July Currently

It must be summer.

How do I know?

Because all of the teachers are getting

their "Currently" filled in before the month even starts!

 

So here is mine...

Fonts by Wizard of Boz

 

Listening:  My daughter is a big fan of My Little Pony. 

I laugh because I used to play with them

many, many years ago too.

Of course, she also loves her superheroes, princesses, cars...

 

Loving:  Those of you who have been following me

know that I've made a bunch of activities for our

family road trip.  Well, this is the month we go to NC.

I can't wait!

 

Thinking:  Another exciting event in July will be on Wednesday

when Matt from Digital: Divide and Conquer and I start

a new linky.

We both have been a part of so many great link-ups

and thought we might also try it out.

 Matt and I hope that this will be a quick and easy linky.

 

An example could be...

 

Win:  The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup

or some other great event in your life.

Maybe it was a new product you tried out.

 

Loss:  It keeps raining and the hot weather went away.

Was there something you tried and it didn't work?

 

A Thing of Cost:  Share a product you made

or something you bought at the store.

 

The point is we want it to be fun and

all about you!

 

Wanting:  We had some days of hot weather

and now it is back in the 70's. 

That is too cold for me!

 

Needing:  A summer goal was to organize

all the closets in my house. 

Maybe this week it will happen?

 

Tip, Trick, Hint:  Sometimes I worry when others

are posting everyday. 

I have to remember that I need to do what works for me.

Blogging everyday doesn't work and that is alright!

 

Have a wonderful July!!



Five for Friday and Technology in Reading Linky

I was trying to think of five things from this week.

You know it's summer when that is hard to do.

I'll try my best!

1.  There is a great summer linky going on at

i Teach 1:1 and Learning to the Core.

This week everyone is sharing ways to

integrate technology into reading.

One online program I used all last year was

Tween Tribune.

 

I

 

This site has articles on current events that are interesting to kids.

You will find 4 different reading levels

and there are even articles in Spanish.

Tween Tribune was used as homework.

My students logged in, read an article and responded.

I was able to give them the assignment right

on the site.

Each morning I got on and read their responses.

I could also respond back to them.

It's a really easy site to use and a lot

of my kids enjoyed this assignment.

 

2.  People that know me well, know that I'm not much

into the classroom decorating thing.

But this past year, after reading so many blogs,

I started a color scheme in my room.

 I was very excited when I found these magnets at Target.

My colors are black, turquoise, purple and green.

I like that the colors are in the pack

along with some similar colors. 

 

3.  A NEW LINKY

Next Wednesday, I'm starting a new linky with

Matt at Digital: Divide and Conquer.

I hope you will check back and link up with us.

It's going to be one that everyone can use!

 

4.  Do you find it hard to keep on the lastest news?

Here is something for you!

 

 

This is the description on the website:

theSkimm is the daily newsletter that simplifies the headlines for the educated professional who knows enough to know she needs more. We do the reading for you and explain it with fresh editorial content, breaking down what you need to know to start the conversation.

 

I wake up in the morning, read this email

and feel I know the basics of what is happening in the world.

Then, at night when the girls go to sleep,

I can find out more info if I need it.

 

5.  BLOGLOVIN'

Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'.

 

Have a great weekend and

don't forget to come back on Wednesday!

 

 

Giveaway Winners

Bethany at Fab and Fun in 4th and I just finished our

200 Followers Giveaway.

We had the drawing last night and the winners are....

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Be sure to check your email in the next couple of days 

for all your great prizes.

Thank you to everyone who entered our giveaway.

Happy Thursday! 

"Too Much Stuff to List" Post

This post has so much info,

I wasn't sure how to title it.

So scroll on through and check it all out!

 

The most important thing I need to share with you is...

THE BLACKHAWKS WON THE STANLEY CUP!

This is a picture from a game I went to earlier in the year.

Here in Chicago, we are VERY excited!

 

Now onto all the other stuff.

 

My first bit of info is a recipe for...



and

 

PEANUT BUTTER.

It was so easy and tastes awesome.

 

I started by putting a 14oz. bag of roasted/unsalted peanuts in the Cuisinart.

