12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 12

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

a TpT unit to the first 12 to comment!

These ladies were QUICK! :)

Congratulations to:

Allison, Erika, Molli, Christine, Yearn to Learn, Amy, Mrs. Waldrop, Beth Ann, Shannon, Barbara, Mrs. Miller, and Jennifer!

Please leave a comment with your email address AND which TpT unit you would like. I will email them this evening to the first 12 who respond!

Thank you for all of your sweet comments during the 12 Days of Christmas! I had so much fun! For previous post and freebies, check out the side bar to the right {Blast from the Past} and click under December for all 12 days!

For some yummy cookie ideas, check out my Christmas Cookie Pinterest board!

I wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a blessed 2012!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 11

On the eleventh day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

my favorite cookie recipes! :)

I. LOVE. CHRISTMAS. COOKIES! I mean…who doesn’t??? But no, seriously…I love cookies…chocolate ones, minty ones, vanilla ones! I have only met tried VERY FEW (like one, maybe two) kinds of cookies I didn’t like!

Here are a few that made the cut for my sis and I’s Christmas Cookie Bake Off this year:

Brownie Covered Oreos

Did you hear me??????? Brownies. Oreos. Two of my favorite things. Combined…RIDICULOUS! The red centers are just perfect! These are super fun to decorate!

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

“If the word “butter” is in the title, you know it’s gonna be good!” Well said, Paula Deen! I ADORE HER! She is the ULTIMATE Southern cook! I know this first hand…she helped me gain 15 pounds the first year I was married because I made so many of her casseroles…I was trying to be a good wifey! :) These cookies are super yum!

Ginger Cookies

Another goodie from Paula! These are my hubby’s fave! I roll them in green or red sugar to make them festive! Your kitchen will smell divine!

If you are out of school, make these now! If you are still in school for the next few days, then make them when you get home…they will make you feel better!

For some more ideas, check out my Christmas Cookie Pinterest board!

Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 10

On the tenth day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

 a Senses of the Season writing printable! :)

This printable is perfect for Wake Up Work, or to put in your Work on Writing station! It is very open ended and can be used with all students, no matter which winter holiday they celebrate! Click {HERE} to download from Scribd.

Please comment or follow if you download! If you can’t use this in your classroom, please forward to someone who can! The more, the merrier! :)

ONE MORE DAY! I am super pumped to sleep in, drink coffee in my pj’s, and bake cookies with my sis who comes in town tomorrow! The last 2 days of Christmas will feature my favorite Christmas recipes, since I will be elbow deep in cookie dough! CAN. NOT. WAIT.

Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 9

On the ninth day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

a making words activity! :)

This printable uses the letters in the word gingerbread to make new words. I included a black and white printable for individual word work {they can cut out letters to use from the bottom of the printable}. I also added a color printable if you want to print a few copies, stick it in a page protector, and put it in a word work station or center.

I hope you are not getting tired of gingerbread activities…because I am slight bit obsessed!!!!  I read on some blogs that some of you can’t celebrate Christmas in your classroom…GASP! So sad! :( I hope it is a safe theme for those of you who celebrate all of the winter holidays! :) 

I am currently gazing at the gingerbread tree in the keeping room in our kitchen.  LOVE!!! {Excuse the iPhone quality pic! :)}

Please comment or follow if you download! If you can’t use this in your classroom, please forward to someone who can! The more, the merrier! :)

Don’t forget…the 20% off sale in my TpT store ends tonight…click HERE to check it out!

Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 8

On the eighth day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

5 giveaway winners and some holiday party ideas! :)

 

Congratulations to…

#12 Miss Atwell

#23 Donna at Kinderglynn

#30 Carey

#31 Mrs. S

#50 Jen at The Teachers’ Cauldron

Check your email, ladies! CONGRATS!

 

I survived my class party today…YAY! It was really fun…I loved all of our activities! We had four stations~

Gingerbread Playdough {I asked a mom to make this - she made a few batches and divided it into 17 balls and put one ball into a baggie – I set out some cookie cutters and let them have at it!}

Gingerbread Sticker Houses  {from Oriental Trading – a GREAT, FANTASTIC, CUTE party craft with NO GLUE…do you hear me???…NO GLUE! So fab! Only $5.00 for a dozen! Cheap and cute…LOVE!

Cookie Decorating {An oldie but goodie…decorating sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles! We also let the kiddos have their snack and drink at this station.}

Book Exchange Station {I had a sweet mom read The Gingerbread Baby (any gingerbread book will do) and every time she read the word gingerbread, the kiddos passed their book to the next person in the circle. Whatever book they had when the story was over was theirs to keep! They loved this!}

I hope all your partays are perfect! :)

Don’t forget…everything in my TpT store is 20% off until Thursday, December 15…click HERE to check it out!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 7

On the seventh day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

a sale on TpT! :)

HA – I just HAD to make it rhyme!! Does anyone else have that problem…I try to make everything sound cute???!!! Everything in my TpT store is 20% off until Thursday, December 15…click HERE to check it out!

