Back to School Freebie!

Happy Sunday!

Last Monday I went back to school for professional development. We have another few days of PD before meet the teacher on the 21st and our first day on the 25th! I cant wait to see all my kiddos:] Last Tuesday we had all day to work in our rooms to decorate and organize. I got a whole 10 minutes of work done in my room before this happen...

Yep, that's right.. I was on a table in my classroom hanging something on the wall ( you know you have done it a million times!) I stepped off and my left knee popped out of place and sent me tumbling down the floor where I broke my left arm. Oh and did I mention I am left handed? Yeah, I start school in 8 days and I can not write! I haven't been to the orthopedic doctor just yet so I don't know how long I will be this way yet:[

It's a good thing I have wonderful people in my life that will come and help me work on my room:] ( Ignore that table)

Anywho! I have made some supply labels and direction cards for you lovelies! I use these in my classroom and the really help keep me and the kids organized. Everything has its place and with the supply labels you can see where that place is! The direction cards I put up on my white board so if a student forgets what to do next he can just look at the board and remember:] CLICK HERE to get them for free ( This item is only free for today!!! don't miss out!)

Teacher Mode:ON! Getting ready for back to school time

Its officially August! The month where the smell of new pencils and crayons fill the air! YEP it is back to school time. I am excited to meet all to the new little faces that will be in my classroom this year but lets be honest... I'm also trying to hold on to the sleeping till noon life as long as possible.

Last week I made my first visit to my classroom since June and got a head start on organizing and decorating. Every year, my to do list on the day of meet the teacher is still a million miles long and I am forced to just shove everything I didn't get to in the closet so my class will look neat and put together when everyone visits! That is not happening this year my friends! I WILL have time to do everything on my list this year!!!

Here is what my classroom looked like when I visited last week.

Pretty empty, right? At our school we pack up everything and put it in and on the students cubbies or our closets so they can wax the floors every year. I've got big plans for my room this year and can't wait to share it with you all when it is done!

DID YOU HEAR? The TPT BACK TO SCHOOL SALE is happening August 3rd and 4th! EEEK!! I just LOVE LOVE LOVE sales! Use the promo code BTS14 to get up to 28% off in all your favorite stores, including mine! (I hope!:]) I hope to get a few new products uploaded to my store before the sale! Click here to visit my store!Don't miss it! I am going to go get my wishlist ready RIGHT NOW!

Gettin' My Fix!! Stitch Fix Review :]

Ok so If you know me you know I LOVE CLOTHES! But, I don't always like to go shopping. I don't like to try things on in the store and when I do I have a hard time imagining what to pair with it that I already own. 

SO what is a girl to do?? Try Stitch Fix, of course! I signed up to receive my first first fix at the end of April and I absolutely loved it! When I go to the store I usually tend to pick the same colors and the same styles over and over again and Stitch Fix allows me to branch out a bit and try new things

So what is Stitch Fix?? Stitch Fix is an online personal styling service. You complete a brief FREE style profile. This quick survey provides the Stitch Fix stylists with your sizes, clothing styles you prefer, and what kinds of items you would not like to see in your box. Then, for a $20 styling fee, a personal stylist will hand-select 5 items that she thinks will be perfect for you. When you fall in love with an item just go to the Stitch fix website and checkout and you can keep it! Also if you purchase something from your Stitch Fix box that $20 styling fee is used as credit to whatever you purchased AND it you just love the ENTIRE box keep it all and receive 25% off your purchase! If you don't love something just send it back in the prepaid bag they send you. 

So here is April's fix!

Sorry I don't have pictures of everything on, I wasn't brave enough for that yet:]

I really loved the blue dress but it had pleating on the tummy area which I think makes that area look bigger and none of us want that!! So I sent it back:[ I liked the skinny jeans but they were just ok.. so they too got sent back:[ The gold cuff bracelet was very pretty I am just not a gold person so off it went!

 Now I did LOVE this top! It was perfect for hot Texas summers and it fit perfectly!