 

 

I ran it for about four minutes.

Then I added a little salt and ran it another few seconds.

 

Finally, the peanut butter was done!

(Sorry for the blurry pic.)

 

 

I put the peanut butter into a container

and stuck it in the fridge.

I can't believe I didn't try this sooner.

Have you ever made your own nut butter?

 

Here is another linky!

Go on over and link up your blog

and find some new blogs to follow.

 

 

Here is a reminder that my giveaway with Fab and Fun in 4th ends tomorrow!

Don't forget to head on over and enter for a chance to win some great prizes.

 

 

What?  You want more?

Okay.  Head over to Mind Sparks

for another giveaway!

 

 

Alright, that is enough for now.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

 

 

 

 

Monday Made It - Wooden Matching Game and Freebie

It's Monday and so it's time to link up with Tara for...

As you may have read in my other posts,

our family is taking a road trip in July.

So I have been spending a lot of time planning for the big day.

 

One activity I found on Etsy was a wooden memory game.

Handmade by Bright Lift Toys

Are they super cute?

Yes!

They also cost $20.

So cheap me decided to make my own.

 

I'm warning you now,

you will probably laugh at how mine look compared to these.

 

 

I started with these wooden pieces. 

I couldn't find just circles and didn't feel like shopping around.

 

 

 Next, my daughter and I stamped the pieces.

We made sure the same stamp was on two pieces.

 

 

We put the pieces in a cute little bag

that was a leftover from her sister's birthday party.

 

 

We played the game.

I think I see a match!

 

Of course as we were making these,

my head starting coming up with ways to use these in the classroom.

 

I was thinking it would be fun to put math facts on each piece.

Contraction on one and two words that make the contraction on the other.

Let's keep going..... what else?

 

This project inspired me to make a little freebie for you. 

  

 

You can cut out the words and match up the synonyms.

 

 

You can match up the words as a noun, verb or adjective.

 

 

If you want to go with the wooden game idea,

you can glue the words onto a craft stick.

You can even write directly on the stick.

 

 

So there you have it,

my Monday Made It project.

 

How else could we use this idea?

 

200 Follower Giveaway

Hope your Saturday is off to a good start.

Mine is going well.

Today is the day for my 200 Follower Giveaway!
 

The fun part is that I joined up with

Bethany from Fab and Fun in 4th.

We both hit the 200 mark around the same time

and so we are having a giveaway together.

 

There's a K-2 and a 3-5 giveaway.

Both include a $10 TpT gift card and other awesome prizes.

Check them out.

Enter them both.

Maybe you will be one of our lucky winners!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

We would love to give credit to cherryworkshop.blogspot
and Digital Papers by Tamara V. Russell.

Five For Friday and Most Wishlisted Item Sale

It is officially summer!

The weather has turned hot here in Chicago

and I could not be happier.

It's definitely my favorite season.

 

The bad part of summer - thunderstorms.

That is the weather here today,

so I have some time to write up a

 

1.  Tomorrow will be the start of my 200 Follower Giveaway!

I'm joining up with Bethany over at Fab and Fun in 4th

for the giveaway because she also just reached 200 followers.

 

2.  The hot and humid weather is here

and I LOVE IT!

What's the weather like where you live?

What's your favorite type of weather?

 

3.  Molly over at Classroom Confections is sharing a linky

about our most wishlisted item on TpT.

Be sure to check it out.

There are definitely a bunch of things

I will be adding to my wishlist.

 

 

 

I posted these:

 

They will be 20% off through Sunday!

 

4.  My sister-in-law and I got together to make some

final plans for our road trip to the Outer Banks.

The vacation isn't until July,

but I can't wait!

We are going back to Avon, NC which

we were at two years ago.

Have you ever been to the Outer Banks?

What was your favorite part?

 

5.  I have a few to-do lists, but I feel that nothing is getting checked off.

I think I'm just enjoying summer too much.

How are your to-do lists going?

 

Have a great weekend!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the giveaway.

 

 

 

 



Throwback Thursday Linky - Common Core Reading Foldables

Today was the first day it actually felt like summer.

