Summer School Sunday {with a goodie for you too!}

So, my summer break is taking a temporary hiatus.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be teaching summer school for the next two weeks.  Then I get a week off but that's the week before school starts!

So, I wanted to show you what I've got in store for my kiddos at summer school...

We will be working hard on our math facts.  I'm teaching summer school to incoming 3rd graders so we will be hitting hard on addition and subtraction facts.

I'll be using lots of the resources from Cynthia at My Kind of teaching.

She's put together a crazy comprehensive pack to help students master their facts throughout the year.  Now, I've only got two weeks... but I LOVE the fact PDFs she created.  They're kid of like PowerPoints, except you don't need PPT to do them.  I'll be displaying them and using my Mimio pad to click through the pages as my kiddos write answers on white boards.

We'll also be using some of Rachel's (aka The Tattooed Teacher) sweet summarizing activities to work on our comprehension skills.

Both of these packs are available at an incredible price until the end of the day today as part of the great bundle on Educents.  Today's the last day for it!!!

I also put together my 2nd grade 100 Days to CCSS Success: ELA edition to use as quick filler activities with these summer school kiddos.  I think this will be a great way to start the year with my new kiddos too... especially as MEAP review!

I've shared how my 3rd grade one looks before:

I did the 2nd grade one a little differently...

And here's the inside of 2nd grade with all of the review pages...

You can find them all (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade versions) on TpT if you're interested!  I'm pretty proud of these babies!

I'm looking forward to easing into the swing of things nice and slowly with this tiny group of kiddos!

I'm also wrapping up stuff for this coming year with my soon-to-be students.

I just got this amazing poster that I designed on Vista Print to celebrate my "Lunch Bunch" kiddos each week.  My students can earn the privilege to eat lunch with me in the room on Friday for passing a certain number of AR tests, being invited, or competing their homework for the entire month.  They write their names on sticky notes and stick them to the sign.  I LOVE this new sign!

Isn't it too cute?!

I am also working on putting together a data folder for my students this year.  It's mostly done and they'll be tracking things like math fact progress, spelling test scores, grammar snapshot scores, AR points earned each marking period, AIMS Web fluency scores, personal goals in reading, math, and behavior for each marking period, and then "yes" or "not yet" on their progress on the CCSS ELA standards we're doing each marking period.

I'm really excited about putting this power in my students' hands.  We do a lot of thinking and talking about our progress and it's so powerful for kids to see that they are getting better... or getting stagnant... or falling behind.  When I did my Master's Degree project 4 years ago, I did it on student goal setting and tracking in oral reading fluency.  When kids didn't increase from one week to the next, they had to tell me WHY they did not increase.  That type of thinking and self-monitoring is amazing!

So, I've put together a REALLY basic data folder to share with you.  It's got spelling (for 10, 15, and 20 word lists), grammar, oral reading fluency, math facts, behavior, AR points, sight words, reading level growth, and personal goal forms.

You can get it by clicking the picture below.  I'd love to hear from you if it's something you can use!

And last... don't forget about the giveaway I'm hosting for Learning Resources... you can win FOUR of these:

Just click the pic to go enter!

Are You a Runner... Because I'm Trying!

Well, friends, I am going to do a 5K.  Now that might not be news for you, but I don't run.  Ever.  But my mom has been training for a 5K and it inspired me!  Right at the height of my feeling inspired, my friend asked if I'd want to do a Color Run with her.  So I checked out the Color Run online and it looked like the most fun EVER!  Which led to me agreeing to do it... which led to us deciding to do Couch to 5K.

Check out this You Tube video about the Color Run... I can't wait!!!

I survived the first day of C25K today and am feeling pretty proud of myself!  I'll admit- we did speed walk during one of the 60 seconds of running- but we did run all the rest!  I was pretty successful on Weight Watchers two years ago but had some stuff going on and kind of just lost track of doing WW.  So, I'm back on and working out each day too.  This week, between my elliptical, bike rides with the hubby, and today's run, I've done 16.8 miles!!!!!

So, anyway, I usually stick to school on this ol' blog, but wanted to share that today.  If you have any tips or want to share your success story, feel free!

