Monday Made It {June 30}

I missed the link up last week, because I was actually here...

Meeting the fabulous host of this linky!!!  I "met" Tara over 3 years ago through blogging, but FINALLY had the opportunity to meet her in real life and it was wonderful!  She is everything I thought she would be in person and more: kind, beautiful, funny, personable, down-to-earth...the list goes on-and-on.  I am truly blessed to have had the chance to hang out with her!

Now on to her fabulous linky!

I only have one project to share with you (because I've been gone a week).  But this one was a biggie!
Let me start by saying that I have the most wonderful dog in the whole wide world.  Check him out:
Isn't he adorable?  He's sporting the lei I brought back from a little trip I just finished.  If you follow me on Instagram, I think I blew up that feed with my trip.  #sorrynotsorry  Actually, I am a little sorry.  It can get a little obnoxious.

Anyway, back to my sweet dog, Ben.  I love this dog.  I love how he carries a "blankie" around the house and has to show visitors his blankie as soon as they arrive.  I love that he is sweet, gentle, and follows my husband around.  I love how he is loyal.  I love how he doesn't try to run away.  He's a great dog all the way around.

We have one problem.

He thinks he's a lap dog.

And because of that, he thinks he owns the sofa.  When the entire family of four sits downs to watch a movie, he will inevitably end up on our laps.  And, when we are not around, he will inevitably end up hanging out on the sofa.

And, when he does, he leaves it a mess.  It's beige.  But, that beige had slowly turned to brown.  Luckily, we were smart enough to buy a sofa with a slipcover.  So, I thought to myself...

Hey, why not dye the sofa brown?  It would cover the endearing "Ben" stains.  Right?

So, that's what I did!!

I didn't take a "before" picture of the entire sofa, but you can see the color of the sofa in the middle picture at the top.  The lovely "Ben" stain can be found on the top left.

It was really rather simple.  It just took some time to complete.
I bought this dye and "washed" my covers in the washing machine.

I followed the directions on the package.  Simple!  I hung the covers to dry because I was afraid to dry them in the dryer.  That's what took the longest time.  After I was finished, I put the sofa back together and I'm so happy with how it turned out.  I think I bought myself at least two more years with this cover!

Next week, I hope to have a ton of projects ready to share.  I'm slowly getting myself organized for my new rooms.  Yes, you heard that right...two classrooms.  Actually, one will be a very small space that will really be more like an office.  But, I've got some organizing and decorating to do.  So, stay tuned!

Have a great week!

Remembering Anchor Charts Each Year {A Bright Idea}

It's that time again!
Are you ready for some...
BRIGHT IDEAS? 

My idea for this month is about how to remember the details of anchor charts from year to year.  Since we create anchor charts for students WITH students each year, it makes it a little easier if you already know what you want to include and how you want the information to look.

Paper source: The Clipart Factory Font: A Cupcake for the Teacher

Here's a picture (not the best) of one that I created for Dividing (with up to 4-digit divideds and 1-digit divisors):
In the top left-hand corner, you can see the CCSS listed.  In the top right-hand corner is the  essential question.

But, this post is not about anchor charts and how they work.  I'm sure you already know a lot about that.  My bright idea is this:

I took pictures of them!

This simple trick saved me a ton of time last year.  I knew what I wanted, could create the anchor chart easier because I had an image of the anchor chart from the previous year.


I saved them in a folder on my computer labeled "Beginning of the Year".  This way, at the beginning of the year (oh so original), I'll know where to find my anchor charts.

Simple tip.  Hope it helps :)

If you are new to my blog and enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on FacebookInstagram or at Teachers Pay Teachers for more great ideas!

For more bright ideas tons of different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting! 

What are you waiting for?  Have a great time checking out the links to find more
 BRIGHT IDEAS!



Monday Made It {June 16th}

Excited for another installment of Monday Made It!  Tara keeps me on my toes.  I've said this for how many years now?

I have a few Made Its that are school related.
So, I've been working away on Math Moves for 5th grade.  I started last week and I've officially finished weeks 1-9.  Yay!  Only 3 more sets of 9 weeks left...I like saying it that way instead of 27 weeks left...


Who teaches 5th grade and would like to do some editing?  Email me at funinroom4b@gmail.com if you are interest.  I'd GREATLY appreciate it.

So, if you've been around for a while, you know that I'm big on organization.  I don't always practice what I preach, but I do try.  For example, don't come and look in my closets at home.  But at school?  Well, that's a different story.  MOST of my closets are pretty organized.

To stay organized, I have a few of these babies in my possession.
And by a "few", I mean about a hundred.
Last year, I created these labels for the drawers.
And used them.

But, with my new position, I needed a new set of drawers.  So, I created these:

Can you use them?  I've uploaded an EDITABLE file at Teachers Pay Teachers {here} because if you are anything like me, you can slap a label on just about anything.

Now, off to one of my new classrooms to see what else I can organize.  When I get home, I can't wait to read through all of the other "Made Its" to figure out how to decorate and organize this new room!  My other "room" is actually an office at my second school.  That room will be a little easier...but I know the file box above will be joining me in both places.

Have a great week!

Math Moves Update

Well, you've asked for it, so I've been busy working away....

Although I won't be teaching math next year, I've been asked to create a 5th grade version of Math Moves.  I've completed the first 4 weeks already and am hoping to have this finished before the end of June. (Fingers crossed)

If you are new to my blog and don't know what this item is all about, let me fill you in a little.  

