Reading Group Introduction Special

We have been given our assigments for levels in reading and math next year.  Thank goodness I got my first choice on both.  I will be teaching the lowest level of reading and the on-level group of math.  Reading is REALLY my passion.  I love doing everything possible to spark the love of reading in those babies who are really struggling.  We are required to teach Instant Words in 2nd grade.  I made a game several years ago using the Ellison Die-cut.  Now that I have learned all about making items on the computer, I have made it into a game which can be found on my TPT store.

Right now you can get it for the introductory price of $5 until this weekend.   That is only 50 cents per game.

Here are all the games included...one for each month.  Rotten Apple has the first 100 words.  Each month progessively adds the next 100.  You can download Rotten Apple for free.

Each month is listed for sale separately in case you don't need the entire year to better fit your grade level.

Also, don't forget about getting your new classroom decorations for free, personalized and the theme of your choice by entering my giveaway.  Last day to enter is Friday.  Read how to enter by clicking on the picture.

Have a great one!

Cynthia

Most Memorable Moment Of 2011-12 School Year

I'm busy, busy, busy packing up my room.  I'm also joining up with

I would have to say my most memorable moment of 2011-2012 school year was not a good one.  On day 24 into the school year, on a Friday afternoon, 10 minutes before the dismissal bell we were informed that there would be a faculty meeting by the superintendent immediately after buses.  Well, we were expecting bad news since that's all we had had for several months, but we weren't expecting to have a bomb dropped on us.  However, he informed us that our principal and asst. principal had been removed from our school and on Monday morning we would have a new principal.  This was extremely shocking as we were completely blindsided by this as well as that they were both brand-new into their positions.  After 24 days...REALLY????  Yep, really...

Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a personalized, theme of your choice, Back-to-School unit.  Click on the picture for more details.

Cynthia

RELAX! I've Got You Covered GIVEAWAY!

Well, this is it this week..the end of the 2011-2012 school year.  Friday was the last student day and I have 4 post-planning days this week.  After Thursday (at 3:30 p.m. to be exact - ET) I have 11 weeks of summer to enjoy.  That's 55 days or if you include the weekends, about 80 before I have to go back.  I am so excited!!!

Of course, I have HUGE plans...

The summer's ahead. OH, WHAT FUN!!!
Camping, traveling, swimming, too,
Gardening, cleaning, and maybe the zoo.
Revivals, reunions, on picnics we'll go,
Hiking, biking, the yard to mow.
Fishing, water sports, we'll pack it all in.
Because, before you know it, we will be back to begin all over again!!

In case your plans involve getting ready for next year (and let's be honest, for most teachers school IS year round, even if you're not actually there in body!), I am having a small giveaway.  On Friday, May 25th, I will award TWO personalized BACK-TO-SCHOOL units.

Here is a preview of the types of items you will receive:

You will get to personalize with your name, special saying, etc. and also any theme you choose. 

You can visit my store to see the non-personalized ones which include bright colors (above), Cowboy, Monsters and Racing themes.  (Don't forget to become a follower of my store while you're over there.)

The most important question is...HOW do you win?  It's VERY Simple.  I will have two winners a new follower and a former follower of my blog.  To get your name entered into the drawing, you will need to:

 1)  Blog about my giveaway and post the below picture along with a link back to my blog. 

2)  Leave a comment that you did the above (tell me if you're a new follower) and what "theme" you think you would like. 

 (You will not be held to this theme if you decide to change your mind.  It just gives me an idea of what other types of themes I might should develop for my store.)

Good Luck!

Cynthia

TPT Shortcuts

WHOO!! HOO!!  Today is the last day of the school year.  While I'm busy celebrating, here is a WONDERFUL blog post from Michelle.  ENJOY!!!

Hi!  I'm Michelle from Teach123.   Cynthia invited me to be a guest blogger today.  Thank you Cynthia!

Do you ever run to your computer during your lunch break hoping to download a lesson quickly, but get completely overwhelmed with how many lessons are on TPT?  Your time is limited . . . .  you know TPT has some great stuff, but who has the time to sort through thousands of lessons!  Even if you go to your favorite seller's store, there are still too many lessons to sort through in a limited time.  With a few clicks here and there, you can use this shortcut and make better use of your time.

TPT SHORTCUTS:

1.  This shortcut works best if you have a favorite seller or two or three.   Always click "follow me"  if you like a seller's lessons.  The arrow is pointing to where you can find  "follow me".

2.  If you found a seller's store from a pin on pinterest or a link from the seller's blog, you are probably looking at a specific lesson.  You need to click on the seller's store name. The arrow is pointing to the name of the store.

