Trick or Treat!

This year I had the privilege of having a student teacher from LaGrange College, Miss Lindsay Munson.  My students loved her and so did I ! 

We had a fun Halloween! She was a Bad Case of Stripes and I was Thing One.  

Don't you love the BLUE Pixie Cut!

Teacher Approved

I am really excited to announce a new site for teachers - 

TEACHER APPROVED

A monthly subscription for educators.   Revitalize your classroom with hand–pickedTeacher Approved materials.

Click on the picture to go to their blog!  They highlight different teachers each week who are in their subscriptions each month.  AND I am so excited to announce that I am one of their August downloads for second-third grade!  

Today in honor of being highlighted on their blog, EVERYTHING in my TpT store is 20% off!

Go check out the blog and subscribe for $5 a month and please check out my sale!

Thanks!

Searching for the Best Deal on the Last Day of the Sale!

I love a good sale!  

Check out my store if you have not!  

I really love to get in there and scour the racks and find the best deals!  

First I will type in the general idea

 of what I am looking for.

Here I want to search for a great writing unit 

to help my kiddos me with daily writing.

Then I go down to GRADES and 

narrow down the search by clicking on Second.

Then I do it again under price.  

It all depends on how much I want am willing to spend! 

I am normally real cheap and do not buy 

anything over $6 or $7, 

BUT.... Since it is a sale 

I will probably go to $10 and under! 

You never know what all you can score with a TpT Sale!

Please check back in and share your deals! 

I can't wait to share!

Today is the SALE!

Don't miss your chance to score some amazing deals today and tomorrow!  A group of sellers from Teachers Pay Teachers have teamed up to make shopping easy for you!  Check out this directory on TEACHER APPROVED to find your grade level!

Please click on my store to see all of my units on sale!  Save up to 30%

Check back in on Wednesday and share what all you bought during the sale!  I can't wait!

Back to School - Here we come!

It Is A SUPER Sale!

I am so excited to announce

 TpT is hosting a sale!

Everything in my store is on sale 

Monday, August 4th - 

Tuesday August 5th at midnight!

This is a great time to grab some great deals!

Be sure to use the code BTS14 at checkout!

You can Save 28% off!

A $5.00 unit is now only $3.60

This is major shopping!  

You have to have a plan and be prepared!!!

The first thing I do is clean up my cart.  If I am uncertain I put it on my wish list.  Everything else I leave in there until the day of the sale.  On the day of the sale, I like to take advantage of the most savings.  Suppose I am looking for math interactive notebooks.  I will use the sorting features to narrow it down, and then sort by price!  

I lUrV to save money!!!

Here are a few of my favorite Back To School items:

I used the 2nd Grade EDL word list and the 2nd grade phonics standards to make 16 spelling list for the first semester.  I have a few activities included to get you started, and an activity tic-tac-toe grid to use in a spelling journal for homework.  I am really excited about this unit!

This is my all-time favorite for second grade.  It is a great chapter book to get them hooked on the entire series!

I use this unit during the first few weeks of school to begin teaching all of the Reading Literature standards. 

 They love Mudge and his adventures!

This is a new series for my room this year.  I read these two books last year, but did not have the complete six book set.  I look forward to using them in guided reading and as read alouds.

This sweet book is one I read on the first few days of school.  All of the children can relate to it!  

Very good too for Mother's Day!

I struggled last year with vocabulary in Social Studies and wanted something more consistent.  I have covered the Georgia Social Studies Standards and look forward to using the graphic organizers with the class. 

 Each unit has an assessment included.

I hope you enjoy and 

HaPpY ShOpPiNg!!

Writing Station Makeover

This summer I planned and pinned so many ideas for my classroom, it was hard to decide where to start.  I really wanted to focus on my writing station.  I wanted all of the materials to be accessible to the kiddos and easy to maintain.

Here is my Before and the After!

I added a shelf to hold supplies - pens, colored pencils, highlighters, and paper.  Then I added the Writing Folders that I received from Donors Choose last year.  Underneath the cart I placed clipboards, dictionaries and another paper tray.  I added the bulletin board paper to the wall and plan on placing writing options.  The black crate on the floor is for lunch boxes.  I like how it turned out!

I am still trying to decide which Writing Unit to buy on TpT.  I would love any recommendations!

The writing center will continue to be a work in progress!!

I have a set of writing rubrics that I made to go under the white board, to the right.  I thinks they will really work great since they will be sitting right there at the writing center.

Check out this freebie for your bulletin board!

I Have Fallen in LoVe Again!

I have fallen in love with a pig - Mercy Watson!
Last year I fell in love with Mercy Watson.  There are six books in the series and they are perfect for students looking for books after picture books and before picture-less chapter books. This is the adventures of a pig who is treated like a child. Mercy usually causes the trouble, but also comes out as a hero, to the dislike of her two elderly neighbors, one of whom thinks pigs should not live in houses or ride in automobiles.

Kate DiCamillo has created wonderful characters, full of life, personality and fun quirks.  Mercy is an adorable pink pig who loves toast and adventure.

  

This unit is perfect for integrating reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar making it a complete language arts tool. Students love Mercy Watson and her many adventures! Newbery Medal winner Kate DiCamillo has written these humorous early chapter books with quality writing, super fun art, and a humorous plot that is perfect for second graders. 

Check out all of my Mercy Watson Book Units 
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride Common Core Book Unit 
Mercy Watson to the Rescue Common Core Book Unit 
Mercy Watson Princess in Disguise Common Core Book Unit 
Mercy Watson Thinks Like A Pig Common Core Book Unit 

 Book One and Book Two Bundled at a Discounted Price Mercy Watson Thinks Like A Pig Common Core Book Unit

I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do!

OrGaNizE mY ClaSsRoOm!!

After many days on the internet, pinning pictures and reading blogs, I am excited about organizing my classroom!  I have read so many great things and pinned 10K more!  Now it is time to quit pinning and get busy!  Our first day back is next Tuesday and I am going to be ready!

Here are some before pics!

This is where I want the Writing Station to be.  Something to be said for a BLANK SLATE!  

I have looked at several writing units on TpT but have not decided on one yet.  I have a 30 minutes ELA/Writing block this year.  This was my goal for the summer - redo my writing plans for the year!

This is my back wall where we do What's My Place? What's My Value? and DOTS!  They sit on the carpet in three rows.  The two containers to the left hold math manipulatives.  I want to go up high and add bulletin boards to the top for a math wall.  I also plan on putting the clothes pins back up to hold anchor charts.

This is a new area by the computers.  I want to make this my small group reading center station.  I want a place for their group reading books, SRA books, and Word Work items like scrabble tiles, stamps, and white boards.  The best part is going to be the decorative border I want to put on the while shelves.

Looks like I might invest in a CORDLESS hot glue gun!  I really want to keep it simple and clean!  I cleaned up the room and threw out a ton of junk at the end of last year!!  Hope fully I can purge a few more bags full!

Overlook the clutter on the desk and look at the blank wall!  I want to divide it into three bulletin boards.  I want to put Reading on the far left and make it the biggest board.  On either side of the air vent I want to put a Science and Social Studies board.  I want to put up blue paper and use my same border to frame them out.  I think this will help get rid of the glow-worm Green I had going on last year.  Another project I want to complete is adding scrapbook paper to my white container boxes at the end of the computers.  I think that will finish it off.  I love those containers.  I have one for every month.  I keep seasonal books, classroom decorations and anything else for that month in there.  They work great!

Here are a few of my inspiration pins.  I will post next week to show the finished product!

Setting Up for the New Year

I am really looking forward to setting up my classroom this year!
How cool would it be to win this giveaway!!!
Click Here to enter to win a $22 classroom makeover!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

S C H O O L  S U P P L I E S

     OK, I know! My strange addictions!!! 

But I have decided I could be doing worse - spending my money on worse and harming my body! RIGHT???

I LURV opening a new notebook with a fresh pack of newly sharpened pencils!

      I snapped this picture Tuesday night as I was strolling through Target!  What a beautiful sight!
I decided this year to do interactive notebooks for Reading/ELA and another one for Math.  We only had one composition notebook on the school supply list so I picked up 24 RED composition notebooks for READING.  I figure I could say, "Get out your RED READING notebook," and it would be easier than saying Reading notebook and half of them asking, "Which one?"!!!  I will let them use the one they brought from home for Math!
      I did the same thing for folders.  I like for them to have paper in a $.15 folder.  So I bought 24 Red folders for their Reading folder.  They will use this for Word Work and ELA centers.
     I have been searching for FREE task cards for centers.  I have a lot of file folder games, but have really liked the task cards and scoots I have seen on Pinterest and TPT.  So that has been one project I have been working on.  I have saved them in a folder and plan on printing and laminating during preplanning.

     Near my Small group reading table, I have a bin that I will change out the skill-games every so often.  I have also been working on a SET rotation for SGR.  

I really think that will work better for me and the kiddos!

Spelling Words and Phonics Skills

     This summer I have worked on developing a new spelling unit.  I wanted the words to be meaningful so I took our curriculum map and chose the words based on the phonics skilled I needed to teach.

     I am looking forward to teaching a mini lesson on the phonics skill in small group reading, and then have them work with the words and that skill during word work and independent time.

Check out the design!  I think the kiddos will really like the homework page!

     In addition to the homework page, they will complete the traditional homework pages in their spelling spiral notebook.  They do not tear any of the pages out of the spiral.  I teach them to "save a tree" and write on the front and back, as well as the sides and everywhere in between.  They will have the option of rainbow words, ladder words, hidden picture and many more.  

What do you do for spelling?  Does your System have spelling in the curriculum?

Georgia Social Studies Unit

I have been working on this Social Studies Vocabulary Unit all summer and I am really excited!

Last year I worked on several units in Social Studies, but did not feel I did a good job with vocabulary.  We are going to use an interactive notebook this year and I wanted an easy way to teach vocabulary words.  All children love crayons and colored pencils, so my vocab sheet is designed to be used with lots of color.

