Let the Learning Safari Begin...

        Tomorrow will be my 10th day at school with my students.  I have 24 amazing children.  We have spent the past two weeks building a community of workers, thinkers and readers based on RESPECT!  My all time favorite book to read to the class at the beginning of the year is Swimmy by Leo Lionni.  This is a wonderful story of how we can work together despite our differences.  This year my students have loved My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook  This story explains to children how we have to wait our turn to talk even though our thoughts are like a volcano exploding out of our mouth.  I love how the book gives students a way to hold on to their thoughts and wait their turn.  A must read for children that love to interrupt! My students have pleaded for me to read this book over and over. I think children can really connect, perhaps even adults,too!

I must share pictures of my Learning Safari!  I simply love the learning environment that I have created this year.  I must give a big shout out to Randi at Teach it with Class for the incredible jungle theme class unit. 

Enjoy the tour!!!

This is what you see when you walk in my door!

 My carpet area where we read and share our thinking! My students love to sit in my rocking chair as much as I do.

 These are my POWER Books! Otherwise know as my leveled library! I level these books from A to M. I will be sharing more about how I use my Power books later on my blog.

 This is my calendar. Yes! I tried to recreate a Jeep from a Pinterest post I found over the summer. It is a great place to store my lessons and MUSIC! 

 Word Work Boulevard is where students can work with words during our Reader Land time each day.

 My favorite place in our Learning Safari, Book Nook Lane. Students read in this area during Reader's workshop and Reader Land.  I introduce a basket of books every week. My baskets are sorted by Genres. So far I have introduced, Alphabet books, Reading about Math, and Caldecott Medal books.  The red signs show that the books are sleeping and can not be read at this time.

Our class motto: Be Your Best

Here are more baskets of books and the plastic clear tubs are my Math Workshop Tubs.

     I have enjoyed seeing all the classrooms in blog land! I hope you enjoy my classroom tour. 

   Don't forget I am still hosting an Amazing Pencil Giveaway. Please read my last post.  All you have to do is follow my blog, visit Classroom Friendly Supplies and sign up through Rafflecopter. The giveaway ends tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting!! Happy Teaching~

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A Must HAVE!!!

     I am having the best beginning of the school year. I have 23 energetic first graders. We have begun our Learning Safari together!

        I must share a package that I got in the mail this summer. Troy Decoff from Classroom Friendly Supplies sent me this incredible blue monster!

     It has no problem chomping pencils to the sharpest of points.  The amazing thing is the cheap pencils are sharper than ever.  Just take a look!

           I have been sharing this incredible pencil sharpener with everyone on my hall.  It is amazing that for once in my teaching career I have SHARP pencils that don't constantly break!!   It is definitely what ALL the teachers are talking about.  

       This pencil sharpener has made my life easy for the past 9 days.  Therefore, I must host a giveaway.  I am going to try out Rafflecopter for the first time.  Here goes...

     All you must do is Follow my Blog:

And visit Classroom Friendly Supplies

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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