I also loved this top! I was perfect for work and weekends. In a store I would have not picked this out for myself!

Now on to May's Fix!

Even Noodles loves Stitch fix! They send her a new box to play in filled with fun tissue paper each month!

Look I got a little braver this time! This the only thing I kept from this fix. I loved the color and the print! perfect for school, you can dress it up or dress it down! I actually wore this to our end of the year awards! ( Ignore the cotton candy pink room, I living at my parents right now while we pay and plan our wedding:])

I can't wait for my next fix to come at the end of the month!! Sign up to get your stitch fix today! Click here to get your fix! I promise you will LOVE it! 

Top 10 Things I Want To Do This Summer

I am linking up with Mrs. Jump's Class to bring you...

1. Get Fit for the wedding: Okay... I admit I LOATHE running and dieting and going to the gym but I need to suck it up and start working out and looking good for my wedding next May. We are going to go wedding dress shopping this summer so I will be starting as soon as my summer starts on June 5th! 

2. ORGANIZE! If you saw my last post you know classroom organization is my mission for the summer! I cringe every time I look at the closet in my room and my desk area! I just reorganized it in January and it already looks like a tornado hit it! I want to organize all my paper stuff into monthly binders and my centers into labeled shoe boxes so when I am ready for them all I have to do is pull it and GO!

3. Find a new TV series me and my fiance will watch together.  He works ALL THE TIME and during the school year we get to see each other about once or twice a week for a few hours. He records our favorite shows and waits until we can both watch them together.Our favorites, Sleepy Hollow and Grimm don't start again until the Fall. If you have any TV shows you love please share!

  

As you can see we like mystery thrillers :] 

4. Learn to cook more than just spaghetti! I can cook a few things but I want to expand my cooking knowledge this summer. I also want to learn how to cook more healthy dinners. When me and my fiance get married I want to know how to make some really great but healthy dinners instead of just grabbing fast food or pizza every night. 

5. HAVE FUN! We bought season passes to Six Flags over Texas and Hurricane Harbor this year! So we planning on going to those places as much as possible but we would also like to go other fun places such as the beach, a few Texas Rangers games, the movie theater as well. Anything to beat the Texas heat!

6. CRAFT! I love to craft, paint and glitter things! My fiance will not go with me to Hobby Lobby or Micheals because He know I have to look at everything and I can not leave with out buying something! Most of the projects on my craft list have to do with either my wedding or my classroom{I know I should be even thinking about next years classroom but I can't help myself:]}. 

7. CREATE!  I want to grow my little TPT store there will be days where I will have nothing planned and I can just sit down in front of my computer and create all day{hopefully!} I am planning to do a big back to school unit and getting a jump start on creating things for the fall season.

8. Growing my Jamberry Nails Business: I have ventured into the world of Jamberry Nails. I love this product because it is so easy to use, there is no dry time, no messy polish you have to deal with, and they last with out you having to mess with them during the school day. You just stick them and forget them! The last couple months of school is always crazy and this business got put on the back burner for a while, but I am ready to get back at it! Check out my Jamberry Facebook page and like it for exclusive news and special deals from me about Jamberry! Check it out here!

   

9. Grow to be a better teacher: I really want to read and visit some great PD this summer. I am finishing up my second year of teaching kinder and I know there is so much more I can learn about this whole teaching thing! I am not able to make it to I TEACH K this year but hopefully I can go next summer. If you have know or have a read a great PD books recently, let me know! I would love to know and try your favorites!

10. RELAX and SLEEP: Looking at my calendar for this summer, It looks like it will be a crazy busy summer with all the wedding planning, crafting, etc. so I want to have some days to just RELAX and waste the day away napping.

That's all for now! I would love to hear your plans for the summer as well! Maybe I can add some of your ideas to my list!

My Summer MISSION!

Hey ya'll! Things have been crazy around here lately, planning my wedding, starting my new Jamberry Nails business, and most importantly TEACHING! I apologize for the leave of absence but I promise I didn't forget about yall!

