9-11 Projects 2013

Let's see ......

Been back at school and unlike many of other teachers my room is still not 100% where I want it to be. But to be honest it never is and well I am so much further ahead this year than last.

I had some kids straighten up my back cabinet. So that is back straight. YEA

I still have a major project with the file cabinets.

The name cards are wonderful and helpful.

They way they work is:

Supplies- multi-color index cards

Each class has their own color. I prefer the neon.

I have each student fold the cards in half

Next they write their first name on one side
and their last name on the other side.

the name plates are left on the table

I started back into my room. Clean floors and all.
Now the fun begins......Unloaded my car that has been full for weeks now. Pictures to come. I have an idea for my bulletin board. Still not sure about my borders....I back and forth between the tissue paper, to the normal borders or trying something completely new and different.

Finally decided against the tissue paper. For one I just couldnt seem to make it and it look decent.
Secondly, my room this year is EXTREMELY HUMID regular paper is curling. So back to border.

Open House I and II

Tuesday night was my school's open house, we have about 12 to get it all together. I do not know if people even begin to know how stressful it is. Think about having a huge party at your house the day after moving back into a house that have been closed for a year.

needless to say,

The 9-11 board DONE

THis was half way though, I re did the borders bout 3 times doing different ways.

It was a royal pain in the butt. I know the layering on bothers make it look so much better. However, getting them evenly around the board is a massive board. The thing that I am particularly proud of is the savaging of the straps that came with the new white boards. I took gold glitter glue and brushed over them then rubbing it across, different ridges gave it a nice effect. Then I ran the white strap between the red and blue border. I used the same straping with the ribbon that was used for the pentagon.

I got the pentagon completed.

Then I added small, hologram red stars to give some depth.

Last I add covers from former students projects. ON there are Rodney, Asia and Bernard.

I got up my second board .....re cycled material. I found some unused material that had been purchased for a skating dress. THE benefit is that it stretches like crazy.

The largest board also done in blue is put up. I found a branded type of garland from my favorite store ! THe Dollar store left over from July 4th.

Using the Road sign posters
see this link...
http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/KTVee/classroom-construction-signs

I was able to clean up the room and hid all the unfinished products. (see below)

This is the first time I have gone though a Open house with no roster of names. Still have no clue of the class sizes, or the kids, it became a blur. I ran out of time and forgot to do a sign in, so no record of the turn out.

O well cant beat myself up. I am please the results of the work.

Today, professional development. FUN FUN......that is a blog for another day.

Tonight I got to go to my Son's open house. He is attending a magnet high school, for computer tech. He and I were extremely excited about the staff. The staff is on the younger side. They are excited about their jobs and are working on being cutting edge. THey are integrating technology into the classroom with the concept of bringing their own technology. The program I signed up for but because my teammates wouldnt couldnt give up their summer time, we couldnt do it. Why those of us who wanted to do it and were willing to do it should have been allowed to go forward. But either way My son's school is doing it. So I get to watch from the side lines and learn from their success and their failures!

Updates on the boards.... later on!

Update......WHat is completed

Well The principal and his dad put up my new white boards and nice huge bulletin board. So that is done!

Toolboxes are almost done... just next to make some other labels, certain ones printed for small drawers and I need them for the bigger drawer. Or vice versa.

I am so excited about them, so much so I am going to get two more for the cabinet. They hold so much and sort out so much.

I do wish they were one inch longer to hold pens and pencils.

O well.

I got my podium clean out and basically organized, not complete. But so close.

Sadly, I stopped working on the bulletin board to work on the tool boxes. Beside I keep debating on the red background, Because I really prefer blue to red.

Now I have three bulletin boards instead of two.

As I said in a earlier post I have eight tables this year, at each table I have an old single desk, the kind that the legs can be adjusted. Each desk is at the lowest point, this allows me to put the desk under each table. Now I have storage space, to keep table supplies for each table. That will keep down movement to bare minimum. Each table I am making a supply box.

