Common Core

Hello lovelies! Hope you are doing well on this (freezing) Saturday.. I finally have time to blog now that it is the weekend. I am very excited that my Spring Break is coming up, and I only have a 3 day week next week. It is much needed, I just hope May doesn't go too slow ;)

The state exams are directly after break, so I hope my kiddos get enough rest and are well refreshed when we come back! I only ask they do their best, and with all the skills and strategies they have learned, I think they will be just fine :) Love my students..

My Common Core short passages (Grades 2-4 appropriate depending on reading levels) are finished and up and running on TPT and Teacher's Notebook... From my workshop and research, I have learned that the Common Core is about shorter readings with more difficult levels and vocabulary.  It is about students pushing themselves and challenging themselves to read nonfiction and provide evidence of opinions of what they have read.  I tried to do just that in these 10 passages.  Please let me know what you think!!

http://teachersnotebook.com/product/msboudreau/ela-common-core-activities

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ELA-Common-Core-Activities

Yesterday most of my kiddos participated in a Stations of the Cross play that they have been working all month on.. I had plans yesterday, but I realized that with my students telling me that it would mean so much to them if I came, I decided to turn around and make it just in time. When they saw me arrive, they ran up to me and yelled and hugged me more than they ever have before!! It REALLY made a difference, and I am so glad I was there for them... not only that, they were INCREDIBLE actors!! I have never been so impressed with their singing and acting... xo Glad I didn't miss it :) 


Freebies! I love that you are all getting use out of the freebies I post, because there are SO many out there and I love posting them to give some lovely teachers recognition :)

Little Miss Kindergarten came up with these adorable rolling dice games for the younger kiddos, and the Pre K teacher at my school loved these because the kids were SO engaged!  Laminate and enjoy!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Roll-the-Dice-Spring

I came across Ms. Dillon's bug observation freebie and it was just adorable.. Check out this cute science activity!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bug-Observation-Freebie

I always look forward to Ashleigh's writing prompts.. I am definitely using these for April! So cute, check them out!!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/April-Creative-Writing

Graphics from the Pond, always giving away amazing freebies.. here are some Spring spinners that would be perfect for probability!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spring-Spinners-FREE-Graphics-for-your-Teaching-Resources


I will leave you with a cute Dr. Seuss quote...

The Hunger Games and Updates :)

Hello all! I've missed everyone, but I have been oh so tired to do anything.. that's how I get on the weekends after busting my butt all week.  I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend - I did, but of course it went by ridiculously fast.

Just got back from seeing the Hunger Games :) Loved it! Of course, any book adds so much detail and you can travel inside the mind of a character and know their thoughts/feelings, etc. but they did a good job presenting it.  The only thing that really bothered me was how they portrayed the symbol of the mockingjay.  Did anyone else feel this way?  A few other things were different in the movie from the book, but that's how it always has been (like my favorite, the Harry Potter series).
What a wonderful 2 1/2 hours of my day though, indeed!

I thinking to myself, "Hmm, I haven't been getting a lot of sales on TPT/Teacher's Notebook lately" but then today when I got home and checked my email, I sold a bunch from TPT :) Very happy about that! I hope to strive to keep my sales going and just go up from here.
Thank you for all your love and support (and feedback!)

Don't forget to check out my Easter Unit since that is coming up :) Click the bunny below and check it out!

I had my staff development day this past Friday, and it was very informative about the Common Core - I am in the middle of creating activities for 2-4th grade based, but it probably won't be done for a while since 1. I want to take my time on it  2. I have no time :-P

My colleague Second Grade is Splendid presented one of the workshops, and she did a fabulous job - I am so grateful to be working with her this year, my first year teaching at my current school.  I am SURE you are already following her, but if you aren't, you have to check her blog out and all her ideas on TPT.. she's incredible.

CHECK OUT $1.00 E-BOOKS AND PRINTABLES THROUGH SCHOLASTIC! SALE ONLY UNTIL 3/28! Some really cute activities for all grade levels!

Hmm.. one last thing before I go!

