iFaketext and Let's Get Acquainted!

I found this cool tip via pinterest and can't wait to share it with my kiddies tomorrow.  I thought you all might be able to use it too.  

Do your kiddies know more about technology than you do?  Sometimes I think they do...  What better way to reach your student than through texts.  Through the website ifaketext.com, you can create images that look just like a real text.  The possibilities are endless...  This is a fake text I made between myself and my student teacher to review place value.

It's pretty easy... Check out Tammy's Tech Tip of the Week.  She gives a tutorial that made it easy to do and gives ideas on how you can use this fun tool in your teaching.  The only thing that threw me for a loop was getting the image to plug into a smart notebook document, which was my plan.  But I figured it out.  After you make your fake text, click on "take a screen shot."  Then click on the image above all the links that are created to get the image of just the text.  Save the image and paste it into whatever format you need.  I hope that makes sense... I'm not the most tech savvy person!  I'd love you to share your suggestions on how to use ifaketext.com.

I'm also linking up with Latoya for my second Let's Get Acquainted!  

This week's topic is Our Classroom! We spend almost as much time there as in our own homes.  It better be a place we like.  This week's task was to pick your three favorite parts of your room.  Let me start off saying that I do check out every other blogger's pictures and most of the time I am jealous with a capital J!  My room seems like a shoebox comparatively speaking.  But, it's mine and has been mine for 10 years.  In my school, we do have a lot of restrictions on how we can set up some types of furniture and we are not allowed to have our own furniture or rug additions anymore.  That is frustrating because so many of your rooms look so homey, but I do the best I can with what I've got.  

1. Our Classroom Library

As a reading specialist, it goes without saying that the classroom library is a very special place.  I LOVE my book browser (the low wooden book holder) because it holds SO much and makes it easy for the kids to flip through books looking at the covers.  The lower level of the browser has bins where students keep their "Zip Bags" (their self-selected reading in 2 gallon zipper baggies).  The ugly metal shelf holds more books of favorite authors and characters, poetry and song books.  The wooden shelf against the wall holds our tons of basal anthologies and guided reading materials.  All of the black baskets on that shelf are leveled reading books.  I always think I have a lot of books but it doesn't look that substantial right now, haha!

2. The Rug

This is my "rug"  (actually the whole classroom is carpeted) but this is the area where most of the magic happens.  I do the bulk of my teaching at the SmartBoard.  I honestly don't remember what it was like to teach without it.  I'm trying out my new jungle theme with my zebra listening center and my newly up cycled draws.  I'll have to do another post about them.  

3. Our Lockers

Like I said, my room is tiny, but I do have a feature I think is unique and nice.  Each student has a locker.  I love that I don't have to see the coats and book bags and other messes.  The kids love them and feel so grown up having their own lockers like big kids.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great rest of the week!