Summertime!!!

We made it, we made it!!!  It's summertime!!!

I, like many of you, will not be taking the summer off, but will continue to work with my kiddos in ESY (extended school year).  Despite the fact I'll be working, I LOVE SUMMER!  ESY is only 4 hours a day and we don't have to follow the same strict regimen of the school year.  I am so excited to get to spend some time having fun with my kiddos!  All of my students only have behavior goals for the summer, so I get to incorporate lots of social skills, games, and art projects. 

This summer, our schedule will be the following:

	Student 1	Student 2	Student 3	Student 4	Student 5	Student 6
8:00 - 8:30	Group / Calendar / Binder
8:30 - 9:00	Ipad	File Folders	File Folders	Work Box	Work Box	Ipad
9:00 - 9:30	Work Box	Ipad	Ipad	File Folder	File Folder	Work Box
9:30 - 10:00	File Folders	Work Box	Work Box	Ipad	Ipad	File Folder
10:00 - 10:50	Art / Cooking
10:50 - 11:20	Lunch
11:20 - 11:30	Break / Dismiss

Group / Calendar / Binder, I will be using the following resources, as well as others:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Grade-Math-Daily-Warm-Ups-for-May-1228177

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Math-Warm-Up-2nd-Grade-Freebies-221653

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Special-Ed-Variety-Worksheets-506071

Work Boxes will include the work boxes we use throughout the year, and I plan to create some new ones. . . 

Ipads = educational activities on the Ipad.  Some favorites we will use:

(I can't figure out how to get pictures of these Apps, so here are links to some favorites)

• Splash Math (grades K-3)  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/studypad-inc./id432105528
• Monkey Lunchbox (and other THUP games)  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/thup-games/id328205878
• My First App (match it up 1,2, and 3; opposites; Sort it out; What's the difference)  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/myfirstapp-ltd./id421655195
• Kindergarten.com apps

And many more.  If I figure out how to do pictures, I'll post some other favorites soon!

File Folders = I will use adapted books, file folder activities, and Reading A-Z books during this time

Art and Cooking - Can you believe we have a designated art and cooking teacher for the summer!  She will plan activities for this time period.  I could not be more thrilled, especially since I have NO creative bones in my body!  

So, that's a run down of my ESY. . . what do you do during your summer programs??

I'm back - at least for a little while

So I kind of disappeared from the blogging world for a while.  Things have just been too crazy!  I don't know how those of you who post almost daily do it!  With IEP instruction, state testing, meetings, working after school and doing In Home Training with students, I just cannot find the time/energy to post!  I'm going to try hard to get back into the habit and make time for it.  I may go a little crazy this weekend and post bunches of stuff!!!

For my first post back, I want to share information about Donor's Choose.  This is a website/program that allows you to post a shopping list of classroom items you need and have donor's buy them for you!!!  I have now had three projects funded and I feel like I have hit the jackpot.  
It is so easy to use.  You just sign up for an account, create your personal classroom profile and then add the things you want.  Once you have done that, sit back and wait for your project to get funded and your materials to arrive!  
I have received three sets of books on CD for student use.  These cost over $800 and I never could have gotten them without the support of donors choose.  I also got all four sets of "School Specialty Interactive Reading Books". These books allow my students to interact with text in so many different ways.  

If these items do not seem of interest to you, there are tons of other items you can get for your classroom.  The sky is the limit.  My co-teacher purchased math and science kits for his classroom.  Our art teacher got sharpies, scrapbook paper, and notebooks.  

If you haven't checked into this yet, go do it!  It's an amazing resource and I can't wait to put up my next project!


Sampling of items I've received: