Fun in 1st grade!!

     I am so excited to be teaching next year...and school starts in only 5 weeks!!! AHHH! I have so much to do! There are so many things to do in my class right now I am overwhelmed...but I know I will get there eventually. Right now I am working on some shelving and some crate seats. The shelving is all getting a fresh coat of outdoor paint to make it look nicer and to help it hold up to 25 first graders.
For the crate seats I bought a cute green and blue polka dot outdoor vinyl tablecloth. That way I can spray it down and clean it every so often and (again) will hold up to 25 first graders :)
     A few very wise people told me that I should not be trying to get everything ready for my class all by myself but that I should ask people around me who might find that what they consider "junk" or something they don't want anymore I might find useful in my classroom. There also might be someone who would just like to donate a few items to a new, very excited to be teaching 1st grade teacher. ;-) So here it goes....I am making a wishlist in this blog.

Items so far:
magnetic letters (like the type that go on fridges) Can check this off the list!! Thanks to some great friends and family!
alphabet stamps
playdoh
unused books (even if they are not kids books I can trade them in for some kids books)
scrabble letter tiles
Lego's
yarn
puzzles

That is all I have thought of so far, but as I continue to work on lessons and centers I am sure I will think of more. Most of the items above will be used during the word work center I plan on having in my class. Word work will be a center where kids can create or practice words kinesthetically. I want them to move and touch as they make the word because this better connects their brains to the activity. Well I better get back to work on classroom stuff but try to check back occassionally because hopefully I will keep blogging about my adventures as a new classroom teacher.