tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80493921425998795582024-03-15T20:09:56.743-05:00Confessions of a Primary TeacherThe Fabulous Life of a Primary Teacher - Tips, Tricks, and ThoughtsMrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-38801954755819663192016-06-14T11:55:00.000-05:002016-06-14T12:59:14.463-05:00Question of the Day - Great Way to Promote Writing and Get to Know Your Students Better<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Question of the Day is something both my students and I love doing in our class. Each day I post a question on my board. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">This is an "optional" question that students can answer if they want to. Sometimes the questions are silly, sometimes they're serious, sometimes they are about school, sometimes they are about home. I mix it up to keep it engaging and fun. Students are allowed to write their answers on sticky notes and then post their answers up on the board. I ask students to write their answers during any free time, Daily 5, or writing time. It is super fun to read their responses throughout the day. At the end of the day, we take 5 minutes right before we leave to read through all the answers. This gives the kiddos a chance to listen to their peers' responses and get to know each other better. I also learn a LOT about my students from doing this. Because this is an optional activity, I sweeten the pot a little bit by offering a fake penny to each student who writes an answer (we use a coin system to buy non-tangible rewards in my class). Then, I place all the answers in a cup or bucket and have my helper of the day draw 1 name out. That person gets a fake nickel as a "reward." This also gives me a chance to embed good sportsmanship opportunities. :-) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I've discovered that this is a really great way to build classroom community and climate. I learn a lot about my students, and I will often write my own answers too, and the students love learning about me. I invite visitors coming through to write responses also - the students get a kick out of that (i.e. other teachers, the principal, etc...)! This is one quick and easy way to integrate writing, speaking, and listening easily and quickly into the classroom, and it helps me to build relationships and positive classroom while only taking about 5 minutes of class time. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">The possibilities for how to use these questions are really quite endless. While I do mine on the board, you could make a bulletin board, you could have students write responses in notebooks or on iPads, you could have students share with partners by doing Mix n' Match or another cooperative learning strategy, you could use these as journal prompts, etc... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Thinking of the questions is always the hardest part about these. For a no-prep option, please see my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrskilby" target="_blank">TPT store</a> to download a whole set of questions (220 questions to choose from) already typed and prepped. All you have to do is print and cut in half! I've also included two different versions of the QOTD (question of the day) pennant banners I created to go with the questions. I will be throwing a sale on this item for 20% off now through Friday! Click <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Question-of-the-Day-for-a-Year-Pack-1-Year-220-Questions-writingclimate-2593443" target="_blank">HERE </a>or click the picture below:</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-58737284991427630202016-03-30T17:17:00.000-05:002016-03-30T17:17:29.489-05:00NWEA MAP RIT Goal Setting Sheets<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Does your school/district use MAP assessments to help monitor progress? Mine just recently went to this system. I love the immediate feedback that it gives. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">My students focus a lot on setting goals. I recently created these goal setting sheets as a simple way for my students to be tracking and setting goals in regards to taking their MAP assessments. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">People set goals in various ways. Some are more details than others. For my students' purposes, I created some simple sheets. These goal setting sheets are a great way for students to set personal goals when taking the MAP assessment by NWEA. I put these on TpT in case others could use them too! Teachers can print these out - 1 set per student. Students could either keep them in a binder or folder, or the teacher can shrink them down a little bit and have students cut/glue into a notebook (like a journal or goal setting notebook). Students will be (hopefully) motivated and kept accountable for their work by graphing, setting goals or action plans, and trying to track their progress. These goal setting sheets include both math and ELA.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Eventually, I'd love to break it down by area and have students track that too. Then students will know more specifically what areas they can celebrate and what areas they may need extra practice in. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">If you are interested in checking out my version, go to my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/NWEA-MAP-RIT-Goal-Setting-Sheets-for-Students-2474464" target="_blank">TpT store</a>, or feel free to use this idea in your own classroom. :-) Click below <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/NWEA-MAP-RIT-Goal-Setting-Sheets-for-Students-2474464" target="_blank">HERE </a>or click the picture below to access the product. </span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-71308639544666462452015-08-23T17:25:00.000-05:002015-08-23T17:25:15.193-05:00iPad Expert Application<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I created this application to have my students "apply" for the job of iPad Expert (or Manager). I seriously had the cutest responses ever. I had one girl write that she wanted this job because it would be her first job ever, and she said that if she were to be hired, it would give her experience for later in life for more jobs. After handing out applications to whomever wanted one, I then "interviewed" the applicants. This was such a great way to incorporate writing and justifying in the classroom. I was able to see who actually wanted the job bad enough to fill out the 2 page application! Again, while I was interviewing students, I got some pretty adorable responses. I asked one girl if her parents knew that she listed them as references and what they thought about it. She said that her parents thought she was too young for a job, but they were happy for her anyway. Too cute! :-) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Check out my version at my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/iPad-Expert-Application-2051862" target="_blank">TpT store</a>, or feel free to use this idea in your own classroom. It's a great tool, and you will be highly amused by the responses you get! Click <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/iPad-Expert-Application-2051862" target="_blank">HERE </a>or click the picture below.</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-61906953861682429072015-06-08T15:47:00.000-05:002015-06-08T16:03:03.579-05:00Summer Earnings<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">I know it has been awhile since I've posted anything on here. I haven't even worked on anything new in my TPT store in forever either. What have I been busy with? Well, last year I made a switch. I switched from primary to intermediate!!!! After 9 years of teaching 1st or 2nd grade, I was moved up to 4th grade! Luckily, I am someone who loves change, so it ended up being a great change for me. I will always have a special spot in my heart for primary students and grades, but I've definitely made the big jump up, and I'm really enjoying it! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;"> This summer, I am not only working on some committees for my school district, but I'm also working hard at my "second job." My second job is to work from home earning points that can be turned into gift cards and/or cash! This is awesome, because I can sit around in my lounging clothes, watch tv or listen to the radio, and click and earn away. I then use the money and/or gift cards I earn for school supplies, treats for myself, date nights with my husband, etc... My friend had a great idea to purchase all of her beginning of year supplies this summer, using Amazon money from some of these websites. I think that is a fantastic idea, and it will certainly help my budget come August! However, I also think one should #treatyoself! and enjoy a special treat every now and then, so I hope you all do that too. :-)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">I will post the top 5 various apps and websites I use below. Please be sure to click and sign up with my links, as I do sometimes get referral points. Enjoy, and I hope you are all doing something fabulous with your summer breaks! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;"> #1 - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.swagbucks.com/refer/hoops3jds" target="_blank">Swagbucks</a> - This website is my #1 way to make money! First, you have daily tasks to do for points. These tasks are located on the left hand side, and they are there every day. Then, <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/hoops3jds" target="_blank">Swagbucks </a>rewards you and give you points randomly for every few searches. There is no rhyme or reason to when they award you points, so don't bother trying to figure it out. It is completely random. Next, they have a section to fill out surveys and earn points. This is a huge point builder!!! Finally, they have 4 apps that you can download onto your phone or device to run and play videos. Playing a set number of videos will earn you points. I will have to have a day or time when I can sit down and outline in detail all of my <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/hoops3jds" target="_blank">Swagbuck</a> tricks, but send me a message if you ever need help. I get anywhere between 50-300 points a day, depending how vigilant I am about it. Every 100 pts is equivalent to $1, and the points build up fast. Their reward catalog is huge, and they have a TON of great options for gift cards - both in store names and in denominations. Please check this out, as this website is seriously the easiest way to make extra money!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">#2 - <a href="https://www.bing.com/explore/rewards?PUBL=REFERAFRIEND&CREA=RAW&rrid=_9fa3b2a8-ccfb-dd73-5957-48997d42b509" target="_blank">Bing Rewards</a> - This website is simply the <a href="https://www.bing.com/explore/rewards?PUBL=REFERAFRIEND&CREA=RAW&rrid=_9fa3b2a8-ccfb-dd73-5957-48997d42b509" target="_blank">Bing </a>website, but they have daily tasks, and then they reward you points for # of searches. I always make sure to get my set number of searches in each day!!! This <a href="https://www.bing.com/explore/rewards?PUBL=REFERAFRIEND&CREA=RAW&rrid=_9fa3b2a8-ccfb-dd73-5957-48997d42b509" target="_blank">website </a>takes a little bit longer to build up points, and their reward catalog is not as extensive, but it is still worth it. I signed both my husband and myself up for the reward program (I must admit, I do the searches for him though...), and between our two accounts, I earn a $5 Starbucks gift card every month or so. It doesn't sound