Ready to Write..... and did I hear Giveaway??

So are you ready yet?  Have you heard that question a lot lately?

I think I have heard that wherever I go.  I am ALMOST ready.  The summer

always seems to go by so fast.

I wanted to share with you my writing center. It needs a few more finishing touches. I am so excited to FINALLY

have ONE area of my classroom designated as a writing center.  Last year I had writing binders in one area, writing posters in another, and supplies in even another.  CONFUSING for 3rd graders for sure...

So here it is.... New and improved

Please ignore those mismatched chairs....  This little corner of my room is the writing center.

I purchased a white organizer to place envelopes, lined paper, plain paper, post it notes, and writing forms.  It's hard to see but in the corner is a bubble gum machine that serves as an eraser dispenser.  ( My son  bought it at a yard sale a few years ago and no longer uses it. SO after paying him $5, this fabulous find is now mine.)  On top of the white organizer is a clear acrylic straw dispenser that now holds many sharpened pencils.  The galvanized bucket was decorated to hold our dry erase markers.  My kiddos writing binders are located on the right.

I LOVE this bulletin board for my writing center.  Isn't it so cute?!  I found it from Miss Nelson's TPT store.  It's FREE.  You can download this fabulous packet by clicking HERE.  If you download this PLEASE let her know how much you like it. Don't forget to visit her blog, Run Miss Nelson's Got the Camera for more fabulous ideas... She loves to decorate with polka dots also.

This is a picture of my student's writing binders.  Included in these binders is the packet shown below.  Click on the picture below if you are interested in finding out more about this. It's FREE from my TPT store.

Above the binders I have my writing posters which are aligned with the Common Core and go over the writing process and the different types of essays.  This packet can be found in my TPT store.  Click on the picture below for more information.

I also have these fabulous classroom journals located in my writing center.  This will go great with the "work on writing" portion of the Daily 5.  I found this from Tara at 4th Grade Frolics.  If you haven't had a chance, you MUST go check out her posts about the Daily 5 in her classroom.  LOVE her ideas!!

Click on the picture if you would like to be find out more information about these journal covers from Tara at her TPT store.

I also have this bucket of story starters in my writing center.

These silly story starters are also from Tara at 4th Grade Frolics.  I told you I LOVED her stuff.  Click here to be taken to these story starters.  I made a little bucket to put the story starters in.  The bucket came from Target's dollar spot.  Click here to download the picture I created for the bucket from Google Docs.

If you have any more suggestions for my writing center, PLEASE share what has worked for you.  I would LOVE to gather more ideas and improve upon my writing center.  On my to do list are story stones and vocabulators.

Melissa at the Dalton Gang is having a 100 follower Giveaway.  It ends on Sunday.  Check this giveaway out!  There are so many fabulous prizes. Click on the link below to enter this Giveaway.

I JUST had to share a few pics of some fun we have been having  before school begins again in a couple of weeks.  It's been SO hot and my kids are tired of the pool so... a neighboring town has a SPLASH PAD.  It was fabulous, free ( can you believe that?), and brand spanking new.  ( It's also a perfect excuse to be able to drop by Home Depot or the Dollar Tree for school supplies).  We have neither of these stores in the town I live in.