-Mrs. Cobb
One Amazing Pencil Sharpener!
-Mrs. Cobb
Liebster Award and Slant
This is for bloggers with less than 200 followers, in order to promote that blog, show appreciation, and hopefully draw more followers. To accept this nomination, you need to do a few things first.
1. Link to the person who nominated you. 2. Answer questions from your nominator. 3. Share 11 random facts about yourself. 4. Nominate five or more blogs with less than 200 followers. 5. Pose questions to your nominees.
I was nominated by:
And in turn I am nominating:
1. Kate at Fun in ECSE
2. Cindy at Kindergarten Love
3. Veronica at Teaching with Giggles
4. Linda st Down the Learning Road
5. Joanne and Suzanne at Kinder Learning Garden Blog
Here are the questions I will be answering:
1. What's your favorite school supply?
At the moment, my new pencil sharpener from Classroom Friendly Teaching Supplies! I am working on an extensive review to tell you just exactly why I have joined so many other pencil-sharpener-enamored teachers! This thing is just so darn nifty!
2. What animal describes your teaching style?
A pug! Pugs are highly committed and will stick right by your side! I like to be right down on my student's level, giving them support in a friendly and supportive way!
3. How many years have you been teaching?
I am about to start my fourth year, so three years completed! I have been at the same school and same classroom each year.
4. What's your favorite restaurant?
There is a little Chinese restaurant in my town that has the sweetest family operating it where I love to go get Philly Roll Sushi. Nom.
5. Which season do you like best?
Spring - it fascinates me to see all the plants growing and flowers blooming, plus the weather is pleasant. Minus the pollen - the pollen is awful. lol!
6. Do you have a TPT store?
Nope....maybe someday...
7. What subject do you most like to teach?
Science! I have actually spent two days this week getting great science ideas at Project WET and Project Learning Tree workshops - so fun!
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| Celery Science - A Classic! |
8. Do you have a class pet?
No, but I used to have frogs. I plan to get a new pet this year.
I have been reading this article for ideas and how-to info: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2013/01/welcoming-class-pet-living-mascot
and Petsmart does grants for pets - did you know that?? 
9. What's your favorite part of your classroom?
My kidney table/ small group instruction area. It's full of goodies and is the spot where I feel like I have the best quality time with my students. Here is a pic from last year of that area, new classroom tour is coming later next week!
10. If you could hire anyone in the world to teach your class, who would it be?
Arnold Schwarzenegger. As the Kindergarten Cop. That movie is one of my favorites!!!
My 11 Random Facts:
1. I have a pet immortal turtle. For real, immortal. His name is Fred.
2. I was just 19 when my husband and I got married and everyone's first question was if I was pregnant! We have been married 6 years now and still - No Baby! Kinda proud of that accomplishment...
3. I am grade level chair for Kindergarten at my school.
4. My favorite color is turquoise.
5.I lived in Oklahoma when the May 3rd 1999 tornado happened - so the Moore tornado this year brought back a lot of memories. Did get to meet President Clinton during that ordeal though...
6. I finish my Master's Degree in less than two weeks!! Hallelujah!
7. I have never made less than an A in any class. And on the topic of having a brain...
8.I am a member of Mensa! Got 99th percentile on the MAT last year so I joined for fun. I have gone to one outgoing and let me tell you, we're a peculiar and rather socially awkward group. :/
9. I cooked pork rind breaded spicy chicken the other day. Want the recipe sometime?
10. I take great pride in my manual car driving skills because I survived my first year teaching driving a 5-speed Mustang that would overheat everyday so I had to cool the engine via strategic manipulation of the engine thanks to having the car be manual. That was fun...
11. My sweet handsome pug is a rescue dog who went from snarling behind the toilet when we brought him home to rarely leaving my side when I am home! I love my pug!
Questions for the next 5 nominees!
