My Newest Product- Spring Math and Literacy Centers

I just finished my latest product- it took me forever!  Last year I bought a ton of plastic Easter eggs when they went on clearance.  I had no idea what I was going to do with them (I wasn't even blogging or creating products at the time).  This is what I came up with...

"Egg"cellent Math and Literacy Stations includes 5 math center activities and 5 literact center activities.  I've got them printed, cut, laminated and ready to go for school tomorrow.  I think my students will be thrilled to take a basket with plastic eggs to their area, they may not even realize that they're doing work!
Included math activities are time match, money match, greater than or less than, place value and division stories

Included literacy activities are synonym match, parts of speech sort, writing prompts, fluency and inferencing

If you would like to check out my "Egg"cellent Math and Literacy Centers head over to my TpT store or TN store.

Hall Pass

I'm linking up with Reagan at Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits for Hall Pass!

P- Product
I love making workstation jars!  They are so handy for students to grab and go.  My favorite is my  Phrase Jar.  This workstation jar contains 251 phrases using the first 300 Fry Instant Words.  Students love to use the one minute sand timer to see how many phrases they can read.  They challenge each other or try to beat their own record.  This is also a great jar to pair with my Voice Jar (it's a FREEBIE).  Students read the phrases using different voices to work on expression as well.

A- Area
My favorite area in my classroom is my Smart Board area.  I love all of the bulletin board space that I have on this wall.  My focus walls are in this space as well.

S- Signal
I have several signals that I use throughout the day to get the attention of my students or to let them know it's time to transition.  The way my students prefer for me to get their attention is to use is the "No Yell Bell".  I got it a few years ago from Highlights Magazine as a freebie for turning in yes/no order forms.  Students love for me to change the sounds that come out of the bell.

S- Sanity
My crazy family keeps me sane after a long day at work!  My husband and daughters love to have a great time together and rarely have a serious moment.  They remind me not to take things so seriously, especially when I find funny little surprises like this picture on my camera!  Dorks!

On a side note... I was so excited that my "Lend a Hand" to Learning for Positive Behavior was featured in the Teachers Notebook Newsletter yesterday!  Click on the picture below to download this freebie for yourself!!

Five for Friday

Friday, already?  I don't say that often but this has been a super fast week!  We had Monday off for President's Day.  Today we didn't have students due to teacher records day, so of course we had an ice storm last night.  All the other schools in the county were closed due to the storm.  I'm not sure if that was good karma because we won't have to make up the snow day or bad karma because it was the first opportunity for a snow day in over two years and we didn't have kids anyway??
Regardless, Friday is Friday and I'm happy to be linking up again with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday!

1. I went on a little shopping spree recently to The Dollar Tree!  I love that store, you never know what you're going to find.  Here are the bargains from my latest trip...

First off, I don't need these.  However who could say no to the color combination or plastic!  I love containers!  I will probably switch my book baskets in my classroom library next school year with these cuties but I'm not sure what I'll do with the sandwich containers.  The cute little soap boxes have already found a purpose!

They are the perfect size for a deck of cards for math games and...

look at these CUTE little dominos I found at The Dollar Tree as well.  They are the size of a paper clip!  Have you ever seen anything so cute???
I also found a pair of foam dice, some "read between the lines" glasses and the sweet little finger spy eyes I saw on a blog early this week (sorry I can't remember who blogged about them).

2. Last Saturday I went to a wonderful test prep inservice that was put on by Smekens Education Solutions (check them out here, you'll be glad you did).  It was the best $10 I've spent in a while.  The inservice lasted an hour and a half and was full of great ideas for reading and writing test strategies for students.  Our state test (ISTEP) is in less than two weeks and I learned some great ideas for helping students!  Here are some anchor charts that I made for my classroom this week.

