{Freebie Friday...}

I know Friday has come and gone, but I missed Freebie Friday (I was out of town--one last hoorah before school starts)... So here it is... During the summer I began reading Literacy Beginnings (Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C. Fountas), as part of a blog study, and got some really great ideas to enhance the learning in my class...

One of the suggestions was to include Letter Books to the classroom library, small groups or circle time as children become more familiar with letters, sounds and names, and letter relationships.  These Letter Books focus on one letter allowing children to develop alphabetic knowledge, begining phonics, and early concepts of print.  In the text, the authors give examples of where these letter books can be found but since I don't have access to those at the moment I created a few using the model mentioned by the authors.  I have only done a few of the vowels based on the scope and sequence of the curriculum we use at my school.  As the year progresses I will make more avaliable until the whole alphabet is done! 

This is what the "A" book looks like (the others are the same format)

You can get your copies here (A), here (E), here (I), and here (O).  [I still haven't figured how to get them all in one place!]  Just print and copy back to back to have Letter Books!

I also wanted to include some number cards that I made.  My classroom theme is the Fantastic Frogs and I wanted number cards to use during calendar time that reflected my theme so... these were born...

There is a card for numbers 1-20.  Print, cut and laminate and voila!

Download your own set by clicking here.

Again so sorry I missed Friday, but I hope you enjoy and are able to use these freebies--if not pass them onto a friend! 

Wishing you the best week!!

{Three for Thursday...}

Today at Blog Hoppin' we are sharing 3 favorites:

1. Favorite Font

I don't even know how to narrow it down to one font!  I'm constantly looking for new ones to spice things up :)  But the one I'm using [and loving] today is from Da Font [click the link to go to there website]. 

Janda Scrapgirl Dots

All the fonts are free just be sure to read the terms of use if using them for reasons other personal

2. Favorite Blog

This is about as hard as picking a favorite font... So I choose the first blog I ever started reading and interacting with...

Mrs. Lee's blog was the first one I really started reading and was an unofficial follower for months before starting my own blog and becoming an official follower... She has so many awesome ideas...

3. Favorite Online Resource

 All the blogs I follow and find are great resources... I've also gotten ideas from Pre-K Pages and PreKinders.. I don't think they have blogs on blogspot but they do have websites... Of course Pinterest is a fabulous resource... Love!

 Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Free for All Friday!



{Where is All Goes Down...}

Today's focus on Blog Hoppin' is sharing classroom pictures [I am so excited about this day!] I can't wait so see what all of your classrooms look like..I get so inspired by things I see...

Here it goes...I posted some of these in an earlier post so I apologize for the repeats... Our first day of school is September 6th, so my room is still a work in progress... I'll try and post some more pictures when its a "finished" product..

This is the back wall..it houses my beautiful book shelves..It is filled with all sorts of fun stuff...Books, art supplies, writing tools, pencil boxes and when school starts lunch boxes... The blue cabinet holds my other materials [I also have a bin that lives outside]

My cubbies with their cute froggy labels :)  This shelf also houses many of my personal momentos..

Calendar/Circle Time Area... Here I post our learning objectives preschool style.. number, color, shape and letter cards.. I have also incorporated the counting hands and leader of the day which I first saw at Pre-k Pages... You can find the info here...

The envelope goes along with the Leader of the Day activity described at Pre-K Pages.. It's a great activity and my kids love it!

Dramatic play area.. I'm planning on adding a {Home Sweet Home} sign and a writing bag, full of writing materials especiallly for this area...

My Library...I used to have a book shelf with tiered shelves but the books would never stay on the different levels and were always falling.. so last year I started using baskets... I would like to label them, but this works for now.. The kids have access to more books and have an easier time putting them away and taking care of them...

Our Art gallery...

The Manipulative shelf.. the manipulatives are rotated once a month between four classed [two transitional kindergarten and two prek] I am planning on adding pictures to the rest of the drawers...my science center will live on top of this shelf..

*My other shelves are covered in butcher paper 1) to keep the items clean over summer and 2) because I only allow the kids access to certain areas at the beginning of school..until they learn routines and how to maintain the learning materials and they get excited through out the year when a new area is "opened up" to them... So I will proved pictures of those later on...

Writing area.. It's a little bare right now.. I need to add a few more items... We try to do a mini "published" writing project for each theme so when school starts it will be more colorful...

Lily Pad name tags for my door for the first day of school...

