I Spy...Giant Googly Eyes!

Fall is one of my favorites times of the year. There are so many different occasions that intrigue students during the fall months...apples, pumpkins, firefighters, Halloween, etc. All of these themes provide a great motivator when trying to teach academic standards.

The words Common Core are words that people either love, hate, or tolerate. It does not matter how you feel about the words Common Core because our job is to teach. I teach in a state that uses Common Core. I have no choice in the standards I am told to teach, but I have tons of choice in how I deliver that information to my students. I choose to make learning fun so Common Core is fun. 

As I was looking over my data, I noticed that my students were struggling with either naming letters or isolating the initial sound in words. After looking over my data, I just happened to wander through Dollar Tree where they had giant googly eyes. Who can resist giant googly eyes?...not this teacher that's for sure!  And I just might have bought this Frankenstein bucket after Halloween last year because it was on sale and cute! 


Voila! Some Silhouette vinyl letter stickers, some alphabet clipart, 13 packages of giant googly Dollar Tree eyes, and 1 Frankenstein bucket....I Spy Frankenstein Letters was created. My kiddos loved saying "I Spy" and then flipping over a giant eye to name the letter or say the letter sound. I played it in small group to teach my kiddos how to play. Now it is in the word work center to practice letter naming or isolating initial sounds. 

  

 

Here are the differentiated recording sheets to go along with I Spy...Frankenstein. Click here for your I Spy....Frankenstein Letters freebie.

Classroom Reveal

I am a little late with my classroom reveal, but since it is still September I wanted to share my home away from home with you. At my school, we have an office space and a small bathroom hallway connecting two classrooms. This makes for some unique corners and bends in the classroom. My classroom also has another unique feature because I have a full sized refrigerator and oven in it as well. 

I enjoy the connected classrooms with the shared bathroom hallway and office space. Teaching can be an isolating career, but with the shared hallway between the two classrooms it lessons the isolation.
I know I always have another adult to give that "look" to when struggle city is happening during the day or when something amazing is happening.

I have spent the last 10 years of my career in this classroom so room 109 is truly my home away from home. Come on in!


This is entrance to my classroom. I love that my cubbies are inside my room and not in the hallway. They are not fully in my classroom which gives more space too. The storage above the cubbies is a blessing as well.
My writing center and student boxes. The student boxes hold a writing folder, sight word cards, guided reading books, pencil box, and free choice journal for each child. I have portable supplies because my students sit or stand anywhere in the classroom as long as they are working. 
My writing center, dramatic play, construction center, and word work centers. I have these centers together because my students use the dramatic play table for the writing center. The construction center rug (excuse the chairs) is used for my students to complete the work work activities.  Notice the writing center has changed spots from the picture above. 


The view from my small group teaching area. I can see the cubby hallway, bathroom hallway, and every corner of my classroom. I took these pictures after school or those bath mats folded in the white clothes basket would be spread all over our floor. 
My whole group teaching area. My computer center is hiding behind my moving easel. 
My language arts and math boards display the literacy center and math center jobs for each group. The shelf with the blue buckets is my puzzle and games center. I use portable CD players for my listening center so those are housed on the top.
My exploration center (green buckets), sensory table, art easel, and art center. The small opening between the sensory table and easel is the bathroom hallway that connects my classroom and my teammates.
My paint easel, art center, my  office doorway and the think time table.
It's only been 15 days and I have already changed my classroom around a bit. (I flipped construction center and dramatic play) I have 22 active kinders this year and some spaces were just not working. However, I change my classroom around a lot but never the procedures so my students can function in our classroom all the time. They typically shake their heads and say "She did it again." I hope you enjoyed my home away from home.

Besides my classroom, my blog also got a makeover this past month. Thank you to the amazing Tenille from Designs by Tenille. I knew what I didn't want my blog to look like, but was struggling with what I did want it to look like. She worked her creative magic and created exactly what I had in my head. 

Until next month...
Kimberly