Pick 3 October!

Happy Fall Ya'll!  It's time to link up with Pawsitively Teaching and Inspired Owl's Corner for PICK 3!

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First up this AWESOME idea!  Book Character Pumpkins.  I really think this could be a fun family project for little ones or an individual project for older kids!  I wonder if you could even get pumpkins donated or at a discounted price?!

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Now this is a fall favorite!  Marbled fall leaves!  I've always just used a leaf stencil, a box and marbles to get this look but this pin has a fun new way to do it.  These leaves were made using shaving cream and paint!  You can click the photo above to see the original pin and read more about how to make these leaves. 

Click for Original Pin

And since we're talking about leaves why not head outdoors and go on a leaf hunt!  Then use the leaves in a graphing lesson like the one above!  Fall fun at its finest. 

What are your favorite October pins?  Link up below and check out more great ideas below.

An InLinkz Link-up

August Pick 3

A-U-G-U-S-T!?  Oh my word, I can't believe August is here.  This has to be one of my favorite months!!!! Back to school is in full swing and PINTEREST is just filled with awesome ideas for the classroom!  So I am here today to link up with Inspired Owl's Corner and Pawsitively Teaching for their PICK 3 Linky!

One of my all time favorite things to look at when it comes to thinking about back to school is classroom decor.  With so many fabulous classroom photos out there it is no wonder my idea of what I'd love my classroom to look like changes EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR!  Do ya feel me?  I came across this pin and every time I browse this folder I still stop and smile.  I am loving the black and bright at the moment and the hanging lanterns are just so adorable.  Schoolgirl Style I love this look!

Click picture to see original pin.

During those first weeks back do you post a classroom wish-list for supplies?  If so, here is a really cute idea by The Pinspired Teacher for how to do so.  I like that it's cute, functional and is a way to ask with no pressure.  It's so perfect for back to school night or meet the teacher.

Click picture to see original pin.

On the first day back to school I always like to give the students a little gift to welcome them to my class.  I saw this bubble idea and like that it is inexpensive and can be prepped super early which makes it a great choice for me.

Click picture to see original pin.

Thanks so much for checking out my August favorites.  Now I'm off to check out the other great finds for August Pick 3!  I hope you all have a fantastic start to the new school year.

XOXOXO

An InLinkz Link-up

Five for Friday {End of Year Pins}

Oh.My!
The end of the year is here!

Since my Pinterest feed has been full of sweet ideas for the end of the school year, I thought I'd share my favorites with you all for Five for Friday. 

First up is my end of year memory book!  Memory books are such a great way to end the year because not only do they take up time those last few days, but they also are great keepsakes for the kiddos!  If you want to check mine out click HERE.

Click here for Original Pin

I really like to give end of the year gifts and this little one by A Cupcake for the Teacher is just perfect.  I believe this post of hers was from last year, but she said she found the cute magnifying glasses in the Target dollar spot!  Score!  Not sure if they have them this year, but I still love the idea.  Check out her post HERE.

Click here for Original Pin

I have also always included a "Bubble Fun" hour sometime during the end of the school year and this refill idea is brilliant!  I was so excited I came across this and think it'd be really helpful.

Click here for Original Pin

This post by Sharing Kindergarten is an oldie, BUT a keeper!  In this post she explains how she changes out her choice board activities for end of the year clean up activities and it is fantastic.  What a great way to get the kiddos involved in cleaning up.  Check out her post HERE.

Click here for Original Pin

And  don't forget about your classroom volunteers!  I thought this idea was really unique and fun.

Well, I hope you all are having fun as you wrap up the year.  Have a great weekend!

April Pick 3!

Alright people today I'm switching it up and instead of my usual Five for Friday post I'm linking up  with PAWSitively Teaching and Inspired Owl's Corner for my FAVORITE monthly linky PICK 3!

Here are my top 3 pinterest picks for April.  Be sure to let me know what ya think and then why not join the linky and post your favorites too?

Click on the image to see the Original Pin

My Earth Day lesson plans always include some type of Earth Day writing so when I stumbled across this number I feel in LOVE!  I really like the mosaic Earth craft and the writing sheet is perfect for little learners.  Turns out this pin is from Mrs.Jone's Kindergarten!  Be sure to check out her blog post which includes this activity HERE.

