Flash Sale!

What a summer this has been! I have been working hard creating new awesome products for my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I have to say, I have been so excited to see so many graphic artists making clipart to sell on TpT. There are so many creative juices going on, it's so hard not to spend tons of money on clipart and fonts! Who are some of your favorite clipart artists? Since the summer is flying by, I thought I would have a flash sale! I have been adding lots of new products. Everything will be 20% off from midnight Wednesday morning to midnight Thursday morning. Don't pass this up! This will be the last sale I have until the big TpT back to school sale.

Please visit my store to see what I have available! My biggest seller are my Class Book Template packs. If you haven't purchased any of them yet, you can get the whole year right HERE.

Just click on my Teachers Pay Teachers store tab on the right side of the page!

Blood, Sweat and Tears

This past month has been surreal. The school year flew by and on May 20, 2013, our state was hit with yet another big blow. I live about 20 miles northwest of Moore. I haven't been down to the site of the tornadoes, but I'm sure like you, my tv screen has been full of the latest photos, heroic stories and pleas for lost pets to be reunited with their owners. My husband grew up in Moore, and actually went to Plaza Towers Elementary. His childhood home was lost in the tornado. This disaster has touched lives all over the world. I am amazed at the kind words and actions people have spilled across the country in the last week and a half.
I'm sure some of you know that last night, Blake Shelton hosted a benefit concert in downtown OKC. The concert featured a lot of great artists. There was not a dry eye in the house (or in any Oklahoma living rooms) that night. Watching Miranda Lambert break down during her performance really made it REAL that these people still care about their home state despite the fame and glory.
The song that touched me most, harmonized with the backdrop of video of the tornado ravaged town, was Blake Shelton and Usher. Who knew how awesome they sounded together! If you did not watch the concert last night, please view the video below.


The same week we watched this tornado destory Moore live on tv, I also said goodbye to my little first graders. On Thursday, I sent them on their way, hoping they will spread their wings and flutter into second grade with confidence and motivation. I teach in a difficult school where students struggle with difficult home lives. So with mixed emotions, I told them goodbye and to have a great summer. I also said goodbye to my school that I have taught at for the last 9 years. It was time for a change. I'm taking some time off to spend with my daughter. I will be tutoring and volunteering a lot AND will be working on lots of great Common Core based products to add to my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I hope everyone has a great end to the school year and has a wonderful summer!

Here is the latest products I am working on for my store. If you haven't checked out my other class book template packs, I encourage you to do so! My kiddos love creating these books for our classroom library. They also make a great send-off gift at the end of the year. 

 

You can visit my store HERE .

Mastering Those Short Vowels

What a busy week! I feel like it should be Friday. We have worked on tally marks, counting by 2's, counting by 5's, and reviewing short vowels. With our school being a Literacy First school, we have a certain continuum we have to follow when we teach phonics. My students who were at our school last year and received Literacy First instruction are a lot farther ahead of the students who did not. We are working on mastering our short vowel sounds in isolation as well as in context.

One of my anchor centers that I use for Literacy First is the word study center. This center is my favorite. I use the pocket chart almost ALWAYS! Students use this center to brush up on sounds and blending. Since we are trying to get those short vowel sounds down (what is with short e, I have SO many students who can't remember that sound!), I created a quick short vowel word sort. It is fall themed with pumpkin graphics, so that you can use it anytime during the fall season!

This word sort includes 30 word cards which include cvc words as well as words with initial and final consonant blends. There is also a recording sheet included so students can record 3 of the 6 short vowel words that they sorted. Although many students will sort the words by sight, I really encourage them to work with their teammates to READ the words because I sometimes the vowels can trick you!

Please visit my TpT store to download this freebie!

Where Have I Been?!?!?

Well I'm still here. I think you'll forgive my absence the last month if you knew what was going on....This is my school year so far:

*We adopted a new mathematics program called Everyday Math (everything EXCEPT the manipulatives. YEP no manipulatives to do a manipulative-driven curriculum). If you teach it or have taught it in the past, you understand my stress....

*We are a Phase IV Literacy First school and have begun year 2. If you've taught Literacy First, you know how tedious THAT is. I'm assessing each student on the continuum constantly!!!!

*We are continuing RtI

*We are integrating the new Common Core Skills in our classrooms.

*Our district has adopted a new progress report/report card process.

