GOBBLE! GOBBLE!! I'm back!!

HELLO ALL!!  It's been a very long time and this post is LOOOOONNG overdue!!  So...where have I been???  Well...I started a new job (at a new school of course...still teaching first) and I expected it to be an easy transition but I guess I'm just too hard on myself.  I've been slowly getting back to creating products to use with the current programs at this school and have finally found a way to balance it all.  Thank you all for being so patient with me!!  I'm so excited for the holiday season because I get to go home to see my family AND I will have the chance to whip up some really cute winter products!

As promised, since I have been away for so long, my two new products will be FREEBIES!!  Here they are:

This is a super cute, fall themed problem solving smart board presentation that focuses on addition word problems.  There are strategies like drawing picture and using a part-part-whole mat included. Click on any of the pictures to download!

 

 

 

  This FREEBIE will only be available until Dec.1, so get it now to use for this year or next! 


Next, is a subtraction mini book that focuses on different ways to solve subtraction word problems.  This is a true FREEBIE and will be available in my TPT store!  Check back soon for the matching subtraction word problem smart board presentation...it's almost done!

 

 

Have a wonderful week!!!
HAPPY MONDAY!!

Absence and LOTS of NEW FREEBIES

I'm sure many of you have been wondering, "Where has Michelle been??" Well, almost a ago month I was on my way back from a mini vacation with my hubby. It was a very sunny morning, hubby was driving...thank goodness, and all of a sudden I started to shake and lost consciousness. I had no clue what was going on and didn't realize what had happened until I woke up in a hospital that was 2 hours from my house. The ER doctors classified it as a "non-epileptic" seizure...meaning it was just a freak occurrence. I immediately scheduled appointments with my regular doctor and with the best neurologist in town because I was terrified about my future. After speaking with the neurologist, he was intrigued with my story and promptly scheduled me for an EEG. I just got the results back this week and I have been diagnosed with JME (Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy) which is a rare form of epilepsy. I have apparently had this all my life and it wasn't until the lack of sleep, overworking, and being overly stressed, along with the bright flashes of sunlight that morning that caused the perfect storm for my condition to shine through. That day has changed my life forever and it has taken me weeks to feel normal again. I would still say that my memory is still not 100% yet. I've been trying to take it easy and do less work...basically listen to my body and stop when I feel just a little bit tired. It's scary to think that another seizure can arrive at any time.   My future consists of no driving for 6 months...booooo...but the good thing about that is my hubby does all the grocery shopping for me!  Thank goodness for my very good friend Amanda who has been driving me all around to make sure my kids get to daycare and I get to school.  I don't know what I'd do without her!  She really is a lifesaver!

Sooooo, over the past month, I've been slowly adding to just a few of my products in order to maintain my body levels. So here are the new St. Patrick's Day activities that I have for you (Click on the links to preview).  This new unit, "Lucky Leprechauns" features 10 literacy center activities:

Lucky Leprechaun {Literacy Center Activities}

  This unit features Counting Phonemes, a NEW activity to replace syllable sorting.  Students will count the sounds they hear in each word and sort them onto the mats.  They can use the pots of gold at the bottom of each card to help them count the sounds.  This activity was created to help students master the Phonemic Segmentation Fluency assessment from AIMSweb.  Students should read diagraph and vowel teams together to produce one sound: ea =1 sound, sh =1 sound, etc. Blends are broken up into 2 separate sounds: br =2 sounds, st =2 sounds, etc.  You can download Counting Phonemes from "Lucky Leprechauns" for FREE by clicking HERE:

 The other NEW literacy center activity is just a modification to my previous Nonsense Word activities.  If you have downloaded the Nonsense Word activities in the past, they contained larger words and students would sort them by real words and nonsense words.  This NEW version of Nonsense Words contains basic, three letter nonsense words for students to use as flash cards to increase their nonsense word fluency.  This will help students master the nonsense word fluency assessment in AIMSweb.  Students will record the nonsense words from the cards onto the recording sheet.  I have also added a bonus recording sheet for students to use individually, with a parther, at home, etc. in order to challenge themselves by reading the words quickly.  Use this bonus sheet however you like.  You can download Nonsense Words from "Lucky Leprechauns" for FREE by clicking HERE:

One more FREEBIE:  We've been working on True/False math equations, so I created this Pot of Gold coloring activity to help students practice this skill.  It comes in 3 different forms: addition=addition, subtraction=subtraction, and addition=subtraction.  Students will solve the fact on both sides of the equal sign to determine if they're the same.  Click HERE to download all 3 "Pot of Gold" for FREE!

