Monday, July 30, 2012

Monday Made LOTS OF It!

Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaa! Another successful Monday Made It!!


PROJECT #1
One of my teacher buddies even came over this weekend and we had a Pinterest day! So much fun! This definitely needs to happen again in the future! Not only were we able to talk and catch up, but we were productive as well! She made a teacher toolbox and I made some of the things below. We drank lots of coffee and I made this for lunch.
 Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac and Cheese

Can we just talk about how awesome it was? Even my boyfriend who hates quinoa loved it! Super easy, super good, and definitely to be made again!

On to my made its!!

PROJECT #2
First up, birthday balloons! Love these ideas I saw popping up all over! I found the balloon at Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits. She used pixie sticks, so her balloons were very large! I made mine a little smaller and added "Hip Hip Hooray It's your Birthday today!" I found the straws 6 for one dollar at Dollar Tree. LOVE that place!!

PROJECT #3
This is my third year using Whole Brain Teaching. I love these little cards that Stephanie at 3rd Grade Thoughts made. Cannot wait to post these up this year! I printed and laminated them.

PROJECT #4
I mentioned buying these from Kristen at Ladybug's Teacher Files last week. Well... here they are! All printed, cut out, and laminated! My plan is to put magnets on the back and stick them to my whiteboard.

PROJECT #5
So this is absolutely my biggest challenge so far. This was my first year teaching with math stations as one of my rotations. (You can read more about how I do math workshop here!!) I have accumulated so many games, and definitely had storage issues with them. My summer project is to get these organized before school starts in a few weeks.
 Just this week I pulled out all the games and organized them into piles sorted by math concept.

In addition to sorting them, I made sure that each game was placed into a large ziploc bag. Then I wrote the name of the game on the front. This game below has multiple copies so it's much easier for me to keep them all in one bag.

 Within each bag is each indivisual game which I usually keep in a page protector. These have proved to be AWESOME this year! I can stick the gameboards, pieces, cards, EVERYTHING in one easy to hold case. Best of all it's cheap! Some of my games need dry erase markers, and these page protectors can easily be written on and erased! Best of all, you don't need to laminate game boards anymore! This has saved me lots of time last year.

On the back of some of my game bags I have written materials that are needed. I don't keep dice and other game pieces with every game because I don't have enough. By writing what the game needs on the back, I'm hoping that it will be easy to play right away and will help me be better prepared. I'll try anything if it cuts down on prep time.

My next project will be turning all the sterilite drawers I have at school into something like what Mrs. Bond did in her room:
But instead of months, they'll have my different math concepts with all the stations not being used by my students, housed and organized inside! Get ready to see this next week!

PROJECT #6
Now that I have my math stations organized, next up was organizing all of my math worksheets, master copies, and projects. Last year I kept them in file folders, and I was horrible at returning the papers to the correct folder. For some reason filing just did NOT work for me. I've decided to use binders this year.

 Just like my math stations, I am creating binders based on math concepts. So far I have:
  • Measurement
  • Place Value/Patterns
  • Money
  • Probability/Graphing & Data
  • Fractions
  • Addition/Subtraction (which I divided up into single digit, double digit, and triple digit using divider tabs)
  • Multiplication/Division
  • Geometry
Download them HERE for FREE if you are interested in them! :)

Here's a peek inside my Measurement binder (I plan on using dividers to make sections for customary, metric, area/perimeter, time, temperature, weight, and liquids:
 I have my master copies that I used during my Current Events or Team Meeting stations.

 I also kept some of my student's work for some of the projects we completed. This was one of my favorites! Students were given 6-8 strips of paper of various lengths. They had to measure each of them, then turn it into a picture. This student created an alligator that could even open its mouth when you pulled up on the orange strip!! So creative! Then the students added up ALL of the strips to get a final total and named their creation! I'll have to highlight some of my favorite math projects before school starts!

 I also used page protectors to house cards, leftover project pieces, manipulatives, specific team meeting or minilesson games, etc. Anything that couldn't be hole punched and that was not specifically a math station.

And then more master copies. It's going to be so much easier to put them back in this binder rather than in a folder!!

PROJECT #7
And now for my BIG HOME PROJECT REVEAL!!!!!!

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN

Remember my dining room wall from last week?

Well we finally finished the taping, and began painting last week. One thing we did once the tape was on, was paint white over the edges of the paint. We have a textured wall and we wanted to make sure when we painted our stripes, it wasn't going to bleed under the painter's tape.

 Well after we painted the grey stripes, we found out the orange we wanted to use wouldn't cover the green paint that was originally on the wall (even though the orange paint had primer too! Lesson learned, when painting with orange, grab a can of primer too no matter what!) Soooo a quick trip to Lowe's and we snagged some primer and had the lady add a little orange tint to it. Although in the picture it looks pink.

Cute story- the boyfriend commented how the picture above would look cute in a little girl's room because of the pinkish and grey colors. Cue "AWWWWWWWWWW" moment!

Anyway, 2 hours later we were able to paint on the orange.

And did the peeling of the paint later that night.....

AND TADA!!!!!! We are super proud! Those orange flowers above were the inspiration for the orange colors! :)

They stripes look really straight and I am soooo glad we put small white lines in between the colored ones. Some of the paint bled under the tape though, so we have some touching up still to do. You can't tell from far away, but to be honest, for a first attempt I'm impressed!! Definitely a loooooong process, but the results in the end were absolutely worth it!

34 comments:

Miss Nelson said...

You've been super busy. Love it all. The mac and cheese looks amazing.
Michele

thebusybusyhive said...

I love the orange and grey stripes. I have an orange kitchen eith green dinning room. Great job on all your school things!

