Stranded on an Island....

I haven't had much time for any linky party fun lately but I have seen these all over the blogworld and decided I just had to pop-in for some fun this weekend. =)

This week the topic is..... Stranded on an Island-What three things would you have to have with 
you?

First, I make sure I pick the RIGHT deserted island. 

I like this one....
I have a house, electricity, furniture... 

Okay now... what to pack.... 

Books, books, and more books.

OR

I could just bring my iPhone/iPad then I would have an endless supply of books, 

music, games, and a way to call for help. 

My family... the boys and the dog too! 

My toiletry bag =) 

Now I have sunscreen, chapstick, a hairbrush, a toothbrush, 

deodrant, something glittery... 

Ahhh... I think I am set now! 
I will make the boys pack the chocolate. 

Winter Sale

Today is the big day! The winter sale is here! Thanks to Second Grade Math Maniacs for setting up this amazingly fun blog hop.  Join in the fun below!

Merry almost Christmas!

November Currently

I have been slacking off on my currentlys the last few months but with my new commitment to posting and being involved in the blogging community... I put this on my to do list. And look... it's done!!

I tried to due it on the first but I was being impatient. Farley was not up at 6 am and ready to go. I am sure SHE was sleeping like I should have been but we are now all sleeping in the same room. 2 adults, 3 kids, and a puppy. It is tight but it works except when someone kicks people in the head while they are asleep.

We tried to move out to our own house but my aunt wouldn't let me. She said we need to stay financially now and she is right. Hubby was laid off on Monday to add to the mess of everything. So... now neither of us are working. Hence why I need a job or a lottery ticket. Either will do but I prefer the lottery ticket.

Funny picture from last week...

My teenager caught "packing" legos! Notice how he is also "packing" books. The boys have waaaay too many legos and they claim they need more! Books I understand but legos? Really?

So now it's your turn! Head over to Oh Boy Fourth Grade to meet Farley and hook up to the par-tay!

Halloween FREEBIE week - Linky Party

So many of you enjoyed my election freebies week but I got a couple emails asking why I waited to invite you all to join in with me at the end of the week. Sooo... this week I am starting off with the linky part!

On another note... is blogger playing tricks on you? I have had posts disappear that I know were published as they showed up on my social media sites. I have had schedule posts not posts and have scheduled posts disappear. Right now I am trying to recreate some of the posts I had for you so please bear with me as I get caught up... again. I will add the freebie to this post again as soon as I take more screen shots.

Today's freebie is... Halloween Stationary! This is similar to the set I gave away for use with the election. This item is only available through TpT at the moment. I am hoping to find time to get it uploaded to TN as well.

See... I can learn new tricks! =)

2012 Presidential Election FREEBIE - Linky Party

I thought and thought and thought until I felt like the old Pooh bear I was so fond of as a child.

It kinda looked like this. Only I'm human and my Piggy is a puppy!

Yet I kept coming back to the same idea. My inspiration comes from all of you and the things you do everyday in classrooms around the country (and world)! You all come up with so many freebies that I know you have to have some for the election somewhere!

Sooooo..... LINK up! 

I can't wait to see all of the amazing freebies you have to share.  

Feel free to grab my button and share this linky party with your followers. As the election draws closer, we are all starting to plan what to do for November 6!

Got Sanitizer and Fabric Banners

This week on SHE Made it Monday (hehehehe)...

this cute package arrived in the mail.

Totally love this!

I bought one for each table in my class
It fits perfectly in my caddies.

They are all similar but different.
She offers a discount if you buy a lot.

My 7 year old thinks they are really fun to play with
Makes a great ramp for cars
Or it could be a building as part of his lego set
Also an evil dragon....
Bet you didn't know they were so versatile.

And you can get your own from

Lilcookies

Stay tuned... there is gonna be a giveaway on this one. 

Soon....

But right now I am focusing on a

500 Followers Giveaway!!

Watch for it on July 4th. 

My Anniversary. 

Also arriving by mail this week was....

Sorry -
my wall was shorter than my banner...

This is a better picture!

Totally LOVE.

Completely. 

Utterly adore it.

 This is a close up of the fabrics.
Love!

Gotta redo my teacher's board to match it now.
Stay tuned for that project!

