My New Years Resolutions for 2014

Thanks to A Peach for the Teach for starting this great New Years Resolution linky trend!

We hope everyone is enjoying their holiday break!  I am sure you are all spending time with family and friends, as well as planning for your return to the little ones after break. 

We have a great unit to help you get back in the swing of things for January.  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is right around the corner.  Everything you need to teach your students about this amazing man is included in our unit.   I spend the week on MLK, Jr. and also show the video ~ Our Friend, Martin ~ to my Gr. 2 class.   The kids love the Power Point we created with the real pictures of MLK and the timeline of his life. 

 

Check out the preview below and see it in our store ~

Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ Power Point with Activities.

 

 

 

We had such a nice Christmas with our family and friends.  We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and holiday season!

I am enjoying some time away in Key West right now ~ it's beautiful here!  The sun is shining and the boys are getting ready to go out and fish today for some grouper.  :)  

The New Year is just around the corner and we are excited to bring you some new products from Kennedy's Korner.   We will be working hard over our holiday break - in between enjoying the sunshine - to finish some NEW items to post in our store.  
Be sure to check out our Martin Luther King Jr. Power Point with activities product!  We will be adding a FREE mini booklet to go along with the unit soon ~ so become a follower and get notified when we post it!  
          

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your vacation !! 

Time ~ our precious time.. ticking away!

Well I can't believe that Christmas is only a few weeks away!  I am almost done shopping ~ I have done a lot of my shopping online this year.  As I get older  I really don't like to go shopping when it is crowded... hmmm I am getting old!

My sister Kelly and I have also been working hard on trying to save YOU some precious time around the holidays!  We both know that time is the one thing that teachers really never have any extra of.. lol :)   We hope that we can help you to relax a little this holiday season - by NOT worrying about school!  Check out our new products that will save you precious time..  TIME you can use to SHOP... TIME you can use to WRAP... time you can use to BAKE cookies... and TIME you can spend with your loved ones! 

I started this unit last week and the kids in my Gr. 2 class and they are LOVING IT!   Every day the first question they ask is "What country are we visiting today?" .. I have to say that I LOVE this unit too.
It helps to put me in the mood and I know that the kids are learning the standards in a fun and engaging way! 

WE hope you like our units!  They are on SALE this week until Wednesday ~ so save some money for holiday shopping and more importantly save yourself some precious TIME !  

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends!
Click on the picture below to connect to our store- you should check out the PREVIEWS!
                                                   Happy Holidays!
 

Holidays Around the World !

Holiday Writing ~ Letters to Sant and much more!

 

Commom Core Reading ~ Elves Dont' Wear Hard Hats!

 

FREE Math Word Problems ~ holiday fun!

 

 

IF you have any questions please email us at coachkennedy22@yahoo.com or comment here!

We hope you are enjoying time with your family and friends over the Thanksgiving Break.  We have a lot to be THANKFUL for and feel blessed to have our health, family and friends in our lives.  
In honor of Kennedy's Korner reaching over 200 followers AND because we are so thankful at this time of the year ~ we are participating in the TPT Cyber Sale on 12/2 and 12/3.    We hope you visit our store and check out our NEW holiday products.  We wish you all a Happy Holiday season!

Here is sneak peek at some new Holiday products that will be in our store by Sunday...We are almost ready to post all of them ~ but are currently finishing the final touches... We hope you stop back to our store or become a follower so you know when we post them!  :) 

 

 

 

 

FREE products are always a bonus!!

FREE product post ! 
Just in time for Veteran's Day ~ We hope you like our FREE Veteran's Day mini booklet!

Remember to Thank a Veteran!

If you like this FREEBIE - be sure to check out the color Power Point found in our store!

Goal Setting in the Elementary classroom ~ Reading and Writing Workshop

My 2nd grade students have been setting goals this year and WOW ~ what an improvement already.
I really notice that they are looking back in their binders at the goals they have set and focusing on the skills they need to improve on.    I  have my little ones writing and actually remembering CAPITAL letters and punctuation!  They are going back and rereading their work... some are stretching out their small moment stories and adding more detail!  It's amazing to watch these little ones work so hard to accomplish the goals they have set for themselves.  I really love to see the progress! The organizers I made this summer were really easy to use and can be differentiated for different needs. 

Check out the Goal Setting product in our TPT store. 
 

Veteran's Day Power Point

Well it finally feels like FALL in Buffalo, NY!  This is the first weekend it has actually felt like fall is here.  I can't believe it's almost the end of October already myself.  Once we get through Halloween - then it's Veteran's Day and before you know it ~ Thanksgiving will be here!  Phew ~ I hate when time flies so fast I feel like I can't catch up!! 

I did just finish my NEW Veteran's Day Power Point which I think you might want to take a look at. 

