Brand new school year and a great giveaway to start the month off right!

Each day kids added post-its to a new chart. 

So, I think this past first week of school was a huge success! I have an awesome bunch of kids! I'm sad to say that I've missed out on some great linkies lately(I'm looking at you Workshop Wednesdays and Spark Student Motivation Saturday) because I've just been so busy prepping things for school.

We spent a lot of time working on building our classroom community, setting up basic procedures, and just making sure the kids feel comfortable of course. We made (and then discussed) some charts like the one in picture, usually related to one of our read-alouds or a prior class discussion. Other topics were "What kind of teachers do you want us to be?" "What can students do to help each other succeed?" and "Why is school important?" It was great to see the students come up with the answers to these questions. 

I did manage to slip in some regular academics of course too! For example, we definitely made some great progress in setting up Mentor Sentences, Writing Workshop, and the Daily 5!

So, I use a lot of mentor texts in my classroom in every subject area. But this Sunday we're talking about Language Arts mentor texts. Forgive me for not making a little image for each one! I figured I'd just give a little snippet about them all in one shot!

These were my mentor texts for various things throughout the week!

I read First Day Jitters as our back to school first read-aloud together, and later used it to do our first Mentor Sentence (by Jivey)! I'm already loving doing mentor sentences. I think it's such a great way to go over all those basic grammar skills, parts of speech, practice conventions, etc.

Do Unto Otters was a great lead into our "ways we want our class to be" and "what can students do to help each other succeed?" activities. Perfect to read before writing a classroom constitution. 

I read Matthew's Dream and Cloudette this week during Writing Workshop in conjunction with my 50 things I love freebie graphic organizer and the prompt "How do you want to change the world?" This is a twist on the typical "hopes and dreams" activity I usually do each year. While reading these stories this week, we added our first two strategies to our VOICES board; "use various graphic organizers to pre-write," and "choose a narrow topic." (We'll revisit these two often.)

We added our first two strategies to our CAFE board too! Comet's Nine Lives is great for modeling the "check for understanding" strategy. The side story Jan Brett weaves in through the illustrations, the use of interesting words, and the almost unbelievability of the cat continually dying is really engaging for the kids and is great for modeling this skill.

Our other one is the "choose appropriate texts" strategy that went along with our talk about choosing good fit books!

And of course, that first week of school you've got to have some activities that are mostly for fun and community building! I loved the way this student completed this activity (from my back to school activities pack). We did some other fun stuff, and we still have some more fun coming up next week too! I just couldn't fit it all into a 4 day week! 


One challenge I'm working on overcoming right now is how exactly I want to handle Spelling and Word Work in my classroom this year. 

I have quite a range (double the normal because I'm a 3/4 multi-age) of ability, and our current resource for Spelling is kind of...not my style... I'm lucky enough to work in a district that provides instructional coaches, so I was able to run some ideas by her. I want my Word Work sessions to be mostly independent(so kids can do it during Daily 5 while I'm busy conferring with other kids), but I obviously want it to be really meaningful and not just busywork. I'm really interested in teaching about affixes and latin/greek roots too. But obviously I'm nervous about doing something drastically different than the norm...

My instructional coach recommended Words Their Way (which I used when I taught Primary) and was able to procure me an extra copy of the resource from the district (score!). I posed this same question to my facebook followers and was happy to see that the feedback I received was also in favor of WTW and focusing on affixes and root words (thanks ladies!) so that was good! Anyone have any favorite WTW games or independent Word Work activities to share? I'd love to hear some details about how Word Work works in your 3rd or 4th classrooms! I'll be doing the pre-assessment this next week, and doing our Word Work anchor chart, but will need to have a system in place for the 3rd week of school! Yipes!

In other exciting news, I'm pitching in to help two of my BBBs celebrate some big milestones! 

There's a great giveaway going on where you can win a choice from some great prizes just by stopping by some great blogs you should be visiting anyway and collecting the numbers in their posts! While you're there, make sure you're a follower! These ladies all have great things going on on their blogs and you'll want to be in on their future posts!

