Ho Ho Ho! Give AND Recieve a Little Christmas Cheer!

Whew! December is such a fun month with kindergarteners...at least for the 1st week of December. However, every year it seems that the closer we get to Christmas the behavior begins to deteriorate and that part about "you better not pout, you better not cry" is suddenly forgotten. The poor little darlings are under such pressure to be good and remain on the Nice list that I think they get stressed to the max. Hmmm...that almost sounds like teachers preparing for standardized tests in the spring! We start out reviewing and preparing for THE test and feeling all confident that we did a fabulous job of teaching the material but the closer we get to the test the more pressure we feel. Did I cover it all? Did  I do a good job of preparing them for THE test?  Will they be able to stay focused? Will I remain on the "Nice" list?...and then teachers begin to pout & cry! Too much pressure!

Well, to help keep learning fun and pouting away, I created some new Christmas themed fliphchart pages for my ActivBoard and I wanted to spread a little Christmas Cheer and share it with you. 
 
Click on the pictures below to download it for free!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Christmas-Cheer-for-ActivBoard-1022096http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Christmas-Cheer-for-ActivBoard-1022096

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Christmas-Cheer-for-ActivBoard-1022096http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Christmas-Cheer-for-ActivBoard-1022096
 
 
I am also excited about my newest DonorsChoose.org project. I just submitted it today and it is already live and ready for donations! The most exciting part is that for the first week Disney will match funds if the donor enters the PROMO code DISNEY at checkout.
 
My project is requesting 2 additional iPads for my classroom so I will have enough for small group instruction.  The introduction of iPads into my classroom has opened up so many new learning opportunities for my students and I want to do even more with them! My Christmas break project is to find even more lesson plan ideas for using the iPads in my classroom. 
 
Now here is a deal for you...donate at least $10 to my project and use the DISNEY code at checkout and I will let you choose $20 worth of products from my TPT store! That's right....$20 worth of products for a $10 tax deductible donation!  Just email me after you have given and let me know what products you would like and I will email them to you! Thank you in advance for your help! 
 
Click here to donate!
 
Blessings to You & Yours!
 

Trim the Tree Freebie!

Christmas time with kindergarteners is such an exciting time! I love their innocence and excitement as they wait patiently for Christmas Eve to finally arrive in hopes that Saint Nicholas will soon be there. 
 

One of my all time favorite activities is getting a personalized video by email from Santa for each individual student! Visit http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home to enter your students' names, age, where they live, and 1 item from their wish list. It even gives the option to put them on the Naughty or Nice list!  We do 2 videos a day so that each child gets their video message before we get out for Christmas break. They get so excited waiting to see who the special message will be for each day.  So much fun!
 
As we finish up our unit on number words, I pull out the paint and Q-tips and we Trim the Trees by reading the number and color words.  If you are on the "Nice List" you can click on the picture below to snag your free copy now!

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0JlL2oS2O2qVXg5RkpLUFdEeXM/edit
 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

My tummy is full, my Christmas decorations are up, Christmas shopping is well under way, and I'm in my fuzzy PJs at 3 in the afternoon watching more Christmas movies! Top it off with the reminder that tomorrow marks exactly 3 months since Logan's accident and this will be the last week (fingers crossed) that he will be in a cast! Woo Hoo!

Talk about having a whole new perspective on being thankful!  The last 3 months have been the hardest time of our lives here in the Young household but we are so grateful for the new appreciation we now have for the things that we once took for granted! My heart swells with thankfulness when I think of how good God has been to me and I can't get the phrase/verse "my cup runneth over" out of my head! With this fullness of heart I wanted to give something back so I put together these number word pages to use with my little ones and wanted to share with my teacher friends!

Click on the pictures below to get them!
 
 
...and while you are there, do you mind "following" my Teacher's Notebook shop? I have not done a very good job of building that little shop up but I am having a 20% off sale this weekend and don't forget to sign up for my giveaway! I will giving away 3 December Calendars for the Promethean Board. 
http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/KellyYoung/number-word-christmas-help
 
You can also find this in my Teachers Pay Teachers store here!
 
Don't forget to fill your shopping cart up & clear out that wish list so you will be ready
to purchase your goodies tomorrow or Tuesday during the TPT Cyber Sale!
 
Blessings to You!