Michaels Labor Day Craft Haul

I went to Michaels today to get a Project Life planner to help me keep track of my swaps, blogging, and YouTube video recordings. Of course... just as always, I didn't plan to leave with a haul, but I did! I got a lot of great stuff on clearance (as well as on sale), and I got to use a 20% off my entire purchase coupon! Check out my first YouTube video below!

Classroom Pictures! *Fall 2014*

This is what my classroom looks like for the beginning of the Fall 2014 term. I moved around some things in order to open the room up more. Below each picture, you can read more about what that part of the room includes.

I use the blue hanging file organizer for my objectives, which I keep laminated in my curriculum binder so I don't have to actually write them over and over again. The rolling cart includes all of my substitute activities or "busy work" for emergencies. The bookcases include picture/chapter books for students who enjoy reading instead of playing computer games when they finish their work (plus, I have too many at home that I needed to bring some into the classroom). Now that I actually have more shelf room, I might have to bring in some more! The other side of the bookshelf has IEPs for all my classes and my homeroom students. On top of the bookshelf, I've set up a monitor, computer case, keyboard, mouse, surge protector, and printer as a display. I also use these parts in my Software Applications class when the students learn to hook up a computer.

At the front of my classroom, I have my whiteboard. On the left side, I have the days of the week, months, days, and years on flip cards so the date can be changed every day without having to write it. Underneath the date, I have space to write the homework for each class. I was fortunate enough last year to get an interactive projector installed in my classroom! I can't emphasize how much I love having this, especially as a technology teacher.

On this whiteboard, since it's unreachable to actually write on, I've put vocabulary words with pictures on the board using magnets. I found these vocabulary words available for download on Pinterest. If I can find the site, I will link it here. I also got the concept for the "www.wordwall.com" on Pinterest, as well as the colorful iPod border, which are just laminated die-cuts with magnets on the back.

I believe I came up with this concept for a bulletin board. I wanted it to be interactive by being able to put up model work from students. Behind each piece of work is a sheet of newspaper. The work is being held up by clothespins with a tack hot glued to them. 

The concept for this bulletin board came from Pinterest. If I can find the original link, I will post it. I however did create a file for all of the keys, which I will put up on TPT and link here. The keys are hot glued to styrofoam food storage containers that a couple of restaurants graciously gave to me for free!

For this bulletin board, I came up with the concept myself. It's called "Our Typing Journey." Every sign that is posted has a WPM written on it: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45. Underneath the 15wpm, I wrote 3-5 meaning that by the end of grade 5, students should be able to type at least 15 wpm. It's 25 wpm for grades 6-8 and 45 for grades 9-12. When students take their one-minute typing test on Fridays, I put their name on a card with their WPM and post it on the board accordingly. I have a deal with my students that if they surpass 45 wpm (more so for my high school students), they will get to have their name on the "Our Speeders" posted (the yellow poster above the board), and they earn a reward.

This bulletin board just has my calendar, birthday calendar, lunch menu, rules, etc. The table below it has a bin for each class period, along with color coordinating folders for each student. I provide these to the students at the beginning of the term to keep all of their notes in, as well as makeup work, and iPod reward tickets (a behavior management program I have implemented in my classroom). The students also keep a Table of Contents in their folder to help them keep their notes organizer. These folders have brads in them,

At my last school placement, many teachers had created curtains to cover their bookshelves and once I saw how visually unpleasing all the books and curriculum binders looked on my bookshelves, I thought it was a great idea to create some curtains of my own to cover those up.

Any questions about anything I mentioned (or didn't mention) in these pictures, feel free to ask!

Craft Subscription Kits

I am currently subscribed to the OHDEERME kit from Freckled Fawn (which I have gotten for a few months now), and I also recently subscribed to the Scraptastic Monthly Scrapbook Kit. I should be receiving my first two kits (August and September) from Scraptastic in the next few weeks, as well as the new September OHDEERME kit. The reveal for the OHDEERME kit is on Monday, so I can't wait to see what all I will be receiving! I'm pretty stoked about the sneak peak pictures that I've seen so far for September! I didn't order the additional birthday kit -- good thing because my first kit from Scraptastic (August kit) is birthday themed!

I cancelled my subscription to the monthly Simon Says Stamp Card Kit because I wasn't too impressed with it. The first package I received, the scrapbook paper corners were bent. I had to send pictures in to prove they were unusable before they sent out a replacement. The replacement papers bent up as well. I gave them one more try with the next month's kit, but the stamp set I received really wasn't that impressive, and I realized the only reason I wanted the kit was for the random new medias they would include such as stamp markers, distress ink, etc. but I might as well just save the money and buy those myself when I think I can use them.

What monthly craft subscriptions do you receive? What have your experiences with the kits been like?

Be sure to check back soon to see the reveal video I will post once I receive the kits in the mail!

Weekend Swaps 8/30-8/31

I just received 5 swaps in the mail yesterday! That was definitely a surprise since I haven't received any since before my honeymoon with my husband which was weeks ago! I am signed up for about 8-10 anyway, so really it was no surprise. I need to sit down this weekend and really get started on them. I'm hoping to post a few pictures of the swaps I create (at least after my partner receives its and rates me), and I'll put up some pictures of the swaps I received yesterday as well. Be sure to come back and check them out!

ATC (Artist Trading Card) Cards

Because of swapbot and my love for browsing craft videos on YouTube and pins on Pinterest, I came upon the ATC card concept. It really intrigued me because of the idea of making small pieces of artwork (2.5 inches x 3.5 inches) using various forms of media. This really helped me to open up as an artist and take risks with new crafting techniques. I've tried heat embossing, dry embossing (with folders), painting, stamping, etc. I'm still exploring more techniques to help me grow as an artist! Below are some pictures of ATC cards that I have made for swaps.