Now what I havent mention is I work at a job at the mall. There I have access to wonderful boxes all different shapes and sizes. They are sturdy enough to use on a regular basis. I have been collected certain styles for weeks now with the plan on making them into supply boxes.

They are awesome little boxes with dividers built in. Each has six compartments, so I am planning on putting in each box certain things such as: post it's, eraser caps, small hand held pencil sharpener, extra rolls of tape, glue sticks, hole re enforcers and paper clips.

Now if you do the INTERACTIVE SS NOTEBOOK, those things are used often and I waste too much time passing them out.

The plan is to have a table captain who is the only one allowed in the box and is responsible for keeping up with each box.

I am seriously considering putting a box of tissues at each table and a small garage can. O so many ideas and so little time and money.....


Meanwhile make-up boxes came in and I had to collect them. Even though at the time I had no clue what I am using them for But......
that changed when I came up with idea for color pencil boxes.....

Now I made color pencil boxes for the first table. it like most thing isnt complete yet. But so close to being done.

I have enough for three tables, so I will have to go in to get more to make a full set. So excited.....

Monday plans.......

Bulletin Boards.....
Classroom set up (hopefully switch the 4 tables to make them match)
Type up classroom info for Open house....Why does it have to happen one day after we come back officially.

Tuesday continue Mondays plan

Wednesday.....Social Studies meetings! All a load of fun....Actually usually I get something out of them. Sometimes too much stuff.

THURSDAY and FRIDAY??????

For now I must go back to my on line classes, the ones I have put off for months!!!! SO SO ME.

And by next week I need to have finished the Whole brain teaching method videos.

By the way the signs that I found on Pinterest are awesome, may use on the big board for now.

Work in Progress./....

Well world! Lets see where I AM AT???

Classroom have half of the new tables, now I cant stand the old ones so will have to switch them out! THank goodness for former students!

Got my computer cart moved to where I want it! Now just have to listen to comments from others for doing exactly what I was told not to do. Does anyone else get the constant that certain areas in a classroom are dead spots and others spots are needed so kids can see.

So I moved the cart where I can see, more kids can see and best of all its in a location that generally is just there. WIN/WIN except I had to move some wires. (things they dont like us touching)


Bulletin is in progress. Got the felt up, the TWIN towers are now 3-d instead of the original idea of flat. Pentagon is not going as smooth as I would like cant figure a medium that is working to my standard.

Same with border. Nothing that some good old fashion ribbon wont cure.


The first set of words are printed and cut out ready to be mounted and laminated.

thank from the guidance counselor from Pinterest.

O ..... I am laminating black tissue paper to go in my windows to help keep down the glare on the tv!!!!

Tomorrow!!!! What should be my plan????

lets think....

Make my toolbox labels

set up toolboxes....
Finish bulletin board .....not sure if that is do able.

Start the tree.

Finish one window tissue paper treatments....and at least put up velco for the whiteboard.


Problem I cant see pinterest on my room computer.....I so want my pinterest!!

Wow just 15 days before I am officially back to work! And to tons of things to complete before heading back!

In our state we have a tax free weekend, but sadly the last one, at least for now, need to buy the bigger things I want somehow. I know I will need more trays

Plus I will need glue and of course tons of tape. If anyone does the interactive notebook you go though a ton of tape. Reading ISSN gurus blogs they use glue so I thought I would give it a try this year.

So hunting down the least expensive source for glue!


Lets hope I can manage to pick up some decent deals with the sparse amount of time I will have to hit the stores.

I will hopefully have up my first completed project to show very soon.

I have made my expectations signs just needs to be printed and mounted. They match my color scheme for the classroom, and witty enough to amuse me!


I will be printing them on card stock and mounting them onto cardboard. Then stealing the wonderful idea of ribbon, mounting them onto the ribbon to hang down the wall!

Since I am not sure how to put pictures from screen shots on here it will have to wait.