SLOW down!!!

Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE this time of year, but HATE the feeling of this whirlwind of my life..  It starts about mid-March and doesn't end till June!  I swear it feels like the 3rd marking period is a LOT shorter than the rest, but, of course it isn't.  We didn't even have ONE snow day this year!  Or a delay!  (of course, we did have TWO hurricane/flood days on the 2-3 days of school this year in September.  Not something you see often in PA!)

I need it to slow down because this week we have a Spring Open house!  Parents and kids get to come back and check out everything we've been doing all year.  This year is different because we switch kiddos for Reading groups and Math groups.  I'm finding it challenging to balance the "showcase" of work for each of my groups!  (Cause I also have that homeroom who I teach content to!)  I know that everything will be fine and parents will just love seeing their most prized possession's work and progress :)

I thought I'd share a few pics of my room/things from last week :)  Keep reading for a freebie! :)

This is how I organize my daily 5 word work and literacy games.  My teammate had the idea of using shoe racks and I had 3 at home that I wasn't using since we had moved a few years ago!  It's worked PERFECTLY!  I love how it gives me more space!  I started using baby wipes containers to hold things, such as magnetic letters, wikki sticks, etc.  As well as my "games" that I have created!  The games I need them to complete are in the wipes containers at the top.  They are labeled Activity 1, 2, 3, etc.  When I hand out the work to complete (that they keep in those orange folders to the right) I have them write the number container it is in at the top of the page.

 

This is how I started organizing my literature circles/book groups.  Each group has a certain color that matches the lanyard around the name cards.  The packets are in different orders for each group member, so that they always know what job is theirs and which is coming up.  They keep their folders and books in their book holders....  I need a better name for those!  (I found them at Target a few months ago and just had to have them.... even at $1 a piece!  Not a bargain, but they matched my room perfectly and they have been VERY useful.)

 

After looking at different blogs and plans online, this is my current version of my lesson plans!  I L.O.V.E. color, and thankfully my district does not limit our printing of color yet.  I bought a cute binder at Staples, that holds my plans as well as notes for the substitute, so EVERYTHING is in one place.  I used to have a separate Sub binder, but found that having it with my plans is more helpful.


Now to the freebie-for today anyway.  I have another one, but I'll have to post it tomorrow.  I'm just running out of time!!!!  We are learning all about animals.  This is just a quick and easy habitat flip book that I created for the kids to write facts and draw pictures of the habitats that we study.  We discuss desert, ocean and forest.  We do talk about others, but for the sake of time and to know if they understand what a habitat is, those are what we look for.  Look at what the cuties did!

 Cover

Desert page with facts and picture

Ocean---we watched the BrainPop Jr., and I never knew the actual names of the sections of the ocean before!  My kids thought I was crazy this year when I told them that.  (not that THEY knew it, but the fact that I didn't know it---teachers know everything!)

Click on any of the pictures above to download a copy for yourself!  Copy it double sided, as it is (the way it prints out) and you'll be set to go!

I have finished my Math AND literacy Beach themed Common Core games/centers!  You can check them out by clicking on the pictures below!  I'm in the process of finishing up the "preview" for each and will upload that within a day or 2.... (though, my goal is to do it tonight!)

I plan on having another post this week that will have some fact and opinion worksheets related to animals!  Make sure to follow me so you don't miss out!  My kids are in the process of using it now, to make sure there are no "bugs" :)  I set a new personal goal for my blog-we'll see if I can reach my goal!  Thanks for all the love, bloggy friends!  Again, I never expected any of this!!!!!!   

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!

I CANNOT believe the amount of people who have stopped by my lil blog in just a week's time!  Last week at this time, well a day earlier-I was JUST at 100 followers---a week and a day later-I'm at 135?!  I was also around 9,000 views---today I'm at almost 14,000!  W.O.W.!  I appreciate all the comments--and for you stopping by to check out what I'm doing or to get a new idea!  I love getting to know people, regardless of where you are and what you teach!  I'm inspired by you to do more, share more and THINK more.

I wanted to thank my followers by giving out my new "Making (Common Core) Waves" math games.  I thought long and hard about what it was that I needed my kiddos to know before moving on to second grade-that is aligned to the Common Core Standards.  Since our curriculum was aligned to it this year, I had a full year with it.  I could have added a few more things, but I felt that what I had was a good variety.  These games could easily be used as assessments for the year too!  Check out the descriptions of the games on my TpT page (click on the picture)

And----the part you are all waiting for---Congrats to



I'll be emailing you shortly!  I need to figure out how to get numbers next to my comments to make this easier on me next time!  :P

I found more great give-a-ways if you'd like to win something else!  Check out Krista at Stellar Students for a great give-a-way that I'd love to win! :)  Congrats on her getting to over 200 followers!  Can't wait for that! :)  (click on the picture to take you there!)

Here's another at Views from Room 205!   you could win $15 towards 31 gifts!  Oh, how that would be sweet! :)  Click on the pic to take you there!  (and if she gets to 500 followers by Monday, she'll add another $15 prize!)