2013-2014 School Year Begins Tomorrow!

While I am a bit sad that summer is ending, I am very excited and anxious to get into the new school year.  I have so many ideas trampling around in my head trying to find a way out so I am glad that I can finally release them.  

Our first week and a half of school is for training, meetings, and time in our classroom.  I am most definitely not looking forward to the the first two but I am the last because my room is practically ready to go.  I will be able to focus on curriculum.

So this weekend, I have been working on some more anchor charts and I thought I would show them here.  **Disclaimer: I have no idea what wonderful teacher had these on their blog.  I sadly didn't save that info.  I did find these ideas elsewhere and if anyone knows where, please let me know so I can be sure and give them credit.

I love them!!

Happy "first day back" tomorrow for my teacher friends!!

One Weekend Left!

Yes, you read that right!  We have one weekend left until we start the new school year.  Thankfully us teachers get a week and a half before we see students, but it will go by increasingly fast!

I am down on my back  this week which has really slowed the completion of my classroom, but I was able to at least begin work on some anchor charts.  There are so many good ones floating around Pinterest and while I think I am very creative I look at them and longingly think "wish I had come up with that idea".  Well I did the next best thing and drew my own versions of some.  This is the only one I have a picture of, but I will post more later as soon as I get a chance.

This poster was seen on 2nd Grade Smarty Arties and I fell in LOVE!  Here is my take on it.

I can't wait to make more!!  It's so much fun!

Back to School Shopping

I finally went to our local school supply store today and did a little shopping.  Well maybe more than a little...$75.00 roughly.  I told the lady I was waiting to hear my total and she goes "oh it's not that bad".  Her idea of not so bad is clearly different than mine.  It's all good though, I am in LOVE with my purchases.  Here they are below.  I took them with my iPad so they aren't the best quality but they will do.  :-)

Random Borders - Chevron Print with have magnetic tape adhered to the back for the white board.  The Street and Green Glitter ones will go to complete the "Reading Street Focus Board" I am creating.  The Owl border is still being debated.  I am thinking it will go on my Spalding Board.

Owl Posters - I am obsessed with them!  I can't wait to laminate them and decorate!

This is a ginormous wall banner that reads "READ".  It is of course owl themed which just excites me!

This is my Jobs Board set.  I love this black and white stuff.  So simply stated.  Can't wait to get it done.

Not exactly sure what I will use these cards for but I loved them.  The pencils will be in my open house goody bags. 

I am going in tomorrow to laminate them and decorate.  I will post photos of all when I am completely done.

Pin Party!

Just thought I would sneak on here and share some of my favorite pins from recent browsing fests!  I stalk this site like a rabbit stalks a carrot.  I love it!  Share some of yours in the comments!

Glitzy In 1st Grade has an amazing classroom!

Mrs. Ricca's Kindergarten uses this fabulous rules display!  I may just have to make one for myself!

Seriously?!  Who thinks of this?  Nancy does over at Teaching My Friends!  This is genius!

 Leslie Ann over at Life in First Grade has some amazing games!  I love them all and can't wait to use some in my class!

I hate frogs of any kind, but this activity is just adorable and goes with Frog and Toad!  Love it!  You can find it at Once Upon A First Grade Adventure.

Hope you find some use for some of these or anything else you may find on their blogs!  Share with me some of your favorite!

 

Task Cards

I saw this idea on Pinterest so I made my own!  I can't wait to see how well they work in the classroom!  The idea is that you hang these on the white board or somewhere else prominent in the classroom and voila!  Instant organization!  I can dream right?  :-)

You can get them here!

Clock Seconds

In light of having to teach the CCSS now in Florida, I am trying to get creative.  Since I know and use Photoshop CS5, I have been creating some things to use in my classroom.  

We have to teach clocks this year in math class so I made these handy "clock seconds" to put around my clock at school.  Feel free to snag and use.  I will post pictures of them in use once my classroom is finished.  :-)

Here is an image of them and their links.

ENJOY!!!

Ahhh! My First Post!

I am so excited to have my first post.  I am not sure what this blog will entail, but I am most sure it will have to do with my family, friends, and most importantly 1st Grade!

Let me introduce myself a bit.  

My name is Mrs. Kellams and I am so excited to be teaching first grade in Lee County, Florida!!  1st Grade is very fun with tons of learning and new adventures and I can’t wait to share them with my students and see what the year has in store for them.  I am excited to learn all about them, but first I am going to tell you all about me.

I was born and raised in a small town in Louisiana and I am the oldest of three.  I have a
younger sister and and a younger brother, and 6 nieces and nephews (who you will see lots of on here!).  I love them so much!  When I graduated from high school, I moved to Tallahassee, Florida with my mom and brother.  In the fall of 2006, I met my now husband, Noel.  

Noel is a wonderful teacher too!  He has been a teacher for 6 years in the same county; he teaches middle school, gifted, history.    He is beginning his 7th year right now!  After Noel and I were married I decided to speed up the college process and quickly finished my degree in Elementary Education!  I was so excited and couldn’t wait to begin teaching!

I began here at the school I am currently employed at in 1st grade and I never left!  This is my 4th year and I couldn’t be happier!  I adore teaching in first grade because this is such a big year for children academically.  They learn so much!!  This is the year they begin reading more and discovering the things around them. 

Some of my favorite things:

Favorite - black
Favorite Season - Spring
Favorite Food - Asian
Favorite Fast Food - Chick-Fil-A
Favorite Drink - water
  Favorite Sport - Football (Go Saints!!)
Favorite Animal - My kitty (Scampi)
Favorite Book - Hunger Games
Favorite Song - I am a music ADDICT! 
Favorite Hobby - Photography

Some pictures of my family and I!

Noel & I

Me, my brother Jeremy, and my sister Kelly.

Makenna & Trevor

Gabriel, Madelynn, my dad Jerry, Warner (in his lap), & Taylor

My mom Kathryn, my step-father JL, and Ariel.

I have to find some great pictures of my husbands family and then I will post them.  I will also post some of my classroom when I get it finished for the year!