The next stop on your journey is over at I Heart Recess! Just hit this button to head on over there now! Or if this is your first stop and you'd rather start collecting the numbers from the beginning you can hit that button and go grab a handy cheat sheet over on Diane's blog! 

Collect all the numbers and then enter for your chance to win! I know I will be!

A Few Made Its! One of which is a Freebie!

So, I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for another Monday Made It! I forgot that the summer weekly link ups are over! Boohoo! Oh well!

I've been crazy working on things for my own classroom, and one of them has turned into a freebie for those of you who stick around to the end! No skipping ahead! 

So I changed my classroom theme and color scheme in a big way this year. I've been working on a lot of things to make them matchy-matchy in my room. One of things I made I thought other teachers might be able to use. It's these popular clock minute numbers to help kids tell time. I think telling time is just one of those skills you have to practice and see over and over again. This is a great visual to help kids associate the minute values with the numbers on the clock. You can grab the file from my store for a mere DOLLAR.

My next Made It is kind of embarrassing. Mainly because I've been seeing and coveting other people's Teacher ToolBoxes for literally years and have just been too darn lazy to make my own. I even made labels once, then decided I didn't like them. Then made different labels, and still didn't make it.

Finally, I made some labels that I LOVE, and put together the little toolbox on the right. Pretty much as soon as I finished the first one I realized that I still had lots and lots of little things that needed homes. So I went to the store and bought a bigger one with just big drawers. Before you knew it, my desk was super organized and I now have the power of a multitude of office supplies at my fingertips in a moment's notice!

So, this is a scheduled post because today I am attending the opening ceremony where the mentors in my district welcome our year-long PDS interns and do some icebreakers and professional development together. Then my actual in-service preplanning days begin on Tuesday, and school with kids starts the following Tuesday! 

In preparation for all the planning that this new year will entail I made myself a handy little lesson planning bookmark. Click here to get your own copy! It has a nice list of things to keep in mind while planning to help make sure that your lessons are as engaging as possible! I try to do these things as much as possible already, but reading Teach Like A Pirate made me want to make something to keep in my plan book to look at while planning as a reminder.

Check out all of the other cool Monday Made Its! Every week I see something new to put on my to do list!

Monday Made It - Classroom Crafts

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for another Monday Made It! I've been pretty busy working on a few projects for my classroom, and some of them even got completed! 

I'm starting to feel the crunch now that I'm spending this entire week in a workshop about teaching about energy. I mean, it's nice money, and I'm sure I'll learn some cool things, but it lasts from 8am to 5pm, and two nights it goes til 8:00 pm. By the time the workshop ends I'll only have one week of summer left before I go back for inservice. And I'll be spending most of that week in my classroom!

Anyway! Here are my finished projects!

The first was a simple one, but something I should have done years ago. It's funny because I didn't even realize I HAD this problem until I saw something on the internet a few week ago.

 I've always had a box for kids to drop Box Tops in, but kids are always coming up to me with little things that they've found that need to be put away. Lost dice, legos, a stray pattern block, etc. It's never convenient to put them away, so they inevitably build up into a stack on my desk that has to be dealt with. Now I've got a box that kids can just drop it into, no interruptions needed, and the "class cleaners" can empty the box when they have time.

And it seems like I give a band-aid to someone every other day! And usually it's when I'm needing to get something started. Why have I been storing them in an out of reach cabinet above the sink for the last 12 years?! No more! Why can't kids just get themselves a band-aid? They cost like a penny each.

Next up! I saw a cute "NOISE" level tracker on Looking from Third to Fourth's blog the other day, and had to have one that matched up with my classroom colors. It's hard to tell, but it's yellow and green. I'm using all the colors from my blog in my room this year! If you haven't seen the "NOISE level tracker," The letters are magnetic and you basically take a letter off the board until there is just "No" left. Then kids know that there is NO more talking.