You can get it from

This is a fabric one.
You can custom order yours in any color.
She offers a teachers discount!!

And yes...
there is a giveaway coming up for your very own banner!!

And this...

INSPIRED...



Oh wait! 

That's a secret!!!

11 days and counting...

Time to study!

Guiding Readers - Chapter 1

Everyone who knows me that I LOVE to read! I am always reading something. What better thing to do over the summer than join a bunch of fellow teachers in a book study!!

Today I am joining up with Thinking of Teaching to co-host a portion of the Guiding Readers Book Study. Now this is my first time of 1) Co-hosting and 2) Participating.... so be nice, leave me lots of comments, and don't forget... you think I am awesome. (Hey! That's what the boys would say!) =)

So.... 

CHAPTER 1

"Guided reading is not about levels.... is about supporting students as they develop strategic approaches to develop meaning."  I love this quote at the beginning of the chapter. In my school, our reading program is extremely structured. It is heavily workbook based. It is scripted. There is little room for flexibility or adaptation.

The curriculum that is used in my district is heavily workbook based and scripted. We do not break out into small groups for guided reading but rather have this time together as a class. The mini-schedule on page 17 is very close to what we do.

Let's just say.... this method isn't very effective. 

Why do I say it is ineffective? I am teaching one level, one set of vocabulary, one strategy to a group of 25 students with unique needs. My highest readers are bored to tears and usually rushing ahead on the countless worksheets our district requires to be completed rather than reading with me, my lowest readers do not have the knowledge to fully comprehend nor are they ready for the vocabulary or strategy presented. They end up causing a lot of trouble during this time. Then there are a few in the middle that this works for and they are struggling too as there are so many distractions.

This isn't just my classroom. It is all the classrooms using this text. We pass children around from room to room hoping they will be better behaved for another teacher. They aren't. It is a sad state of affairs and could be so much better!

They key to guided reading is regular, consistently scheduled sessions. We all know how our students love routines! In addition, each guided reading session has a "must do" (Chapter 2) that supports the student in independent practice.

This chapter had a lot of similarities to Daily 5 (there are other book suggestions as well). It discussed the importance of setting up independent reading routines and building stamina prior to starting guided reading (small group) sessions. There was also discussion on finding the "just right" level for books to use in these session. This is known as the Instructional Level. I loved the metaphor of standing on tip-toes to describe the "just right" activity for this level.

Independent Level

98%-100% Accuracy with thorough comprehension

Instructional Level

95%-98% with basic comprehension

Frustration Level

Below 95% with inadequate comprehension

This supports my earlier statements about my classroom environment. I believe if I could break them up into levels we could see some growth and progress. The first step would be to set learning goals for each level. Then finding the right level material to use. Next, one needs to remember to foster the read-writing connection. There is a lot more about this in Chapter 2!

There was so much to read in this chapter but I don't want to give it all away. I want you to read it as well and share your own thoughts and conclusions. 

QUESTIONS

*Define Guided Reading.

* What does guided reading look like in your classroom? 

*Is it successful? Why or why not?

* What is your schedule for guided reading?

*How do you choose and level readers for use with your students?

*How do you foster the reading-writing connection?

I visited Stenhouse Publishers and was able to preview the entire book online for free!! So it is not to late to add to your summer reading list and join in on the fun! Sorry but Amazon does not carry this book. I know weird, right?

I can't wait to hear what your thoughts are on Chapter 1!

Birthday Balloons & Ruler Holder

It's time for another Made it Monday with Tara!! I am gettting so much done because of this linky party. So... what did I do this past week?

Birthday Balloons

I have been wanting to make these every since I first saw this on pinterest. This idea came from Teaching in Flip Flops in her debut of her 2011 classroom. There are amazing pictures over there that you HAVE to see!

Now I couldn't do pixie sticks as 1) it goes against school nutritional policy and 2) there is no way I am giving any kid that much sugar much less in a classroom where I need them to be cooperative. So I settled for curly straws instead. 

Here are the steps for this project: 

1) Print out cute balloons from TpT.

2) Cut out

3) Laminate

4) cute out again (sigh....)

5) scotch tape on straw

6) make bow and hot glue on

TADA! Isn't it cute??? 

