TPT BTS! [so.many.acronyms]

Hey all! I don't know about you, but I've been waiting to hear about the TPT back to school sale. There are definitely a few items that have been sitting on my wish list this summer, so this will be a great time to scoop them up!

I thought this linky looked fun! Here are my two most wishlisted [is that a word? blogger doesn't think so.] items!

My area/perimeter cards are my most popular set of task cards! They are common core aligned & geared toward third grade, but there are definitely some challenging questions. They could be used in 4th or 5th grade as review, as well!

My Reading Response card set fosters discussion among a small or whole group of students after they are finished reading a text. A set of fiction and a set of nonfiction cards are included in the set, and there is a recording sheet included in case you'd like the students to write their responses as well. These can be used with high functioning firsties and all the way up through elementary school!

Um, yeah. I can't pick just one! Here are my top four items on my wish list!

*NOTE: Please do not pin the items below from my blog. Click the picture, follow the link, and pin the product! =) *

1. Snapshots of our Year Timeline: That's So Second Grade! 

2. Math Action Cards: The Lesson Plan Diva

3. Standards Based Assessments: Miss Nannini

4. Desire to Inspire Subway Art: Hope King

Are my area/perimeter task cards or reading response cards on YOUR wish list? If they are [or if you were about to put them there! ;) ], leave a comment with which item you'd like. I'll randomly choose one winner in 24 hours [10pm, Friday, EST] to receive the item for free! =)

Ten Pin Linky & a Giveaway

I'm linking up with Just Reed for her ten pin linky party.

I've love stealing seeing everyone's pins!

This week is science and social studies related. With science, I don't have much flexibility in what I do. We get three FOSS kits, human body, earth materials, and water. I barely have time to get through those lessons, let alone supplement with other things. With social studies, we have a little more wiggle room. We touch on communities around the world and map skills. As I've said before, I take the lead in science, while my partner takes the lead in social studies, so I have way more science pins.

[If you don't already, follow me on Pinterest using the button on the right.]

I'm a pinning machine!

1. I don't do anything involving animal tracks, but this is so creative. I'm sure I can figure out a way to incorporate this! [Original Source: Still Parenting]



2. Our first kit of the year is human body. Our kids don't have to memorize all of the bones in the body, but we do make sure that they can identify around ten of them, such as the skull, femur, ribs, etc. This graphic is awesome, as it may help some more visual students in memorization. [Original Source: I Waste So Much]



3. Another great visual for older students! As a project, students could make up a game using these cards. Love it! [Original Source: Buzz Feed]



4. We teach figurative language. We teach human body. Love it! [Original Source: Mark Aaron TPT]



5. This pin makes me wish that I taught constellations. [Original Source: Nature Watch]



6. And this one makes me wish I taught animal adaptations. [Original Source: Ashleigh's Education Journey]



7. When teaching earth materials, we talk about properties of minerals. This is a great visual from another blogger. [Original Source: Nyla's Crafty Teaching]



8. At this site, you can look up any issue of the New York Times. How neat to go back and see authentic news source of historical events. [Original Source: New York Times]



9. This pin says it is spam, but it is a mummification of barbie dolls. The picture is great, and I'm sure you could find directions somewhere! I studied this in high school and would have loved doing something like this!



10. This is another great source for research. Learn more about our nation's national parks! [Original Source: Girl Scouts]

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Before I go, I wanted to let you know that my friend Kelly at Koonce's Korner is having a giveaway! Click her image below to check it out. A winner will be announced on Monday, and you can win a ton of products, including any item from my TPT store!

Talk soon!

Odds & Ends..

