the teacher wife

Leap Day SALE!

2012-02-26T23:00:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for an awesome Leap Day {Feb. 29th} sale on TpT?! Many bloggers, including myself, are offering 20% off their products {on top of the TpT 10% discount--use promo code L2P9Y at checkout}

Click the image below to view a PDF with clickable links:

Click the image below for more TpT sellers:

Happy shopping, my sweet friends!!

CVCe Unit Update & What Are You Looking For?

2012-02-25T23:26:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! After a few requests, I have added a word hunt to my CVCe Packet. {I am happy your students are enjoying this activity!} If you have already purchased this unit, please re-download it! If you would like to purchase it {for only $5.00}, click here.

After posting this CVCe Packet, I have had several readers tell me about a cute song that goes perfectly with my Super E character. It is by Harry Kindergarten and you can listen to it here.

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I am also wondering what kind of units you are looking for. Of course, I have a huge long list and I am always working on a few at a time, but I would be happy to start something new. Just leave a comment letting me know. {Remember, I like to create things to use in my own classroom, so my focus is always K-3!}

when to use 'a' or 'an' {an anchor chart}

2012-02-23T22:54:00.002-05:00

I have officially challenged my students to use "an" and "a" the correct way EVERY TIME they write.

Hopefully this anchor chart will help! Click here to download your own copy!

Sorry for such a short post... but I'm off to bed, because being a teacher makes me tired!

Have a good night, friends, and HAPPY FRIDAY!! :)

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CVCe Packet {SUPER E!}

2012-02-20T16:57:00.003-05:00

I think this might be my favorite unit so far... {do I say that every time?} I am so excited to show you my latest unit... CVCe Activities: SUPER E!! I created this unit after I realized a few of my students didn't quite have this skill down. I have created a super hero named Ethan, but his friends call him SUPER E. He goes around helping other vowels say their name when they are in the CVCe word pattern.

This Unit Includes: CVCe posters {color, b&w, and draw-your-own}, a CVCe lesson suggestion with an accompanying worksheet, an original CVCe story with SUPER E as the main character {in color and b&w} with an accompanying worksheet, a SUPER E craftivity that your students will love {part of this craft is pictured above}, CVCe game {easy prep. work}, and 2 practices pages.

The first two people who leave me their email address will get this CVCe Packet FREE!

How do you teach CVCe words in your classroom?

happy v-day!

2012-02-13T23:41:00.000-05:00

I hope you all ~~survive~~ enjoy your Valentine's Day tomorrow!

I just finished making these sugar-free valentines for my kiddos. They are similar to last year's look.

You know me, I like to keep things looking simple and clean. :)

Click here to download your own pencil tags {you can always save them for next year}.

-XoXo-

My Valentine's Day Unit, All You Need is LOVE, is on sale for $4.00 until midnight tomorrow!

giveaway winner!

2012-02-08T22:48:00.001-05:00

Congrats to Emily at Second Grade Silliness! You have won $50.00 to spend in my TpT Store!

{Emily - I will be emailing you shortly and you can tell me what units you would like!!}

Thanks to all who entered this giveaway! You are all fabulous and you TOTALLY boost my self-esteem! ;)

just because i love you! {giveaway} CLOSED!

2012-02-05T22:14:00.003-05:00

You read it right... one lucky winner will get $50.00 to spend in my TpT Shop!

{The $50.00 will be good for current and future products!}

To Enter: Become a follower of my blog and leave me a comment to let me know.

Bonus Entry #1: Follow The Teacher Wife on Facebook.

Bonus Entry #2: Follow my TpT Shop.

Bonus Entry #3: Visit my TpT Shop and tell me one thing you would buy with the $50.00!

*Make sure each entry is a separate comment {on my blog}!*

I will announce the winner Wednesday night.

Good Luck!

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P.S. Tonight is the last night that my Parts of Speech Bundle will ONLY be $11.00!

parts of speech bundle {nouns, verbs, & adjectives}

2012-02-03T00:08:00.005-05:00

In my classroom we are reviewing nouns, verbs, and adjectives. To do this, I am using all three of my parts of speech units. My students love these units {esp. the Action Verb Heroes}! Since I am continually using all three units at once, I thought it would be nice to *bundle* them for you--so you can, too!! Normally these units are $5.00 each, which would make them $15.00 total {for all three}. However, I have bundled them into one packet, for $12.50, in my TpT shop! And, you can snag it for $11.00 until Sunday {$4.00 savings}!

To learn more about each unit, click on the pictures below:

The first two people to comment will get this entire packet FREE!

Don't forget to leave me your email address!

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Since you all are so wonderful, I am including a freebie that can be found in my

Awesome Adjectives unit or my *new* Parts of Speech Bundle!

Click the image below to download this fun parts of speech Word Hunt.

{In my classroom, I use it as an assessment... and my students LOVE it!}

If you enjoy using this freebie in your classroom, don't forget to leave feedback on TpT! :)

predicting {this one's for the BOYS!}

2012-01-30T22:31:00.006-05:00

Hello Friends! Happy Monday... {is there such a thing???}

Today we talked a whole lot about predicting... and the SUPER Bowl! Since I am a total girly girl and I know

N-O-T-H-I-N-G about football, I had to recruit my husband and some of my students to help me on this one. I'm sure you have seen this adorable football {can those two words be together?} craft created by the talented Teri at A Cupcake for the Teacher. When I first saw this craft, I knew I had to make it with my students...

{and I didn't even know who was playing... who cares, right??!}

You can purchase the craft pattern from Teri's TpT and TN stores for only $1.00!

My boys got really into this activity! Finally... a craft they could relate to!

I had one little boy who pretty much convinced the whole class that the New England Patriots were going to be the winning team... he gave lots of good reasons... and since I don't know that much, I believed him.

Thanks, Teri, for such an awesome idea!! {If you haven't checked out her blog, you need to!}

How do you teach predicting to your students?

ukuleles {i'm CRAZY}

2012-01-26T20:05:00.003-05:00

Yes. I am that crazy teacher down the hall who is teaching her second graders how to play the ukulele.

I'm really sorry about the noise... It's just that we have to practice EVERYDAY...

Back 100 years ago {almost} I learned how to play the ukulele in second grade.

I am a little out of practice though, because my older brother turned it into an "electric" ukulele and claimed it as his own... So I guess you could say that I am learning right along side my second graders.

They are learning all these awesome chords and I am surprised at how much they have picked up already.

The good news is that we only have to learn the G Chord and the D7 Chord to play most of the songs.

They love practicing with their partners! These two cutie pies are playing Mary Had a Little Lamb.

You should hear the noise in my room while they practice, on their own, in small groups... it isn't exactly "music" to my ears! Ahh! It is during that time that I wonder what I got myself into...

We have only been playing for a few weeks, but they are already quite proud of their new ukulele talent!

I am excited to see how much they improve over the next couple of months.

Do you play the ukulele {or any instrument} with your students?

What resources/lesson ideas do you use?

valentine fun: all you need is LOVE!

2012-01-15T00:42:00.001-05:00

I am really excited for February! My newest unit, All You Need is LOVE, has so many math and writing activities and I know my students will enjoy all of them! Hummmmm, maybe I'll start these next week... ;)

I am probably most excited for the Valentine Monster Sacks we will be making to hold their Valentines. Since Valentine's Day is so girly, I know my boys will appreciate this little monster activity.

This unit also includes a precious coupon book.
Your students will feel so proud when they give this heart-felt valentine to their parents.

Last year I did this fun note writing activity with my students and they are still talking about it this year! During the month of February, they get to write nice notes to each other {when they finish their work}. At the end of the day, when we pass the notes out, they are so touched at the nice things their classmates say about them. This activity will definitely build classroom unity among your students.

This 67 Page Unit Includes:

- 3 Writing Activities: Daily Love Notes (compliments), Valentine Story Prompt with Pictures, Sentence Structure Worksheets

- 3 Math Activities: Story Problem Worksheets, Game Board w/ Place Value & Addition/Subtraction Practice, Yummy Conversation Heart Activity

- 2 Crafts: Love Monster Sacks for Holding Valentines (Also Includes a Small Writing Activity) and Valentine Coupon Book for Parent Valentines.

The first person to comment will get this unit FREE!

{Don't forget to leave your email address!}

teacher tip: permanent markers & whiteboards

2012-01-12T22:17:00.002-05:00

Hello sweet friends! I hope you are having a good week. :)

I wanted to share a little tip I learned from a friend that involves a permanent marker and whiteboard.

You are probably wondering what these two things have in common... because who in their right mind would use a permanent marker on a whiteboard...

Well, I am sure it occasionally happens by accident or, if you are like me, then you did it on purpose. I used permanent marker on a small whiteboard I used for taking lunch count/roll. I drew lines on it to section off the different lunch choices. However, now that I am half way through the school year, I want to use my little whiteboard for something different {a place to put spelling words for the week}.

Thank goodness for my BFF teacher friend for showing me this awesome trick:

Yay! Now I have a place to put the magnetic spelling words and I didn't have to buy a new whiteboard!

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I also had to show you our darling January artwork {which I am displaying on my magnetic art wall}.

To see where this inspiration came from, click here.

Not only is this artwork super beautiful and lovely to look at, but my students really enjoyed themselves!