This is a name chart [an idea I got from here at Pre-K Pages] Vanessa has some of the best resources... You can read the details by clicking the link but bascially it is an easy and fun way for the kids to learn name and letter recognition, name writing and acts as a bonus attendance taker!

I just realized I forgot to take a picture of my parent board!  I'll have to add it later--I'm very proud it :)

So that's my classroom..it's a little small but I love it!  It has definitely become my home away from home... Thanks for taking my tour and sticking through it... I know this was a long post!  Can't wait to see what everyone else has to share...

{Teacher Talk Tuesday...}

Today is Teacher Talk Tuesday, and it's the day we are supposed to share some teacher advice with new teachers...Well to be honest sometimes I feel like I still am a new teacher... I mean this is only my third year teaching and I every year I change, add, do something different than the year before...But I guess that true of everyone...  Well here are some pieces of advice that fellow teachers gave me that helped me...

1.  My mentor teacher once told me that there was "nothing I could do that was going to scar the kids"...As a first time teacher I had this fear that I was going to do something horribly wrong that would affect them forever...And as cliche and well known as it sounds sometimes it was just nice to here....

2.  Sometimes anything that can go wrong will go wrong..and it's okay just remember to be flexible.. and have a backup plan...

3.  Use your collegues as a resource...Remember that old age two heads are better than one..well sometimes it's true...

4.  Teaching can consume you...it's a job that requires commitment and dedication, but make sure you take time to remember to do other things that you love...

5.  If your students know whats expected of them from day one they will rise to that expectation and most of the time they'll surpass it...

6.  Communication is the key to successful relationships with parents..emails, newletters, blogs, face to face..whatever works..

7.  If you're excited the kids will be excited...

8.  I know it can sometimes be hard to stay organized but it really can be a lifesaver..and if your room is organized chances are the kids will be/feel organized too...

9.  In preschool, it's okay to be messy...

10.  Always have fun! 

I feel that we have the most honored job...not only are we teaching these children to be good students but we are shaping them to be good people...What a priviledge! 

Thanks for stopping by..I hope that these words are helpful to you or remind you of a piece of advice someone once gave you...  Have a great Tuesday and remember to check back for Classroom Photos tomorrow!

{Meet the Teacher Monday...}

So I don't know about everyone else, but technically it's not Monday yet (here in California)...But when I saw all the other Meet the Teacher blogs on my Dashboard I couldn't help but join in...

Okay so this post is all about introducing myself...Well here it goes...

10 Things You Always Wanted to Know...

1.  My name is Gloria and I blog here at the Fantastic Frogs...named after my classroom...

2.  I graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and Multiple Subject teaching credential from Cal Poly Pomona in 2007...

3.  I am currently clearing said credential through Azusa Pacific...

4.  I graduated with a M. Ed. in Reading from the University of La Verne in January...

5.  Growing up, I had no idea what I wanted to do...I know marine biologist and life long student were on my list..but I went into teaching because a) I had to pick a major and b) I love learning so I should do something where I help others develop that love...

6.  There are 5 things in life I can't live without... chapstick, iced tea, sandals, books and jeans (I am a jeans addict)...

7. I L.O.V.E. books...I love them.. love is does not even begin to describe it.. addicted, passionate, crazied... I heart them...I always have and always will...

8.  I never imagined I would be teaching Transitional Kindergarten but I love it...I truly feel like this is where I am meant to be...This is my third year...

9.  I love to travel and getting my passport stamped...

10.  I have the honor of being part of the most incredible family... and have a fantastic group of friends..

This is my sister and I in Venice, Italy last summer...

So that's me... in a nutshell...I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you...  Have a Happy Monday!!

{FABULOUS Giveaway...}

There is a FABULOUS Giveaway going on R-I-G-H-T now!!  Five Fabulous ladies have teamed up to give a lukcy winner some awesome resources... 

Click on the following link for details...

Mrs. Albanese's Kindergarten

Good Luck!!

{One more thing...}

Yes, I have already been on Pinterest today and found some really cute stuff [as I'm sure most of you have]...Anyway this is totally Pinterest inspired and it has been very cool to see so many teachers create similar versions that describe their classrooms.. So without further delay...

I am planning on printing on an off white colored cardstock and framing it... Now to firgure out where to put it...Hmmm..  If you would like a copy leave me a comment with your email and please become a follower! [haha, had to throw that in there]

{Getting in the Zone...}

It is hard to believe that summer is coming to an end, but I think I am beginning to get in the zone of going back to school..something I know some of you have already done..Yikes! 

