Let's Get Oganized!

I'm back again today to link of with Blog Hoppin' for teacher week!

Today's topic: organization!
I am most definitely one of those people that loves organization. I get ridiculously excited over storage bins & labels - weird, I know! I am a true believer that organization in the classroom absolutely makes the school day run smooth. 

Here are a few of my tried and true tips for classroom organization.

SUBJECT BINS

I try to prep by unit.  I look at the unit as a whole, gather my supplies, and make my copies.  Then all of it gets stored in these bins in order of when they'll be used.  This way I just grab from the top when it's time for that lesson and we're good to go.  

TABLE BUCKETS

My students all share supplies.  Each group has a table bucket (or two) that holds pencils, erasers, and small ziplock containers filled with crayons.  The buckets make it so convenient for having everything they need  right there.  The ziplock containers were a new addition this past year and I loved them!  Each container holds a 24 pack of crayons that two students can easily share.  The containers were durable, lasting the whole year (if only the crayons would too!)  I have students collect the pencils from their table at the end of each day and sharpen them so they are ready to go for the following day.  We also share scissors, glue, and markers, but I tend to prefer to keep those away from the tables until we actually need to use them, you know, less of a distraction. But the necessities, always kept at a fingers reach away.

BUCKETS EVERYWHERE

I have these small galvanized buckets placed all over my room. (They're actually from my wedding 4 years ago - I just modge podged chevron paper on them.)  I use these for corralling my daily supplies.  This bucket holds my Mr. Sketch markers for making charts. I have two on my desk filled with pens and markers for notes and grading. I have another near my white board to hold dry erase markers.  They're all strategically placed near where I would use them so when the time comes I'm not scrambling to find what I need.

So there you go, 3 things that keep my everyday classroom running smooth!

Where I Teach

Happy Tuesday!

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' for teacher week!

 

I just headed into school for the first time yesterday.  Teachers start back next week and our kiddos join us after labor day, so I still have some time to get my room in order.  As you can see, I still have lots to do...

I'm moving rooms this year so a lot of organizing is in my near future.

Though, I did get a good start on a few of my walls.

Here's hoping it all comes together.

In the meantime, here's a peek at my room from last year

you can see the full tour HERE.

I will be sure to share my room when it's done and ready to go!

Math Centers & a Sale!

Have you heard!? (I'm sure you have!) TpT is throwing another sale!

This time it's for one day only, WEDNESDAY.

 so be sure to get those carts all filled up with all your back to school needs. 

Everything in my shop will be on sale.

& if you use the code BOOST you can save even more!!

In preparation for back to school I have created two new sets of centers! 

I plan to use these number sense centers as a review of what my kiddos learned in first grade while we're establishing routines for centers during those first couple weeks.

These addition centers will be used throughout our first math unit 

where we focus on addition and subtraction within 20.

Head on over to my shop to check them out 

& all of my other goodies while they're on sale!

Meet the Teacher

Hey there! I'm Lindsay. I'm a wife, new momma & the teacher behind Live, Laugh & Learn in Second Grade.  I'm heading into my 8th year teaching 2nd grade this year. 

I married this awesome guy almost four years ago 

& we welcomed our sweet baby girl, Parker on May first.

We have spent our summer days venturing all over the place with countless visits to the zoo, exploring the Detroit Institute of Art & the Henry Ford Museum, trips to the farmer's market, dinners with friends, and plenty of visits to the grandparents' houses so they can get their baby snuggles in. 

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...

My little family. Friends. Laughing. Sunshine. Teaching. Exploring new places. Taking photos. Instagram. Tacos. Driving with the windows down. Looking at life through a glass half full. Spring. & Target

 IF YOU WEREN'T A TEACHER, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BE?

I love home decor and decorating.  I read a bunch of interior design blogs and they completely inspire me with my own home.  If I were not a teacher, I would most definitely be an interior designer.

THREE LITTLE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU.

Loving. Passionate. Positive.  

 

FINISH THE SENTENCE, "________,  SAID NO TEACHER EVER!!"

"I love paperwork...said no teacher ever!"
 

Q: IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY AND YOU CAN INVITE ANYONE {DEAD OR ALIVE} TO THE PARTY. WHO ARE YOU INVITING?

Jimmy Fallon... he is all around awesome!

 

Q: IF SOMEONE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE?

 Live, Laugh, Love. 

 Q:YOU GET TO PICK ONE SUPERPOWER. WHAT IS IT?

 

I would love to fly.  I'm kind of a chicken when it comes to heights but I think flying wherever and whenever would be pretty amazing. 

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING?

"Laugh as much as you breath & love as long as you live."
 

Q: IF YOU HAD TO SING ONE SONG ON AMERICAN IDOL, WHAT WOULD IT BE? 

Skinny Love by Bon Iver

but, I'm only a good singer when I'm alone in my car ;)

 

 Q: ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR A NIGHT OWL?

Definitely a morning person. These days I struggle staying awake past 10:00 (lame, I know.)  But, morning comes and I'm ready to start the new day.  I'm always motivated to get everything done in the morning.

