5 Things about This Kindergarten Teacher's Summer!

Hey everyone!

I have been refusing to write this end-of-the-summer blog post for...well, too long! Teaching is an amazing job, but who doesn't love the summer..?

Labor Day is behind us and it is back to school time for everyone. However, I won't let go of my summer memories so fast! So...here are 5 things about my summer and I would love to read all about yours in the comments!

1. After 3 years of not being able to travel anywhere but our..balcony during the summer (due to financial difficulties), we finally managed to save enough for a trip to Italy! Italy is my favorite country to travel to and..the only foreign country I have ever been to. A pic I took from a very tall tower we went on:

City of Verona

2. I love pizza so I ate a lot..! I'm a diet coke addict too (..pizza and then diet coke..Lol!)

3. Ice cream was amazing..!

4. My dogs are members of my family and I NEVER go anywhere without them, so of course they were with me. They explored a lot! Italian shops and restaurants are so dog friendly, that they let us inside almost everywhere.

5. I couldn't have left there, without buying one or two picture books..even though I don't speak or read Italian..I could not resist!

                                 What kindergarten teacher could resist a pop-up book? Hehe!

or....

                                                              ...a book about crafts?

Not me for sure..!

I hope you all had a wonderful summer. I will be back with posts with teaching ideas and resources for your classroom or home.

Happy September and I wish us all a happy and safe teaching time this year!

                                                                                                                                                                              Dina

Christmas 2013@Home!

Hey everyone!
Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas and a great winter break! Teachers deserve a good rest and some fun before going back to class so..recharge your batteries!!

This year, we are spending our holidays at home with family and friends. So far, we are having a blast!

We chose a white Christmas tree and decorated it with blue and silver ornaments. 
(Background painting: We are obviously fans of Gustav Klimt's art! Hehe!)

One of our good friends, who knows a lot about sewing, brought us some custom made ornaments which I LOVED! I went crazy when I saw them!

One for us:

                                One for our female spaniel Joy - love the little bone shape!

And one for our male spaniel Danni! 

I guess it's obvious we love our fur kids!

Here they are all dolled up and ready for winter! :D

My friend's lovely knitting blog!  Dizzy Button

I hope you are having a great time this Christmas on your winter break too!

I am getting to something teaching related! Last year, I prepared this New Year's social studies-history unit for children in pre-k, kindergarten and first grade. The pack includes ELA and math worksheets plus craftivities to help the little ones understand the concept of the year changing. I will soon be updating this with a lot of new activities.

A preview of the unit:

You can check it out it by following the link below:

New Year's Social Studies Activities and Crafts for Pre-K and Kindergarten

That's it from us!

...Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everyone!!

                                                                                    Dina- The Constant Kindergartener

New Year's for Pre-k and Kindergarten! A picture book - reader, activities, worksheets and crafts.

Hey everyone!

I've been so excited the New Year is on our doorstep, I couldn't help making a 

New Year's mini unit!

It includes a non fiction story to help teachers and/or parents explain New Year's Eve and New Year's Day to children in Pre-K and Kindergarten.

It also contains literacy and math activities , as well as New Year's craftivities!

A Preview:

You can check this out by following the link below:

New Year's Social Studies Activities and Crafts for Pre-K and Kindergarten

                                                                                   Dina - The Constant Kindergartener

Christmas Traditions for Pre-K and Kindergarten! A nonfiction story, worksheets, activities and crafts!

Hey everyone!

We are very close to..Christmas!

My Christmas-y mood led me to write a Christmas traditions non fiction story. It is for children in pre-k, kindergarten, and 1st grade. It helps teachers and/or parents of young learners to explain the holiday as well as why and how we celebrate. You can use it as an emergent reader, for group reading, or as a read aloud.

This packet also includes 2 craftivities and  4 Christmas crafts with instructions and pics from my classroom!

A Preview:

You can see more about this teaching resource by following the link below:

Christmas Traditions Social Studies for Pre-K and Kindergarten

                                                                          Dina - The Constant Kindergartener

100 products sold linky PARTY!!

Hello everyone!

Today is a special day for me and for my new store on Teachers pay Teachers! I have sold my first 100 products so far and I am very happy about that!! I have received great feedback from the customers and I am beginning to feel that appreciation from fellow teachers is more important than the extra bucks!

Thank you all and let's PARTY!!

Follow this blog to learn when the next linky party will be!!

Leave a link of your blog or of a Halloween product here!

