Zippin Down the Freebie Trail

I am SO excited to be participating with Brenda from Primary Inspired for her Easter Blog Hop! If you have just joined the party, not to worry! Just click the picture above and it will take you to the first spot on the trail!

Today I am bringing you something I made JUST for this blog hop!

With Earth day coming right around the corner I thought this would be a great time to start planning! This mini unit includes:

All you have to do is click HERE to get it! Just make sure you leave some feedback:)

The next stop is one of my very favorite bloggy buddies, Tara from 4th Grade Frolics! 

  Thanks for hoppin on by!

Don't forget about my sale that starts TODAY! 

Happy Spring!  

Test Taking Strategies Giveaway!

I really enjoyed reading each one of your guesses for my TRUNK test taking strategies idea! I will be going through and emailing the ones who got at least 3 right! No one guessed all 5! 
It was very tricky!

Here is what TRUNK stands for!

Here is what I have included in this unit!

I have added this to my TpT and TN shops!

I am excited to teach this to my class this year. I probably should have done this a LONG time ago...like when they first got to 3rd grade. Oh well!

As I was looking for other test taking ideas, I came across this website called Rock 'N' Learn! 
I found this DVD and knew I HAD.TO.HAVE.IT! Just watching the short clip made me want it. Click the image to take you there!

I found it at my local teacher supply store and heading out today in the poring rain! Yes, I left my PJ's and bed to go get this DVD. I am NUTS! But I told you I wanted it:)

Got home, watched it, and LOVED it! This will be a HUGE help with my kids! We will be watching it more than once!

So, since I LOVE it SO much and have found it VERY helpful, I want to buy ONE for someone:) All you have to do is enter the rafflecopter below and I will select a winner on Thursday!

BUT wait...there's more:)

I am also going to give away a TRUNK unit!

AND...

Hope King from 2nd Grade Shenanigans has so kindly offered to give away her new unit to help with testing!

 You just HAVE to check this unit out! It is AH-Mazing to say the least! Thanks Hope SO much for being so willing to help out with this giveaway! 

So there you have it! 

Maybe testing season won't be as bad:)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Test Taking Strategies...TRUNK!

First off...I have to show you something VERY funny! So I did the grocery shopping today...went to Trader Joe's and Walmart! Have I ever told you how much I HATE Walmart??? Why do I even bother?

I came home and my hubby was still at the gym. I brought the groceries inside and started to unpack. I looked in the fridge first to see if anything was bad or expired. I threw out a few things...but this...I kept saying to myself..."are you serious?" Look at what I found...

Yeah, that is...

TWO bottles half way used of blueberry syrup

THREE bottles of Balsamic (one almost gone, one half way gone, and one just opened)

and TWO bottles of French

I asked him when he got home why he had so many in the fridge!
His response..."Well, I didn't have enough left to put on my salad so I opened another one. I can't mix cold salad dressing and warm salad dressing.It just doesn't taste right!"

Well you would think the next time you had a salad you would USE the other one to finish it and also use the newly opened one! Geesh!

MEN...

Anyway

I am also trying to knock out some lesson plans before heading out with another couple tonight for dinner and drinks. We have lots to celebrate tonight as we are moving and so are they! They are heading to Texas as my friend's husband just got into a PH.D program! So Texas teachers...any tips for her? She will be looking in Austin! She is NBCT and has her Masters. She teaches ESL!

Last year my friend and I co-taught during the literacy block! All the ESL students would come to my classroom for literacy and she would also come. We both taught together for 2 and a half hours a day! It was awesome. 

When it was time to do End of Grade (E.O.G's) testing she had a fantastic test taking strategy she made up! I made my own spin on it and am currently working on a unit! Here is a sneak peak!

I am in LOVE with this cover! I can't wait to finish this unit tonight or tomorrow! My kids are going to be introduced to it this week!

What do you think TRUNK stands for? 