 

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE RESOURCE THAT YOU'VE CREATED IN YOUR TPT SHOP?

 I really love my Word Work Activities & Reading Response Flap Books.

They are both so versatile and great for engaging the kiddos. I use both, in some form, just about every week.

Q: SHARE SOMETHING WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU!

I'm a vegetarian.  I never ate much meat growing up.  I just didn't really like it.  A few years ago I just stopped completely and haven't looked back.

Now head on over to Falling into First to meet so many great teacher bloggers...

Back to School Sale!

Back to School time is here 

& we're celebrating with a sale!

my whole TpT shop is on sale!

PLUS

you can use the code BTS14 for additional savings!

Get your classroom ready with some labels, posters and decor...

 Get yourself all set for the first week with some fun...

Find some ready to go ELA activities...

& get yourself some engaging math centers & printables...

head on over to my shop now to check it out!

currently

Hello August.

I'm linking up with Oh Boy 4th Grade to share my currently...

Listening: to my sweet baby girl babbling away next to me.  She definitely found her voice over the past few weeks and I'm loving it!

Loving: these carefree summer days! I'm cherishing these days of waking when we want (well, when baby girl wants), working at our own pace, and spending days doing as we please.  oh summer!

Thinking: about the exciting adventures we have coming up this month.  We're road tripping to Lexington, Kentucky to visit my sister and her sweet family.  (They're moving there this weekend.) and a few days after we return to Michigan, we're headed up north for a little getaway.  

Wanting: these last few weeks of summer to creep by.  With all kinds of fun planned for August, I'm sure hoping the days pass slowly.  Yes, I'm excited to meet my new kiddos, but boy would I love for summer to stretch out just a little longer.

Needing: to start thinking about my new classroom set up.  I'm moving to a new classroom this year.  I'm planning to keep most of what I had, but it's a new space, so of course there will be some changes.

1st Day: teachers go back on the 25th and kiddos join us on September 2nd.

Word Work Activities

Last summer I created an assortment of word work activities.  I wanted a set of activities that took very little prep time, a set that was flexible to use with any words my students had, and of course, a set that was creative and engaging for my kiddos. After using (most of) these activities last year, I can truly say that I created exactly what I was looking for.

I've spent the last few days tweaking it, adding some new activities (that I just can't wait to implement this upcoming year!) and adding it to my shop so you can use it too!

The set includes 20 different word work activities.  Each activity comes with a bright and colorful direction card that can be printed and laminated 

as well as a recording sheet.

I also added a little freebie to give you a small sample 

of what you'll find in the pack!

so head on over to my shop to grab it now!

wow work! - student work display

Since sharing photos of my classroom both here and on instagram, I frequently receive comments and questions about my wow work student work display, so I figured I should write a post about it. 

This wall is by far one of my favorite displays in my classroom.  Not only is it eye catching when you enter into my room, but it is also hugely convenient for showcasing student work.  I am constantly updating this wall to show student work that is current and relevant to what we are learning.  My students are always excited to show off their work and having this display this past year has made it so easy to do so.

I started this display by picking out some bright scrapbook paper. I found this 12x12 paper from a pack from Michaels.  It's heavier duty paper, more like a card stock.  After selecting the colors I wanted from the pack, I hot glued a clothespin to the top of the scrapbook paper.  To a little something extra, I covered the clothespins with washi tape.

As for hanging my display, this wall is actually a chalkboard.  yes, an old school blackboard.  I simply stuck some double sided tape on each corner of the scrapbook paper and stuck it to the wall.  I did find that as the year went on the center behind the clothespin started to pull away from the wall.  I just added another piece of double sided tape to the scrapbook paper directly behind the clothespin and that seemed to do the trick. I added a fun chevron border around the display, titled it with colorful die cut letters, and it was good to go for a year full of wonderful student "wow work!"

Five for Friday

I can't believe it's already friday! 

These weeks are seriously flying by.  Slow down summer!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs today to share my five for friday.

1.

Every year my mother-in-law gifts us a membership to the zoo.  With the addition of our sweet girl this year, we have been really putting that membership to use. She loves going for walks, so why not do it around the zoo! She's 12 weeks old this week and she has already visited the zoo 6 times. 

2.

Last week was an exciting mail week! My solly baby wrap arrived along with two photo books that I made.  I love seeing pictures from the year all compiled together into a book.  & I've been wearing P around everywhere. Great mail week indeed!

3.

 I have also been busy creating some new products. I recently added three different sets of number posters to my TpT shop. They are available in chalkboard, chevron & polka dots.  Im excited to add these to my classroom this year... but first to decide which set to pick?

4.

I also just added a set of supply labels to my shop.  I am obsessed with keeping my classroom organized and I just love when everything matches.  I attach these labels to plastic shoe boxes (see the bottom of the shelves in the picture above) for easy access of supplies.

5.

Lastly, I hope you all enjoy your weekend! 

I'm off to spend time with this sweet little family of mine.