5 tips for a Relaxing Summer

Hi friends, WOW, I have sure been MIA from my blog lately... but if you follow me on facebook, you've already heard my exciting news... I will be working in a new position next year! BUT, I will get to that later... today I am blogging over at the Elementary Grapevine, where I'm sharing 5 tips for a Relaxing Summer... heaven knows we teachers need a break and need to relax, so I promise to fill you in on all the latest and greatest happenings soon... but for now, go check out my post over at the grapevine and enjoy your summer break... you've earned it! XOXO 

Click on the picture to read my tips

All I Want For Christmas Is...

What is the best gift you can give a teacher?  I'll give you a hint... 

It's not another "#1 Teacher" coffee mug!

How about a TeachersPayTeachers gift certificate?  Every single teacher that you talk to would LOVE a TpT gift certificate!

A TpT gift certificate is worth gold! Seriously! Being able to purchase top-notch teaching resources instead of having to create them yourself saves precious time, time you can spend over the holidays enjoying special moments with family and friends.

That's why I'm excited to be teaming up with some of my teaching blog friends who are each giving away a $10 TpT gift certificate. You'll find all of their links at the bottom of this post. You have to enter each contest separately, so be sure to read the directions on each blog.

TeachersPayTeachers recently gave their gift certificates a make-over, and now each certificate has it's own unique color. You can purchase a gift certificate for any amount between $10 and $200. Wow! Imagine what you could do with a $200 gift certificate! Click over to the TpT Gift Certificatepage to take a look. After you log in, you'll see the page below.

How to Enter

I'm using Rafflecopter to host my giveaway, and you can earn up to 5 entries if you complete all the items listed. To enter the contest, complete any or all of these entries before midnight EST on December 23rd. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit these blogs and enter each contest for a $10 TpT Gift Certificate!

An InLinkz Link-up

Christmas Cookie Mats

Hi everyone, thanks for joining me in the Holiday Blog Hop sponsored by The Elementary Grapevine.  Today I'm going to share with you a super fun and easy Christmas activity that I do with my students every year. All you need for this is some large red construction paper (12 x 18 size works best, but you could also do it on a regular piece of construction paper as well), a few other colors of construction paper for some circles, (any colors will work), some white copy paper, and crayons. That's it!

Here's a picture of the completed project (minus one circle, which has been covered by the plate):

This is a sample made by my nephew when he came to visit me at school a few years ago... He did such a good job coloring it!

I have included all the templates and clip art that you need in one convenient download... all you have to do is copy the templates you wish to use, and you're good to go!  Once the cookie mats are finished, I run them through the laminator for durability. I've been doing this with my students for years and it's always a big hit. I hope it something you can use in your own classroom. Click on the image below to download the directions and file :) Merry Christmas.

Want even more holiday goodies? Keep hopping along... Up next is a RAK idea over at Crayonbox Learning. 

12 days of Christmas Giveaway

I'm so excited to be participating today in a quick giveaway with some of my favorite bloggy buddies, in conjunction with Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs.  If you don't follow Zippy on facebook, you'll definitely want to so you don't miss out on any of the fabulous giveaways going on all month!

Today's giveaway includes a $30 gift card to amazon, as well as a winner's choice item from each of the following TPT Stores:

Good Enough Teacher

Growing Firsties

Deedee Wills Kinder

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs

Use the rafflecopter below to enter.  Good luck!  Also, be sure to stop back here on Tuesday... something great is coming :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Language Arts Graphic Organizers

Hi everyone... Just wanted to quickly let you know that I'm blogging over at The Elementary Grapevine today, and if you drop by, you can pick up these graphic organizers I made for FREE... I've been using them for close reading in my class. I hope you'll stop by and say hi :)