Only ONE more day to enter the Bama Bloggers giveaway for a chance to win 5 TpT units {1 from each of our TpT stores!} We will announce the winners TOMORROW Wednesday, December 14.

Click on the picture below for more information!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 6

On the sixth day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

a Let’s Make a Prediction printable for FREE! :)

We are focusing on making predictions during reading comprehension this month! This printable can be used for almost any book! We kicked off our making predictions unit with a Laura Numeroff author study {LOVE the new If You Give a Dog a Donut} and have used several holiday books in the past few weeks. We will use this printable with gingerbread books this week!

Click {HERE} to download! Please comment or follow if you grab this! :)

Be sure to enter the Bama Bloggers giveaway for a chance to win 5 TpT units {1 from each of our TpT stores!} We will announce the winners on Wednesday, December 14.

Click on the picture below for more information!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 5

On the fifth day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

some ornament and craft ideas! :)

I remember my first year of teaching…I was on the HUNT for some precious ornaments for the kiddos to make for their parents! While this is not a ‘freebie’ to ‘print’, I thought it would be fun to share some of the ornaments we made in our classroom this year, in case you are still looking for some ideas! And hey, it’s Friday! The hubs is waiting for me! HA!

This year, I was inspired by Pinterest! DUH! Can’t. get. enough. of. Pinterest.

I love a good handprint craft! Isn’t this the CUTEST????? Hands down, one of my favorite ornaments I have ever made! Easy and adorable…score!

Next up, we made salt dough ornaments! These were super easy…just 2 Tablespoons of flour, 1 Tablespoon of sugar, and 1 Tablespoon of water. Click HERE to check out the website!

One more Pinterest inspired craft…which doubled as a measurement mini lesson/craftivity this week…this presh Christmas tree! Click HERE to go to Mrs. Karen’s Preschool Ideas. This pic is my example for my class. I got all of the paper from Hobby Lobby! I got 2 sheets of each paper and I have PLENTY left to make it again next year! :)

Stay tuned for a non holiday freebie for Day 6!

Be sure to enter the Bama Bloggers giveaway for a chance to win 5 TpT units {1 from each of our TpT stores!} We will announce the winners on Wednesday, December 14.

Click on the picture below for more information!

Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 4 and a Giveaway!

On the fourth day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

a giveaway AND a Cookie Comparison activity! :)

This printable is just perfect to compare all of the AMAZING versions of The Gingerbread Man. Some of my faves include The Gingerbread Cowboy, The Gingerbread Girl, and The Gingerbread Pirates! I can’t wait to read the brand spanking new The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers I scored at the Book Fair last month!!!

Please click {HERE} to download a copy for FREE! I am OBSESSED with the ginger this season!  Stay tuned for a non holiday freebie coming soon on Day 6! *Please pass this on to a friend if you can’t use it in your classroom! The more, the merrier! :)* Please follow or leave a comment if you download!

AND…

It’s time for a Merry Christmas Y’all Giveaway, from your Bama Bloggers!

Jennifer, Melissa, Sarah, Yolanda (Ms. A!), and myself have teamed up to bring you a giveaway! 5 lucky winners will be able to choose an item from EACH of our TpT stores for FREE! 5 people will get 5 units! :)

All you have to do is follow all 5 of our blogs AND all 5 of our TpT stores! Leave ONE comment on THIS post telling us you follow all 5 blogs and TpT stores! Be sure to leave your email address in your comment! :)

Castles and Crayons {Kelli’s TpT Store}

First Grade Blue Skies {Jennifer’s TpT Store}

F is for First Grade {Melissa’s TpT Store}

First Grader…At Last! {Sarah’s TpT Store}

Oceans of First Grade Fun {Ms. Arnold’s TpT Store}

 

Merry Christmas from your Bama Bloggers! :)

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 3

On the third day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

SAFARI and BEE Binder covers for FREE! :)

It’s not too late to implement organizational binders in your classroom! It could be a new and improved 2012 thang! :) I included a Kindergarten, First grade, and Second grade page for both the SAFARI (Students and Families Are Responsible and Informed) and BEE (Bring Everything Everyday) binder covers. Click {HERE}to read an older post all about organizational take home binders!

Please click on the picture above to download a copy for FREE!

*Please pass this on to a friend if you can’t use it in your classroom! The more, the merrier! :)* Please follow or leave a comment if you download!

Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 2

On the second day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

a Gingerbread Measurement activity! :)

Please click on the picture above to download a copy for FREE! We are ALL about some gingerbread in our room! Stay tuned for a non holiday freebie tomorrow for Day 3!

*Please pass this on to a friend if you can’t use it in your classroom! The more, the merrier! :)* Please follow or leave a comment if you download!

Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 1

On the first day of Christmas, Castles and Crayons gave to me…

an elf writing activity! :)

Please click on the picture above to download a copy for FREE! I keep this in my Work on Writing station for the whole month of December! My kiddos LOVE to write all about what Sparky {Bollman’s Bunch elf!} did the night before! If you don’t have an elf in your classroom, your sweeties could write about the elf they have at home!

Merry Christmas!

*Please pass this on to a friend if you can’t use it in your classroom! The more, the merrier! :)*