Sorting It Out!

Sometimes science and math flow so well together! At least that was the case today. We moved straight from making groups of tens and ones into our science skill of sorting objects in a variety of ways.

 

If you don't know by now, I LOVE introducing concepts with the combination of an anchor chart and book!

 

This little cutie was inspired by Cara.

 

If you've never heard of this book, it is a fabulous way to introduce the concept of sorting. The little mouse has a lot of "junk" and sorts it all out based on how things are alike. It leads the kids into guessing the sorting rule with its rhyming structure. They loved it!

 

I put together 4 buckets and let each group decide the best way to sort their objects.

 

 

Easy, quick, and simple lesson DONE!

Returning from My Blog Hiatus!

It's a F.A.C.T. The first 2 weeks of school have got to be the most exhausting all year long!

My blog hiatus is pure proof y'all. I feel like I have been neglecting "my baby" but this teacher is plum tired at the end of every day. I'm promising NOW to be better next week! I do have lots I want to share.

 

Here's just a tidbit of what has been going on in my life the past week.

 

 

You can tell just from the picture how "germy" the first 2 weeks have been for me. I had a head cold this week and am recovering from a near total loss of voice. PTL!

 

I'm pretty sure I have not been the *best* writing teacher the past 2 years. I've been learning and taking notes on how to improve. We started writer's workshop this week and let me tell you....my class this year are writing rockstars!!! They have made me so excited to teach writing this year and I can't wait to share our success with you in  post next week. Be on the lookout!

 

 

I think rhyming is so fun and I absolutely LOVE to teach it! We worked on recognizing rhyming words this week and created our own rhymes after reading and listening to Down by the Bay (what seemed like thousands of time!).

 

 

FOOTBALL! This one word sums up my excitement for this time of year.

 

I saved my favorite picture for last.

 

Love me some lattes and when I scored 2 boxes of these little pretties last night, I just about died! PSL's without leaving the house, yes please!

 

I'm making a promise to you know that I will be back next week more than once so stayed tuned for an anchor chart post, writing post, and Daily 5 update!

Currently in September

September is here, which means the summer months are officially over and cooler weather is on its way...psh, I wish! Down here in Texas we still have another month or two of 90-100 degree temps (sigh). Thank goodness time doesn't stand still because it's time for another currently!

 

Listening: Hubs is on the couch sleeping with the TV volume on faint while I'm in the office *trying* to be quiet so all I hear is the hum of this computer. Boring!

Loving: It was due time for a new blog makeover, especially with all the cute new ones I kept seeing every time I visited a blog! I had Susan from Thank God It's First Grade's  hubby create a new look for me and I absolutely LOVE it!

Thinking: One thing I struggled most with last week was my student's ability to talk...and talk...and talk...you get the picture. I never knew how nice a "honeymoon period" was until I didn't get one this year! Fingers crossed it ceases!

Wanting: Well, there is nothing like being sick on a 3 day weekend. That first week back will getcha every time. Thank goodness it's triple degree hotttt outside because I am not missing the heat!

Needing: Back to school equals a combo of printing, cutting, and laminating. I need to finish mine! I have a few fun little games for next week and some beyond cute posters to hang for later!

Personal Love: 1) Last week during one of my morning quiet times, I came across a verse that said to put others first. Don't let interruptions be just that, let them be a time when that person sees God in you. That's going to be my main focus this month! 2) The first week was stressful...new curriculum, talkative kiddos, hour long car duty after school...time to start breathing! 3) I was on a roll working out...then I went back to work. What teacher isn't exactly exhausted every night of the first week? Time to get back into a routine!

Enjoy your extra day off!

I Survived + a Makeover = SALE!

To those of you who went back this past week, WE MADE IT...{P.T.L}!

Even thought this is only my 3rd year, it by far has been the roughest starting week to date.

So, in honor of trudging through and surviving, everything in my TpT store is 15% off this weekend!

 I am also LOVING my new blog makeover! It fits me just perfect. It's a complete reflection of myself, teaching style, and classroom. Shout out to Susan's hubby Parker for rockin'!

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Before I recap our week, let me just start off by saying...I live in Texas, so no common core here. Our district was going to go with C-Scope but quickly axed that idea. Over the summer we had district admin write and align new curriculum for us.

...breathe...

Get this: they had us teaching Lucy Caulkins writing sessions 1 & 2, all letters and sounds, science safety, maps, and numbers to 99 the FIRST week people! Add on top of that rules, procedures, etc.

"Ain't nobody got time for that!' which we discovered shortly into Day 1.

 

Monday

Students were allowed into our rooms at 8:00 and they all didn't show up until 9:30. Talk about a mad house in the front office! After 1 1/2 hours of wasted time (grr) we finally started our day with calendar, good morning rituals, school tour and snack.  When we returned, we read The Kissing Hand and talked about our first day feelings.

 

We did a little follow up writing activity. In the madness, I didn't capture a picture but here is one from last year. We changed it up and wrote "I felt _____________."

 

 Tuesday

The second day was bound to be better than the first. Since the students came in the door with a roar (literally NO honeymoon period) talking about behavior and expectations was a must! I love to read David Shannon's books just as much as the kids love listening to them. We discussed David's behavior and figured out if it was things we should "do" or "not do".

 

They had to choose one thing they could "do" and make the following craft below.

 

Wednesday & Thursday

We continued talking about rules and classroom procedures. After reading another story about David, we brainstormed rules that we thought would be important to follow at school. I put them into a 'Class Promise' where the students signed and promised to follow the things stated.

 

No promise is complete with our cute little faces framing it!

 

 

All of these activities are in my Becoming Peacemakers unit.