What fun things do you do during January?

Do you have any fun teacher tips that will make life easier?? {Please share!}

social networking

2012-01-07T02:37:00.005-05:00

Hello, friends! You may have already noticed, but I have some new buttons on my blog! :)

I have finally made a blog button to go with my new blog look:

Have a good weekend!! - XOXO -

penguin mini unit {freebie}

2012-01-05T23:47:00.005-05:00

I hope you are having a great week back in school. I can't believe how fast time goes and how fast this

week has gone by... and I really can't believe tomorrow is Friday! {Thank goodness!}

Last year my students made these adorable penguins. I love giving step-by-step instructions and then letting my students interpret the art in their own way. Art like this always seems to resemble each students' unique personality and it cracks me up! If you want to make these in your own classrooms, just give your students simple, step-by-step instructions. Start with the snow at the bottom of the page and have them tear it so it looks real. Then have them make the body out of two rectangles {1 black, 1 white}, the feet out of a circle {cut in half}, the beak out of a triangle, and the eyes out of circles. {You've probably already noticed, but this activity ties in great with shapes and symmetry.} Then for the eyes they used googly eyes and they finger painted the snow in the background. The best part about this art project is the small amount of prep work. Since they are making their own shapes, you don't have to do a lot to get this activity ready!

I have also put together a FREE unit for all the penguin lovers out there.

It includes two writing activities {a penguin story and report outline}, with accompanying worksheets,

that are perfect for winter/January! Click the picture below to download!

I also found a great Reader's Theater about Tacky the Penguin from the Reading Lady.

Click here to download it. It also includes some great poems and songs about penguins.

I"ll definitely be adding this download to my files!

Jodi at Fun in First has an adorable free penguin unit, too! Click here to check it out.

Heather at Heather's Heart also has a lot of free resources that you must download!

Click here to check out Heather's penguin worksheets.

Rachelle at What the Teacher Wants has a fun Penguin Pie activity that looks really yummy and

I'm sure your students will love it! Click here to check it out.

If you have anymore great {and free} penguin resources, let me know and

I'll add it to this post so others can check it out!

I hope you enjoy this unit and I'd love to hear what you think about it. ENjOY!

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fraction fun: posted!

2012-01-02T23:22:00.007-05:00

This packet is full of Fraction FUN! In this unit you will find... 3 anchor charts {fraction, numerator, & denominator}, labeling fractions activity with anchor chart and worksheet/assessment, fraction book for teacher, mini fraction book for student {with a cut and paste activity}, fraction bookmarks, fraction line chart with an activity/assessment, memory game, fraction sort, story problems, task cards (for independent work), 5 practice worksheets/assessments, & 2 Numerator/Denominator Charts {vertical & horizontal}.

Here are some of the activities available:

I am really excited to give them their fraction bookmarks tomorrow!

They will think they are pretty neat! ;)

And since I love you so much, click here to download the Fraction Sort as a FREEBIE!

If you like it, then be sure to check out the whole packet {for sale for $5.00}!

Here is the completed Fraction Fun unit:

The first person to comment will get this unit FREE!

(Remember to leave your email address!)

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BTW: This unit completes my math wall {located at the front of my classroom where all my students can see it}. If you want your math wall to look like this, you can purchase the fraction unit here, graph posters here

and download the double-digit addition/subtraction posters for free here!

You can also download the "Math Wall" banner for free {click here}!

Just print onto brightly colored card stock, cut out and tape onto thin string.

How do you teach fractions to your students?

positive postcards

2012-01-01T23:29:00.002-05:00

My new year's resolution is to notice my students more. As a new teacher, I feel like I am always rushing from one thing to the next and I forget to notice how stinkin' cute they are. Besides, children thrive on positive comments and attention {heck, so do adults}!

I created these postcards/notes that I will give to my students when I see them do something great/kind. I could write all the notes ahead of time, but I really want to make them specific to each child, so I won't. For example, when I see them doing something great or noteworthy, I will write a note to them that night and leave it on their desk the next morning. Since I don't have all the time in the world, I will only be giving each student one note. {I may or may not mail them to their houses... I can't decide. I know that they would love to get mail... I'll have to think about that!}

Click the image below to download your own positive postcards:

I would love to hear how you use these in your classroom! Happy New Year! :)

How do you "notice" your students and make them feel special?

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you make my ♥ GLOW! {v-day freebie}

2011-12-30T15:48:00.005-05:00

I know that it isn't even February yet, but I am in the mood to skip January.

Here in Utah it is too blah, too cold, and too depressing.

So naturally, I am already thinking about Valentine's Day.

My husband and I don't really do much, but I love celebrating V-Day with my students.

February is a great time to develop friendship skills and build unity in my classroom.

Last year I gave my students glow sticks on Valentine's Day and they loved it.

{And I loved it, because glow sticks don't contain any sugar & they were from the dollar store... BONUS!}

If you want to send this Valentine home with your students this year, click the image below to download!

{To make the Valentines, just print onto white card stock, cut out, and tape onto a glow stick. Easy.}

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My Valentine's Day Packet is COMING SOON!

Look for it in my TpT and TN stores next week!

Here is a little sneak peek of the monster sacks we will be making for V-Day {included in the unit}:

My V-Day packet will include the templates to make this cute love monster. Your students will

get to choose from 3 different heads, 2 eyes, 4 different mouths, and lots of heart accents.

I can't wait to see what kind of love monsters my students come up with!

This unit will also include math, writing, and fun games for your V-Day celebration/party.

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fraction fun {what are you looking for?}

2011-12-29T16:03:00.007-05:00

Like I mentioned in my post yesterday, I am working on a fraction unit and I hope to have it up by the end of the week {hopefully Saturday}. In my classroom, I will be hitting fractions hard, starting in January. I really want my students to take valuable information away from these lessons and really know what fractions are by the end of second grade. I am gearing this packet for grades 1-3.

While getting this unit ready I would love to know what you are looking for in a fraction unit. What concepts/ideas are most important to you when teaching fractions? In this unit I am including anchor charts {pictured above}, games for centers, worksheets, and mini books. Is there anything else you wish I would add? If there is, please let me know in a comment below. Even though my focus is on my own students, I would love to adapt this to your classroom needs as well! Thanks for your input/comments!

classroom christmas party: gingerbread style

2011-12-28T23:08:00.000-05:00

Merry {late} Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all my bloggy friends!

I hope you are enjoying your winter break as much as I am.... isn't it wonderful?!

I know Christmas has come and gone, but I really wanted to tell you all about our classroom Christmas party. It was so fun and I am definitely doing it next year. I also have amazing parent volunteers, so I didn't have to do a lot to get everything ready. My parent volunteers are the best!

For the party, each student invited a grandparent or special guest {we got neighbors, brothers, dads, moms... etc} to come to our classroom and decorate a gingerbread house. We sent out personal invitations and we had a great turn-out. As you can see, we filled our classroom to the brim.

Since I have to be organized and I need to be in control {I can't help it, I have to} I put up a little agenda on the white board. This schedule helped my students know what options they had when they finished an activity. I didn't want them saying... Ummmm I am not sure what to do next... You know what I mean?

The party lasted just a little over an hour, and everyone kept busy the whole time.

This is my adorable niece with her daddy:

The best part about everyone having their own special guest, was the one-on-one attention each student got. This is especially helpful when decorating gingerbread houses. I couldn't have done it without all the adults.

I didn't have to worry about the mess or anything!

A wonderful parent volunteer put all the houses together with a glue gun and graham crackers {my room mom}. She also divided up the candy ahead of time {that the students donated} and put them in baggies for the kids. Another mom made royal icing and put it in baggies, too. On the day of the party, everything was ready to go. It was totally stress FREE--which I love. I only had to worry about taking pictures! ;)

Most of my students used ALL of their candy. Seriously.

On some of them, I couldn't see any sign of graham crackers!

They were so proud of their creations and I heard my students saying, "This is the BEST party ever!"

When they were done with their gingerbread house, they cleaned up {another bonus of having one-on-one attention from an adult} and played a few Christmas games. I could tell that my students felt important when they taught their special guest the rules and how to play each game.

After the games, they got to read a Christmas story. This was probably my favorite part, which is saying a lot, because this whole party was fun. I just loved seeing them snuggle with their guests and read a book!

Another wonderful parent volunteer made *delicious* cookies and my sister donated punch. This whole party wouldn't have been possible without the parent volunteers-- like I already said, I am a lucky teacher!

I also had my gingerbread Sensty going... It smelled like we baked the gingerbread! Yum!

With the help of the special guests, my classroom went from super messy and crowded to clean and empty.

The adults loved coming to school with their special student and they were more than happy to help out with everything. The only thing I love more than a clean house, is a clean classroom!

Since this party, I have had so much positive feedback about how fun this party was. Many grandparents didn't even want to leave when the party was over... they were enjoying themselves too much!

I think the adults actually had more fun than the kids.

This is definitely going to become a tradition in my classroom from now on!

To tie this party into the curriculum, we wrote the invitations and thank you cards {I took pictures of them at the party and they sent those with the thank you cards}. They also tracked who won the Christmas games on a data worksheet {math} and I snuck in reading time at the end when my students read to their special guest.

So... not only was this party super fun, but it was educational, too!

