warning: this is not a 'teacher' post

just some sunday afternoon inspiration from me to you....how cool is this????

the beatles are hands done my absolute favorite band, music, just everything. so i thought it would be interesting to find out how many beatles fans i have following my blog...comment back with your favorite beatles song!!

 

can't wait to hear,

breaking news!!!!!!

day 33 of 100 degree or over weather...doesn't stand a chance against my breaking news tonight!!! haha ;) well probably not...but we'll pretend (right?) anyways, i am proud to present my very FIRST google doc to share with all my bloggy teacher friends!!! i mean, in my opinion this is long over due...i am so thankful for all the inspiring ideas/documents you all so graciously share on your blogs ....i wanted to give back and do the same!!

so here's the deal....i wanted to share my new behavior clip chart i created back in june!! I did a color pocket chart last year, and for 'lack of better words'....it sucked!!! colors just didn't do 'the job' for room A112....

when you open the pdf in google docs....you'll see there are 8 slides....i only used 7 of them (i couldn't delete without losing the whole document...technical difficulties..) and slide 9 & 10 are flipped...cool down room comes before phone call home.

here is a low down on how it works and the order to put it together in:

- Good Day- this is the level you can move up to for outstanding behavior!!

- Falcon Pride- this is the level that everyone starts their day on (falcon=our mascot)

- Reminder- this is the 'warning' level...i just like the way reminder sounds better than warning...

-5 minutes of physical activities- this sounds harsh, but it really isn't....instead of sitting out 5 minutes of recess...they will walk 'laps' or do a few jumping jacks during their 5 minutes. i think it is much more proactive to have the kiddos moving A) to release energy B) for their mental and physical health.

- 10 minutes of physical activities- i deleted this level...i'm not running a boot camp here!

- Sit alone at lunch- i have the kiddos sit at the middle table during lunch time if they make it to this level...harsh i know, BUT if my kids made it to this level... they rarely did again! some times all they need is some 'me' time!

- Cool down room- i loveeeee this level!!! why, you ask?? I'll tell you...

• you 'partner' up with another teacher on your hall, BUT in another grade level. you set a designated area in the other room for the student to go when they need the 'cool off' room. the first week you will take your class to the classroom to show where the cool off area is (when your 'partner' is at specials, lunch, etc.) what to do when you come in...this helps make them more comfortable, and avoids 'that' BIG scene for you and your kiddos...This is what you need to have in that area...a desk with a couple things inside... a timer (for how long they need to stay), 'stop & think' worksheet (it is a document i created that gives the student the chance to write down what happened and how they feel....i will dig this out of my files ASAP), and grade level appropriate work. then when the time allotted is up, they come back to the room! this is great because if the particular student is having a hard day and makes it to this level, then they obviously want some time alone to cool off....and it gives the teacher time to cool off before you reach your 'level'. I wouldn't steer you in the wrong direction...promise!

- Phone call home- i think this level speaks for itself!

after all this rambling, do you even want to see it??? yes?? i knew it!! 

all you need to do it  click the picture below!! enjoy.

i will post a picture of the finished clip chart next week, but i wanted jazz it up a bit (obviously)...so i glued the print outs on different colored scrapbook paper, then taped it together in order vertically, and finally laminated for durability!! 

if you have a question, concern, or want me to customize something on the chart for you... don't hesitate to ask! just comment below or email me!!!

i would love to know...was this at all helpful???

i hope my breaking news was all that you hoped it would be! ;)

day 32 of over 100 degree weather means....crafts in A/C.

here is a glimpse into my suffering... 32 days of this?? REALLY? no. it is awful. swimming isn't even enjoyable anymore...you might as well go take a hot bath. anyways enough of my complaining...one good thing about the unbearable heat is...i am forced to stay cool inside, which means i am doing craft after craft.


the craft i am going to share with you today is...my new wreath for a new school year! it is VERY easy to make and all you need to do is make a trip to your nearest hobby lobby...ok? go now. no really...(it is now my home away from home, i think they are starting to know my name...maybe i should slow down???)

• here is what you need.... 

a plain wreath

wooden letters to spell out your name

this is what i used to make the
polka dots...i recommend using thick
white paint

any color paints you want...i recommend the
folk art brand...

clear high gloss spray

so now, use the paints you chose and put them in a pattern you like so you know what color you want each letter. i would paint the letters with 2 coats each, and then let dry. next you use the flat circle foam stamp to stamp out your polka dots....let the polka dots dry...then use your high gloss spray and spray all your letters, until they are super glossy!

now plug in your hot glue gun and glue your painted letters onto the wreath how you want them...and you've got yourself a SUPER cute new wreath for your new school year! :)

my finished project! :)

stay cool in this heatwave!

times, they are a changin'

ok so i decided to get a total blog face lift...new background, header, buttons, and signature!!....so i had to re-make my button to match my new blog!

share my 'button' on you blogs!


<a border="0" href="http://adayinthelifeofmisskranz.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i437/sophiekranz1/Slide3-1.jpg" /></a>


let me know what you think of my blogs new look! :)

summer time and the livin' is easy. aka too many DIY projects later...

one of my kiddos left this on the board on the
last day of school!

i hope everyone has had a fun and relaxing summer...i know i didn't keep up my promise from my last post in what, march??? ooops.... forgive me?? Well, to make it up to you, i have TONS to share....updates, ideas, DIY projects, and lots of photos!! so get excited, ok? GREAT.

my absolute favorite place to be... seagrove, fl (outside destin)
my family goes every year.
i earned my full week of laying on the beach this year! ;)

at the beginning of summer i was worried that i was going to run out of things to do...has that happened?? NO. I have kept myself busy and the time has flown by...why is it already the end of july?? 