With summer just around the corner ( 13 days, but whose counting??) I thought I would share my summer plans with ya'll. I am already thinking about how to make next year awesome and to do that I HAVE to get myself organized! I have a bad habit of just putting papers into piles or placing stuff just anywhere on the shelf. Then when I need something I don't know where it is. SOOOO... I have decided to make this my Summer Classroom Mission( sounds important, huh?). Most of my projects and time will be spent on things to make my class more organized. Here are some things I have found on Pinterest that are on my Summer Mission to do list:

This is something I wanted to create last summer and ran out of time to complete. I love how is can be use as a seat and a storage option. I want to make a couple benches for center seating like in the library center and individual seating for my guided reading table.

Need to make me a sub tub!Although I do have a sub binder for planned absences,  I do not have an emergency sub tub because I almost never miss but I know one day when I get sick or my car breaks down I'm going to wish I had one!

This was also on last summer to do list! It is perfect for also those teeny little supplies like push pins, paperclips, and post its.

 

I also want to organize all my papers into binders. I want to do monthly binders with all of the months academic themed printables, parent letters, craftivity pieces and instructions will go in that binder. I think this will help because I can just grab the binder a go and put it back with the month is over.

That's all I can think of right now but as I complete a project or find other ways to organize objects around the room I will surely let you know!

What your Summer Classroom Mission? I would LOVE to hear all about it in the comment box below!

To help keep YOU organized this coming school year I have two NEW sets of a Teacher Organizational Binder for sale in my TPT store. One is a chevron owls which you can grab here or a monster them here. They are both on sale for this weekend only! I hope you enjoy! 

       

Brrr.. It's cold outside!

It is a very dreary, cold day here in Texas. Hopefully, being true to crazy Texas weather, it will be nice and warm tomorrow! I hope everyone is enjoying the last bit of their holiday break! I also hope everyone enjoyed the time spent with friends and family during the holidays and getting geared up for the new year! I can't believe 2014 is almost here! AAH! Are you ready?

2013 was such a great year, I lived in my very first big-girl apartment, I celebrated my 23rd birthday, and got engaged to my best friend! I also have the best class ever this year! I sure do love breaks but I'm starting to miss my kinderbabies. Today I started laminating and prepping January centers. I even started on my lesson plans for when we go back ANDD I don't even really like lesson planning all that much :]

I'm working on a pack of January literacy whole group activities and centers! Hopefully (keep your fingers crossed) I will have this done and ready to go by the new year!

But for now, because I know you can't wait, here is a freebie :] SNEAKY PEEKY FREEBIE! This a sneak peek of the pack above. I hope you enjoy! 

Cyber Monday TPT sale!

Ok, you had 2 whole days to recover from Black Friday, now get ready for CYBER MONDAY!

If you LOVE sales like I do you are in luck! TPT is having a great Cyber Monday (and Tuesday) sale! My ENTIRE store will be 15% off on those days! You will also get another 10% off by using the Promo Code: CYBER. Get your wishlists ready!

ANDDD if you spend at least $5.00 in my store I will send you a product of your choice from my store for FREE!! YAY! I love FREE! All you have to do is spend up to $5 dollars in my store and then email your TPT username and the name of the item you would like for free to rjmartin0704@gmail.com. It's that easy!

Something you might want to add to your wishlist is my NEW Gingerbread Literacy and math unit! Shout out to Deanna Jump for the CA-UTE title!

 

This unit includes 5 literacy activities and 3 math activities! Most activities can be used wither whole group or in a center. As always all activities are aligned to the TEKS and CCSS! You can grab this product HERE!

Happy Shopping!

Thanksgiving Fun!

I love the holidays! Im the kind of person who, if not supervised by someone at the store, will buy every thanksgiving and Christmas decoration. I LOVE decorating my house, I LOVE shopping and buying gifts for people, I LOVE baking and cooking all the yummy holiday food, I LOVE holiday music and will never tire it! Most of all I LOVE being with my family and friends and slowing down our busy lives to catch up and spend time with each other. OMG I am getting so excited just thinking about it! 