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On a Side Note:

My school does a Holiday Sing-a-Long on the day before winter break. The second grade sang Mr. Grinch and Welcome Christmas from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and they did amazing! For the song, they got to have crazy, Whoville hair... I just had to show you this picture:

How awesome is that hair? I had a classroom full of it {and a bunch of hyper kids}!

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On Another Side Note:

Santa brought me this Ipad 2 for Christmas! I can't wait to use it in my classroom next week. For those of you who use one in your classroom, I would love to hear how you use it and which apps you like. I have seen a lot of things on Pinterest and online, but I am not sure what is actually appropriate/useful for the classroom.

Have a good week, friends! :)

{BTW, I am working on a few units: Fractions & Valentine's Day Fun. I will try to get them out to you soon!}

update: all about nouns

2011-12-18T00:57:00.003-05:00

Since my Awesome Adjectives unit is finally finished,

I have been revamping my All About Nouns unit just a little bit...

Clip Art By: Jessica Weible Illustrations

I have added an animal poster for those of you who teach that a noun is a person, place, thing, or animal. {But the activities in this unit are still just for person, place, or thing.} I have also added a word search activity, a data worksheet for the Noun Land board game, and a Noun Word Hunt {my students absolutely LOVE word hunts... I'm sure yours will, too). If you already own this unit, be sure to re-download it!

Also, my Christmas Unit is on sale for $3.00 {normally $4.00} until Christmas Day!

Click the image below to check it out!

Only 2.5 school days until I can enjoy my Winter Break!

To those of you who are already on break... I'm incredibly jealous!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Friends! XOXO

adjective unit posted

2011-12-15T00:40:00.004-05:00

All I can say about this unit is HALLELUJAH - it's done!

This unit finally is the perfect companion to All About Nouns and Action Verbs!

One of the printables you will find in this unit is an A-Z Book of Adjectives. I made these for my students today. I will introduce these books to them tomorrow and they will keep them in their writing folders.

This book will help them write with a variety of adjectives!

I am also excited to play this game, Build-a-Sentence, with them tomorrow! They will have to roll a noun, spin a verb, and pick an adjective (with cards). Then they will use these words to create a complete sentence.

This unit is designed to teach your students about AWESOME ADJECTIVES!

Many of the activities also integrate nouns and verbs.

This unit includes:

- Adjective Anchor Chart

- Adjective Board Game

- A-Z Book of Adjectives (For Writing)

- 5 Writing Prompts (Web and Worksheet)

- Build-A-Sentence Game (2 Versions)

- 3 Assessments/Worksheets

- Noun/Verb/Adjective Word Hunt

How do you teach adjectives to your students?

adjective unit winner!

2011-12-14T23:19:00.002-05:00

Congrats Katie! Email me at

theteacherwife (at) gmail (dot) com

to claim your prize!

coming soon: AWESOME ADJECTIVES!

2011-12-11T00:26:00.002-05:00

First off, a HUGE thank you to all of you who have purchased my Noun and Verb units! You guys play a big part in my motivation and I appreciate all your kind words and support. I have the best {cyber} friends ever!

Annnddddd... without further ado... I would like to announce that I am working on an adjective unit! It will be called Awesome Adjectives and it will include an anchor chart, assessments, worksheets, games, art activities, word work, and more! I know what you are thinking: FINALLY! {Thank you for being patient!} I am sorry it took me so long to start putting this together, but it's better late than never, right?

I am really excited about this unit and I can't wait to introduce it to my students!

I will do my best to have this unit up in the next couple of days... I just have so much more to add! :)

Until then, I'm going to give you a chance to win this Awesome Adjective unit. All you have to do
is follow my blog and leave a comment... SO EASY, RIGHT?! I will announce the
winner when I finish and post everything to TpT and TN.

double-digit math {without regrouping}

2011-12-08T00:24:00.003-05:00

Now that my students have somewhat "mastered" the art of addition and subtraction {mentally}, we have moved onto double-digits {without regrouping}! Wahoo! My second graders think they are so big now.

When I explained how easy it was to do double-digit addition/subtraction, they got so excited.

I could tell that they understood what I was saying and that they were feeling really smart.

To go along with what I have already taught my students, I will be putting these anchor charts up in our classroom to help reinforce the correct way to do 2-digit math. I can't wait to show these to them tomorrow!

{A good reminder for your students: You should start on the RIGHT if you want to get it RIGHT!}

Click here to get your own copy (I have also included posters that say 2-Digit)!

The darling Amy over at Step Into 2nd Grade With Mrs. Lemons has some really great printables here and here. I have been using her worksheets in my classroom this week and my students really like them!

I also found some great worksheets here and here.

How do you teach double-digit addition/subtraction?

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writing checklist {for students}

2011-12-06T23:47:00.002-05:00

I went to a writing class today. It was really useful and I came away with a lot of ideas. One of the things we talked about was stating an objective before each lesson and letting students know exactly what is expected of them. Students are more likely to meet our expectations if they know what our expectations are. They want to please us and be successful in the classroom. During this class, I was sitting next to a darling teacher who said that she always reminds her students to check 4 things after they write:

I loved this idea and so I had to turn it into a poster. I am definitely implementing this in my classroom tomorrow. Even though I can't really can't take credit for this idea, I still wanted to pass it onto you! How great would it be if our students checked for these things themselves? I am going to love this, because I am constantly saying, "Did you remember your finger spaces between each word?", "How do you start a sentence?", "Re-read your writing to yourself." Over and over and OVER again! It will be so nice to have them be more accountable for their own work.

I also made a student checklist to go along with the poster. For the first couple weeks, I will go over this checklist with each student (after they have already completed it on their own) in order to set a high standard. I don't want them hurrying through it and checking "yes" for everything just to get done. I want them to know how important it is to accurately assess their own work.

Click here to download these documents! ENjOY!

How do you assess writing in your classroom?

consonant digraphs

2011-12-04T00:42:00.003-05:00

Hello friends! I have another unit for you… all thanks to HIGH WINDS! Yep. High winds. School on Thursday and Friday were cancelled due to high winds (100mph) and I am not complaining one bit.
My house is still standing and I got a four day weekend out of it.

This break gave me time to put together a unit I have been itching to create for my cute lil’ second graders: a unit all about consonant digraphs (SH, WH, PH, CH, & TH). I wanted something concrete and
meaningful so these sounds would stick with them FOR GOOD.

This digraph unit is 91 pages and full of fun (I believe that fun in the classroom means you are tricking your students into learning… and I love being tricky)! In this unit you will find posters for each consonant digraph (SH, WH, PH, CH, & TH) and flash cards for each digraph. You will also find a word sort, word hunt, 7 digraph games (2 with data worksheets), and 8 different practice worksheets. *All of the posters, flashcards, and games that are available in color also come in black & white... 'cuz I know what it is like to NOT have a color printer!*

Since I don't have a color printer at my house, I just printed these off at my mom and dad's (thanks guys)!!

It's wayyyyy cheaper than anywhere else and I am their best customer! ;)

I am so happy to have my digraph posters all ready to go--laminated and everything. Between Christmas activities and all the fun digraph games available in this unit, we are going to have a exciting week!

The first two people to comment will get this unit FREE!

(Remember to leave your email address!)

*And to those who won my last unit, I will get the lesson to you tomorrow!*

Happy Weekend, Sweet Friends!

merry & bright: a christmas mini unit!

2011-12-01T02:36:00.002-05:00

Holy MOLY! Is it just me, or did November fly by? I didn't even get to do all the fun activities I had planned for Thanksgiving. Do you think my students would mind doing a Readers Theater play about the Mayflower in December??? GEEZE! Time needs to S.L.O.W. down already!

It's time to get my rear-end into gear and start thinking Christmas...

My 37 page mini unit is perfect for the holiday season! The worksheets and games in this packet are great for reviewing and assessing the different parts of speech (verb, noun, & adjective), addition & subtraction, reading, and writing... all while staying in the holiday spirit!

My students LOVE this game below (included in the packet, of course) and I love it because it can be used to review lots of different subjects! The game board can be used over and over and OVER again! All you have to do is change out the review cards (in the game they are called Gift Cards) with different ones and you have a whole new lesson. Don't you love it when fun activities are effective and easy to assemble? I do!

My students did this fun word sort today. It was a good review of nouns, verbs, and adjectives!

They were also super excited that it was all *Christmas-y*!

You can purchase this Christmas Mini Unit at TpT or TN for $4.00!

(Annnnnnd... At TpT you can get it 20% off - today only!)

REMINDER: Today is the last day to to save 20% on all my TpT items!

The first two people to comment will get this unit FREE!

(Remember to leave your email address!)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

limited time only: holiday bingo freebie!

2011-11-28T01:48:00.002-05:00

Happy CYBER MONDAY! I hope you are enjoying your huge savings over at TpT!

Just a Reminder: Everything in my TpT store is marked 20% off until Dec. 1st! Today, for Cyber Monday, you can get an additional 10% off with the code: CMS28. With so many great TpT sellers, now is a great time to buy all those lessons you have had your eye on!