I wish I didn't have to start this post like this. I'm currently in Pennsylvania with my family, as we lost my Pop Pop early Sunday morning. He had been battling dementia, an ugly condition that I wish didn't exist. Then recently, we found out that he also had cancer. I was supposed to have a four day work week this week, but I took all of those days off. I don't deal with grief well; I'm a very emotional person. On top of that, I needed to be with my dad. He is THE most important person in my life, and I can't imagine not being right by his side during every step of this. This first picture is of my pop pop, sister, & I at my dad's surprise 50th birthday party that we threw for him 2 years ago. The second is of him & I at my college graduation about 3 years ago. So many happy memories that will be with me forever. =)

So, as most people do, I'm trying to keep myself busy. I wrote subplans for Monday, and had planned on driving the 1.5 hours to school to prep for the rest of the week. But my team is taking care of that for me. I am more grateful for them than they even know right now. But, like any other teacher who is out of her classroom, I've been checking my email [even though the internet here is so patchy. I doubt I'll even be able to post this on the first try]. Anyway, when I checked my personal email, I found out that I won a giveaway!

I am so excited. I've entered every single giveaway I've seen for one of these, and I won! I won a

from

Thank you so much for the giveaway, Denise! Yearn to Learn was actually one of the first that I started following when I entered blogland. Go stop over & check it out!

That's all I have for ya. Hopefully I'll be back within the week to link up with Farley.

YIKES. Owl Pellets!

OWL PELLETS! Okay, I'm skeeved by everything. I don't let my students tell me when they have loose teeth because I know that leads to them showing me.

Ew.

But when I was in college and did owl pellets during a science training, I thought it was SO cool! It was kind of cathartic, trying to carefully remove the bones from the pellet and piece them together to see what kind of animal was the victim! [But I also find cutting out lamination cathartic. So, I won't blame you if you don't believe me!]

So if you are a third grade teacher and do the FOSS kits, you know what I'm talking about. I mean, the owl pellets are completely kind of irrelevant to the unit. The unit is called HUMAN BODY. And yeah, it is definitely cool to find the bones and you can compare/contrast these rodent bones to human bones, but it is kind of a stretch.

But it's fun.

And its in the kit.

So I do it! Last year [my first year teaching the kit], I found some neat "extras" that integrate technology into all that is owl pellets! Have you ever watched this show?

Dirty Jobs w/ Mike Rowe?

Yeah, me either. I'm easily grossed out, remember! But, when I was searching, I found out they had an Owl Pellet Collector episode! It's gross, they talk a little bit about poo, and they say the word puke. But it is awesome how relevent this makes our activity. It's a job! Not a typical job, but a job! Click the picture above for the 6ish minute video! [I think blogger is letting me link pictures now.]

Another one is the virtual owl pellet!

You click on it to "take it apart!" Great for use on the Smartboard, and it definitely gives the students a better idea of what they are about to do. Doing this before hand is better than going in blind for the kids!

So it was another successful year of the owl pellet for my class. Now I get to teach it one more time for the other class that I teach science for.

Do any of my followers LIVE for math and science and find literacy more difficult to teach? I feel like I'm aloneeeee.

One more quick thing before I go. More giveaways! Like I said, I was off the giveaway train for a while, but I recently won something! I won MyMemories software from Tiffany at

To be honest, I've tried to mess around with the software and IDONTGETIT. I downloaded and installed free backgrounds but can't get to them in the software. Yeah, so I quit messing around with it for the night. I'll try again soon. Any help would be appreciated!

Three more awesome giveaways going on!

Sunny is giving away stamps! They are so cute! Click HERE to check it out and enter!

Ms. Solano is celebrating an important birthday with Erin Condren giftcards. SO generous of her to share the birthday love with her followers!

Hope @ Second Grade Shenanigans is giving away LOTS of credits to her TPT store. She is one of the first blogs I started to follow! And....um, and her store is SO cute! I hope I win I hope I win I hope I win!

I'm exhausted from the Superbowl Sunday which led directly into Conferences. Have a great week! =)

Freebie Friday

Think back to two posts ago, A Plea. I was at the end of my rope. I took a sick day on Wednesday. I woke up and felt awful. Like, drained. And since I never take off & have a ton of days, I took a sick day. This means my friends had a sub. Well, my sub was apparently an old administrator in the district. I'm new to the area/district, so I had no background knowledge on him. Let's just say that he means business! He was apparently surprised by the group of naughty boys in my room, as well.

