Hop On Over to the Easter Sale!

I'm jumping on the bandwagon with other TpT sellers and hosting an Easter Sale!  My entire store will be 20% off Sunday and Monday.  I'm also linking up with Teaching Momster for a sale linky, so you can see which stores are participating!

 

Some of my newest products, you've seen in my previous posts.  However, I've been busy this Spring Break and have added a few more!

I've added a Reference Bundle to join with my "Virginia SOL Map Skills" bundle.  Some of the items included in the reference bundle are:

There's also "Underwater ABC Order", "Using An Atlas", "How Do You Web?", and "Dictionary Detective."  The set is $5.00 for right now (a total value of $8.00), but as I add to it, the price will go up.  This would be an excellent buy now because you'd get it on sale, plus anything I add to it will be a free download for you!  I saw another buyer do this idea, and thought how cool the idea was!  I plan on doing a few more bundles as well!

I've also added a packet for this set of books here:

I at first ordered them from Scholastic a long time ago, thinking I'd use them for fluency readers.  I've since moved on from that thinking and decided how great they would go in one of my centers about vowels or word building!  I did a similar single sheet for the Star Wars set, but will revise that and add it to my store when I'm finished (that might be on my summer to do list!).  Students not only word hunt, but there is a comprehension component to each story as well.  Who doesn't love Scooby? :)

A few of my favorites:

So, happy shopping and be sure to check out Teaching Momster's link up! 

Caution: Forbidden Post!

Well, no, not really.  But I AM double posting on the same day (shocker, I know!).  If you read my earlier post, the "best seller" linky is not quite set up yet (whoops)....so be sure to check it out maybe tomorrow or later tonight?

So, in the interest of making everyone happy on a Sunday evening (when we are yawning and trying to finish up those last minute projects), I am linking up with Lucky in First for her "Freebies on the Fifteenth!"

 

My freebie is an oldie but a goodie.  Lately on Instagram, we've been discussing spelling and word study.  One of my teammates also was asking me what to do (she moved from a SPED position to classroom teacher), especially when you have kids that are low (you have to do activities in group) and kids that are high (you can have them do activities independently).

So, my freebie I'm offering today is my "Word Study Games."  I'd LOVE to be able to show you a sample, but alas, my hard drive has fried (grrr) and my laptop apparently has a burned out backlight (????).   So instead, head on over to TpT and check it out with the link above.  I hope you'll be able to use it! :)

Time To Link Up! Best Seller LInky

 Caitlin and Carrie from Table Talk with C&C are hosting a very exciting *TpT Best Seller Linky Party and Giveaway* this week.  I am very excited to be donating my best selling reading activity for this linky and giveaway!  They wanted to have a linky and giveaway that showcases all of your hard work and dedication to making your products meaningful and engaging for your students.  We all know how passionate we are about blogging and TpT product making, that we wanted to also celebrate all your hard work and accomplishments as a TpT seller.  The countless hours of creativity you put into these beautifully and thoughtfully made products deserve a little bit more love!  Why not celebrate them right here, right now?!?! Who's with us?  

The best part is that we connected with 14 TpT Sellers who have donated their best *reading activity* seller item and we want you enter to win them!!!  Enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win ALL of our donator’s Top Selling *reading activity* TpT Product! Yes, you heard me correctly all 14 items FREE!!  

Starting today, 9/15/13, you will have a chance to share your best reading activity seller through the linky AND enter the rafflecopter to win all of these amazing products!

Here's how it's going to work.  

1. Take a look through your TpT Store and sort your products by "Best Sellers."  

2. Find the product that is your best selling "reading " related product.

3. Link up your "BEST SELLING READING ACTIVITY."  

4. Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a *FREE* best selling reading activity!

5. Spread the word about the linky and giveaway through all your social media!!

The *best selling reading activity* linky will be up for one week and then we will share the winner from the rafflecopter!  The schedule for the linkys are below! 