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I am so overwhelmed by all the wonderful readers, bloggers, and teachers out there! You all have made me a better teacher and I am so thankful for you and your great ideas! Because I love you all so much... I am going to give out my Holiday Bingo Packet (available in B&W and color) for FREE! However, it will only be free until December 1st... so hurry and go download it (after December 1st, it will be for sale for $2.00)!!

Click the image below to download:

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!

'tis the season for shopping!

2011-11-26T11:41:00.010-05:00

Are you ready for an awesome Cyber Monday sale on TpT?! Many bloggers, including myself, are offering 20% off their products (on top of the TpT 10% discount--use promo code CMS28 at checkout-valid only on Cyber Monday)! You can also enjoy 20% off our products from November 29th- December 1st!!

Rachelle Smith Natalie Kay Anna Brantley Lesson Plan SOS

Melissa Freshwater One Extra Degree The Teacher Wife Michelle Oakes

Erica Bohrer Kinderglynn Primary Graffiti Jodi Southard

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Check out some of my BEST SELLERS!
Just click on the images to see more and then don't forget to put them in your
shopping cart so you are ready to go on Cyber Monday!

Happy shopping, my sweet friends!!

hot pot pie {i am thankful}

2011-11-20T22:55:00.005-05:00

Before I tell you what I am thankful for, you need to understand that I. LOVE. MY. JOB.

Therefore, I am thankful for my students. SO thankful. I love going to school each day and seeing their darling smiles and hearing their funny stories. I love teaching them and I enjoy each of their little personalities!

I got this adorable note last week that totally made my day:

To: Mrs. E

I love you

And I love Mr. E too

I love you more than hot pot pie

I love you so much I could cry

Isn't that the cutest little note? I am so humbled to be more lovable that "hot pot pie"! ;)

I am also thankful for all of you! All of your wonderful ideas help me be a better teacher!

I am thankful for my God, hard-working husband, and wonderful family. I am one lucky girl.

What are you thankful for?

I'm linking up with the cute ladies over at What the Teacher Wants and Oh' Boy 4th Grade!

Go check them out and link up!

word endings: update

2011-11-19T19:53:00.002-05:00

I have spend the better part of my weekend re-vamping my Word Endings Unit (-ed, -ing). It was one of the first units I made to sell and I have learned so much about designing lesson plans since then. I have been wanting to cute-sify it for a while and I am glad to have finally found the time! This best seller is now a *lot* cuter and 10 pages bigger! If you have already purchased it, you can re-download it at TpT or TN. If you haven't purchased it, then now's the time! Your students will love all the learning-packed activities and games.

The first person to guess how early I put up my Christmas tree will get this unit FREE!

(Just remember to leave your email address.)

Update: K.M.L. guessed it! She said, "The weekend before thanksgiving?"

K.M.L. look for the Word Endings Unit in your inbox! Congrats!

comprehension packet: 10 addition pages

2011-11-13T07:38:00.000-05:00

As a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has purchased (or will purchase) my Comprehension Packet, I have uploaded 10 additional pages to the document to TpT and TN. If you have already purchased the unit, go ahead and re-download it! If you haven't purchased it yet... then what are you waiting for??? This 68 page unit will help you practice comprehension with your students during guided reading, small reading groups, partner reading, and whole group instruction. I use them in my own classroom and they have already helped so many of my own students with comprehension (which can be a difficult skill to master). They are also generic worksheets and activities, so you can use them with any story! Believe me, you will love this packet!

Click here to get your own copy of the 68 page Comprehension Packet!

bubble gum FUN! (writing and math)

2011-11-12T12:05:00.009-05:00

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! (Thank goodness for Saturdays, right?)

I know I am, because I got all my grades finished and handed out yesterday. Such a relief!

My students worked really hard this week, so to reward those little cuties... we had a GUM day!

Of course, I made them earn it with good behavior (you gotta make 'em work for it)!

I got this fun gum activity from Julie Lee over at Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten.

She has so many great ideas! If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you definitely need to!

I made a few changes to this lesson and I adapted it to my 2nd grade students.

First I gave my students some bubble gum (Double Bubble) and believe me, they were so excited!

Then we chewed and CHEWED! I also put them into partners so they could practice blowing a bubble.

You should have seen some of their faces... they were HILARIOUS and they looked like chipmunks!

Then we talked about some bubble blowing tricks. By this point, they were really into this writing activity and couldn't wait to get back to their own desks and begin writing down their own bubble blowing instructions. We also graphed who could and couldn't blow a bubble. I was worried some students would feel bad about not being able to blow a bubble, but they weren't. They were just excited to actually have gum and learn how!

When they were all done writing about How to Blow a Bubble, they did this cute little art activity to go with it.

I was so impressed at how darling some of them turned out! Seriously, how adorable is this???

And just in case you are wondering... I did blow the balloons up a head of time! I just didn't want to deal with it during the lesson. I only blew mine up about 1/4 of the way, so they would stay small. As the students finished their faces, I looped them through the mouth hole and taped them on the back.

Click the image below to download this fun activity:

Thanks Julie for being so creative and wonderful!

What do you do to reward your students with good behavior?

How do you get your students excited about writing?

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DIY place value mats

2011-11-09T00:07:00.001-05:00

As a new teacher, I love finding easy/effective things to use in my classroom. For this reason alone, I feel the need to share with you... DIY Place Value Mats! A wonderful teacher at my school shared them with me and I am so grateful for her. These are so easy and you will want to make them first thing tomorrow morning! ;)

These Place Value Mats are made with one large sheet of construction paper (12 x 18") with a middle section (12 x 6") glued on top, in the middle. Then all you have to do is place titles at the top of each section and laminate. I actually had a parent volunteer put these all together (gotta love those volunteers)!

I love how they are so BIG and easy for my students to use!

We have used these mats over and over and OVER again!

My students keep the blocks in their desks, so it isn't a lot of hassle to get them out.

Click the image below to download the titles for each section:

How do you teach place value to your students?

Do you notice anything different about my blog?? ;)

reading comprehension packet

2011-11-06T01:47:00.005-04:00

I am so excited to introduce my newest unit: Reading Comprehension Worksheets and Activities! This unit was created due to the lack of reading comprehension worksheets/activities available in my classroom during Guided Reading. As a new teacher I don't have a lot of resources, so I just create them myself! ;)

I can't wait to use these in my classroom next week... my students will be excited for some new activities!

This packet is perfect for small group instruction (Guided Reading groups) and can also be adapted for whole group instruction (for ages K-2). In my classroom, I will be using them for both. I have also made the pages and activities "generic" so they can be used for a variety of stories (over and over again). I have also created the pages in black & white so it will be less expensive to print (ya... I'm trying to save money there, too)!

This 57 page packet includes worksheets and activities for: Predicting, Story Elements, Plot, Text to Self/World/Text, Forming Questions, Details, Summarizing, Comparing and lots more!

How do you practice comprehension in your classroom?

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comprehension winner!

2011-11-06T01:19:00.002-04:00

Congrats Rikki! Email me at

theteacherwife (at) gmail (dot) com

to claim your prize!

coming soon: reading comprehension checks!

2011-10-31T22:36:00.004-04:00

Here is a little sneak peak of my latest and greatest project:

READING COMPREHENSION CHECKS!

Since I am a new teacher, I am still trying to get the whole "guided reading" thing down. I am trying to hard to make a work for me and my little second graders. All I can say is... it is HARD! However, I can already see what a great difference the small group instruction makes to my low readers and that is motivating me to continue on and create helpful resources as I go.

This comprehension unit will supplement your small group instruction with useful worksheets and activities that can go along with any story or any reading level. I am already using some of them in my classroom and my students are learning the story elements (problem, solution, characters, plot, setting, etc) like the back of their hands! And... since this unit includes a variety of different activities, my students aren't getting sick of comprehension (btw... we work story comprehension e-v-e-r-y single day)! Story comprehension was something I struggled to teach my students during my first year of teaching; so this year I am determined to conquer it (good thing I get to try again with the same group of kiddos)!

I will do my best to have this unit up by the end of the week... I just have so much more to add...

until then, I'm going to give you a chance to win this Helpful Comprehension Check Packet!

All you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment... EASY PEASY! :)

I will announce the winner when I finish and post this unit.

Ahh!! And how could I forget??? Happy Halloween!

halloween jokes & other cute stuff

2011-10-27T07:43:00.002-04:00

Question: What is a ghost's favorite day of the week?

Answer: FRIGHT-day!! (Mine too!)

On Friday we are celebrating Halloween in the classroom and I can't wait! (We don't have school Monday.)

My school does a traditional Halloween parade where all the students dress up and parade through the school in their costumes. We will also have a Halloween Party thrown by our wonderful Room Mothers right before school gets out (and thank goodness it will be a "short day" which means school will get out earlier).

Yep... Friday will be a crazy day.

Halloween + Costumes + Friday + Class Party + Short Day = Super Excited Students

As they go out the door to go home on Friday, I am going to send them home with a little Halloween treat... A Little Book of Halloween Jokes! The best part about this treat... it's sugar free! ;)

Click here to download your own copy!

It will be sad to take down all my cute Halloween decorations! Even though I love Thanksgiving and all its yummy-ness, it just isn't as cute (maybe Pinterest will change that)!

Did you all make those adorable Glyph Monsters from Kindergarten Rocks? LOVE THEM!

And my little pumpkin patch is just about the cutest thing ever!

