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!

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:

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.

A Freebie and a SNEAK PEEK!

The restlessness has set in. You know what I'm talking about. That feeling that you get where you THINK you should be doing something, and something work-related, NOT housework. You're almost in a panic, looking at the clock thinking....I would be doing my reading block right now, or we'd be having lunch.....yes, you and I have School Detachment Disorder!!!


I could find an excuse over the weekend- it was Memorial Day weekend. I counted it as a holiday and didn't let myself think about the fact that it's "summer vacation".


Today, well I've run out of excuses for myself. I ran errands this morning, thinking that would get rid of this feeling- I switched our insurance to a new company (YAY no more USAA!!), mowed the front lawn and took one of my mini schnauzers to the groomer.....


Guess what? The feeling didn't go away. :(
Now I feel even more guilty that I'm not at work.
SOOOO, I sat down at the computer and thought- what could I do to pass the time!


Well, here you go- first is a freebie that you can download from my store on Teachers Pay Teachers: click the picture to go to my store:

 

I created three teacher quote posters. Thank you to Scrappin Doodles,  Fancy Dog Studios and Pink Lemonade Company for the awesome borders, frames and papers!

If you have a specific teacher quote that you would like to see on a poster, please let me know. I'll create a poster and add it to the current free download.

Now...a preview of coming attractions:

 I am making a HUGE Dolch Word Wall Pack- stay tuned for more information and a chance to WIN this awesome activity!

The Final Days......

This week has been so busy! We are nearing the end of our school year. The 23rd is our last day. I have so much to post about, but I'm too tired! In the last week, we've had a field trip, Olympic Days and Senior Send-off. Plus we are trying to fill out our check-out sheet so we'll be ready to checkout of our classrooms. 



I wanted to post about a freebie that is in my TpT store. I don't know about your kids, but mine are getting tired of the same 'ol behavior tools. Mine LOVE LOVE LOVE the iPad. So I created a behavior tool based on the iPad. Even if you don't have an iPad in your classroom, this can STILL BE USED!

Included in this freebie is a printable ipad with blank spaces where the apps will go (includes a beach background). The apps will be stickers. There are 20 app slots to last approx. 4 weeks. When students show positive behavior, they will add a sticker to their iPad, creating an app. When they will up all 20 app slots, they can turn their card in for a reward card. There are several choices in cards, ranging from iPad time, to individual time for games such as Angry Birds, Magic Piano (a hit with my class), Temple Run and Toontastic. Also included are non-iPad rewards, such as extra recess and sitting by a friend. I'm planning on using this next year with my first graders.


I hope you can use this freebie! Just click on the picture to go to my TpT store where you can download it. Let me know if you use it in your classroom!

Check Out My TpT Purchases Linky Party!

Has Teacher Appreciation Week been awesome or what? I was very thankful for Teachers Pay Teachers and their sale this week. I found some new teachers with great products and was able to purchase some from my wishlist also! This is what I snagged:

Babbling Abby over at the Inspired Apple had the cutest dinosaur centers! They are very colorful and organized. My kids are going to LOVE these.

 Kathleen Pederson from Growing Kinders posted this awesome grammar pack. This pack consists of printables that can be used as morning work, Daily 5, extra work, etc. My kids LOVE these. Their favorite part is finding someone to check their work and putting a checkmark in the box. I can't believe something so simple can be so effective with my students!!

I am such a sucker for clipart. ESPECIALLY borders and frames! I snagged these cute borders from Lindsey Haralson. Aren't they adorbs????

I also snagged Ms. Talley's "Lots-a-Dots!" borders.They are so whimsical and cute!

My firsties are having a VERY challenging time with fractions this year. When I saw this amazing unit from The Teacher Wife, I HAD to purchase it. I have already posted the posters and having that visual has REALLY helped my kids.

I grabbed this great ongoing activity for my next group of firsties from Christine Statzel. This is the cutest scrapbook. Each month students will create a page that has to do with whatever month it is. I can't wait to do this and send them home on the last day of school. My parents will love it!


Well that's it for my TpT Teacher Appreciation Sale purchases! I hope this sale was not only nice on the pocketbook but beneficial in meeting new people and sellers. I know it was for me!

Also, please visit Erica Bohrer's blog if you would like to link up and share your purchases or view what others found on TpT! 

It's Teacher Appreciation Week!

This is a week to thank your teammate, your child's teacher, ANYONE who is a teacher. We spend so much time behind the scenes, most people don't really understand just how much we put into our students and our classrooms. Our local news station posted an article yesterday about an education rally at our state capitol. It was so frustrating to see all of the negative comments posted about teachers, schools and education in general. We all know that not EVERY teacher was born to do the job, but most of us truly love what we do. It's not for the summers off, it's sure not for the money. It's for our KIDS.


To say thank you, I am making one of my very first items created for Teachers Pay Teachers free TODAY only. So grab it in my store while you can! Read below for more information on the activity pack.

If you download this pack today, please leave me feedback. I love to see teachers using my products. 

That's It, I'm Done. GOODBYE!!!!

Give me a "Holla" if you are as ready to be done with the school year as I am? Don't get me wrong, I love my kiddos this year, but goodness it's been a stressful year. We are implementing Literacy First for the first time, and although I will swear by it, it's a LOT of work, and a good topic for a WHOLE other post.


Anyhoo.....


Our last day is Marvelous May 23. I think my kids already think it's summer break though. It's time to tighten the belt, put on the gloves and battle it out! Since we are so close, and ready to be done, I wanted to created some fun activities for them to do the last week of school. I created an activity pack called "That's It I'm Done. Goodbye!" It's based on the hilarious poem that I created of the same title.

 

Click the picture to view it in my TpT store. It is available to purchase for $4.

Here's what is included in the pack:

1- "That's It I'm Done- Goodbye" Poetry Pack- Use the poem with your students. Have them read the poem and discuss what it means. Included is a fill-in-the-blank recording sheet, an illustration page and a bulletin board page.

2- The Best Days- Have your students create this cute mini-book about their school year.

3- Super Summer Survey- Students will interview a classmate about their plans for the summer!

4- Sizzlin' Summer- This is a write the wall activity. Use the vocabulary cards and hang them throughout your classroom. Students will use the recording page to write down the words they find on the wall.

5- HOT Graphic Organizers- These are great summer themed fiction and non-fiction organizers. Included is a summer book list of books that can be used that are "summer" themed.

6- Rock Star Autograph Book- Have students use this book and have their friends autograph it and leave nice messages. There is a color and black and white version of this.

7- Summer Word Sort- Have students sort the words into summer and non-summer groups. This is great to review vocabulary and for ELL students!

8- You Mean the World- Use this poem and letter to send with your students on the last day of school!

Since I've just started my blog, I'm going to do a giveaway!
 

THE FIRST 5 TO POST A COMMENT UNDER THIS POST AND Follow my blog AND TpT store WILL WIN THIS PACK! 

Just make sure I have an e-mail address to send it to!