Cookin' Up Some Math and a Freebie

I have been unbelievably busy these past few weeks! You all know I went to see the infamous Lucy Calkins, been there, rode the ride, got the T-Shirt or in this case the book!

Well last Wednesday I had the opportunity to go see Math genius Marcy Cook. She has been around FOREVER, but I had never heard of her, crazy I know! It was a great session and just proved how far ahead of CCSS she was! Her stuff is so basic, yet so advanced, and there is no way I could come up with some of the things she created!

   

Never having seen her, I wasn't prepared for her outfit!  If you have seen her in person, you are already aware of her eccentricness.  I totally just made up that word! This pic just doesn't do it justice!  Do any of you use any of her stuff?

These bears were my favorite!

I have been so blessed in my new position to have received so much professional development while most departments are cutting these types of things from their budget, mine sees the value.  

I am happy to say that my spring break is fully intact and is just around the corner!!!!  It begins Thursday and my family will be heading down to Garden City Beach, SC.  My aunt lives there so its free which is a bonus and as an added bonus, my uncle retired from managing Krispy Kreme down there, so its free hot now doughnuts all around!!  I'll be a fat, red lobster when I leave!

I can't wait to get my toes in the sand!  Thursday can't come fast enough!

Lastly, I have a freebie for my dedicated readers.  I whipped up some new spring Boggle Letters.

(I forgot my external drive at school, so I had to steal borrow the pic from Pinterest!)

Head over to my TPT or TN to pick up your copy!  

Which is Best: Reading Workshop or Daily Five and a Giveaway

I can't believe it is already March!!!!  When did that happen???  I have been so excited about going to the Lucy Calkins Writer's Workshop Conference, that I didn't realize it was next week!  I am going down with Amber, from Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher, and 2 other Instructional Facilitators in my district.  I was in charge of getting the hotel, and dang if it didn't sneak up on me!  Don't worry, I booked one last night!  Whew!!!

This week is slam packed for me!  Our school is doing both Reading Workshop and Daily Five structures depending on the grade level.  For next year, we are choosing 1 school wide structure.  To help with the choices, our teachers are visiting 2 different classrooms that are doing these structures.  2nd grade will visit a Daily Five class this week, then have a planning day upon return.  Next week 1st grade will do the same.  Then we gear up for a Reading Workshop visit in a neighboring district.  I can't wait for my teachers to see these in action!!!  They learned about them this summer, but we all know that being taught a structure  being talked at, isn't the same.  Which one is your preference and why?

Me personally, I am a die hard Reading Workshop FANATIC!  I love running my room using that structure.  I did a training last year district wide, and will offer 2 this year broken down into small grade level sections.  

So onto the giveaway!  I am FINALLY done with my St. Patrick's Day Math Centers for K-1 (and some 2).  These are great for reviewing skills and remediating skills that are still lacking.  It has the following games in it: 

1. Number Concentration and Ten Frame Concentration
2. Number Bump and Addition Bump
3. Collect 20 and Collect 50
4. Collect 10: Add or Subtract and Collect 20: Add or Subtract
5. Number Cross Out and Addition Cross Out

CCSS Addressed in this Pack:
K.OA.1
K.OA.
5K.CC.1
K.CC.4
K.CC.5
1.OA.6
1.NBT.1
1.NBT.2

I have worked so long on this pack, that I am excited to have it done in time for St. Patty's day!  If you would like to have this pack, its your lucky day!  I am giving it away to 3 lucky bloggers!!  Just enter below. I will pick a winner on Sunday, March 10.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you feeling lucky?????

D-Day

It's here!  It's finally here!  The day I have prepared all summer for is today.  I was asked back in March to do a presentation on the Reading and Writing Workshop for  my district.  Each year our awesome district puts on a 2 day conference loaded with a variety of topics and the best part is the whole thing is FREE!!  It is a great way for teachers to learn about the newest trends in education.