3.   Once you are on the homepage of the seller's store, you will see box called "quick find".  You can search through that seller's store when you type in a few words to narrow your search.

4.  When I typed in "2nd grade" to the "quick find" box, I found 10 lessons in my store.

5.  If I narrow my search further, and type in 2nd grade common core", I find 7 lessons.

The biggest time saver is having a list of favorite TPT sellers.  There are currently 11,379 sellers on TPT.  Don't forget to click on the "follow me" when you find a seller that you like.  

Field Day and a Special Sale

Sorry I've been lacking lately.  I'm sure most of you are going through much of the same...the end of school.  While it is thrilling, it is also so TIRING!!!  lol 

However, just knowing that tomorrow is IT, has rejuvenated me enough to post about field day earlier this week.  Each of the eleven 2nd grade teachers chose an activity for field day.  Other than the bouncing/obstacle course, we tried to do everything else very simple to show students how to make their OWN outdoors fun.  (I'm sure you've seen the same...kids just don't know how to play outside anymore.) 

Well, my event was frisbees using plates.

In order to "fly" they must be the plastic.  They work the best.  I got 8 in a pack for $1 each at the Dollar Tree.

Here's some of my sweeties playing with the "frisbees."

The shoe toss was a BIG hit.  Students dangle one of their shoes on their toe.  On cue, they kick their foot to see how far the shoe will go.

See the purple frisbees?  They've got it flying good!

All of the 2nd graders getting instructions before we started.

As you can tell, the line was LONG for the first little while at the bouncy/obstacle course.  Gave the rest of us time to catch our breaths!

While I was out shopping, I found these ADORABLE flyswats at the checkout counter at Walmart.  Of course, they screamed "TPT idea" to me, so I just had to buy them!

This is what I made to go with them:

This game can be used for number recognition 0-20, addition facts fluency or subtraction facts fluency.  There are also some blank SPLAT cards to program for anything you wish. 

Click on the picture to grab it for just $1 . 25!

(And no, you don't need flyswatters to play.)

Tomorrow is the LAST DAY!!!  Did I mention that???  WHOO!!!  HOOO!!!!

Come back tomorrow to read my original poem.

Cynthia

Linky Party

Okay, today was field day and I am B-E-A-T, but realize it has been a few days since I've posted, so I'm joining Farley's linky party.  (Just found this and I am SO late for the month of May, but now that I now, I'll be doing it quicker in June!  I'll post all about our field day tomorrow...see you then!

Cynthia

A Freebie and Packing for the End of the School Year

What do you have to/want to/need to do before you can leave for the summer?  At my school, we have to have EVERYTHING packed up and put away so that the custodians can move all of the furniture out, strip the floors, deep clean, and wax the floors to prepare for the little darlings to scuff them up within the first week of returning.  hahaha... Seriously, sometimes, I wonder why they spend so much time and effort (and make us pack/unpack yearly). 

As a veteran teacher of 23 years, I have learned the more I do now, the easier it will be on me when I return to the most stressful time of the school year...PRE-PLANNING!   Here are some things that I am doing in preparation already...

1)  All new items for my walls, door, etc., I have already sent in for laminating.  Then I will only have to put them up during pre-planning.  I visited the Dollar Tree last week and saw these large cutouts in the teacher section.  I thought they would be cute to make a new birthday display.  Since we have not received money to spend in our classroom for several years, this was a cheap frugal way to get a cute updated one.

2)  I use fabric for my bulletin boards.  Then I do not have to worry about fading.  I go ahead and hang everything up.  If I am worried about dust, I just cover with bulletin board paper and then remove in the fall.  You can see that in the above pictures.  I also turn my calendar, schedule, et.al. pocket charts around toward the board.  They are all ready.  I just have to flip them back over come August! 

3)  This was my first year in this classroom and everything just kind of got shoved in during pre-planning last year because we couldn't get into the building during the summer, so I have been pulling out everything from the cabinets and organinzing my shelves by subjects/items.

4)  I have all copies ready for the first couple of weeks of school.

5)  I leave a space on one of the shelves empty for all of my desk items.  That is the FIRST thing I do when I return for pre-planning.

6)  I have students sort all of my books by levels or genres to make sure they are in the correct bin.  (I'll do that the last couple of days of school.)

7)  We prepared a 2nd grade supply list which will be copied and placed at Walmart for parents to use when purchasing.

8)  We are adopting the Whole Brain Teaching Behavior Management for 2nd grade next year.  I made the rules for all 2nd grade teachers.  We have them posted, ready to go.

I'm sure there are MANY more tidbits that will help everyone out, but I want to leave room for others.  SO, link up your post below telling how you prepare for next year now and what you are required to do for this year.  Be sure to grab the linky party picture to link back to my blog so we can all learn from each other. 

