ROOM REVEAL!!!

Ok so here it is!!! My 2012-2013 4th Grade ZEBRA ROOM!!!!

WELCOME to my room!!! 

From the Door

From the Back

From the Back Again

Essential Questions and Homework

Calendar Math & Classroom Expectations

The students' birthdays are written on birthday cakes I got at the Target $1 Spot! 

Word Wall

These are my Hot Pink Zebra Cursive Word Wall Cards!

Our Classroom Library & Crate Seats

I loved making these crate seats! They were so much fun, and my students LOVE them!

Library Again

I am so proud of my library this year! I made my own zebra book bin labels, and I have genre posters in zebra that will go on the bulletin board to the left of the library  in the order that I teach them!

Our Writing Wall

My Writing Process Zebra posters turned out great! I will be putting up my Six Traits Zebra posters as I teach each trait! I will add to the editor's checklist as I teach different editing pieces to my students!

Magnetic Interactive Writing Process Chart

Yes, this is a cookie sheet I bought at Wal-Mart!!! My students will move their class number (each student is assigned a number each year that goes on all their papers) as they go through each step in the writing process! It is a great way to keep your students organized and accountable, and it helps me keep track of where my students are!!! LOVE this!!!

Magnetic Writing Conferences Chart

Yes, this is another cookie sheet from Wal-Mart!!! The students names or numbers are going to go under the day I will conference with them!!!

Our Clock!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my clock! I have actually sent these clock labels to several of my colleagues, and they are using them in their room too!

Magnetic Bathroom Breaks Chart

This is a white board I bought from Wal-Mart. I added some ribbon and my cute signs to make a chart for my students to keep track of their bathroom breaks! Each student in my class gets 2 bathroom breaks in addition to the whole class breaks we take each day. If they need to go to the bathroom, they just raise a number 1 and I nod yes or no! This is a great classroom management tool! Bathroom breaks are no longer an interruption in my classroom!!!

Treasure Chest (Classroom Incentive)

Each time our class gets a compliment from another teacher, the students get a gem in our treasure chest! When they fill the treasure chest up, they get to choose a class party: pajama day, popcorn, ice cream, etc!! This is an idea I got from Ginger at Ginger Snaps last year! We taught on the same team last year, and I just had to steal borrow this cute idea from her!!! :) 

Group Points

I have 4 groups in my classroom this year. When a group is on task or showing respect, they get to move forward 1 spot. When a group gets to 12, they get to choose a group reward: no shoes day, sit on the crates day, change seats for a day, etc!!

Pencil Dispenser and Pencils Cup

This is one of my projects that I was SOO excited about this year!!! I ordered this straw dispenser online this summer! Each day, I have 38 sharpened pencils (2 for each student) in the dispenser. They can get up to 2 pencils each morning. Each afternoon, the students put their pencils back into the pencil cup. I have one student who sharpens pencils each afternoon and fills the dispenser back up with 38 pencils! It has worked GREAT! The students love going to the pencil sharpener each morning, and I don't have to listen to students sharpening pencils each morning when they could be doing their morning work! AH-MAZ-ING!!!!

I am SOO in LOVE with my room this year! I made all the zebra decor and it is for sale in my Tpt and TN stores!! I cut and laminated everything so I can use it again this year! I hope you enjoyed the tour of my classroom!!!

All of my fun ZEBRA classroom decor is available in my TpT and TN stores! Go check it out! :) 

Currently in September!!

Hello friends!!! I cannot believe it is September already! I am linking up with Farley at Oh' Boy Fourth Grade today to do CURRENTLY! :) So here it is!!!

I absolutely LOVE this month's Currently! It is so colorful and FUN! :)

So, I was looking at my classroom library the other day, and I realized I need some new books!!! I have been browsing on Scholastic for the past few days trying to decide which books to buy! I LOVE the smell of new books!!! :) 

Can you believe it is already time to start grading papers again?!? I still can't believe summer is gone. I guess I am in denial, but I seriously need to pick up one of my NEW felt tip pens and get busy! :) 

Now for my favorites!!!

1) MY PAPERMATE FELT TIP PENS!!! 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these pens!!!

They are AH-MAZING and write so smoothly!!! I grabbed mine at the local Wal-Mart, but they sell them at most office supply stores as well! You should really check them out! They are great for grading papers!

2) MY NEW CLASSROOM SETUP!!!

I think this is the first year that I absolutely LOVE my classroom setup! I am also very proud of everything in it because I MADE almost everything! I will be posting later on today (I know you are only supposed to post once a day, but I am too excited to wait) with LOTS of pictures of the new room!!! :)

3) MY NEW IPAD!!!

Every teacher at my school got a new IPAD to use in the classroom this past week! SO STINKING EXCITING!!! I have been playing around with it, and checking out apps all weekend! I LOVE IT! What are some of your favorite apps that you use in your classroom? I would LOVE some feedback!

Ok, now it is your turn! Head on over to Farley's Oh' Boy Fourth Grade and link up! Just remember the rule of 3!!! :)

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!

Zebra, Zebra, & More Zebra!!!

Well, for those of you who don't know, I LOVE ZEBRA PRINT!!! So, this week, I designed my very own zebra newsletter!!! This was my first time designing my very own newsletter, and I LOVE IT!!! I also watched a great tutorial that helped me learn how to make my file editable, so guess what?!? It is now available in my stores!!! WOO HOO!!! It is an EDITABLE template for those of you who are looking for a cute newsletter for your classroom! Just click on the picture above to go check it out in my store! 

I also have a great friend who translated my Zebra Classroom Decor Set  in Spanish for me! That is also now available in my store! It turned out super cute, and I am very excited about it! Just click on either of the pictures below to go check it out! :) What do you guys think? 

To celebrate my new, fun items, I thought I should have a GIVEAWAY!!! Just leave a comment with your answer to the question below!!! The winner will receive a $10 SHOPPING SPREE in my TpT or TN store!!! YAY!!!

What is my favorite subject to teach???

I will pick a winner from all the correct answers using a random generator tomorrow night at 9 pm!!! Happy Thursday friends! :)

Middle Years Giveaway & BLOG HOP!!!

Hello! My name is Lacie from Polka Dots & Pencils! I am a 4th grade teacher who loves what I do! I also love to create resources for myself and other teachers to use in the classroom! Teaching is definitely my calling in life! Click on the buttons on my page to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook stores! :)

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to The Fourth Grade Garden (a blog by Liliris)! If you have not visited this blog before, you MUST GO CHECK IT OUT!!! :) Liliris is heading into her 6th year of teaching 4th grade in central New York! Her blog includes fun ideas, organizational tips, technology tidbits, freebies, and more!!!

You can check out this blog by clicking on the button below! Believe me, you want to check it out!!! :)

Also, hop on over to Liliris's store to follow her and find some great products, including her Fittest Bear Hunt Game, that she is donating to the hop! WOOT WOOT!! :) 

Happy Blog Hopping friends!! :) 

STUFF YOUR FILES!!!! :)

BLOGGY FRIENDS!!! I have missed you this week! So, I have been SUPER BUSY in my classroom this week! How about everyone else? I have missed blogging like crazy!!! :) Today, I am guest blogging over at Leanne Baur's Creative Classroom!!! YAY! :) Go check out my post on her blog for 2 AWESOME freebies!!! :)