In our class we are gearing up for thanksgiving and learning all about the Pilgrims, Native Americans, and Turkeys. They are really when we learn about how these people used to live. They are very surprised these people couldn't go to Walmart and get whatever they needed or order Pizza on their Iphones and have someone bring it to you. It just blows their little minds! 

So here are my few of my fave units for this month!

1. November NO PREP just print by Time4Kindergarten: I love this unit because well let's be real, who has the time to prep every activity for your classroom. This unit makes it easy to just print and go. I like to use these for early finishers, morning work, and sub work. You can find it HERE

2.  November Early Finishers tub by KreativeinKinder: I have some kids that get done with their work very quickly and need something to do while the other students are still working. These are fun, educational activities that students can grab and work on quietly while others are working. Love her work! You can find it HERE

3. Thanksgiving Math and Literacy Fun by Deanna Jump: There is no explanation necessary! You just CAN NOT go wrong with Deanna Jump! She is absolutely awesome:] You can find it HERE

4. Time for Turkey-Literacy and Math centers for kinder by Kindergarten Lifestyle: I love center time and so do my kinderbabies. They think they are just playing by they are really learning! I love all of her center activities:] She is amazing! You can find it HERE

5. Thanksgiving math and literacy activities by ME!: This is my new unit! It includes beginning sound, sight word, ten frames, numbers 10-20, and 2D shapes activities. It also includes my cute little shape turkey craft that I posted on Facebook earlier this week. Today (11/10) only is 50% off in my store! You can find it HERE 

Here is a picture of  the shape turkeys we made last week! I just love them!

Hopefully you can use some of these activities in the next few weeks with your kinders! I know they will love them! Have a great week!

Yes I am alive...

So sorry I haven't been around lately, it's been a little cray cray around here! It's review week in my room we are getting ready to switch into a new 9 weeks. My babies are doing great! They are some very smart and quick learners! I have a good chunk of kids that have not EVER been to school before but yet 10 of them already know their letters and sounds! Happy teacher dance! I am super proud of them!

We are starting a review week this week so teachers can review and assess for report cards. For the next two week we will be doing Pumpkin/Halloween themed activities. I don't know about you but every day my kids come in and ask me if it is Halloween yet.. they are so excited! In my store right now you can go grab my new pumpkin literacy mini-unit call Pumpkin Palooza! It is aligned to the TEKS(for all my Texas buddies) as well as CCSS. Visit my TPT store to get it!

 

Hopefully I will have more picture next week of my kids doing our fun pumpkin activities for you! I am the worst at remembering to take picture until the activity is all done! Well, gotta get back to lesson plans and Cowboys football :] Have a great week!

OH and one more thing! I have a facebook page now:]. YAY ME!! If you are on facebook search Kindergarten Sparkle and Shine and like my page! There is a new fan freebie posted you can grab, but you have to like my page first :]

September Apple Unit Ideas

IM BACKKKK! I have been MIA these past couple of weeks. I started school on August 26th with 26 cute, sweet kinderbabies. Its been a little crazy in our hallway because this is unusually large group of kinders. We have the largest grade level in the whole district!! We have been having so much fun learning and getting to know everybody in our classroom family.

This week we are starting our apple unit! In ELAR we are working on letters and sounds, syllables,and rhyming words and I have created a mini apple literacy center pack that focuses on those skills. In this pack is a uppercase and lowercase letter match/memory game, a syallble sort, and a rhyming word go-fish game. You can find this pack HERE and for today only it is FREE!!

I am loving these apple anchor charts from Kaci at Mrs. Hoffer's Spot. I love graphing and making anchor charts with my kids and these are AWESOME for that! Grab it HERE

I also LOVE the apple morning work and homework pack from Danielle at Kroger's Kindergarten

It's an awesome resource and you can find it HERE and HERE!

Also hop on over to to Jeannie Partin's TPT store she has a GREAT Apple Five senses pack that will go great with my science unit coming up next week and for my science center! CLICK HERE! to grab it.