1. How long have you been teaching?
2. What is your favorite back-to-school book or activity?
3. What is one of your must-have school items?
4. What is your favorite subject to teach?
5. Do you have a TPT Store or Teacher's Notebook Store?
6. Do you have a favorite source for fonts or clipart?
7. Do you have a classroom pet?
8. What is your favorite song or cd to use in the classroom?
9. What is your favorite holiday?
10. What made you decide to be a teacher?
In other news, today I stumbled upon and immediately signed up for...
Who LOVES presents? Who LOVES packages in the mail?
I know I do!!!
Basically, in the first few days of the month you sing-up to participate.
Around the 5th - you find out who you'll send a box to and who you will receive a box from.
Between then and the 20th, you go into minor stalker mode to get to know the recipient of the box you send as you plot and scheme what to send them.
1 Big Rule - out of the at least 5 items totaling at least a $10 value - one must be homemade!
Every month will have a theme, this month is"A Few of My Favorite Things"
Doesn't this just sound delightful!!
Plus, it's not a long term commitment. You only sign up for one month at a time.
Who's in?!? Maybe I'll get to send YOU a present in a few weeks!
-Mrs. Cobb
How to Easy Peasy Text Parents!
So yes, happy day!
I have not only been busy trying to finish a massive case study for my last grad school class, but also learning about a cool tool for texting parents. It's remind101.com!
I made a presentation to teach teachers how to get started with remind101 that I will share with my school next week, but I thought you all would like to see it too! So here ya go!
I used frames from Lovin Lit and a font from KindergartenWorks - I think it turned out cute!
FREEBIE ALERT!!!
-Mrs. Cobb
Giveaways Week of 7/29
-Mrs. Cobb
Monday Made It: Chart Stands
Behavior Management Clip Chart Stand
I got this new behavior management clipchart from Teaching with Love and Laughter. You can actually get he beautiful clipchart on her facebook page as a Freebie - isn't she sweet?!? Her TPT store is HERE where you can get calendars to go with the clipchart. You can also click the button below to visit her blog. But before you go, read on to see how I solved the problem of having no good wall space in my classroom to hang my new clipchart!
What I wanted to make was a free-standing, sturdy, non-topple-over-able stand. My husband and I went to Lowes and bought a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a lid, two 1x2x8' wooden poles, and sand. We cut the two poles tall enough to stand in the bucket and hang the clipchart from them, with support beams going across. We also put a piece of wood flat on the bottom to help hold it steady. Then, the bucket will have sand added, lid snapped on, and ta-da there you have a clip chart stand! We made it in maybe 30 minutes? That included dig out the tools and remember how to load the staple gun time. This design is SO sturdy! My husband was like "Can I make and sell these?!?" Can't wait to see how it looks in my classroom. I do still want to paint the wood blue and am considering covering the bucket where it says "Lowes." Spray paint, maybe? Duct tape?
Repair a Pocket Chart Stand
I had purchased this clothing rack to use as a pocket chart stand three years ago. It was only about $35 and handy to grab at my local Walmart. Last year, the plastic joints failed and the whole stand would come crashing down! It was awful! My husband can fix anything with a drill though, I think! So, I recruited his help to repair it, because I don't want to buy another one!
Here is the equivalent rack that Walmart sells now (click the pic to check it out): 
First he drilled holes in the top piece so the vertical bars could be secured inside the metal pole running across the top.
Then he put screws through the plastic support bars on the bottom so they cannot pop back out:
This was where I had tried to fix part of it with masking tape (all I had in my classroom handy):
I covered that damaged, cracked part with pretty teal duct tape! This was purely a cosmetic touch, though!
Now I could just about hang from this pocket chart stand because it is so well stuck together! See, broken things can be fixed! Yay! That saves me some money!
-Mrs. Cobb
Rosco the Pug Loves Ice Cream
Today I reached 101 followers - I am so excited! To celebrate, here is a post to make you laugh! Sorry this has nothing to do with teaching whatsoever, but it is my beloved pug being ridiculous. Enjoy!
-Mrs. Cobb
Freebie Friday: Number Recognition Progress Monitoring Form
Number Recognition Progress Monitoring Form
-Mrs. Cobb
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