Visit me at Blog Hoppin'

Hey friends! I've posted at Blog Hoppin' today. Hop on over to check out some great ideas and resources on Martin Luther King! 

T is for...Technology

Hey ya'll! I'm linking up with the sweet gals over at Blog Hoppin' to bring you a week of Thanks! This season is a special time of year when we can look around us and be thankful for what we have. Especially a few days off! And I mean that.... 

This year, Blog Hoppin' is doing A Week of Thanks a little differently. Each day is a new letter....like an acrostic! Every day (that you choose to participate) you can share with us what you are thankful for - but here is the catch; it needs to begin with that day's letter. So, today is T...tomorrow is H...Wednesday is A - - you get it! Yes, it spells THANKS! 

So, today...T is for....Technology! Honestly - what would we do without it? I'm thankful for all the wonderful people I've met through blogging and the great ideas and motivation they provide me with!!

I'm also thankful for the millions of great websites out there that provide my students with educational opportunities at a price of FREE, no less. 

Here is my computer center. I have 4 student computers....and yes, they came over on the ark and still have floppy disc drives...but, the important thing is - I have them and my students LOVE using them! We frequent sites such as:

Click on the images to visit the sites - they are visited often by my explorers. We certainly cannot forget GoNoodle. This is the most wonderful website EVERRRR! My students are obsessed. If you are stuck inside due to weather or your students just need to get some wiggles out - this is the best website in the world and I am certainly proud to say that I am a teacher who brain breaks!

You can catch my students in action if you follow me on instagram. I post a lot of our Brain Breaks and crazy dancing on there. And seriously. Does it get any better than instagram? I'm oober thankful for the different editing options it provides because it has the ability to make any picture...look a hundred times better! ha Anyone second me on that?

Click the image to follow me

Instgram name: erin.eberhart

And last but not least...who can forget Pinterest? Seriously - what did we do before it? I feel like I can no longer even think of an idea or possibly make anything remotely cute without checking the inter-webs first and seeing what brilliant idea is online. When in doubt, go to Pinterest. ha If you're interested, you can follow me on there, too! 

Click on the image to follow me

Pinterest name: erinee21

I'm beyond thankful for Technology...the hair brained ideas it encourages me to try...the people it connects me with....and the opportunities it gives my students. What are YOU thankful for today? Be sure to head over to Blog Hoppin' and link up for the letter T. I'll be back tomorrow with H.

Oh Snap!! It's here!!!!

Hey friends! You sooo want to head over to Blog Hoppin' today! I am so excited.

My friends and I have something awesome to share and we don't want you to miss out!  

Head on over to find out what we have planned!!!  

The prize package is insane. Did I mention there's a Canon Rebel T3i up for grabs?!?!?! What?!?! Can I enter? ha ha I thought that would get your attention :)

Now, GO....and join in on the fun. You'll be glad you did. 

Happy Saturday!

A is for Activities like...

It's hump day and today I've teamed up with a few other Blog Hoppin' gals to bring you "Activities like..." 

Hurry on over and check out my post on Family Projects. Don't forget to link up. What are some activities YOU like to do in your classroom? Please share.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on New ideas...

H is for Helpful...

Hey friends! Long time, no see. Same ole story here.....too busy to do anything, 12 kinds of exhausted, and so on. Shew lawdy! Anyways, I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' and bringing you Helpful Hints.

Obviously teachers have a lot of crap stuff and it is absolutely vital that it stays organized or your room will look like an episode of Hoarders - quick!

Every summer, I usually pull out my manipulatives and organize them. I make sure everything is in the proper tub and I have a label with a matching picture on the front. This makes finding the item I need (or my students need) very simple.

Another thing that helps me stay organized are my lesson plan drawers. Everything I need for that day is in each drawer. Extra materials, or things I am working on for later, are stored in the next week drawer. I try my best to stay 2 weeks ahead *cough, cough.*

My library center was always a mess and constantly driving me crazy. I desperately wanted to change it and make it more manageable for my students. I purchased a great unit from Reagan (that's sadly, no longer available) and used it to print tags and matching labels for all my book bins and books. Students know to match the label on their book to the correct label on the front of the tub. This helps my library center stay neat and clean. 

My friend, Misha, shared this brilliant idea with me. When students have a choice to visit their free centers (or as I call them - Discovery Stations), they simply grab their clip and clip it on the sign. The 4 smileys represent the number of students allowed in that center. When it is full, they have to pick somewhere else to visit or wait until a spot opens up. This is such an easy way to manage station time and also puts the responsibility of choosing a station on them. 

Hurry on over to Blog Hoppin' and link up. I hope you found some helpful hints....Happy Tuesday.