*We are adopting a new teacher assessment model, the Marzano Model. AHHH!!!

*We are now having to post our learning goals and objectives in our classrooms at all times. I'm observed at least once a week by my principal and literacy coach as well as other teachers, principals and administrators.

I have already been to the emergency room for chest pains since this school year started. I've also taken on the step-mom role to my 11 year old stepson who is in 6th grade. I also have a 7th grade daughter who is an athlete and ALWAYS has practice or activities to go to. As stressful as life is right now, I'm trying to maintain my sanity any way that I know how. Chocolate and caffeine have been my BEST friends these last 2 months.

We are nearing the 2nd full month of school and the 28th day of classes. I can't believe it's already getting close to report card time!

I just finished my latest TpT product. I am introducing writing to my first graders slowly but surely. If you've seen the first grade common core skills for writing, I'm sure your heart skipped a beat or two as well. We are not allowed to do writing during our literacy block (no I don't get this either), but it is what it is.

I LOVE having class books in my room. The kids get so excited and want to show these off to brothers, sisters, moms and dads. We make class books constantly so that not only my class know that they are authors, but it gives them a way to practice predictable text as well.

I am making a set of class book templates for every 2 months. I have created 2 templates for each theme. The topics of the class book templates depend on the theme you are working on during those two months. For October and November, the topics include pumpkins, Harvest, Thanksgiving, Halloween and more! Here is a preview of each template. I have also included a book cover for each class book. All you have to do is add your name!

If you are interested, click on the picture to view the template pack in my store. I have also included common core standards these writing activities support! If you purchase this template pack, be sure and let me know what you think!

Teachers Pay Teachers Sale

Most of you in the blog world know what's coming up. It's a little like Black Friday......

It's the TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS BACK TO SCHOOL SALE!!!!!

I have TONS of stuff in my cart waiting for tomorrow so that I can take advantage of the seller's personal sale, and the extra 18% off from TpT. 

I've decided to participate this year. My store is a little bare, because I haven't been at this for very long. I do have a couple of products that would be AWESOME for Back to School!

Click on the pic to go view my store:

It's Back to School Time!

I can't believe it. Where has the time gone? There was so much I was planning to do with my summer, but little got done. It doesn't help that this Oklahoma heat has been unbearable. All we've been able to do is hunker down with the a/c on full blast.

Unpacking my classroom is usually one HUGGGGE pain. Last year I had to move classrooms. I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I don't know if it's because I've been teaching long enough or if it was pure luck, but getting my room ready this year has been a CINCH. 

Here is a before and after picture, along with more detailed pics of each area:

Here is an overall look at the back of my room:

Here is the front of the room. Don't hate! I scored the awesome chevron rug at Big Lots!

 

 This is the north side of my classroom. YES I thank GOD every day for all the cubby space!

Our back to school night is Monday, so I am right on track. I've got parent packets ready, just need to finish up goody bags and my "All About Me" powerpoint to show on the SMARTBoard.

I'd love to see pictures of your classroom! If you have some posted on your blog, please leave me a comment with your blog address. I'd LOVE to look at them!!!

NEW! Sight Word Activity Pack

I have been working for WEEKS to get this new product ready for summer and back to school. I created a Dolch Sight Word Actvitiy Pack that includes all kinds of resources and printables to help your students work on learning their sight words. 

Click the picture to view this in my store.

Included in this activity pack are over 100 pages of printables and resources using the Dolch Word Sight Word Lists. In this resource pack you will find:

1. Bulletin Board/Word Wall "Word of the Day" Posters

2. 220 Dolch Sight Word cards designed in a colorful rainbow theme, ready to be used for word walls, games and centers.

3. 95 noun cards designed in a colorful rainbow theme, ready to be used for word walls, games and centers.

4. Over 40 pages of printables- including checklists, sight word books, word sorts and word searches to reinforce the Dolch sight words.

5. Noun pocket chart cards and recording sheet that can be used with the noun cards in the pocket chart/word work center.

6. 1 sight word poster, and 6 "I Can" posters that can be used to reinforce sight word meaning and choices for practicing sight words during centers or free time.

HERE IS A FREEBIE!!!!!

I am offering you the sight word and "I Can" posters for free as a "preview" to the rest of my pack. I am having a 20% sale for the next 2 days as well if you would like to grab the pack!

Click on the picture to download!

Please leave me a comment if you purchase this pack, and let me know what you think.