Testing grades encouragement?

Does anyone do anything special at their schools for testing week to pep up or encourage the kids?
I teach first grade but somewhere I saw that some first graders or kindergartners decorated signs and notes for the testing halls.....any ideas out there?

Wendy posted a really cute one here

What others ideas are out there??

Snake ideas

This blog had a cute idea about helping the kids understand molting!
It would be a little messy I am sure...but every kids loves to play with glue!! I think you wold just have to make sure they understood this was a special time andnot something they could do on other days. I love it!


The same site also posted once on how to make a rainbow snake...these are the directions
1. Mix up sugar cookie dough (any recipe will do).
2. Divide the dough out into 6 ziploc bags.
3. Add one color of food coloring to each bag: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet.
4. Have kids squish the dough and color together throughout the bag. Once mixed, remove the colored dough from each bag.
5. Next, have kids roll each color into a "snake." You'll have 6 snakes, each a different color.
6. Then, put the snakes side by side (ROYGBV) and flatten them out into one large rectangle.
7. With a knife or a cookie cutter, slice the rectangle vertically, so all the colors will be in one long stick.
8. Bake and enjoy! via 5 Ericksons Play
I saved the picture of it on my evernote, but the site seems to not be there anymore.

I love the blog A place Called Kindergarten
She made cute rainbow snakes! The pattern for the snakes is found HERE

It looks like this site used a similar pattern to make a snake but used paint!...Maybe dot art?


This is a site for a cute snakes and ladders game to put in your computer center! I love when all the centers can be themed. Sometimes it doesnt work out for me to have them all match...but I try hard to make it happen!


Looks like Jennifer over at Kinderpond actually brought int he HERP society to her classroom! ha!! That seems cool...I wonder if wehave anything like that in my town...

Itsy Bitsy Snake book

Deep space sparkle has some pretty snake art!

I would comment more if...

Believe me! I llloooovvveee getting comments and I so love commenting! I really do like to give feedback....especially when awesome teachers out there share so many wonderful things that I use!! I want to say thank you and show my appreciation.

BUT - I seriously get annoyed with proving that I am not a robot. ok, maybe I am being whiny,but am I the only one that gets annoyed with that?

I turned that setting off on my blog. i just think it makes it easier for people to leave comments. I haven't gotten any crazy comments ...at least not yet...so what do ya say??? wanna join me??!!

If you use blogger just go to your dashboard
click on comments
you will see
Show word verification for comments?
click
No
This will eliminate requiring people leaving comments on your blog to complete a word verification step,

It does say it will reduce spam in you leave it on...but until I get spam...I think I will leave it off. :)

#200!!!!!

Holy moly I just hit 200 followers! That is soo awesome! I love that we have this wonderful bloggy world of sharing between teachers! I wish iv was good arty making stuff so I could post a freebie. :(
I tried before, but it was all , misaligned & I need to purchase some images so I don't have copyright problems....

A Girl!

My good teacher friend is having a girl! I am so excited and happy that I get to do something pink! Tonight another friend and I made these super cute invitations for her school baby shower! The information its on the back but this is just the front.

Teacher of the year

Welp, we are on spring break! Yay! I am so happy because my husband took off too! First tome in 9 years that he has taken spring break with me!
Anywho! I can't pull myself completely away from school sooooo, a friend and I whipped up some adorable invitations for our teacher of the year friend! This is the front and we put the time and place and stuff on the back! In the mail they go!

Oobleck

Today we read Oobleck by Dr. Seuss. It is a really good book! I hadn't read it until this year.
I love the message....we talked alot about how magical these simple words can be....I'm sorry...it's all my fault.
My students are so precious this year. They are truly made with the the most sweet compassionate hearts. I am so proud to be their teacher. 
Ok...so after I melted over how sweet they are
We got down and dirty and made some oobleck of our own!
Plain old cornstarch & water.
Very messy = Very fun!

The Lorax

How cute is this little guy?! We made him and put magnets on the back. My students hung them on their lockers to remind them to not be wasteful or greedy.
Then we all loaded our arms with old papers and took a walk out to the  recycle bin. They were very proud of themselves and are excited about going a little "green!"

Happy St. Patricks Day!

New Kindergarten blog!!!

My Kindergarten teacher friend started a new blog!! Follow here at - Tumbleweed Times

I know she would love some feedback and followers!

Horton Hears a Who!

We made giant elephant ears for Horton hears a who & Horton hatches an egg. Fun!

Can you save whoville?

They are all ready and excited to race and save all of the Whoville's! They can only use chopstick and realy back and forth to see which team can get the most whoville's in their bucket! This was so funny to watch!It is actually harder than it seems for them to use chopsticks---I even got the plastic kids ones! They had a blast!





THEN! when we got back to our room it started hailing tiny little ice pellets outside! The kids all said..."Whovilee's are falling everywhere!" How perfect was that weather for us today?? Love First Grade!

More Seuss Decor Fun!

Our grade loved all the Dr. Seuss stuff we found so much that we are learning with a book a day for 3 weeks! So much fun! I love how the halls of the little ones is looking so Seussy!

Seussy Decorations!

Cute Seuss decorations in my hall!

1 fish 2 fish - blue jello, red fish!

So on tuesday this week I'm focusing on one fish two fish red fish blue fish. I saw this idea and had to try it! I made them for my class and my boys liked them so much I made some for their classes as well. Super easy! I got about 6 cups per package of jello.

New Cute blog!!

Come and check out my friends new blog! She is so excited about her new blog and would really be tickled to have some support! Please swing on over to Mrs. Mason's Monkeys!!
We all know how much we love comments and followers! Let's give our new bloggy friend a grand welcome!!!

One Lovely Blog - OH MY!!!

Awwww! Thank you Stacey at 3rd Grade Times! I have been a slacker at blogging and just got back in to the swing of things lately! I am so happy that you noticed me! YAY!
I love that we can all share ideas and help each other across the borders. Being a part of blog land has definitely helped me to become a much better teacher!

I have some favorites out there, so below I am going to pass this award on and recognize them!!!


Here are the rules:
1. Link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Pass the award on to 15 other lovely bloggers.
3. Follow the person who sent it to you.

So, here are the One Lovely Blog Award winners that I have chosen:
Petersons Pad
First Grade Heart
First Grade School Box
Yearn to Learn
Empowering Little Learners
Extra Special teaching
Hangin' With Mrs. Cooper
First Grade Smarties
Sassy in Second
First grade blue Skies
Time 4 Kindergarten
Sunny Days in Second Grade
Blooming in to First Grade
Mrs. Mason's Monkeys



Help these ladies feel Lovely today by checking out their Lovely blogs!
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend! Thanks again, Katie

Fox in socks

Today we all wore silly socks! We read Fox In Socks & Oh Say Can You Say. We practiced saying other tongue twisters like .....
How much wood could a wood chuck chuck
Peter piper
And my favorite...you need unique New York
They were cracking me up! Then we ate popsicles & got our tongues really cold & tried to say them again.....whoa! We were all getting the giggles from how silly we sounded.
Fun day in first