Classroom set up!

My room is ready for 28 first graders! 

packets for open house

Teacher book corner and the kiddo's math supply bins

seat sacks all set up!

adorable owls- inside my classroom instead of outside the door

my room is on the right! last classroom in the 1/2 hall

plan book all set up!

amazing new book bins all labeled with pics and ready to go

my corner

job chart

where we will all gather for morning meeting and group lessons

Planting a garden

Gram and some of my kiddos planting

Finished products! now we just need for them to sprout

Always a teacher

Cuties and their plants. so proud. so excited for them to grow.

Almost finished planting!

Cam's Christmas hat

One of my students thought can needed a festive present. It's a new hat!

Merry Christmas!

Sledding!

My kids made presents for their parents. We went "sledding" at school!! They were so excited to take home their presents and put them under their trees. Crafting and first grade go very well together. So fun!!

Day 5 in first grade

My kids are so cute! I am loving getting to know each and every one of them.  They are so happy, eager to learn, eager to please and just want to be loved. We are busy practicing rules and routines and settling into first grade.  With 29 kiddos rules and routines are probably two of the most important things we focus on.  They need to be practiced over and over and over and over to ensure a smooth 180 days. :)

schedule and essential question bulletin board

calendar math, part of morning meeting

kids working on the owl coloring rubric

we practiced coloring expectations- N S G O

so cute working on her "O"...I will take a pic of her hair when its down. the most adore ringlets

what great work! he even added a branch for the "O" owl to stand on

sitting on the rug for our morning news show

standing for the pledge

first day reflections...

1. How much I love teaching
2. How little 1st graders are (they are 6)
3. These first few weeks/months are EXHAUSTING
4. 29 1st graders are A. L.O.T to handle (until trained) :)
5. I don't have time to use the restroom before lunch
6. I don't have time to eat lunch before November
7. Every.one. of my students wants to be my best friend
8. I get LOTS of "You're the best teacher ever" letters and drawings to make me feel amazing (4 today already!)
9. I am told that the read alouds I pick are the best books ever
10. How much I love each one of my "kids"

This is going to be a great year!

o-FISH-ally in 1st Grade

Today was open house at school I got to meet about half of my new baby owls.  I forgot to take a pic of my owl bulletin board- so that is on the agenda tomorrow. CL and I made super cute gold fish goodie bags for our kiddos to take home. They were a huge hit.

My classroom is ALMOST complete. Only a teacher would understand how much hard work goes into putting a classroom together.  I've been at school from pretty much 9am to 9pm every day this week. It's insane and I still have yet to look at my schedule or plan one lesson for the first day.

I did take some exciting pics of my classroom so far. 

Cheryl Lynn working super hard filling gold fish bags

bag ties

we made 90 bags. it took a while.

my classroom. almost all set up.

my desk area

class library and word wall (half complete)

job chart and doorway

room for 29 1st graders. yep. 29.

after open house when my students sorted their extra supplies

so cute

What did I do with my day?

I went into school today and started to set up my classroom.  I have a VERY good friend, Carrie, who came with me.  She was such a help.  We moved ALL The furniture around and set up my classroom library!! I only took one pic because I forgot to take more. I somehow convinced her to come back with me tomorrow so I will take pics of my classroom.

Green Baskets: DRA leveled library

Blue Baskets: Fiction books- each basket is a subcategory

Yellow Baskets: Non Fiction books- each basket is a different topic

When I got home, I spray painted popsicle sticks. I will post a pic of the final outcome when I print the labels for my popsicle stick can. Woot!

My popsicle stick masterpiece. Probably spray painted about 200 sticks.

Welcome Back to School Wreath

I made a wreath to hang on my classroom door.

Cut ribbon about 15-17inches in length and tie in knots around wreath form

Keep tying...I alternated ribbon colors.

almost done!

Tie a longer piece of ribbon to the top to hang it from

Hanging on my laundry room door until its time for school

I am looking for a small chalk board to attach.  It will say "Welcome to Mrs. Carusi's Class"

Wreath form: $4.99 at Michaels
Ribbon: 21yards for $16.45 from ebay
Time: about an hour (with a break for dinner)