like much, but it builds up, and my (<strike>husband</strike>) coffee budget thanks me for it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#3 - <a href="https://ibotta.com/r/co5sq" target="_blank">Ibotta</a> - I love this <a href="https://ibotta.com/r/co5sq" target="_blank">app</a>! It took me a couple years actually to really get into it. I think that they've really improved and added quite a lot of coupons and cash back </span>opportunities<span style="font-family: inherit;"> over the last couple years. This app is one you download onto your phone. Then, you can look at the different rebates available. They are sorted by category, and then they are sorted by store. The rebates are "unlocked" by completing quick and simple tasks (answer a question, watch a short video, read and learn a new fact, etc...). While you are shopping, or after you are done, you choose the rebates you would like to redeem for, scan the UPC code, and usually take a picture of your receipt (the Wal-Mart one you scan the QR code on the receipt and the Price Chopper one you have to swipe your loyalty card). Ibotta then finalizes and makes sure you have the correct items, and they let you know if you've qualified for the cash back. The cash back builds up in your account, and you can either redeem it (once it reaches $10) for gift cards or PayPal money. Brilliant! It's free cash back on stuff you would already buy! Again, I like to either get Starbucks gift cards, Amazon gift cards, or straight PayPal cash for my summer social fund. :-) You can either download this app and enter the code: "</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #5f4942; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.5px; line-height: 27.8571147918701px;">co5sq</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #5f4942; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.5px; line-height: 27.8571147918701px;"> </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">or you can go to the <a href="https://ibotta.com/r/co5sq" target="_blank">ibotta </a>website <a href="https://ibotta.com/r/co5sq" target="_blank">here</a>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #5f4942; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.5px; line-height: 27.8571147918701px;">https://ibotta.com/r/co5sq </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">#4 - <a href="http://app.receipthog.com/r/tect6935" target="_blank">Receipt Hog</a> - This is another great <a href="http://app.receipthog.com/r/tect6935" target="_blank">app</a>. This app does take a while to build up money, but once you have enough "coins" (that is what they use instead of points), you can redeem them for PayPal cash! To use this app, download to your phone, and snap photos of receipts for purchases you have made any retailers that sell groceries, health items, and/or beauty products (i.e. grocery stores, club stores, convenience stores, pet stores, dollar stores, drug stores, etc...). They have also started accepting receipts for non-grocery stores such as clothing/department stores, electronics stores, home furnishing stores, office supply stores, and/or home improvement stores! Again, you are already out there buying groceries and making other purchases. Why not make money while doing it?! To download, simply go to your app stores and search for <a href="http://app.receipthog.com/r/tect6935" target="_blank">Receipt Hog</a>. Enter the code "</span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">tect6935</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">" when prompted. You can also go to the <a href="http://app.receipthog.com/r/tect6935" target="_blank">Recipt Hog </a>website <a href="http://app.receipthog.com/r/tect6935" target="_blank">here</a>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b95ff; font-family: proxima_novalight, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://app.receipthog.com/r/tect6935</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">#5 - <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=qY9TJ1xvrYcrDqiFMq09Kg%3D%3D&eeid=26471" target="_blank">Ebates </a>- This website is excellent to use if you are anything like me and avoid the holiday crowds like the plague. I shop for almost all of my gifts online. 1) I'm usually too busy and lazy, and I HATE running errands. 2) Crowds give me a headache to be around. 3) I can earn cash back if I shop from home. 4) Again, I'm too busy/tired/lazy. See how that works? :-) <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=qY9TJ1xvrYcrDqiFMq09Kg%3D%3D&eeid=26471" target="_blank">Ebates </a>is a website that will give you a percentage of cash back depending on the retailer and the amount you spent on your purchase. To earn your cash back, however, you have to go to their website, find the store that you'd like to shop at, and click the link to "open" a new shopping trip that will qualify for cash back. To use my referral link, click <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=qY9TJ1xvrYcrDqiFMq09Kg%3D%3D&eeid=26471" target="_blank">HERE</a>, or go to: </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=qY9TJ1xvrYcrDqiFMq09Kg%3D%3D&eeid=26471<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">This list is certainly not all-inclusive, as I use a few other ones also. I will have to get my friend to send me her referral info for some of the others I use that she told me about. Let me know if you have any questions, and happy back to school shopping/treat yoself shopping/whatever shopping! Enjoy those points!</span></div>
Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-74158865547859824112013-09-22T19:00:00.000-05:002013-09-22T19:00:06.197-05:00Smile Makers<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I teach in a Title I school with a large percentage of ELL students. While there are many challenges about teaching in this type of environment (and I've taught in both Title I and non-Title I schools), I do love it. I love the students, and that is something I feel passionate about - Title schools need passionate people! A lot of times when I'm dealing with frustrations, I have to remind myself that it isn't the students at all. A lot of times it's figuring out a way to work with other adults and follow through with communication, and that is a very good skill to know, regardless of the profession or what environment you are working in. These kids come from backgrounds that many of us will never know or understand, and school is their safe place. It is our job to provide a positive, structured atmosphere and to expect what others will not out of these kids. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Anyway, off my soapbox now. :-) One strategy for working with ELL students is to label the classroom. In the past, I've had to create my own labels - type them, laminate them, cut them, and hot glue or tape them, all around the classroom. This year, thanks to <a href="http://www.smilemakers.com/" target="_blank">SmileMakers</a>, I received labeling stickers that are reusable! I love this product, and it makes it so easy to label the classroom. The lettering is large, so students can see from a distance, and it is easily readable with a nice, clear font. Additionally, the labels have not only the word, but they have a picture also. So perfect for ELL and emergent readers!!! The coolest thing is that the pack came with a large selection, and then I could pick which labels I wanted to use! The rest I've put in my closet for another year. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Click the picture below if you'd like to order a set of these labels, or click <a href="http://www.smilemakers.com/shop-by-product/education/popular-brands/carson-dellosa/SCH2763.html#.Uj4aRcZJ4rx" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">SmileMakers has a great teacher reward program, and they have a nice selection of top quality classroom products. They have a nice deal going right now, only until September 27. To receive 10% off, no minimum order, use code: <b>SMILE25 </b> and click <a href="http://www.smilemakers.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>, or click the picture below!</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-62915121463906863322013-09-21T16:32:00.000-05:002013-09-21T16:32:37.670-05:00Phonemic Segmentation Cards<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Wow it's been a busy school year thus far! I hope you all are off to a great start. I have been so thankful and impressed by the power of Pinterest, other teacher blogs, and Teachers Pay Teachers. We have worked so hard, and our 2nd grade hallway looks absolutely fabulous thanks a bunch to ideas found on Pinterest! </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fx94OcTBk00/Uj4HsMyH7CI/AAAAAAAAAuE/Pt-X9Poyvo4/s1600/2013-08-30+14.45.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fx94OcTBk00/Uj4HsMyH7CI/AAAAAAAAAuE/Pt-X9Poyvo4/s320/2013-08-30+14.45.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/281475045433826602/" target="_blank">Oh the Places You'll Go - Goal Writing</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/281475045433761052/" target="_blank">Best Part of Me Writing</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/281475045433716460/" target="_blank">All About Me Pennants</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/276830708317891182/" target="_blank">In Our Classroom Poster - Class Rules</a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">In other news, I've created a new TpT product: <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phonemic-Segmenting-Cards-for-Primary-Grades-phoneme-segmentation-883341" target="_blank">Phonemic Segmentation Cards</a>. Almost all of my products come from a need/necessity in my own classroom, so the coolest thing is that every product has been kid tested and teacher approved! These cards were developed for use in my guided reading groups, but you could really use them any time. This is the first year in a loooong time that I've had such a high group of emergent readers in 2nd grade, so I feel like I've been learning a LOT about pre-emergent and emergent readers - something I haven't really dealt with in quite a while, even when I was looping and teaching 1st grade also! I enjoy learning, so that's a plus. :-) I feel like Jan Richardson (the author), my kindergarten teacher friends, and the title I reading teacher have kind of been my go to gurus this year! Thank goodness for these awesome ladies! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Anyway, my sweet little pre-emergent/emergent readers are struggling to segment words, so that is why I created these cards. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">Students can use these to practice phonemic segmentation. The dots underneath each sound are provided to guide students to put their finger and touch and say each sound. After saying each sound, students will then blend the sounds together to read the word. These cards are designed to help students practice 1:1 correspondence with segmenting sounds. These cards can be used in a variety of ways: parent volunteers, guided reading, literacy centers, flashcards, etc... I copied these cards, laminated, and put them on a ring to have my students work on segmenting during guided reading. Please let me know if you have any questions! Hope these cards are helpful for your students who are working on sounds during guided reading or any other time!