Thanksgiving 64 Writing and Notes Papers!

Hey everyone!

Thanksgiving is close!

I just finished creating some Thanksgiving fun writing papers for the children to use in projects at school or at home. Also great for teacher's notes and homework.

This pack contains 64 colorful and black&white Thanksgiving themed writing and note papers. Each design is in color, black&white, lined and plain. 

A preview:

You can check this out by following the link below!

Thanksgiving 64 Writing and Notes Papers!

Hope you have with these in class or at home!

                                                          
                                                              Dina

Halloween Writing and Notes Papers! Free!

Hey everyone!

Halloween is close!

I've prepared some Halloween fun writing papers just for the occasion. They are free! The children can use them for projects at school or at home. Also great for teacher's notes and homework.

This pack contains 24 colorful and black&white Halloween themed writing and note papers!

A Preview:

You can download them by following the link below:

Halloween 24 Writing and Notes Papers!

                                                              Dina

Halloween Vocabulary Cards with Reading Activity! For Pre-K and Kindergarten. FREE!

Hey everyone!

I've just finished creating a packet of 24 beautiful Halloween vocabulary flashcards and added 26 Halloween themed alphabet flashcards for you to use in class or at home. Together, they make a beginning sounds reading activity (Common Core,Reading:Foundational Skills). 

E.g.  P-Pumpkin, F-Frankenstein etc.

Vocabulary flashcards words : Bat, cat, ghost, pumpkin, mummy, spider, scarecrow, star, toad, vampire, witch, moon, Frankenstein, monsters, witch hat, witch boots, haunted house, headstone, pumpkin tree, spider web, Jack o' Lantern, candy corn, apple basket, happy haunting .

They are FREE!

A preview :

You can download these by following the link below:

Halloween Vocabulary Flashcards Pre-K and Kindergarten

                                                                  Dina

Pet Care Story Book and Worksheets for teachers and parents!

Hey everyone!

Readers of this blog know how much I love dogs and...stories.

I have two doggies of my own, Danny and Joy that I adore. It would be impossible for me NOT to create a little story/reader about them!

A preview:

I think this would be a great way to start a thematic unit about how to care for a dog with younger learners. It is a ready-to-print little story book describing a day in the life of these two doggies. Children in Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st grade will have fun with this!

I've also added activities and worksheets, which are common core aligned.

You can check it out by following the link below:

Pet Care Story and Worksheets: Danny&Joy, a dog story!

Danni and Joy

                                                                   Dina

All about fall! A picture book - reader, worksheets and activities for kindergarten and first grade!

Hey everyone!

It seems like time flies and it's already fall..!

Kiddos definitely observe the changes in nature and in the weather. They also get very excited about upcoming holidays and events!

These facts inspired me to write a little reader -  story for young learners. Every time I read similar picture books to my classroom, (about the seasons and their special days like Halloween, Veterans Day etc), I see how excited and interested the children are in finding out one thing: "What's next for us all?!"

A preview of the story:

(I thought it would be more fun to make a mouse the protagonist of the story. So I came up with..Martin the mouse!)

I also added common core aligned worksheets, graphic organizers, venn diagrams and a special fall craftivity (template included).

You can check this out by following the link below:

Fall Story Book and Worksheets Book

Happy fall and I hope you are having a smooth back to school time!

                                                                  Dina 

Frames,Borders and Tags for your worksheets and lesson plans!

Hey everyone!

I have just finished creating some frames,borders and tags for the teachers or parents who would like to enhance their worksheets!

You can check them out by following the link below :

Frames, Tags and Borders Pack of 68! 18 for Halloween!

The pack contains 18 Frames, Tags and Borders for Halloween too!

Hope you enjoy them!

                                                                                 Dina - The Constant Kindergartener

Back to school fun! All about me craftivity for Pre-k, Kindergarten and First grade!

Hey everyone!

I am very excited to announce that I listed my first ever teaching creation!

I have been doing this activity with my students for years, but this is the first time I share it with fellow teachers on the web and parents! 

It is a fun craftivity for pre-k and kindergarten, for the beginning of the school year. First graders could have fun with it too!

You can follow the link below to download it for FREE:

All About Me Craftivity Pre-K and Kindergarten

   A preview:

Teachers pay Teachers (as I recently found out!) is a website appropriate for both parents and teachers. It provides amazing resources, crafts and activities created from teachers all over the world!

Hope you enjoy this one in class or at home!

Thank you for stopping by! 

                                                                           Dina