Spring Break Linky

So I am two days into spring break and already I feel like I am behind! When I saw this bucket list linky it gave me inspiration to try something new. See my list below:

1. Try to relax and not worry about things!  This is a hard one for me but I am trying my best...
2. Get a new kitchen table.
3. Shop for some good bargains!
4. Spring CLEAN
5. Work on new packs for our TPT store.
6. Check out new blogs and get ideas for next year.
7. Organize my hubby's closet. (I just don't understand how he can stand it not color coded haha)
8. Have lunch with my mom and mother-in-law.
9. Splurge and try a new restaurant with my hubby.
10. Take my niece and nephew to play indoor mini golf.

I hope you all have a wonderful and RELAXING spring break!!!!

Linky Party

I stumbled across this wonderful little blog today and just had to join this linky party!

So are you ready?! Here are three things about me...which 2 are the truth and which is a lie?

1. I am absolutely affraid of train tracks. You know how some people get nervous to drive over bridges? I get that way driving over tracks....every.single.time. I'm so nervous that the sensors are broken or I'm not going to hear the train. Kinda crazy, I know.

2. I have only participated in one sport my entire life.....gymnastics. My mom says I was always climbing and flipping over furniture so my parents put me in it when I was 2. I spent the next 18 years doing it!

3. I love orange juice with pulp....lots of it! The hubs knows that he needs to leave the store with the containers labeled 'high plup'. Seriously....so good!

Head on over to join this party and meet some fellow bloggers! 

Common Core Math I can Statments

We just began the daunting process of curriculum mapping for the new standards. Don’t get me wrong it’s very exciting to be looking at new ideas but it’s overwhelming at the same time. I was lucky to not only map with my teammates but also with a neighboring district. I wish I could do more collaborating with other districts….it’s neat to hear what others are using/doing to teach their kiddos math.

Mapping led me to create I can statements for math.  Included in the common core statements are:

-34 I can cards labeled with each standard

-Pictures to accompany each statement

-Kid friendly language

Check it out at our TPT store!

Hope you have a great week!  I'd love to hear what great ideas your using for the new common core math!

March Currently

Hmm, last blog post: February 11th. That is pretty much how our lives have been for the past few weeks. C-R-AAAAA-Z-Y (can you hear the Rober Munsch voice?)

So it's time to get back to blogging and what better way than to link up for the March edition of 'Currently'.

Seriously, they are going nuts over these bones. No wonder they don't last very long.

March is alway bittersweet for me. I feel like it SHOULD be Spring and that makes me happy (plus Daylight Savings Time begins). However, March in Ohio is still pretty cold, which just makes me frustrated. Sounds crazy, but I would give up my snow days for some warmer weather.

Caught up at school?! This one makes me laugh. I feel like no matter how much I get done or how long I work, I actually keep falling farther behind. Looks like I will just keep treading water until the end of May. (sigh!)

If you know me, I am NOT one to spend money. My back has been hurting for a while. Now, its moving to my neck. Hubs: "Go get a massage." Me: "I'd rather not spend the money". I'm about to start agreeing with him and stalking out the Groupon specials!

And finally: like, love, hate. I am liking junk food right now. Especially since I know I will be getting my massive order of Girl Scout cookies anyday. (I can't buy from one student and not the other 5!)

I'm (always) loving Jesus. The hubs and I have truly been blessed and we can't give enough praises to him.

And finally, I hate judgement. I'm not perfect in this area but I'm working on it.

Head over to Oh Boy 4th Grade to link up and remember the rule of 3.

Thanks for coming back after a long hiatus. Hopefully life might slow down....even just a tad!

Valentine's Day Treats

My kiddos LOVE Valentine's Day but I am actually not a fan of making out Valentine cards for each of them. (I guess some of us may never grow to like that part!) So, I came across this idea on Pinterest and I had to do it! It was pretty inexpensive and even the hubs thought they were pretty cool. (He's not a total fan of Pinterest so it takes something neat to impress him)  Below is the tag I created for my gifts.

Can you guess what I got them?

Super easy! Went to the store and bought a few packages of the mixed mini cereal boxes, plastic spoons, and ribbon. Attached the tag and VOILA my Valentines are complete. I'm pretty happy at the turn out. I guess we will have to see what my kiddos think of them on Thursday.

What do you do for your kids on Valentine's Day? Let me know so I can store those cute ideas away for next year! :)

The Power of Post-its and a Valentine's Freebie

We have been working on asking questions before, during, and after reading various texts.  I used the Comprehension Toolkit for an awesome lesson on questioning.  I cannot say enough wonderful things about this reading toolkit…it really gets my kiddos engaged in nonfiction texts. 

First, I read a nonfiction magazine which was included in the toolkit.  Students had two columns of sticky notes on their clipboards.  They had 2 post-its to write down “what they learned,” and two for “what they wonder.”  It’s amazing what the power of post-its can do!  As soon as I pass them out my kiddos get sooo excited! You can see how hard they were working sitting in different places throughout the classroom.  I often allow my students to sit at various places in the room (where I can see them of course) to really be able to think by themselves.

We met back at the carpet once I was finished reading the magazine and stopping for students to write on their post-its before, during, and after the text. Students then had a chance to share with the class what they learned and what they wondered. It is so neat to see my kiddos write their comments in complete sentences. What a difference from the beginning of the year to now!

We have also been working on counting money.  I just love when we get to this unit! So….I have created a Valentine’s Day money freebie that can be used as pre-test, post-test or simply just for practicing money.  There are three differentiated levels for counting money.  Students are to write the two values on the lines and then compare the amounts using >, < or =.  I hope you can use it with your kiddos!

Rounding

It's that time of the year when we teach our kiddos how to round. I don't mind rounding, except I can never find a method that seems to 'click' with all of my students. In the past I have used the number line. We find our number then look for the 'nearest ten'. Works for many of my kiddos but not all of them. I knew someone else had to have thought of something, so it was off to TpT. I came across this little pack and I was in love!



In short, you make a balloon around the number you are rounding to. The string 'holds' the number behind it. The number inside the string tells you how many fingers you have to take off of the balloon. If you take off too many, the balloon goes up (round up!) if you can still hold it, it stays down on the ground (round down!). (She does a much better job of explaining this than I do!) My kids absolutely loved the balloon trick. We used our pencils as our balloon strings and it was a great visual for some of my learners whether the balloon was going to go up or down.

After teaching both methods, I let my kids pick which way they liked better. I always find it interesting to see which kids pick certain methods. My favorite is when you tell them they can pick either method and some stare back at you like "I feel like this is a trick...."

I would say that rounding clicked with my students much easier this year thanks to Kelly Ryan. If you do rounding with your kiddos you really should head over her TpT store and check it out!

On a side note, I just purchased all of my 'supplies' for my Valentine's for my kids. I found my idea on Pinterest and I can't wait to put them together. Check back next week as I hope to get them ready this weekend!