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.    

Currently in September

A little late, but I'm linking up with the September Currently from Oh Boy 4th Grade and Farley! 

 Gosh, things I need to get into routine in September to last me throughout the year - exercise, leaving school earlier (especially if I'm spending at least one day at school on the weekends!), which then translates into spending more time with my family!  Hopefully, we'll be able to take that beach day we told the kids we'd try in September! :)

It's been a little crazy (and time consuming) since school has started.  I am still trying to blog once a week, but even my Instagram has slowed down a bit!  That, and my class has simply worn me out each night!  Once again, I am boy heavy :) but I also have a child who does not read English, and another who is at a readiness level for reading.  Pair that with 5 other PrePrimers....along with other levels up to 6th grade - yeah, it's been a little time consuming. :)  It's one of the reasons I'm up late tonight, because I was determined to finish a word family packet to use with my struggling readers.

I've uploaded it to {TpT }with a free sample on the preview of the "ink" family.  I called it "Packet 1" since I'm determined to do more! :)  I'm going to try to incorporate different activities for each packet, so that it doesn't become "stale" with my students (although they could do word searches all day long if I'd let them!).

Cynthia Rylant Author Study

So, I am loving this idea of author studies!  Previously, we did Eric Carle since it went with our "Mixed Up Chameleon" story in our Harcourt Trophy series.  (I stretched it out for two weeks).

Last week and this week, we are focusing on Cynthia Rylant.  She writes two stories in our series:  Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon (they only print the first chapter) and Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane.  

I think my kids have decided sequencing is fun, so many of the packets I created include sequencing.  I have to admit, we do read aloud before lunch and its a great "revisit" tool after lunch for writing.  Students identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story using the sequencing strips we've already put in order!  We even have a chart started, so students can see and (hopefully) model their own writing after it!  I'm embarrassed to say my chart is very crude looking (just a list really) compared to other anchor charts on blogs, so I'll forgo putting a pic of it on here! :)

So, here are the packs I've completed so far and uploaded to TpT (and soon to Teacher's Notebook!):  Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon, The Relatives Came, Henry and Mudge Best Day of All, Poppleton (Book One), and Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog.  Please check them out on my TpT store!  I would post a pic of each (because I know it helps when you can see them!), but after participating in our PTA yard sale today and my daughter's birthday tomorrow (and glancing at the time and realizing I told my husband I'd be home 40 minutes ago!) I'll have to skip it today!

Oh, one last thing!  Did you know Brain Pop Jr has a segment on Cynthia Rylant?  Too cool!  My kids just like the fact that she was born in Virginia - it really helped them connect to her!  Well, that and a big loveable dog we all know! :)