Speaking of magnets: I'm pretty much sick of them. I just finished attaching magnetic tape to the back of my CAFE and VOICES strategies to put up on my boards this year. I decided to make all new CAFE cards to match my theme...should have just used my old ones!

Handy tip: I write the letter on the back of the strategy that matches its place. It makes them way easier to find later when you're sorting through them to find the strategy you need.

Finally, I made one of these!

When it comes to pencils I have gone through phases. The going green advocate in me shudders at the thought that my classes in the last 12 years have probably gone through a forest worth of pencils. 

But I decided last year not to fight it anymore and just had a constant supply of pencils at the ready. I'm done fighting. I'm still going to try out Ladybug's Teacher Files' Pencil Challenge, but for those who lose their pencil...just come and grab a pre-sharpened one from the dispenser! And of course, it was an excuse to use my washi tape.

I suppose my other projects are for another Monday!

Now, don't forget to pop on over to the giveaway on Jivey's Facebook page!

Sunday Smorgasbord Randomness!

So it's a good thing that Fabulous in First hosts this fun Sunday Smorgasbord linky, because everything I have to blog about right now is kind of random.

I've been reading everyone else's back to school posts with a mixture of jealousy (I know, easy to say that now!) and relief. I'm a crazy planner, and I love to be ahead of the game. I'm moving classrooms AND grade levels this year, so I feel like I'm already weeks behind the curve. Right now my school is being cleaned, so I can't get into my new room and work. So that's where the jealousy comes from. The relief is that I still have a few weeks of summer to get my act together.

So, time for some randomness! If you follow me on instagram, then maybe you've seen my growing addiction to one of the latest craft trends, washi tape! As a long-time crafter I've been using colored/patterned craft tape for years. But I always bought it online with a very specific use in mind. But now that washi tape is becoming popular, I can find it in stores easily. Before I knew it I had accumulated these 18 rolls in the matter of a few days. 

While working on non-teaching related crafts I've ended up with lots of scraps, so I randomly started doing this to my keyboard. Now it has become a craft of its own and I'm using it as an excuse to buy some more varieties of tape to finish off the last 13 keys I plan to do. (I'm not going to do the letters and punctuation I don't think.) See how this problem is growing? I've found myself washi taping all kinds of things. It's out of control.

You could tell the mailman was wondering
why I was delivered 3 giant boxes that weighed
almost nothing!

So, I did a donorschoose project last year and acquired a bunch of brand new beanbags for my classroom. And when I moved my stuff into my new classroom (all in boxes, stuffed in closets...stress) I discovered that the exiting teacher had left behind 4 large black beanbags for me too! The problem? They're all flat as pancakes. So, that's why I went ahead and ordered these big bags of bean bag pellets from Walmart online for $12 a pop. I couldn't find any in person. It looks like a lot of stuffing, but I'm curious to see how far it goes in the beanbags. 

I broke down and solved a problem that I've dealt with every few years for my entire career. I don't know if everyone else deals with this or not, but I have been buying and replacing these blue cardboard mailboxes every 3 or so years because by that point they're collapsing and broken. I bought some new ones the year before last with classroom funds, but since I am moving rooms and grades I had to leave them behind, leaving me in the position of either buying the same blue ones or investing in something else. 

I decided to try out this plastic set from Staples. I bought two of them, but put them together to just make one big set of mailboxes. It's still only about 2 feet tall. I'm pretty happy with how sturdy they feel, and I'm looking forward to not having to worry about replacing mailboxes ever again. Of course, spending another $110 out of pocket was the trade off. Shhh...don't tell Killer B!

Now I just need to find a durable and reasonably priced solution to book boxes. My magazine files are BEAT. I'm thinking about doing plastic shoeboxes in their desks. Thoughts? Solutions? Help!