Click on the image to see the Original Pin

How adorable is this!  Jack and the BeanStalk is the perfect fairytale to read when you are teaching your class about plants/seeds, so why not take the fairytale fun further and add this little detail to your  growing seed cups?  Love it!  Plus by doing this you cold easily incorporate math activities as your kiddos seeds grow.  Think charting height, estimation of when their plant will reach the "castle" etc.

Click on the image to see the Original Pin

I pinned this photo straight away!  It would make a perfect art center activity and would be fun addition to a plant and vegetable unit.  If you like this activity I highly suggest reading the book Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens.

I hope you enjoyed looking at a few of my favorite April pins.  If you'd like to see more pins I love, check out my boards and follow along HERE.

March Pick 3

It's March 3rd so it's time to link up with PAWSitively Teaching and Inspired Owl's Corner for...

This month is filled with cat activities, green, and gearing up for spring! Here are a few ideas I've pinned that I would definitely be trying out this month.

Click Image to see Original Pinterest Pin

I am all about simple and this little craft does just the trick!  What a fun activity to do after reading this Dr. S book. 

Click Image to see Original Pinterest Pin

I am in LOVE with this science activity.  What a fun way to explore density and it fits perfectly with St. Patick's Day.

Click Image to see Original Pinterest Pin

This pin is fantastic!  Be sure to check it out as it will take you to a post full of fun seed ideas.  I know I'd be using more than one of these ideas.

So what Pinterest finds will you be trying out this month?  Be sure to link up so that I can browse your great finds. :)

Oh Pinterest...

 On my last post I mentioned how I had spent sometime cleaning up my Pinterest boards and I was asked to elaborate a little more on what has and hasn't worked for me so far.  Before I share I'd like to let you know that I still have a lot to learn.  I mean really!   I basically feel like I still have no real understanding about how to truly use Pinterest as a proper marketing tool, but I do feel that I am stepping in the right direction.  Although this might not be true for all, here are some things that have and haven't worked for me so far. 

Things that haven't worked for me:

- Being an active pinner of pinning parties found in the TPT seller's forum.  Honestly this seemed like a great place to start.  I mean I posted a product, pinned someone else's, and they posted mine.  I remember being so excited thinking wahoo my pin was just pinned.  Then I came across a post in the sellers forum regarding pinning parties and it got me searching and thinking.  I soon realized my pins were being pinned to boards full of product covers after covers.  Plus my own feed and boards were becoming full of product covers, many of which may not have even pertained to my grade level or interests.  What had happy to my boards full of ideas I'd actually use?

- Joining TONS of collaborative boards just to join (and have places to pin all the random pins from the above pinning parties).  Yes, I believe collaborative boards are fantastic but I feel I went about it the wrong way.  I just started joining boards and when I went back to look at them realized that most of them were just filled with product covers.  Now I think it's fine to maybe have a TPT board of your own with products you love and that interest you but I found that most of these boards really weren't being looked at for ideas.  This meaning that my pins and others were just sitting there lonely.  So instead I deleted myself from all boards and am starting to join collaborative boards that I really look at.  I want them to be boards with real pictures or activities and not always just a product cover.  Plus they should interest me and resemble me.

Things that are working:

- Cleaning my boards of randomness and getting back to authentic pinning!

- Finding collaborative boards that really interest me and when I look at the board I ask myself is it filled with good pins that I'd use? I'm still trying to learn how do to go about finding these types of collaborative boards and how I can be a part of them.  If you know hoot go about this please tell me! I was thinking of starting my own but we will see.

- Pinning pins from my blog and others blogs.  This is great because I'll pin things that I don't just see in my feed. It seems to add variety and it's way to remember all those great ideas I come across.

- Pinning almost everyday.  Yes, I'm trying to be much better about this!

Well I think that about sums at where I am at in terms of Pinterest and pinning.  I've been searching blogs for tips and tricks about how to pin better and feel like I gradually am.  I will tell you, that after cleaning my boards and getting back to real pinning I have gotten more followers (I know I still don't have many haha) and more of my pins are being pinned.  So I am excited!  Plus it just feels good to pin things I actually like or would try.   Let me know if you have any questions or tips for me.  Thanks All!