Spring Has Sprung

It is that time of year again for everything to start blooming and that brings on seasonal allergies. I love to see all of the pretty colors this time of year but the pollen does not agree with me. With that being said, I will take allergy medicine and enjoy the beauty around me.

I have been busy taking care of my daughter who has dislocated and broken both bones in her leg. This has given me a new understanding of how much we take for granted. She has to depend on my help for everything. She has been a trooper through this accident. I am proud of her strength and courage. While she is on recovery, she is completing the 2nd half of her last semester online at WCU. She will graduate this May with a degree in Biology.

This time away from my classroom has allowed me to create some new items. I have created Compound Word Puzzles.

You can check it out and see if you would like to use it in your classroom. 

Compound words are hard for some students to grasp. SO this is a great way to practice. 

Hope the seasonal allergies are not too rough for you. Enjoy your day and come back to my blog again.

Gettin' Techie

We have begun our new school year with a great start. I was lucky this summer to win 5 Chromebooks for my classroom to go along with my 12 ipads. My new group of students this year are learning how to use the ipads and the Chromebooks. We have been using many apps in our App-smashing activities.

This past week we used one of the Chromebook carts that we have at our school. You will see in the image below that my students are fully engaged in learning about plants. They are using a lesson that I created on Blendspace. 

Chromebooks

 

Blendspace is a great way to enhance learning with technology and Science. My students are guided through several activities, video segments or images that give them information about plants.

Students using Chromebooks

Students had to complete all activities in Blendspace then login to Discovery Education and create a board about the parts of plants. They may included images, video segments and text boxes.

The students really enjoyed getting to use the Chromebooks along with Blendspace to learn about Plants.

If you have never heard about Blendspace, then I recommend that you must try it out for yourself. Wishing you success this school year with your students.

Classroom Activities This Week

This week we are having fun getting ready for our holiday break. We have been working on writing about our Holly Days!!! Here in picture you will see the holly leaves with students writing about their holiday with their families and their traditions. This is always a cute display that I have my students to create each year.

Next, my students did a GREAT job creating their winter snowman pictures. They are hanging in our hallway for all to see. Students will be writing a story in class to go along with their picture. 

I think they turned out fabulous. I love snowman. SO any chance I get to make something with them I do!!! This activity was in our ART center. My students always look forward to what I have each week for them to create in my ART center.

So being that I LOVE SNOWMAN. I have my door as one. A few years ago, I made my door into a snowman and the ladies on my grade level wanted one too. So this year this is my door. Each teacher on my grade level has one just like it in a different color.
Mine is LIME GREEN cause that is my favorite color.

Let me know what you think.

This is such a busy time for year. I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Technology In Our Classroom

My classroom is very lucky to have ipads, smartboard and laptops for students to integrate technology into our everyday learning. I love technology and use it in all aspects of my life. It is also used in many ways in my instruction with my students. Every day lessons I teach, I use some type of technology. It may be the smartboard lesson. We use many ipad apps for all subject areas. We use laptops and desktop computers in centers.

Here is a list of some of our FAVORITE APPS to use!

 Here is one that students made!

We love Sock Puppets. We used this app to tell about Helen Keller. You know technology and its quirks. It will not allow me to post students video. But here is a look at the app.

Students are using ipads daily in centers. Here you can see then using one of our fun apps Word Ball.

They have to build words as fast as they can before the letter balls disappear. We have even used this app with our 5th grade buddies that come to our class on Wednesdays.

   

Students have a blast with Rocket Speller to practice working with words.

                                  

                       

 Big Cat stories are AWESOME!!

We use them in our Listening Center. Students listen to the story being read to them. Then they read it them self and complete the Listening Center Sheet with comprehension questions about the story.

QR Codes are used through out our learning. We used them with Math, Reading, Science and Social Studies. Students love to scan the code and see what it contains. It maybe just to check their answers. To watch a short video segment on Plants and complete a comprehension activity. It can guide them to an app or website to go to for the lesson. QR Codes are a great way to get student active in their learning. This is the app that we use for it.

Students in my classroom love using the ipads. We use the Showme app to display how to work out math problems during math block. Students can show their thinking on ipad and share with the class. 

During our geometry unit we use the GEOBOARD APP instead of  geoboards.

Students really enjoyed using this app instead of the old geoboard with the bands that snap and break. They really understood how shapes are created with the bands and how a rectangle and square have right angles.

I hope I have given you some ideas and apps that you would like to try in your classroom. We are always working with apps to find the best ones. All the apps here are FREE!!!! I love to use the free apps, that way my students can use them at home also. 

Please leave a comment below with any apps that you love to use in your room. I am very interested to hear what works for your students. Share any lessons or activities that you do with the apps or technology in your classroom.

Scoot Game

Come see my latest Scoot game. I love using scoot games in my classroom. This game is a fun way for students to practice reading number words and writing them as standard form.

Students will get behind a card with their recording sheet and when told to start look at card match number on sheet and record their answer. Teacher will then say SCOOT, student then scoots to the next card.

