Currently-----August?!?!!?

Well, it's that dreaded A word.  August.  I know I'm fortunate to have off another 4 or so weeks.  BUT, I feel like summer is over.  I'm linking up with Farley over at Oh Boy, 4th Grade for August Currently!

Listening.  This is what I hear daily around afternoon.  My littlest will NOT take a nap in his room.  He snuggles next to me on my bed and will take awesome naps.  {of course, my oldest isn't always fond of it, because I'm unable to escape.  He's downstairs reading, writing and of course watching TV when he's done with his "homework."  Or maybe he does love it?!?!?!?}   ;)

I am LOVING life right now!  I love being home with my kiddos.  Today was an especially good day, with no fighting, complaining... WHINING!  My professional life has been especially happy too, as I stumbled upon the Top Sellers for each state.  I found that I am the Number 1 seller in PA right now!  {Of course, I don't expect that to be for long, because there are so many fab sellers out there--but for right now, it's neat to think that I'm the best at something in the state!}  THANK you so much for all the support and love!!!!!!  XOXOXOXO

I'm thinking that I REALLY need to stop looking at everyone's stashes on Instagram!  Of course, I'm so thankful for TPT that I don't have to always watch how much things are adding up, but it's not helping me get my "game" on and have an idea of what I need to tackle when I head back to school to start setting up!  If you haven't gotten an Instagram account yet, you really should.  I LOVE it so much more than Facebook for sharing things.  Of course, right now there's not too much teaching things on there, other than people's stashes... but I'm enjoying getting to know people a little more "personally" since we're sharing things from our days!  Click {HERE} to follow me if you haven't yet!

I REALLY want a whole entire week (or more) of summer weather!  I'm SO not ready to go back.  It hasn't been hot to make me wish for that awesome September weather (and October).  I feel like it's still May or June!

Of course, speaking of weather... I could REALLY go for a get-a-way trip to the beach.  I love the relaxing-ness of it.  I want to sit and watch my kids play, listen to the ocean and look for the dolphins!  We're going to a new beach this year with my in-laws, and not hitting up my annual beach that I've pretty much gone to my entire life...  I'm a little bummed about it.  But, at least we get to go to the beach somewhere!

B2S.  1.  I've already accomplished it!  And it was on sale for 50% off!  SCORE!  Here's a pic of my new teacher bag!  I LOVE it.  It's not huge... I'm not a fan of hauling papers to and fro anymore.  Let's face it.  At my house, I'm luck that I remember my son's papers in his backpack.  I often found myself just lugging things back and forth, doing NOTHING with it!

 
2.  I want some new school clothes too!  I have just started getting a few things for my son.  Who is starting SECOND grade this year!  {Where has the time gone?!?!!?!?}  I've picked up a few things for me too... but nothing that has been "first day of school" ready...

3.  I also need some nice new pens.  I can never start a year without colorful pens.  And new pens, that I've never used before!  ;)

Christmas In July!

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells....  Okay my peeps.  I'm going to give something a try.  It's going to be more work on my end, but you all are worth it!  120%!  Through midnight tonight (July 25th) I am going to have a Buy 2, Get 2 FREE sale!  But, of course, with TPT (and TN) there isn't an option for me to do this.  What you'll need to do.  Buy 2 items.  When you leave feedback, leave your email---OR you can email me your user name and what two items you would like for FREE (click on the email button at the side of my page, or it's also in all my packets that you purchase on the last page).  Now, please remember.  It's just like any other place.  Your frees must be equal or lesser in price.

I'm starting early!  Whatcha waiting for?!

*Please note that I will get it to you as soon as I can.  Some files are too large to email so I will have to set up a google drive file for you.  Also, my TN store is not as up to date as my TPT.  If you are a TN shopper but would like something you see at my TPT store, I can still get you the files. 

Happily Ever After-A Fairy Tale Unit

Hi all!  This post has been in the making since May.  I just have not had it in me to finish the packet that I'm going to show you, nor could I find the time to get the amazingly cute pics loaded from my week!!!!  This summer is flying by, and I know many of you are getting ready to head back already!  We only got out mid June... so we have till the last week of August yet before heading back for some PD.  Make sure you read the the end of this! ;)

I LOVE Fairy Tales.  It's something that I always read growing up.  Maybe it's because I always wanted to be rescued by a handsome prince... or live in a castle with all those dresses and shoes?!  ha!  However, it's something I didn't do very well in my classroom.  Till now anyway! :)  (Still incredibly thankful for TPT!!!)

We spent the week looking at different Fairy Tales (Might I add, there were a few munchkins that did NOT know some of the stories I took for granted that they did?!)  The first day we read a familiar one--Cinderella.  We talked about all the different things that the book had that other stories did not have.  We displayed the posters.

Then we completed a "checklist" worksheet (it's what I called it, though it isn't really a checklist, but it's things to look and see if a book had!)

The rest of the week was similar.  We completed the checklist for each book, gradually getting to the point where they completed it independently.

We created some fun things with some of the books. 

 {Checklist we did for each}

 {WANTED posters we completed at the end of the unit}

 {What would be at the top of your beanstalk?}

Fairy Godfather applications:  (forgot to take a pic of the godmothers!)

 Wolf Research:

I just uploaded this packet to TPT.

Here's what you'll get:

{The packet also has math integrated into it---which I didn't take pics of, but you can see the sheets in this picture}:

Leave me a comment and I'll give this packet away to a few random people!  I'll pick Sunday night!  GO! Congrats #1 and 11 for being my random numbers generated--I'm emailing you now! :)  (PS-don't forget to click and follow this lil blog on bloglovin'!)

