We Give Books

So I just stumbled across the most INCREDIBLE website!  It's called We Give Books.

We Give Books is a free website that lets anyone (with access to the internet) give books to children who don't have them.  All you have to do is go to the website: http://www.wegivebooks.org/
and read stories online....FOR FREE! :) Does it get cooler than that!?
For each book you read online, We Give Books donates a book to a leading literacy group on your behalf.
The more you read, the more they give!
Go check it out!

-Amy

New Blog Award!

I wanted to say thanks to my bloggy friend Lisa at Connecting the Dots: A Kindergarten Blog who passed along the Liebster Award! 

This award is for "new" bloggers, and its goal is to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers  If awarded, you must:

Copy and paste the award on your blog

Thank the giver and link back to them

Reveal YOUR top five picks and leave a comment letting them know

Hope your followers will share the love with them :) {I just know you will!}

Here are the five blogs that I am awarding the Liebster Award:

Kelly's Kindergarted

Mrs. T's First Grade

The Lemonade Stand

Through The Eyes of a Dreamer

Today In First Grade

Pinterest!

My new love= PINTEREST! Let me tell you, I am really, very, COMPLETELY addicted! 
This website is especially great for teachers!  They have a ton, ton, TON of ideas for teachers.
If you haven't joined Pinterest, you must check it out....beware though, you may become addicted too! :)

Check out my "Follow me on Pinterest" button to check out all of the great things I have already found for my classroom.

Happy Pinning :)

~Amy

Why I love my job!

....while correcting one of my kiddos math test.  How stinkin cute is he :)

Made. My. Day!

I heart FALL!

So as much as I think that my favorite season is summer, deep down it really is fall.  I love fall for so many reasons, start of school, fall colors, football, fall decoration, fall activities (apple picking and pumpkin farms), Halloween, and of course shopping for new fall clothes! Oh how that is my favorite!

I also love doing fall activites with my kiddos! One of my favorite art projects I do with them is making our own fall trees. We have so many beautiful trees right outside our classroom window that we get to enjoy all fal,l that it is such great inspiration to make our own!
This past Friday we took a little walk around our school and collected a ton of beautiful fall leaves.  Then we glued them onto trees we traced on paper and made fall scenes.  They turned out GREAT and look so fall-ish in our hallway! :)

TGIF!

It's finally FRIDAY! We have been having such beautiful weather here in WI so I am glad it is finally the weekend and I can enjoy temps close to the 80s! Seriously, for October in WI this is rare!
I wanted to share a fun Friday project I do with my kiddos. On Fridays we make "Our Week In School" newspapers to take home.  I love this project for a couple reasons.

First: It works on their writing skills
Second: It makes them think about the past week and reviews what we have learned
And Lastly: It gives the parents a look into what we have been doing throughout the week (even though I do a weekly newsletter, I can't possibly fit everything into it, so this lets the kids share even more about their week with their families)

This is my first time trying to upload a document, so fingers crossed that it works! :)

 Click Here to download "My Week In School"
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B9Z_TioTpA65ZjlhNTJiZGEtOGU2Zi00MTRkLWI2MWUtMTlkYzEyYjU0Mjg4&hl=en_US


PS: Anyone have tips on how to do this easier? HELP : /

Advice Needed : /

OK so here's the thing, I was so excited to start a blog but the truth is, I don't know much about blogging.  So since I have been so impressed with all the rock star teacher blogs out there, and learned so much about teaching from you all, I thought why not learn about blogging from you guys as well!

So, if you have any blogging advice for me; blogging etiquette, easiest way to post pictures, how to upload downloadable links, or anything else that a new blogger would need to know, I would be OH SO APPRECIATIVE! :)
*Thanks Much*

~Amy

Welcome to After Hours!

I am so excited to be starting my first teacher blog!  I have been a blog stalker since summer, and am excited have a blog of my very own! :)
There are so many fantastic teachers out there who I have learned so much from, and in turn inspired me to create my very own blog.
I'm not exactly sure how this blogging all works, so this will be a work in progress for sure!

~Amy