TPT Sale

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week Everybody.  I am participating in TPT's Sale.  All of my items are 20% through May 10th.  TPT is offering an additional 10% for a total savings of 28% until May 8th.  Just remember to use their code  TAD12.    Click HERE to go to my TPT store.   Happy Shopping and I hope everyone has a very enjoyable week.

  

What a Way to Start Your Morning

I have always loved living in Florida.   No snow days, sandals year round, beaches close by...what could be better?  Well this is what flew over my house this morning.

The Space Shuttle Discovery

I am fortunate enough to have grown up near Kennedy Space Center.  Whenever a rocket would go off or a Space Shuttle would launch, we would head out to our front yard to watch.  I can't tell you what an amazing sight and privilege this is to see.  Today the Space Shuttle Discovery was being flown to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. on the back of a 747.  It started out with a sunrise as the back drop...

Then it started flying closer and closer toward us.  It was amazing to look up and see it from my driveway.  How spectacular is this? 

It was perfect timing because we just finished up our Space Unit with a Space Shuttle Craftivity.  I will have more posts and info about this soon.
Happy Tuesday!

A Teacher's Dream

I was fortunate enough to receive this amazing pencil sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies.  I had read so many positive things on several blogs about this quiet little thing and I knew I had to try it.  We were having so many problems with lead falling out of our pencils.  I really thought it was the pencils until I read others were having the same problems using electric sharpeners.  My kids were so excited because we were all so frustrated with leads falling out.   Then it arrived!

When the kids saw it they gathered around the table bringing me pencils from all over the room.  I guess my love of office supplies has rubbed off!!  So the pencil sharpening began... I was in AWE!  Look at the point on this guy.  AMAZING!!!!  Even better the leads DO NOT fall out.  It's so sharp and it lasts so long. 

When my daughter arrived in my classroom after school she sharpened this entire tub in less than 10 minutes. 

I wasn't so sure about a "crank" style sharpener since my original antique crank literally takes the muscle power of the Incredible Hulk to get a semi sharp pencil.   My entire team was so impressed we ordered one for each 1st grade teacher.  Our fourth grade team was at recess one day and I told my daughter's teacher I had a pack of pencils for her, ready for FCAT.  I had my daughter go inside and bring out my little blue baby.  You should have seen all of these teachers huddled around the bench taking turns sharpening pencils.   Too funny.    Try it.  You will love it.   Classroom Friendly Supplies

Celebrating Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Our Friday morning began by making our red and white hats for Dr. Seuss' birthday.  So easy and so cute. 

Then we had a wonderful surprise waiting for us in our cafeteria.  I have an amazing  mom of one of the little girls in my class.  She dressed up like the Cat in the Hat and read Green Eggs and Ham to our kindergarten, first grade and VE classes.  She volunteers in our classroom every Monday.  The kids had no idea it was her.  I was so proud of her daughter, she kept the secret all morning that it was her mom in the costume.

Then we came back to our classroom to read a few Dr. Seuss books and complete a few activities.  Then we heard a knock at the door and there stood the Cat in the Hat.  They were so excited.  She had brought Green Eggs and Ham to make for the kids.

The Cooking Cat...ignore the messy back counter.  Ha!

She read Are You My Mother while frying up the ham.  Can you say multi-tasker.  After a minutes I took over the cooking, because like any cat her white fur began to shed.  We couldn't have cat hair in our eggs!

We are continuing our celebration into this week with "That Rhyming Feline" related centers and __ock word families.  My centers include  reading Fox in Socks at listening center, a "Rhyming Feline" ABC order, Make A Ten Math Game, and "Rhyming Feline" scrambled sentences. 

 I have made several of these centers using the Scrappin Doodles clip art but haven't posted them due to the copyright issues.  I would love to just give them away but copyright can be such a sticky issue.  The clip art isn't  for sale anymore on her website.  Such a bummer because I never bought the line art to go with my colorful clip art.   

Hope everyone enjoyed the Dr.'s Birthday as much as we did.  Take Care.

Tammy

  

Doubles and Doubles Plus 1

Today we did a quick lesson/review of our Doubles and Doubles Plus One or as we call them Near Doubles.  We have practiced and practiced our Doubles Facts all year.  My little kiddos seem to have finally had their light bulb moment with Near Doubles.  Hallelujah!  Today we used a half sheet of newsprint folded hotdog, hamburger, hamburger style. Eight total squares.  I modeled the first two then gave them their doubles facts and off they went.  Even my "little strugglers" were off and running and did a fabulous job.    It was such an easy lesson but a great formative assessment for me. 

My modeling of Doubles and Near Doubles

Finished product


After walking around the room and checking everyone's paper I told them to give themselves a star.  This little guy got so excited he said "Look, I gave myself a bunch of stars".  Woo Hoo!

Laminating Sheets--Great Buy!

I love finding great deals and more importantly sharing those deals with you. 

Like everyone else out there I laminate all of my centers on my own little laminator.  I bought my laminator at Staples when they were having a great sale.  But the laminating sheets however, are another story.  They can be so expensive in the smaller packs. 

I have been using these sheets from Sams Club and I LOVE them.  3 Mil, 200 sheets per box and only 20.85 a box.   I've went through 2 boxes this year. 

OH MY.  But my little kiddos have loved all of their centers and I love the durability of the 3 Mil laminating.  The school laminating is so much thinner and our machine has gotten so old it bubbles and peels.  If you are a Sams Club member or have a friend who can take you...look for these.  Happy shopping!

Sam's Club Laminating Sheets

President's Day Unit

I have finally posted my President's Day Unit.  You can find it here on TPT or here on Teacher's Notebook.  Only $4.00.

It includes the following:

 1.President's Day Doubles and Near Doubles Sort
(reinforces the transition between vertical
and horizontal number sentences)
2.Stars and Stripes Less Than and Greater Than
3.Lincoln's Least to Greatest
4.Making History Ten Frame Partner Game

5.Games of Past and Present Social Studies Sort
(includes venn diagrams for a boy or a girl)
6.Inferences about George Washington
Inferences about Abraham Lincoln
7.George Washington Hard G - Soft G Sort
8.Abraham Lincoln Facts and Opinions

Each activity has a recording sheet. 

I was so proud of myself after printing, laminating, and cutting out the entire unit ready for President's Day.  Then I realized I haven't prepared anything for Valentine's Day. The life of a teacher.  Always busy. Never a dull moment. 

Never enough time in the day.  

 I've already let me little kiddos play the ten frame game.  One of my little boys went to D.C. over Christmas break and came back with a George Washington hat.  When he saw the game on teacher table he asked if he could play.  He thought he was all that and a bag of chips playing a George Washington game and wearing his hat.   So cute.

Have a great week.

Tammy