Throwback Thursday {Daily 5}

Once again, I'm hooking up with my fave Cara from the First Grade Parade for Throwback Thursday.

 ******Original Post: Daily 5 Posted on December 3, 2012******

Hi all!  I hope this month is going fairly smooth for you so far!  My 2 year old is still exhausting me with not sleeping through the night...  Oh how I wish I drank coffee this year!  (and last year...)  I don't have anything NEW that you could use in the coming weeks, but thought I'd share a little about my classroom.

I know that there is a ton of things out there for the Daily 5.  I thought I'd take a moment to explain how it works in my classroom!  First, I need to say, since we switch our kiddos, I do not set it up as well as it's supposed to be---with building stamina and all that...  If I did, I'd still be working on that at this time of year---and lets face it.  I'd be redoing everything when we get back in January!  I just couldn't.

I found on a blog a few years ago (so I do not have a link to give proper credit...) that a teacher used bookmarks for students to know how to go from station to station.  I decided to do that last year, to save my sanity on moving kids' names, scheduling even more, etc.  I couldn't let them just have "free choice" off the bat either.  I created 25 completely different bookmarks.  Each bookmark has a different "rotation" schedule.  It's designed to have 5 at each at any given time.  {This year I redid them, and forgot about making them ALL different and had 5 bookmarks that I made 5 copies each of... and I realized.  When they travel together from station to station---my room gets louder and louder and they start to lose focus.  LAST year, when I had all different ones, they don't travel from station to station and things were smooth.  I loved it!}

Each student will pick a bookmark either at the beginning of class, or when they are done with work before small group time starts.  This year, I labelled the back of each bookmark a different letter from the alphabet.  This is so they can keep track of these darn bookmarks.  THIS group has such a difficult time organizing themselves and had lost at least 6 bookmarks that I had made in the beginning of the year-that we're not using anymore.  Now that there is a letter, they KNOW which is theirs, and if it's left behind, they can now easily find it---of course, that is, IF they didn't lose it in a book or somewhere else.... :/

 My bookmarks match the posters at each area, so that they have no trouble figuring out where to go!

Click {HERE} to grab yourself a copy of the posters and bookmarks.  

I'll be back later to explain how I work my Word Work area.  

Disclaimer---the above information is what I personally do.  The Daily 5 and CAFÉ are trademark and copy written content of Educational Design, LLC dba The 2 Sisters.  Educational Design, LLC dba The 2 Sisters does not authorize or endorse these materials.

Throwback Thursday----Book Groups!

 I'm joining the fabulous Cara from the First Grade Parade!  I went through my posts from the past year and am re-posting it again, for all the newbies that may have just stumbled upon my lil old blog!

 ******Original Post: Book Groups Posted on June 23, 2012******

I thought I would share how I ran my book groups this year.  Here's a few pictures to show you how I organized it.  I have the packet uploaded to my TPT store.  You can buy a complete set of Story and Informational books (I created an informational literature circle set to meet the Informational text standards---and well, they are much different than the roles that would occur in the usual book/literature circles!  Click on any picture to take you to my Literature Circle Packet on TPT.  (I do also have them listed separately)

 This is how I kept track of who was in each group.  (This is included in the packet)

 I made 5 sets (1 isn't shown because I didn't need it this year) of each job on a lanyard.  Each group is a color to help organize things.  I still haven't found the perfect home for these yet!

This is an example of a packet I put together for one of my groups.  Each group had a packet that was the same color as their lanyard.  It was then the name of their group.

This is an example of student work from one of the pages in their book journals (that's what we named them).  Each journal had a different rotation of jobs so that I didn't have to tell them what their next job was.  I wasn't always meeting with each group EVERY time.  I wanted them to have some responsibility to run their groups without having to rely on me all the time.  (Though, I did have an ear on the groups and could tell what was going on!!!)  

Here's one of my group of cuties discussing their book!  Wish I didn't have to blur out their faces so that you can see how intent they are on discussing their chapter!

Another group working together

I had been searching and differentiating so many different literature circle groups through the years to use with my kiddos.  I am a believer that these can be done at ANY level.  I modeled many times how they should be run and we also completed the worksheets that are their "jobs" in the groups many times in class as a whole group kind of work before setting them loose in their new "book groups."  I had ALL work done in class.  Nothing went home (we had strict homework policies this year and I have had bad luck with students remembering books in the past---and they NEEDED their books to run the groups!)  We met 2-3 times a week, depending on absences and making sure all had their work finished.  If needed, they could read/do their job during the Daily 5 time that I was running in class.

I don't really have a new freebie for you right now, but wanted to remind you of one that I have had in the past!  It is something that can be used throughout the year for book "reports." 

Click on the picture to grab yourself a copy!

Also---for those of you who have 4th and 5th grade teacher friends who would like a cute checklist like I have made for K-3, I am currently working on those!  I had a special request from a few people---so I wanted to let you know that it's in the works.  I'd actually like to try to finish it this week because next week.....  shhhh!  I'll be in Disney!!  (and my boys still have NO idea!!!)  We'll see if they catch on as I try to "sneak" pack this week!

If you missed out on seeing my checklists----here they are!  (I just realized that I don't have a cover page for 3rd.  Click here to see third grade!)  I was SUPER excited to see that my Kindergarten checklist had been pinned over 1,000 times off of TPT!!  I could not believe it!!!!!!!  {To see all of my checklists click HERE}