The Ancient One and End of the Year Gifts

My students and I were so lucky to receive a copy of T.A. Barron's fantasy adventure, "The Ancient One." A couple of my students were excited to get their hands on a copy and begin reading.

We normally have independent reading time during our Daily 5 and they decided to write a short review on what they thought so far:

The students are enjoying the fact that this book is an adventure about helping the environment.  My one student Kate who is reading was excited to see the main character's name - Kate!

My fourth graders enjoy adventure, suspense, and visuals - the maps that can be found on T.A. Barron's site go right along with the stories.  How cool is that? My children are so impressionable right now and some have developed a dislike for reading :( However, when they can relate to a story and follow a character that they love, they feel like they are a part of it.  

You can find "The Ancient One" at Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, and Amazon! :) T.A. Barron has many other great books that you can check out.  I personally want to check out "The Wisdom of Merlin" myself.


Sooooo it's the end of the year.  My fourth graders have accomplished so much and they were wonderful to work with.  I knew that they deserved wonderful things sooo of course I went to Oriental Trading for my party needs.  I am also getting married this Saturday (4 days, no big deal) and they also are amazing with wedding supplies!

These tote bags were adorable to put lots of goodies in for my kids.  They were bigger than I had expected, but they definitely hold their weight.  These are perfect for lighter objects however, because I know with lbs and lbs of weight, these would break.  I told the kiddos that they would be able to put their beach stuff in these (towel, sunglasses, sunscreen) or put a light book and personal belongings in them as well. 

My kids (at all ages) love oriental trading prizes.  I got the sticky hands (they LOVE anything like this!) and some fun mini neon bouncy balls!  These are mini though and I don't recommend for younger children. 

 I wrapped their goodies in treat bags from the dollar tree to stay organized with the smaller items.  

My fourth graders faces light up with these ADORABLE FOXES.  I can't... they are just too cute.  My 9 and 10 year old boys and girls loved them :) They come in blue, pink, orange, and red.  

I am always a happy customer with Oriental Trading!

Disclaimer: Oriental Trading sent me products in exchange for a blog post, but all opinions in this post are mine.

Back to School Sale

I am so excited for the Back to School Sale.. what about you?  What is on your wish list?
All of my products will be on sale for 20% off August 1st-3rd.  On August 1st and 2nd, if you use the code BESTYEAR it will be a total of 28% off... WAHOO!
Here's to the best year ever... that's how I feel each and every year and that keeps me going and keeps me happy.

Here are some of my products that I have loved using in my classroom and some "best sellers" in my store :) Click on the pictures to view the descriptions! :)

 

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I wanted to share some great anchor charts I created for my students, inspired by Lucy Calkins - many parts of her readers and writers workshop have helped me become a better teacher this past year.  These two posters were used for early learners and ENL learners to help learn the process of reading comprehension and strategies like "Turn and Talk."

 I love this Anchor Chart I pinned on Pinterest from The Brown Bag Teacher on Small Moments... Her post on Narrative Writing is a must read :) Personal narratives is a great unit in Lucy Calkins Writer's Workshop.

After connecting with this post, it got me thinking about creative writing and what I do in my classroom... small moments.  What if I could find some photos that are "small moments" that children can turn into something "bigger?" Details, creativity, and imagination..

I just finished a product for grades 1-3 - Creative writing with photographs.  I have used these a lot with my first graders last year, and this type of activity helps children more about themselves as a writer while using their imagination and digging deeper with descriptive words.

I hope you enjoy and you are enjoying getting ready for Back to School.  Happy Shopping! XO

TPT Sale, Giveaway, and Freebies

Hello everyone.. it's been so long since I've blogged. How has life been for all of you? I know many of you are in your new classrooms or getting ready to head back to school.  In New York, we go back to school at the beginning of September, so I am right about in the middle of my summer vacation right now.  I wanted to share some freebies with you that I have used for my tutoring this summer -

For my going into 4th grade student, these products have been awesome!-

 

From Fifth in the Middle, her close reading packs are so enriched with interesting topics.  Here is a sample close reading of Martin Luther King, Jr.