We hope you will all join us and we celebrate the hard work, creativity, and countless hours that we have put into making teaching and learning more fun and engaging!! :)

Sooo...looking at my "best sellers," once I sorted the list, I was surprised at what I found.  I'm certainly proud of all of my babies products, but I didn't think this was THE "best seller."  I'm such a proud mama teacher-author!

(drumroll)

It's one of my earlier works from several years ago.  It's an "active" way to review how and when we use reference materials, such as the Internet, atlas, encyclopedia, books, dictionaries, etc.  I have it marked for grades second through sixth, since some concepts are not covered by some states in second.  However, here in Virginia, we have to know them ALL!  

You can set this up as a scavenger hunt in your room with students as teams, pairs, or individuals, depending on their level.  In the past, I've had several sets of cards for each team/pair, and when they have recorded the answer to one question (or told me orally, depending on the reading/writing level), they earn the next "clue."  Students LOVE playing detective, and that's essentially what the review is!  I love for my writing to be active and exciting when it can, so this definitely was a labor of love for me!

To quote one of my favorite reviews:  "This looks awesoome! Great opportunity to review with other grades as well. Good back to school or back from vacation brain waker-upper!"  Be sure to check it out at the bargain price of $1.00! :)

Be sure to link up with Caitlin and Carrie, or just check out the other links out there!  It would be so cool to win all of these great products.    

Saturday Snapshots

I'm linking up with Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera (for the first time) for Saturday snapshots.  I've spent so much time on Instagram lately (it really IS an addiction - almost as bad as Pinterest!) that I definitely have some to share! :)

So, I've been doing a lot of back-to-school/new classroom theme shopping.  I've been working on a Safari Theme (not quite sure WHAT to call it - "Join Our Learning Safari" or "Join Us for Some Wild Times"???  still working on that!).  After looking at the customized planners people are buying, I had one of those "I could do that" moments, and created my own safari theme.  I'm hopefully putting it on my store soon...I keep finding things to put in it! It will be "customizable" so that you can make it your own!  :)  Here are the actual planning pages:

We had a "bear attack" earlier this week - it's okay, we had a "fearless hunter" (the 6 yr old) get rid of it!

My summer reading:

Getting crafty - goes with my new theme, but figure I can also use it when I change themes as well :)  First time using modge podge as well!

 Refurbished a basket - I swear, I think I'm getting addicted to spray paint!  Hah hah - I even talked to my husband about painting his drum set with glitter spray paint!

So tired of using page protectors - love the fact that these are out now (and maybe will last longer!)...found them cheaper at Michael's using my 40% than at Target for $1 each.

Enjoying summer.  In between the rainy days, we've made it a couple of times to use our passes to Busch Gardens and Water Country!

So those are some of my photos from the past couple weeks - be sure to check out Miss Nelson's blog and link up! :)

International Blog Hop Day and Freebies!

So I was doing my usual blog stalking today (looove not having to do it late at night....I'm finding so many great ideas this summer!)....and ran across Kreative in Kinder and TBA's "International Blog Hop Day"!  After checking out the great freebies, I racked my brain to figure out what freebie I had would measure up to some of the great ones I saw out there! 



So, instead of picking just one, I picked three to share :)  Each one focuses on a reading skill:  nonfiction (Animal Matrix), Treasure Hunt (word hunt using given features from word study) and Fact/Opinion (rockets).  Click on the pictures to take you to my TpT store to check them out! :)  I also have several other freebies in my store, so be sure to check them out!

Everything Graduation and Awards PK-2 Linky Party

I'm linking up with Enriching Kinders to throw a linky party AND giveaway!  Please be sure to go visit her blog and link up!  We're also doing 3 giveaways, including one of her fabulous math packs (zoo animals!!!), my Life Cycle Scoot/Life Cycles pack, and a $10 TpT certificate! 


So, the purpose behind it?  Our school system kind of threw us for a loop and told us that instead of doing grade level graduation/awards ceremonies, we are doing individual ones.  In our classroom.  Yikes!  I may have to break into the school on Memorial Day and do some serious cleaning!!!! (see previous post...while not my desk, it's VERY similar!).  Anyway, looking for some ideas on what YOU do for graduation/awards....sing special songs?  Serve punch and cookies?  Make up awards for every student?  Do a little song and dance?