What are you planning on doing this week? Are you doing apples or something different? I would love to hear your ideas! Just leave a comment below!

School, School, Back to School!!!

I am a little excited to start school next Monday! I can't wait to meet my new kinders and love them and teach them all sorts of things!! This week I am finishing up my classroom, and planning my first week. Our school is starting some new changes which I am very excited about and I hope that this year is AWESOME!

Teachers Pay Teachers is having an awesome back to school sale today and tomorrow only! My small, little store is 20% off and if you use the promo code BTS13 and get an extra 10% off your purchase!!! CLICK HERE to go to my store.

I'm off to spend some money and clear my TPT wishlist!! Have a great rest of the weekend!

Freebie :]

Hi yall! So teachers have to report back on Monday. I always stress out around this time and its I am stressing a little more because I have a whole new team this year. I am the only returning Kindergarten teacher at my school and they will be looking to me to remember what we did last year. Did I mention I have a HORRIBLE memory, I would forget my head if it wasn't screwed on.  So anyway you are probably here for the freebie so CLICK HERE to get it. I hope you like it! Im off to make a million to do list and hopefully hangout with the fiance before he goes to work:]

Happy last Saturday of summer!!

OH MY an AWARD!!!

I am so excited to be nominated for the Liebster award by Tiffany over at Middle School Stories. This award is given to new bloggers who have less than 200 followers [ that's me!] and is used to help other bloggers get to know the new kids on the block. 

There are a few rules/guidelines:

1.  You have to link back to the blog(s) that nominated you.

2. Answer the questions posted by the person that nominated you.

3. Share 11 random facts about yourself.

4. Nominate 5 more blogs that have less than 200 followers.

5. Post 11 questions for your nominees to answers

So here goes....

1. Where did you go to college, and what was your degree in?

- I went to Stephen F Austin State University in Nacogdoches Texas. My degree is in Elementary Education EC-6th.

2. What is your dream teaching job?

- My dream teaching job would be in the school district I grew up in. In teaching you make an impact in many lives and I would love to make an impact in the lives of children of my hometown.

3. What is your favorite professional book?

- To be honest I haven't read a professional book in some time [bad, bad teacher!] Last year was my very hectic and crazy first year teaching. Although reading a professional book might have helped last year.

4. How many years have you been teaching?

-This will be my 2nd year teaching. I love it!

5. What is your must have food/drink/candy to get through a day at school?

- EVERY morning I have to swing by sonic and get my morning dose of Dr. Pepper! I am a grumpy teacher if I don't have it. Believe me I tried it a few times when I was trying to watch my caffeine intake. It wasn't pretty!

6. What career would you have if you were not a teacher?

- That's a hard one because honestly I can't see myself doing anything else but teaching :] BUT if I would have to choose I would like to think I could be a wedding planner.

7. What is your favorite time of the school year?

- My favorite time of the school year is meeting all my new kinders and finding out which skills and experiences they each bring to the classroom.

8. What do you do to keep yourself organized?

-I have to admit it, I AM A LIST MAKER! Sometimes I even put things on my to-do list that have been done just so I can get the satisfaction of crossing it off :]

9. What is your favorite lesson?

- I love 100th day! 100th day is the day that we have been in Kindergarten for a 100 days and we celebrate that we are 100 days smarter by counting to 100, making things out of 100 pieces..etc. Okay I know this isn't one lesson but it is my favorite!

10. Morning-person or afternoon-person?

- Definitely afternoon person. Mornings...I would love if mornings started about 10:30am

11. What makes you most excited for the new school year?

- New school supplies and of course NEW KINDERS!!