And, just so this post isn't totally un-school related, time is ticking away for you to purchase the amazing bundle on Educents!  It's $30.00 for over $200.00 worth of files that are perfect for 2nd and 3rd grades... lots of them will be great for 1st too!  I can say, that as a former 1st grade teacher, I would have LOVED using them with my firsties!

Click the pic to check it out if you've missed it!

Fabulous Feedback 2nd Friday Linky Party AND Little Red's Comprehension Winners!!!!

Happy Friday!!!!  First, the winners of the comprehension packs from Little Red's Schoolhouse are...

Thank you to Katie and Kristin for allowing me to host this giveaway and for sharing their AMAZING product with me!!!!!

Ok, it's that time again... the 2nd Friday (already!) and that means it's time for my Fabulous Feedback linky party!

Here are the rules:
1.)  Go to your TpT store and find some feedback (on one or two items max!) that was meaningful to you- something that made you smile, or really gave you some good insight into how your product was or will be used.
2.)  Blog about that great feedback, giving the username of the person who left it.  Please do not just link up to products.  Any links to products will be deleted.
3.)  Invite that person to contact you to receive a similar product for free from your store!
4.)  Snag the button below and link up with me so everyone can see the great feedback you got and find out if they are the winner!

My fab feedbacks are...

Find this bundle on TpT or TN

Sweetsara7 (who totally lives up to her name... she is seriously a sweetie!) purchased my Cause and Effect Fiction and Non-Fiction bundle.  She's "won" my Fab Feedback before... every time she leaves feedback it is so specific and heartfelt!  I love this girl!  Anywho... this pack has a fiction and non-fiction reading passage, themed for each month of the year, to allow students to find cause and effect relationships.  I am so happy you liked your purchase, Sara!!!!  Don't forget to e-mail me at christina4062@hotmail.com so I can send you something from my store for free!

And 2nd... Nancy purchased my Homework Club pack and left this sweet feedback about her purchase...

Find the Homework Club on TpT or TN

I have used a homework club since my first year teaching in 2006 and am always amazed at what a motivator it is for my students... they love being in "the club"!  This past school year I had all but three or four of my students in the club.  They missed three or fewer assignments for the entire school year!  This pack has awards for each month, two display options for keeping track of who is in the club, homework pass rewards, and more!  Don't forget to e-mail me at christina4062@hotmail.com so I can send you something from my store for free!

I hope you will link up and share the feedback that has made you smile this past month!

Three fer Thursday... It's Back!

You have ONE MORE DAY to enter to win  the amazing comprehension passages from Little Red's Schoolhouse!!!!!

Click the pic to see more, if you haven't entered already!

I'm doing Three fer Thursday at my TpT store again this week and I'm doing my students' three favorite ELA activities from the past year... and each one is 20% off for today only!  If you click each pic, you can check out the product for more info!

First... The Chocolate Touch mini-unit!  This is one of my FAVORITE read alouds.  It's such a great example of foreshadowing, character growth (perfect for 3.RL.3!), and just darn good descriptive writing!  My favorite thing in this pack is the prediction cards for each chapter.  I showed them before reading each chapter and we made predictions about how the pictures would be significant in the chapter!

Next... Fry Phrase Bundle!!!  My intervention groups LOVED playing these games and charting their progress toward mastery of Fry Phrases... I loved that they were having such a fun time practicing their fluency and growing their reading skills with games!

Third... this was the first hall hunt that we did this year and I had more fun than my kiddos did!  It's called "trick-or-treat" and it's all about singular and plural nouns.  I hung "trick" cards in the hallway and got such a kick every time they found a "trick" and thought it was one of the "treats" they needed to complete the hunt!  I use these ALL. THE. TIME. in my classroom and love them!  You can find LOTS of them at my store... just click HERE to check them all out!

All right!  Happy Thursday!  I'm off to a meeting at school and MUST work on stuff for summer school!!!  I start teaching it on Monday!

MORE Class Pics AND New Daily Five CAFE Board with Strategy Cards... and I'm Sharing!

It's Wednesday!!!!

Did you see the TWO giveaways I'm running on my blog right now?

Click either pic to find out how you can win this...