I STRONGLY believe in a spiraled math curriculum.  It is by FAR the best and most effective way to make sure that I have covered all of the standards thoroughly.  Each day, students complete four questions.  By Thursday, they will have completed 16 questions.  Each week, 
every.
single.
domain
is covered.  
Why wait until March to teach geometry?  On Friday, there is an assessment reviewing all of the skills covered that week.

If you are interested, you can check out the 4th grade version {here}.

Could you use the 5th grade version?  Comment below letting me know so that I can stay motivated ;)



Monday Made It {June 9th}

Summer is here and I guess I'm officially on "Summer Time" since I'm linking up a day late.

So this week, my Made Its are all created with my Silhouette.  Last Thanksgiving, I was lucky enough to win a Silhouette Portrait from Megan (I Teach, What's Your Superpower?).  She's having Bloggy Birthday giveaways right now...go check them out.

Guess what?  I'm heading to Disney again!  Surprised?  Well, I am.  I wasn't planning on it, but my husband said it was OK to take my daughter for her 17th birthday!  I'm heading there with my Disney (and Josh Groban) partner-in-crime and her sister-in-law.  I've "done Disney" with these gals a lot. One can never have enough Disney time!

We will be heading to the beach one of the days we are there and NEEDED to make these.



We bought each of the girls going a cup holder that sticks in the sand and I created this Mickey head (complete with name) for each of us.  Cute!  By the way, if you are new to the Silhouette, I found this site for helping me understand how to create the Mickey head: One Artsy Mama.  Then, I just added the name to the center of the head and there you go!  Ready for some beach fun!
Another Silhouette project, but not for me.  A friend (holla, Stacy) needed names to be cut out on vinyl to be added to some sand buckets for her beach trip.

Recognize that font?  Yep, it's KG What the Teacher Wants.  (one of my favorite fonts right now).

Well, that's it for now.  I wish I had more, but it is only day 2 of summer vacation.  I'll be back with more next week.  I'll have a lot of restructuring/recrafting to do.  I am having to get two rooms ready for next fall.

Yep, I'm officially changing jobs.  I've hinted and hinted about this change for a few weeks on here.  I'll be teaching ESOL at two different schools next year.  I am so excited for the change and can't wait to learn everything I can about ESOL.  Unfamiliar with the acronym?  It's English for Speakers of Other Languages.  It's funny how across the US the term is interchangeable with ELL, ESL, and EL. What do you call it in your neck of the woods?  Do you have your ESOL teachers pull students out or do they spend time pushing in to classrooms?  I can't wait to learn all about it.  Off to do some reading....

Yay for Monday Made It {June 2, 2014}

Summer is just a few days away and my favorite part of my summer HAS to be Monday Made It! Tara has the best blog link up EVER and she keeps me busy all summer long.  {I say that with gratitude.}

As the year winds down, one of my favorite things to do is to create some type of gift for my students and for my son's teachers.

So this week, my Made Its are related to the gifts that we are giving.

I saw this cute gift idea from Amanda @ Teaching Maddeness and knew it was the perfect gift for my students.  Afterall, I am a math teacher, right?  You can find this cuteness in her pack, Summer Buckets Unit.

I am giving each of the students in my homeroom this gift to keep them working on math skills all summer long.  Thank you, Amanda, for the great idea.
For Mother's Day, my students made lemon sugar scrub for their mothers and it was SO easy.  I decided to make the same scrub for my son's teachers.
I found the cute labels from Caramel Potatoes.  {Cute blog, by the way, you should check it out!}

I used a different "recipe" for my sugar scrub, though.  I used the recipe from Inspired Owl's Corner.  Check it out {here}.

Simple way to start my Monday Made Its.  I'm going to have a lot of Made Its this summer, I think.  I'll share WHY with you once it is final ;) I just MAY be doing something different next year.  Stay tuned...

Currently June

It sure has been a busy few weeks.  June has certainly snuck up on me...so much to do, and so little time.

I'm linking up with Farley for this month's Currently.  I've missed the last two months, I think??

Listening: It's CURRENTLY quiet in the house, but that could change at any minute.  I have two kids studying for finals and break time is quickly approaching, I'm sure.
Loving: This is our last week!!  It is a bittersweet final week for me.  {More on that later.}
Thinking: That I really need to get organized and clean up around my classroom.  {Again, more on that later.}
Wanting: I'd really love to dip my toes in the sand, but at this point, we don't have any beach plans this summer.  :(
Needing: If someone would please just invent some type of time-machine or something that would help slow down how quickly my kids are growing up, I'd buy it.  #seriously #wheredoesthetimego
Summer Bucket List:
1) Our vacation is a trip to the mountains (minus daughter...she's staying in town with a visiting friend).
2) I'm going to be working on two more sets of Math Moves this summer.  Hands-down it was the BEST tool I used in my classroom this year.  I swear by it.  (And so does my teaching-partner.).  I've been asked all year if I would make a 5th grade and a 3rd grade version.  So, my plans are to make the 5th grade version first and then the 3rd grade version.  Stay tuned :)
3) During my free time, I just plan on relaxing and spending as much quality time as possible with my family and friends.  Who could ask for more than that?

Now, what have you been up to lately?  Check out everyone's CURRENTLY over with Farley!

And as far as the "later" references above go....more on that later once everything is final. Changes! Changes!