On the Farm, Again...

It's almost May and you know what that means....chick season is upon us. I am no mother hen. I'm not sure who came up with the idea of hatching chicks in my building, but I am very vocal about my dislike for this.

It's not my fault.

I am not good at hatching chicks.

Wanna see my stats?
Year 1: 0 out of 24 hatched
Year 2: 0 out of 24 hatched
Year 3: 0 out of 12 hatched
Year 4: 7 out of 12 hatched
Year 5: 4 out of 12 hatched (only 2 survived)
Year 6: 0 out of 12 hatched
Year 7: Just sitting here praying

In my defense all of these chick casualities are not all my fault. One year my incubator had a crack, the following year my egg turner stopped working, I got a faulty thermometer....one year I wasn't even there for the hatching process.

My room has lovingly been referred to as the chicken genocide room.

I want the chicks to hatch. My room is cursed I tell you. I do so much better with butterflies.
#cantthisjustbesimple
#comeonitskindergarten
#hatchingchicksisstressful

I started working on a Farm Unit once upon a time and then boom, I got sick, sick, sick. I just finished it this weekend, only took me a year!

A couple of classroom favorites, as well...

To celebrate chick season, all of my farm and chick related products are on sale through Wednesday.
 

Hope your week is starting off fabulous!!
Shannon

The Big Move

Where oh where have I been? My poor little blog has been desperate for attention. I mean seriously, I still have a Winter background up! In my defense, it has felt like winter here up until recently; however, it is no excuse.

It's been a crazy and busy late Winter and early Spring so far. The biggest change in my life has been where I am living. The little mister and I moved....again!!! You know what is challenging? Moving with a toddler when it is below zero. Moving is no joke. Moving three times in less than a year is flat out C.R.A.Z.Y!!! The best part about our move, we have gone from living 32 miles from the beloved town that I work in to moving under 2 miles from my school. I love, love, love it here. The town is beyond strange. With a population of almost 20,000, you wouldn't think that it's cozy, but it is. It's like this weird big town that feels like an episode of Gilmore Girls. I am thrilled to be raising Coop here!

Speaking of the little mister. Coop is loving it here too. We went from a little apartment to a house that has an actual yard! The hardest transition for him has been a new babysitter. I am happy to say though that he LOVES her. He talks about her and her family constantly. It makes me feel so good about this decision.

Hair by Coop

As for me, I continue to have some struggles with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I am exhausted a lot, and I still get out of the blue fevers, but I am grateful that it's not worse. There are plenty of people that are confined to their bed, so I know things could definitely be worse!

Things at school are wonderful. I have an assistant this year who is fabulous. I always hesitated in having an assisted classroom, but it has been great! My kiddos are making strides and a.m.a.z.e me everyday!!!

Some Kindergarten Hoppening Blog Favorites for you...on sale through Monday :0)

I hope you are all having a wonderful Spring!!

Shannon

The Hoppiest Day of the Year

I will be honest, the 100th Day of School might be my favorite day of the school year. I love how excited the Hoppers are! I don't know how it is in other schools, but somehow, it just seems so much more exciting for our Kindergartners. It's their first experience with the day and that number 100 seems so big to them. I just want to bottle their energy and enthusiasm and sell it and make a million bucks and be able to afford a vacation :0)...instead, I relish in the fact that I played a part in their first really big school celebration and settle for some mint Oreos and Cougar Town.

Ya know what the best part of celebrating at school, you don't really have to do a whole lot to keep them thinking you are the best teacher and party planner ever!

Today's agenda...
Greet my little old people, we dressed up like we were 100. This has to be my favorite tradition! Super cute! No pics of my Kinder-Hoppers, you'll have to settle for my team...also cute, also lovable! I seriously love these ladies!!!

Wake-Up Work- Finish our 100 Day Crowns and glasses.

Morning Meeting- the norms plus a variety of counting and movement activities, 100th day story, and overall excitement.

Gym

Snack- 

 

During snack, we did some Jack Hartmann 100 songs, which we loved of course!

Poem Practice- 100th Day of School :)

100 Dixie Cups A Team Building Activity- I gave each table group 100 dixie cups. OMG, they loved, loved, loved building together. It was so fun to watch them and see how they interacted. I truly think they could have done this ALL day long. It was awesome!!!! Please ignore the disaster happening on the counter, it's a crazy day!

 

We also made geometric shapes using 100 toothpicks and 100 marshmallows. Also fun, but way sticky!

Then it was time for recess and lunch. They wanted to build with cups for recess, too cute!

