Meet the Teacher Blogger Linky

I am soooo late to join up on this linky, but I could not resist!  :)  Setting up a classroom, playing and caring for an almost 15 month old, and spending time with my best friend and husband, takes up time!  :)  No more excuses!!  :)

This was so awesome to link up with Falling into First for this fun "Meet the Teacher Blogger" Linky!!  :)

Hi Blogger World!  I am Kari.  I am a 30 something mom, wife, teacher and girl who loves to have fun while smiling and laughing!  :)

I love every single second with my amazing family.  Emma is almost 15 months old, and my husband is my best friend.

Emma is totally a teacher's daughter!!  :)

We took a family trip to California for a family wedding this summer. We had such a great time!  Emma was amazing on an airplane, met so many cousins, spent time with great grandparents and even went on a boat!  Sorry there are so many pictures...I could not pick!!

Here is a Q&A Session with me!  :)

 THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...

Family. Friends. Toddler hugs from our almost 15 month old.  School Supply Shopping. Running (especially with our brand new jogging stroller!!). Highlighters. Capannari's ice cream (from suburbs of Chicago). Pizza. Organizing anything (I love to have our DVDs organized in ABC Order). Starbucks Iced Green Tea. Coke Slurpees. Mashed Potatoes (even better...garlic mashed potatoes). Different colored flairs.
Yea...I guess I could go on forever!!

 IF YOU WEREN'T A TEACHER, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BE?
I think I would be sports broadcaster.  I love sports.  I always have.

THREE LITTLE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU.

Friendly. Loving. Responsible.  

FINISH THE SENTENCE, "________,  SAID NO TEACHER EVER!!"

"Oh yea, sure I will have a 6:30 pm Friday conference with you"...said no teacher EVER!!

Q: IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY AND YOU CAN INVITE ANYONE {DEAD OR ALIVE} TO THE PARTY. WHO ARE YOU INVITING?

I am inviting all my family members.  Especially my grandma that had Alzheimer's that passed away a few months ago.

Q: IF SOMEONE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE?

 Got smiles?
I do not really know...I can't come up with one!  This is the only thing that popped in my head!  Haha!

 Q:YOU GET TO PICK ONE SUPERPOWER. WHAT IS IT?

 Mind reading...Knowing what another adult is thinking.  I know what kids are thinking, but how come I have trouble with what adults are thinking?!  :)

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING?

"Everything happens for a reason."
 

Q: IF YOU HAD TO SING ONE SONG ON AMERICAN IDOL, WHAT WOULD IT BE? 

Skyscraper by Demi Levato 

 *NO ONE WOULD EVER WANT ME TO TRY OUT THOUGH!!  :)

 Q: ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR A NIGHT OWL?

I'm SUCH a morning person. I try so hard to stay up late because that seems to be the time when all the fun things happen.  But, us morning folk get stuff done!  We are the productive folk!!  :)

 

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE RESOURCE THAT YOU'VE CREATED IN YOUR TPT SHOP?

I just started selling, but I would definitely say this is my favorite!!  It has been selling like hotcakes!  :)

Behavior and Inspirational Posters-Chalkboard Style

Q: SHARE SOMETHING WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU! 

Hmmmmm....well, I was carded at an R rated movie when I was 28...sigh.

You should link up now!!  :)

Even if you are sooooo late like me, it is totally worth it!  

Link up!  Click here!

Behavior and Inspirational Posters-Chalkboard Style!

Motivate your students to be the best they can be with these adorable posters for your classroom! :)

Some of them include:

You are someone's reason to smile.

Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Mistakes are proof you are trying.

Believe in yourself.

Don't forget to smile.

Get them at my TpT Store!

Have a great night!!

Writers Write About What They Know-Chalkboard Style!

Snag this freebie here!!  :)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writers-Write-About-What-They-Know-Chalkboard-Style-1381298

Writing Camp for Kids!

I LOVE WRITING!  I love teaching writing, and I also love writing myself!