You gotta love SPOOKY paper plate ghosts!! BOO!

Happy Halloween, Friends!

What are your favorite Halloween activities for the classroom?

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the first one done is not the winner...

2011-10-18T21:59:00.005-04:00

Ever since I have been in the classroom, I have been telling my students this (I got it from my cooperating teacher when I was a student teacher... Thanks Lynda):

Graphics By Jessica Weible Illustrations

It helps with those students who just want to "get 'er done"... and fast...

It's always a good reminder to S L O W down and do your personal best work!

Click here to download this sign for your classroom.

(FYI: You can print this document on a 1 page poster or make a larger poster with 4 pages.)

How do you encourage your students to do their personal best work?

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surprise!!!

2011-10-06T22:37:00.003-04:00

Do you ever feel like you're a performer instead of a teacher?

Do you have pompoms, silly hats, and an endless supply costumes in your classroom closet?

Do you sing or dance in front of your students, JUST to get their attention?

I know I do, because I'll do anything for those kids!

As teachers, we do all we can to help our students remember what we teach them.

We have a passion for teaching... which makes us do crazy things!

For this reason alone, being a teacher can truly be exhausting.

I've already had my after school nap today... have you?

Anyways, I bring all this up because I have found a great and easy way to get your students' attention.

I call it the Surprise Box and believe me, your students will LOVE it!

All you have to do, is put something inside to introduce a new topic (anything really) and display it in your classroom. When your students walk in, it will get them buzzing! They will be dying to know what the present is and they will beg you to tell them, but you won't. You will make them go throughout their day wondering and thinking about what could be in the box. If you're like me, then you might even make them earn it with good behavior! Then, when the time is right, you open the box and reveal what is inside. They won't forget about it and it will be the perfect way to introduce a new concept/idea.

Next week I plan on using the box everyday to introduce a writing topic. When they write, I want them to focus on character development. For example, on Monday I will put a witch costume in the box and they will have to write a story about a witch while developing her character and giving details, on Tuesday I will put a clown costume in the box and they will have to write a story about a clown, etc. Since I used this box with my class last year, I know they are going to love this! As soon as they see the gift box, they'll know that Mrs. Lindsey has something fun planned for them!

To make your own Surprise Box, all you need is a
sturdy gift box with a removable lid (so you can use it over and over again).

Then go crazy with the wrapping and toppers. Make sure to secure everything extra good.

I think this activity could work for all grade levels, because everyone loves surprises!

How do you get your students interested in learning?

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camping in the classroom

2011-10-05T18:49:00.002-04:00

In second grade this week, the HM Reading series has us reading...

Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night

My students LOVE this book! They also love the other Henry and Mudge books. I had to check them all out from the school library so they could explore all the different adventures Henry and Mudge go on.

I love to get them excited about the different HM Reading stories each week.

For this story, I actually asked the Mr. if we could get a little Mudge puppy... he said NO WAY.

My students would have L.O.V.E.D. that. Too bad... ;)

Anyways, I did get some glow in the dark stars so we could have a "Starry Night Classroom".

It was the first thing they noticed Monday morning and it's all they could talk about all day.

Needless to say, this alone got them excited about our story and I got it all at the dollar store!

At the end of the day (Monday) I pulled out my homemade camping fire.

It was super easy to make. All it took was a cardboard base, purple holiday lights,

tissue paper, a glue gun, rocks and sticks from the backyard.

We put it in the middle of our circle during Community Circle time. My students huddle up and pretend they are around a real fire. They are too cute!

The best is when we turn off the lights and I tell a scary Halloween story...

but don't worry, it always turns out to be silly!!

How do you get your students excited about reading?

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what do writers write?

2011-10-01T10:38:00.009-04:00

You know that cute lady, Cara, from The First Grade Parade?

(Ahh, who am I kiddin'!? Of course you do!!!)

Well... she recently posted about a super cute writing poster called, "What Do Writers Write?"

After seeing it on her blog (and all over Pinterest) I immediately made one for my class.

With Cara's permission, I am also offering it to you as a free download!

Click the picture below to download:

UPDATE:

A smaller version (in color and B&W) is now available in this document!

I had my students put them in their writing workbooks. I hope you can use them! ENjOY!

Thanks for being so creative, Cara!!!

How do you teach the importance of writing in your classroom?

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tutorial: candy corn art

2011-09-27T00:07:00.011-04:00

I am so excited for October, because Halloween might be one of my favorite holidays (besides my birthday)!

Last year we made this darling candy corn art (thanks to my wonderful teacher friend) and it hung from our ceiling during October. My students had a lot of fun making these and they turned out super cute!

Click here to download the Wax Paper Candy Corn black line.

Click here to download the Construction Paper Candy Corn black line.

ENjOY!!

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all about GRAPHS!

2011-09-20T06:57:00.002-04:00

Wow-WOW! I have literally been up all night working on this unit! I need sleep!

You know that feeling when creativity strikes and YOU. CAN'T. STOP. until it's done??

Ahhh! My bed is literally CALLING my name!

(For reals... my husband just woke up and he is wondering where I am...)

Anyways, my class has been working on graphs for the last few weeks.

I wanted to create something that organized all the different types... and this is what I came up with:

This Unit Includes: 6 Anchor Charts, 1 Small Booklet and Assessment, 1 Center Activity and Assessment.

I can't wait to get these printed, laminated, and up on my white board tomorrow!

Andddd, as a HUGE thank you to all my readers, this unit is only $3.00!

The first person to comment and leave me their email address will get this unit FREE! Yipee!

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skip-counting HELP!!!

2011-09-19T17:52:00.004-04:00

Hello dear teacher friends... I need your HELP!

I have searched all weekend for some skip counting songs and I haven't found what I am looking for.

I want something that is fun and up-beat (not rap), but I also want it to get to the point.
I don't want to teach my students a whole song that only has a little bit of skip counting in it...

Even though I have no more teaching money left, I am willing to purchase a CD if I need to.
In fact, I would prefer a CD so I can play it while they work (but chants are good, too).

The only thing I have come across that might work is from the Math Learning Center.
However, I hesitate to buy it without hearing it first. Does anyone use it? Do you like it?

I would love any resources/information you have to offer on skip counting!

You guys are wonderful!

P.S. Any easy ideas for dinner tonight???

popcorn themed word-wall

2011-09-17T12:25:00.003-04:00

My popcorn word-wall is definitely the cutest addition to my circus classroom!

Since my word-wall is a whiteboard, I use magnets to keep the words up.

For the first few week of school, I put color/number words up as a review for my students.

Once we tested on color/number words, I changed them out for a new set of words that we studied.

Oh and I can't forget... every time we change out the words, we POP popcorn and enjoy!

Just in case you are wondering, I purchased that darling popcorn banner from

Hobby Lobby for $5.99 (I used a coupon). You can view it here.

Click the image below to download the Alphabet Popcorn Boxes for FREE.

(This download also includes the "Popcorn Words" and "POP!" posters to help decorate your word-wall)

I have created popcorn words (using Dolch sight words) for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.

Each unit is only $3.99! Click the images below to purchase:

Do you have a word-wall in your classroom? How do you use it?

book boxes

2011-09-15T01:04:00.007-04:00

Today I am loving my book boxes.

I love how my students can keep track of the books they are reading,

while taking good care of my classroom library at the same time.

It also allows my students to bring books from home and they don't get lost anymore!

Some students have more than one book in their box, which is fine,

because they can come back to their book box anytime and switch out their book.

This also allows me to see what books certain students are reading during independent reading time.

My students leave the book boxes here (on the shelf pictured below), instead of taking them to their desks.

I blurred out my students' names, but I do have two students to every book box.

This seems to work fine and they don't mind sharing at all.

I purchased these book boxes (a.k.a. magazine files) from Ikea, where I got a 5 pack for $1.99.

This is BY FAR the best deal I have found for these... Other stores were asking so much more!

The only downside is that you have to pick them up at the store, because they aren't available online.

Do you have book boxes? How do you use them in your classroom?

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DIY magnetic art wall

2011-09-13T18:24:00.005-04:00

Last year I had a "cursed" wall. I wish I took a picture of it for you, because it really was cursed.

It was ugly, damaged, and I couldn't staple a thing into it. I covered it with butcher paper (by taping and gluing it down) and used it as my art wall anyways. I struggled all year long to get artwork to stay up... because, sometimes you just gotta work with what you have.

This year I wasn't willing to deal with that wall. No way. Instead, I covered it up with sheet metal.

It was my sister's idea. She is a genius!!!

I got the sheet metal from a local heating and air conditioning company.

They were so nice and they cut it so it would fit my wall perfectly.

The best part: It only cost me $35.00.

It was wayyyy cheaper than a home improvement store...

Don't you wish those places offered teacher discounts?

I didn't have to use a drill to get the sheet metal to stay up, instead I used double sided Duck Tape.

By the way, that stuff is pretty much amazing and knocks the socks off of Teacher Tape.

And to keep the black polka-dotted boarder up, I used glue dots and so far it has worked like a charm!

Don't you love that adorable banner? My sweet mom helped me cut out all that felt and then she sewed it together for me. I'm lucky to have such a talented mama (and sisters).

I love my new wall! Now I use magnets with my students' names on them to hold their artwork.