We then did some activities seeing how many things we could do in 100 seconds.

Time for art with Mr. S

We came back and did our 100 day collections.

We get out at 1:30. They had an awesome day and were talking about all the fun they had as we froze our way to the buses (which seem like a mile away when it's this cold).

What they didn't know was how excited I am for this day and how I try to cram as much into it as possible. Here's all the stuff we didn't get to...

100 Day Fruit Loop Necklaces (tomorrow)

Gumball Machines with 100 Do-A-Dot (tomorrow)

Highlight to 100 (maybe Thursday)

Hunt for 100 Kisses (Friday)

100 Day Self Portraits

Ok, maybe I overplanned. I love this day!

Hoppy 100th Day of School!!!!

Shannon

The Very Crazy Week

This week is going to be C.R.A.Z.Y!!! Tuesday is our 100th Day of School, Wednesday is probes, Friday is Valentine's Day....oh, and did you realize that it is a full moon week? I don't know about you but I can usually tell when it is a full moon week within the confines of an elementary school. It's a yowza, for reals.

I am going to have a lil' sale to celebrate this awesome week! Maybe you'll be able to find a little something to make your week easier :0)

         

Here's to CrAzY week!

Shannon

I Miss Dandelion Fuzz

I.am.over.this.winter. Seriously. This winter is ridiculous. A drawback (among the many) to living 30 miles from school is that it can be blizzard like here with just a dusting up there. Such was the case today. Every school in my county was closed, but I still had school. Well, that is until it took me 35 minutes to get 5 miles and then I just went ahead and called my own snow day.

Drove back home, put on some pajamas and caught up on How I Met Your Mother. I had to catch up because my Little Cooper is ob.sess.ed with books. Putting him to bed takes a very long time. He wants me to read every book he owns (which is too many to count) and sing as if I am his own personal IPOD. Overall, it's been a good day.

Hello from our creative tub!

My teaching partner in crime and I are currently loving I Have/Who Has in variations. So, I've been whipping some together :0) I put them up on TPT if you're interested. Just click on the pics...

I hope you are having a great week! Here's hoping for no more snow days!!!!

Shannon

Don't Leave Home Without It

There are quite a few things that I simply cannot live without in my classroom....

 

Above all is this little nugget. Seriously, I LOVE this stuff.

Are you surprised? This stuff is magic. Ya know when one of your little loves takes a Sharpie to the dry erase boards? This stuff takes it off. When you can't remove the dollar store dry erase marker, this stuff removes it.

Happy Monday to you!
Shannon

Groundhog Day Blog Favorites

Another day off due to frigid temperatures, ugh! Not the best few days here in Casa Martin. Coop and I have been under the weather. Sick and going stir crazy....not the best combo!

Thought I'd put up the Groundhog Day Blog Favorites while I am stuck inside. It's a freebie :0)

Groundhog Day Blog Favorites Includes:

Groundhog Graph Pieces
Shadow or No Shadow Graphing Activity
Groundhog Emergent Reader
Groundhog Puzzle

  

Tomorrow is another "snow" day. At this rate, we will be baking in our classrooms in July! Hope your week is warmer than ours!

Shannon

Get Going with the Pigeon

Is it Spring yet???? I can't take this Winter.at.all. It's cold...bitter cold and snowy. Snow is only good during the week of Christmas for me, then I have little to no use for it. I need Spring or the beach along with a mojito, of the blueberry variety!

I am in the midst of our Transportation Unit. We kicked it off with the silliest book....

The book is over in like a half second and is completely silly, but my kiddos go crazy for it. A book that is over in two shakes of a lambs tale can suddenly go on forever because they ask me to read it over and over. Mo Willems #goldmine, I tell you. 

We brainstormed things that go, forgot to take a picture of my chart but the pic above is similar with the exception that I am no Cara Carroll in the font department!

Some pigeon activities, a loose tie in to our On the Go unit. 

Here are the pieces to create your own graph. It's a little freebie :0)

Create a Pigeon Graph

We also wrote about where we thought the pigeon would go if he was able to drive the bus. It was super cute!

He wants to go to heaven, under the sun there is actually a staircase
for when he gets off the bus.

He's not the only one who wants to go to Mexico!

The pigeon visiting Willis Tower.

Another lil freebie...

I really don't enjoy the unit itself, I love my centers and the Wake-Up Work

 

 

 Do you do a transportation unit? Got any fresh and awesome ideas? I would love to hear them!!

If you are anywhere cold, stay warm and safe this weekend! If you are somewhere with a better climate, enjoy it!

Shannon