Here are a few fantastic freebies that I have found useful and think are just adorable :)

3rd Grade Gridiron always makes the cutest math centers... check out this measurement freebie! Definitely in my center choices for April :)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Measurement-Center-Inches-whole-half-quarter

A cute freebie from Lory Evans - subtraction math game!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Game-Board-Peep-PeeP

And another great one from Amber Polk! She has the best products as well... this one is a cute multiplication Easter center matching the cracked eggs :)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Eggcellent-Multiples-Concentration-Games-Freebie

Well that was a lot! I guess I should remember to blog more often ;) Take care everyone!! Feel free to comment! xoxo

Multiplication and Division Fact Families

There are so many cute products using addition and subtraction fact families (which is great for my 2nd graders), but I wanted to create something just for my 3rd graders... with multiplication and division!

Such a great reinforcer for them to continue with their facts and learn the RELATIONSHIP between multiplication and division.

Check out my newest TPT product...
FREE until 2PM today :) Rate and let me know what you think pretty please!! :)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Multiplication-and-Division-Fact-Family-Lambs

The results are in!

The results are in... and the winner is...
Ms. Patterson, Pocket of Kinders!! I hope you enjoy your gift cards! :)

I'd say that I had a successful, first giveaway :) Thank you to all that support me and are helping me grow in the blogging world.  Every little bit counts, especially when it comes to TPT and making a little extra.

Since I teach in a catholic school, my students and I celebrated St. Joseph's Day by making cards for their dads.  I came up quickly with the idea of a "pop out" card with their arms extending out as to hug their dads.

My kiddos LOVE having their artwork and masterpieces posted on my blog because they feel "famous". Here are a few of their examples!

They are very sweet :)

I am EXHAUSTED, not only because it's Monday and my kiddos were off the wall, but also because I stayed up late last night finishing the Hunger Games... absolutely LOVE and cannot wait for the movie.. <3 I hope everyone has a wonderful night!!! xoxo



My First Fantastic Giveaway!

I am excited to announce my very first giveaway!! :)

The prize is a $10 gift card to amazon.com and a $5 gift card to Scrappin doodles! Two of my favs!

 Here is how you can enter:

1. Become a follower on my blog and write a comment that you are following me.

2. Become a follower of my TPT store and write a separate comment that you are following me there.

3. Blog about my giveaway on your blog and write another comment telling me that you posted about my giveaway.

*Make sure that you have 3 separate comments so they all count.  The giveaway will end Monday, March 19th around 7PM using the random generator.  Good luck!!

Linky Party and St Patricks Day

So excited to see Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies is having a Linky Party for upper elementary teachers :) Yay, that includes me!! Make sure you link up!!

My kiddos are so excited for St Patricks Day... the reason being because they want to catch a leprechaun so badly!! According them, if they catch him, he can lead us to a pot of gold, and we can become billionaires and buy cars and video games and a house (for me they said).  Sounds good to me ;)
Here's our trap and my students' group of letters:

Luring the leprechaun in with gold coins and green jelly beans :)

Don't forget about my St Patrick's Day Making Words Freebie... almost 2,000 downloads! Very happy about that and helping others...

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Patricks-Day-Making-Words-Freebie

Just put up a new bulletin board including a cute story comprehension freebie from TPT.. check it out!

Trying to become inspired..

I am contemplating moving apartments, and it is such a big decision (with lots of time consuming packing and organizing)... but I am pretty sure we are going to be making that move in the near future :)

My big question for the night: How do you organize your teaching materials?  I have my bookbins, and 3 drawer bin, shelves, and labels, but sometimes it still bothers me that my classroom doesn't look like this:

This is just BEAUTIFULLY organized, and with the limited space in my classroom, I would never be able to make it look like this... especially on the budget I'm on... so how do you organize your classroom?

Here are a few pictures I have recently took of my classroom: I try to continue to add new vocabulary to our math/science vocabulary wall, and I am so proud of my students for understanding inferencing, and coming up with tons of examples.

APRIL BREAK..

Does anyone else get a lot of vacay time for Easter? Our school sure does! I'm so excited my boyfriend is able to take time off as well for his job.  I'll have to plan something special. I am counting down the days already.


Any comment is welcome :) Hope to get to 55 followers soon to have a fantastic giveaway!!

Coin Money Match Up Freebie :)

Hey everyone! How is everything? I have been so busy with school and trying to organize and pack up all my junk at home. There's just so many things to do, and so little time!

I wanted to post about the freebie I just added to TPT and Teacher's Notebook... please let me know what you think, I really appreciate all the feedback I get :)

http://teachersnotebook.com/product/msboudreau/coin-money-matching
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Coin-Money-Match-Up-Freebie

I have a 7am meeting and it is already after 10 and I am not even ready for bed yet... it's going to be a coffee morning I have a feeling!