My students think that magnets are pretty cool, too. They love putting up their own art.

For my magnets, I used a similiar idea to Mrs. Rojas over at Create, Teach, Inspire
and they turned out darling!

How do you display your students' artwork?

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peace begins with a smile

2011-09-11T21:06:00.004-04:00

We all remember where we were.

We all remember how we felt.

This weekend I've been reflecting a lot on 9/11 and the lives that were lost.

I don't like to watch the footage on TV with the documentaries and such.

I am not trying to forget, I just don't like it. It's too sad.

So much has happened to our country since those planes crashed into the towers.

We all know somebody who has served in the war on terrorism.

In some way or another, we've all been affected.

But what can we do about it?

One thing is for sure, we can't hate. There isn't room for hatred.

I believe we are all sons and daughters of God, no matter what the sin.

Even though we are still at war, we can choose to have peace in our lives.

Peace in our homes. Peace in our neighborhoods. Peace in our country.

Mother Teresa said it best:

The above image can be printed as a 5x7 picture. Just right click, save, and print.

home reading tracker

2011-09-08T23:49:00.007-04:00

Last year I wasn't good at tracking my students' home reading minutes.

I mean, I still tracked them and all, I just didn't have a successful motivating system.

I used stickers and that's about it. Boring huh? Ya... it was.

I feel like I "dropped the ball" last year, so I am determined to succeed this year.

Since I have a carnival/circus theme in my classroom,
I decided to make a "Reading is Sweet" bulletin board with some cute lollipops I found at Target.
This board is used to track the home reading minutes.

For every 100 minutes read at home, my students earn a pony bead to put on their necklace.

All of my students have a dog tag necklace with their names and "grade 2" stamped on them. If you want to stamp your students' names into dog tag necklaces, then it is important to get a soft aluminum.

(I wouldn't recommend buying them from Oriental Trading.) I got mine on Etsy here.

Click here to see what kind of metal stamp set I used (you may want to shop around for this).

To start out the school year, each necklace had a piece of candy. My students got to trade in their candy when they read their first 100 minutes (at home) and earned their first bead. I will continue to put cheap/hard candy on their necklaces every so often to keep up the motivation.

Even though my students have only earned one or two beads so far, they are so excited!

They are talking about the patterns they want to make with their beads... and all I tell them is:

Keep reading at home and you will get that pattern!

I require my students to read at least 20 minutes each school night for homework. I send home a reading chart each Monday and it is due each Friday (click here to view my Home Reading Chart). In one week, they should be able to get 100 minutes read, which would earn them one bead a week.

So now tell me, how do you track home reading minutes?

What kind of rewards do you use?

class promise

2011-09-06T06:01:00.001-04:00

First off, thanks to all of you who nominated my blog as a Top 10 Blog! So nice of you!

Head on over to my sidebar and check out my favorite blogs!

Anyways, onto business...

I came across this adorable class promise here and I knew I had to do it with my class.

My class made up our own promise. We choose to include things that matter to us and our class family.

I love the one that says: To be the first to say "Hi!"

How do these kids come up with this stuff? They are so sweet!

Anyways, check out their cute, little self portraits:

Notice how all my students are white?

My class is 100% Caucasian and there isn't a single broken home.

Needless to say, there isn't a lot of diversity!

Do you have a class promise/pledge?

How did you come up with it?

FLASH sale!

2011-09-05T10:26:00.002-04:00

TeachersPayTeachers just announced on Facebook:

I am so glad I am still wasting my time on the internet... or else I wouldn't have seen this!

Besides... my laundry, ironing, dishes, toilet scrubbing, and vacuuming CAN wait!

Anyways, I decided to add to this FLASH sale!

ALL my items on TpT are now 20% off!

Okay, so you do the math... that's 20% + 5% off!

This sale is TODAY only and will end at midnight (EST)!

What are you still reading this for?!?

GET SHOPPING!!!

Remember to use the promo code: FLASH!

Thanks TeachersPayTeachers!!

even and odd street

2011-09-04T23:09:00.002-04:00

We kicked off the year learning about "even" and "odd" numbers.

(I want them to do their Everyday Learning workbooks independently...)

I found a great idea on... you guessed it Pinterest... with Even and Odd Houses.

I feel in love with it immediately and I had to do it with my second graders.

Click here to view the original/cuter idea (you will have to scroll through the pictures to find it).

Even and Odd Street:

I first had them make the "Even Houses" by following my step-by-step instructions.

I actually used this as a listening assessment, because they all had to turn out the same.

Then I let them go crazy with the "Odd Houses" and they loved it! Some of them even had dog houses!

Click here to download the black-lines for this activity.

Click here to see some cute even/odd chants written by Jess at Rambling About Reading!

Thanks Jess! I will definitely use these during calendar time!

How do you teach even/odd numbers?

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calendar wall

2011-08-22T20:29:00.002-04:00

Oh my goodness... I survived the first day of school!

It was so good to see them again. I missed those little guys.

(I wonder what I have to do to take them to third grade, too...)

Since I looped with my class, there was a moment when I felt like I never had a summer.

My day was crazier than I expected. It was like a great big reunion--they were all so happy to see their friends. It was definitely not a typical first day of school. I had keep reminding myself that they are kids and they were just really happy to be in school again.

Needless to say, I'm exhausted! No gym for me.

Anyways, here are a few pics of my calendar wall. I put a lot of thought into this bulletin board and it took me a lonnnng time to finally put it together. I really wanted to make this space meaningful, because I think calendar time is really important.

I created the money anchor charts in the picture above. Click here to download.

This is our circle time area. You can't see it, but I have a green rug for my students to sit on.

I created this date flip-chart from a free download at Mama Jenn.

I love it and I love the idea of having all the pieces on a ring.

I got really sick of laying out pieces (that would get always lost) the night before.

I think this clock is so fun! I saw it in Lory Evans' classroom and I had to make my own.

(BTW, Lory teaches in the same district as me. I took a math class from her and that woman is pretty much amazing! You really should check out her blog.)

Oh and I am always telling my students that they can do hard things!

It makes me giddy to hear them tell each other the same thing.

I plan on changing the messages throughout the year, depending on what my students need.

Next message will be: Always Do Your Personal BEST!

What do you do for calendar time?

Pin It

everyday learning

2011-08-21T02:58:00.007-04:00

I have been crazy busy getting my classroom ready for Monday.

I don't know how you teachers with kids do it!

If I had kids, they would be seriously neglected right now...

My poor husband.

Anyways... while getting my classroom ready, I created an Everyday Learning workbook.

This book will be used everyday (duh!) to teach graphing, number sense and sentence structure.

Since my students will be practicing these important concepts everyday, they will definitely have them down by the end of the school year. Thus, the importance of "Everyday Learning".

This whole book was inspired by the wonderful Lory Evans!

Check out her version of this page here.

I bound the books together and my students are going to keep them in their desks all year.

This is the cover I used:

The first page is a graphing page so my students can graph the weather all year long. This gives them graphing practice everyday and it will teach them weather patterns as the year goes on. We will do this page after calendar time, so everyone will graph the same weather for the day. The next page (as well as the next 70 pages... double sided) includes a Language Practice and a Math Practice. For the Language Practice, I will have a sentence written incorrectly on the board. My students will have to write it correctly, and in their BEST handwriting, on their worksheet. Then, for the Math Practice, they will "dissect" the number of the day. The number of the day will be the number of days we have been in school. After we reach the 100th day of school, I will pick a number randomly.

Oh and I forgot to mention that I make my students write out the date (at the top of the page). It is good practice and they get really good at it by the end of the year! Then I have them write the digital date on all their other worksheets (throughout the day) so they get practice with that, too.

The last page in the book is a handwriting assessment. I learned about this from my cooperating teacher when I did my student teaching and I love it! (Thank you Lynda!) I have the students write their name (first and last) once a month, all year long. It is always fun to see how much better they get at writing their names. It is also quite impressive to see how much their handwriting has improved!

Click here to download the pages in this book.

Click here to download a cheat sheet for number words 0-100. I am going to put this in my students' personal dictionaries. You could also put this page on the back cover of the Everyday Learning workbook.
This page will help your students do this worksheet independently and it will save you time (because you won't have to tell them how to spell it)!

I hope you can use this book in your classroom.

Or maybe it will inspire you to create something similar... either way... ENjOY!

Pin It

back-2-school GIVEAWAY!

2011-08-14T11:00:00.000-04:00

Head on over to The First Grade Factory to enter!

how do you make your students feel special?

2011-08-11T23:31:00.002-04:00

Last year I had a "Safari Spotlight" and each student got a whole week to themselves.

On Monday they would bring in a poster all about them, I would put it up on the spotlight wall,

and they got to be my special helper all week long.

This is where I need your help.

Since I am looping, I need some other ideas. Some new ideas.

I can't do the same thing with the same kids, ya know?

Been there... done that!

So what I need from you... How do you make your students feel special?

Do you celebrate VIPs? Star Students? Spotlights?

How long do you celebrate each student?

Any ideas will be seriously appreciated!

Seriously... I'm gettin' a little desperate!

back-to-school postcard fun!

2011-08-10T14:08:00.004-04:00

School starts in less than two weeks and it is time to get my welcome postcards out to my students!