3. This week I had a break through!  You may be thinking DUH!  but I was thinking A-HA!!  I learned how to bundle products into a zip file!  I've been wanting to bundle some of my items for TpT but had no idea how to do it.  I found out how on a TpT forum.  (If you are a TpT seller and have never gone on their forums, go now!  There is a wealth of information!)  I now have my four Gumball Math Workstations bundle in my stores.  Buyers can save $6.00 by purchasing the bundle instead of each individual packet.  Yippee!

4. On Tuesday evening something happened that I never thought I would happen.  My oldest daughter had her first orientation for high school in the fall.  I can't believe my baby is going to be a freshman in high school!  How is it possible that she can go from this

to this overnight??

5. This weekend I get to have my nails done and dress up!  Each February my husband and I go with a group of friends to a Red Dress Ball.  It's always a great time because we love spending time with friends and I love dressing up!!  Here is the dress I'll be wearing.

(If I don't look too hideous, I'll post pics later this weekend)

Have a great weekend!!

We have some winners and ABC Brainstorming

A great BIG thank you to everyone who entered my 400 follower giveaway and a great BIG thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who donated to my giveaway!!  Drum roll please... we have some winners!

If you won an item you will be contacted soon (if you haven't been already).

Now on to ABC Brainstorming!  This is my latest Jar Workstation.  It works well as a workstation and an early finisher activity.  Students choose a card from the jar and then brainstorm a list of words that match each letter of the alphabet for that topic.  Included are two brainstorming worksheets.  I've also included an ABC Brainstorm class chart (assembly required).  This activity comes in color or b&w. There are 42 brainstorm cards.   Below are some pictures so you can see the finished product.  I'm excited to introduce this jar to my students tomorrow!

If you'd like to take a closer look, you can check it out in my TpT Store or TN store.

A quick freebie for classroom management

My students are enjoying "Lend a Hand" to Learning for Reading Comprehension so much that I decided to make a "Hand" for classroom management.  The "Hand" can be used in a time-out area or taken to their seat.  When students are having a problem they are asked to "Take Five" to help them cool down.  During this time they answer the five questions on the back of the hand:
1. What was the problem?
2. What was my reaction?
3. What could I have done differently?
4. How has my attitude changed?
5. Am I ready to return?

Hopefully by the time they have written their answers to the questions they've had a chance to cool down!  Head over to my TpT store or TN store and download it for FREE!!

Five for Friday

Two down, one to go!  Today we finished our second trimester!  I can't believe there's only 12 weeks left to the school year!  What a great way to end the trimester with a three day weekend.  We have our records day next Friday, so next week is a three day week with students!
I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to give you Five for Friday!

1. Valentine's Day-  This year for Valentine's Day I gave my students a new highlighter with this cute little Valentine

This year our Valentine's Day party had to be kept under 30 minutes.  Gone are the days of just having a little bit of fun at school...  That's all I have to say.

2. I MADE IT!!  This week I  made enough in TpT sales to get my first paper check at the end of the quarter!!  

3.  Today went on a field trip.  Each year the local art museum hosts an "Art is..." series.  A different country is showcased every year.  This year we experienced "Art is... Japan".  Students got to make an origami fish, dress in traditional Japanese clothing, do a wood block painting, make a theater mask and learn about Japanese food and toys.  They had a blast and were very well behaved!

4. Anchor charts... Here are a few anchor charts that I've made this week.  The first one is an anchor chart for using an effective lead when writing.  The second is a test prep anchor chart for short response questions.  We are working really hard on learning to restate the question in your answer to make sure you're writing a complete sentence.

5. Tonight was the Valentine's Day dance at the middle school that my daughters attend.  Here's a picture of them before the dance.  I didn't get their picture together because my oldest daughter had to go and get ready with her friends.  She did take a quick (sassy) self portrait before she left.  My youngest daughter let me do her hair.  She wan't thrilled with wearing a dress so insisted on wearing leggings!  Oh the difference two years can make!!

Have a wonderful three day weekend and don't forget to enter my 400 follower giveaway!  It ends on Monday!!