Make a guess! If you can guess what TRUNK stands for I will give this to you for FREE once it is done! 

Better yet, if you can guess at least 3 of the 5 I will email it to you! I think it may be kinda hard! If you get all 5 right, I will also email you something else for free;)

Enjoy your Saturday Friends!

Geome"TREE"

We have been studying geometry for a few weeks now! I hated geometry as a kid, but I think it is fun to teach! It's strange that some kids are so brilliant in math and have such a hard time with geometry! Weird...

I found this super cute pin on Pinterest but can't find the original source:( 

Students made a geome"TREE"!

So I had my kids make their own too! They made their own geome"tree" from one of these topics

-lines and line segments-

-polygons-

-angles-

-quadrilaterals-

No outlines, no guides, it was ALL them! From scratch!

I LOVE how they turned out!

Then today we played a geometry review game I made!

I would project a question on the board. Students would work with their partner to solve it on a white board. When I said SHOW they held up their boards. If they got it right, they would roll the die and place the number in the box. I used double die to make it an extra step of multiplying the numbers together:)

Then after all the questions were done, they added up their points!

Score on a geometry, multiplication, and addition lesson:)

This game has 27 questions for students to answer!

Directions how to play and materials you will need

A recording sheet for their dice rolls

The kids really enjoyed playing the game today! 

Another way I think this would be fun, would be to place the questions around the room like a scavenger hunt! They can check their OWN answers by flipping over the paper.

I am working on adding this to my TpT and TN stores tonight...maybe! I have to get up early. 

Make a guess to what I am drinking right now and you will win this for free! Please don't duplicate an answer!

Kathy was also my winner of my Author's Purpose and Quadrilaterals activities. Check your email!

Have a great night and a very happy Friday tomorrow:)

Persuade me and Quadrilaterals

Yes, I am back! But I said I would be! I am going to make this quick! I was busy working on these two things today even though there is a lot more I wanted to get done! Oh well! Thank you to the 5 people who left comments with suggestions for my author's purpose persuade unit. Please make sure to leave an email so I can get it to you for free!

Here is the final product!

 

I also worked on quadrilateral unit since my 3rd graders are struggling with this concept!

I am hopefully going to get these up in my store before I head to bed since my TpT sale still goes on tomorrow!

Like I always do, I like to give my stuff out for free:) Just leave a comment and I will pick a winner tomorrow night!

Have a great week!

Who is Tonya? Let's get Acquanited Linky!!!

Today I am linking up with Latoya from Flying into First Grade for her very first linky party! I have been thinking about doing one too...maybe soon!

So the rules are to tell something about yourself using your initials! The really cool thing about this is...Latoya and I have the SAME initials, just in different orders! 

My initials are TLR. So...here I go!

T-Travel

I LOVE to travel! 

I didn't travel much as a kid. I went to my grandma's house all the time across the state (Michigan), and Florida once. But in college I had the opportunity to do a bit more traveling...and as many say, I caught the travel bug!

I have been to Vegas 4 times. LOVE it! 

I did a semester studying abroad in Ireland! I stayed there for 5 months and fell in love! I was able to travel all over Ireland when I was not taking classes or teaching in a classroom! My favorite place was the Dingle Peninsula. Sooo cool! I remember specifically riding down this road on our personal tour bus we had for the 5 months. It was SO scary!

While being overseas for 5 months I was also able to go to Rome, Paris, and London! Paris by was my favorite out of the three! 

And I also love coming to Hawaii! I am excited to call it home here very soon! This is where I will be living:)

L-Lip gloss

I am ADDICTED to lip gloss! Specifically anything from Bath and Body works

My husband thinks I am nuts for spending $7 a pop on lip gloss. But I have been using it for years. I sure hope they never stop making it!

