It's a Fifth Grade Blog Hop... with Freebies and a Giveaway!

I know... My blog name is Finding JOY in Sixth Grade. And  a lot of people think my name is Joy (It's Kim, in case you were among those looking for someone named Joy). And a lot of people think I teach sixth grade. And they're right! HOWEVER, I may be getting a few fifth graders this year... and next year I will have even more. So... I'm finding a comfortable spot among my fifth grade BloggyBuddies and getting ready for the new year!

I'm lucky. We have still have a week of vacation before those "teacher meetings" that precede the time with kids. I am always jealous of those lucky to be out in May when it's well into June and I am still in school. It's a toss-up, I guess. (Actually, we don't have air conditioning in our school , so starting as late as possible is a good thing for us!)

Oh! This is a blog hop! Why am I getting to so bogged down with autobiographical details?! Sorry!

A group of fifth grade teachers have assembled some advice and some freebies (and a giveaway!) and made it easy for you to get from place to place to collect your goodies.


And since it's a Back-to-School blog hop, I get to share some Back-to-School advice.

And, if you need a Back-to-School-Get-to-Know-You activity, you can find a freebie HERE. Or click on the picture below to get it on TpT!

And... There's a giveaway. Look at all that goodness!

Just click away in the Rafflecopter below. EasyPeasy!

As I mentioned, this is a hop! So you're off to your next stop at Teaching with Grace. (You will love her!) She's got some advice waiting for you too! Just click on her button below!

See you at the Hop! And here's the evidence... My name really is Kim!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So Cal Blog Hop

WooHoo! It's a SoCal Blog Hop... or shall we say Blog Surf? I am so excited to be a part of a little end-of-the summer fun with some wonderful Southern California BloggyFriends!

I consider myself more than a little lucky to live twenty minutes from this lovely scene...

This is one of my favorite places to be. Even at high tide, you can walk and walk and walk. I love the sounds of the ocean... the waves, the seagulls, the people... as well as the sights. And I like the beach just as much in the winter. There is not a huge temperature variation from season to season in Southern California, and beach-walking is a lovely pastime almost year-round!

Now it's your turn to join us at the shore! As part of the Hop, each blogger is offering a little beach-themed freebie! I'm sharing some "sunny" teacher notes to celebrate student success. Just click on the picture below to get a copy from Google.docs.

The graphics are from my sweet friend Krista at Creative Clips.  You can check out her cute and colorful designs HERE on TpT!

But that's not all! By using the Rafflecopter options below, you could win one of four $25 gift cards from TpT--just in time to gather up some must-haves for Back-to-School! In the meantime, you'll be getting to know some west coast bloggers and collecting some freebies along the way!

Since this is a "Hop," we're making it easy for you to travel from place to place. Just click on the button below to surf over to the next stop, Sweet Sounds of Kindergarten, where Kelly has something special for you!

In the meantime, I'll be sending you happy thoughts for the new school year from a sunny spot on the beach!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No. No. No. I Don't Want It To Be August (Currently)

July. August. July. August.

Yep. There's definitely a difference. July sounds like summer. And August sounds like back-to-school. I'm pretty sure that August is still a summer month. But as soon as the calendar flips over to August, my whole world changes... and something in the back of my brain begins chanting, "You've got to get ready!" And then I hear someone whining: But August is still summer! Oh. That someone might be me!

I know that lots of my BlogFriends have already gone back to school--in July! (Sorry... I think that starting school in July borders on inhumane!). And for many, maybe even most teachers, school begins in August.  In my thirty years at my school, we have always gone back to school the day after Labor Day... also known as the first week of September. Next year I will join the majority when we report back in mid-August. But as of today, there are still a few more weeks of "summer" on my calendar. Sigh. I can't help it: My brain keeps telling me to go and buy some more crayons.

Not that it matters what month is on the calendar. I am still organizing the garage! And I am trying to consolidate my curriculum so that it is more "accessible." For the first time in almost twenty years, I will have some fifth graders in my room. It is going to require some adjustment: I have to brush up on my U.S. History curriculum! There is not a lot of overlap between Ancient Civilizations (sixth grade) and U.S. History to 1860 (fifth grade), so I'm going to have to get creative. Here's a little secret: I'm actually looking forward to the challenge!

I wish I could get into my classroom. My room is in the last row of rooms to be cleaned. It will still be another week before I can get in. That only leaves two weeks to get ready. Thankfully, I sorted and cleaned most of my drawers and cupboards in June. Ahhhhh. June. Now that's a month that sounds like summer!

Tomorrow I will be a participating in a Southern California blog hop. A group of "SoCal" bloggers have put together a collection of freebies... and a chance to win some "spending money" on TpT! I hope you'll come back and visit again!

And don't forget to link up with your "Currently" thoughts. I think I meet another BlogFriend almost every time I link up with Farley. I know that's one of her goals... It's like a cross-country blogger meet up--and you don't even have to chose an outfit! Just click the graphic below to be a part of the fun!

And don't forget to leave a little extra love for the bloggers before and after you. It's back-to-school time--or close to it. A little extra love can go a long way!