Learning Resources Easi-Speak Review and Giveaway

Learning Resources is an amazing website with tons of great learning tools! I had the opportunity to review their spectacular item, Easi-Speak USB Recorder, and let me just tell you, it's AWESOME!

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I opened it up at home and tested it out before I brought it to school. Then boyfriend got a hold of it and I couldn't get it out of his hands! Ha! It was so easy to use, really great instructions and my favorite part was the built-in USB! Such a great way to share with parents and other teachers!

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So I brought it to school to use with my summer school kiddos. The class I was teaching had a high population of English Learners, so this was perfect! What is more exciting than talking into a microphone!? I mean, really! Or is that just me?? 

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We used it during our guided reading time. I had my students practice reading the page chorally with me, and then we had one out loud reader record themselves into the microphone. Talk about a whole new spin to radio reading! My students loved reading into the microphone and it was great to be able to play it back right away so that they could hear themselves speak. Seriously, every teacher needs this!!! And it's your lucky day! Learning Resources is allowing me to giveaway one Easi-Speak USB Recorder to one of you!

All you need to do is follow these steps and enter using the rafflecopter below!

1. Follow Miss Kindergarten's blog

2. Like Learning Resources' facebook page

3. Follow Miss Kindergarten's facebook page

4. Follow Learning Resources on Pinterest

5. Follow Miss Kindergarten on Pinterest

Giveaway ends Friday, Aug 3rd at 9pm PST

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DIY Where Are We Board

I have seen so many cute "where are we?" boards on Pinterest and I've been wanting to make one for my room all summer! I always thought it was a good idea to let people know where we are when we're not in our classroom, in case of an emergency, ya know?! Here's what I came up with!

I just love it so much, I can't get enough!!

And it was super simple to make! Here are the materials you will need:

 Cardboard 

{I used that lined whiteboard that I picked up at Target in the dollar section! It is sturdy and already in the shape that I was looking for, but any type of card board piece would work!}

Scrapbook Paper

Stickers

Ribbon

A Clothespin

Mod Podge {my bff!}

*not pictured*

Hot Glue Gun

Acrylic Paint

Paintbrush

To start, I laid the scrapbook paper down onto the whiteboard until I liked the way it looked, then I turned the whiteboard and paper over and traced along the back before cutting. I mod podged the paper on using a layer as an adhesive and a layer as a sealant. Then I cut the ribbon to fit and mod podged that on too! {see..bff!}

While the mod podge dried, I painted the clothespin with acrylic paint. Have you seen this trick on how to paint clothespins!? Clip it onto something sturdy and paint both sides at once!

 Then I used a q-tip and pink paint to add the polka dots.

While the clip was drying, I stuck the stickers onto the top half of the board and sealed them with a layer of mod podge. 

{I had every intention of using the green polka dots as the bottom half of my board, but when I subconsciously painted the clothespin green, and couldn't see the stickers when I had them on the pink part, I just flipped my board around!}

When everything dried, I adhered the clothespin using, you guessed it, mod podge!

Finally, I hot glued two pieces of ribbon onto the back of the board and tied them into a bow at the top. Then I printed, laminated and cut out my "where are we" cards and clipped them on!

While I was at the Dollar Tree {just browsing ;)}, I found this awesome bright pink magnetic caddy which was absolutely perfect for holding my extra "where are we" cards! I was planning on making something to hold the cards but this was just too perfect!

What do you think!?

I just love, love, love them!!! You can pick up your own copy of the "where are we" cards at my TpT store or TN shop!

I linked up with Bowdabra Design

 

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Sprucing Up Your Space for Cheap!

I'm back to share some more fun things I created with my dollar finds!

I found these adorable magnetic containers and the magnetic board on two different occasions! I found the little containers first and of course had to have them because they're my colors ;) And when I found the magnetic board I was even more excited because I could use it to hold my magnetic containers AND it was already in pink and green! Score!

All I had to do was personalize the board with some cute stickers and voila!

I put some pink paperclips in one. Now I just gotta figure out what to put in the other!

But I think I might do this!
{thank you Pinterest!}

Source: via Hadar on Pinterest

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I {heart} Bulletin Boards

Something about a fresh new bulletin board just makes me happy! I love the color combinations, the fun play on words, displaying students' work! They're just my favorite! Here are some of my favorite bulletin boards that I've pinned lately...

Source: firstgradeglitterandgiggles.blogspot.com via Hadar on Pinterest

Source: firstgradefresh.blogspot.com via Hadar on Pinterest

Source: kindergartensmiles.blogspot.com via Hadar on Pinterest

Source: theteachingthief.blogspot.com via Hadar on Pinterest

Source: lifeinfirstgrade1.blogspot.com via Hadar on Pinterest

{I have a thing for pink and green...can you tell?? ;)}

So as you can imagine, I was EXTREMELY ecstatic with MPM School Supplies contacted me asking me to review their site. Of course I headed straight for the bulletin board supplies!

This website was so easy to navigate! After clicking on bulletin board borders, I limited my search to pink, green and black {obviously} and found the absolute cutest borders! There was a great selection, it was so hard to narrow them down! But with the discount prices, I couldn't beat the bargain!

My products came so quickly! I was so very excited to get all of my goodies! Here's what I got!

I can not wait to put new bulletin boards up!!