 

 

 Thank you all so much for being such wonderful followers.  For everyone that participated in the Ginormous Giveaway, Sarah Mackey willl be selecting the winner this weekend so if you entered the giveaway...good luck and I hope you win!!  It's seriously going to be a GINORMOUS prize.  Enjoy your Saturday and try to relax a little.  I've learned a lot about taking it easy and listening to your body.  I hope that you do too.  :-)

Secret Valentine, Super Numbers, and a FREEBIE

It's been quite a crazy last couple of weeks with all the snow days that we've had.  I'm enjoying it though because it's given me time to finish some projects that I've been working on.  

My valentine literacy pack, "Secret Valentine," is now available at my TPT store.  Click on any of the pictures below to preview the 10 literacy activities that are included. 

We will be starting a new math unit on 2-digit numbers, place value to 120, 10 more/10 less, and comparing numbers.  My first grade team worked together to develop a unit sequence that we think is developmentally appropriate for our students.  The units that we create contain essential questions, unit sequence, and tons of resources.  You can click HERE to see what our unit looks like.  

My boys LOVE batman, so they inspired me to do a Super Hero themed MEGA PACK to go our next math unit.  This math pack contains 18 math games ranging from place value, hundreds chart, addition/subtraction, word problems, and comparing numbers.  You will find everything you need to teach 2-digit numbers.  Click HERE to preview the entire 107 page download of Super Numbers.  It contains games geared toward both boys AND girls!  

 You can download the Super Stories mini book from this unit for FREE by clicking HERE.  You students will enjoy these super hero themed story problems while practicing hopping on the number line to add by 10's.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!  I know I will...dinner date with my hubby tonight!! :-)

Monster FREEBIE: A Present for YOU!!!

 HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...TO ME!!!

My family and I spent the weekend at our local amusement park celebrating my baby boy's 5th birthday.  He's not such a baby anymore!!  Here is the party crew of superheroes.  My boys are in the middle...Batman and Robin!  Gavin chose 2 friends from his preschool...one boy and one girl.  They had a blast! 

 I even got to ride the carousel with my little Landen.  He actually sat still for the entire ride...that doesn't happen very often!

We had such a great time enjoying the fall festivities and celebrating our birthdays.  My hubby even took me on the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in the southeast.  He apparently saw the camera on the top of the coaster and was quick witted enough to think to make a silly face.  I was too worried about losing my sandals and the possibility of walking around barefoot the rest of the day!  HAHA!!

So since it's my birthday now...I have a present for YOU!!!
If you love the movie Monster's Inc., you are going to LOVE these cute literacy center activities featuring those adorable monsters.

 The ABC Order game will feature nasty monster words.  LOL!  YUCK!!

 The syllable counting game will have students practicing the phonemes in a word.

 Monster Boggle will have your kiddos building words with the boggle board.

You will receive the following 10 literacy centers:

ABC Order: Put 3 monster words in order alphabetically
Building Words: Create words using the word “Monster's Inc.”
Word Wall: practice Writing word wall words (letters: B, U, G)
Syllable Counting: Say the word and count the sounds
Rhyming Words: See if the two words on the card rhyme
Nonsense Words: Read the word to see if it’s a real word
Boggle: Use the boggle board to make words
Graph a Word: Graph words by rolling a die
Sorting Sentences: Read and record telling and asking sentences
Spooky Stories: Read a monster story and write about it

I hope you love your monster FREEBIE!!!  Enjoy your Monday!!

 

December Freebies

NOW PRESENTING:

MY VERY FIRST FREEBIE!!!

As promised, my very first unit will be free.  It is a 52 page gingerbread unit containing math and literacy activities that follow the Common Core State Standards.  I appreciate any feedback you may have :-)

Click the picture above to download this entire unit for FREE!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Some of the activities that are included in this fun and exciting Gingerbread Unit are shown below:

I hope you enjoy this freebie.  Please leave feedback or comments, I really appreciate any advice you may have to improve my products.

Gingerbread Unit Preview

We began our gingerbread unit today and let me just tell you how thrilled the kids were to learn about something so tasty!  :-)  Here are a few of the activities that we completed today.  These materials will be included in the FREE Gingerbread Unit that will be coming soon!  All you have to do is follow this blog and you will receive the entire unit full of math and literacy activities for free.

 

Gingerbread Men Tree Map

Students completing their tally graph.

 

 Students completing their bar graph using the data from the tally graph.

Do you like the taste of Gingerbread??

I was surprised at how many students actually liked the taste of gingerbread.  We'll see if their decision changes when they eat some this week.  I hope you all have a great rest of the week.