It has 25 colorful slides to help you teach your kiddos about Veteran's Day.  We all know how important it is to remember our Veteran's  and all of the sacrifices they have made for us. 
As an added BONUS you will find 24 pages of ELA activities in this product. You can check out the preview in our store!  (click here)

Fire Prevention / Fire Safety Week is here

October 6th is the beginning of FIRE SAFETY week ~ I know my 2nd graders love when the firefighters come to visit and they get to go on the fire truck.  More importantly I feel better after this week because I know my little ones will be reminded how important it is to be SAFE and not play with matches.  I also know that they will be going home to remind their parents about checking the batteries in their smoke detectors.  I know too many families who have unfortunately had fires in their homes ~ and I know from talking to these families how devastating it is to have to start over after a fire.   I hope that  you will remember to help your students come up with a PLAN for their family in case their is a fire in their house.  The important thing is that everyone gets out safely.  

I created these FREE bookmarks to help kids remind their family about FIRE SAFETY.   Included is a PLEDGE they can take too.. I hope you like them !  I paste mine onto black construction paper and laminate them so they last longer. 

 

These bookmarks are part of my FIRE SAFETY unit that I just created - which includes various ELA activities that will reinforce all the SAFETY tips that we teach our students during FIRE safety week.  Here is a sample of the unit that you can purchase in our TPT store.  Mini booklets are included along with various organizers and cut and paste activities.  Check out the preview!

                              

 

 

Common Core ~ causing you sleepless nights?

The Common Core - has it been keeping you up at night?

We have been tackling the CCSS and want to share with you some of what we have created.   Hopefully these products will help you sleep better at night!

This FALL themed CCSS Math product will be sure to help your Gr. 1 and 2 students prepare for some deep thinking during Math.


                                                            

 

We are HOURS away from posting our new HALLOWEEN themed CCSS Math product. 
 Here is a sneak peak at what you will find...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures of my class ~ finally!

Pictures of my Classroom ~ NEW grade level ~ NEW theme ~

Welcome to the BEACH! 

I finally have a second to breathe and write a post with some pics from my classroom!
Last week was my first full week with students AND we had OPEN HOUSE.. so I have been swamped with getting my room ready and getting the little ones settled in.

I hope you like my classroom~ AS you can see I went with the Beach Theme - I found some great items in Corinna's store and a few ideas on  her blog where she posted some great FREEBIES ~

I made a lot of the items myself - but haven't been able to post them all yet in my store.

My students love sitting in the beach chairs and seeing their names on surfboards and shovels... but I really think they like the umbrella and tropical scene in the Writing Reef and in the small narrow hallway as you enter my classroom.  I purchased the background scenes here.

I love the way my room turned out - I hope you enjoy the pics!

 

This is the Writing Reef ~ it is directly across from my teacher desk ~ so after the kids leave for the day I have a fabulous view!

 

This is a view in the Reading Area.  The Bulletin Board says "Riding the Reading Wave".

I made waves to display the different Genres and the description of each genre.

You can see a close up below. 

 

This is the view as you walk into my classroom from the small narrow hallway that connects to the main hall.  My room is somewhat oddly shaped - The umbrella you see in the Reading area helps to

create the beach theme.   I purchased it at Rite Aid Pharmacy for $9.99 - quite the bargain! 

The cardboard surfboard was found online at Oriental Trading ~ it's very easy to put together. 

 

This is the side of my classroom (just next to the Writing Reef). AT top is my new Ocean Alphabet that you can find in our store... and just below is the Daily Five - Tropical theme that Corinna has in her store ~ Surfin' Through Second for FREE. 

I hope the beginning of the year has been as much fun for you as it has been for me!
We are all Riding the Wave and Surfing into Second grade ~ looking forward to a great year ahead!

I will try to post some close-ups and more pics later this week! :)

Thanks for reading our blog ~ Kennedy's Korner

Here is a preview of some new items we are almost finished with - they should be in our store by the end of next week!

                                  

I Have. Who Has? Telling Time Game Freebie!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!  Opening Day is tomorrow for us!  I just went into my closet looking for a nice outfit to wear but alas no luck!  I really need to go shopping.  Hopefully the parents of the kids I had last year won't notice my recycled outfit!  Someday soon I will head to the mall without my 3 children.

I am trying to become more tech savvy each and every day.  My goal for today is to try to link our I Have. Who Has? Telling Time Game Freebie to our blog.  I hope it works!
Click here or on image below to download

Classroom Set up ~ it's that time again!

As many of you are doing... I have been in my classroom setting up for the past two weeks.. It is coming along ~ but I am happy that my little ones don't start until Sept. 5th!  I still have a lot to do.  I said to Chris yesterday ~ you know it's August when you have a blister on your finger!!

I am super excited about my NEW theme for my class this year.  I am changing grades after 19 years ~ so I thought it would a good time to change my theme.
As I mentioned in my last post ~ I love the beach ~ so that is my new classroom theme.  My principal was joking yesterday telling the secretary that if anyone is looking for her ~ she'd be in Kennedy's room relaxing! 