R-Running

I really want to run. I have been saying this for a very long time. My foot has been feeling a lot better and I want so bad to get back into running!  I ran my very first 5K a month before my wedding and I had a blast! It was the most amazing feeling EVER. I ran the WHOLE way without stopping. Mind you, my time was not great, I finished, I ran, and I felt great!

I WILL do it again!

Thanks for getting to know me a bit more! I need to go pack and get ready to head back to NC in a few hours! I can't wait to go check out some new blogs!  

I also finally added my capacity unit to TpT and TN! 

Have a great day!

Rainy Sunday and a winner!

It is one rainy Sunday here in Hawaii, well at least the part I am at! I am having a great time here, but I am ready to go home! I am missing my hubby and I really don't like being here without him! It is very different staying with in-laws and not having your other half with you! I have also never been gone away from him this long:( Plus, I have not been able to go to the gym and I miss it...bad!

So we ended up going to my favorite restaurant last night! Friday night they had no availability! NUTS! So at the end of my dinner (the sushi was delish) we all decided to order ONE of their anniversary special honey toast desserts! Well....here it is

3 toasts instead of 2, 4 scoops of ice cream instead of 3. AND it had the Hawaiian toffee chocolate candy pieces in it. YUMMM! It was SOOOO good! But I am glad we shared it!

Today I am going with my brother in-law and his wife to her brother's birthday lunch at a restaurant I have never been to. Should be a good time!

Last but not least, I have a winner of my Capacity Unit!

    Janisbrede, please send me your email so I can get you this unit:)

Enjoy your day everyone!

Sipping Sweet Capacity and a freebie!

Capacity is coming up for me to teach and I know it is always something kids struggle with. Especially in my pacing, I don't get much time to teach it:(

So I took some task cards I made years ago and put them all into one unit! As I was making these cards, I was sipping on some lemonade and that folks, is how I got the name for this unit!

Want to win this for free??? Just leave a comment and I will pick someone tomorrow using the number generator!

I also got more time to play around with the artstudio app on my ipad! I made a fun background! Just click on the picture if you want it for free:)

I am SO excited to be eating at my favorite restaurant here tonight in Honolulu!

Shokudo

They have some of the best sushi I have ever had! And they also have this...and yes, I am going to order it. Maybe even first! 

I know, I shouldn't eat this...it's not good for me at all...But...tonight it's time to celebrate! And I am going to eat it:)

Have an awesome Friday Friends!

I'm licensed!!!

In a matter of hours...after calling to check on a fax I sent yesterday, I just got this in an email!

My name can now go in the pool!!!

Alright Principals...start calling:)

I also got some news from one of the elite private schools here in Hawaii! I am keeping my fingers crossed for that one! 

I am ready for my in-laws to get home. My Brother in-law told me he wants to get me out of the house....thank goodness! I think I am going stir-crazy!

TR Doodle Frames Set 1 and some capacity task cards!

You know how we always beg for downtime??? And when we get it we don't know what to do with ourselves??? Well, that is me right now!

I don't have much I can do in Hawaii as my in-laws work and I don't have a car! I so want to go to the beach and a few other things but can't:( I just have to keep in mind that I will get to do all those wonderful things VERY soon! I am excited for the weekend when they don't have to work! I get to go out with my brother in-laws and sister in-laws! 

So for now, I am sitting alone in this quiet house. Listening to the wind chimes and the roosters. I guess they don't  realize it is almost noon! haha! Speaking of roosters...did you know some people carry them around as pets??? In their arms??? I saw that yesterday and I about died laughing! I also learned that there are no snakes, squirrels or chipmunks in Hawaii!

Ok, I could ramble on forever but I don't want to bore you! 

I finished a set of frames last night! Mind you, these are my very first try! 

You can pick them up at both of my stores!

But for the first 3 people who comment I will give you them for free:)

I am also working right now on some capacity task cards! 

Is anyone willing to look over this and help me fix any mistakes?  I would like 2 people to do so! In return you can have it for free when it is all done:)

Enjoy the rest of your day!