Looking Ahead

So this is the time of year we are all anxious for next year right!? This year we are a little more stressed due to incorporating all new curriculums next year…but it’s also very exciting to be working with new materials!

Organizing is how I stay sane.  haha I just wasn’t happy with my word work cart from this year.  It always got messy, and students had to dig through bins to get the word work they were searching for.  Therefore, I arranged my word work bins on my back counter in pull out drawers. Now, it’s so much easier for my kiddos to see what they want to work on.  Also, I don’t have to reorganize my cart every day!

 Ok so I have to tell you a funny story…being a teacher is always full of surprises! My kiddos were so excited to use the new drawers for their word work the next day that they came in.  However, when they went to their first round all I heard was a bunch of loud squeaks! We all looked at the word work bins and started laughing. Apparently if you don’t pull out the drawers just right they exhibit a horrible shrill pitched sound. Call me crazy but I always keep a WD 40 pen in my supplies drawer and home, so now I have purchased one for school too. It has really come in handy to fix those squeaky drawers!

Did you notice the great polka dot labels!? That’s my theme next year and I downloaded this freebie from Mercedes Hutchens. I have also used them as my daily five reading group labels and math labels check them out. I just love finding awesome freebies on TPT!

I would love to hear what your themes are for next year. Please post what you are planning to do!

 

 

 

 

Yikes! How is it the end of April already?! I'm not complaining by any means how quickly the end of our school year seems to be going, but I mean my last post was written at the beginning of this month! But don't take it personally- I just can't seem to keep my head above water at school or at home either.

C'est la vie!

 Anyways, last week our 3rd-5th grade students had their OAA tests. This year our school tried something new and each grade level K-2 "adopted" a classroom in grades 3-5. The thought was to provide some encouragement to those kiddos taking the test while promoting the need to 'Do Your Best' at the same time. I know my second graders had fun doing this and they liked the idea that they would be the getting these same acts of kindness next year.

First, we used the Operation-Ego- Booster pack to create letters to each student in the classroom we adopted. This pack is *full* of ideas to use. On the first morning of testsing, our grade-level lined the hallways to 'cheer' on our kids as the went to breakfast before testing time.

Then, each day that our adopted class had a test, we left them a treat on their desk. We found these adorable Motivational Testing Notes to use.



Such cute and easy ideas to use during state testing week. We take 2nd grade diagnostics in the fall and I am going to use some of these ideas for my own kiddos next year.

I'm off to take advantage of this rainy day and get some things done. Hopefully it won't be 3 weeks until I'm back again :)

April Currently

How is it already time for April's eddition of currently?! I'm not complaining but I can't believe the end of the school year is approaching so quickly! Head on over to Oh Boy 4th Grade so you can join in on the fun too! 

I can't believe we only have 8.5 weeks of school left! I am thrilled at the prospect of summer being just around the corner and I know these weeks will go all to quickly!

Do you also feel like you have a never-ending to-do list. I mean I was on break last week and I am please with how much I go done, but the lists just keep growing.

It's Ohio.....and it's cold. Like way too cold. This morning when I headed to work it was around 30 degrees. That is February weather to me. Hello....it's April. We should be in the upper 40's by the end of the week. I'm sure it will feel spectacular!

The best advice I can give about blogging? Don't sweat the small stuff. There are so many fabulous, wonderful and over-the-top blogs out there. How you all manage to squeeze it into your life is beyond me. I started with high hopes and good intentions. But life gets in the way sometimes (ok a lot of the time) and all those plans I had for blogging or creating some new learning packs gets pushed to the wayside. And ya know what, sometimes I have to be ok with that. 

Happy April!

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!