October Writing FREEBIE with a little of this and that:)

My Sunday started off in the BEST way! Look what I woke up to...

Yup, that's breakfast in bed! Hubby works 3rd and gets home about 8am. I woke up to the smell of Belgian Waffles and a pumpkin spice latte on my nightstand! Let me tell you, it was delicious! I loved turning on the TV and hanging out in bed for awhile! I could get used to this:) But I knew I had to get busy on the long list of things to do! I only had a 2 hours to do so since hubby was at the gym. I don't like making a lot of noise around the house during the day when he is sleeping! 

So in two hours I got done...
-vacuumed the whole house
-cleaned the litter box
-3 loads of laundry (still in process)
-dishes done, dishwasher emptied
-cooked my Turkey Eggwhite Strata for breakfast during the week

-cooked my pumpkin protein bars for my snack for the week

-got my salsa chicken in the crock pot for my lunches for the week. Still need to make the quinoa!

AND...I finished my October Writing Calendar! I use this calendar for morning work. It is simple and easy! I place one copy on the board and the kids look at what their prompt is for the day! They have a special notebook to do these writing prompts in. 

I don't like giving math morning work because not everyone is in the classroom. Plus, my kids have a few other things to do every morning. So if they get to the prompt...awesome! If they don't, oh well-no big deal! 

So what I did this month was make two different calendars. One with the actual 2012 dates for October and one that is blank. This way, I can use it next year and not have to worry about the dates! You can pick these up in both of my stores! But...keep reading;)

You can use these calendars in many ways!

For today ONLY I am giving away this October calendar for FREE! Just leave me a comment and tell me

-follow my blog
-your favorite thing about fall

-your email address. Otherwise you won't be able to get this item;)

Have a GREAT Sunday!

Text Features Freebie and a Buy 1 get 1 FREE end of quater sale!

This afternoon, my teammate and I planned out literacy for two weeks. Over the next two weeks we are going to cover text features with our Reading Street story of Hottest, Coldest, Highest Deepest. Students will need to know how text features help them in their reading. 

So I created a Text Features Interactive Notebook for them to use while I do my lessons.

In this notebook I have 13 different text features I will cover in the course of 2 weeks. I used pictures from Beth Newingham's posters and placed them in the notebook.

I only used the example pictures so students can write their own definition and how it helps them when reading. There is even space for them to draw a picture.

As I am teaching them, I plan on making an anchor chart similar to this one. This way we can keep it up all year long!

If you are interested in getting this for yourself, you can download it HERE for free:) I hope you like it! 

On a completly different subject...it is nearing the end of the quarter. I wanted to do something different than just have my store on sale! SO.....

Thank you Thistlegirl for the graphics, Print Candee for the frame and Ginger Snaps for the fonts!

Yup, you read it right! I will have my TPT store buy one get one FREE all weekend long..well, starting tomorrow;) AND 20% off!

You buy any item and you can get an item for free of equal or lesser value. Just email me the item you bought, leave feedback, and then tell me the one item you want for FREE. It's that simple! 

If you want to join in the end of the quarter buy 1 get 1 free sale, just post the picture to your blog! I would love it if you would join me! 

Off to bed for me, I am t.i.r.e.d! Have a great Thursday tomorrow!

DPI visits my school...and MY class...for 45 minutes!

So DPI, AKA..Department of Instruction, was at my school today, visiting classrooms and talking with staff! We were told to make sure our lesson plans were out, I can statements were up, just in case they walked into our rooms. And if they came into our rooms, they would stay for 20-30 minutes. 

So about 11:35 I was eating lunch and texting my hubby to tell him they haven't stopped by yet. He reassured me that they probably will in the afternoon for math....thanks babe! haha! 

Well, he was right! Just as I started to go over our math test in walks TWO people in suits from DPI...great:( I kept on doing what I normally do. Throughout my review I used my Whole Brain Teaching strategies of "Teach/OK" and "class/yes" or "subway/eat fresh" or "spaghetti/meatballs" like I always do. Boy...did I get some looks from the DPI people...in a good way! 