And want to know the most exciting news?! You can purchase these great items, at an already discounted price, and take another 15% off your purchase!!! How fun!

MPM School Supplies was generous enough to allow the first 25 people who purchase from this link a 15% off coupon automatically applied to your order! Go, go, go!!!

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Tell Me More Linky Party!

Well this is just genius! Linky parties and talking about myself are my absolute two most favorite things! {actually I lied...I have a lot of favorite things...you'll see...lol}

Anyway, I'm linking up with the sweet Mrs. Lemons!

The ABCs of me:

A- Age: 28.

B-Bed size: Queen! I got my new mattress in October and I absolutely L.O.V.E. it!!! Best mattress I've ever had!

C-Chore you hate: I actually like doing chores...but I really would rather not take out the trash. It's just so gross and stinky!

D-Dogs: are so cute, but I don't think I'll ever own one.

E-Essential to start your day: cereal! For some weird reason, if I eat anything but cereal in the morning I don't feel right for the rest of the day! Unless its a weekend and then I'm all about eggs, French toast and bacon :0

F-Favorite color: I love all colors! But I guess my favorite is a pale green.

G-Gold or silver: white gold for sure! I'm spoiled ;)

H-Height: I think I'm a little under 5'4"

I-Instruments you play: none! I am not musically inclined! although I do love karaoke :)

J-Job title: Kindergarten teacher! I love my job! It's funny to think that before I started teaching I told myself that I would never teach kinder or 6th grade. And now I absolutely, positively love kindergarten!

K-kids: none yet! that would be too much to handle at the moment! but I would love to have 2 or 3 when I 'grow up'

L-Live: the best place in the world! Orange County, Ca! what-what!

M-My mom's name: I always call her mommy! Still...

N- Nicknames: Hadari

O-Overnight hospital stay: none! thank goodness!

P-Pet peeves: waiting on people!!!! ughhhh soooo annoying!

When someone honks at me a half a second after the light changes to green!

People who smack their gum!

Q-Quote from a movie: "I know, right?!" Best movie ever ;)

R-Right/lefty: Righty! Although I'm sort of ambidextrous.

S- Siblings: Older brother and younger sister :) They are my best friends!

T-Time you wake up: The brutal hour of 6:00am. It is so sickingly hard for me every morning! But I make up for it by sleeping til noon on the weekends ;) See why I can't have kids?!

U-Underwear: VS or Target :)

V-Veggies you dislike: Mushrooms...well I like the way they taste but their look and texture is so disgusting!

W-What makes you run late: My boyfriend!!!!!

X-X-rays you've had: Teeth, and back at the chiro.

Y-Yummy food you make: I make really delicious carne asada tacos! and by make, I mean, put the tacos together once the meat is already cooked ;)

Z-Zoo animal: I think the little monkeys are my favs 

{{My favorite things!}}

Fortune Cookies!

Dryer lint {I've already gotten some weird reactions from this one, but seriously, I love it!}

TARGET

bargain shopping, in general

{and Melissa Rycroft! how much do I love The Bachelor!?}

using coupons

BASEBALL!

gum

my Iphone

my pillow and my bed! {see!}

{disclaimer...this is not actually my bed!}

my kitty, Olivia

teaching!

game shows!

cleaning {only when it benefits me though, is that mean??}

crafting and creating!

and of course...blogging!

Head on over to Amy's blog and link up too!

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My First Day of School Craft!

It's always fun to have a first day of school memory! I remember my first day of kindergarten like it was yesterday! I mean, I do have a really good memory, but I also really loved kindergarten and my teacher. So that definitely helped! Here is a fun little first day of school craft for you!

 A pencil! hehe!

And turn it into a little book by adding the writing pages.

This craft comes with several writing pages to choose from, and they don't all need to be done on the first day! I know how crazy it can be!

 

You can pick up this cute craft at my TpT store!

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DIY Foam Dice

 If you know me, you know that I l.o.v.e shopping and I l.o.v.e a good bargain! Like many of you, the Target dollar spot and The Dollar Tree are my favorite places this time of year! Look at this loot I recently picked up!

Isn't it just scrumptious?! LOL

I am hoping to share with you what I plan to do with all of these goodies!

First up, DIY Foam Dice!

When I saw these foam cubes at The Dollar Tree, I couldn't grab them fast enough! They are perfect for making your own foam dice! And at a dollar a bag, such a steal! Plus, foam is quiet. I like quiet! I also picked up the green basket because who can have enough baskets?! And my color scheme is bright pink, green and hints of black & white!

Here are the different types of dice that you can make:

Here's a little tip...I found the permanent marker rubbed off the foam before it dried to be sure to create your dice over a scrap piece of paper and not on your antique table!

 {side note: I learned on Jeopardy the other night that the opposite sides of a die add up to 7! Never knew!}

 Letters and numbers. Great for sight word graphing games like {these}

 Rolling CVC words! Use one color for the vowels and one for the consonants. Download the roll-a-word mats {here}

Use them for word families! Download the roll-a-word mats {here}

Put the foam dice into the little basket {with ribbon of course!} and you've got yourself an instant center!

{for example purposes, I threw all the dice in together, but I would not do this for my class centers. Only throw in the dice that you need for the specific center to avoid confusion! ;)}

The possibilities are endless! What else can you make with the foam dice??

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