Anyway, onto my thankfulness. I came back to work Thursday well rested and ready to power through the rest of the week. I had a data meeting with my administrators during my planning period. I am SO thankful for them. They did something for me that they didn't have to do. They could have just said well, everyone has tough classes, you're doing fine, keep at it. No, they actively did something to help me. Along they same lines, they let me know that I'm doing well, take my opinions/thoughts into consideration, and just listen. I am VERY hard on myself, and they know that. And after talking to them, it just reminds me how lucky I am to have found this fit. Because if I were in a more hostile environment with even MORE pressure, I surely would have cracked by now. This paragraph was sort of vague, and I apologize, but I don't want to go into too much detail.

Now, onto other things. I'm sure you've heard that heaven gained a wonderful teacher, Pam of Vintage Teacher. I followed her blog very early on in my blogging adventures. In her honor, tons of bloggers are offering freebies, as Freebie Fridays were important to Pam! To learn more about her, visit her blog.

 

So here is my freebie! It is a simple division packet to guide thinking. For RTI, we do a station for 6 days, and this is what I use for my first three days. It includes a frayer model [holla for graphic organizers], and it integrates literature in with math, through the story The Doorbell Rang. Lastly, it allows for creativity when the students get to think of their own "The Doorbell Rang" scenerio! Check out my freebie by clicking below!

While you're there, check out my fractions product. It is currently my only product for sale. And someone bought it! How exciting!

Lastly, check out these giveaways going on. I haven't entered many in a while. Too busy. =(

Reagan is giving away her daily warm ups!

 

Deb is giving away an Amazon Giftcard!

Giveaway Winner & Freebie

Hello everyone!

First-- my giveaway winner. I realized I didn't have number comments, and I googled how to do it. Didn't work. I don't feel like looking up the tutorial that's floating around blogland that would probably work [because all of you teachers are so darn smart!], so I counted up the entries and used the random number generator for numbers 1-37. The winner is.....

Stacey, I'll comment on your blog with the details! Congrats & thank you EVERYONE who participated in my very first giveaway. I love being able to help other teachers out, even though that only puts a DENT into how much you've all helped me!

& next comes the freebie. It is a packet that you can use to guide your students through a compare/contrast writing piece, specifically using transportation. Click HERE to check it out because I can't figure out how link a picture! I need to start buying clip art & stuff to make my freebies cuter! Again, any feedback would be great!

And lastly, a few MORE giveaways to tell you about. Everyone is in SUCH a giving mood lately, it's wonderful!

1. Lindsay is having a giveaway for reaching 200 214 followers!

2. Janaye is giving away a 3-5 Seuss Pack!







3. Beth is giving away an awesome picture that she designs. So cute!

4. Adrienne is giving away software that I could reaaaaally use!




So if you didn't win my giveaway [sorry! blame the number thingy!], go check out those blogs! They are great!

In My Shoes [Great movie, now a linky!]

Okay. No freebie yet. I'm thinking I'll make it tomorrow while the BF is at the Ravens game & I'm sitting on my couch pretending that I care about said Ravens game.

However, there is a fun linky party going on right now! I've read a few of the entries, and I am FLABBERGASTED, yes, FLABBERGASTED at how early some of these teachers start school. I know high schools usually start pretty early. I think I started at 7:20 when I was in HS, and when I was in elem school, school started at 8:45.

Now, as a teacher, I start at 8:10. I hate mornings [reminder: i am garfield], but I think 8:10 is respectable and fair. Well now, I think 8:10 is a blessing! Good lord, Farley starts at 7:20? Bonnie wakes up at 4:20?!?! You'll see what I'm doing right......................

NOW!

5:40, 5:50, 6:00
First alarm goes off. Snooze.
Second alarm goes off. Snooze.
I'MMMM UPPPPPP. UGH.


6:00-7:15
Roll out of bed, long shower [i'm a water waster], watch the morning news and relax for about 15 minutes, get ready, roll outttt.


7:15-7:55
Commute. Blah. My daily dunkin donuts stop is in there, but I'm making a conscious effort not to stop every day and just make my coffee at home. I'm case you're wondering, its not going so well.


7:55-8:09
Turn on all of my technology, make copies for morning work and the rest of the morning if I hadn't made them yet, straighten up the room


8:09
Hear my children barreling down the hall way. I'm all the way at the end.


