Back to School Sale "Best and Most" Linky!

Did your high school do a "best and most"?  Mine did and I'm proud to say that I got a few of them... most likely to write a novel, hardest worker, and most likely to succeed!  I also got worst couple with an old old boyfriend, but that's a different story!

Well, today some bloggers have joined together to do a "Best and Most" of our products for the BTS sale that starts TOMORROW at TpT!  Everything in my store will be 20% off and TpT is giving an additional 10% off if you use the discount code BTS13 when you check out!  My Teacher's Notebook shop will be on sale as well.  Both of my sales will run from Sunday until Tuesday.  TpT's discount code works on Sunday and Monday!  {Thanks Beth at Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah for the button!}

My TpT store and my TN store

So, without any more chatter... I am proud to announce the 2013 Bainbridge Best and Most!

My Teacher's Pet product is my Homework Club.  It's one that has motivated my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students for 7 years to do their homework!  The pack includes monthly awards, an editable monthly display to show off who is in the club, homework pass rewards, and a classroom display to show who is in the club.

Find the Homework Club on TpT!  Or on TN

Most Likely to Help Your Students Succeed goes to The Write Stuff, a year long writing portfolio with opinion, narrative, and informative writing prompts for every month, student tracking pages, and loads of options for additional prompts and ways to have students discuss their writing.  This pack helps empower students to think about their writing critically and work to reach goals!

Find The Write Stuff on TpT! or on TN

And finally, Best Couple goes to two products that will help reach Common Core standards in your classroom in a quick and painless way!  Grammar Snapshots are CCSS aligned for grades 2 and 3.  There are 42 10 question quick weekly grammar checks!  Couple that with a daily 100 Days to CCSS Success: ELA review and you've got a powerful ELA Common Core team!  100 Days is available for grades 1, 2, and 3!

Find Grammar Snapshots on TpT! or TN 

Find 100 Days to CCSS Success on TpT! or TN

Check out the other amazing bloggers who have linked up to show off their best and most!

Teachery Tips and Tricks- Got a Window? Instant Center!

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' today to share a trick that my students LOVE!

I shared this once before, but I think it's worth sharing again!

Do you have a window in your classroom?  Like in your door?  Or next to your door?  Do you have a dry erase marker to spare?

If you have both of those things, you have a recipe for an instant activity that your students will LOVE!

My kiddos write their spelling words on the window next to my door.  They use a dry erase marker and it wipes right off!

They love it!!!!!  It's so taboo, they just can't get enough!

You could use this for anything.  Word work, math facts- you write problems in one color and they solve in another, write notes or messages to your students, have them write facts they have learned about at topic... anything!

They love it so much, in fact, that a student who wasn't even in my class last year recently told an incoming 3rd grader during our summer school, "You'll love her.  She lets her kids write on her window!"

Domo Arigato INFERENCE Roboto!

Yay!  My first week of summer school is finished and it was a success!  I have 9 kiddos who are entering 3rd grade so I'm getting to know some of my soon-to-be students.  I taught 2nd grade for 6 years and loved it... but after not being around 2nd graders for a whole year, I had totally forgotten how different they are than end of the year 3rd graders!

I'm also happy to say that, after my run with BFF tonight, I will have officially completed the first week of Couch to 5K!  I know that's not a huge accomplishment to some, but I am so proud of myself.  We did walk one of the run minutes twice this week, but I ran it by myself twice too and ran the whole time!

And... when I haven't been working on summer school or out getting whipped into shape for my upcoming 5K, I've been working on this...

It's a super fun inference pack where students match up robots in boxes to kids who want them!  Students have to read the boxes and read info about the kids to know who to pair up.  Click the pic for more info!

Inference is one of my favorite skills to teach... as evidenced by my small collection of inference packs on TpT!  If you click HERE, you can see my inference packs (Ugly Sweater, Crazy Cakes, Mixed up Easter Baskets, and Robo*Buddies).  They are the first four products!

Want the best news?  You can win the pack!!!!  Just leave a comment on this post letting me know that you already entered to win four free magnetic pockets from Learning Resources.  If you haven't entered that giveaway yet, click the pic below to go do it!  It ends late tomorrow night.

On Saturday, I'll announce the winner of this pack AND the magnetic pockets on my blog's Facebook page.  I already have something so fun going on here on Saturday, so check my FB page to see if you've won!

Showing Off Room 108!

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' again to show off my classroom!

I showed some pics a few weeks ago... click the pic below to check them out if you missed them!  I combined 3 posts with classroom pics into one mega post... so beware- there are lots of pics!

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!