 I asked both my teammates if they would present with me....and they both said NO!!!!!!  (Thanks, Erica!)  In their defense, Erica knew she'd be back in Michigan and my other teammate isn't comfortable in front of other people  adults.  So that left little ol' me all by my lonesome.  I gave my self a pep talk and began preparing for the presentation.  I was told that my session would be capped at 30 people and was ok with that.

Fast forward to a week ago.  I got a call from Marilyn, the awesome planner of the conference, asking if I could do my presentation in a lecture hall!!!!!  WHAT!  Apparently my session had 30 people registered and 30 people on the waiting list!  So now my session is capped at 75 and over 60 people are registered!  I AM FREAKING OUT!  I know I can do this, but thats a lot of people!

Anyway, please send some good vibes my way!  I will be promoting lots of my favorite blogs :)


**Update!  I was so anxious, I finished my 1st Grade I Can Statements for math!!  Pick them up for free at my TpT!

I Can Statements, Currently and A Suprise!

Woop Woop it is Monday and that means Taco Night!!!  I know many of you must be thinking, "doesn't she get tired of tacos??" The answer is NO!!!!

I didn't think I was ever going to finish my 2nd grade Common Core Math statements!  I would sit down to try and work on them and I would get busy checking facebook, email, playing games online, watching TV, texting  doing other things.  I am happy to say they are FINALLY FINISHED!

You can pick these up for free at either my TpT or TN 

I am also linking up with Farley for her infamous Currently.  I always look forward to her Currently and am loving her new rule of 3 spreading the love to other bloggers.  I have met so many new bloggy friends through her linky.  

 So my B2S must haves are pretty self explanatory.  I LOVE Sharpie Poster Markers for making anchor charts.  Thanks to my teammate, Erica, I will never use another marker when making a poster!  My 2nd must have is Guiding Reader's and Writer's by Fountas and Pinnell.  It is my go to book each summer to refresh my reading and writing workshop.

My last must have is Stikki Clips.  I used to get so frustrated when I used tape and things would be laying all around my classroom the next day.  Enter Stikki Clips and I never had to deal with things falling off my wall again!  

I have had several bloggers email me and ask about how I implemented Reading Workshop in my classroom.  I decided to have a series on my blog devoted to the ins and outs of Reading Workshop.  I will have a linky with each post where bloggers can link back to their own ideas about the topic.  I thought this would be a great way to share ideas as we get ready to start back to school!

Look for my first session in this series, setting up your classroom library, this week!

Ask and You Shall Receive!!!

 I once again linked up with TBA for their awesome Freebie Friday!  Make sure you check out all the free goodies that are available by clicking on the link.



I am happy to say that I had several new followers join up over the weekend.  :)  Glad you guys joined up with the Taco Madness!  So many people commented on the Common Core I Can Statements, that I have decided to make them for all grade levels.  At the request first of my bloggy friend, Elizabeth over at Fun in Room 4B, I have 4th grade ready to go!  I will begin working on 2nd grade next.  

You can head over to my TpT or TN to pick these up for free.
Also, don't forget that Amber from Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher and I are hosting a Carolina Blogger/Reader Meetup.  We would love to have you join us in August for a fun time!  I mean if Amber and I are involved, its going to be fun!!!!  Speaking of fun, we went out last night to celebrate Amber's Bday and had a great time. 

Don't you wish you were out with us???  You can be, just sign up for the Meet Up!!!!

 


I did find time to enjoy playing with my sweet girls this weekend.  Raegan loves to be in the water, while Kenley is more timid about it.  Both loved playing in their new pool.

Hope you guys had a great weekend!!!

Common Core Freebie!!!!!!

I had my 2nd day of Common Core Training today, and my head is FULL of new info that is just swimming around!  I was trying to find out how I would use this new knowledge with my new job as an instructional facilitator.  Well, tonight it came to me!  Our district is using new I Can statements that match the Common Core standards.  Have any of you done these before?  I think they are a great way to clarify the learning targets to the kiddos.  I decided to start making the I Can statements to share with my teachers at my new school.