I've seen some great awards out there people are throwing on TpT for free, which THANK YOU to those that have!  However, we're expected to have 30-45 minutes of a presentation for parents.....so, you can see why I keep babbling on about this. :)  Am I the only one with stage fright in front of parents?  I mean, I SING to my students (and trust me, this can be scary!), but it makes me nervous being in front of so many parents!  So, please be sure to do the following:


1.  Visit Enriching Kinders and grab her graphic
2.  Blog about what you do
3.  Link back up on her site
4.  Please be sure to leave a comment for the drawing! :)

Another One Bites the Dust (linky party)

I'm linking up to "Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher" (great name!) for her end-of-year linky party.  I think it's great to reflect on the great (and not so great) things of the school year.  The rules are as follows:


1.  Write about 3 great and 3 not so great things about this year.
2.  Link back to the original post here.

Okay, here we go.....

THE GREAT :)
1.  Working with the Collaborative Class
This is not something new for me, but the SPED teacher and assistant I worked with this year were absolutely WONDERFUL!  I never felt self-conscious about being goofy with my kids or trying new things.  It was great to have the two of them to bounce ideas off of, to commiserate with during hard times, and vent to about "that student."  I cannot say enough good things about the two of them....it was just one of those relationships that just "clicked."  I have already volunteered to take the collab. class next year as well! :)

2.   Pinterest/Blogging/TPT/TN
I figure this is going to make a lot of lists.My friend showed me Pinterest and having been a Google images searcher for years (I'd rather search the images than deal with all the descriptions!), it just seemed so natural to me!  From Pinterest came the discovery of thousands (I mean, really...have you not SEEN my blog roll???) of FABULOUS teacher blogs that are out there, which of course inspired me to start my own!  Then, that led to Teachers Pay Teachers and Teacher's Notebook (which saved me from having to spend my whole weekend working at a second job!).....you get the picture.  I HAD to combine it all in one since it all rolled into one another, like dominoes. :)


3.  Literacy Centers/The Electric Company
Okay, if you've read my blog for awhile, you know I am a HUGE MEGA FAN of The Electric Company.  Having watched from the 70s, this new reincarnation began showing in my classroom last year.  However, this year I took it several steps further and created literacy centers/reading activities for each episode.  One of these days, I'll get it all together and throw it on TpT or TN....you can read about it in my earlier posts, but I think this is such a FANTASTIC resource for low readers!  It grabs their attention and the students have responded so well to it!  This then led to my refurbishing my (very lacking) literacy centers into what they are today.....again, thanks in part to all the blogs out there giving me such great ideas!


THE NOT SO GREAT :(
1.  "That Student":  Yes, there is one every year and once they are out of my classroom, I still maintain a positive relationship with them, but this year's was very different.  There are times when I really don't like him (shhhh!  don't tell!).  He can be such a sweetheart, then turn into the biggest jerk in a matter of seconds...like an invisible switch flipping for no reason!  Yes, I will probably maintain a good relationship with him out of the classroom, like I do with my others, but I have to admit....I realized today I only have to deal with him for 13 1/2 more days and...well....I did a mental victory dance.  Shameful, I know!


2.  The Earthquake
August 23, 2011 really changed a lot of lives around here and really screwed up our school year.  Being the darn epicenter of this east coast shaker frankly....sucked.  While I am soooooo grateful my school didn't receive anything more than cosmetic damage (and SOMETHING happened to our pipes....seriously....a 2 yr old school and our pipes creak and groan when you use the hot water!), it still STINKS that my students and my family JUMP every time we hear something that sounds vaguely like an aftershock.  That, and my house received damage as well.  Now, you CA bloggers...I love ya, and I'm hoping you're not rolling your eyes at this point, but when you live in a place that everything else happens (except tsunamis and volcanoes), it comes as quite a shock since you are so unprepared!  That, and having a hurricane go thru the county (fortunately no damage) and a tornado less than a month later....yeah, we were "disaster county" there for awhile!