From Math Tech Connections, this great Bookmark Book Report freebie can be used for fiction and nonfiction (two types included) - enjoy!

For my going into second grade tutoring students, these products have been so helpful.

From Read Like a Rock Star, I love this close reading product - perfect for readers that are leaving first grade :)

From Brittney Marie, there are Reading Comprehension passages on different levels for you to try with your kiddos.  My students love highlighting in different colors the text evidence that they find. 

I hope you enjoy those freebies!

 

I have my TPT store on SALE 20% off of EVERYTHING as many of us start thinking about Back to School and heading back into the groove.  The sale will be from 7/24-7/26 :) I also would like to do an appreciation giveaway - if you are a new teacher or would like to add to your teacher binder, I am giving away 3 copies of my Teacher Guide Unit - Please enter the Rafflecopter below!! Giveaway will run until 7/28 :) Thank you so much for your continued love and support!  Happy Shopping and Back to School!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Common Core Resources

Hello everyone!  Happy Early Thanksgiving.  I hope you all have a wonderful time with your family and friends.  I wanted to share with you a few products that I received and had the chance to review.

The first one is Real World Mats for Grade 1.  These mats, available in multiple grade levels, allow for the teacher to provide students with something extra - authentic experiences. 

 

 What I liked about these was that these mats contained topics that children recognize in their world's.  I liked how the mats were in color and can be used with dry erase/wet erase.  If one student or a pair were working together for an extension activity, the dry erase markings would answer the questions and it would be enough for assessment.  The boards fold out and are big enough for little hands to write on and have enough room :)

 There are also recording sheets that can be used for any work mat and these were easy to follow as well.  The recording sheets I used when we did a center rotation for related topics and they were unable to write on the mats.  An idea could be that if you wanted your children to still do dry erase they could erase before they go to their next choice center, however, it would be time consuming :)

Do what is best for your students and your classroom.  The positives I take away from Common Core and working at such a wonderful school are student choice and individuality.

 The Real World Mats are great for math and language arts centers and can be also used as extension activities for enrichment or early finishers.  I keep these in a reachable place so when students are finished with an activity, they can quietly choose a real world mat and have fun while working!

I also have the Carson Dellosa Reading Comprehension and Skills book (First Grade) - This was an important resource that really enhanced my curriculum.  What I liked about this book is that each standard appears in the upper right hand corner of each page.  The book is categorized and separated by skill and strategy, and I am able to pull from the book quickly whenever a topic arises.  The students are also getting a lot out of reading paragraphs, underlining and highlighting key details and words, and performing an activity based on main idea, retelling, sequence, opinion, grammar, etc.

Take a look at some of these sample pages.  These two examples are about writing opinions.  The students read a short little paragraph and answer questions about the passage based on what skill we are talking about.  Some of my kiddos are not fluent readers yet and the small readings help keep their stamina and attention.  

Some of the passages are short, but some are also lengthier.  It's a nice variety for different leveled readers.  I did not take more pictures of us doing this activity since they were so engaged and busy working as I was facilitating :)  Please let me know if you have any questions about these 2 products, but I highly recommend them! They have already helped my firsties a lot!

Disclaimer: Carson Dellosa sent me products in exchange for a blog post, but all opinions in this post are mine.

Summer reads

I hope everyone is enjoying their summers.  For me, I am just about in the middle of my summer, but I know some of you are getting ready to go back - I hope that it is a peaceful and easy transition for you all.  And still don't forget to make time for yourself :)

I wanted to share a few books I have been reading this past spring and summer that I have absolutely loved-I tend to go for the YA novels that are quick and easy reads (I also love animals, mystery, and suspense!)

1. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

This book was probably my favorite on this list.  The story is told through the eyes of a wonderful golden retriever about life, tragedy, and the beauty and love in this world.  