Next Project I wanted to make -- didn't happen as I couldn't find one of the things I needed.  So... instead I made this ruler holder I saw last week in the Made It Monday Party.

 Ruler Holders

So I found this idea last week and knew it had to go on my list. It fits perfectly in with my caddies (project coming up!! The original idea came from Classroom DIY. They have so many great ideas!!

Instead of scrapbook paper I used leftover contact paper that I had from another project earlier on in the year. When I first wrapped the can... the Pringles designed showed through so I had my son primer them and then covered them.

I really like how this came out! One down... four more to go!

Blog Updates

 

In addition to that this week I added a new page to my blog and am organizing and updating things so that it is easier to find some things that peeps have been looking for. 

Check out my new Teaching & The Brain Page! I will be updating my reading list to a similar format sometime in the future. I thought about a products page but I don't know if I should. Selling things just helps me buy more materials for my classroom but it is not my main purpose of blogging. What are your thoughts? Would this be beneficial to you?

Blog Designs

And as always - I am working with Erika on some great new blog designs. Come check them out over at Honey Bunch Blog Designs. Plus we changed my background (which I LOVE!!).

Phew! 

What a busy week! 

And I have another busy one ahead of me. 

What did you make this week?

Book Review, Linky Party, & a Giveaway Too!

I was so excited and so happy when a friend of mine, Maria Dismondy, sent me a surprise in the mail! Autographed copies of two of her books AND a tiara cookie cutter. Now being a mom of boys, anything pink or girly just doesn't happen so that cookie cutter was the best surprise ever.

I am so gonna make Pink Tiara Cookies!

The boys have even agreed to eat them. 

I have rarely seen pink in the last 13 years. I own one pink shirt, I bought it a few months ago when I had nothing to wear for a job interview. It was the only color they had and after 4 hours of not liking anything I bought it.

You should have heard the boys!

Every month Maria challenges us to think about a different character trait and how we can make a difference in the lives of our own children as well as our students. She takes this a step further by creating books for parents and teachers to talk about these traits in an easy to use format.

The best thing for me is that while they look girly they appear to both boys and girls. These books arrived at my house YESTERDAY evening. They have been read at least 6 times over so far and by BOYS!

Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun is about a little girl who is different from everyone else. She has big hair (I LOVE her hair!) and eats strange foods. She is an easy target for bullying. She ends up crying but because she doesn't want to be a tattle-tell (I know the feeling! I am the same way!!) she suffers in silence.When she finally gets the chance to be the bully she reaches deep down inside to find courage and remembers the words of her Papa - everyone has a heart! 

Pink Tiara Cookies for Three is by far my favorite. (And not just because I get to make pink cookies!) I have three sons. They also have a best friend triangle issue where one is left out just like these girls. I have tried so many times to explain it but they never got it .... until now!

This book is the story of two best friends who share everything and the new girl in town who wants to be friends with them. How can 3 people be friends? It will never work laments one of the girls. After much heartache and tears they figure out that three people can really be the best of friends and no one gets left out!

Now.... my sons can read and I have taught them to read about the author. They said "She wrote three books and we only have two!" Oh whatever shall we do! I know.... we will just have to order up her last one to read as well!

So I will be reading and reviewing this book at a later time. In the mean time, you should pick up these books and share them with all the kids you know as well!!

This month Maria is talking about fairness. This is a tricky character for me as I do not believe that anything can be fair. Fair is getting what each of us needs to succeed. I often hear from my boys that it is not fair that one receives a different punishment than the other.But the each need something different to learn the lesson. 

I am more of a "Life isn't Fair" kinda girl and try to teach my children and students to make the most of every situation even if it isn't ideal to you. 

Taking turns, following the rules during the game, dividing a treat equally - these are things that we can also use to demonstrate fairness but I have to emphasize fairness is not necessarily identical. Have you heard the fairness song? It has lots of examples of how to be fair. 

Did you hear I have 400+ followers? 

You know its giveaway time right? 

Soooo... I am giving away an autographed copy of

Speghetti on an Hot Dog Bun

AND

$25 Gift Card to Olive Garden

not sure that they will serve the Speghetti 

on a hog dog bun though =(

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So what could be better than a giveaway?? TWO GIVEAWAYS!! Stop by Maria's Blog to learn how you can get a free drink at Starbucks!