11 Random Facts

1. I'm a ginger. Red-hair, pale skin, a bajillion freckles..yep, ginger!

2. I love roller coasters.. I will ride the tallest, fastest roller coaster all day long, if I could.

3. I eat Ketchup on everything! Like...Mac and Cheese, Cooked broccoli, mashed potatoes, taco bell tacos.. I could go on but I don't want to make you sick:]

4. I love the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys.

5. I love cats.. I would take every one of them from the shelter if I could.

6. I'm engaged to a video gamin' sports fanatic.

7. I have been best friends with the person who nominated me for this award since high school.

8. I am an alumni member of Zeta Tau Alpha. 

9. I LOVE the Disney princesses.

10 I'm left handed

11. I share my birthday with the good ol' USA.

Bloggers you should Follow

Sea Bears Kindergarten

Kindergarten Blossoms

Krazy 4 Kinders

My first grade Backpack

A frolic through first grade

Your 11 questions to answer

1. What is your favorite school supply item?

2. How many years have you been teaching?

3.  What is your favorite part of your room?

4. Morning or Afternoon person?

5. If you could have any super power what would it be?

6. How many years have you been teaching?

7. Who was your favorite teacher and why?

8. Do you collect anything?

9. Why did you decide to start blogging?

10. What state are you from?

11. What made you decide to become a teacher? 

Have Fun

-Rebecca

Chevron Crazy!!

Ya'll I just LOVE all the chevron stuff that has come out for the classroom. I went to Mardel's earlier this summer for their education and sale and stocked up on Chevron, Polka dots and zebra prints in turquoise, lime, and black and white. I am so excited to start decorating with all my new CUTE stuff. I know all those prints together sound and look very busy but I hope to do it in a very subtle and non-busy way, if that makes since. SOOOO because I love chevron stripes so much I have made some super cute Dolch word cards for your word wall. This pack includes All words Pre-Primer through 3rd grade! Take a look HERE! I hope you like it! 

If you have any requests you want me to make for you, just email me at rjmartin0704@gmail.com :]

-Rebecca

Where oh' where has summer gone?

Okay, I'm trying to get my head in the back to school swing [even though I am sad that my summer in 8 days:( ]. Last year I started the first day of school of with read "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn. We also talked about our first day of school feelings. Many of them had the same feelings because they had already  been to school before. [our school has full day headstart and Pre-K.] We didn't do much else with that book BUT this summer I have stumbled upon some fun extensions for this book on Pinterest. I just love Pinterest!! I might be a little addicted to it. 

I found this on Pinterest from Mrs. Cates' Kindergarten

I love the look of this anchor chart and I love the little raccoons. We are going to practice our table material procedures and expectations while making this craft. 

I also plan this year to start out with a mini-color unit. Last year my kinders had a hard time remembering how to write their color words even though I had color word posters on the wall. I plan to add them to our word wall even though they aren't on the sight word list. If you have any book suggestions for colors and color words let me know! Well I'm going to enjoy the rest of the Rangers game and pin some teaching ideas![YAY!] Have a great Sunday!

Rebecca

Follow me on TPT:]

Along with my new blog I also have a new store on TPT! Its very small (only 4 items so far) please follow me and rate me! http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Rebecca-Martin-2102  
Here are some things that are in my store :

FREE!! Editable polka dot labels

My goal is to be more organized this year. Last year my room was a complete mess and I plan to use these in my library center and to label various things around the room.

Polka Dot and Chevron Curriculum calendar for 2013-2014

Plan out your whole year with these curriculumcalendar that includes September through June. Enjoy! I hope you can use these in you classroom.

Rebecca

Hello Blog World! Welcome to Kindergarten Sparkle and Shine!

Hello blog world I am so excited to be here! Ever since my student teaching semester in college I have been "blog stalking". I had the opportunity to work with the ever talented Jeannie Partin (www.akindergartenlifestyle.com) as her student teacher that semester and she introduced me the world of blogs and TPT! Her enthusiasm and passion made me fall in love with kindergarten!

Currently, I am a 2nd year teacher at a small school district in Texas! I graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2012 [Axe Em'!]. I teach kindergarten and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE kindergarten. It is so thrilling and rewarding to see how much each little kinder kid grows and changes in 10 months. I hope to share lots of ideas and experiences with you just as you have done with me!

That's all for now! See you soon!

Rebecca