Okay.....so now what?

OSNW #1

So I was super excited when the FedEx truck pulled up in front of my house and delivered this fun new toy 

I've been wanting to get a Cricut machine to use in my classroom for some time now {just didn't want to use my son's college fund to buy it}.  But, with all this summer "time" on my hands, I found a way to kill time: eBay! It was a killer deal!  Now I have never known any teacher that passes up *killer deals*.  However, now that I have it here I am scratching my head saying "OKAY, SO NOW WHAT"?  

I would love to hear how you incorporate your Cricut in the classroom.

OSNW #2

Prior to the end of school, our principal told us that we are adopting Math in Focus, the American adaptation of Singapore Math.  I am scheduled to attend a four day workshop at the end of this month to sink my hands into this new way of teaching math.  Here's where my one eyebrow is slightly higher than the other, because I see a ton of Debbie Diller Math Stations {GREAT stuff too} and I'm wondering, Can I incorporate them together?

Scratching my head {again} saying, "OKAY, SO NOW WHAT"?  Any thoughts or ideas...please.

Happy Last Day of June!

I.LOVE.SUMMER.

So, this post has absolutely nothing to do with reading, writing, my classroom, or teaching in any way shape or form.  BUT, it does prove that summer time is a wonderful time!

This is my new friend "Flower".  This little guy hung out with me while I weeded my flower garden. 

I.LOVE.SUMMER.

Hope you are all enjoying summer too!

Frugal Finds

As educators we are ALWAYS looking for good deals, especially since most of us use our own hard earned money in our classrooms.  However, just like you, I am always on the look out for a frugal find.  I am a Goodwill junkie and was lucky enough to find some pretty good finds at the Goodwill this year.  Here are just a few: 

Frugal Find #1- brand new with the tags still on it - because I ventured to the

 Goodwill on a dreary rainy day, 

I hit the jackpot and only paid $8.99 for this great find!

I find a new use for it every year.  Sometimes it's home assessment packets, 

to stickers, or to keeping my days and weeks {and mind} in order.  

 Frugal Find #2 - the wire skeleton to this was found in the "free" corner of our 

teacher's lounge.  Lucky for me, recess break came at the right time!  On one of 

my frequent visits to Lakeshore I picked up the cardboard holders for the 

low price of $12.99.  What a steal!

 Frugal Find #3 - Shopping for a bag at Ross, I was quickly distracted when my 

little eye spied this great item {in the clearance section} to house our 

storytime puppets. $4.99  

 Frugal Finds #4 & #5 - the white cabinet was found as I was driving my son 

to a soccer game, he was quite annoyed when I did a quick U turn for the 

corner yard sale to pick up this  wonderful addition to our home center. $3.00  

The little mailbox ($1.50) was brought back aaaaaall the way from a yard sale

 in Deltona, FL. when I went for a summer visit with my parents.  As I was unpacking, 

I just got "the look" from my husband  : )

Frugal Find #6 - to some this little plastic basket, is just that, a little plastic basket.  

But to the writers in room 5, it's a paper holder for our writing corner, for the very low price of um, yea, F.R.E.E.!

  The latest and greatest Frugal Find #7 - Of course the last place you look 

at the ARC - the top shelf!!!  Two {still in the pack} primary colored 

Util-a-mats!  $12.00 for both.  My husband was just a teeny-tiny bit 

jealous since he just dropped $34.00 on the same exact mats for 

the home gym floor {only not in primary colors}.  

Well the summer has just started.  Lots of yard sales to hit up and days in the 

Goodwill to be had.  I'd love to hear about your great finds!