Each week we will take the words and write a definition, give an example or use the words in a sentence.  Most words can be illustrated, so they will draw a picture. 

 I love that all learning types will be covered here.  

Audible: Class Discussion

Visual: Color on vocabulary sheet

 Tactile: Completing graphic organizer

This packet is aligned to the Georgia Social Studies Performance Standards.

Using a Bulletin Board as a Student Guided Rubric

I want the students to assess their writing pieces this year.  Over the years, I have seen many great examples of my student's writing, but I have not saved any pieces that I would want to use on a board.  

I made this set to use at the beginning of the year so they can see what we are working towards.

I will hang these in order so they can see the progression of what a GOOD paragraph should look like.

I will teach several mini-lessons on introductory sentences, details and conclusions.

 I will also stress handwriting this year, more than ever.  

I hope you enjoy this freebie!  Click on any of the pictures to grab a copy for yourself.  

Please leave a comment and please FOLLOW my TpT store while you are there!!

Behavior Management

    I am embarrassed to say that I am ALL OVER THE BOARD when it comes to creating a behavior management system and sticking to it.  I think so much of the reason is because the kiddos are always so different.  Some years  I feel like you can just look sternly at them and everything goes back to normal.  Then there are the years, I pull my hair out because NOTHING seems to work.

    This past year, we used a daily binder that went home everyday with the children.  We created a one-page sheet that went into a plastic sleeve in the front of the binder.  It had the daily homework listed, spelling words, newsletter calendar and a grid to color in behavior.  If they come home on white (paper color) then it was a great day, then you had green, yellow, red...
    It worked for me because I could easily say, "John, please put your binder on my desk."  Then when I returned to the desk I would color in the binder and leave a note for the parent.  Unfortunately I would forgot what I called the binder for (four hours later) and had to ask the child.... Not something I am proud of.
    I have used the red light system with clips before, but rarely remembered to mark their binders in the afternoon at dismissal time.  I have had everyone color their own binders at the end of the day with the red light system, but we had an integrity issue that year and I never did that again.

I have read several post about how to run a class store.  I really want to reward those who do the right thing everyday.  I am collecting pennies this summer and plan on paying for good behavior.  

This is similar to what I plan on doing:

Develop a list of classroom rules and expectations.  As children exhibit desired classroom behaviors, they will be rewarded with coins.  I will set certain amounts for each most task.  Likewise, if they do not display desired behaviors, they will be fined certain amounts and lose their coins.  This summer I plan on collecting small items, but also plan on using freebies that they will be able to purchase.

I would love for you to stop by my TPT store!

Check out more behavior post at this great linky party!

Organization of Math Workshop

I love teaching math!   I am linking up with a super-fun ORGANIZATION linky party to get ready for next year!!

We have been trained with BBY and use What's My Place? What's My Value? every morning.  The children have such a sense of numbers and can do amazing things after just a few weeks of WMP?WMV?
I have found that using a rotation system works best in my classroom.  I will teach whole group math and then the class will break up into groups to practice what we were working on.

Computers - IXL or a Livebinders folder full of math games.
Independent - Math workbook or handout page.
Math Games - Math Box with a game from "last - weeks" skill.
Teacher Table - Reenforce math skill to those who need it - EIP.

Our school pays for IXL.  It is a great computer games based on all second grade math standards.  I love it!  We also have an icon on the computer full of second grade math games.  If you have not heard of livebinders, google the skill you are looking for and add the word livebinders to the end of it.  You will get a FOLDER full of sites to go to.  You may need to open a free account to view, I am not sure.

Independent work is when they will put pencil to paper and practice the skill.  I have made lots of math packets and have them available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  Here are a few of my best sellers.

For Math boxes, I put about 5-6 things in each box.  I teach them how to play each game before it goes into the box.  If they forget, they may quietly ask a friend, if not they have plenty of other options in the box to choose from.  I randomly pass out the boxes and do not currently have a system for who has had which box...

This picture is from Education Journey.  Her shelf looks just like mine, but I do not have another picture...

The teacher table is most important to me.  This is my one-on-one time with most of my students.  This is when we are working on mastering the standards.  I have a box of manipulatives and wipe-boards that are used daily at the table.

Anything that will make teaching easier for me and learning easier for the kiddos!!!

I have several changes I want to make next year.  I really want to organize all of my read aloud  math books and the items needed to help teach that skill.  I have so many good ideas, but if they are not at my fingertips WHEN I need them, they get skipped over.  

I have seen so many cute ideas on pinterest.

I want to organize my flashcards and small game pieces with soap boxes from the dollar store.

I have lots of pins on my classroom board!!

I want to keep supplies neater for math and the classroom.

I loved this idea - found at First Grade Kate!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoy the linky party!!!  Be sure to check out the other fabulous bloggers for even more really fantastic ideas! Go to Laura's blog, Where the Magic Happens, to check out everyone's posts!