The plus is, I will share with you too!!!!  Click on the pic below to pick up your set at my TpT.  You can also pick it up at my TN here.

Please leave me some feedback on these if you pick them up.

Also, don't forget to sign up for the Carolina Blogger Meet Up with Amber and I!

Tomorrow's hump day, from there it's all down hill!!!!!

Fraction Bootcamp

TEN HUT!!!!!! 

Yesterday we started our Fraction boot camp and it was great.  Fractions have been a huge struggle for my lil' third graders this year.  My awesome teammate Erica found different hands on activities that the kids could complete each day.  Our state standards have 5 different elements for fractions.  Each day the kiddos rotate through an activity that goes with each of the 5 standards.  

I created a Boot Camp itinerary to helped the kids keep up with what stations they had done.  They also had to answer an EOG (our state testing) question that went with each standard.

Click on the pic if you want to see the actual document.  

Fraction Flip-a war-like game

 Number line sort

Fraction Sort

My awesome principal helping out at the Fraction Pizza station.  She is such an asset to our school, and I couldn't have done this station without her!!!!

Completed Pizzas

 My recruits had the best time today and couldn't wait for boot camp time.  What fun things are you guys doing for review before the BIG test?????

Ohhhh, and check out David Bowie and Joe Dirt below!  You can guess which is which!

Fractions, Fractions and More Fractions!

It's Taco Monday!!!!  I LOVE taco night and tonight was no exception!  Great food and company, can't beat it.  For some reason the tacos were extra good tonight.  (I think it is because I missed last week)

Today was a super busy day, and it is way too late, but my brain doesn't seem to want to settle down for the night.  I can't believe the BIG test is next week!!!!  To help my kids prepare for the upcoming EOG, we are spending the week in fraction boot camp.  Our new recruits arrive tomorrow and I can't wait!

Today we decided to review fractions on a number line by creating a human number line.  

The kids had a great time using what they had learned about fractions on a number line to create this!  

To keep my kids practicing this difficult skill, I created task cards with number lines on them.  Students are expected to tell which fraction the letter would be found on.  

Head over to my Teacher's Notebook Shop or TpT to pick this set up for only $2.00!  I will upload to my TpT as soon as they open back up to uploads.  

In honor of Teacher Appreciate Week, I will give this set away to the first 3 people to comment!!!

Workdays are a Teacher's Best Friend

I could get used to working 3 days and having 2 in a row off!  I don't know about my other bloggy friends, but the workday on Friday and the one tomorrow have been the ONLY workdays we have had all year.  They have been a long time coming!  I have my to-do list ready to go (yes, I know only 2 items will get done out of my 100+ list) and am ready to plan up a storm for the 3rd 9 weeks.  I'm sorry that most of you have to work tomorrow :(  But rest assured my day won't be all fun.  I will be sitting in on tutor interviews in the AM with other teachers.  I am really glad that my principal gives us this opportunity, but my list of to-do items won't be getting any shorter!

Last week I went to Classroom Central which is a shop for teachers in Charlotte and Gaston County that is loaded with FREE stuff!  I'm talking pencils, notebook paper, markers, crayons, glue, all the normal fun classroom supplies we all love.  But its more than that, they also have things like brand new paperback books, bulletin board materials, and pocket calendars.  Check out my haul!

24 paperback books for free!!

3 of my 5 bags of freebies I loaded up on!

One thing on my list is adding all my new books to by classroom library.  I have them labeled and ready to go.  

I also am working on a sweet Titanic unit to go with my communities and people change over time Social Studies unit.  I.Love.The.Titanic!  I haven't done this one if about 5 years and I am so excited to bring this unit back.  Be on the look out for it in the next few weeks on TpT.  

I want to leave you with one last thing.  I made math key word posters for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  If you like them, pick up your set on my TpT store, here.

Ohhhhh and don't forget to enter my giveaway for my Soil unit!  The deadline to enter is Friday the 27th.  If you haven't entered, click here.