In an earlier post I had made mention of a cabinet I was looking into purchasing from IKEA...Well, I found something even better!!

 TA-DA!!

It not only has removable drawers [8 of them] but it also has wheels so it can live practically anywhere!! Which is the best part :)  I think this is going to work perfectly with my idea of morning centers/choice time/literacy centers/math centers and anything else I can think of...I was so excited!

Okay, now that I've shared that with you I can move on to other exciting things... After visiting Growing Kinders, I downloaded and copied Kathleen's Alphabet Sheets [which you too can have by clicking on the link above] to make Alphabet Mats to be used to sort magazine letters or alphabet cereal or beads... They just need to be laminated...

I also spent some time in my classroom last week and took some pictures to share with you..it's not much [really just two of my boards]

 The top one is where I hang up our art projects.  I use clothes pins to clip the projects to the colorful paper so I don't have to use staples or have to deal with staple removal [UGH!], which makes my life that much easier [YAH!]  The second one is my main board, when I get my class list I'll add little frogs to the pond with my kid's names.. also this board never changes...again I like to make my life easy...I add things with the seasons and such but for the most part it remains the same...

Okay now on to my adventures from today...I am fortunate enough to live in driving distance of a Lakeshore Learning Outlet so that's where I spent about 3 hours today--like any outlet you have to dig around to find stuff but sometimes its worth it...Here's what I found today...

Score! Right?! Being in the outlet was like a kid in a candy store!  So fun!

And of course nothing is complete without a little online shopping--I get into so much trouble with the internet..so many stores at my finger tips... Here are my Unifix cubes and Five Little Pumpkins on the Fence Felt Stories [I bought these from www.etsy.com] I also purchased Five Little Frogs and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom but I already took those to school..

 Yes, my name is Gloria and I have a problem [the first step is admitting you have a problem right?]  I also got two Pete the Cat books, the white and school shoes, sure to be an instant favorite...

Okay I this post is a LOT longer that I anticipated so I apologize and if you stuck through the whole thing than I applaud you!

Thank you so much for visiting and reading..Can I just say how awesome it feels to be pinned [check out www.pinterest.com to find out more] So many of you have viewed my I Have, Who Has cards and I hope they're helpful to you...I would love to know who you are so if you are able please follow my blog so we can continue to build this incredible community of teachers helping/inspiring/loving other teachers! 

{I Made a Door Sign & Other Fun things...}

I DID IT!! I was inspired so much by Babbling Abby over at the Inspired Apple [you should so check it out if you haven't been by] that I made by own hanging art for my classroom...

Mine is a little different, I used a canvas instead of a ceiling tile, but it creates the same effect... I am very excited hang it in my room... I know the perfect spot and when I can finally get back into my class and I will be sure to share pictures :)

 On to other exciting things guess what I found at my local Dollar Tree? These beautiful babies...

Magnetic alphabet and numbers with pictures for $1.00!! It doesn't get much better than that right?  This is going to be a great cookie sheet activity during centers or choice time... The possibilities are endless... 

Hope everyone is enjoying the end of their summer or excitedly anticipating their first days of school..Wow that felt really weird to write...I can't believe some of you are starting school already, but that's a whole other post..haha...

{I Have, Who Has...}

So I don't know about your classes but my kids last year were OBSESSED with the I Have, Who Has card game...

I had seen quite a few variations of the game from addition, subtraction, colors, shapes, history facts and pretty much everything you can think of...and I have to admit they're pretty great!  After playing and monitoring the game a few times my kids were able to play independently as a center or free choice activity...and the best part was I knew they were developing and practicing their academic and social skills.

One version that I really liked was created by Karen over at PreKinders [which is a FABULOUS preschool blog--she has lots of creative and wonderful ideas].  She created her own cards for I Have, Who Has Shapes where she used visual cues to help her students play successfully--I loved this and understood the significance of symbols to help the students enjoy the game.  You can find and read the instructions and suggestions for playing here:

PreKinders (I Have, Who Has) 

So following Karen's format of using symbols I created a I Have, Who Has Letters version.  Like Karen talks about in her post this can be a small group or independent activity that all children can enjoy!

Here is preview of what the cards look like...

  You can download the Letters version here:

I Have, Who Has [page 1]

I Have, Who Has [page 2]

I Have, Who Has [page 3]

I Have, Who Has [page 4]

I apologize for there being so many documents...I created them as different files and have no idea how to combine them without messing with the format :)

I know some of you are getting ready to go back to school soon and I wish you the best of luck!