NEW and IMPROVED Data Notebook

I'm very proud to announce a NEW feature added to my #1 best seller "My Data Notebook".  You will now be able to edit the pages in order to personalize them for your individual student needs.  This feature was inspired by a special education teacher who needed space to write her students' goals.  You will love all of the possibilities that come with personalizing this product.  

Download this data notebook for K-2 students, as well as students with specific goals.  

Check it out here:

Keeping your students accountable just got BETTER!!

HOT Summer SALE and a Pizza Party

I'm beyond thrilled to be home for the summer!  In the 2 weeks that I've been home, I've been able to accomplish so much!  As a teacher, I find it difficult to do "spring cleaning" because that one week we have off in the spring is usually devoted to actually breathing and taking a mental break.  

So far this summer, I've completed 95% of my spring cleaning, had several trips to our community pools (been trying to find out which one we like best), spent some quality time with my boys and husband, I actually got to lay outside to try to get some color on my white skin, AND I was able to finalize this product that I completed at the end of the school year.  

I hope that you might be able to use this super cool pizza unit, "Pizza Party," sometime during the upcoming school year!!  It's definitely a good one!!  There are 13 literacy activities that include a variety of different skills to practice.  Your students will enjoy sorting pizza themed nouns, writing about how to make a pizza, and building words using the letters in the words "pepperoni pizza".  There are 12 math activities ranging from addition/subtraction games, measuring pizza themed pictures, and counting using base ten cubes.  I was able to use these activities with my students and they LOVED learning with pizza.  We had a pizza party at the end of the week to celebrate the end of the school year.  Click on the photo below to check it out:

I am running a sale on all of my products to celebrate summer relaxation.  There are 2 sales running between my Teachers Notebook store and my TPT store.  

Enjoy 50% off all products from my Teachers Notebook store from June 23-July 23.  

Enjoy 20% off all products from my TPT sale from June 27-June 30.  

My new unit "Pizza Party" has been posted at both stores...check it out now for a GREAT price!!

Have a wonderful summer and don't forget to take some time for yourself.

Alligator Research Bundle {with Math and Literacy}

I'm starting to get a little stir crazy after this long 5 day weekend due to the massive snow storm we got in North Carolina.  We had early dismissal on Tuesday and school was cancelled on Wednesday, Thursday, AND Friday!!  Plus the weekend...it's now Sunday and I'm ready to go back to school!  (Wait...did I just say I wanted to go back to work!?! lol)  Anyway, I'm glad to say that all this time off allowed me to finish my new product that I've been working on!  YAY!! (I know, right!!) 

GET 5 FREEBIES FROM THIS UNIT----click the picture below and download the preview!!

READ MORE to find out how to get the entire unit for FREE!!

I've been creating products for over 2 years now and I've learned so much in the process.  My first products contained a TON of color and I never realized how costly it was to print.  I guess it's the little things that I took for granted.  Now that I'm at a new school (without a color printer), I've been printing my own color copies either at home or I send them to the UPS store.  Now that I understand how impractical colored units are, I have jumped on the print n' go trend and created a triple threat product for you!  I introduce you to the PRACTICAL, all black and white, printable unit that contains Alligator Research, Alligator Themed Math Activities, and Alligator Literacy Activities!! 

Your students will be so excited to take learning into their own hands when they are able to visit various websites to learn about such a cool topic (the boys especially!).  

 They will also be able to listen to alligator themed fictional read alouds using the literacy connection links.

Your students will continue to be engaged throughout their math and literacy practice because it all follows the same theme!  There are over 40 activities included in this unit.

 I just love doing research projects with my students!!  

We have researched penguins, polar bears, pants, and famous African-Americans.

What research topics have you talked about or done with your students??

SHARE your favorite topic by commenting on this post.  

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!! :-)

Resolutions, Winter Literacy Centers, a Giveaway, and a FREEBIE

Oh my goodness, it's January!!  I guess it's time for a New Years' resolution...well, actually, I'm not sure I'm going to do one this year.  I think we all try to set these resolutions, try to stick to them, and just end up NOT sticking to them!

I'm just going to try to do my best at everything like I always do, and when something doesn't go right...I'll just keep trying harder.  Right?  Then it won't seem like I'm failing at something.  Weird?  Oh well!

So...I just realized that I forgot to tell you about my winter literacy centers!  Gasp!!  Oh no!!  Well HERE they are in Snowman Magic.  I chose to use the same literacy centers all year round so my kids would actually KNOW what to do each day without questioning it.  So each month, you will find the same 10 literacy centers but the theme will change.  Consistency is KEY, right?!  My kids love knowing what the centers are going to be each week!

A Giveaway
You can actually enter a giveaway at Teaching is Colorful where Sarah is celebrating 200 followers!  You can win these literacy center for FREE...just leave her a nice little comment.  Heck, if you go and follow her...just let ME know in a comment!  I'll do a giveaway and YOU will have another chance to win Snowman Magic!   Cool deal?  I think so!

I don't know if it's the coffee that I've been drinking lately since we got a Keurig for Christmas or if I'm just ready for the weekend...and I only worked 2 days this week.  My little Landen was sick again so I had to use a sick day today.  We spent TWO hours...yes, I said TWO...at the doctor's office.  I am grateful that they were able to get us in before the weekend because we found out that he has strep...AGAIN...and this time it's with an ear infection!!  Jeeze!!  Both of my boys just had strep right before Christmas!  I'm so ready for spring to be here.  I guess I should just be happy to be back in Charlotte where there's no snow.  We went home to Pennsylvania for Christmas and let me just tell you that I'm not a fan of the snow anymore.  It's really pretty to look at from inside but it's way too cold and wet.  While we were home, we went to have some Christmas pictures taken.  Here's one of our little family...me, the hubby, Gavin, and Landen.