Heather
The Busy Busy Hive

Brandi said...

Your projects came out amazing...love that wall! I need to binderize a lot of my resources as well!

Brandi
Success in Second Grade

Tamera Wilson said...

Love the Wall! Gorgeous!


Stop by soon.
I am having a Linky about your All Time Favorite Teacher.

:)
Tamera
http://myheartbelongsinfirst.blogspot.com
Kaizactan2001@yahoo.com

Marlene McGarrity said...

I love your teaching stuff....but I really love those stripes!

Anonymous said...

Great idea to use pocket protectors to store game pieces - thanks for the tip!

I absolutely love your wall! It looks fantastic.

Kara
Spedventures

Jill said...

Everything in this post was aaaaaamazing but I am so impressed with your wall! WOW!!

Marvelous Multiagers!

Fancy Free in 4th said...

Wow! Your home looks awesome!
Layla
Check out my blog too!
Fancy Free in Fourth

Unknown said...

I love your stripes! I usually hate stripes...but those are definitely classy! :)

Also, great idea on the notebooks. I need to do that. I have 3 more weeks!

--Andi
Mommy, Teacher, & So Much More

iTeach 1:1 said...

Your wall turned out great! I've always wanted to do stripes but have been to afraid. Hmm, maybe I will try an accent wall in the bathroom to practice. You are always so darn productive!
Kristin
iTeach 1:1

Lana said...

Your dining room looks AMAZING! Wow! :)

You have been super busy!

Anne Tussing said...

Love your stripes!!!

A Teacher Without a Class said...

I love your stripes! I too like the white!

Vicky Hunt said...

Thanks for the sweet comments on my blog! I love all your projects and am totally in love with your dining room wall!!! It is beautiful....fantastic job!

Vicky
Keep Calm & Imagine

Unknown said...

All of the projects are fabulous. But, that dining room wall is awesome!

Dee
Mrs. B's Nook

Sara said...

Wow...you are super organized! You are on top of your Math Workshop game! :) Love, Love, LOVE your dining room wall! AMAZING!!

~Sara~
Ramblings of a Deaf Ed Teacher's Mind...

4321Teach said...

Wow, your accent wall looks great! Congrats on finishing a time consuming project. Lots of teachers, myself included, have painted during Made It Monday. We should all consider a second career, I guess!

Thanks for sharing!
EmilyK

Heather said...

Your wall looks AMAZING and I love the colors!!

Heather (heathernnance@yahoo.com)

The Writing Mama said...

First of all, your dining room looks absolutely fabulous!

I have been meaning to make math binders for all my lesson plans and master copies, but haven't quite gotten around to it! I'm inspired now and I think I'll work on that tomorrow while I'm in my room!

Ashley
That's So Second Grade

Carol said...

Great ideas for organizing math stuff! I use sheet protectors a lot too!
-Carol
Cobbkindersprouts.blogspot.com

Fourth Grade Flipper said...

I loved reading your Monday Made It!! I am looking forward to your posts about math projects. Your dining room wall looks wonderful. Great work!!
~Holly
Fourth Grade Flipper

Tamera Wilson said...

Hi Amanda,
Thanks for stopping by.
I used scrapbook paper from a scrapbook kit from Stampin Up! Love how all their papers co-ordintate. I cut them out with my Cricut. Then, I attached them with Glue dots, all except the first First. It is held on with regular tape so it can be removed easily and replaced with the word Last for the end of the year.
:)
Tamera
http://myheartbelongsinfirst.blogspot.com
Kaizactan2001@yahoo.com

Learning in Wonderland said...

Wow! You got tons done! I love those straws and the paint job that you did is incredible!!

Anonymous said...

I've been looking for the birthday balloons and have now found them!! Thanks!

I'm a new follower! Come on over and checkout my blog and my giveaway!

Keeping It Core

Mrs. Castro said...

Wow you've been busy! I love all your projects. In the back of my mind the organizational aspect of the work stations is haunting me. Since I'm just starting I don't have tons of stuff to organize yet - but oh boy...I'm going to come back and read how you organize them when I'm emotionally prepared!
Laura
Mrs. Castro's Class

Gina S. said...

OMG I LOVE the paint!!! That turned out so good! And I started WBT last year and then went to responsive classroom training this year. So I am going to try to implement RC and then a couple weeks in I have to try to remember to do parts of WBT that I like.
Gina
Third Grade Tidbits

Unknown said...

Wow, you have been busy! I like the crazy straws instead of pixie stix, I think I'll go that way too! I nominated you for an award, stop by and check it out :-)

Jenny
teacherandamom.blogspot.com

Laura said...

I am so glad I found your blog through Texas Teachers Blogs! Great ideas! I hope you'll stop by and visit.


Oh, How Pintearesting!

Ms. Lies said...

You have been CRAZY busy! I think I might have the math storage labels you need in my TPT store. It will make your life easier!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Game-Storage-Labels

I am also a 2nd Grade Teacher! I am now following your blog. Great job on the painting this summer!

Amanda Kendall said...

Dang girl! You got a TON done. Your walls look fantastic. :)

Amanda
The Teaching Thief

Anonymous said...

Hi, just wanted to mention, I enjoyed this post.
It was helpful. Keep on posting!
My webpage ... how to Download movies

Anonymous said...

We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your website offered us with valuable information to work on.
You've done a formidable job and our whole community will be grateful to you.
Here is my web page :: internet and business online

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in reality was once a enjoyment account it.
Glance complex to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can
we keep in touch?
Feel free to surf my site ... Antalya immobilien

Anonymous said...

Great weblog right here! Also your website quite a bit up very fast!
What web host are you the use of? Can I get your associate hyperlink for your host?
I want my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
my website: going to