so I wanted a "city" of some sorts so I built this city! LOL!  I used reposition-able black vinyl to make this city. It was a 2-man job as one person had to be on the bottom to remove the backing and the other person had to be standing above you to hold the vinyl taut to make sure it didn't bubble. I linked you to the one I bought (I love Amazon Prime!!) as it was a perfect width for what I was making. If you plan on doing this, I would make sure you get the one that is removable as there are ones that are "permanent". It can get pricey. I looked at Michael's for this type of roll and it was way expensive for the amount I needed to use. I still have more than half a roll left! There are rolls with less footage but I didn't want to make a mistake and not have any leftover. 

My table signs! My husband said that they needed a cape! So each table lantern has a cape! It's hilarious! 

Super words for super kids! 

You can download my Superhero Creeds for free {HERE}! 

I love my little job chart! 

I love the idea of this little pocket on the back of the job cards to hold the little super heroes my kids made! 

I did not give them a pattern for these little heroes! They moaned and groaned about it but they did it and they are as CUTE as can be!! I only gave them a head and arms! I love the cape on the little guy on the left! So clever!!! 

I love the idea of ten frame days in school. The kids are loving it, too!! 

You can see more of my Super Hero Decor at my TPT store {HERE}. Tons of cuteness to make your classroom super! 

As always, here is our annual picture! I say it time and time again! I love these girls! They make coming to school worth it. No matter what stinky thing our district may do, we always have each other and I am so thankful for them. Some of us have been teaching together for 10 years and I think that is amazing! Here's to many more years together! Love you ladies! 

I hope you are having a great start to your year. Or if you are gearing up for your year to start, best of luck with all your preparations! 

Stay tuned for my blog series on starting Student Data Notebooks. I am very excited to share with you how I have set them up and how you and your students can best use them! 

Take care! 

Classroom Reveal!

Yesterday was my 12th Meet the Teacher! I must say it was the hottest one I ever had. 

HOT. As in temperature,

We had no AC in the whole school!!

Yeah... I know! LOL! You cannot control these things and we did the best we could! 

I was so excited to meet my new babies this year in my new classroom theme: Under the Sea! I tried to create an underwater theme in my room without breaking my budget (which we all know as teacher is very hard to do!). Luckily I was able to reuse some of the things I already had in my room! It came out fabulous! I could not be any happier! 

My bulletin board outside my room. I do this board every year. Nothing fancy here! Just some bulletin board paper and imagination! I really love learning about oceans-- in fact it's a personal favourite of mine! It's a theme I usually do at the end of the year but since it's my theme this year, it will be one I will incorporate all year! 

Who knew these would have multiple uses??

I wanted my kids to feel like they were walking through seaweed so I just took leftover grass skirt material (I found them at the Dollar Tree! So easy to cut and made great seaweed.)

View from my doorway. Again, I cut up the grass skirts into strips and hung them from my ceiling. I realize that some of you may not be able to hang stuff from the ceiling. So sorry! 

My math focus board. I put some of the math strategy posters from my Math Strategies Poster pack. I do not intend to display all of them at once. I will change them as we focus on one or two strategies at a time but for now, I wanted to put "something" up! 

A view of my ABC line! I couldn't wait to put this up! It's part of my Ocean Decor set!! It's a combo of ocean and beach! Just brightens up my room! 

Number line and class rules! They are eye level with the kids when they sit on my carpet and serves as a great reminder for them! You can download my Reef Rules Posters for free here.

My class library-- "School of Readers". These fish are from Creative Teaching Press and each have my student's names on them. Too cute!!  I bought my net from Oriental Trading. I've had it for so long-- there are a few tears but I think that makes it authentic! 

Reading Counts Board. I laminated the point cards so that I just have to write on them and done! No more cut outs and moving pieces! You can download them for free here. 

Reading Beach Library

Isn't this fabulous?? I found the tutorial from Party City. It was super easy to do once I got all the pieces I needed. Several hot glue mishaps (may have burned off my fingerprints, too! ha!) and I love my masterpiece! 

A close up of my blow fish! Just took some lanterns and cut some fish parts. Again, easy and reused things I already had! 

I love my manta ray! You can't see it but it's hanging over my desk. I took some black foam board and seriously, just free handed it. I know-- I'm like that. I work off lines of symmetry and drew what it would look like (first on scrap paper and cut it out as a sample) and then I cut my ray one half at a time from the foam board. That's why you see some tape on his tail (that, and my little one broke his tail! LOL!). After I cut them out, I taped them together. I had intended for the wings to be uplifted once hung on my ceiling but didn't work out that way. I still love it! 

Finally, my team this year! I love these girls! I come to school every day knowing that I have true besties that work with me. They are like my sisters and I am so blessed to be with them! Could not ask for a better team to teach with. I love them! 

So, that is my looonnnggg classroom reveal! Hope you gathered some ideas for your class! School starts Monday for me! 

Have a great week! 

Orange Ya' Glad It's a Blog Hop! Back to School Edition!!!

Yes! We're back for a brand new "edition" and I am the 

on this hop!! Hopefully you have met some new and fabulous bloggers along the way and have picked up some great freebies and products! I have two products to share with you today. The first is HOT off the presses and it's my Rockin' and Rollin' with First Graders Pack! When I saw the clip art and the mini logo "Don't Stop Believin'!" I fell in *love* and knew I had to buy it and create something with it! This is a fun packet that will help you with your firsties (and some kinders maybe at the end of the year or 2nd graders) with some beginning of the year skills and some of the titles may bring back some musical memories for you: 

It's a fun and engaging packet for your students! I like the all about me writing for the beginning of year because they really are our little rock stars!! 

Your freebie on this hop is a center that will accompany this set:

It is a telling time to the hour and half hour skill. I have included the "I Can" directions sheet for you. To get my freebie, make sure you "Like" my First Grade and Flip Flops Page on Facebook. Look for the 

and you're in!!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope you had fun! Your next stop is 

xxxxxx

If you'd like to go back to the beginning of the hop, please click on Tamara's button!!

Loving Wisdom for New Teacher

Hello, Dear Friends! Today I am linking up with a sweet bloggy friend, Deb Thomas from 

with her annual linky, "Loving Wisdom for New Teachers"! This will be my 10th year teaching and although I have been teaching for a while, I still find new things to learn each day! But for today I celebrate you, new teachers, as you embark on one of the most self-less professions. It is a wonderful profession and one that I come home each day knowing that I make a difference. So, here are my words of wisdom to you:

As you make your last minute preparations on your new classrooms, remember that it will be alright! Always remember to take time for yourselves (even I have a hard time with that!). Find a nice mentor teacher to help you out that first year-- that will make all the difference-- trust me (and if you can't find one-- ask me!! I'll help you!)! All the best to you!!! You can do it and you will do great! 

Lots of love to you!

If you want to link up and see more advice, just click on Deb's button above!