Ten Pin Linky - Reading Resources

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

I am joining Ashley's Ten Pin Linky for Reading Resources.

  If you would like to join, click here to go to her blog.

I love the idea of a Readbox Display to get students excited about reading!

I sometimes do this same type of thing when teaching main idea, but with book titles.

Cover the title of a book.  

Take a picture walk.  

Think about what the pictures were mostly about & 

come up with a name for the book.

What a great way to highlight the differences/similarities of fiction and non-fiction.

When studying Author's Purpose this year, I used this anchor chart!

So wish I could decorate the doors to my room.

At my school, it is not allowed via the fire marshall!

   

When I used an example of this anchor chart to introduce Cause and Effect, 

my students loved it!  Then, we read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie!

Who doesn't love cupcakes?

How cute!

Excellent link to activities for RTI!

Perfect for sharing with parents at the beginning of the year!

OMG!  What a fantastic reading center!

My firsties love David.

This would be a great bulletin board.

Think that was 11!  Who's counting?

Go join the linky.

Ten Pin Linky - Math Idea Pins

I needed something fun to think about today after someone ran into the back of my parked car & then my husband's car needed a new compressor so the air conditioner would work!

Stress!!

So, I was so excited to find Just Reed's fun linky.

Below are some of my favorite pins.

This is a great pin to share with parents.  I haven't decided whether to use this in a beginning of the year newsletter or as a Math Tip of the Week.  How would you share it with parents?

What a quick and easy way to include daily graphing!   

Could be used as Part Part Whole, Decomposing Numbers, or Missing Addends.

Understanding the equal sign was one of the hardest common core standards for my firsties this year.   Any cute idea with the possibility of extending their thinking is worth giving a try.

I love how this looks like a balance!

Genius!

Guess who changed into Guess My Number!

This is a must for my math stations next year!

Anytime I can use something from my craft room in math makes me happy!

I saw this idea last year and tried it.

Students loved the Bears in the Cave activity.

I can't wait to make this!

My firsties will be lining up to try this!

I bought these from TPT last summer.

It was one of the easiest to set up and change out all year long.

I used small erasers for the inside pieces.

This would be perfect for developing vocabulary as discussed in Building Mathematical Comprehension.

Most Wishlisted Item Linky

I am absolutely loving my summer so far and it hasn't been a full week yet.  Could it be that I have exercised 10 days straight?   We will have to see.  I hear if you do something for 21 days, it becomes a habit.  So, I am halfway there!

One of my favorite things about having a blog is making new friends through linkies!   This is my first of the summer!  YEAH!  I am joining one today with Molly at Classroom Confections for The Most Wishlisted item in your Teachers Pay Teachers Store. 

My most wishlisted item is ......

Measurement is a Hoot!

Owls are all the craze! 

Your students will love measuring these 11 adorable owls with

unifix cubes, paperclips, and more.

This product meets common core standards 1.MD.2 and 2.MD.4.

A recording sheet and math talk examples are included.

Hope you will stop by my store to see my other products!

Next Year, I Will ....

I am linking up with Finding Joy in 6th Grade for a linky party dedicated to reflecting on this year and making changes for the next!
Here are just a few of mine:

I think it is important to have a family meeting time to build community and set goals for the week.  A follow up meeting on Friday allows for reflection and celebration.

As a student, I LOVED math!  I mean "did the even problems" just for fun LOVED math!

Now, I love making math centers for my kiddos.  BUT...

 As a math teacher, in recent years, I have struggled to feel competent in this area!  

I want to have a REAL Math Workshop with mini-lesson followed by small groups, but I just can't seem to get it right!  I always start out with great intentions and then flub up.

Last summer, I read Guided Math and was sure I had it!

Wrong-O!

So, this summer I am going to joining another math book study looking for help!

Another part of math that I really want to incorporate daily is NUMBER TALKS.  I have used it off and on for the past 2 years and my students really love it.  My problem is at some point during the year I get bogged down with the pressures of getting to all the common core objectives and assessments that Number Talks gets put on the back burner.  I dust if off every now and then, but NEXT year, I will definitely incorporate it daily!

Something isn't right when I have more homework than my High School Junior!

I must learn to bring home less homework and  find a balance in my life.  

It will be my son's Senior Year and I intend to soak up every minute

 AND 

cheer his football team all the way to the state championship!

I need to replace my "School is my hobby" mentality with my real hobby - scrapbooking!

I really, really, LOVE my job, but it shouldn't be my hobby!

Summer Bucket List

I am joining Hadar, Teri, and April for the 2nd annual Summer Bucket List Linky!

                    

1.  Soak up as much time as I can with all 3 of my kiddos and husband.                          

• Kait is not going to be home most of the summer.  She will be an intern @ Ally Financial this summer.
• Zach is going to be a senior in the Fall and time is slipping away.  I am super excited about his senior year in football.  It was such a crazy wonderful ride last fall.
• Tanner is 12 and spends most of his time outside playing basketball with friends.  He will be in his second year of middle school and will try out for the football team!
• My hubby will have 3 weeks off with us this summer!  and a Monday here and there.

 2.  Spend a week at the beach relaxing with extended family and friends!

 3.  Get the invite to become an Origami Owl Designer.
           I have been on the waiting list for two months now.  I got my first locket for Mother's Day and absolutely love it.

4.  Stay up late!  Sleep late!  Stay in my pajamas all day and read all the books  
     on my beside table - all the ones I don't get to read during the school year.

5.  Get my scrapbooking, crafting groove on some more!
Above is one of my recent double page spreads completed for my son's football team a few years ago!  I loved the paper from TLC.
6.  Create more items for my classroom and TPT.
I have so many ideas spinning around in my brain!  I plan to create many new Vocabulary Activities, but I have to take time away from school too.  I hope to put Scrapbooking above school over the summer time!  Last summer, I don't recall taking a school break!

Favorites Linky

I've missed a few of Mrs. Reed's Linky lately! 

Spring Break brings some free time.

This week, it's all about favorites:

  

Favorite Place to Shop

 

This store always have neat things in the dollar section and the holiday section.

  

Favorite Sweet Treat

 

You can never go wrong with hot brownies and ice cream.  My mouth is watering right now!

  

Favorite TV Show

 

I am a Reality TV junkie.  Currently, I am hooked on the Voice.

 

Favorite Food

 

I love pizza.  Always Have, Always Will!

 

Favorite Restaurant

This place has the BEST steaks ever!

Come back tomorrow for a very exciting post!

Landforms & Ginormous Give Away

We just wrapped up our unit on landforms with a very hands-on activity.  
Last year's landform project was quite time consuming and difficult to complete without several volunteers.  So, this year we changed it up a bit.
First, students painted land and water on a sturdy paper plate.   They dried quickly.

   

Meanwhile, at home, my hubby made a salt dough recipe.

 

YOU WILL NEED:

A cup salt

2 cups of flour

¾ cup of water

 

 The next day, students used the salt dough to create a few landforms of their choice after review.

Here is a valley in the making!

These had to dry over the weekend before painting.

Don't you just love the volcano!

Ocean, river, pond, valley, volcano, 2 mountains.

Ta-da!  Done!  My kiddos loved this & were quite as a mouse (even my most rowdy one) while painting them.

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I am joining Michelle @ Our Sweet Success for a Ginormous Give Away!  You have to check it out and enter!  They are anticipating over $100 in product.

You can link up to join the Give Away until March 1st.

You can begin to enter the GiveAway on March 3.  

I will be offering one of my TPT products for free.  You may want to go ahead and browse my store to pick your favorite.