Happy Saturday! We are going to a wedding later. At the beach. I will probably freeze in my dress, but that’s what my husband’s suit jacket is for. Actually, I don’t even know if we’ll be outside. I just know we can’t park at the wedding venue and have to catch a shuttle. It should be fun . . . but is it bad for me to say I wish I could stay home all day?
Are you ready for the Open House Picture Palooza?
It was a big success – I love Open House because the parents tell me how much they love me and are going to miss me everyone is so happy and the kids get to show off all their hard work.
Here’s the run down in pics.
Before the craziness started.
Students wrote about how pioneers worked hard
to provide for their families.
I totally copied my teammate’s bulletin board.
That’s our Class Bear. He dressed up for the event.
Self explanatory. Except for the part where I could not bring myself to put it together. I was the last one on the team to do it. For some reason, it totally intimidated me. Each of one us did ours differently. Although, I am such a copycat because I copied the ribbons from a teammie.
I do not have an original bone in my body.
The door. I have said before that we do not have hallways. So our school (primary, especially) decorates the door
with a poster and cut outs.
Students wrote about one room houses. My kids were obsessed with outhouses because I told them about how my mom lived on a farm when she was little . . . and had an outhouse.
And one time, she went into the outhouse and there was a snake coiled around the hole in the ground.
Almost every piece of their writing mentioned that houses did not have bathrooms. And that the outhouses were DANGEROUS.
Snack Table
aka Dinner For A Lot Of My Families
Logs and Rolos. Not because the rolos made sense.
But because I love rolos.
Trail Mix and Creek Water.
My kids kept asking if it was really creek water. Yes, I told them. My hubby drove up to the mountains and got it for us. They fell for it. One believed it so much that she wouldn’t even try it. It was a hit. I ran out of cups. I had 100 and I ran out. ONE HUNDRED. I had to dig around in some cupboards to come up with some more.
Students wrote about transportation from long ago.
Just a bunch of pictures through the year. Mostly fun stuff like the 100th Day, Teddy Bear Day, Read Across America, Jump Rope for Heart, Lunch in the Classroom, etc. It looks like all we ever did was party with crowns on our heads.
I had Swedish fish in the jar (pioneers had to fish, you know) and the families got to make an estimate. When I announced the winner on Friday morning, one of my girls cried. CRIED. Because she didn’t win. Come on! Seriously? I almost didn’t have time for it. I almost rolled my eyes. I almost said, “You have got to be kidding me.” Instead, I cried a little myself. I believe I was tired.
First Graders as Pioneer People. They were in all four of my windows. So cute! THO CUTE!
This was what the students’ desks looked like.
That’s a paper bag person of a student. 🙂
I wrote special notes to my kiddos on each balloon tag.
The cover of our Pioneer Art and Writing Scrapbook.
Another sample.
Last one. Thanks for hanging in there.
The only thing I didn’t get a picture of were the Shoppers. Shoppers are the kinder parents looking for the perfect first grade teacher. They can tell just by meeting us, apparently. The worst is when they tell me that their child is a genius and then ask me how me I plan on challenging their child.
Let’s go over this.
First, I am not your child’s teacher.
Second, I don’t want to be your child’s teacher.
Third, say what?
So. Another successful Open House! It will be a lot easier next year now that I sort of know what I’m doing with this theme. I do miss Habitats a little. A take home project for that theme was creating a mobile of a habitat. They just looked so fantastic hanging from the ceiling because they were three dimensional and colorful and different heights. This year, our take home project was a Wanted Poster. It was still cute and still hung from the ceiling, but it just lacked something. In my opinion. Although, everyone commented on them and they seemed to be a hit.
On Friday, we went on our traditional Walk Through Tour. The whole school gets in a parade and we snake in and out of everyone’s rooms. It takes about an hour to go through all of the classrooms. It is so much fun. The kids get so excited to see their old kinder rooms and then so fascinated by the humongous desks and chairs in the upper grade rooms. They like to see sibling rooms, too. I love it! Except for the part where I have to say, “Don’t touch!” four thousand three hundred six times.
One of the second grade teachers does a Disneyland theme for her Open House. A take home project is to recreate a Disneyland ride to show Force in Motion or something like that. It’s a Science standard or some such thing. At any rate, I couldn’t get my kids out of that room. It was like they were IN Disneyland. Now they “can’t wait to go to second grade to learn all about Disneyland.” That’s a direct quote.
Grrrrrr.
Well, I better start getting ready for this wedding . . . sigh.
Awesome job, Kristin. The whole room looks wonderful! When you said you wrote a personalized note to each student I called you an over-achiever…because you are. I can say that because you're my sister. Love you!
Holey Moley!!! I have NEVER seen anything like this before in my life. It looks awesome! We do an "open house" thing a couple of days BEFORE school starts. It's nice because kids can bring in their supplies and such BEFORE the first day of school – SO. MUCH. EASIER! I love how you do your open house, but I'm pretty darn sure it would not work at my school. Too many teachers (maybe me included) would complain about all the work that would go into it. LOL! Great job though!!! I love your blog!
Heather
Haha Kerry, I'm calling her an over achiever too! And the little name tags! Specifically for open house??!! I love you, but you're nuts!!!
I love it all, but most especially the pioneer people in the window!
