Elephant and Piggie Craftivity , a Math Center Giveaway , and Digital Paper Half Off

I received the nicest comment a few days ago regarding my Elephant and Piggie Craftivity FREEBIE.  I was not only excited to hear the thank you from another teacher but it was also neat to hear about the great story that went with it.

 

TPT User:This activity just saved my life. dd's Discount donated 472 books to our school and every kindergarten class received 4 Piggie and Elephant books. I was trying to think of a cute thank you project for the store, and THIS IS PERFECT. Thank you!

 

 

Comments like these are the reason I started blogging!  I love to share the things I make for my own classroom knowing they are helping another teacher save time and money. 

 

If you would like to download Elephant and Piggie just click Here. 

This week I finished a project I started last spring called "Math ANYTIME Centers, Stations, or Pocket Charts".   I will give one of these away to the first person to leave a comment.  I am also having a sale and you can pick up this pack of 10+ Common Core Aligned Math Centers for just $3.80 through the end of today by clicking here.

Finally today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite places to shop on Etsy for Digital Paper and frames.  Robin Sampson from Digi Scrap Delights always has the cutest items in her store.  She is also so sweet to work with if you ever have a question.  She is also having a sale through the end of today.  Did I say I LOVE her cute creations?  Just click to shop and save!!!!

Happy Sunday Everyone!  Here's to another great week!

Alison

Fall Freebies

Fall is definetly in the air and after last weeks post for  my "fall addition color by number freebie" I decided that I had to do something more with Krista's adorable clip art.  As the result of the fall wind storm blowing through my head, here are a few more fall freebies for you to enjoy.

 

 

 

If you have freebies you would like to share please remember to link up with

 

 

Happy Fall!

Alison

 

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Fall Math Freebie , Reading Strategies Bookmark Freebie, and Hello

I'm just popping in to say hellooooo and post a couple of freebies.  The weather here in Southern Illinois has finally started to feel like fall so with the help of Krista Wallden's ADORABLE clip art I made this Scarecrow Math Freebie just for you. 

I have had many request to make a reading strategies bookmark to go with my reading strategies posters so here it is in two colors. 

 

Well friends it is Thursday night and at my house that means "The Big Bang" will be on soon.  So..... I'm off to help with homework and get the littlest in bed.  Happy Friday Tomorrow!

 

Alison

All About Me and a Manic Monday Freebie

How I became a teacher and what I’m doing now…..

 

I have always loved children but I wasn't one of those kids that played school when they were younger knowing they would be a teacher someday. I also wasn't like many others who had a long line of teachers in their family; no one in my family had been in education until my older sister became a speech pathologist.    One January while college was on break my sister invited me to spend the day with her in her classroom; at the time I was a mall girl working as a junior assistant manager at a trendy store and taking classes in marketing. I didn’t have class on Friday and thought well that might be fun I can go hang out with my sister during the day and we can hit the town that evening.  When I accepted the offer I had no idea that I would have so much fun,  despite the fact that the first activity of the day was "head checks" and a couple of kids had to be sent home.  Boy I still remember itching like crazy all day long but  the encounter with “couties” did not discourage me one bit I still decided this was way better than the business world, it was exciting, fun, it didn't even seem like work and those kiddos say the cutest things. The following day I couldn't get home fast enough to sign up for classes in Early Childhood Education.  The rest as they say is history, I have taught first grade for 20 years.  I would have started my 21^st year this year but instead I have taken a leave of absence to tend to two very special people in my life, my mother and mother in law.  In January my mother in law (the best mother in law on earth) was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. We knew her prognosis wasn't good but we put her illness in God's hands. She experienced ups and downs with her treatments but we thought she was doing ok considering the treatment she was going through. The second week of August she became very sick and had to be airlifted to St. Louis, that’s about a two hour car ride from where we live. Although we all thought the issue we went to St. Louis for had been fixed and our prayers had been answered a week later we were blindsided with the news that we should take her home and make her comfortable, she passed away 5 days later. She had 9 grandchildren, 4 children, 1 daughter in law, and 3 son in laws. She treated us all like her own and we will miss her greatly. 

 

My leave was intended to help with her and my own mother who is scheduled to have back surgery next month.    It has been a month since my mother in laws passing and although my heart will forever be broken I finally feel like I am starting to get my footings again where I can spend a little time  on our blog.  I will say that although I am not teaching this year I am busy every single day, I’m not sure how I work 9 months out of the year it seems like all I do is run from pillar to post.  So there you have it a little look inside who I am, how I became a teacher and what I’m doing these days.  Here are a few more things about me in pictorial form……

We live on a grain farm.......

 

This is what I see out my front window……

 I married my college sweetheart and we have three wonderful children. 

 I had to throw this pic in to show my boys are actually happy kids. They

just hate getting their picture taken because in their words I take way too many.

            

HA!  I love photography.....

 

Now here's a little freebie so you can learn more about your kiddos.  I'm sure everyone has already completed their "All About Me" unit for this year but hopefully you can still find it useful, I'm thinking filler, sub, center, or station. 

 

And Finally I believe God is the reason for my being and the many blessings in my life. 

Happy Monday Everyone!

Alison

 

You can link up your freebies every Monday here....

 

Teacher Finds You Can't Live Without and a GIVEAWAY

What teacher doesn't like a great back to school sale?  Well during my many travels during the last few weeks I have found some pretty awesome deals and cute as a little girl with pigtails things for any classroom.    Only a teacher would be found during her family vacation in a JoAnn Fabric store scouring the isles for great back to school items.   A couple of years ago I found the great stools for my reading table at JoAnn's

 

and returned this year to see if they had them again for my colleagues and THEY DID! 

You may have to order these gems from another store if you can't find them at your location because they are going super fast..............and don't forget to use your JoAnn teacher discount card when you shop. 

And ooohlala check these out

Also at JoAnn's :

Desk organization

I have to admit I am a bit of a postaholic, so when I saw these I had to have them. Seriously cute stuff, Just Sayin!

                                    Big Lots

A teacher can never have too many baskets.......Can they?

Endless possiblities for this magnetic dry erase board........Guided Reading, Stations, Word Work, etc.

 Composition notebooks can also be used for so many things in the classroom; in the past I have used them for reading response journals, math journals, station journals, you get the idea.  I've also heard other teachers say you can take them to a home store and have them cut in half.  Genius!!!!!

 

And don't forget Staples Teacher Appreciation Sale 2013

 

 

Free $15 iTunes® Card

via easy rebate

when you purchase $75 of HP ink

Valid August 11 - August 17

Sharpies  50 cents 

(FYI all staples don't have the same items on sale each week)

   

I was plesantly suprised the other day when the cashier handed me one of these great coupons. 

 

And the BEST back to school deal ever.......A GIVEAWAY

At the request of a colleague I just added bigger cards to my Stations or Centers Rotation Management Pack so I MUST GIVE ONE AWAY. 

 

 

 

 Leave a comment telling when your school starts back, make sure you are a follower and I will pick a winner before my next post. 

 

Alison