One of my favorite new things I am laminating today is my OCEAN theme alphabet.  I will finish putting it up today and post some pics later this week. 

Here is a sneak peek at my Ocean Alphabet that you can find in our TPT store ~ OCEAN ALPHABET

Heading to school now to get some more accomplished.  Have a great day!!

 

All About Me ~ Karen

All About Me ~  Karen

My sister Kelly and I have made a pledge to become avid BLOGGERS this year. 

The past year we decided to join the TPT community and start our store Kennedy's Korner.
We have been working so hard on getting new products in our store ~ that we have neglected our blog....so WE hope you have faith in us to start following our blog now that we have made this pledge.  

A little about me ~ 
I have been teaching in West Seneca Central Schools for the past 19 years.  I actually was hired at my old elementary school and I took over for my former third grade teacher when she retired.  My career has been mainly in 3rd grade, with one year in Gr. 4.  I requested a change for the fall of 2014 and I was granted my request .... SO I will now be teaching 2nd grade and I am so excited for the new challenge. 
 
My boyfriend Chris and I live in East Aurora which is a suburb of Buffalo, NY.  Luckily ~ I live only 15 minutes from my school.  My two cats ~ Kato and Kody live with us and recently Chris's dad has moved in with us as well.  We love having Poppy with us ~ he makes us laugh every day.


Chris and I are beach lovers at heart ~ WE both love the beach.. well Chris loves fishing more than the beach, but we both love being near the ocean.   The love for the ocean has led us to Key West, FL where we currently own a townhouse.  We both enjoy fishing ~ Chris is the Captain and I - well let's just say I am very new to salt water fishing, but I really do enjoy it!  I have learned so much in the past year about fishing.. I can even bait my own hook now!

 

 My first Mahi.

Seeing as though I am a beach lover, I decided to change my classroom theme this year to a BEACH theme.   I have been in school the past week decorating my room and I can't wait to post my pictures!! It is starting to come together. 

I will keep you posted when it is all finished by the end of next week. 

Thank for visiting our blog ~
Karen

All About Me ~ Kelly

All About Me ~

Kelly

We are making a pledge to become full fledged bloggers this year!  That is our goal!  So many fantastic blogs exist that I hope we can keep up with all of the amazing blogs out there.  Kennedy's Korner is a blog and tpt store that is run by my sister Karen and myself.  So we will be taking turns blogging out our lives and our 1st and 2nd grade classrooms.

The easiest topic to blog about is my family.  I love my 3 adorable girls and my sweet husband to pieces!  I have been working hard to create new products for the TPT store I share with my sister but most of my TPT work is done after 10 pm.  I feel guilty spending time on TPT when my kiddos are awake.   So first I tuck in my daughters ... Kayla, Lilly, and Emma.  Then I tuck in my husband Sean:)  After that I am free to sneak back downstairs to the land of TPT.  

The mad rush towards opening day has begun.  I am working feverishly at school to set up my FROG themed classroom.  The Dollar Store is an amazing place!  I just found little frog shaped plastic cups to hold the kids math counters!  They were 3 for $1.  What a deal!  The first day of school in Buffalo is September 5th but I am already experiencing sleepless nights!  I have been up the last two nights around 2 am to add to my long To Do List.  This is my 16th year of teaching.  Why do I still lie awake the night before school with all the "what ifs" running through my brain????

Summer Giveaway!

We are so excited to begin our blog!  My sister Karen and I started our Kennedy's Korner Teachers Pay Teachers Store in October 2012.  We have worked very hard for 6 months to create products that will make your job in the classroom a little easier.  We specialize in creating non-fiction Science and Social Studies units that include Power Point presentations for your white board/smart board.  My sister is amazing at creating the Power Points and I enjoy creating the activities that we include in each unit.  We have also started to create Literature Units, Math Games/Centers and Project/Craftivity Units.  We truly hope you enjoy our products!  Thank you for visiting our store and our blog!

Summer Give Away Details:
We are looking to add more followers to our TPT store and start getting wonderful people like you to follow our blog too!  Starting today May 19th and running until August 31st 2013 we are running a special giveaway deal!  We will give away the TPT product of your choice to you for doing the following 2 things!
Become a follower of our TPT store and become a follower of our blog!  If you do both of those things, then we will email you the product of your choice for FREE.
Directions:
Step 1:  Email us at coachkennedy22@yahoo.com
Step 2:  Tell to us what number follower you are in our TPT store and what day & time you became a follower.   Then tell us the name/nickname we will see on our blog and what number blog follower you are as well!.
Step 3:  Tell us which product you would like for FREE.
Step 4:  We will reply to your email with the product you requested attached!  It is that easy!

Our goal is to have 500 followers by August 31, 2013!
Thank you so much for participating in our Summer Give Away!
We truly appreciate your support!

Karen and Kelly Kennedy
~Kennedy's Korner~

Welcome

Welcome to our new teaching blog! We are excited to start this journey and we hope you will follow along with us!