Have you seen this documentary yet? If not, it's on Netflix instant streaming right now and well worth the hour and 40 minutes. Killer B and I watched it last night. To see how some of these community members and educators handle (or not handle) bullying is heartbreaking, but eye-opening. It's a good reminder that this stuff is happening everywhere, every day.

On a lighter note...

Today is the last day to sign up for my 350+ follower giveaway! I'm going to put together one of those fun "everybody wins" giveaways if/when I finally hit 500!

I hope you've stopped by the great Grades 4-6 Pins board on Pinterest. The $50 TpT gift card is still up for grabs for the rest of today! Go enter if you haven't already (the rafflecopter is in my last post), and thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to follow my TpT store!

Monday Made Its, and a 350+ Follower Giveaway!

I have three Monday Made Its today! One for home, one for blogging, and one for school! Then there's a giveaway at the end!

First, home: So, I read a thousand million infinity blogs and I see twice as many good ideas on them. Some are easy because I can just go to the store and buy them. Some I love, but are too intimidating. Many are in my "to-do queue." But this one jumped to the front of the line when I saw it on a crafting blog a while back. 

Killer B and I have the same discussion every single night...

B: "So, what's for dinner?" 
Me: "I don't know...food?" 
B: "What kind of food?" 
Me: "Um...good food?" 
B: "What's good food?" 
Me: "Food you can eat."
B: "Ugh, seriously, what's for dinner?"
Me: "Um...food?"

So I showed her the blog post, she said, "We should make one," and we DID! 

Now, I am the Craft/Hobby King, and could spend hours in Joanne Fabrics, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. Killer B on the other hand has the attention span of a very young child when it comes to all things crafty. So it is a miracle that we actually went to the store and took the time to choose fabric and ribbon that worked well for our kitchen. 

Throw in some hot glue, clothespins, some washi tape, a few drops of super glue, a staple gun and some card stock and there you go! It's our brand new Menu Board! I added a clip for coupons up at the top. It's nice to be able to add new meals to our rotation and not forget about them. The ingredients for the meal are written on the back of the meal cards, which are stored in the little attached box. Here's hoping that our dinner choice problems are solved! I guess we'll see!

Second, for blogging: If you look in my right column, you'll see that my Freebie Stuff Label is updated and actually useful now! I've included links to all of my freebies. Some are free on TpT and some are googledocs. I know...you don't get TpT credits for rating freebies...but you DO get my undying adoration and thanks! So if you like one of my TpT freebies, then please rate it! And if you don't like it...hmmm..I wonder about people like you sometimes...

Yep, too cold for recess that day.

Third, for school: If you're like me you almost certainly dread one thing about teaching more than any other...that's right, I'm talking about the dreaded INDOOR RECESS! Up here in the great state of PA, we have quite a few days of the year where it is just too cold or rainy to go outside. Now, if you're also like me then you definitely have kids in your class who are "fast finishers." And I bet we also have in common that we love the idea of "brain breaks" for kids, right?!

Those three things were what got the gears turning in my brain about my newest TpT product. I call it "My Book of Awesome Tasks" and I am super proud of it.

I've been doing these activities with my kiddos for years, but I've never taken the time to compile them into one handy book until now. I'm in love with the idea of my kids having this book in their mailboxes that they can pull out and "work" in whenever they finish early, or if I think they need a brain break, or even as an option during indoor recess. 

The activities include everything from making and deciphering secret codes, to creating artwork in unique ways, to writing stories, etc. Each activity is unique and includes simple directions.

I love that these activities are educational, call upon their creative sides, and don't seem like work. The activities can be finished simply by younger kids, but allow for more depth and effort to be put in by older kids. To be honest, I already printed a copy for myself to do for fun. 

There are a total of 45 different activities for the kids to do. Of course, pages of math facts, etc. could easily be slipped into the book before stapling it together too! I'm working on a second book that the really industrious kids can get when they finish the first one. The book is in my store for a mere $5.00!  

