TACO Story

I had this great idea the other day as I was working with paper plates in my classroom. The idea was that a paper plate folded in half looked like a taco. So then the idea of TACO Story popped in my brain. Here is how it would go. You will need the following: paper plate, brown construction paper, green paper, red paper and yellow.

Fold the plate in half to look like this.

Take the brown construction paper and write Topic on it like in the image and cut.

Now take the green construction paper and write characters on it and cut to look like lettuce.

Take red construction paper and write Setting on it and cut wavy.

Last take yellow paper and write PLOT on it. and cut. 

Now take all of the parts and layer to make your TACO.

Lastly, put all of it together and now you have a TACO Story!!!

Students will write in each part of the story for each ingredient in the taco to retell the story. I think students will have fun getting to make a TACO about their story!! You can use it in centers or guided reading. It would work well with common core.

I would love for you to leave a comment about this and let me know what you think. Please feel free to pin.

Technology Is Awesome

I am currently on my new MacBook Air that will sync my iPads for my classroom. It is so amazing how little something can be and be so amazing. Learning how to add apps and sync them to the iPads is a great experience. This will be an amazing resource for my classroom and STUDENTS!!!! These elements of technology will be a valuable asset for  teaching 21st century skills. This is the technology generation and we must provide them the resources necessary to prepare them for their future here and globally. I am very excited about having these resources for my students to take advantage of in their learning. I have also been pinning technology pins on Pinterest that deal with technology and iPads. You can see my pins on my Pinterest account. Pinterest is a great place for loads of resources for educators. I have gain some value tools to use in my class this year. Here is to a great year with technology in your classroom.

Practice Some Facts

If you are in need of some cute flashcards for your students to practice their multiplication facts 0-9, then look no farther. You can get these cute flashcards right here from me. I made these for my students to use in 3rd grade this year. I hope it will very helpful to them. They can do alone or with a partner.

                                                               
I am new to teaching third grade this coming school year after teaching 2nd grade the past 6 years. So it will be a change for me. I am trying to make things to use in third grade. SO please come back and check my store and blog for updates on room and products.

New Classroom

These are pictures of my new classroom after a fresh painting. I will be posting pictures as my room comes along. I am currently working on the plans and layout for this coming school year. I am excited about getting to start with a clean slate. I always love planning my classroom for a new school year. I am like a kid in a candy store with school supplies!!! Come back again and again to see the changes as they are made in  the setup for my new 3rd grade classroom.

After lots of hard work it is finally finished!!! I love how it turned out. Now the fun stuff DECORATING!!! I am using the Dots on Turquoise. I picked my paint colors from the paisley design in the borders. My curtains are the green with dots. I am super excited to get busy with my new 3rd grade room.

Finding My Way in a Sea of Apps!

These past days during my training at Pinnacle, I have been having fun getting familiar with the iPad for my classroom. The people in my group are awesome. It was so valuable to meet them and be apart of this journey together. I have made some lifelong friends. We had the opportunity to share with each other apps that we thought would be great to use with our students. We only had the one iPad that is designated to the teacher but will have 5 more for students to use. It is so overwhelming, like a sea of apps that I am having to swim through to find what I feel will be the most beneficial to my students. Once I get my classroom roster, I will even have a better understanding of what apps can be most valuable for my 3rd graders. Many of these students I had the year before in 2nd grade. This will be important for me to already know how these students work and their knowledge of computers. I am super excited that the iPads will be a great asset to my classroom and most importantly for my students. I will post about the advantages of having them and the progress that my students achieve.

Technology In My School

ISTE Essential Conditions has 14 criteria that must be met to have success with technology integration in schools.
Shared Vision, Empowered Leaders, Implementation Planning, Consistent and Adequate Funding, Equitable Access, Skilled Personnel, Ongoing Professional Learning, Technical Support, Student-Centered Learning, Assessment and Evaluation, Engaged Communities, Support Policies, and Supportive External Context. 


I feel that my school is working very hard to meet all these areas in technology. We definitely have a Shared Vision for our students. We are always having professional development in technology and we have SMARTboard in all our classrooms. We have 4 Pinnacle Leaders at my school that are in several grade levels and our Media Specialist. Our Tech. Support is awesome. I truly can say that if I have any technology issue, our TSS person is always there to help, lead and collaborate.


Yes, we can always use and need more computers and technology gadgets to increase the resources for students to utilize in their learning. Project-based learning will give students the ability to be in-charge of researching, retrieving and sharing information and knowledge with students and teachers.The way we approach learning and instruction is changing from the way it was in my generation. We as educators have to become increasing aware that we are not just teaching a lesson or concept but teaching the students of our future.

Summer Days

Well my summer will have many days of training and learning new things for this coming school year. This past Monday and Tuesday, I was at Common Core training for my county. Next week, I will be attending Pinnacle Training all week, then some more at end of month. Then at the end of July into August I have Apple Training. With all that said, today I enjoyed not having to be anywhere. I did go to the hair salon to get my hair fixed. My mind has a load of things running around in it. I have a ton of new things for teaching next year to go with common core that I have to get a grasp of. Also, being moved to a different grade level and not knowing the curriculum on top of all the new materials to teach, has my brain on overload. I will be so ready for a week at the beach next month and people say teachers have their summers off. They do not even know the amount of time that we teachers invest in our classrooms. I have to move my entire classroom to another hallway and room at my school. Decorate and set it up before orientation night. Meet with the teachers on my grade level whom which most are like myself, being moved to this grade level. We have a lot of work ahead of us.

Summer Plans

Summer is finally here for me. Today was my first day of summer break!!!! I intend to enjoy doing nothing for a few days. Next week I do have some training to attend and some throughout the summer off and on. But for the most part I am eager to relax and soak up some sun around the pool. We are going to the beach next month and whatever else we decide to do. I would love to hear about your exciting plans for summer.

Workdays and then summer here I come!

Hope your end of the school is near or already came. I have only 3 workdays and then I can begin summer break!!! I have had a great year with my second graders. It is always bitter sweet when I have to say good-bye on the last day of school. Now I have to get paper work completed and pack up my classroom for summer floor cleaning. I also was told that I am being moved to 3rd grade. So I will be including 3rd grade in on my blog. I am very anxious about this change. I have been in 2nd grade and the same classroom for 6 years. It has become very comfortable to me. I feel that this is the right time due to our county changing to Common Core this coming school year. So we all will be new to the curriculum and changes it offers. I have an awesome group of ladies that will be on the grade level with me. Once I have my new room setup and I have pacing guides and lesson made. I will then be ready to start a new year. One added bonus, I will hopefully have some of my students I had in 2nd grade in my 3rd grade class.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!!!!!

Facebook Page

Hi all and hope that your end of the school is coming successfully to an end. I am so ready for summer break but I have a lot of work ahead. Packing up room after finishing all of the paperwork. Training that I have to complete this summer for Common Core and Pinnacle. Then professional development at our Teaching and Learning Conference. My summer will be busy with all that and now I have decided to change up my classroom. It has been the same for 6 years. You can see the pictures in my classroom tour post below. So I in the stages of trying to figure out what I want it to be. I would love any suggestions, for a 2nd grade classroom.  But for now, I would love for you to come check out my Super Second Graders Facebook page.

I am trying to post related items about school, teaching, teacher tips, links to other blogs, and facebook pages. I would love for you to comment on post and share your expertise with me. Hoping to hear from you in the near future. Best summer to all and happy teaching for next year!!