Great job.. now you can breathe and relax.
I've never even heard of an end of the year open house before. It's like you teach in a completely different world than I do! Great job. I wish my children could be in your classroom when they reach 1st grade!
Everything is so cute! I love the pioneer scrapbook.
The REAL Teachers of Orange County
Oh sweet Kristin – everything looks PERFECT!!!!! I can see why those parents would go shopping….you're probably a hot commodity!!!!!!
Holly
Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade
I love Open House!! Your room looked great!!! And really, as for being a copycat, why re-invent the wheel?? heehee!
Kathy
Coloring Outside The Lines
What a lot of work you go to for this evening! I am so glad we dont do ANYTHING like that! Your room looked awesome and I LOVE your creek water… too funny!
Carolyn
Sowing Seeds of Learning
It's so creative I want to slap you!!… With love of course!!
🙂 michelle
OMG! Perfect. I love it!!
Marvelous Multiagers!
Your room looks AMAZING!! Such a fabulous idea! I wish we could teach together and share ideas, and bang on each others walls all day. Just sayin…
XOXO Kerri B
teacherbitsandbobs
WOW!! Looks very impressive!! So creative~
Robynn
BusyBees
SOOOOOOO CUTE!!!!! Ohmyword! You put so much work into it all!!!!!! Great job!!!!!
I love it!!! So creative. I especially like the wanted posters hanging from the ceiling!
All the projects your students did around your Pioneer theme are awesome! If I were a "shopper," I'd want my kid in your class! Great photos!
Connie:)
http://www.welcometofirstgraderoom5.blogspot.com
This actually makes an Open House look like a fun thing…sort of…
I am so jealous you can hang things from the ceiling. And love love the pictures on the board with your borders. great idea!
Rachel
Great photos! I love the pioneer people and the scrapbook!
Jennifer
First Grade Blue SKies
Oh thank goodness I left Cali. I do not miss the big open house production!!!! But I love love yours and now you can rest easy since you won't be doing that next year when u move here!!! Ps when are you and Kerry visiting. I need dates! 🙂
Everything looks absolutely amazing!! OMG…how I do love your snack table!!! You did a great job displaying everything. 🙂
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
Your room looks AMAZING!!!! I know you have worked really hard so give yourself an extra coffee or ice cream this weekend! I miss being inspired to be a better teacher by working with you, I DO NOT miss the shoppers…lol! Xoxo
sorry, typo, here's what I meant to say: Holy cow Kristin, your room looks incredible!!! I want some creek water too! But maybe the adult beverage version, ha!
Oh my goodness! Your room is so stinkin' cute!!! I love the log cabin pretzels!
Mandy
http://mandys-tips-4-teachers.blogspot.com/
So cute! Where did you get the awesome name tag/pencil holders for the student desks?
wow! great job! 🙂 An open house at the end of the year? what a neat idea to celebrate the children's accomplishments and see how they've grown!
sarah
funintitlemath.blogspot.com
You and PJ deserve to spend a lot of time together after the wonderful open house you planned for your students and their families.
Lisa
Stories From Second
WOW! I love it all! Where did you get the little blue name plate stands? How cute and easy to move!
Yeehaw! Teaching in Texas
Wow!! Don't know what else I can say except WOW!! If I was a shopper I would want to be in your room!
Terri
Wow, pictures paint a thousand words….and that looks amazing. You should take pride in just how amazing everything looked! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your class quilt and all the pioneer stuff. I would so appreciate being able to purchase these from you. Any chance of that?
Janice
jskimom1@shaw.ca
You deserve to relax with PJ and have a HUGE glass of wine. Truly amazing!!!
your classroom looks AMAZING!!! I am a new follower!
stop by my blog if you get a chance 🙂
Miss Elementary
Wow! Your room is amazing! Thanks for sharing all of your (and your students') hard work!
Everything looked amazing!! What a fun place to learn…
Your room looked awesome! Ya'll did a great job!
How cute! I'm sure you've had a ton of these, but I love reading your stuff and am passing on One Lovely Blog award. Come by my blog and check it out!
http://frcklz613.blogspot.com
Oh my LORD that is WAAAY more work than we do for anything! I am also inquiring about the pencil holder/name tag things.
WOW, you go all out girl! Your room looks amazing. I WISH we were in the same district so we could hang out.{Does anyone say that anymore?}
Jenn
Finally in First
I came back for some more motivation 😉
That looks awesome! Your hardwork paid off! We tried open house but hardly any parents came:( I'm glad yours was a success!
Erin
Oh wow! I think I would jump out the window if I had to do that at the end of the year. 🙂 Your room looks great and I love the theme of your open house. I just emailed you about this summer. 🙂
<>< Crystal
Your open house looks great! 🙂 I haven't talked to you in forever! I hope you're well!
Erin
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Camping-Capers-Math-Literacy-Science-Activities
Your room ROCKS!! My daughter is in first grade at a Magnet school and I thought they did awesome stuff! She's got an awesome teacher but is there any way you can come teach second grade where she is? You could do the Disneyland theme…!! Wow! I am so keeping this blog post on my Pinterest to refer back to if I ever get my own classroom!
All your hard work paid off…the room looked amazing!
Marybeth
Cialini Chat