Missing Addends Game-Freebie!

So, if you hadn't read about my feather headband missing addends game---you can read about it {here}.

About a day after I posted it, I had this HUGE idea----that I have just been DYING to share with you all!  I've finally been able to finish it (not that it was THAT big---when you see the pack, it's not) but the idea is just SO cute.  And I tested it out with my kiddos today-and it was a HIGE success!

The gist-2 students will be Rudolph and one will be "santa" or the "elf" whatever you may want to call it.  The Rudolphs will sit "elbow to elbow, knee to knee" facing Santa.  They will pick up a nose that is numbered (but face down, so you can't see the number) and hold it to their nose.  Santa will add the numbers together (in his/her head!!) and tell Rudolphs the sum.  The Rudolphs will then look at each other (NOT their numbers) and figure out what number is on their own nose!  The one who gets it the fastest--wins the noses.  When the noses are gone-whoever has the most is the new Santa!

Oh-did I mention that I added a few Santa hats too???  Check out these pics!  (even though I had to blur their faces... they were nothing but smiling, engaged kids!!!)  Sorry had to remove photos due to my district's new photo policy.  New photos will appear once I can get my little models to cooperate!

I call it my "Rudolph's Reindeer Game {Missing Addends}"  You can snag it up at my TPT store (click on the picture)

This is a game that my kids play when they finish their work (except for today when we were practicing the game).   I really do believe that when my kids come to me for math, they think all that we do is play games!  HA!  If they only knew....  ;)

I'm linking this up with Freebielicious Freebies on the First for December!  Check out that site for more awesome freebies for December!

Get your fingers ready! TPT Sale!

Well, I'm sure you have ALL heard about the BIG cyber Monday PLUS TUESDAY TPT sale!  I will have everything in my lil store 20% off.  It's a great time to stock up on things---get everything you need to get you through the next few weeks, and then some!

I am now officially AHEAD of the game!  WOOHOO!  (well, just need to make copies)

Next week I'll be doing this unit--we just had career day before turkey day---and I REALLY didn't want to start Christmas things y.e.t.    We'll be reading a few books that have a "community helper" as a character-then spend a day researching different careers!  I didn't quite realize how many books our school library had on jobs!  (even if they are o.l.d.)

 {When I Grow Up Research Project}

Then I'll be spending a week researching and reading about Hibernation!  I JUST uploaded this fun unit!

{Bear Snores On Hibernation Research Project}

I have activities in it to go along with the book Bear Snores On and included some Verb tense activities for past and present verbs:

And I also have a bunch of research pages too, for students to research different animals that hibernate!  (who knew there were so many different ones!  lol  I didn't even realize that some hibernated till I started gathering books to work on my plans!)

I'll be having my kiddos work through these centers/stations/whatever we're allowed to call them now...

{12 Days of Common Core Literacy Games}

{12 Days of Common Core Math Games} 

OR---Get them both here:  {Bundled Version}

Here's a recent big seller, that's one of my oldies for Place Value:

{Place Value Perfection to the Core}

And, just to let you know.  I bundled ALL of my monthly story problems in ONE packet!  You can find it here (click on the picture):

I'm working on bundling the "extras" and will have them available shortly.  I need to work on a few extra special days first.  ;)

Last, this one is one of my coworkers favorite packets-and it can be quite useful as those kiddies start to travel this time of year!

{Jet Setting-a Travel Journal for kids who travel}

As always, thanks so much for your feedback and comments!  Hope you have a great week and I'll have a F.U.N. new math game to post soon!  (just need to find some models to use to show it in pictures!  Maybe my 6 and 2 year old??)

Here's an oldie but goodie FREEBIE for you to use in the coming weeks:

Click on the pic to download; Read more about it HERE

I JUST ADDED A NEW PACKET TO TPT TONIGHT!  If you enjoyed the Tic-Tac-Toe choice board above, I created a Christmas themed one---that includes all the materials you would need to use it for the next few weeks of school before Christmas!  Click on the picture to read more.  {Hopefully TPT is working properly for you to see it---it's running slower tonight-probably people filling up their carts and wishlists like me!}

Stuffed with Thankful Thoughts

I have conferences coming up this week, so I have nothing "educational" to share with ya.  I'm looking forward to family time this coming week/weekend!  I'm linking up with lovely Lyndsey to share a few of my Thankful thoughts! 

1.  I'm thankful for my little family.  The hubs for putting up with me :)

{This was just yesterday-on a whim!  <3 living close by to so many cool things for kids!}

 I'm thankful for this lil guy.  He has taught me so much in his 6 almost 7 years---but now that he is the age of the kids I teach-it really HAS changed me in the classroom.