 

 Friday

To end our week, we read Chrysanthemum. A great way to show how words can be hurtful is to take make a large heart. While reading the book, every time something hurtful is said to Chrysanthemum, let the students crumple the heart some. When the story is over talk about how words can be hurtful. Try to smooth out the heart. Does it go back to how it was before? Let them put Band-Aids on it to see if that does the trick.

I like to leave this hanging up all year so they refer back to it before speaking mean or hurtful words.

  

Throughout the week, we also used these beginning of year "I Can...." assessments. This helped me see who is struggling and where. You can snag them for FREE in my TpT store.

 

 

I'm so grateful for a long 3 day weekend. I hope you enjoy yours and take some time off before getting at it again!

A B2S Sweet Treat!

My poor sweet blog and followers,

I apologize for not making much of an appearance the past week. I'm sure you have felt a sense of "overwhelmingness" sometime in the past few days as you prepped for the new school year. Last week was full of meetings, planning, running copies, and prepping for meet the teacher and first week back....TOMORROW!

I met all 22 of my cute firsties Thursday! They seemed precious and eager to come back. Their faces filled me with excitement and had me working into the wee hours Friday night to make sure everything was perfectly in its place for tomorrow morning.

My team members worked extra hard and put in some late hours with me this past week so I decided to make a little something for them in  honor of our first day!

I was inspired by Rachelle from What the Teacher Wants and her cute (and delicious looking) cinnamon rolls.  

I had a few left over cupcakes from a baby shower this weekend and thought rather than eat them myself, which I would have most likely done, I would give them away to the "sweet" ladies on my team!  All that needed to be done was prep a cute label and viola!

I've uploaded the template to google docs for you if you would like to use it and surprise your team mats with a sweet snack this week or one your future first day back!

**Click on the picture below to download**

I hope your first day back is just as sweet my friends!

Who's That Blogger?? {A linky game with cash and prizes}

Welcome Everyone!!

         Are you ready to have some fun??
        
                                              ....Play a game?
           
                                                              .....Win  prizes and cash?

I have teamed up with 65 AMAZING blogger buddies to put together the ultimate Back to School Linky/Giveaway!!!

Each one of my blogger buddies submitted a cute childhood photo & generously donated something special from their online TpT shops for this occasion!! We have included a fun game for you to play for a chance to win over $300.00 in prizes and a BONUS  CASH-PRIZE raffle you can enter at the end of this post!! 

CHA-CHING!!

The game is easy to play....

 Your job will be to try and match each blogger with their childhood photo!!! With over 60 childhood photos and bloggers to match up, this might get tricky!! As I mentioned above, each blogger has generously donated one awesome prize from their TpT store. Successfully match a blogger and childhood photo, and you win the prize offered from that blogger!!! The more you matches you make, the more prizes you win!!! 

Check out some of the prizes you could win!!!

but Wait....

That's not all....

ONE lucky follower will win a $125 Amazon Gift Card!! Scroll to the bottom & follow the directions in the Rafflecopter for a chance to win $$$

The link below will open a form that will allow you to submit your answers for the match up. 

Use the blogger links and numbered images to help you along the way!! Each childhood photo has been assigned a specific number. 

Once you open the form, use the drop-down menu beneath each blog button and select a number that corresponds to a childhood photo. 

The form results will be collected throughout the week. At the end of the week, each submission will be "graded" and you will receive a prize for each blogger and photo you successfully matched up!!

The game closes on Friday, August 23rd at midnight (Arizona Mountain Time). Answers will be announced on Saturday, August 24th. Winners will be notified through email throughout the week. 

Use the blog links below the photos to search for clues!!

Click HERE to Play the Matching Game!!

AWE!!! PuFfy HeArT SWEETNESS!!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Click HERE to Play the Matching Game!!

Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $125 Amazon gift card!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for participating!!! Good Luck!!!

If you would like to post about this linky/giveaway, grab the special image below to display in your post and link up below!!! Make sure to use the link to the actual post,,,

An InLinkz Link-up

Are You Ready for the B2S Sale!?

Back to School is such a bittersweet time in the life of a teacher! It means late rising, beach days, and staying in your PJ's until noon is over. But it also brings a great *SALE* to help kick start your year and get you back in gear!

 

 

I'm celebrating going back to school with some of my fabulous Firstie Friends. If you haven't heard by now, TpT is having a HUGE B2S sale that starts tomorrow. If you use the code B2S13 you will automatically get 10% off your purchase along with the 20% my friends and I are offering off of our stores too!

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Here are a few great product finds from myself and my Firstie Friends!

Check em' out!

 

 

 

 

Lisa has put together an absolutely amazing making words activity pack jam-filled with over 115 things to do with word families!

 

 

 

 

 Have you seen Lisa's Common Core Crunch packs? She has one for each month with various grammar, phonics, and writing activities. Her pack for the month of September will be perfect for your firsties!

 

 

Creating a positive classroom community is huge! Becca has put together a fun way to recognize and give praise to your students in 24 different ways!

  

 

Haley has put together a great pack to help your students identify story elements. Her product contains anchor charts and printables to go with an story book!

 

 

I am also showcasing 3 of my products that I think would come in handy-dandy for the school year!

 

 

Becoming Peacemakers is a week long unit that makes teaching classroom rules fun! There are several printables, 2 crafts, poems, and a class book in this pack.

 

Every teacher needs a classroom management tool. This pack will help you keep track of individual student behavior. It includes a clip chart and a positive behavior ticket system your students will surely love!

 

I LOVE anchor charts and have turned 6 of my favorite grammar charts into printables ones for your classroom. This pack of anchor charts includes nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, and pronouns.

 

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