It was hot, sunny and we even set up our little pool.

My older daughter loved playing in the water

with her little cousin. 

The one year old has a cold and was not interested.

Maybe next time.

 

Anyway, I'm linking up today with The First Grade Parade.

 

 

I've only been blogging since February,

but I love looking back at my previous posts.

It gives me a chance to self reflect and

brainstorm ways to improve my teaching.

But I also like to reflect on my blogging style.

 

Here is one of my favorite posts.

I love the picture of my daughter, the cupcakes

and it has one of my favorite products featured.

I really wanted to change some parts of the post,

but I decided to keep it the same

since that is the point of this linky.

Original Post Date - 3/22/13

 

 

This week I was busy, but I didn't mind because.....

It's Spring Break!

 

Tonight I am linking up with Amanda from Teaching Maddeness for

 

  

And the last part of my post is for this Wednesday Workshop.

1.  The one thing that took most of my time was my little girl.  She's only 11 months old and she has a terrible cold.  It's so hard with little ones because they can't tell you what is wrong.  I'm so glad it is spring break so she can rest and get better.  I stayed home with her on Monday and Thursday.  I love surprise days at home with my girls.

 

Here she is on a better day.

2.  Emergency Sub Plans - I was so glad that this was the first year I put together emergency sub plans.  It was an entire days worth of work for the sub and I didn't even have to go into school.  Of course, now I have to change them, but I don't mind.

 

3.  Last Saturday we had the family birthday party for my now four year old daughter.  Her gift was a night with just mom and dad at a hotel with a pool.  It was a busy but fun weekend.  These are some of the awesome cupcakes that my husband made for her. 

 

4.  I finally finished making my informational text and literature foldables.  I loved using them this week with my students for reading.  We added them to our reading journals.  It gives the kids a great way to organize their thinking and they are all aligned to the common core. 

 

 

 

I'm really looking forward to this week with my girls.  We don't really have any plans and I am fine with that. 

 

Who else just started spring break?  Do you have any plans?

 

Bloglovin' and My Teacher Always Says Linky

I see so many of you have already moved over to Bloglovin.

If you haven't, make sure you make the switch soon.

On July 1st, Google Reader will be gone

and I want to make sure you can continue to follow

all of the great blogs out there.

 

 

For something a little bit more exciting,

I'm linking up with Forever in First for

 

Manners are very important to me.

My four year old gets nothing without saying, "Please."

I expect the same from my third graders.

Anytime I give them something, I expect a "Thank you."

If they say nothing, I say, "You're welcome."

They usually give me a look and then they thank me.

I'm always amazed at the kids that look at me

and respond back with "You're welcome."

 

 

Are manners a topic you need to discuss in your classroom?

 

 

 

 

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Monday Made It - Felt Links and Rocks/Soil Foldables

It's summer and that means I finally have some time to make things.

My latest projects are mostly centered around a road

trip we are taking in July.

We'll be in the car for two days each way.

With a 4 year old and a 1 year old,

I know I'm going to need lots of things for us to do.

 

I figured this was a great place to share my first activity.

FELT LINKS:

 

These are just like paper links, except they are made of felt.

I started by cutting the felt into strips.

 

Then I cut the Velcro into small pieces.

I attached one part and then attached the other Velcro

part on the other side, opposite end.

 

Even though the Velcro was sticky,

I still sewed each piece on in case.

The sewing was easy, a diagonal across

each piece of Velcro.

 

 

They don't take up much space and are safe

for even the 1 year old to play with in the car.

 

Can you think of a way to use these in your classroom?

 

ROCKS, SOIL, MINERALS, CHANGING EARTH FOLDABLES

 

I have done a little bit of school work this week.

This was actually a product that I updated.

As I've learned more about creating products,

I'm starting to go back and change a few

of my older items. 

I use this product with my third graders for our rocks and soil unit.

Last year we took all the foldables and made a lapbook.

One of my teammates had the students add them to a science journal.

Either way, it was a nice way for the kids to organize

all the new info they were learning.

 

 If you like these, head on over to my TpT store.

 

Hope everyone is having a nice Monday.

Have you created anything new?