I just finished the most amazing last two weeks hosting a Writing Camp for Kids at my home school through the Illinois Writing Project (IWP).  If you are unfamiliar with IWP, you should check out our website!  I am on the leadership committee, and we do excellent trainings and hold numerous professional development opportunities for many teachers, but also service local kids as well!  Hence, why I hosted a Writing Camp for Kids!  It was awesome!!  These were writers going into 2nd and also going into 3rd grade.  I used the Writing Workshop model during this camp, and the kids thrived just as they do in my normal classroom!  :)

Boy, did these kids love to write!  It was so fun to lead them through this writing journey. After designing their own writing journal covers, we got to writing!!  These kids had amazing ideas and amazing ways to tell their stories!

They also looked forward to the many stories I wrote in front of them!  These stories were added into my compilation of, The Adventures of Emma!  They loved hearing about Mr. Oo Oo Ah Ah, Emma's love for swim class, her amazement for butterflies, and much more!  :)

My think-aloud stories not only got the whole class laughing, the kids got to know more about me as a person and a mother, they watched an experienced writer write, and they were sparked with interest to write their own stories!


Another great piece of writing we did was, DID YOU KNOW?? questions!  The kids researched animals using a variety of sources and wrote DID YOU KNOW facts!  They did an amazing job!

We even had a Writing Celebration the last day of camp so our writers could share their pieces they worked on during the camp!  They were so excited to share in the Author's Chair!  Parents were thrilled to hear stories, poems about writing and did you know facts!!  :)

You can grab the participation certificate I gave the kids at the end of the camp!

You can get this as a freebie at my store!!!

Teaching with Smiles

Here is one of my most favorite books I used during this camp.
Have you seen or read Ralph Tells a Story by Abby Hanlon?  You need to!!

Ralph Tells a Story by Abby Hanlon is just adorable!  It tells a story of a little boy who just does not know what to write about.  Everyone around him is writing about what happens in their lives, but he says nothing ever happens to him!

He tells his friend next to him that he just does NOT know what to write about because nothing funny ever happens to him.  That friend laughs and says she writes stories all about Ralph because he is such a goofy kid.  He then tells a story to the class about his friend the inchworm!  Check out this book!!!  It will ease your students' hesitations about writing stories!  Also, remind the kiddos that writers write about what they know!!

Have you ever heard of this saying?!?!  Works wonders with beginning writers!
I love to remind my writers of this!

You can get this as a freebie at my store!!!

Teaching with Smiles

Or, if you want the chalkboard style, click here!!

Well, that is it for now!  I hope you are excited about Writing Workshop with your brand new kiddos this year!!  :)  I know I am!

Helping Mommy at School!

So, today my daughter came to school to help me move classrooms!  :)  She is such a great helper!  Yes, this is a picture of her sitting INSIDE the bin!  Haha!!!

Show Us What You Bought! Linky Party

I love this time of year!  New pencils, folders, notebooks, crayons, clothes...and...products from the TpT Back to School Sale!!!

What did you buy?!?!  I am joining the "Show Us What You Bought!" Linky Party on Blog Hoppin' to show what I have bought so far.  I am going to purchase more tomorrow, but since I am new to 4th grade this year, I want to make sure I am making the right purchases!

The item I have purchased already is truly amazing!  I am one who LOVES to be organized, but I am also the one that often (okay regularly) spends too much time figuring out HOW to be the most organized I can...well...my prayers have been answered!  I am going to be all kinds of organized this school year because of THIS!  Click on the link below to view it at Tanya Rae Designs' Store!

Planner / Organizer Binder - Chalkboard & Brights {2014 - 2015}

Happy Shopping everyone!!!  :)

August Currently

I cannot believe it is August!  Woah!  Summer is...almost...over...Yikes!!

Here is my first linky!!  :)  I am excited!
I am linking up with Oh Boy Fourth Grade!
Enjoy!
Kari at Teaching with Smiles

New position for next year!!

Hi Everyone!!  :)
I am so excited to say that I have a new position for next year!  I am so lucky that I am able to job share next year in 4th grade at my same school.  Now, I can spend 2 1/2 more days with my sweet little daughter, Emma!  :)  I am going to be friending up some experienced 4th grade teachers to help show me the way!  :)
Have a great weekend, everyone!!
Kari at Teaching with Smiles  :)