Currently

Currently … only a week late!

August 6, 2013 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 2 Comments

Better late than never, right? I’m linking up with Farley for Currently, one of my favorite linky parties! I love the insight it gives you into the goings-on in our (not so) little blogging community.

LISTENING: I’m up late as we’re preparing to drive back home to VA from Long Island early tomorrow, er, this morning — I can’t ever sleep right before a road trip! I’m the only one awake right now and I’m loving hearing nothing but those little sounds that let you know the house is alive.

LOVING: Catfish is totally my guiltiest pleasure. I will watch re-runs even though they’re spoiled; there’s something about this show that just hooks me in (see what I did there?) every time! Anyone watching the new season?

THINKING: I feel like my to-do list just keeps growing and growing and I’m starting to feel overwhelmed! I’m one of those “I have to do it all!” people, but I’m trying to reign it in this year. Not being pregnant will help… though there is that pesky newborn nursing every two hours…

WANTING: I totally only got my Note II earlier this year, but I already want the Note III! This is by far the best phone I’ve ever had! I love using my Bloglovin’ app and sketching ideas for lessons and what-not with my stylus.

NEEDING: One thing I’m definitely in need of is more portable-storage for my classroom so I can create more well-defined areas for my students to work. I’m planning on hitting up Big Lots, Walmart, Target, and Goodwill (you never know!) when we get back home.

B2S MUST HAVES:

I really regret not taking more pictures of my first class ever last year, so I’m planning on using That’s So Second Grade’s “Snapshots of Our Year” Classroom Timeline to create a designated spot for me to fill with classroom memories. I’m going to encourage my students to use our classroom iPad cameras, too!
I always love planner-shopping. You’d think I’d have an Erin Condren planner by now with my level of planner-obsession, but I actually like a planner without many bells & whistles. I found one I loved at Walmart that actually has Wizard of Oz-like poppies on it!
I use both the school laminator and my own personal laminators. Yes, I have two. One for my classroom at school (you know, for when I have to laminate something that very second) and one for home. I found generic laminating sheets that I love and work really well on Amazon (these, if you’re interested) and can buy a box of 100 for under $10 (monitor the price!).

Later this week I’m meeting for lunch with my new teammates (I’m the only one left from last year!) and may even head into my classroom for a “before” picture. I’ve got lots on my to-do list that I’ll be checking off, and I hope to share some of my plans for this year for beefing up my calendar time/math meeting.

Before I leave, congrats to Lauren from The Sweetest Thing, Karen from Flamingo Fabulous in Second Grade, and Nikki from Teaching in Progress — you guys won my Oz-Inspired Brag Tags (though thank-you to everyone that responded with a tip — I loved reading them)! And congrats to both Crystal from Ms. Jones’ Junction and Angela from Hippo Hooray for Second Grade — you guys won the pre-order of my Marvelous Math Meeting! I’ll e-mail everyone there winnings as soon as I settle back in at home tomorrow.

It feels like a month…

September 9, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 6 Comments

It honestly feels like a month has passed since I went in for orientation, then work week, and then of course the much-anticipated first week of school! In reality, it’s only been two and a half weeks but ohmyword does it seem like longer!

I caught my son’s nasty sinus infection the first day of school and hardly have a voice — I’m hoping that changes by Monday morning! I’ve been laying low, trying to get as much sleep as possible, and trying to get into a groove with my class.

I now have 23 kiddos — seven girls and sixteen boys. Yes. I have more boys in my class than I had total students in my third grade class during student teaching! It has been a challenge to get a sense of their little personalities and what works for each of them, but I’m getting there!

I have some plans for this blog in the next few days (after I finish planning/starting assessments) and that involves rolling out the following posts (which are all in some form of ‘draft’ stage right now!):

classroom reveal
implementing the Daily 5 as a first-year teacher
reflections on a first first day of school
update on what we’re working on

I am spending some time tonight going through e-mails, catching up on blogs, and trying to figure out Scholastic Book Clubs. I’m eager to get my first red book box (you have no idea)! I hope everyone has had an amazing first few weeks of school and that you all haven’t succumbed to germs yet like I have — it’s no bueno!

There’s No Place Like Home!

August 11, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 2 Comments

Really, there isn’t. I absolutely loved my vacation to visit my in-laws in NY, but I missed being home and getting things checked off my massive to-do list. I actually think I might be more stressed out for having had a vacation, but I’m sure an all-nighter tonight to clean our home office (it is a W-R-E-C-K) and make a list of things to purchase at IKEA/Lakeshore tomorrow (VA Blogger Meetup, yay!) will ease my stress. What can I say, organizing is therapeutic!

I’m off to wade through my Google Reader that currently has an “unread” post count of 376… I leave you with my August Currently!

Thrifty and Full of Rainbows!

July 2, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 23 Comments

One of the most daunting things for me in preparing for my first year is that, as a family, we’re also preparing for my husband’s first year! Finding things for our classroom — books, manipulatives, materials, furniture — on the cheap isn’t just a sport (it totally is for me!) it’s a necessity. Luckily, we have a good track record with the Goodwill (and love their 20%-off coupons) and our Target Dollar Spot is well-stocked!

Earlier in the week we stopped by the Goodwill to peruse their bookshelves for some more books for our classroom libraries, and spied something in the middle of all of the furniture they were selling. It looked like an easel, but wasn’t unfolded and had crayon and tape all over it. I saw the price tag of $9.99 and decided that for $10, I could put some elbow grease into it and fix it up!

We got it home (thanks to some creative placement in the car), cleaned it up, and there she is, in all her glory:

I looked her up and she retails for around $100, so not bad at all. This will go in my classroom to anchor our meeting area, so I’m debating about whether to leave her as-is, or paint her. I spied some ruby-slipper spray paint in Hobby Lobby the other day, so I’m tempted. Very, very tempted.

Today on our grocery run to Target I spotted a cart in front of us with bins that looked suspiciously sturdy and rainbow-y. I asked the very nice woman where she saw them, and I must have asked a little too excitedly because she smiles and says, “Teacher, huh?” Yes. Where, oh where did you find them?

The Dollar Spot (though only the buckets were $1; the bins and caddies were $2.50 each). Usually that’s our first stop, but it was too close to the Lego aisle to brave today before naptime. I high-tailed it over there and scored these:

During our last trip to Target I noticed they were taking down the seasonal section and prepping it for what looked like Back-to-School and I was totally right. Of course I couldn’t help but check there too, and sure enough, there were some goodies to behold! My favorite?

I got five packs — all that they had.

And then… there was this (my heart may or may not have stopped).

My husband brought it to my attention, which I’m sure he now regrets as I’m plotting a way to justify buying a pack or two of each. These are 8-packs of “themed” crayons… perfect, right? I was standing in front of it and literally felt a TPT unit incorporating these flash before my eyes. Pirate crayon pack? Check. Dinosaur crayon pack? Double check. Cupcake crayon pack? Triple check.

I somehow managed to only leave with the “Glitterati” crayons, despite Crayola trying to trick me into buying an 8-pack of primary colors with their Oz-marketing. Like I said, school supplies = kryptonite.

Everything, all-told, was under $50. Phew. I’m slowly but surely putting everything together to create Oz on a budget I can live with. There are some other things I’ll need, but I need to get into my classroom and assess it before I make any bigger purchases. (Please let there be a rug. Please let there be a rug. Please let there be a rug. Oh, and a kidney table.)

I’ll leave you with my “currently” — my first linky party! Ahhhhhh, finally I get to join in instead of just scrolling through and reading everyone else’s!