#chocolateaddict

Pass the chocolate. 

Do not stop. 

Do not collect 200 dollars. 

Until you PASS THE CHOCOLATE. 

If I didn't have chocolate on days like today... you might find me hiding in a closet. Just kidding. Not really. Sometimes a girl has just gotta have chocolate. 

I keep a candy bucket in my classroom for the kids. Well, I say it is for the kids. I WILL share. ;-) 

It has Hershey Kisses, Snickers, and chocolate caramel thingys inside. 

Literally, I teach my kinders to pay attention with M&M's. Don't judge. They love me for it.

Where do you hide your chocolate in the classroom? I think about these things.

Is it in the cabinet?

Is it in your desk?

Is it disguised as candy for your kids?

HEAVY SIGH. #chocolateaddict 

I digress... 

Let's get to the point. 

Who needs a candy themed counting freebie? This is a great way to reinforce counting to 100 by ones and tens. Here is a little video to show you how...

Link to the freebie: http://hyperurl.co/ayjtkf 

P.S. Tell me what helps you make it through your day? Are you addicted to chocolate like me? 

P.S.S. Like this freebie? Follow me on TpT and let's be social! 

Winter Craft Round-Up

Hello Everyone!

I'm Deirdre and I blog over at A Burst of First.

I am so excited to be a part of this wonderful collaborative blog. 

I'm coming at you today with a....

I love a good classroom craft!!

I believe so many aspects of doing a craft are beneficial for our students.

It builds fine motor, listening skills, creativity and much more!

Some of my "rules" for choosing crafts any time of year are:

{1} They have to take longer than 5 minutes.

There's nothing like spending an entire prep period planning an adorable craft, getting the kids all set up and turning around 3 minutes later with some cutie in your face saying "I'm done!". 

You've all been there I know! 

{2} No fingerprints, handprints or footprints with paint.

This may sound cruel, but it's a lot of prep and clean up for the product.

I like to keep things more simple than that!

{3} Not too many parts!

Those crafts where you need a hundred pieces on a variety of

 different colored papers make me bananas. 

Other than this....Let's get our craft on!!

LOVE PENGUIN

This little sweetie is adorable!

Recently my son made me one at home because he saw them 

in the hall at his school and thought I would like one.

How sweet is that?

Of course a quick poke on Pinterest and I found them!

Check it all out here on the Crafty Morning blog.

MELTY SNOWMAN

I saw these on Pinterest awhile back and I melted for them!

Get that pun all you Frozen fans?

Click here for some awesomely detailed instructions.

A YUMMY 100TH DAY

I bet the 100th day is sneaking up on you!

It sure is around here!

I am in love with this delicious craft.

It makes me want ice cream even in our cold weather.

I plan to do this in my room in a few weeks.

We are going to add ten toppings to each scoop!

I'm not super crafty, but I feel pretty smart about that idea!

Click here to see this project and some other great 100th day ideas. 

ABE AND GEORGE

We made these last year and they skyrocketed to my top ten favorite crafts.

They are reversible!!! Yes for real!!

I love 2 for the price of 1!!

They are from Erica Bohrer's blog.

Grab the free (yay!) template here!

FUN IN THE COLD

My sweet bloggy friend Aris of Sailing Into Second

recently made these adorable kids in the snow.

I must add these to my to do list!!

A Year of Many Firsts has a free template here. 

SNOW MUCH FUN

Last up we have not quite a craft, but a fun experiment!

Amazingly we have had very little snow here in New England this year.

I am not complaining at all!

I could probably live the rest of my life with out snow.

Bet your bottom dollar that my students would love to do this though!

I think I may have something fun up my sleeve for Friday afternoon {wink}.

Click here to check out this sweet post. 

So fun to "meet" everyone!!

I hope you'll visit (and follow) me over at A Burst of First!

Valentines and 100th Day of School

I was tossing around the ideas for this months blog post. I was torn between Valentines Day and the 100th Day of School. I thought to myself, "Why not do both?" So I came up with an easy, and FREE idea to share with you lovely teachers.

100 Reasons We "Heart" Our School

See what I did there ^

Please excuse all the weird feet in my pictures. They are our "Staring 2015 off on the 'Write' foot" papers. 

For us, the 100th day of school will be February 6th. I thought this would be a fantastic way to introduce the idea of the 100th day of school with my kids and decorate my classroom for Valentine's Day. 

As a class, we came up with reasons we love our school. Each student came up with a different reasons why they loved our school and I wrote it down on our white board. When then talked about how it would be boring if every student wrote "Miss Strosnider." We talked about how we can write down similar reasons, but not the exact same reasons. We came up with 5 other ways we could say "Miss Strosnider." The students brainstormed and came up with some great responses. We wrote down "My teacher," "Our teacher," "Miss Strosnider teaching us math," "Miss Strosnider teaching us reading" and so on. This was a great lesson for expanding vocabulary when writing. 

Each student had to come up with 5 different reasons why they love our school. I had 18 students that day, 18x5 = 90 reasons, we had some students make an extra fairy. They needed to write them down in a prewriting and I kept a running list so there were no repeats. The students really started to get into their writing when they found out that another student had already wrote down their idea. 

I created these black and white Valentine "fairies" (as my students call them) from clipart by Krista Wallden and Educasong. I printed them off on red, pink, and white construction paper. I printed off the copy of the boy and girl on white paper for their favorite thing they love about our school. 

I typed up all their responses, to make sure there were not any duplicates, and gave them each a copy. I passed out their one white response paper, a sharpie, and their list. They had to pick their favorite reasons why they love our school from their list and write it on the white paper. 

I collected the paper and allowed them to pick between the different fairies to write the rest of their responses. They cut out the red and pink papers and we hung them in the hallway. 

For centers, I allowed them to use "Miss Strosnider's REAL art supplies" to water color their white responses. I let them use my Prismacolor water color pencils. I wanted them to take pride in their work, and all of them really took their time and made amazing fairies. You can have your students use regular water colors have them color their white fairies. 

Here are some pictures of the final product hanging in my hallway. I love how their favorites stand out agains the red and pink fairies. 

To make the banner:

Print off the banner on thick card stock, cut and laminate. Punch two holes at the top to string your ribbon through. This took an entire 6 yard ribbon spool. To help with stringing the letters, add some tick packaging tape around the end and form a point. This will help keep the ribbon from fraying. 

You can grab this banner and all the materials for free by clicking on the image below:

100th Day

Today was day #89 for me ~ just 11 more school days 'til 100th Day!  Depending upon when you began your school year, and how many snow days you've had (3 for me), you are probably getting close to your 100 day of school.  In the past few years our celebrations have included lots of fun activities that made the day a memorable one for my little Kinders.  Here are some pictures of my past 100th Days. 

 Last year my teaching partners & I had fun dressing up as 100 year old ladies. (I'm on the right.  And, wearing a gray wig.) 

Even some of my little kiddos dressed up as centenarians! 

The kids brought in 100 small items.  With the help of a parent volunteer they counted them by ones, fives, and tens.  The mats ~ ten circles on on a large piece of paper ~ helped them to keep track of their little items.  It was interesting to see their collections.

The past three years we made collaborative 100 item craft projects.  Pizzas with 100 toppings, cupcakes with 100 sprinkles, and bowls with 100 fish.  Parent volunteers helped the kids with these projects.

100 piece snacks, counting to 100, and 100 "written" with crackers.

100th Day writing & pictures.  Get this freebie HERE.

I'm looking forward to 100th Day 2015 (even if it is three days later than it should be...).  I've been pinning some new ideas.  I think we'll be building 100 cup structures, and making 100 "gumball" gumball machines.  What will you do to celebrate the big day?

Please check out my blog, Facebook page, 100th Day Pinterest board, and TpT store.  Thanks!