I am just as thankful for this mini shadow too!  He is so full of love and such a great snuggle-buddy.  MOST days he makes everything better---of course, that is, when he's NOT doing his "terrible twos" bits...  ;)

2.  I'm am every so thankful to have a great job.  Stressful as it can be, I enjoy bringing the love of learning to the classroom, and this year I'm learning right along with my firsties on many different things from facts about bats, spiders and owls (something I've never gone so "deep" into, to some of those common core standards that I've never taught before, really).  Not only that, I'm thankful for a job where I can get more time to spend with my own children and know about all the cool things to do with them!

 {Watching big brother play soccer}

{Crayola Factory!}

3.  I'm thankful for traditions.  I love traditions and started many with my children.  We eat dinner once a week with my parents (I'm an only child and live about 10 minutes away from them).  Every year we pick pumpkins at this fabulous pumpkin patch/corn maze.  Black Friday we pick and cut our tree down and decorate it to Christmas music.  Every December we take my 6 year old to NYC----this year we're taking both kids and surprising them with an over night stay!  Can't wait to see Macy's Santa again! =) {Just to name a few for this time of year!}

4.  I'm thankful for my friends!  This is one of my besties from WAY back.  Sometimes we act like the same person.  {Our parents even mix us up sometimes!}  We twirled baton and danced together for many years in elementary through college.  We would oftentimes show up wearing the same things!  <3 her and glad to have her and her family in my life still, even when we can't get together as often as I'd like.  =)

{By the way---we are at an NKOTBSB concert!  We were avid N'SNYCers back in the day too}  ;)

5.  I'm also thankful for a former employee of my district for giving me a chance to work with curriculum.  I was given the chance to write curriculum for a nonexistent writing curriculum in our district.  I was also trained to be a trainer for the Step Up To Writing program and had to actually present and train our teachers (with a few others)-which was WAY out of my comfort zone.  Through that experience, brought a new sense of confidence and a love for the "behind the scenes" so to speak.  I was then also asked to help rewrite our math curriculum to match the CCSS's (twice already, thanks to our state changing a few things and dragging their feet to let the state know what it was).  While I would NEVER want to be in an administration position, these experiences had lead the spark to where I am today---and leads into my next number!

6.  My blog and TPT store----words cannot express how thankful I am for this whole experience.  I started last January and the experience has just been amazing.  Not only have I connected with friends from around the globe, but I have also become a more aware teacher.  I feel like I have never been this "good" before (for lack of a better word there!  ha!  Can you tell I'm fried--with conferences coming up this week, before turkey day?!!?)  The blog and TPT stuff have most definitely given me more to do when I can't sleep----or does it just add to more reasons why I can't sleep at night???

Anyway, I do thank you for stopping by and reading what I have to say. 

Turkeys, Turkeys, Turkeys!

I'm trying so hard to stay ahead of the game.  I just finished an idea that has been in my head for months---and added some extras with the packet to give you some extra days' worth of activities!

Introducing the Turkey Book Report!  {Sorry for the lack of STUDENT samples... I'll have those after we actually do them next week!}

My plan is to read turkey themed books ALLLL week.  Thursday and Friday, they will choose their favorite and write a book report on it.  They will use the template I have in the packet to write OR draw the information and then color and assemble the adorable turkey!

I did include other reading response worksheets within the packet---some are specific to books, others are generic.  I did already include Essential Question posters for the standards that are met!  :)  You can click on the picture to read more.

Now, for a fun freebie!  I found an idea online a few years ago.  Up until now, I have used our die cut machine to punch out feathers and write numbers on.  However, they got so torn up after using just a few times, that it was wasting my time!  Now that I found adorable feather clip art, I created a template and am sharing with you!

It was called Indian Feathers (though, I'm not sure that's okay to use, really) so I'm calling them Math Head Feather?!?!

Anywhooo..  Students play in groups of 3.  1 is the chief.  {if kids can't decide who that job goes to, I always tell them that the student with the smallest foot goes first/is the chief, etc...)  ;)  The other 2 sit side by side facing the Chief.  The 2 pick up a feather without looking at it, and places it on their heads.  The Chief adds the numbers together and tells the other 2 the sum.  Then the 2 look at each other's feather (without looking at their own) and has to figure out what their own number is!!!!  The first person to get it correct wins both feathers.  The player with the most feathers at the end becomes the Chief.

 My kids actually learned how to play this last year and played this game throughout the entire year (of course with me replacing sets...).  They LOVED the challenge! 

Click {HERE} to grab yourself a copy!

Have a great weekend and week ahead!  I've got report cards coming and conferences!  So, I may be a little MIA in the near future.  Don't forget tonight's the last night to enter my 500 follower giveaway!

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Election/Presidential Freebies

Okay--I know this is REALLY last minute.  Maybe it can help out someone out there for something this week... or it could be something you save for when you teach about the president/government.

I found this great book from scholastic (but I see from searching for a picture that you can get it from Amazon):

It's a cute book that shows real kids and tells about the different qualities the president has (should have??)

