I wrote this original post on back in November on a collaborative blog that I'm part of called The Primary Pack! If you haven't checked us out yet, you definitely should! We've got tons of great ideas for all primary teachers! {Disclaimer: My Simply Creative in KY blog button has changed from when I originally wrote this post... sorry if it confuses you!} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One of my teammates shared with me the most AMAZING tool that I promise will change the way you give some of your ... read more

A few weeks ago we finished up our study of main idea, so I thought I'd share with you a few of our favorite activities and lessons that went on during our unit! To introduce main idea, my students became DETECTIVES. Let me just tell you how thrilled they were. We even pulled out the magnifying glasses. Were they necessary? No. Did it result in increased student engagement? Yes. To prep our very first lesson, I put picture clues into mystery envelopes. Each envelope contained four cards with a common theme (space, birthdays, fishing, etc). Students worked in small groups of 3-4, pulled ... read more

I'm joining my wonderful blogger friends over at The Primary Pack for a fun November linky! We are celebrating Black Friday a little bit early! We are all sharing what's on our Black Friday wish list AND what's most-wishlisted in our stores! We're also hosting a HUGE Black Friday Giveaway! You don't want to miss out on all the fun! So here's what's on MY Black Friday Wishlist... 1. December Math Journal (1st Grade) - from Missing Tooth Grins: These journals are AMAZING. They are the perfect no-prep journals for my 1st graders! 2. Place Value Pals - Easy Teaching Tools: My next unit ... read more

Happy Fall! I'm excited to share with you today one of my Fall Favorites with some other fabulous K-2 blogs! My post is going to be short and sweet for you! I absolutely when it's time to use LOVE Thanksgiving activities activities in my classroom. One of my favorites home project that I send with my kiddos is having them disguise a turkey. I copy the turkeys on light brownish construction paper, attach a parent note, and send them home. You wouldn't BELIEVE how creative these kids get! My favorites that have been returned in years past have been a peacock, UK cheerleader,  Santa ... read more

Happy Sunday, Everyone! I'm linking up with Nicole at All Things Apple in 2nd again for her Sunday Savings Circular! This week I'm featuring my three math fact fluency products! I created these products to get my kiddos truly FLUENT in their math facts. We introduced and played all of these activities at the beginning of the year, and I plan to pull them back out throughout the year to keep my kids working on their fluency! My three products feature different strategies to help develop fact fluency: Making Ten, Doubles/Doubles +1, and Using Tens to Add 8 & 9. I needed quick games ... read more

I'm linking up with All Things Apple in 2nd for her brand-new linky... Sunday Savings Circular! Each week you can check out the linky for great deals! Here's a look at what you can snag on sale in my store! So this week I'm sharing with you my Completely Editable Brochures for Any School Occasion for 20% off! My Editable Back-To-School Brochures were a HIT when you all were starting back to school, so I thought... why not make brochures you can use for ANYTHING! Think: parent conferences, literacy nights, field trips, science fairs... the list could go on! You can check these out for 20% ... read more

I am so excited and blessed to have the opportunity to work behind the scenes with the fabulous bloggers of The Primary Pack!  We are collaborating to bring you a rainbow of ideas!  Make sure you follow along to grab a bunch of colorful freebies, as well as enter our giveaway with $300 worth of prizes! Hi! I'm Katie blogging from Simply Creative in KY. I am a Kentucky teacher who loves coffee, baking, and spending time with my family. I've taught 2nd grade for three years, and this year I am teaching a 1st & 2nd grade split. It is quite the adventure, but I'm loving ... read more

Can you believe it? The TPT Blast Off Back To School Sale starts TOMORROW!!! I have been looking forward to this sale for quite a while now, and I am so excited it’s finally here!Seriously, it feels like Black Friday. Except that it’s on a Monday AND Tuesday. Aaaand I can shop in my PJs. Aaaand they will never run out of what I want. I may shop twice… ANYWAY, in order to help you all get ready for the sale, I wanted to share with you my top wish listed items from my store! I wanted to give you a chance to look a little closer at them and see ... read more