3.  Organization.......
Okay, so I really really really try to be an organized person....I really DO!  If I don't stop myself, I become the container hoarder....I buy and buy and will FIND things to put in them!  Two years ago, when the school I'm at now opened, I was shocked that there were NO closets!  I felt I was pretty organized before because frankly, I could hide things behind a closed door!  While we do have a wardrobe and metal cabinet to use, as well as cubbies, my pretty red countertop is often COVERED!  I go into other rooms and cringe, wondering why I'm having so much difficulty!  I'm slowly trying to tame the beast....I mean, after 14 years of teaching and three grade levels....I still have things in my attic!  I lucked out into finding some drawers at Walmart on clearance and I'm using those for my literacy centers.  I'm also using blogs and Pinterest for inspiration....so hopefully I'll be up to challenging myself next year to keep that counter CLEAN!  It's a slow but sure process....


*So there I am.  Nope, didn't say "Guided Reading" like so many others.  I actually really enjoy doing guided reading and have 3 binders FILLED with plans, from Levels D to T (some with more plans on levels than others!).  If you ever need help with it, please let me know!  Chances are I might have a plan for your book, or I can certainly help you create one! :)


Happy End of Year! 

Linky Party: How You Met :)

Okay, so Chrissy B. (cool name by the way!) is having a linky party over on her blog, Buzzing with Ms. B...you'll have to check it out. :) I have an interesting story in how I met my (now) husband of almost 12 years.

Let's see....okay, so it was waaay back in 2000 :) and I was working my second year at a rural elementary school and living outside Richmond VA in a one-bedroom apartment...my first "real place" besides the home I had grown up in! My best friend at the time, Kathy, and I were waay into the local hockey scene at the time (alas, we are now sorely lacking a team), and if I wasn't at the game with her and her hubby, I was exploring this new computer I had bought and surfing the 'net with (hee hee) Compuserve. Anyone remember that? Kind of poor man's AOL.

Anyway, used to spend some time in the chat rooms (a bad habit I picked up from some of my friends in college) and found a group that was around my age that we just joked around, etc. It was cool - we were from all over, and I loved the fact that we were friends. Great thing about the Internet - no one cares what you look like, what you're wearing, or how ugly your hand-me-down sofa is! (mine was 70s plaid, but I LOVED it--sooo comfortable and you had to, honestly, roll out of it to get up!).

Anyway, so I would hang with my Internet buddies and one night, got to talking to this one guy and he mentioned coming to Richmond to a hockey game. Let me say, flashing lights and buzzers went off---I was sooo freaked out when I found out he only was 30 minutes away from me! Did I mentioned I liked the fact that everyone was from all over????

So, after chatting for awhile, I decided we could meet....as friends....for a hockey game, with Kathy and her hub in tow. Went to the game (and I had actually gotten into the....ugh....match.com type thing, by the way, and so far, I had been 0-3) and...........he didn't show up. Well, he did, we just missed each other.

Soooo....we tried again. Don't ask me why. Maybe it was gut feeling, maybe it was guilt :) This time, I decided to (gasp) give him directions to my apartment, and he showed up like a plaid lumberjack, complete with beard. We made it to the hockey game, my friend's hub at one point leaned over (who was like an older brother to me) and said "he's good--keep this one."

Let's just say....the meet up became a date, then became an engagement in March, a wedding in July.....what can I say? We didn't want to live apart for another year, and here we are almost 12 years later with an 11 and 5 year old. He cuts out my laminating and puts up with the fact that I am totally obsessed with teaching and stay waaay too late each night, and I respect that he's a drummer, a golfer (gasp), and has a bad habit of letting things pile up (okay, I'll admit it, me too!).

Here's a pick of the loves of my life (yes, I'm camera shy and usually the photographer!)



So, that's my looong story! Hope you found it interesting! Be sure to link up with Ms. B! :) Gosh, and I just invited my mom to look at my blog! LOL I can hear her now....what does this have to do with teaching??? :)