Here comes the Common Core!

Well- the year is here! 

Our state has adopted the common core!  I am, as I am sure many of my other co-workers are, SO excited about adopting these new standards!  I have really enjoyed examining the changes in curriculum.  In the same breath, I am SO nervous about new expectations!  I am sure that everything will be fine, but our lack of core aligned resources has me sweating a little bit! 

That being said, I have created some common core objectives to display in my classroom.  Click the picture below to check in out at TPT!

I am dying to hear from all of you that are familiar with the common core.  What challenges did you face when you switched over?  What are the benefits that you have seen? 

That's all for that!  I'm out to stay cool by the pool!

Girl's Night, Thanksgiving, and Polar Express!

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  Now we are in the home stretch until Christmas break!  I would first of all like to say how relaxing it is to get to visit with family and friends during long breaks from school.  I was so blessed to spend my weekend before Thanksgiving with a close friend that I used to teach with. It was motivating to talk to someone who shares a positive attitude about our kids and their potential in meeting their end of the year goals in reference to testing.....and have a couple of glasses of vino:) Add to that a 6 day weekend with family in FL, and voila!  Relaxed and ready to go!

I have posted a new product on Teachers Pay Teachers that I will be using with my third graders in the weeks leading up to Christmas break.  It is a Polar Express Writing Unit, and is a BLAST!!  There are so many great options for using The Polar Express in the Classroom, but I absolutely LOVE using it for writing!  Check it out HERE:  THE POLAR EXPRESS WRITING UNIT

Also, here are a few pics of things that we did during Thanksgiving.  The newspapers and paper plates were used in a budgeting lesson teaching kids how to plan for and budget for Thanksgiving dinner.  Whew!  That was a toughie, but definitely an eye-opener for my students!  (Think:  What do you mean the turkey cost $20???)  Priceless!  It is amazing the street smarts that come out during lessons like that too!  (Think:  I am going to get green beans in a can, since they are cheaper.)  I hope you all had success teaching Thanksgiving to your kiddos too! 

Comparing and Contrasting the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Tribe

Budgeting sheet and plate with cut out food from the Sales ad.  For more, see my Thanksgiving Unit on Teachers Pay Teachers.

We don't have bulletin boards in the hallway, so this is my makeshift attempt at displaying our Thanksgiving work:)

Getting Serious!!  Budgeting our Thanksgiving dinner!

A little Pilgrim girl and flow map for the First Thanksgiving

Bulletin Board in my classroom with Pilgrims and first Thanksgiving flow maps.  Had to post this so that everyone could see the pink/blonde pilgrim:)

I'm having a SALE!!

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT IS AUGUST.  ALREADY.  I mean, I really feel like I am just getting into the whole swing of summer.  I have finally acclimated myself to RELAX, and now it is time to wind back up!!  So, in the spirit of Back to School time, I have having a 15% sale off everything on my Teachers Pay Teachers page....now, there are only currently 3 items there, but, those safari centers are the bomb dot com, and now they are less than $4!!  Practically a steal!!  The sale runs today through Friday, so go check it out and pick up some goodies!!

Click here to go to the Teachers Pay Teachers Back to School Sale!!


Other great places for sales:

The LOFT-I literally tried on a pair of pants for $2.88 yesterday!
Old Navy
New York and Company
Victoria's Secret

Catch you later!!!

Safari Themed Literacy Centers!

Well, it has been a work in progress, but I have finished my safari themed word work centers!  I have been diligently working to make centers that I would be ready to use next year with my 3rd graders, and I am super excited with how they have turned out! Please visit my page on TpT and let me know what you think!

Safari Word Work Centers

The thumbnail generator wasn't working, but hopefully those will be coming soon!

Preview of the super cute graphics that I got from Lettering Delights......

Ice Cream Incentives and a Freebie!!

I don't know if any of you are in the same dilemma, but I am totally feeling like I am working 3X as hard to get my kids to behave as I was earlier in the year!!  This in mind, I decided to share a management incentive that I use in my classroom!

Ice Cream Incentive works like this:  Students are each given a checklist with a list of everything that they would want to include in an ice cream party.  Each day before the party, they can earn one check on their list.  On the day of the party, they may only receive items that have a check mark.....it works because while some kids will have all of the items, others may only have the ice cream with no toppings! 

I have posted the checklist that I use at Teachers Pay Teachers and it is a FREE DOWNLOAD!  All I ask is that if you do download the checklist, you follow me and leave a comment letting me know what you think!

I am also really wanting some new end of the year ideas that you all use with your classroom....please leave a post and let me know your great ideas!!

-Megan