What?! You can't even get 2 cappuccinos at Starbucks for that, people! And those are gone in less than an hour...this lasts at least 45 days a year for the rest of your teaching career! 

Now, pin it to win it! Just leave a comment with your link and I'll let Killer B pick a number to decide the winner!

Now to the other good stuff...

When I started this blog earlier this year, I have to be honest and say that I was kind of afraid that no one would ever actually be interested enough to read it or talk to me about my thoughts. But instead it has become a way for me to interact with some truly awesome teachers out there in the world that I might not have met before starting this blog. And looking at my stats the other day, I noticed that a few of my posts have over 500 views! It really makes me happy to know that others are interested in reading about my ideas, sharing their ideas with me, helping me with issues I encounter, and just get to know me as a person.

So, all that to say...it's time to celebrate with a 350+ Bloglovin' Follower Giveaway! I have to be frank...I was a smidge overwhelmed with my 100 follower giveaway, and things are about to get real with school prep...so I hope you'll forgive me that I didn't reach out to all my TpT friends out there for help. I promise I will next time! I hope the potential to get some prizes from my store will still be worth your while though! I'll select 3 winners!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much to everyone who has read this little blog of mine, left comments, found something useful here, or participated in a linky with me. You guys rock!

Another Snow Day and Let's Get Acquainted

So, here it is 9:30 in the morning and I'm in my PJs lounging in my oversized chair sipping coffee, beginning another marathon of Scrubs on Netflix and writing a blog post...when I should be dissecting earthworms with my kiddos.

And I'd rather be dissecting the earthworms!

These snow days (and this snow in general) are really starting to get to me. Not only is my school year pushed one more day back into June, but another day before our big state tests has been stolen away. And I've been dying to continue our reading of Wonder. (The things the kids have been writing about it in their family message journals are awesome by the way!) Not to mention that this Wednesday and Thursday are Parent Conferences (which I still need to prepare for) and Friday and next Monday are days off of school already. So tomorrow will be our only day of school with students all week. Aargh!

Anyway, I'm linking up to Flying into First Grade's "Let's Get Acquainted" Linky.

This week is the Noun Game! So, without further ado:

Person: My Wife, or as I like to call her, Killer B!

I mean, who else would I pick?! She's my best friend and constant companion. No one else has the ability to make me as happy as she does.

Yes, her shirt says "I hate everything," and that's about right. :)

Place: Savannah, Ga/Tybee Island, GA

My wife and I have been married for 5 years and I think we've taken 7 vacations to Savannah together. Admittedly, I sometimes vote for vacationing somewhere else and then we end up going to Savannah because Killer B likes it so much there, but I have to admit I really do love it there too. Our families live in GA (where we both grew up), so it makes it easy to stop by Savannah while visiting them in the summer. I think one day we'll probably end up retiring to one of Georgia's coastal islands! Well, assuming our pensions aren't taken away before then.  ; P

Thing: Comic Books

I have been reading comic books since I was in elementary school. I used to sell candy to other kids in school to make money to buy them! Believe it or not I have read every and I do mean every (there are literally thousands) appearance of Spider-Man in a comic book. It's one of my claim to fames. I still read a ton of comics to this day. And I have a pretty decent collection of age appropriate graphic novels in my classroom library, which the kids love!

Animal: I suppose I should say my two German Shepherds...

But, considering the sable one on the left there just left his toy on the stairs yesterday, which I then tripped on, leading me to fall face first down the stairs knocking my head into a coffee table and seeing stars for about two minutes...

I'm gonna go with something else. My wife and I have always liked barred owls, and we've actually seen a lot of them together in the wild while hiking. They've become kind of like a symbol for us. 

In other news, I spent some time on Sunday trying my hand at making some digital paper/backgrounds. I actually think I did a pretty good job! I was impressed with myself considering I no longer have photoshop on my computer. I made these using GIMP. I've added all 20 to my TpT store for $4. Check them out!

Well, time to go adjust my lesson plans and try to somehow squeeze three days into one!