8:10
Whoever is first comes into my room screaming CAN I HAVE DOG OF THE DAY?! let me explain. last Christmas, my sister gave me this daily pull of calendar

Well, last year the kids liked it SO much, so I left it out on my desk and continue with it for the rest of 2011. Well, I asked my sister for the 2012 edition. She delivered. So they still do it. Is it obnoxious? Yes. Should I control this using some kind of management technique? Yes. But I don't. Maybe next year?

8:10-8:45
The kids are working on their morning worksheet. I make it two sided to keep them occupied. If it is Monday, then they are copying their homework for the week. When they finish this, they are to read independently and take Reading Counts quizzes. But they usually just get into squabbles and tattle. A few times a week I use Class Dojo during this time to keep the crowd at bay and accountable.

8:45-8:50
Live morning announcements. We broadcast the announcements from the library with our school social worker as the normal host, and a teacher guest. You can sign up to be on the announcements. I try to sign up once a month. If you go on the morning announcements, you can bring a few students with you. The students come up with a "morning movement" for the school to do to go along with our PEP grant. On another note, announcements are supposed to begin at 8:35, but never do.

8:50-9:20
Writing block. We are usually working on grammar or are somewhere within the writing process. This week we are going to start a compare/contrast piece. I really want to revamp my writing program, because it is totally lacking in depth.

9:20-9:50
Math RTI time. Our students are broken up according to their ability DCAS test score. Each teacher/paraprofessional has been assigned a topic to teach, as the students rotate through the stations, spending about a week at each. For the sake of length, I won't get into it fully right now. But last rotation I taught multiplication, and this rotation I'm teaching division. Any cute ideas/activities, PLEASE send them my way! ESPECIALLY higher leveled activities for my above leveled groups!

9:50-10:20
Reading RTI time. Same as math, but they are broken up by their DCAS reading score. My topic is compare/contrast, and right now we are contrasting Lon Po Po to the American version of Little Red Riding Hood. Good times.

10:23-11:03
YAY! I made it to my planning time! Students are on a 6 day rotation, either going to library, computers, counseling, PE, music, or art. I'm sitting in a meeting, making copies, or trying to straighten up from whatever destruction happened in my room earlier.

11:03-11:40
I drag myself to pick up my kiddos. We come back to do centers. My centers are new for me this year. No one else on my team does them, but I feel like everyone in blogland does. So I tried them and I love them and other people want to see me do them. Yay! My centers are kind of, not really like Daily 5, but I used that as a jumping off point.

11:40-12:20
Reading block. I'm either teaching from our reading series or teaching important skills or doing Making Meaning. As I've said before, our reading block is crazy right now with all the different programs, different expectations, lack of materials going on right now. But we do our best.

12:20-12:50
Lunch. Everyone other week I have lunch duty. Whenever I don't have lunch duty, I have recess duty.

12:50-1:00
Either finish up something we were working on in Reading or do a read aloud.

1:00-1:30
Recess

1:30-1:45
We are working on fact fluency. Students can either work alone or with a partner to practice whatever multiplication fact that they are on. I test weekly, and if they pass [30 problems in 2 minutes] they move on to the next number. We're doing this for the rest of the year, even though we just finished our mult/div unit.

1:45-2:30
Math block. We're starting our data unit on Monday. Our students are pretty good with data, so hopefully this unit will go by in a flash and we can get started with fractions! dun dun dunnnn.

2:30-3:05
Science/SS. My class and the classroom across the hall switch for this. I teach Science to both classes using FOSS science kits. I love it because all of the materials and lessons are there for you. All I have to do is write my lesson plans in our format. I choose to supplement, but you really don't have to. I'm so happy I don't have to teach social studies. I really can't get into it, but I would make do if I had to.

3:05-3:20
I check their daily planners for signatures, students sign my homework bingo board if they did their homework, and we wrap up our day.

3:20-3:40
I walk my students who walk home out the door, and I take my car riders to the cafeteria. Teachers wait with them until they are picked up. If they aren't picked up by 3:35, they go to the office to wait.

