FRIDAY FREEBIE: Polka Dot Calendar Set!

Happy Friday y'all! In celebration of almost EVERYONE having returned to school, this week's FREEBIE is a BIGGIE! I just love this calendar set and I hope you do too! You'll get all the months of the year, calendar days, plus a set of blanks! For more lovely polka dot creations, check out my store! 

Click me to download! :)

 Enjoy! :)

P.S.--Facebook fans--head on over to my Facebook page to enter a giveaway! 

THURSDAY TIP: Using Vistaprint in the Classroom!

I discovered Vistaprint last May.  In a mere 16 months I have gone from semi-curious browser to full blown addict. When I first discovered Vistaprint, I used their provided templates. As I became more "proficient" with the site, I began designing my own items and uploading the creations.  This has allowed me, especially this year, to furnish my classroom with the designs that I truly adore.  I ALWAYS wait till great deals come along (especially shipping deals) and pay next to nothing for each product!

So you might be wondering...Just how addicted am I?  Well let's take a look.

 

Let's start with the view from my classroom as you first walk in the door. Here you see one banner from Vistaprint and that's IT!  (There's another one on the other side though that you can't see that says "Student of the Month.")  I guess that brings our count to two. 

When you walk into my classroom you see this.  Now, this only LOOKS like 5 items, but it's actually closer to a fifty (if not more!)  Those bins are holding a LOT of items.  There's a bin there for all of my Stamps, Business Cards, Postcards, & Notecards/Magnets/Other small random items. My behavior clip chart is also from Vistaprint! This brings our count to...oh I don't know...100?

Front of my classroom...From left to right...poster with "Strategies for Success", my Writing Idea Jar and Treat Jar were made using Window Decals for  labels, a mug to hold my student sticks, and my "Today's Schedule" & "Planner & Agenda" signs on the board are Car Door magnets! New total? 106(ish).

I like banners the best, especially for putting stuff on the wall!  From left to right: my Treat Bag is a tote, my desk name plates are actually Rack Cards, and all of the other highlighted items are banners that I created! 112.

In the back of the classroom (by the student cubbies), I have this old boring filing cabinet that I spruced up with some Car Door Magnets.  These also serve as friendly reminders as to what students should be doing when they get to school and before they go home. (115)

Now these are just a small portion of what I actually have made for my classroom, but it gives you a visual as to how I use these items!  To see MORE of my creations, check out my Vistaprint Goodies album HERE!

It's Almost Time!

Good evening, y'all! I've been busy!  NO--BUT SERIOUSLY!!

Look at all that paperwork that had to be photocopied and organized and filed!!!  Teachers report back tomorrow morning and we ALSO have our Open House tomorrow night!  So, as of right now, my students' desks are FILLED with  Back to School goodies! 

 

I'm  leaving my students these little goodies in addition to their regular "Welcome-back-to-school-please-let-us-welcome-you-by-giving-you-carpal-tunnel-syndrome" paperwork. (Gotta sweeten up the work load a little bit...) This is a "S'mores Trail Mix" made with Golden Grahams, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips!  Yum!

Quick and easy--even more so for you because I've attached the labels! 

Don't teach 3rd Grade?  Don't worry--I love all grade levels!  You can also get labels for Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade, and 5th Grade!  Wish me luck and have a GREAT night!!!

Let's CELEBRATE!

Well...I survived Irene!  Power's back on, cable & internet are back, and it's no longer raining inside my apartment!  I really lucked out, especially compared to those around me.  So...let's CELEBRATE!

Because I feel like a MILLION BUCKS, I decided that everyone could use something to make THEM feel like a Million bucks!  Here's a copy of the Million Dollar Project that I use in my classroom! I originally used it with my 5th graders for extra credit last year but THIS year, I plan on doing it with my entire class!  Included is an instruction page, rules, a tracking sheet, and a few pages of checks.  Download it soon though because it's only free for the next 48 hours!

Don't have a Teachers Notebook account?  You can download this item at TpT too!

Places I Love to Shop

I like to shop.  I like getting great deals even more.  I hardly ever buy anything at regular price.  It just feels wrong!  Here are some places that I LOVE to shop! 

 1. Target

 

Target is very versatile and I shop here often for really anything I need!  Their stuff is a reasonably priced with a decent amount of class! 

2. Vistaprint

I have a bit of an addiction to this site!  I order SO. MANY. ITEMS. for my classroom from here.  In recent years, I've learned to create my own items and upload my own images. I wait for great sale links and order TONS for my classroom.  To see (most of) my Vistaprint items, click here!