After the review we went into math workshop. I met with my low group first and did my lesson while the others did their center or calendar. The DPI people walked around with cameras taking picture of everything they could. They also were asking questions to the kids about what they were doing. I heard the man say, "Wow, you do a math calendar?" The boy got up and showed him what we do! LOVE IT! Next thing I know, my 20-30 minutes turned into 45 minutes! I hope that was a good thing! 

I know they are back tomorrow but I am sure they won't stop by again! Or so I hope! I hate being watched like that! 

On a side note, I made this PowerPoint to use on Thursday when I teach making sense of adding and subtracting equations. This is new to the 3rd grade curriculum...thanks CCSC! So I had to dig and find resources. It is simple, and right to the point! With some practice questions of course! Thanks to the EnVisions online kit!

Thanks Ginger from Ginger Snaps for the AWESOME fonts! I just LOVE them!

If you are interested in having this PowerPoint for FREE, just leave me a note with your email and I will get it to you as soon as possible! I hope you all have a GREAT evening!

Place value block party=freebie!

Who doesn't love a party??? Tomorrow we are going to have place value blocks everywhere during math as we will be practicing adding 3-digit numbers using models. Now, I know that my third graders have used this strategy before in 2nd grade...but as part of the common core, this is one of the strategies I need to teach! 

I created this activity to help students remember how to regroup with place value blocks! I hope it helps them with this strategy!

 I will give the first 10 people to leave a comment this presentation for FREE. Just tell me how you teach addition with using models? Don't forget to leave your email:) 

 And just a reminder...my TPT and TN stores are on sale 20% off until tomorrow. I also have a giveaway going on at my TN shop!

Here's to a great week!

Science fun and a TPT sale!

HAPPY Friday friends! I have been looking forward to this day since, well last Sunday night! It sure has been a LONG week and I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend...are you? I know for me it started off right! I went out for a drinks and apps with my friend right after work, picked up dinner for my hubby and me (also dessert), and stopped and got a coffee. Now I am home, showered, ate, and relaxing for the night! 

I do have one amazing thing to share before I get into some pictures! I have a young man in my class, who is well, a challenge. Each day is very different and I never know what I am going to get.It is very difficult to get him to focus and do work...but I am always trying to find ways to motivate him! I always keep a positive attitude around him and try and make the best out of every situation. Well, at the end of the day, before he gets on the bus, I always ask him if I can have a hug. It is always no. And I am ok with that. I keep telling myself one of these days I will get a hug! Well, yesterday...I got one! I walked him to the bus, asked him again like I do every day for a hug and he opened his arms and latched on! I was SO happy! Loved it! So today...I asked again. I got a head shake in the form of NO as he was running to the bus! HAHA! Maybe next week;)

So this week's skill was sequence. We did our story of the week and partners used chart paper to make a sequence map of the story! The LOVE using chart paper...do your kids?

So I also introduced our science topic for the quarter! We are working on Earth, Moon and Sun.  I have a lot of fun projects I love to do with this unit! I like the Oreo cookie moon phases! I am also thinking about a paper mache 3D project! 

So since we started today, the kids had to work in pairs about what they KNOW and WANT to know about the Earth, Moon and Sun!  They used their science notebooks. Then, I gave them each 3 pink sticky notes for the KNOW in each category, and 3 green for the WANT to know in each category. One of these pictures has my buddy actually working! It made me so happy to see him working!

They had to pick ONE thing to share and place on the board. 

They are so excited to learn more and I am excited to teach it! 

So, onto my TPT sale! I LOVE fall! It is my favorite season! So I must link up with Casey over at Second Grade Math Maniac and set my TPT store to 20% off starting NOW until Monday!

Make sure you head over and join the fun! There are over 50 bloggers joining this blog hop!

 Happy shopping and happy weekend to you all!

Just keep swimming...TPT Sale sneak peak...and a listening center freebie

This is how I feel! And the rest of my team too! Ugh! So I took some of your advice and asked if anyone wanted to stay after work one day a week and PLAN...without people interrupting, without other things to do like in every meeting...but PLAN PLAN PLAN! I got two people on board! YEA! We are going to plan on Tuesdays after school! This way we can tweak things if needed and have time to make copies if needed! But we are going to plan tomorrow for next week since we have curriculum night at 6:30-8:00pm. I don't have time to go home and back so this is perfect!

