Back to School Game!

How is tomorrow already August??

I've been having way too much fun enjoying these summer days with my family to even begin to realize that it's almost time to get in back to school mode!

I had very high hopes of making so many awesome things this summer. Like classroom decor items, mini posters, math and literacy centers, printing, laminating, a BUNCH of TPT products, classroom furniture makeovers.... and the list goes on.

Well, tomorrow is August and I haven't done half of those things, not even close.

Blowing bubbles with my daughter got done though! Multiple times ;) Oh and a whole lotta Target shopping as well. Summer vacation needs to end for the one and only reason that I must stop going to Target! Ha!

But not really though.

While thinking about my back to school plan this week, I remembered a fun game I always do on the first day of school. 

And I thought I'd share it with you all!

All you need for this fun activity are 2-3 rolls of toilet paper. 

Yes, toilet paper. (Don't worry it's fun, I promise!)

Have students unroll the paper and take as many squares as they'd like. Some will take 1 or 2 and some will go all out and grab like 22. Then, have a student take some for you.

Once everyone has paper, ask your students to count the number of squares they have. 

And this is the fun part!

1 square = 1 thing about you

22 squares = 22 things about you (!)

Students always laugh when they realize what they have to do with the squares. I usually go first to break the ice and then students take turns sharing fun facts about them.

It can be as random as 'I love chocolate ice cream' or 'I went to the beach over the summer'.

Whatever they would like to say!

I love this game because it gets everyone talking, helps get rid of first day jitters and you get to know your new students a little better! And for some, a whole lotta better!

There you have it! No prep easy first day activity!

What are some of your favorite back to school games?

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And on a completely unrelated topic, I picked up Gone Girl this morning and I just can't wait to start it! Have any of you read it?

Well that's all for me tonight,

Until next time,

Currently and a fun BTS activity [and FREEBIE!]

Hi everyone!

It's time for a new currently! (ok well it was time a week ago but I'm late.... so sorry!)

So here we go for August:

1. Watching the Olympics... it's pretty much all we've been doing since they started! But I love it! I love the fact that everyone is watching the same thing at the same time and rooting for their country! Right now it's boxing... not my favorite but still! 

2. I can't wait to go back to school! Every summer, when August rolls around I'm ready to go back! I know I know... hello weirdo! I mean I love summer and I really LOVE not having to wake up early in the morning, being able to spend entire days by the pool not worrying about a thing, spending the day in my pjs! Yes, I love all those things but now, I've had enough :) And I love the first weeks of school! I love decorating my classroom, meeting my new students, getting to know them, explaining procedures, rules, activities...etc.... So I'm excited to go do all of that!

3. I started my summer off thinking I would accomplish SO many things! Wow have I been lazy! I really need to pick up the pace!!

4. Back to school shopping (for clothes!) is so much fun! I love started the year with a few fresh tops, pants, dresses and shoes! It makes me love bts even more! I've purchased a few items over the summer that I haven't worn because I'm keeping them for school. I've had to refrain from wearing them which was very difficult. But if I wear them now, then they don't feel new anymore once I start wearing them in September... so I've been good :)

5. I am in need of a fresh pedi! For me that means it's a week old. I re-do my pedi and choose a new nail polish every week. Sometimes I'll go get it done but I get tired of the color so fast that I'd just rather do it myself! I'm thinking I'll go with a coral polish next :)

6. I need TONS of laminating sheets! So many things I want to laminate! Also, my adorable lunch box past away last year and I ended the year using plastic grocery bags...not so fashionable! I want to go shopping for a new one and hope to find one as cute as the one I had! And last, I need bins and baskets to decorate and organize my classroom. 

Head on over to Oh'Boy 4th Grade to link up!

Next, I wanted to share a fun back to school activity that I just love doing with my kids! I try to do it on the first day of school but if you do it during the first week it would still be fine :)

I call it: The Time Capsule!!

Students fill out their time capsule with the favorites of the moment (color, food, movie, etc.) Then, I pick up all of the sheets and hide them somewhere in the classroom where they won't find them. On the very last day, I take out the Time Capsules (which sometimes they didn't even remember they'd done them!). I give them the same sheet as in September (a new blank one) and they fill it out again. Then, I give them the one they wrote in September and they can compare their favorites! Students love it! They laugh when they see what they'd written and how they favorites have changed! You would think not much would change in 10 months but oh boy! It does!

If you would like to do this activity, which is pretty quick and simple, here is your Time Capsule FREEBIE!

Click on the image to download it with Google Docs.

Ok well time for breakfast!

Until next time,

Rockin' Back to School, an Award and a Fun Linky!

Hello bloggy friends!!!

Oh how I have missed you all! I was on vacation last week and have been running around all over the place since we've been back! I thought I would have tons of time to blog this summer but time seems to be slipping away and I barely ever have time to blog :( I'm so behind on my blog stalking too!

Anyways, so last week me and my boyfriend went to Cuba! Yay! The beach was soooo beautiful :) We did have a few cloudy days but overall it was a great trip! How could you not have fun when you're by the beach? Please! :) Going to the beach really made me feel like I was on vacation. No alarm and no school is great, but the beach really just takes it the extra mile :)

On an other topic, I have finally finished my back to school pack, Rockin' Back to School!

Here is a little preview:

I am really proud of it! I love it! It's a bunch of fun activities you can do with your kiddos during the first few weeks of school. I've added it to my store so you can go and grab yourself a copy. Let me know what you think!

Also, I have been awarded the Liebster Blog Award by 3 great bloggers! Yay! Thank you so much ladies!

Sara over at Miss V's Busy Bees

Jaime over at Bright Concepts 4 Teachers
and
Emily over at 2nd Grade Mon-''Stars''

This award highlights blogs that have under 200 followers.
Here are the rules for it:
1. Copy and paste this award on your blog.

2. Thank the giver and link back to them.

3. Reveal 5 other bloggers and let them know by commenting on their blog.

I love this award! New bloggers are in need of love and this award does just that! :)

So here are the 5 blogs I am awarding the Liebster Blog Award to:

1. Welcome to KinderKiddies!

2. The Resourceful Apple

3. The First Grade Princess



4. Primarily Speaking

5. First Grade - California Style

Congrats ladies!! Keep up the good work :)
Make sure to check out these blogs and share the love!

And finally, check out this great linky I've found!

Aren't we all looking for classroom decor inspiration this time of year? I know I am! I'm keeping my owl theme for a second year in a row (which I never do but I just love owls too much to move on!).  I really want to find as many ideas as I can so that my classroom will look amazing! (at least I'll work very very hard in order to get it to look that way ;) I'm going to go look though this linky for inspiration! If you find some cute owl ideas, feel free to share!! :)

Now, time for some blog stalking! And also I want to work on some classroom owl themed things. I'll be working extra hard to be able to share them with you ASAP :)

Until next time,