3. Bath & Body Works

This place has me totally hooked.  I LOVE smelly stuff.  They've really upped the ante the last few years too.  Their smells are higher quality and beautiful.  I buy all of my air freshners, body products, & hand soaps from them.  I love their candles too! Yeah...home and classroom are covered by this place!

4. Christmas Tree Shops

I do not have one of these SUPER close to me, so my trips aren't frequent.  You never know what you'll find as most of it is TOTALLY random...but I do enjoy browsing stores like this!

5. Just So Scrappy

I love clip art and making my own STUFF!  So, naturally, I ADORE Just So Scrappy.  The kits are HUGE, sold at a great price, and just totally adorable.  You can do so many things with the graphics.  If I ever lose my teaching job, I would love to become a professional decorator/designer/creator of anything.  Or a cupcake baker.  Or an author. (I told you..I like lots of things.)

6. H & M

Here's another place I don't get to visit often, but I could easily spend hours in this store.  I wish I had more money, because I'd be way more fashionable.  I mostly stick with basics but they do have some fun other items!

7. Amazon

This is where I get all of my digital items and the occasional item shipped.  All of my ebooks and music come from here but you really can get ANYTHING on amazon.  I love stores where you can everything in one stop! That's my kinda place! :D

Where do you LOVE to shop??

Management Monday: Daily 5 Accountability!

How many of you use the Daily 5 in your teaching?  During the holiday season last year, I read The Daily Five  and LOVED the ideas that were introduced.

So, naturally, I completely revamped the way that I taught reading. I went from whole group instruction using a basal to working with novels and literature circles. I LOVED the change!  I was able to form greater relationships with my students, they were given more independence and freedom (which they adored), and students who were usually quiet started to pipe up and talk a LOT in a smaller group setting.  Our conversations were profound and my students literally blew my mind with what they were capable of!

Where my students ROCK MY WORLD!

Because I wanted to keep my 5th graders accountable for what they were doing during group rotations, I created this accountability sheet.  Students had 3 minutes to fill it out every day after our 1-hour literacy block.  I collected them on Friday.  If I noticed students were becoming "habitual" with their choices, I asked them to do something specific to increase their other skills.

Click me to download!

This year, literature circles will not be a part of my reality (*pout*) but I'm still using The Daily Five (albeit heavily modified) in conjunction with our new Reading Series. Now I just need to design a new accountability tool.....;)

What I Did This Summer: The Teacher Edition!

Since we're getting hit with Irene, I'm actually taking some time off from teacher tasks.  I've been working nonstop for a number of weeks now and summer vacation is SO VERY QUICKLY coming to an end. (I don't really do well with vacations.)

I'm going to celebrate some of my summer accomplishments by stepping away from the work world and instead share them with the internet world...mostly as a friendly reminder to myself that I have, indeed, been working hard and it's OKAY to stop for a minute. :D

What I Did During My Summer Vacation

1. Redid my ENTIRE CLASSROOM (and, of course, personalized EVERY poster, label, and sign).

2. Completed 1.4 million Pinterest and PT Projects.

 3. Wrote a Classroom Procedural Handbook.

 4. Wrote a Classroom Handbook.

5. Updated (more like completed redid) my entire classroom website.

6. Typed up EVERY Skill, Strategy, Story Title, Genre, Question of the Week, Big Question, Spelling & Vocabulary List, and Story Summary (WITH Family Discussion Questions!) for EVERY STORY in our new Reading series! (Steal some of these goodies here and here!)

7. Started a Teacher's Notebook store and made a handful of Classroom Theme Packs.

8.  Completed 2 ..maybe 3....okay 6 Vistaprint orders.

9. Shared a LOT of requested items on PT!

10. Started blogging!  (<--Hopefully no link is required...??)

...And much more!  Now, of course I squeezed in some family time and a little bit of fun as well, but the regret is starting to set in.  So, although I hope everyone is staying safe and doing well with Irene passing through, I'm taking a moment to be thankful for the day off (and Redbox)! :)  CHEERS!

PIN-spiration!

Aren't I just clever with titles?!  I've become rather addicted to my computer this summer.  Now that summer's winding down, I figured maybe I'd share with you what I've been DOING this summer!

I get inspiration from all over the place: PT, Pinterest, teaching blogs, and random internet searches.  You never know what you'll find and EVERYTHING'S available on the internet!  I worked on project after project this summer, thanks to the aforementioned items. Here's a small handful of my creations!