So Casey over at Second Grade Math Maniac is having a TPT Fall Sale linky starting on Friday and I plan on joining this one along with 50 other bloggers! I can't wait to see what other bloggers have for sale in their store!

So in my search of some listening center activities on Pinterest I found a great 10 page FREE packet of activities students can do after they listen to a story! SCORE! Check out The Lesson Plan Diva for her fantastic freebie!

Well that's it for now, back to planning and getting things ready for tomorrow's curriculum night!

I did it:) One down...3 more to go!

This is going to be short and simple because I am tired! But I had to share my excitement that I.....am actually planned for math for NEXT WEEK! I sat down tonight for an hour and plugged away at math. Now I have a few things I need to make and do...but the plans are in and done!

So I am not kidding when my plans are kinda detailed. 

This was last years daily plans

This year I have one page a day for math! I have found that if I put the whole week on one page I really can't focus on what I need that day! So here are my plans from today!

But what I tried to do for the following week is be a little less and it worked! The fact I was able to get a weeks plans done in less than an hour is GREAT!

Here is a plan for next week:)

See the difference??? I sure hope this works! How do you lesson plan? What do you do to make your life simpler?

I need a little help...pretty please!

I feel like I am drowning....and it is WAY to early for that! One thing about me, if you haven't picked up on yet, is I am extremely organized and I carefully plan out everything I teach and do in my classroom! But right now, I am seeing that as a downfall:( I can't figure out how to manage my time and get my lesson plans done before Friday!

Here I sit, yet again on another Sunday afternoon at 4pm trying to plan. I start to stress and worry! I would LOVE to know how you manage your time for lesson plans? It seems like all week long I have meetings during specials, during before and after school. I go to the gym before and after school too. My only day off is Sunday! And I spend it lesson planning and cooking. I can't keep up! I want to blog more and create more too but I just don't have time. I need HELP!

Any and all suggestions would be awesome! And just for saying thank you, I would love to give you one of my poke games for free! Just leave a suggestion and your email! 

Also...my computers in the classroom have not been working:( Ugh! So I dug out my listening center. I HATE cords! How would you make this more clean???

One last thing...Jennifer from Rowdy in First is having a Tell me something good linky!

Something good about school:
I got a new laptop! Almost all the teachers got new ones! Our school is getting a technology makeover! Now, I know it isn't a Mac...but I am loving the new computer! It is better than the one I own!

Something good about home:
Well, my hubby is back to work. Yes it is 3rd shift, but it is temporary! Also, I have been cooking a ton more and trying to eat as clean as possible! Here are my cooking creations for today! These are all on my Pinterest Healthy Eating board!

Then, I am making this for dinner tomorrow and later this week!

I am looking forward in reading responses from my bloggy friends! Everyone enjoy your Sunday Evening...I will be sitting here for awhile:(

Adding with an expanded algorithm...SAY WHAT???

OK...not my night! I just had this WHOLE post typed out and then BAM...it was gone:( I think it is time for bed!

But before I do...back to the post! How many of you know what adding with an expanded algorithm means? I didn't until yesterday! How bad is that??? Well, in 3rd grade it is now one of our CCSC 3NBT2. So as a grade level yesterday we actually got planned up until October 12th with the topics we are going to teach! For us...that is a HUGE deal! 

I took it upon myself to make 2 day lessons for this adding with an expanded algorithm objective. I made a PowerPoint that I hope my team would like! 

Then I made a slide for each step

 

Then slides to do one together for each step. This is just the first step!

Then I have 6 different adding cards teachers can use in many ways-posters, chart paper, groups, white boards...anything you can think of!

Then last, I have two days of homework:)

 

 

I am really hoping the kids get the hang of it next week. I may give each group a problem and have them explain how to solve it...since writing to explain is HUGE with the CCSC. We will see!

 If you are interested in this lesson, it is for sale in my TPT and TN stores today! But of course, you could win it for free!

What BIG city do you think my hubby and I are talking about moving to??? 

Just leave a comment and guess! With your email address of course! 

On a side note...here are a few things we have been working on!

Character trait books! 

Working on comparing numbers with place value dice! They LOVED this!

Well...that's it for now! I am actually off to bed! Have a great night and happy Friday tomorrow!!!