HAPPY PACKING!

AND for reaching 200 followers on my blog, here is a freebie to help you teach Collective Nouns next year (one of those new 2nd grade standards)!  Thanks so much for being a follower!  :-)

Cynthia

More Teacher Appreciation Gifts

I hope you are all feeling VERY appreciated this week.  We've been treated pretty nicely at my school.  Yesterday, we received a Chik-fil-a chicken biscuit for breakfast.  Today, we had a chocolate fountain with all sorts of dippable yummies!  Of course, I had to make a couple of trips to the room!  hahaha

For all of you, we had lots of freebies on our TPT stores on Sunday.  We've also been having a huge sale which will end tonight at midnight. 

I want you to continue feeling appreciated, so I am having a special on my store beginning now through Friday at midnight.

Cynthia

Teacher Appreciation Sale Continues

WOW!!!!  Wasn't yesterday a great day?  I hope you all checked in and joined in on the blog hop.  I got so many wonderful free products.  I found some new blogs and some new TPT stores also.  Since everyone was so nice, I felt the least I could (should) do was to become a follower of all those teachers nice enough to share.  I truly felt appreciated yesterday!!!!

I am joining the linky party over at Erica Bohrer's First Grade blog to see what everyone bought at TPT. 

Here are the awesome units I purchased today:

I bought both of these products from some new ladies I've recently discovered:

Fluttering Through First Grade

I'm so excited about both of these products!

Yvonne Dixon is another one of my favorite TPT sellers.  Here is the unit I purchased from her:

Another favorite seller of mine is Graphics From the Pond.  I got 3 products from her store:

Another cutie-patootie idea for teaching weather from The Bubbly Blonde:

I saw this product on Kristens' blog a couple of week's ago and had forgotten I had put it into my cart!  What a treat today when I started to make my purchases!  I am already thinking about how much fun it is going to add to my measurement unit next fall!

Join the fun!  What did you purchase today?

Click on the picture to visit my store

Thanks again for the new follwers and the nice comments.

Now, I'm going shopping AGAIN!  lol

Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week! 

Cynthia

Teacher Appreciation Jackpot!

I have VERY exciting news.  I am linking up with lots of other bloggers/fellow TPTers to offer all of you wonderful, special teachers a gift to begin Teacher Appreciation Week!  We all want to show our appreciation to all of you for believing in us and our products on Teachers Pay Teachers.

This will be a one day only event.  So mark your calendars now to come back on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 to take part of this HUGE blog-hop to take advantage of over 130 items that are normally priced being FREE for just the one day.  This will be an item that is normally for sale, but for this one very special day, will be absolutely FREE!!! 

My free product that I am offering is normally priced $4.00 and is my Racing Into Math Stations unit.

Click here to download.

I hope you'll consider becoming a follower of my blog and my TPT store.  You can find more links at the bottom of this post.

 

WOW!!!  OVER $600 worth FREE!!!  (Can you tell I'm all about the free? hahaha)

This wonderful idea needs to be credited to these 3 great ladies:

PK - Grade 2 - April McNair at A Modern Teacher

Grades 3 - 6 - Laura Candler at Corkboard Connections

Grades 7 - 12 -  Adriane Meldrum at The Tutor House

Click here to get a flyer to share with your school.  We want everyone to feel appreciated!  :-)

This Blog-Hopping Giveaway will kick off the big TpT's Teacher Appreciation Sale which also gets underway Sunday! For 3 days, you will receive 20% off every item in my store PLUS an extra 10% from TpT! That's a total of 28%!! Just use the code TAD12 at checkout!

Click here to go to my store.

 Also, let all of your teacher friends know about this sweet, sweet deal!  We just want to show all of you how much we appreciate you following our stores on TPT and purchasing items from us.

Catch the excitement and spread the news! Scroll down to see all the K-2nd blogs participating.  Don't forget to become a follower of all of these awesome bloggers.  :-)

Thanks,
Cynthia

Relay for Life

Our school has been very busy the past couple of weeks having fundraisers for Relay for Life.  Sadly, the parapro who works in the computer lab, just found out a few weeks ago that she has Breast Cancer, so that has upped it even more so.  The students love her and everyone wants to make a contribution.  This past week was cupcake wars.  The students were able to buy a cupcake each day for snack and then voted on their favorite cupcake design.  The winning teacher gets to go out for lunch one day.  Look at these cute designs!

I'm pretty sure pinterest has inspired quite a few of these!  lol

Does your school participate in raising money for Relay for Life?  What are some of the ideas you do to make money?

Cynthia