Or for of these magnetic pockets for your board...

First up today... more classroom pictures!!!

First... here's my finished writing center.  I really love it!  I have two crate seats for the kids to sit on at the little desk and the shelf next to it is full of resources for writing.  Our first writing unit is on opinion writing, so I have the posters from my Opinions: Order Up! unit displayed on the board at the center.  You can find my Narrative pack on TpT or as part of the amazing deal currently going on at Educents!

Here's the view from behind my table.  I went desk free last year and LOVE it!  My "desk" is the table where I meet with small groups.

And speaking of the table where I meet with small groups the picture above is a week old so... check out what I put on that table on Monday... I LOVE it!!!

See the blue and green circles?  They are actually wall stickers that I put on my table and they are dry erase!!!

I got them on Amazon... click HERE to check them out!!!  I know my kiddos will love participating during small group instruction by writing responses on the circles!  Another teacher in my building has something similar on her closet doors in all sizes and she (and I think the kids too) writes positive notes on them.

Here's another pocket chart with student spots stuck on with Mod Podge.  I am so excited about the whole Mod Podging thing!

Do you have any of these carts?  I got mine at Michael's but you can also see them HERE on Amazon.  Mine are now all organized and ready to go.  I have all of my independent activities for each topic listed in the drawers.  The top drawer is for any "Must Do" students have during the week, then the drawer with games for the topic we are covering... then everything else!

Here's the view from the door.  Don't mind my stuff on that table!

I also gave my teaching and learning beliefs an updated look.  You can read about them HERE.  If you don't have yours displayed, I'd encourage you to do it.  I jut think it helps me stay true to what I do in my classroom and can answer questions anyone might have about why I do what I do!

And last... I hung this "Welcome Back" banner across the front lobby!  You can find it on TpT for just $2!

Now, if you made it though all of that, you deserve a freebie!  Just read a little more...

Today I'm sharing my new CAFE board.  Usually I always always always write out my CAFE strategy cards, but I decided to type them this year and like how they turned out!  Here's a pic of my board with all of the strategies up.  I put magnets on the back of each one and will add them to the board as we learn them throughout the year.

You can access them on TpT by clicking the picture below.  I would appreciate it if you left feedback too!  Thank  you!!!!

Stay tuned Friday for my monthly "2nd Friday Fabulous Feedback" linky party!

Magnetic Pockets for Chalkboard/White Board... Giveaway!

Have you seen the magnetic pockets for chalkboards/white boards that have popped up at every teacher store this summer?  I wanted them sooooo badly, but was a little skeptical that they'd really be able to hold much without sliding down the front of my board!

So I was super excited when Learning Resources sent me a package of their magnetic pockets!

I took these puppies in to class and had to try them out right away... and, I have to tell you, they REALLY do hold a ton!

Check out this one with tons of dry erase markers inside!

I used others to hold my calendar pieces and one has 100 heavy post cards inside for when my students get to the top of the clip chart.

I love the bright colors and they are vinyl, so clean up will be a snap.  I can see these being used at a writing center with fancy pens in one pocket and writing ideas in others... or change out the materials daily by adding things you'll need for projects or craftivities... what about using them for students to turn in notes or money or even one pocket for each lunch choice!  You need these!!!!

Here's the best part... Learning Resources has generously agreed to send a lucky blog reader a set of magnetic board pockets of their very own!  You can click the links to check the pockets out on their site or on Amazon.

You can enter the Rafflecopter below and I'll announce a winner on Saturday, August 17th!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

160 Informational Reading Comprehension Passages for you to WIN!!!!

I am sure you have seen Kristin and Katie's (aka- Little Red's Schoolhouse) simply ADORABLE clipart on TpT right...

I L-O-V-E their clipart and have several sets... You can see them in many of my products like my telling time math workstations and hall hunts (1st grade hunt, 2nd grade hunt), lovely linking verbs hunt, and year long writing portfolio.

And, as much as I love their clipart, they have added something that I *might* love even more!  These two fab ladies have just created some reading comprehension sets that feature similarly themed reading passages with comprehension questions for each passage.