After that it depends on the day. I normally try to pry myself out of my room by 4:30, but I've been known to stay until 5 a few times a week. Then its another 40 minute drive home.

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Well that's it! Go over and visit Katie and link up! It's her first linky! =)

[[[My giveaway ends Sunday around 5pm, so go enter if you haven't already!]]]

Frozen.

Hey all.

So, I'm freezing.

We've been SO spoiled around here in regards to the weather. Now that its in the thirties in the middle of the day, I can't stop complaining about it. And I refuse to leave my apartment. But I need to go food shopping. It's like Sophie's Choice.

Anyway, thank you to Kelly at Fabulous in Fourth for awarding me with the Versatile Blog award. I actually just received this award, but no one would know it because I have to figure out how to put it in my sidebar. But as soon as I post this, I'm going to go figure it out. So thanks Kelly! & click HERE for my response to that award!

Reminder that there is just over 24 hours left in my giveaway. $25 to TPT! And there are only 25 entries right now! Click HERE to enter!

Some more giveaways to check out as well!

Chrissy at Buzzing with Ms. B is giving away a valentine's day product!
Growing up Teaching is having a giveaway that ends tomorrow. HURRY!
Made in the Shade in 2nd grade is giving away a giftcard!


So, I'm going to get back to watching HIMYM reruns. I'm going to forewarn you that I plan on posting another freebie later [I'm on a roll!], so I'll be posting twice in a day. I honestly don't know why its such a big deal, especially if both posts are awesome [check].

Big News, people!

It's official! I have a TPT store!

It is fully stocked [with one item!]

SO, in celebration--> You can get a bonus entry in my giveaway by following my TPT store! Let's get that followers number above 0! This probably sounds SO lame to the people who have stores and sell stuff and make actual money from it. Hopefully I'll get there!

My giveaway that is going on is for $25 to Teachers Pay Teachers! I know I'd love to win that, so hopefully you do, too! GO ENTER! There are less than 15 entries right now. I'm no mathematician [welll, kinda], but your odds are pretty good, right!?

Sorry I'm hopping all over the place in this post!

Back to my freebie! The item I just posted is a set of task cards for third graders to practice multiplication and division skills. Each card hits on a different skill or application of a skill. I would SUPER DOOPER appreciate it if you lovely followers of mine could go take a look at it, even if you don't plan on using it. Just because it's my first document, I'd really benefit from feedback about the description, the document itself, etc. I know we are all crazy busy, but if you have a sec I'd totally appreciate it!!

The freebie includes 10 cards and a recording sheet.

a preview of one of ten cards

***ANOTHER QUESTION: How do you make the cute little graphics so that people can kind of preview your freebie. Ya know, with like tiny images of the pages?

So to summarize this post [oh learning focused strategies, how you've taken over my life!]
1. Check out my freebie at my TPT store by clicking HERE!
2. Enter my give away by clicking HERE. It ends on Sunday!
3. Earn a bonus entry by following my TPT store & commenting about it!

Two Posts in a Day.. Sorry, but....

I am furious!

My hometown and surrounding area news announced yesterday that they are closing 49 Catholic school after the end of this school year. 44 elementary schools + 5 high schools = FORTY NINE SCHOOLS.

I understand that money is involved, and I won't pretend that I am fully educated on this subject. However, I just don't get it. My heart breaks for the thousands of students who are being uprooted. For the parents who will have to drive an hour to the next closest Catholic school to bring their children. In some cases, schools with highly successful academics, sports, programs, etc. are being closed, while schools without these programs, or even gyms, remain open. What? Again, I really don't know. If you have the answers, speak up!

What about the students? Class sizes at the other schools will be through the roof. The schools that I've visited don't have extra space for new classrooms to accomodate new classrooms/homerooms.
What about the teachers? So many lost jobs, when it is already close to impossible to find one.
What about the families? Will they be forced to public school their kids if their personal circumstances don't allow a switch for next year?

[[[I'll add that I have been public schooled since first grade, so this doesn't affect me directly. My dad's elementary school and high school were both on the closed list.]]]