This week I am having my kids write how they are each of those traits (after reading the book and listing the qualities on chart paper (with a few reminders of what that trait is).  Check out what they've done so far!!

 {At school I'm respectful because I listen to the teacher.}

 {At ballet class, I say sorry if I bump into a ballerina at ballet class.}

 {I never give up doing soccer in my backyard.}

Click on the picture below to grab yourself a copy.  At the bottom of the first page, I have "Vote for me in 2041!  (Boy does that make me feel just old!!!!)  I'll try to add a few extra pages with other years...  I'll put it at the end of the packet.

  {BEWARE!  ;)  Now that I have your attention---I seem to have "respectful" in the file twice.... not sure how that happened cause it wasn't there when I printed it out to use today!  I think my computer is playing tricks on me this week!  I'll fix it soon-----just make sure you notice it before making copies!  Sorry!}

The rest of our week we are doing lots of Duck for President activities.  The kids are SO excited about everything!  (as am I!!!)

Don't forget to enter my 500 Follower Feast!  Lots of goodies up for grabs---ends Thursday night at midnight!!!!  I have the rafflecopter below for you! :)  (click the big picture to go the post about it-to see what goodies you could win!!!)

Don't forget to vote tomorrow!  I'm taking my 6 year old with me and he thinks it is just the neatest thing!  It's like Christmas or something for him!  ha!

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500 Follower Feast

I can't believe that my blog has gotten so many followers over the past 10 months or so!  I am truly grateful for all of you and this journey.  Not only has it given me confidence in what I do, I have become a better teacher for it!  I am thankful for the relationships that I have found through it as well! {I'm keeping this short because my blogger is having quite the issues this weekend---and I'm finding myself typing this up for a 4th time!!!!  And the Rafflecopter is driving me bonkers too!!!  SO sorry!}

As a thanks to YOU-I have asked a few bloggy friends to help donate a little something for a giveaway.  I'm calling it a FEAST because you can win everything you'd need for November!  It's jammed packed with turkeys, Native Americans and education! ;)

Here's what you could win:
From A Year of Many Firsts:

{or you can choose anything from her store!!}

From Mrs. Miner's Kindergarten Monkey Business:

From The Teacher Idea Factory:

From A Cupcake for the Teacher:

From Miss Kindergarten:

From Queen of the First Grade Jungle:

From Peace Love and Learning:

 Last, but not least---from me:

PLUS:  I'll send you my Christmas math and lit bundle (as soon as I complete it) so you can be ready when you get back from your Thanksgiving break!  (it'll be done by the end of November--fingers crossed!!!)

Click on the rafflecopter below!  Enter up until midnight Thursday!  I'll announce the winner on Friday, November 9th!  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Election WEEK!

I am SO excited about next week.  I am kinda a government nerd.  In fact, if I didn't go for Early Childhood/Elementary Ed in college, I was going to go for Social Studies.  I had such an awesome Government teacher in high school (Hi, Mr. Groff, if you're out there!!!) that I fell in love.  Now, of course, I HATE the dirty politics and mean stuff.....  BUT I love the process.  I can't wait to take my 6 year old with me to vote this year.  He's finally old enough to go with me.  (I would have never trusted him to wait and be patient the last time when he was 2)

Next week, along with my centers that I made for Election Week (they can also be done during President's Day time too) I have planned to use Duck for President.  Doreen Cronin had me at Click Clack MOO!  and this book is just one more absolute favorite.

I am super excited about what I created that my coworkers are just as excited for next week too!  Here's a snapshot of what's included:

{Click on the picture above to see it at my TPT store!}

There are 5 different comprehension/response pages---1 for each day!  My absolute favorite is the worksheets for Character traits!  There are 3 different worksheets for working with Proper Nouns.  I have a ballot for students to vote for Farmer Brown or for Duck for president, along with one of my tally sheets and graphing and analyzing sheets that we'll do together.

I also have writing worksheets that include a "can, has, is" organizer for each Duck and Farmer Brown.  There's a Venn Diagram to compare the 2.  I also have a web, writing and poster page for students to web ideas on why Farmer Brown should be president, or duck OR THEMSELVES!  (get segway to persuasive writing---another CCSS!)

I think though, besides the character traits worksheets, that my absolute fave from the packet are my vocabulary cards!  They turned out sooooooooo good!  I'm not sure if I'll keep them as a whole page or if I'll copy them at half the size....  decisions, decisions....

I wanted to leave you with a good freebie today---so I created another dice roll game for kids to play that go along with the book too!  I have 4 different game boards.  3 practice doubles (1 of those is actually doubles +1) and the last one has no directions so you can have kids play it however you wish! :)

Click on the picture to take you to my TPT store to download it!  If you like it, don't forget to following me on TPT to know when I put more freebies up on there!!  :)