As soon as I saw these in my "New Products" e-mail, I knew I had to check them out.  I am always looking for engaging passages that can assess comprehension and these are just the thing!

First of all, I love the theme of each pack...

*Americana (full of American history, symbols, and people!)
*fantastic food
*wonders and mysteries (which is my favorite... bigfoot!  bermuda triangle!  loch ness monster!... my kiddos will LOVE it!)
*holidays around the world (featuring all sorts of interesting holidays from many countries)
*amazing people (this is one of my favs too... my kiddos will love it when we study biographies during our wax museum!)
*animals (who wouldn't love this one?!)
*a world of color
*science and nature (this one is full of interesting topics!)

You can get these amazing files in a bundle too for $16 off!!!  Click the pic below for more info!  If you had all of these, you'd have enough for almost one for every day of school... which would be such a great way to practice non-fiction reading!!!!!

Now I want to show you some of the pages from my favorite pack- the wonders/mysteries... you can click each pic to see it a bit bigger.

I was so excited to see this story about Hachiko!  We read this book last year and loved it, so I know my students will enjoy seeing this favorite character in a comprehension check!

Love this one about the ghost ship the Mary Celeste.  I have a story about this on a CD in my listening center and it's always an intriguing favorite for them!

One more... because which boy would not love to read and show off their comprehension on a story about BIGFOOT???

And these are just three of the passages from the Wonders/Mysteries pack.

In the foods pack, there are passages about traditional birthday foods from around the world, carnivorous plants, how cotton candy is made, and more!  Each pack also has a printable "Reading Dictionary" which contains words from the different texts and is like a glossary for that specific pack!

The variety of skills in each pack is great, answer keys are included, the format is perfectly organized and understandable for students... and the did I mention that these are Common Core aligned?!  Check it out!

As a former 2nd grade teacher, my 2nds would have enjoyed these too and I KNOW my 3rd graders will LOVE them!  I plan to use them for morning work and as comprehension assessments.  They'd make great homework, test prep, and classroom practice too!

But wait... there's more... you can win ALL of their comprehension packs!!!!!!!!

Enter to win below! One winner will win ALL of the comprehension packs! A 2nd winner will receive their choice of two and a 3rd winner will receive their choice of one pack!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Freebies, Giveaways, and New Year Advice... it's a Blog Hop!

Happy Sunday!

I'm so glad to be participating in a blog hop today where you'll get loads of freebies, tips, and can enter a giveaway too!

After reading my post and {hopefully!} leaving a comment... you'll click the button at the bottom to go to the next blog on the list!

Before you start reading and hopping... if you haven't seen the awesome bundle available on Educents, you must check it out!  Twenty-four TpTers have joined forces to bring you a bundle with a value of over $200.00 that is for sale for just $29.99!  It's got great resources for math, writing, reading, and back-to-school fun too!  Click the pic below to check it out!

So... new year advice... my goal for myself this year is to breathe.  To give myself time to chew my food at lunch instead of inhaling it so I can get back to my classroom and get to work.  This is my 2nd year in my new district so I feel so much more capable and know what I'm doing!  I know I'll still head back to class early during my lunch, but my goal is to enjoy a few minutes.  Sit down.  Eat.  Chew!  I hope you will do the same!

If you're a Facebook fan of my blog, you got my freebie already... but if you aren't a Facebook fan, this was off limits for you... until now!

You can click the picture below to grab what I think is a great freebie!  Maybe you've seen my oodles and oodles of themed & holiday bunting banners on TpT.  If not, where have you been?  Just kidding!  But, I hope you'll check them out!  You can click the link in the line above or HERE to check them out... there's seriously something for everyone!

You can have this "Happy 1st Day" bunting banner just for being here today.  If you aren't a FB follower, you might want to be!  I post new freebies, do flash freebies, announce special product pricing, and blog updates every day... and, until then, enjoy this freebie and please do leave a comment if you enjoy it!

When you're done, the next stop on the blog hop is Ms. Fultz's Corner to check out what she has to say and to enter the Rafflecopter to win lots of prizes including this one from me!...

Find Grammar Snapshots on TpT!  If you click the pic, you can view a larger version to see what's inside!

So...go!  Click the button below to head over!