Children LOVE getting mail... especially from their teacher.

Last year I had a handful of students bring their Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom postcard on the first day of school, because they wanted to show me (and their friends) that they received it. So cute!

This year I am sending out my circus postcard. I took them to a local printer so they could print them double sided (like an actual postcard). They also print them on a really nice card stock and cut them out for me (I love saving myself time/work). Anyways, it was really fun to see these printed! Seeing the "final product" just might be my favorite part about designing!

These turned out super cute and I am excited for my students to get them in the mail.

I wanted to include my wording, in case you might be wondering how I use these postcards.

Click here to download the circus postcard for FREE!

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If your school hasn't started yet, it's not too late to send your new students a postcard!

They will love it and it will also impress their parents!

*All the postcards in my Teacher's Notebook Shop are FREE!*

(All I ask is that you follow my blog and "like" my TN Store in return...)

Click the image below to download the Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom postcard:

Click the image below to download the frog postcard:

I hope you enjoy these fun, FREE printables!

Q + U are getting married!

2011-08-08T23:52:00.001-04:00

Did you hear the big news?

'Q' and 'U' are getting hitched!

It's true. They are so in LOVE!

This unit is designed for teaching the relationship between the letters 'Q' and 'U'.

It includes all the activities needed to throw a wedding with much more!

These lessons are absolutely perfect for Kindergarten,

when students are learning all about the different letters!

You can also this unit in first grade during the first few weeks of school when you review the alphabet.

Your students will love these activities and they won't forget what they learn!

The first person to comment and leave me their email address will get this unit FREE!

ENjOY!!

second year, second grade

2011-08-04T11:08:00.007-04:00

So the principal at my school decided I was smart enough for second grade!

As most of you know, I will be looping with my firsties to second.

Same classroom. Same class. Different curriculum (aka first grade on steroids).

Since school starts in 18 days (YIKES!), I need to start gathering some second grade resources.

I would love to know about all second grade blogs, websites, etc.

If you have taught, or teach second grade, what are some of the favorite things you did?

Thanks in advance, you guys are seriously my best resources!

home sweet home

2011-08-03T18:28:00.005-04:00

I am a very lucky lady and let me tell you why:

I just spent the last two weeks sightseeing in Europe.

It was amazing, to say the least.

Italy and Greece. I loved them both.

Thank you to my wonderful in-laws for the trip of a lifetime!

This vacation inspired me to create a Vacation Journal for those

students who go on vacation during the school year.

Click the image below to download it for free!

How do you help your absent students catch up? This is something I struggle with.

I don't usually do lots of worksheets, so to catch a student up I need to walk them through the activity. Sometimes it is hard to find the time to teach one-on-one like that. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

back-2-school sale!

2011-08-01T12:59:00.001-04:00

What is the best part about school starting??

Back-to-School SALES!

These ladies have WONDERFUL products (at 20% off) and you must check them out!

Primary Perspective's TpT Store

Lesson Plan SOS's TpT Store

Anna Brantley's TpT Store

Babbling Abby's TpT Store

Made For 1st Grade's TpT Store

Michelle Oakes' TpT Store

Erica Bohrer's TpT Store

Kinderglynn's TpT Store

One Extra Degree's TpT Store

Primary Graffiti's TpT Store

The Teacher's Wife's TpT Store

(Use the TpT code B1T1S to get an additional 10% off!)

Happy Shopping!

don't you love it when this happens?

2011-07-21T08:23:00.003-04:00

(CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

I love running into my students outside of school!

(Even though it is usually at Walmart when I am in my PJs.)

teacher blogging DOs and DON'Ts

2011-07-18T11:25:00.011-04:00

Everyday I get quite a few emails asking me blogging questions...

even though I am behind in answering them, I try to answer them all (my apologies if you are still waiting)!

And sometimes, these questions inspire me to dedicate a whole blog post to them.

Someone recently emailed me a question about Teacher Blogging DOs and DON'Ts.

I thought I'd share my response:

(Disclaimer: I am not a teacher blogging "expert" and I don't want to be!

However, these are my opinions based on my own personal pet peeves when it comes to teacher blogging.)

DO blog frequently, but DON'T blog more than once a day.

Even if I love someones blog, I find it hard to keep up with them if they are blogging throughout the day. Unless you are TBA where they have a community of bloggers who want to share 24/7...
I'd just stick to once daily and let your readers actually see each post. However, I realize
that sometimes there are exceptions and that is okay!

DO celebrate your followers, but DON'T blog about how many you have.

This is just tacky... need I say more?

DO link up to linky parties, but DON'T forget to follow the hosting blog's rules.

Lot's of us are new to blogging and so I see this one a lot. Teachers are linking up, but they aren't following any of the rules and sometimes their link has nothing to do with the linky party topic.

Jen at Finally in First did a great post about Linky Party Etiquette.

DO get inspired by other teacher blogs, but DON'T steal their ideas and post it on your blog.

There is a fine line between being inspired by some else's work and violating copyright. If you are inspired by someone else's classroom project and you want to do it for your own classroom, DO IT! And then when you blog about it, make sure to link back to the person who inspired you. I get it, teachers BEG, BORROW, and STEAL, just make sure you use common sense when doing it.

DO invest in a good blog design. DON'T use the free templates.

Think of your blog as an investment, especially if you sell teacher created items. You want people to remember your blog and come back to it. You definitely don't want it to blend in with everyone else. For business success, you need to be (and deserve to be) unique! Here is a list of great blog designers who are very inexpensive ($10.00-$25.00): Designer Blogs, Delicious Design Studio, and Ladybug Teacher Files. There are a ton of other blog designers out there--just Google it! If you love someone else's blog design, go all the way down to the bottom of their blog and it will usually tell you who designed it. If you can't find out who designed it, then email the blog author to find out... believe me, they will be flattered!

Once again, I don't claim to be a teacher blogging expert...

This is my blog and my blog comes with my opinions.

ENjOY!

Any other DOs and DONTs that I should add?

2nd grade popcorn words + a freebie!

2011-07-17T00:22:00.001-04:00

I finally finished the 2nd Grade Popcorn Words...

I guess that means I am ready to start gearing up for 2nd grade!

I will definitely be taking these babies to the printer on Monday morning!

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I also had a request for Alphabet Popcorn Boxes and because I am in such a great mood...

THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, 100% FREE!

Click on the picture below to download the Alphabet Popcorn Boxes at my TN store.

(All I ask is that you follow my blog and "like" my TN Store in return...)

ENjOY!

new unit: all about OPPOSITES

2011-07-15T13:11:00.001-04:00

Beauty and the Beast has ALWAYS been my favorite movie!

I love Belle and I always wanted to be her when I grew up (maybe for Halloween).

Beauty and The Beast help make learning about OPPOSITES fun!

This 38 Page Unit Includes: Center Activities, Opposite Word Wheel (With Mrs. Potts), Opposite Word Search (With Teacher Copy), Opposite Anchor Chart (With Beauty and the Beast), 2 Group Games with Opposite Word Strips, Opposite Cheat Sheet for Teachers, Clock Art with Opposites (Math Integration With Cogsworth and Step-By-Step Instructions), Visitor Suggestion

Graphics By: Jessica Weible Illustrations

The first person to comment and leave me their email address will get this unit FREE!

ENjOY!!

sale! my teacher's notebook grand opening!

2011-07-11T19:07:00.002-04:00

I never usually post twice in one day... but I have a good reason for this one!

(mountain time)

Click the button below to view my shop:

Or you can view my individual lesson plans by clicking on each of the pictures below:

If you like my products, then don't forget to make my shop on Teacher's Notebook one of your favorites!

(If you are wondering what Teacher's Notebook is, click here.)

Happy Shopping!

teacher's notebook: a new way to sell!

2011-07-11T15:07:00.010-04:00

Have you heard of Teachers Notebook?

Well, let me tell you just a little bit about it (thanks Tamara for the info)... Teachers Notebook is owned by a Kindergarten teacher (now stay-at-home mom), Debbie, and her husband, Steve. Steve has designed some of the biggest sites in education and he has worked with large educational companies, such as Scholastic, PBS, and other major publishing companies. Steve even designed the Word Girl site and just finished the Suessville website a few months ago. His wife asked him to create a store for teachers, since he has the talent and contacts, and that's why Teachers Notebook was launched a few months ago.
And let me tell you, it's a wonderful site!

If you already sell your teacher-created items online, then you will love this website!

Selling on Teacher's Notebook:

-NO Listing Fees

-First Year FREE (yes that's right, no Sale's fees for a YEAR!)
-Unlimited FREE items
-Keep 100% of all sales (minus PayPal fees)
-It's risk free! (You can cancel at any time)

I just wanted to share this with you, because it is really nice to get all the profit from my teacher-created items (the PayPal fee is only 2.9% plus $0.30), instead of the hosting website taking some of it.

In general, the layout of the website is really nice and posting new products is super easy!

If you would like to start selling teacher-created items or you have been selling your
teacher-created items and you would like to sign up with Teacher's Notebook,
now is the time to do it (you have nothing to lose)!

Click on the image below to get started:

For the record, I will still sell all my products on Teachers Pay Teachers. (I love that site!)

I just want to broaden my horizons and get my products on more than one website.