This will continue until all cards have been answered. Students will turn in sheet or can score sheet with teacher calling out answers. This is a good assessment for students and also having fun while doing it.

Summer Break

Well another successful school year has come and gone! This was my first year in 3rd Grade. As I entered this new year with new grade level and newly adopted Common Core curriculum, I was a bit worried about doing a good job. I am thankful for a great group of ladies on my grade level. We all worked hard together to design lesson plans. As I reflect, I feel that I did a great job with this new challenge.

Now, I am luck to say that I am moving back to my beloved 2nd grade. My comfort zone, my home, my love for teaching GRADE. I have taught 2nd grade for 6 years. 2nd grade is my favorite grade to teach. I have taught several different grade levels. I will be with a group of awesome ladies. I will be moving classrooms again. But I am happy to do it since I get to return to 2nd.

Summer break has finally begun for me!!! I will be relaxing around the pool soaking up some rays. Spending some much needed time with my girls. Although it is summer break my To Do List is already started for jobs needed around the house.

I know I"m supposed to rest but this is the time for me to begin thinking about the next school year  and changes that I want to make to my classroom, lessons, and find new ideas and activities. School is in my blood and I will always be planning. I feel that is what makes you an awesome teacher instead of just a good teacher.

I would love to hear of some ideas that you are planning in your classroom for the next school year. I will be painting my classroom and redecorating some with minor changes. Adding some new pops of color and flair. I will post pictures when it is all finished.
 HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!

School Year Coming to an End

This has been my first year teaching 3rd Grade. It has been a great learning experience. My school district adopted Common Core this year, along with Readers and Writers Workshop. SO being in a new grade level with all NEW curriculum has definitely kept me very busy this year.

I have an awesome group of 22 students. Nine of them I had last year in 2nd grade. WE have be lucky to have ipads in our classroom this year by my Pinnacle Induction (technology). Students really love being on the ipads and learning new things. WE were able to be apart of a Pinnacle Technology Showcase, where members of the school board, administrators, etc were invited to see what our students have been creating with technology, specially with the ipads.

Students are working with the ipads. They are so amazing at their ability to use technology and work collaboratively.

Students are showing the apps that they have used in our curriculum. My students favorite is TOONTASTIC!! They love creating the story boards and recording their voices.

Working using QR codes is an activity that we include in all subjects areas. On the display board I use QR codes for students to learn about the bones in their Human Body. I got this great idea from the internet. I wish I had the person's name so I can give them the credit. Thank you for this great activity. My students work with QR codes for reading comprehension, for self checking activities and for locating information in our STEM lessons.

This year has came by so quickly. This time of year is bitter sweet. I am ready for summer break but I will also miss seeing these adorable faces everyday. My journey in 3rd is also coming to an end. I'm lucky to be moving back to 2nd grade. I have taught 2nd for 6 years. I love this grade. So this involves moving my class room again. This time I will be in a totally different room than I was before. But I am so excited to be working with some fabulous ladies on the grade level. 

Teacher Appreciation Week

All teachers, here is to wishing you a fabulous Teacher Appreciation Week!!! Now is the time to empty out your Teachers Pay Teachers wishlist. Today and tomorrow is the HUGE Teacher Appreciation Sale. come get some great items for your classroom in my store. Be sure to use the code in the image below.

Come to my store and see all of the products that I have. TPT store I know that I will be emptying my cart and grabbing some amazing items from some awesome teacher created products.

Again, have a great teacher appreciation week.

Thank You Teacher Appreciation Sale

The Teacher Appreciation Sale at TPT will be here on Monday, May 6 - 8th. My products will be on sale at 20% off and you will get an additional perecentage off with the Promo Code TAD12. That is a huge savings of 28% off!  Come and get those items that are so useful for your classroom. These are items made by teachers for teachers. Spread the word about this great event. This is a THANK YOU to all of the teachers out there. I know that my cart is already full and ready to get AWESOME items to use in my class. You don't want to miss out on this.

End of the Year

What are things that you do to end the school year with your students? Do you have a year scrapbook, games, crafts, fun days? Let me hear about your events and activities so we all can share and learn from one another. I wish you all the best during the closing of  another school year. It is always bitter sweet for me. What are your feelings as this school year ends? Are you glad it is over or totally gonna miss your students during the summer? Thanks for sharing and cant wait to see your comments. Happy End of the Year!!!!!

Giveaway

As I promised here is the GIVEAWAY for 100 Followers!!!! To thank you for helping me get this goal on my blog, please come and enter this giveaway. You will have the choice of 1 FREE product from the great blogs below. Be sure to click on Read More>> to enter on the contest board.
First from my blog I have my newest centerScooping Up Story Elements
           

Second from Brian Hospkins at Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings

Third from Arlene Sandberg at LMN Tree

Fourth from Michelle Divkey at Teach 123

Fifth from Heather Whetham at HoJos Teaching Adventures

Sixth from Jana Wilson at Thinking Out Loud

Enter below by clicking on Read More tab