• Question: who took a ton of stuff to work on from their classroom at the end of the year, and is just NOW starting to look through it???  

           that would be.....ME, ME, ME, Me!!!! 


when i walked into target about two weeks ago and saw this particular sign....i decided it was time to get busy preparing.... :)

i mean it is just cruel to children to have this up so early in the summer!!!!

ok ok...now to the good stuff! 

I am so excited to start using the 'daily 5/cafe' program in my classroom this year!!!...one of my favorite things about the daily 5 is the 'i pick' system and 'shopping' for 3 good fit books once a week!! i know that last year some of my kiddos would spend half our reading time searching for a good book....instead of actually reading a good book!!! I wanted my kids to have a separate place to keep their good fit books because i don't know about your kiddos desks....but mine become a black hole after about 2 weeks! ;)

I looked into buying the chair pockets, but they were a little TOO pricey for me. Natrually i headed over to my second home, hobby lobby...and picked out some fun colorful fabric to make my OWN chair pockets, or 'reading bags' in my case. 

• They are super easy to make, all you need is....fabric, thick elastic, fabric scissors, ruler/yard stick, pins, and a sewing machine (is faster)/ or needle & thread.

the fabric!!! (minus the top right...that is for my apt)

the elastic i used

you need lots and lots of pins!!!

my new favorite toy!!!!! i learned how to use it
this summer.....

 once you have all your materials...cut your fabric to the size you want them....make sure you have your 2 pieces of fabric 'bright side to bright side'...pin all four corner, and then put your piece of elastic inside of the 2 pieces, about an inch to the top and pin each side of the elastic to the fabric...so it stays in place!! Just like my picture below....

ready to sew!!!

make sure you only sew 3 sides together....then turn your bags inside out...ok now...you need to fold the top edges down and iron them so you can stitch the top to look more finished, and so they don't fray!!

finished bags!

I hope you could follow my (probably) confusing directions!!

next on the list....i made these adorable 'crate' seats for my small group table (i made 5)....that you can also use as storage! they are SUPER easy to make...

All you need is... crates (i got mine at wal-mart), thick foam (it comes as a roll, i got mine at hobby lobby), plywood to fit in the top of the crate (i got mine at home depot, they cut it for you for FREE), scissors, and a staple gun.

staple gun & fabric scissors  

home depot to get the plywood cut ready to be covered!

cut your fabric about an inch larger than
the plywood!

cut one piece of the thick foam the same size as the plywood and
a second piece about an inch or so smaller. place the smaller one
on the plywood first, then place the larger piece on top.

Then you just wrap the fabric around to the back of the plywood (pull very tight) and staple the fabric around the edge of the plywood! I also made small pieces of fabric to use as 'pulls' to staple on the bottom of the plywood. if you use the crate as storage, the pull makes it so much easier to pull the 'seat' up!!.... just like the picture below!

fabric to use as a 'pull'

now you've got yourself, your very own, crate seat!!! :)

 

all 5!

I had alot of extra fabric from the reading bags & crate seats so i made pillows for my reading area!! :)

pillows pillows everywhere

front

back

front

back

I hope you have enjoyed some of my DIY craft projects that i have had fun with this summer...if my quick directions didn't help you, please don't hesitate to email me...sophie.kranz@gmail.com 


Also...if you don't already have a pinterest account, you need to get one NOW...and if you do have one feel free to follow my boards (sophie kranz)...i will warn you though....it is soooo addicting!!!! 


i'll leave you with this inspiration for the new school year...

a month has gone by? neglect? what?

wow!!...i have neglected my poor blog this past month...hopefully i can manage my time better after my much needed fabulous spring break....i made a (long) list of things that i need to do better on an everyday basis...i still consume myself into my classroom,children,lessons, etc...which is goooooood...BUT on the other hand, everything else in my life i tend to neglect....which is not so gooooood. i'll let you know how it goes...ha ha ha.


today is the end to such a wonderful week...i was able to visit family in bowling green, ky and one of my best friends from my childhood (we met in 2nd grade and still going strong!) in nashville, tn where she moved with her husband!....more stories/pictures to come to give you a glimpse into my trips, but i have to finish my esl writing grading test...whoops (an other example of me neglecting something).


i wanted to share my lastest diy project i did yesterday afternoon...i'm really excited about how they turned out!

i decorated clothes pins.

the finished product! ribbon, fabric 'flowers' (from hobby lobby),
vintage buttons from my mom's collection, and clothes pins!

now off to do my esl work stuff...ugh. how i wish i wasn't such a procrastinator. hopefully the dave matthews pandora station can help me through this.

andy warhol. inspiration.

"I'm just so busy ... not working, but busy playing, because work is play when it's something you like." -warhol

when i am looking for inspiration....i look for the perfect song, quote, magazine article, blog, or look over my favorite book that has highlighted sentences/paragraphs from beginning to end.

tonight i ran across alot of andy warhol quotes that inspired me....so obviously i'm going to share them with you....and hopefully they will inspire you to do something great this weekend....

"I would go absolutely anywhere I heard there was something creative happening."-warhol

"You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you." -warhol

 "It's not what you are that counts, it's what you think you are." -warhol

'sophie warhol'
hahahahaha
this is a cover of an art book i made. if you can't tell its
a glittered black frame on top.

"If you feel you have nothing to lose, then there's nothing to be afraid of." -warhol

"You have to do stuff that average people don't understand, because those are the only good things." -warhol

if my warhol findings didn't help excite you, i'm sorry...but it is time for this teacher to go to bed (watch law&order svu or criminal minds) after my longgggg 12 hour Thursday.

what do you do to find inspiration???