Farm Day at the Texas State Fair!

We had an awesome time at the fair even though we didn't get to see Big Tex. Maybe next time. The kids learned about trees in Texas, milking cows, different kinds of livestock, things we grow in Texas and got to see a HUGE PIG! It was a great learning experience for them since most of them had never seen some of these animals before! Enjoy! (Yes, that's me in my socks!)

 

We were photo bombed by a second grade teacher!

1st Steps in Math and TPT

Hello everyone! Sorry I've been gone for a while but.... You know how it is with school starting and all. I have been busy teaching 4th grade this year! Whooo hooo! But boy am I tired!!!!! I have also been going to a lot (and I mean a lot!) of district training. One of those is called 1st Steps in Math. It is awesome! They have share so many hands-on ideas and RTI for kids :). I really needed it too being an ELA person by nature (and trade!)

I've also decided to start uploading all of my teacher-created stuff from when I taught high school. I figured since I created it and used it for so many years, maybe someone else can benefit from it. I just uploaded a taste today. I uploaded some of my SAT for freshmen word lists, tests and powerpoints that I made and used every year. Here's a pic of the powerpoint for word list #6. I hope you can use these. It will take me a while to upload all of them I have 20 lists, 20 tests and 20 powerpoints for each grade level from 9th through 11th. I think I'll start with 9th!  Hopefully I will have that level all uploaded by this weekend (fingers crossed!). Enjoy!

Click Here to check out the powerpoint!

Teacher Talk Tuesday - Shopping, shopping, shopping!!!!!

I went to Target last week and found these amazing $1 items. They had only put out a few things. The girl at the register said to check back in a few days, that they would have a lot more! Yay! Going back today :))))))

Monday Made It :)

Happy Monday! (It is summer though!) I figured I had better start using my blog(s)! I've been slacking... procrastinating... really busy lately! Oh well... I did manage to make my pillows from the fabric I found at Joann's for 1/2 price on clearance. I am doing a tropical theme in my classroom - pink flamingos, palm trees, etc. Sooooo, this flower print is perfect because it includes all of the colors in my room and definitely looks tropical! I had looked at floor pillows and bean bags like I had in my Kindergarten room a few years ago. I had given them to someone when I started teaching high school. The price has really gone up!!!! I found floor pillows for $29  and bean bags for $15. Waaaaaayyyyyy too much! I got the fabric for $20 (8 yards) and the stuffing (10 lbs. of Poly-fil) for $19. Much more economical and my pillows are twice the size! (with a few smaller ones :) ) It only took a couple of hours too... Stuffing them took for-e-va! I hope you like them! Enjoy!

Bloglovin...

Come on over to Bloglovin :) and see what's going on... http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5737117/cool-teach-adventures-in-teaching

Kindergarten Tales: Mystery Show & Tell

Kindergarten Tales: Mystery Show & Tell: Welp! It's definitely warm here in Texas.... Rain on the way tomorrow though :) I've been sort of saving this for a while. I used it...

On a roll!!!!!

I am on a roll tonight! Not only have I uploaded two new lessons to TPT, I have also posted to both of my blogs! Check out my Kindergarten Tales blog post about literacy ideas! They were a lot of fun and feel free to change them around and adapt them to suit you. Here are pics of my latest lessons I uploaded to my TPT store. One is a Virtual Safari Adventure and the other is an interactive power point about Living and Non-Living Things. Enjoy!

More Classroom Organization & Photos

These are my ID/Press Pass boxes by periods

Add caption

These are posters for the getthebearfacts.com and BearsOnline Pinterest

These are my rules

These are my Dr. Seuss, Now What? and Sound Advice Posters

These are posters for BearsOnline Twitter and BearsOnline Facebook

This is our schedule and part of my target and weekly assignment board

This is the yearbook board with sections and assignments that are open

This is my "Who's Out of the Room?" and inspirational quotes wall

This is my writing wall along with our daily points

This is to remind my students not to make me send out the flying monkeys! LOL

Classroom Organization (Finally)

I know, I know... I've been promising to share photos of my Journalism classroom for months now. I finally took some photos to show everyone, especially the Red Light editing system that I created and use.

 

As you can see from the photo, the copy editor gets the story, photo with caption or page layout for proofing. He or she puts their sticker on it and initial it and give it back. It then goes to the editor for the same process after corrections are made, and eventually to me after corrections from the editor. This would work well for an English class as well. It cuts down on how many times I have to see the same copy, and expedites the publishing process.

 

Here are the trays I use for students to turn in copy. They are clearly marked. We have an online newspaper as well, so I use a blue turn in tray but she still uses the yellow stickers like the yearbook editor. These desks are actually used by my editors. I have an office in the suite that I use. I am usually at my computer table in the classroom.

 



 This is my form bin. I have everything from photo work orders to Studio Works manuals for students. They fill out point sheets and brainstorming sheets every week. That, along with their deadlines, is how they are graded. Below is a picture of my posted points system. The students all receive it at the beginning of the year and I print it on the back side of their points sheet for easy reference. Points are negotiable if they do something that is not listed.

 

As you can see, there are different points for different assignments. They are also divided up by class since they are all expected to various things to achieve their 100 for the week. I just created these on Power Point using different backgrounds and fonts. I also created our weekly schedule shown below.

 

I took a lot more pictures of other organizational things in my room that I created but I'll save them for another time. Enjoy!