Hopefully our professional ones will be coming in very soon.  The boys just loved getting their pictures taken!

A Freebie
While I was home today, I spent a little time working on a cute little poster for adding 3 numbers.  You can get it HERE for FREE!

Well I hope you all have a restful weekend.  Gavin has a basketball game in the morning...such fun!!  Enjoy yours!

 

Turkey Trouble: Literacy Centers

Anyone ready to go back to school tomorrow?  OHmyGosh!!  I could definitely  use another day!  Between working extra on Saturday, running errands, and an eye appointment today (getting color contacts - yippee), I feel like I was constantly away from my computer.  Okay, I sound like I'm addicted to this thing!  LOL!   I cannot wait until Thanksgiving break so I can get caught up on all my products and school work.  Okay, I really think I may need some therapy!  LOL!!  It's not a bad thing to want to work, right? We have 6 more school days until break, which means that my firsties will be working on my new Thanksgiving literacy centers: Turkey Trouble.  The centers have elements from the story "Turkey Trouble" but does not require you to read the story in order for students to understand the centers.  You can simply use these centers as a fun Thanksgiving/Turkey filled week.  Click on any of the pictures below to download these fun turkey centers. 

 Don't forget that all products on my Teacher's Notebook store are 30% off.  Take advantage of those wonderful prices now.    Click on the pictures above to access both stores.  Have a fun turkey filled week!!

"WINNERS!!" and "Math and Reading Unit Plans"

It's Sunday night and my "Characters in Action Giveaway" has come to a close.  Congratulations to our winners Lori and Rachel.

As stated in a post over the summer, I was part of a unit design team that helped create our county's first math unit: "Number Sense and Place Value".  We recently concluded the unit and the foundation in numbers that we created over the past 8-9 weeks is absolutely amazing! We have noticed that our first graders are so much more prepared for addition since they know numbers inside and out.  

Since then, my first grade team has worked diligently in completing the next math unit ("Addition, Subtraction, and Word Problems").  We have also completed the "Characters" and "Nonfiction" units for reading.  Click on the links below to access each of the units that we created for FREE.  

MATH PLANS/RESOURCES

Unit 1: Numbers and Place Value - UbD Plans

Unit 1: Numbers and Place Value - TEST

Unit 2: Addition, Subtraction, and Word Problems - UbD Plans

Unit 2: Addition, Subtraction, and Word Problems - TEST

READING PLANS/RESOURCES

Unit 3: Characters: Paying Close Attention to Actions - UbD Plans

Unit 4: Information Text Features and Strategies (Nonfiction) - UbD Plans

If you have any questions about any of the units or resources above, please ask.  I enjoy creating these  documents and it has been very helpful when lesson planning each week.

Have a great week everyone!!

NEW!! Characters in Action GIVEAWAY!!

Hello everyone!!  I've been working hard on this 105 page "Characters in Action" unit and have finally posted it!  It is jam packed with full page color printables, anchor charts, and character printables for any character book you may be using.  Click on the picture to preview all 105 pages!!  :-) 

Here is what this unit includes:

~Character Essential Questions: 12 Essential Questions with Full Sheets of Question strips for Reading Journals

~“Characters” Anchor Chart: What Are Characters? - 5 statements about characters on word cards for use on a pocket chart.

~Character Stories: 6 character stories about a fictional character. Contains a recording sheet to tell about the character.

~Character Labeling: 6 character pictures to label with describing words about what the characters are like based on the character story.

~Character Compare/Contrast: Open ended character Venn diagram

~Build a Character Game: FUN Character Game where students move around the game board picking up character trait cards to build their own character. Students will also be challenged throughout the game with character inferencing cards. The recording sheet lets them draw a picture of their character using the cards they collected during the game and write a story about their new character.

~Character Photograph: Students will draw a picture of a character from their story and write describing words in the box that tells about the character.

~Character Traits Poster: Students will use the character traits poster in an open ended activity. They can write a story, play bingo, or even find characters with those character traits.

~Character Map: Students will draw a picture of a character in the middle, write the characters inside/outside traits, and tell what the character says and does.

~Character Thinking Stems: Use these Inferencing and Character Thinking Stems with your students during read alouds to guide student thinking. This also comes with a sticky note template to print the thinking stems onto sticky notes for students to use independently or with a partner.

~Prove it!: Use these Prove It! thinking stems with your students to guide them to find the text evidence that tells them about the characters. Text evidence magnifying glasses are also included.

~Characters Mini Book: Students will draw pictures of the characters they read about and write complete sentence about what the character say, what they do, and how they feel.

~Connections to Characters: Students will think of a time that they felt like the characters in the stories they read. They will make a connection to the character, draw a picture of themselves, and write about it.

Characters in Action Giveaway!!!

I will be giving away 

2  FREE "CHARACTERS IN ACTION"

 units to 2 different winners

in this weekends drawing!

The drawing will be held on Sunday, November 11, 2012.

You can enter 5 times for doing each of 5 things: 

1.)  Follow my blog

2.) Follow me on  Facebook

3.) Follow me on TeachersPayTeachers

4.)  Follow me on Teacher's Notebook (everything is always 30% off there) 

5.)Post about this giveaway on your blog 

GOOD LUCK!!  I HOPE YOU WIN!!  Be sure to leave your email address in each of your posts!