New Blog Design, New Direction

Hello All!  I am so happy to announce my very new blog design!  I am thrilled this turned out the way that it did!  I cannot tell you how much I contemplated on which colors, which add ons to include, and what not include!  

So....here it is!!  Do you like it?  Please leave a post with your thoughts!  :)  If you like it, you need to check out A Bird in Hand Designs!  She's amazing!!!

So, with the new blog design, comes the new direction.  I am going to take on a new direction with this blog.  Previously, I used this blog mostly for advertising my TpT products.  However, this time around, I will use this blog to simply share my ideas that come through my head, the things that are working (and and maybe not so working) in my classroom, and much more.  Please come back again soon to come along for the journey of this primary teacher!!  :)

We read it Wednesday: My favorite Patricia Polacco Books!

We read it Wednesday!!  :)  This marks the 4th edition of WE READ IT WEDNESDAY, and I could not be happier to announce this week's author!  Patricia Polacco!  In my classroom, we always do a Patricia Polacco Author Study in the spring.  Here are some of the books we will read in the coming weeks!

Patricia Polacco is one of the authors who changes your outlook on life and warms your heart.  She makes you think twice about the little and big things all around you and reminds you to truly appreciate them.  Sounds perfect for the spring months.  Here are some of my absolute favorites, but there are so many other that I enjoy as well.  If you are in your classroom right now, take one off the shelf and be prepared to reflectively smile.  You deserve it.

Rounding Chart

Do your students struggle to round to the correct number?  Mine always do!!  Well, I have used this chart for years in my classroom!  I always keep a stack in my math center, and students take them whenever they are in need!  Check it out here!!  You will be surprised how well this helps your students with rounding!!

Think About It Freebie!!

What happens in your classroom when a student makes a less than desirable choice? I created this sheet a few months ago that has really worked in my classroom for behavior and classroom management! This makes the student think and take ownership of his/her actions. This then can be sent home to make parents aware, and you can keep a copy in your files. Give it a try!!  You can get it at my TpT Store for free!  :)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Think-About-It-1778503

We Read it Wednesday!

Wednesday?!  Already?!  Again?!  Wow...many parts of this week flew by...while other parts DRAGGED!  My whole family got the stomach flu.  It was my daughter to show the symptoms first on Saturday afternoon.  Then, I wondered, could my husband and I really be immune and skip this whole debacle 100%...I. WAS. WRONG.  Boy was I wrong.  I think we complained more than little E did while she was going through what you go through during the stomach flu.  :(  But, I can 100% say, we are ready to face the world tomorrow.  We actually get to go outside.  :)

But anyways, I know you all have been desperately waiting for this week's WE READ IT WEDNESDAY, so here it is!!

Have you read the books How to Babysit a Grandpa and How to Babysit a Grandma?  Awww they are adorable!  As you can imagine, the little characters in the books are trying to make sure that the grandpa and grandma have the perfect days/nights by supplying the right snacks, what to do on a walk, how to play, where to sleep during a sleepover, and what to do once tucked in ever so tightly!

Well, the brand new book that is being released on March 24th is called How to Surprise a Dad and it looks JUST as adorable!  This looks like a must read!  This book walks you through how to surprise a dad by preparing for his surprise birthday party.  I cannot wait to read this book!!!!  So, although we have not actually READ it in my classroom, I think it is WAY SAFE to say that we will be reading this as soon as I get hands on it!!  :)

My question is...will there be a book about MOMS???  Maybe that one is next!!
Enjoy!

Warm Weather and We Read it Wednesday!!

Hi Everyone!  :)  I hope your week has gone well so far!  We are halfway to the weekend already.  And I do not know about you, but Chicago has just been given three 45+ degree days in a row!!  What?!?!  Soooo happy!  I wore no coat both Monday and Tuesday.  :)  Good old Chicago weather...bring us 45 degrees, and we think about going to eat outside at a restaurant and even going to the beach.  :)

This is your newest edition to WE READ IT WEDNESDAY!  :)  Sit back with a cup up coffee (or a mug of hot chocolate would be my pick!) and enjoy your preview to this adorable story...then buy it right away on Amazon!  :)  I even attached the link here!!

I LOVE reading this book aloud to my 2nd grade pals in the winter heading into the spring, so this may be the perfect time for you to start!  :)

The four main characters are:

Kona-the brave and loving labrador retriever

Stumpy-the mama squirrel  *I LOVE this cute little name for this little squirrel.  :)

Murray-the bat who LOVES Chinese food

Gwendolyn-the wise hermit crab who knows everything about everything

You and your students will enjoy this adventure story about courage, friendship and overcoming battles with light hearted humor.  :)  Enjoy!

Let me know if you choose to read it!!  :)

The Sunday Scoop

I'm linking up with Teaching Trio for this week's Sunday Scoop!

Enjoy your week!!

Three Things:
1.  How can 3 people create so much laundry... every. single. week!?!?

2.  I have been holding off to make sure that every single part was accurate.  So, it is official.  I will file today.  Get ready IRS, here it comes!

3.  I love tutoring!  I love to be able to help a student in need one-on-one with no distractions.  The "no distractions" part NEVER happens during the course of any one school day, so this is a nice time where the focus can really be on that one student!!  The extra money does not hurt either!  :)  

Two Things:
1.  I know that it will be spring soon, and boy I am so excited for the warmer weather.  However, I am in love with hot chocolate.  I know...I am an adult.  Should I really love hot chocolate as much as I do?  Well, I do not care!  I even have a favorite place to get my hot chocolate from...DUNKIN!    The. Best. in. the. Entire. World!!  However, today is more of a stay in the house kinda day, so Swiss Miss it will be!

2.  I take pictures all the time.  I mean all. the. time.  I have so many of our daughter and also the world around me.  I hope to transfer all of my newest pictures to my laptop this afternoon or this evening.  We shall see...

One Thing:
*Is it really going to be spring soon in Chicago?!  I was searching Pinterest last night and came up with some amazing spring styles I want to sport!  Welcome Spring!!

         

We read it Wednesday!

Welcome to the VERY FIRST EDITION of We Read it Wednesday!  That is READ as in the color, RED.  :)  It took me a LONG time to come up with a name for this special time where I get to share all the neat picture and chapter books we have read/are reading in our classroom!  I hope you tune in every Wednesday for this very special book sharing!!  Please leave comments giving details on other books you want to share with other amazing teachers like yourself!
*Thanks to MelonHeadz for the amazing clipart and KG Fonts for the adorable fonts on the above picture.

Have you ever read Boris Ate a Thesaurus??  Well if not, you should!!  This is a story about a little boy named Boris who eats a thesaurus and then starts speaking in synonyms.  It is fantastic and hilarious!  The kids LOVE it!  I love to use this book as a mentor text for using good word choice in student writing.  I usually read it during my minilesson, and then I give the kids the assignment of going back into their writing in their writing folders to change two words into new and exciting synonyms.  Then about 10 minutes in, I have volunteers stand up to share what they changed in their writing.  Read this book to your students to help them transform their writing from boring to engaging!

Synonyms, Antonyms and Homophones, OH MY!

Hey Teacher Friends!  I hope you are staying warm if you are in the midwest like I am!  It is spring, so bring on the warmer weather!!

I just posted my latest product on TpT!  Here it is!

It will be your GO TO for teaching/reviewing antonyms, synonyms and homophones!
Included in this pack are:
*directions
*student search for antonyms
*student search for synonyms
*student search for homophones
*practice sheets
*posters for your ELA Wall
*cards you can cut to get ready for some student searches!
*class book covers

Thank you for your support!