END OF RANT! Sorry, I needed to vent to a crowd who will at least possibly kind of maybe feel my frustration!

Link up with Farley for her January currently! There's a giveaway tied into this one!

& don't forget to enter my giveaway for 25 bucks to TpT!

A VERY EXCITING POST! [GIVEAWAY below!]

Hey guys. It's Sunday. Whomppp whompppp. Anyone watch SNL with Rachel Dratch as Debbie Downer. Seriously gets me every time. That, and anything with Kristen Wiig. [why are there two "i" in her last name?] I wish SNL was still funny.

OH GOODNESS. This is not starting off very exciting!

I bring you two things, my faithful friends!

1. A freebie!
2. My 50 follower GIVEAWAY!

Let's go back to number one, my freebie. Do any of you use the Making Meaning program in your classroom? In my classroom, we use it as a supplement. It basically teaches skills through trade book read alouds and a response book. [which is why I use it as a supplement] This is only my first year using it, and I'm no expert, but I do LOVE the literature.

Which brings me to my freebie. We just finished up inferences about a character and how a character can change in a story.

The text used is Julius: Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes. I LOVE him, and I LOVE Lilly! So I whipped up a graphic organizer to go along with the text to extend it a bit. Then, the students needed to write a response to the text using the graphic organizer. Anyway, no clue if you can use it or not. But I made it, so I'll share!

Julius Go

QUESTION: IS THIS THE BEST WAY TO SHARE FREEBIES? IF NOT, WILL SOMEONE LET ME KNOW! I DON'T WANT MY MORE USEFUL FREEBIES TO BE A PAIN TO GET TO IN THE FUTURE!

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Onto my second reason for posting! Maybe I should have made this into its own post, but oh well. So I was thinking about what kind of giveaway to do. I decided on...

$25 to Teachers Pay Teachers

And here is why: ::gasp:: I've never made a purchase from TPT, and if I won a giveaway for it, it would totally give me a jump start. So, if you're out there and haven't purchased anything from there either, here's your chance to get started! And even if you're a regular on TpT [as the hipsters call it], 25 bucks is useful, right?

Here's how to enter!

1. Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you follow my blog! [include your email/blog link!]
2. Blog about my giveaway & leave a comment that you did just that! [include your email/blog link!]

You saw the beginnings of a numbered list, and thought there'd be multiple ways to enter, right? Nope, just those two! Feel free to just follow me, just blog about the giveaway, both, or neither. I'm not the pushy type!

***Giveaway ends on Sunday [January 15th] at 5pm!***

[this is because the Ravens will be playing and the boyfriend won't be around to entertain me. perfect opportunity to choose a winner using the random number thingy!]

I'm being honest, I know I'm not the blogger that puts out the most freebies, or leaves the most comments, or uses the most wit, but I TRULY appreciate the 57 [at time of print] of you that follow my blog, leave encouraging comments, etc. They have kept me going through this rough year!

Oh, Hey Work Bag

So let's discuss the HUGE elephant in the room. Break is ending soon. And I JUST took my work bag out of my car today.

ANYWAY! On to happier things......!

Have you heard about the huge giveaway going on right now? I just hopped online, and I'm about to enter! Check it out by visiting ALL of these blogs!

 Here are the participating blogs/ stores: 

 Classroom Confections Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Down Under Teacher Teachers Pay Teachers Store

  

Primary Inspiration Teachers Pay Teachers Store

I Love 1st Grade Teachers Pay Teachers Store

A Teacher's Treasure Teachers Pay Teachers store

Herding Cats in Kindergarten Teachers Pay Teachers store

Third Grade Bookworm Teachers Pay Teachers store

A Special Kind of Class Teachers Pay Teachers store

Mandy's Tips for Teachers Teachers Pay Teachers store

  

Hojos Teachers Pay Teachers store

Teacher Tam's Teachers Pay Teachers store

Tools for Teachers by Laurah J Teachers Pay Teachers store

Good luck to everyone entering. There will be TONS of winners!

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One more amazing giveaway to note! Have you been thinking about a new blog layout? Head over to Ladybug Teacher Files. She's giving away three SUPER cute layouts that are right up my alley! Click the image below!