2.Oogy by Larry Levin

What I loved about Oogy is that it is a true story.  It makes you really think about animal cruelty, but how one person can change the life of an animal.  You will easily fall in love with this sweet pup! 

3. The Cage by Megan Shepherd

The Cage was by far my quickest read.  This one is tied for my favorite with The Art of Racing in the Rain, but in a different way!  I loved how this whole story took place in "another world" and you really start to fall in love with each character.  I was completely absorbed.  Megan Shepherd has other wonderful books out such as The Madman's Trilogy, but I have not read them.  The only thing that made me angry about "The Cage" is that it came out this year and it is the first of its series!  Be prepared for a serious cliff hanger - I wasn't ;)

4. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

 This book was longer than the others I have read this summer, but it didn't stop me from reading it cover to cover.  It is a story about a beautiful girl that has mysteriously "disappeared" from the small town, Bone Gap. Finn, the main character in the story, goes through so much to try and solve the mystery of Roza.  You will find strange characters, love, mystery, and an eery corn field!

5. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

I just finished this book yesterday - what a thrilling and unforgettable story about a rich, upscale family called the Sinclairs who have lots of money, love... and secrets and betrayal.  This book is only a little other 200 pages, so you will easily be able to read this one in just a couple days.  I highly recommend it!

 6. The Truth about Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

I am not finished with this book, but this is such a powerful story on bullying.  The language is mature, so it is definitely not for younger students, but for YOU as an adult, it is a very easy read about a young girl Alice who is not called some nice names - the book has been switching point of view from student to student... maybe I will hear from Alice in the end!

I hope some of these recommendations help you find another book to read this summer :) They were all so wonderful and it was hard to pick a favorite!  Happy reading! 

Literacy and Fall Sale

Hi everybody! How are you? My Kindergarten schedule is kicking my butt! I absolutely love it, but I try to put 150% into my day, and it leaves me tired and not much energy to blog.. so I apologize for that!

I wanted to share a few pictures with you all from what we have been doing in K : )

Since it was Johnny Appleseed's Birthday on 9/26, it was only appropriate that we paint apples and watch a youtube video about Johnny Appleseed ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=484AJlOnOnc)

Read with Me ABC had a great product on TPT (for free!) to go along with Wemberly Worried.  I love this book so much, maybe because I am a worrier and can relate ;) Check it out! My kiddos had so much fun making Wemberly! 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wemberly-Worried-Back-to-School-Activities-800617 

 

Do you know the author David Wiesner? Well, let me tell you.. I learned about him in 2008 while I was finishing my masters, and I absolutely LOVE the illustrations and imagination in Flotsam.  This is a book I am so glad I bought because ANY AGE LEVEL can appreciate this picture book..

 

Has anyone heard of Laurie Berkner? She makes amazing songs for younger students! My kids love "Victor Vito" so I made up a quick template using my girl Kimberly Geswein's fonts and had them tell me how they would make Victor Vito spaghetti.. I sure have some chefs in the making! ;)

And who doesn't love Mo Willems?! Can you say... MY FAVORITE? 

 

What an amazing writer and illustrator.. did you know that Mo Willems makes his illustrations easy for kids to copy?  Well, I tested this out and drew the pigeon from "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" and the kids did AMAZING... see below! I was SO proud of them, but more importantly, they were proud of themselves.

Another classic that we read 2 weeks ago was Rainbow Fish : ) The students made these adorable rainbow fish (using construction paper and aluminum foil!)

 

 

FALL IS MY FAVORITE SEASON...

Not only will it be my 28th birthday on November 10th, but I also love getting excited about the holidays : ) The weather is crisp and the colors are beautiful.  Me and my significant other's anniversary also falls in fall (hehe) It'll be 4 years! : ) Time sure flies...

To celebrate FALL I will be throwing a sale from 9/30-10/2 at my TPT store....20 % the entire store! I hope you can pick up some Common Core activities or Fun printables to add to your collection ;) Thanks so much for all you do to support me! I love you all!

Cute graphic from my friend Jessica Benson : ) The Littlest Scholars