*I was not endorsed by Teacher's Notebook in any way to write this post. I genuinely think it is a great site!*

Where do you sell your teacher-created items?

my first science unit: all about rocks!

2011-07-10T00:52:00.008-04:00

I am so happy to be done with this unit.

It seems like it took me FOR-EV-ERRRR and a day.

But all good things take time, right?

This is my first science unit and definitely my longest (77 pages).

This unit focuses on IGNEOUS, SEDIMENTARY, and METAMORPHIC rocks!

This Unit Includes: A Scientist Rock Notebook for Students, A Scientist Rock Notebook for Teachers (very detailed), Worksheets/Assessments, 3 Rock Characters, Rock Charts (Easy to Understand), 2 Yummy Recipes, a Letter Home to Parents, Rock Story Problems, Rock Observation Worksheets, Book Suggestions, and more!

And because I love you all so much...

Click the picture below to download a free Rock Definition Worksheet from my TpT store!

Funny thing-- this worksheet was supposed to be in my rock unit, but I forgot to include it!

My loss (aka my laziness) is your gain!

ENjOY!

rock unit winner!

2011-07-10T00:19:00.000-04:00

Congrats Renee! Email me at theteacherwife(at)gmail(dot)com to claim your unit!

housekeeping (pinterest, voting, & tba)

2011-07-07T13:50:00.012-04:00

I guess I wasn't the only one who didn't know what Pinterest was?!

(Thanks for making me feel better about living in a cave...)

I'm glad you were all as excited as I was to join this great site!

I got out all the invites, so please let me know if you didn't get yours.

If you didn't get your invite, double check the comment section and make sure you gave me the correct email, make sure you gave me an email (some of you said you wanted one but you didn't leave an email),

and/or check your spam inbox.

For those of you who are a member, you can search for me with this link:

http://pinterest.com/mrslindsey/

But I must warn you, Pinterest will distract you from cooking, cleaning, attending to your family, and getting ready for the day. Yes, it's a tad bit addicting!

If you missed my last post and you would like an invite, don't hesitate to ask!

Just leave a comment with your email address in the comment section below.

(All I ask is that you follow my blog in return...)

If you have no idea what I am talking about and you want to know what Pinterest is, click here.

If you want to join in on a fun Pinterest Linky Party, click the button below!

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Today is the last day to vote for The Teacher Wife in the 2011 Really Good Classroom Blog Contest! I am so excited and honored to be a nominee! If you like what you see on this blog, please consider voting for me! The winner will receive a $75.00 Really Good Stuff gift certificate and as a new teacher, I could really use it!

Click on the picture below to vote!

FYI: You have to vote for one blog in each category before they will accept your vote.

If you have already voted... you can vote again (they allow it once daily).

Thank you for your support!

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Check it out, I am the newest TBA author!

what is pinterest?

2011-07-04T12:32:00.009-04:00

Maybe I have been living in a cave, but as of a few days ago, I had no idea what Pinterest was.

I had never even heard of it, let alone know how amazingly awesome it is.

Thanks to Gladys at Teaching in High Heels for sending me an invitation!

Maybe you are like me, and you don't know what Pinterest is. Maybe.

And if you are, you have come to the right place, because I am going to explain it to you.

According to the Pinterest site, "Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes." I would like to add, "and get creative ideas for your classroom!"

When I first log on to Pinterest, this is what I see.

I see pins (think of them as glorified bookmarks) from other people I follow on Pinterest.

Notice how most of the pictures are classroom ideas. (This is the amazing part about Pinterest!)

I follow other teachers/friends who have similar interests.

That way, we can all share the awesome classroom ideas we find on the web (the recipes are cool, too).

When I go to my own profile, I see my own pins.

These are all ideas, from the web, that I want to remember for my own classroom.

Then I can click on a category, like this one:

And a new page comes up to show all the different pins in that category:

When I click on an image, it opens in a new page to show me the source, so I can go back to that idea:

So now you have a glimpse of how awesome Pinterest is! I was so happy to receive an invite from Gladys and now I am going to give you the same opportunity! If you want to be a part of this great online community, let me know and I will send you an invitation. Just leave your email in the comment section below.

For those of you who are a member, you can search for me with this link:

http://pinterest.com/mrslindsey/

circus postcard

2011-07-01T13:19:00.001-04:00

I have finally finished the postcard I will be sending to my students before school starts this year.

It is similar to my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom postcard, but it fits my circus theme instead.

I absolutely love this design. It just might be one of my favorites!

Click on the picture below to download this postcard for FREE at my TpT store.

(All I ask is that you follow my blog and my TpT store in return...)

Today is the first day to vote for the 2011 Really Good Classroom Blog Contest! I am so excited and honored to be a nominee! If you like what you see on this blog, please consider voting for me! The winner will receive a $75.00 Really Good Stuff gift certificate and as a new teacher, I could really use it!

Click on the picture below to vote!

(FYI: you have to vote for one blog in each category before they will accept your vote!)

Thank you for your support! You are the reason I blog!

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Don't forget to enter my Rock Unit giveaway!

Click here to enter!

all about rocks: a science unit giveaway! - CLOSED

2011-06-28T18:08:00.003-04:00

I love teaching science to my students, because it can be so fun and hands on.

However, teaching about rocks (Metamorphic, Sedimentary, Igneous) has been a struggle for me!

I just don't feel like there are tons of fun/useful resources.

That, my friends, is why I have created my own "rocks" resource.

But I must let you know, whenever I create new units, I have my students in mind the entire time.

What information would they understand? How can I best explain this to them?

And most importantly... How can I make this fun?!

I love to make learning fun (which can be exhausting at times, but so WORTH IT)!

This Unit Will Include (but isn't limited to): A Scientist Rock Notebook for Students, A Scientist Rock Notebook for Teachers (very detailed), Worksheets/Assessments, Rock Characters , Rock Charts (Easy to Understand), Yummy Recipes, Fun Experiments, and Art Suggestions

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To Enter This Giveaway:

To Enter: Become a follower (or already be one) and leave me a comment to let me know.

Bonus Entry #1: Follow my TpT Store and leave another comment to let me know.

Bonus Entry #2: Tell me in another comment why you need this unit!!

Bonus Entry #3: Rate one of my TpT products--either one you recently purchased or my featured freebie!! (Please rate them honestly--I love to get your feedback!)

Make sure to leave a comment with your TpT username so I know it was you!

*Make sure each entry is a separate comment!*

I will announce the winner when I finally finish this unit...

(Wednesday, Thursday... maybe Friday!)

Good Luck!

modern binder covers

2011-06-20T11:48:00.007-04:00

I don't know why, but I seem to be obsessed with chevron patterns lately...

And the colors red, blue, and yellow...

They just look so pretty together!

In my attempt to get ready for next year, I put together this collection of cover pages.

I will be using them as binder covers to organize different teaching subjects.

I made these cover pages with a modern flair, because even though I "love" apples and school houses,

I don't want them to adorn every corner in my classroom.

Click on the picture below to download these cover pages for FREE at my TpT store.

(All I ask is that you follow my blog and my TpT store in return...)

ENjOY!

How do you keep your files organized?

ucreate with kids

2011-06-18T13:54:00.002-04:00

I love finding good blogs with fantastic resources!

Have you ever heard of Ucreate? It's a wonderful craft blog and a huge collection of all things pretty!

Well... awhile back, Ucreate added a new section to their blog called Ucreate with Kids.

Ucreate with Kids is perfect for us teachers! It is a huge collection of kid crafts, activities, and learning ideas.

This is a blog you will definitely want to add to your blogroll and become a follower of!

Click on the pictures below to check out some darling ideas featured on Ucreate with Kids!

back to school unit

2011-06-15T20:14:00.004-04:00

I gave myself 1 week to enjoy my summer and be lazy...

Now it's time for me to get back to real life!

I have finally put together my Back-to-School Unit and I think it's a fun one!

This unit is perfect for the first week of school. It includes 37 pages worth of fun activities to get your students moving and making friends. Every activity in this unit has black and white copies for those who have no access to a color printer (like me). Enjoy!

This Unit Includes: 3 Student Booklets, Art Ideas, Bulletin Board Ideas, Writing Activities, Math Activities, 2 Get-to-Know-You Games

Clipart By: JW Illustrations

The first person to comment will get this unit free!

(Don't forget to leave your email address!)

Chicka Chicka... BOOM BOOM!

2011-06-08T12:01:00.005-04:00

Last year I had a jungle themed classroom.

I also incorporated the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom book into a lot of classroom activities.

Before school started, I created this cute post card to send to my students.

My students said that they loved getting mail from their new teacher!

Click on the picture below to download this postcard for FREE at my TN store.

(all I ask is that you follow my blog and my TN store as a thank you...)

I also created a Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom bulletin board to welcome my new students on the first day of school! Each letter represents a student and I wrote their names the letters. I couldn't find a purple and orange polka-dotted boarder, so I made this one with construction paper and a hole puncher!

Here are some of my other jungle themed bulletin boards:

I would even use Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to get my students attention.

I would say, "Chicka Chicka!"

and my students would stop what they were doing,

put their eyes on me and say, "BOOM! BOOM!"

Even though I love the jungle theme...

next year I am thinking it will be a circus in my classroom...

What theme is your classroom?