Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Wordless Wednesday and LAST DAY


I haven't participated in this before, but it seems like something right down my alley.


We've been using centers to review for the tests that start WEDNESDAY...eek!! How do you review for big tests?

Also don't forget that today is the last day for two big deals: my giveaway AND the TPT sale!




Tuesday, May 6, 2014

TPT Loves Their Teachers

It's here! It's here! I don't know about you, but I love Teacher Appreciation Week. We are always treated to some goodies at school courtesy of our sweet PTO (Potato bar today, yay!), and there are usually a few freebies around town to pick up as well. This morning, the hubs and I stopped by McDonald's for free small McCafe drinks. Yummy hot chocolate always helps start my day on the right track!

But anyway, you may have heard that TPT was throwing a sale to honor us as well! My entire store is 20% off today and tomorrow. Then you can use the code TPTXO to receive an extra 10% (totaling 28% at most stores)! You can't beat it! I'm emptying some of my humongous wish list today :-)

Graphic courtesy of Michelle at The 3AM Teacher

And don't forget that my big giveaway also ends tomorrow at midnight!


And I'm sorry for all the short, non-teacher related posts recently. I promise to share something more substantial soon. We're in MAJOR crunch time because by this time two weeks from now, all of my 3-5 students will have finished their Reading SOLs. I'm a little freaked out!

Happy shopping!

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Figurative Language Writing for Mother's Day

If you need an idea for Mother's Day in your classroom, I blogged about a sweet writing solution over at Adventures in Literacy Land today. Go check it out!


And don't forget that my giveaway ends on at midnight on May 7!

Friday, May 2, 2014

Currently MAY!!

Hooray for May!! This year has been tough, and I'm not 100% sure why. Maybe it's because of all the snow days, maybe the kids just aren't as motivated...I just don't feel like I'm seeing the progress that I should, and I'm honestly ready to just start over and hope for the best with the end of this year. I know that sounds terrible, but I'm exhausted and frustrated. Do you ever have years like that? Last year, I could look at most of my kids by the end of the year and say, "Wow! They've grown so much!" What's different this year? I even have some of the same kids. We don't finish until June 17, but May is when we begin our state tests so it still signifies the end of the year to me.

Anyway, let's get down to the real reason why you're here!


Listening: I don't know about you, but I enjoy the quiet of the morning at school. It helps me relax and get ready for the day!

Loving: If you've followed me for a while, you may know that I've really been struggling with motivation this year, including working out. I lost my pregnancy weight over a year ago, and I was just at a plateau where I didn't feel like anything was helping me tone - Insanity, Zumba, Jillian Michaels...I was frustrated. Well, I've been meaning to renew my gym membership and try weights. So I went during Spring Break and got a membership that included classes. So far, I've already gone at least twice a week, and I'm planning on doing Body Pump twice a week once I can get my schedule to work out. That first class was HARD, but it was so rewarding!


Thinking: This is the year of babies! My sister had a baby girl back in March who I finally got to meet at the beginning of April...
Don't you just LOVE her and the little crab bow?

Well, now we're preparing for Steven's sister to have her little boy! Tomorrow is the big shower, and I've got some things to get ready tonight. I'll have to take pictures and share (maybe I'll even participate in Monday Made-It). She's going with a nautical theme, and I'm making a bunting sign for her little boy. Plus I ordered some precious cupcakes that I can't wait to get tonight and see!

Wanting: Kind of explained this earlier, so I won't say much more. Just that we have 1 1/2 more weeks before we start testing. Our tests are all on the computer, so it takes a little longer. However, this year we are taking FOUR WEEKS for all three grades to finish tests. I'm going to be a testing zombie by the end because I help with them pretty much every day. Yuck!

Needing: This is a busy (but fun) time of year. We got a ton of rain earlier this week, and I honestly hoped that the roads would be too flooded for us to have school yesterday. I know. We've already had 12-ish snow days AND I just finished saying how I want more review time. But I'm still exhausted. At least I'll have Sunday to relax all day since our church had to cancel for some HUGE bike race that will basically make it impossible to get to my church. 

Surprise: I went to my last post about my giveaway (which you should definitely enter if you haven't) and picked one of my sweet followers who has already commented. Go show Jamie some love...



...and then go enter my giveaway!



Thursday, May 1, 2014

850 Follower Giveaway

It's been a long time coming, but I have finally finished putting together my big giveaway!! For all of your patience and support, I felt like you deserved 5 chances to win, and I have some amazing bloggers helping out. You have until midnight EST of May 8 (so by the end of day next Wednesday) to enter, so good luck!


Prize Pack #1 - Winner's Choice K-2:

Creations from the South

Eclectic Educating




Prize Pack #2 - Winner's Choice 3-5:

Teaching Tales Along the Yellow Brick Road


Fifth in the Middle

Polka Dot Lesson Plans

Miss Lifesaver

Luckeyfrog's Lilypad

BlogButton
TPT Store (no bundles)

I'm Lovin' Lit
TPT Store


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Prize Pack #3 - Literacy:








Prize Pack #4 - Math and Other Resources:









a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prize Pack #5:





Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Main Idea Testing Tip

Man, it was crazy today at school! We had class pictures, and the schedule ended up getting so far behind. I didn't even get to work with my 3rd graders, and I won't have them tomorrow because they'll be on a field trip. The good news was that it gave me more time to work on and finish my progress reports since they go home with report cards tomorrow and I may have completely ignored them over spring break.

I'm actually blogging over at Literacy Land today with a great trick for main idea questions. It's short and simple, just how I like things!


Then be sure to stop by Bex's blog (a fellow Literacy Land blogger) to celebrate her recent milestones with a giveaway! I'm in the winner's choice pack, and I think I'll be entering for a new pencil sharpener as well :-)


Monday, April 21, 2014

I'm BAAACK!!!

Wow, that was TOUGH staying away from blogging entirely (especially going into Bloglovin once a week to mark almost 200 posts as read without even glimpsing at the titles), but I can definitely say that I am refreshed and ready to go!

Today was our first day back from Spring Break, and it's crunch time for us. We have 3 1/2 weeks before SOL testing begins, and there are only 8 1/2 weeks left of school. Eek!! I have so much left to teach and review!

Right now, I'm working on context clues with my 3rd and 4th grade students. I bought this book a few years back, and it's great! The book focuses on eight different strategies to help, so I went through and made copies of the ones my students tend to struggle with the most. They have already shown some growth, but we still need to practice a LOT.

Using Context Clues To Help Kids Tackle Unfamiliar Words

In 5th grade, I began a poetry/figurative language focus before break. I bought Kathleen's (Middle Grades Maven) Poetry Analysis booklet that has been the perfect review. The kids are really enjoying the poems, which are just the right level for them. And the questions really get them to think more in-depth about what the poem is trying to say. They still can't label most of the figurative language on their own, but I'm just excited that they can usually explain what the author meant by it!

Poetry Analysis Booklet

On the blogging end, I'm going to start getting everything ready for my big giveaway (right now I'm sitting at 850 followers - wow!) and hope to post it by the weekend. I've already got some amazing blogger friends signed up to help, but if you would like to join me in the celebration, the form is here. I will, of course, list your blog and hopefully send some new followers your way!