These two projects were inspired by both Pinterest AND PT! The Birthday balloons are just colored cardstock attached to a funky straw. I will give one of these to each student on their birthday, along with a "Birthday Banana"! (More to come soon on student birthdays in the classroom!) The flower pot is my new beautiful pen bouquet!

 

Somewhere on Pinterest I found a GREAT sub binder!  It was fantastic--lots of goodies inside for when you're out!  This "Sub Tub" has folders in it with the sub plans along with copies of important documents (our Procedural Handbook, for example) that may come in handy!  I also put some extra goodies (Read Alouds, Brainquest cards, etc.) for the sub, as well as a bag of popcorn, just for an extra thank you! (It's great to have everything in one location!)

One of my first pins was actually a weekly menu board created from scrapbooking paper and a photo frame.  I thought to myself--I NEED that on my desk for a Teacher To Do list!  And so, I bought a frame and threw this funky little frame insert inside it.  (I'm hoping this list miraculously takes care of itself before school starts by the way.)

These Brain Break Sticks were another great idea that I found!  They'll be a great addition to our classroom this year!

And last..but not least...here's an example of the scratch off tickets that I made for my classroom this summer!  (I used my yuckiest one for this picture. I have some seriously poor painting skills....WHY do my circles look like ameobas?! Pseudopod-esque!!)  I actually ordered postcards from Vistaprint to make these. I was able to fit 2 on one postcard and I mixed up the prizes so that those smart 3rd graders don't figure out any patterns! I actually ordered 2 sets, giving me a total of 400 cards.  I'll be lucky if I give all of these out before 2030, but the kiddos will LOVE them! :)

There are many more projects that I have yet to complete but they'll come with time.  Where do you get YOUR inspiration??

FRIDAY FREEBIE: Behavior Clip Chart!

Good morning and Happy Friday!  Here's your freebie for the day: a Behavior Clip Chart!  This chart is a great system for behavior management in the classroom. To see how I use this tool, visit this page!

This graphic can be uploaded to posters or banners (think Vistaprint!) to make one super sweet Behavior Clip Chart for your classroom!  Use it in any way you desire! The Behavior Clip Chart graphic is also included in all of my Classroom Theme packs (with coordinating color schemes)--so check out my store if you want something groovier! :)

As an added bonus, you can also download the Responsibility Task that I use! 

 Have a great weekend!

THURSDAY TIP: Managing Questions!

You're a teacher.  You know how it is. You plan a great lesson.  You're teaching said great lesson.  Your students are attentive and lively and learning lots. Then a student raises their hand.  You call on them because they have a lovely smile on their face.  (They MUST have something profound and interesting to say!) And they do.

"When's lunch?" 


GAH!  

I know--it happens daily!!  So how do you help to control it?!  Well, kids will be kids. They will always ask when lunch is, even if it's 9 am. They will always interrupt your Author's Purpose lesson to inquire about a bathroom trip.  And they'll always stop your Read Aloud to alert you that there's a staple on the floor.

In order to assist with everyday chaos control, I use the palm vs. fist strategy in my classroom.  When I'm teaching a lesson, if a student has a statement OR a response to my question, they raise their hand.

Notice question in sea of answers!

If they have a QUESTION (of. any. kind.), they raise a fist.

I ALWAYS go to questions last because it helps to control the flow of the lesson.  (Plus the question may be answered by the time I'm done.)  Also, if it's a non-related question, it doesn't interrupt the "meat" of the lesson.

This technique also requires student metacognition. They have to first decide if what they have to say is a statement or a question.  During the beginning of the year, you will have LOTS of "jerky arms" and scrunched up foreheads as they figure this out. (Hey, I get my fun in when I can. :D)

But that's not all!  Because kids are "naturally curious," I also use this in my classroom.

Meet Perpetually Pondering Pig. 

Perpetually Pondering Pig (or P.P.P, for short) is a fun little tool that I use in my classroom!  He is, essentially, a question jar.  Any of those RANDOM questions that students LOVE to ask while you're teaching go inside of P.P.P.  He can also be used as a great motivator for students who need a little confidence boost when they're working on an extra hard task.  Sometimes I just set him on the corner of their desk (he IS Perpetually Pondering after all).  Whenever we get some free time (we all know how often that is), I pull the questions out and answer them...assuming that a) I can and 2) they're appropriate!

I'd LOVE to know how others help to control the questioning chaos in THEIR rooms!