I hope everyone has a good night <3

Giveaway soon...

I hope everyone is enjoying their Thursday. It is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL in New York today, a high of 64 degrees!! (Record breaking weather!)

Since 5 is my favorite number, when I get to 55 followers I am going to have an amazing giveaway... I am almost there!! :)

Thank you to everyone who has been leaving me feedback on my TPT store, it makes me so happy to get those emails because I love helping all of you.

Enjoy the rest of your day!


A few more pictures from my classroom:

         Book recommendations.. My students love literacy, and I am so proud of their accomplishments this year!

My kiddos rainbows...

If you want to make these in your classroom all I did was cut a paper plate in half (and cut all the tissue paper strips ahead of time) and they glued each piece of tissue paper onto the plate... Some of them as you can see did "ROYGBIV" but others wanted to be creative which I really embrace!

Linky Party!

Oh, I really do love these :) Check out all the blogs on Oh' Boy 4th Grade's Blog... Link up! http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/

It was difficult to do the "3 Words" but I had some help :) It really is a compliment and makes you feel good! (My boyfriend helped me with the "brave" one, and that is the best compliment of all)... we all go through life and difficult times and it makes you feel great about yourself when you overcome things!

<3 Laura <3

Favorite Freebies

I decided to share with you my favorite freebies at the moment :) I love helping people on TPT so much, and I hope you all know that you teachers help ME so much as well!!

Here are my fav freebies that I am using right now...

• http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earth-Day-Mini-Unit-Freebie

           This is an AMAZING unit on Earth Day.. FOR FREE! Rachelle is so generous and has the cutest products!!

• http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rainbow-Tens-Facts 

           Miss Kindergarten has amazing resources for the primary grades.. and she's one of the sweetest on TPT :)

• http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Easter-Colors-Borders-Frames-FREE-Graphics-From-the-Pond

          Graphics from the Pond always has the best freebies of graphics and cute clipart :) Check it out!

• http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-March-Rainbow-Bump

           SunnyDays is another one that makes creative, cutesy products and is so sweet!! xo

• http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spring-fraction-matching-cards-FREEBIE

          My newest freebie find.. my kiddos can always use practice with fractions and this is such a cute freebie game!


Enjoy!! And leave feedback for these wonderful educators if you decide to use their products :) (I might continue to do a "Favorite Freebies" every week to keep you all updated on great freebies that are out there right now.)

Have a great Tuesday night!!  ~Laura

Geography Unit!

Hello followers! I hope you are enjoying your weekend.. I was so excited on Pinterest to see my Daily 5/CAFE wall pinned over 50 times within minutes yesterday!

Just finished my 23 page Geography Unit :) Very excited to put it on Teachers Pay Teachers!
Please check it out <3

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Geography-Landform-Unit


Sometimes I come up with last minute bulletin board ideas.. I just went with something simple for St Patrick's Day. My Lucky Leprechauns and they all decorated and wrote in a pot of gold of what they felt lucky for :) (Still working on their cursive) Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!

Classroom pictures

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying the start to their weekend.  I feel so tired, I am sure I will be falling asleep early!

I wanted to post some of my pictures of my classroom... it is small with only 10 students, but I have managed to stay organized and get my job done :) I definitely want to make a lot of changes for next year, but I think that's what we always do - try to make it better!

My CAFE Chart which correlates with Daily 5 :) Also notice the stamina graph in the right corner.
I found these printables on TPT... LOVE these freebies!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Polka-Dot-CAFE-Posters-Freebie

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Daily-5-Stamina-Graphs

My second/third graders LOVE Geronimo Stilton!  It is one of their favorite authors, so if you teach around my age group, definitely check these books out :)

My word wall towards the beginning of the year :)

Does anyone love Vista print? I sure do!  I get my homework passes from there, sticky notes, stationery, and more!  I am on a tight budget with school supplies, but some of this stuff is just too darn cute.  The big sign with my name on it is a magnet that clings to my filing cabinet.  It was FREE with one of my Vista Print orders :)  www.vistaprint.com

Our classroom rules and signatures

I am going to be posting a geography unit on TPT and Teacher's Notebook soon.. I am still seeing if there is anymore creativity in me before I post it. 

<3 I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!!