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">To download these cards, click <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phonemic-Segmenting-Cards-for-Primary-Grades-phoneme-segmentation-883341" target="_blank">HERE </a>or click the picture below:</span></span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-66435106364103851412013-09-02T20:00:00.000-05:002013-09-02T20:00:14.118-05:00"Autumn" by Emily Dickinson - a 2nd grade poetry mini unit aligned with CCSS <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">It's a brand new school year, and I'm so excited to have some time to make some fresh lesson plans aligned with Common Core! I've had a nice start to the school year, and I hope you have too. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I just posted a new mini-unit in my <a href="http://teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrskilby" target="_blank">Teachers Pay Teachers store</a>. This unit uses the exemplar text, "Autumn". "Autumn" is a poem by Emily Dickinson, and it is the perfect poem to use right now at the beginning of the school year. The text can also be found on the CCCSS website in Appendix B. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Included, you will find the following items and resources in my mini-unit:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">To purchase and download the zipped file, please go to my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/2nd-Grade-Mini-Unit-Using-CCSS-Exemplar-Text-Autumn-Poem-by-Emily-Dickinson-858537" target="_blank">TpT stor</a>e or <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/2nd-Grade-Mini-Unit-Using-CCSS-Exemplar-Text-Autumn-Poem-by-Emily-Dickinson-858537" target="_blank">click HERE</a>. You can also click the picture below:</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-88302264924378706112013-08-16T07:28:00.002-05:002013-08-16T13:37:00.584-05:00Giant Back to School TpT Sale<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">And a brand new year has started! This weekend is the annual ginormous TpT Back to School Sale, so don't miss out! It runs from August 18-August 19 (Sunday and Monday). Click on the picture below to head over to my store, or click <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrskilby" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Don't forget to use the promo code: BTS13 at checkout to receive 28% off all items. :-) </span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-45539679881436847492013-07-23T16:54:00.003-05:002013-07-23T16:55:26.515-05:00Find Someone Who - Back to School Edition<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow, the summer blew by. What a busy summer it's been! I had all these grandiose plans for working on some TpT units, and alas, it just didn't happen. Oh well! I'm now starting to think about school again, *gasp*! Anyway, I'm hoping to get some school stuff done for the beginning of the year, and I will hopefully be posting more regularly again soon!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Awhile back I posted a Find Someone Who activity for the end of the year, just before summer break. Today I created one for the beginning of the year! Anyone who knows me knows I love using this cooperative learning structure, as you can use it for just about everything, and it keeps students accountable and gets them talking and interacting with each other (very important for any class, but especially when I have such a high ELL population). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For this activity, simply download and print a copy for every student in the class. This is a great (and simple) back to school activity for team building and breaking the ice for the students. Students will walk around the room, meet their fellow classmates, and talk to them to find out if they fit any of the categories or boxes. Then, if a student finds another student who fits, he/she will have the other student sign his/her name or initials in the box. The goal is to fill the sheet with names. When done, the teacher can go over them all together. this could then lead into a graphing activity or further discussion. Enjoy this free download by clicking <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Find-Someone-Who-Back-to-School-Edition-787350" target="_blank">HERE </a>or clicking the picture below. Have a great start to your school year! :-) </span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-60495105049452218612013-04-22T16:00:00.000-05:002013-04-22T16:00:02.211-05:00Opinion Writing<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I am on a writing kick I've noticed. However, I really feel like the students have done a great job with writing this year, and I feel like they really understand the writing process. We've amped up the amount of writing the kiddos are doing in all subject areas, and it shows. Makes a teacher proud! :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Anyway, we've informally done opinion writing all year, but we started a formal unit on it just recently. Here is the anchor chart we made for opinion writing:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I'm excited to see how their writing turns out. They were allowed to write about whatever topic they chose. More pictures to come later! </span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-50913582342005927062013-04-15T16:00:00.000-05:002013-04-15T16:00:04.718-05:00Owl Moon and Descriptive Writing<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Happy Monday! We recently finished a unit in shared reading using the book <u>Owl Moon</u>. This book is such a great book for helping students practice visualizing, helping them to use and apply context clues, and helping them to identify descriptive words. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">With common core, we are integrating even more writing. My students had to read the story and visualize what was happening at different point within the story. They then drew a quick pic of what they were visualizing and wrote a sentence to describe their quick pics. Then, we close read the story to find out more information about our text dependent questions. We had a book talk to discuss the story and to choose lines from the book that really spoke to us and that were powerful to the story. My students had awesome thoughts, and it's always so cool to see them analyzing a book at such a young age! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">After reading the book, we then went back and close read again to find examples of descriptive words. The students worked together to find examples and to create a list of descriptive words. There were a ton in this book! We talked about how those descriptive words can help readers paint a picture in their heads and that they help readers to use their 5 senses to imagine that they were there in the book. I found an awesome owl craftivity on Amy Lemons' TpT website that was free <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Owl-Craftivity" target="_blank">(check it out HERE)</a>, and I printed it on cardstock. I then traced the body of the owl on lined paper and made enough copies for each child. The students then took what they learned about descriptive writing to write Who Am I riddles. They had to write about themselves using descriptive words, and then they were able to put together the owl craftivity and color it. I then stapled it on top of their writing, and hung them on the back bulletin board. The kiddos love reading them during Daily 5 time to try to figure out whose is whose! See the pictures below! :-) The kiddos did a super job, and we will continue to work on using descriptive words in our writing!</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-50623064630053153222013-04-12T08:22:00.000-05:002013-04-12T08:22:08.882-05:00Animal Research Revisited<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Well, as some of you have noticed, I took a mini-hiatus from blogging and TpT. There really wasn't any particular reason, I just was enjoying some me time I guess. The hubby started a new position a few months ago, and he has his nights and weekends free now (this was quite a rarity in days of past), so we have just been nesting and enjoying spending time together, eating dinner together every night, and taking walks each evening! Anyway, I had a reader actually e-mail me to check on me and see if everything was ok since I hadn't blogged in a while. I thought that was so sweet, and it's nice to know that people are out there reading my posts, so thank you Tabitha!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Well, I think I had posted a while back about my animal research project informational writing unit that I had on TpT <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Informational-Writing-Animal-Research-Project-for-Primary-Students-Grades-1-3" target="_blank">(go here to check it out)</a>. This unit was made out of necessity, as my own kiddos were working on this during writing a while ago. I just realized the other day that I never posted pics, so here they are!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">The kiddos did a terrific job. It's so fun to see them take a piece of writing through the writing process and to see the final results! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Anyway, have a terrific weekend, and now that I'm officially back, be expecting more posts next week!</span></div>
Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-75701262791994805022013-02-14T13:32:00.002-06:002013-02-14T13:32:56.149-06:00Happy Valentine's Day!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Ah the day of love has arrived. :-) I'm happy to say that our class parties were done with a couple days ago due to parent-teacher conferences this week. That is enough of a Valentine's gift in and of itself!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">One of the things we've really been working on with Common Core ELA is having students justify their answers and thinking. It's been fun seeing how well our students are doing with this. The kids are really growing and maturing in their thinking, and they are truly rising to the occasion. So much so, that justifying their answers has kind of carried over into everything else, and the students are now in a bit of a habit! Take a look at this cute drawing one of my students made for me:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">How sweet is it that he not only said he loves me and called me the best teacher - <strike>instant A</strike> - ha, but he explained his answer and said WHY I'm the best ever (because I SOMETIMES fix problems - gotta love that)! Love that justifications are carrying over into everyday explanations. :-)</span></div>
Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-76864446574661481862013-02-07T07:40:00.000-06:002013-02-07T07:40:32.979-06:00The Simplest of Things<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Well, we've finally finished up our units on double digit addition and subtraction with regrouping (a HUGE part of 2nd grade math) - YAY! Here is one of our math anchor charts:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Common core has actually made teaching regrouping just that much easier, as students are really delving deep and making their own understanding and connections. I love having "math talks" in the classroom and hearing students explain their thinking and reasoning. We are always discussing various strategies, and it's fun to see students hear other kids and how they may have solved a problem in a different way. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Anyway, we've started our unit on place value to 1,000, and our lesson yesterday was focused on having students find number patterns and skip count by 5's, 10's, and 100's. At the end of our lesson time, we played a little game. First, I had a 5's/10's/100's spinner on the board. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">After having a kiddo come up and spin the spinner, I would make up a number pattern based on what the spinner showed. The students would then have to either continue the number pattern or find the missing number. They would write their answer in shaving cream on their desk, and then they'd discuss with a partner and <i>justify</i> their answers (love that my 2nd graders are using that word and know what it means!). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: center;">Such a simple activity I know, but it was motivating, fun, engaging, and it got the students talking and discussing. Sometimes we as teachers need to remember that it can be the simplest of things that can be the most effective. :-)</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-48838146832106188862013-01-29T08:28:00.001-06:002013-01-29T08:28:38.888-06:00TpT - SUNDAY SUPER SALE and Referral<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">So Teachers Pay Teachers has been quite a ride for me. I have been a part of this website for about a year now, and I am absolutely AMAZED at the growth my store has had. I started out very very small, and it's just blown up from there. I was shocked to receive my check in the mail this last quarter (first time to get an actual check instead of a PayPal deposit - when it's over $500 you get a check to save on the PayPal percentage), as it was enough to pay half of our house taxes for the year!!! How awesome is that??!! And all from just sharing resources I've created for my own classroom that I'm already doing anyway. I absolutely love that people are using the resources I've created and are implementing them and seeing success. That is a truly great feeling. I love sharing anyway, and TpT has been an avenue for me to do that and to make a little extra "stipend" money on the side. I would highly recommend any of you who've been thinking about joining and just haven't yet to take the plunge. Click <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Signup/referral:mrskilby" target="_blank">HERE </a>or click the link below or the picture below to sign up and start selling!!! It does take a little bit of time to build your store, but once you do, you'll be amazed at how fast it grows each quarter. </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Signup/referral:mrskilby" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="62" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2KRHoQftw6c/UQfaDm4APhI/AAAAAAAAApA/1aeAQQ7asUs/s320/tpt-logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: start;">https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Signup/referral:mrskilby</strong></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Speaking of TpT, they are having a Sunday Super Sale to coincide with Super Bowl on Sunday, February 3, 2013. Be sure to visit my store on Sunday, and you will be able to able to get 28% off anything in my entire store! The promo code is: SUPER. Click <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrskilby" target="_blank">HERE </a>or click the picture below to take a look around my store! :-)</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-64975910193809556772013-01-27T16:30:00.001-06:002013-01-27T16:30:27.582-06:00Ack Where Has the Year Gone???<div align="center">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I can't believe it's already almost February. Where in the world has the year gone??? I hope you've all had a great start to 2013 and to the Spring semester. We've kind of hit the ground running, and it's been busy busy busy! :-) We're already gearing up for conferences in a few weeks. I'm sure you've all seen this on Pinterest and "around", but I love this:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I plan on making a copy for parents to hand out at conferences. What a powerful visual to help parents understand why we teachers ask students to read for 20 minutes a night!!!</span></div>
Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-83410224774893045182012-12-07T20:24:00.000-06:002012-12-07T20:29:10.209-06:00Comparing and Contrasting<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">We've spent the last week working on comparing and contrasting during Instructional Focus. The standard(s) addressed are: 2.RL.9 - Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures. and 2.RIT.9 - Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I started out small, by first just going over what comparing and contrasting means and what it looks like. Here is our anchor chart:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Then, I had the students compare/contrast our school librarian and myself. We made a giant venn diagram (not one of my prettiest pieces of art, but hey, it works), and students wrote their thoughts on sticky notes and added it to the large venn diagram. Some of the answers were so cute. One of my personal favorites, "They both are good techers." :-) My heart is smiling for both the comment and the spelling!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Next, students were put in pairs and compared each other. After filling out a venn diagram, students had to write about their similarities/differences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The following day, we read two books, <u>The Three Billy Goats Gruff</u> and <u>The Three Silly Girls Grubb</u>. Students then had to compare and contrast the different versions of the story. To do this, students filled out a comparison organizer and wrote about the similarities and differences. Check it out below!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FvD42c7l9bQ/UMKjAtVdwhI/AAAAAAAAAn0/2U8cw5D2-bg/s1600/SAM_0938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FvD42c7l9bQ/UMKjAtVdwhI/AAAAAAAAAn0/2U8cw5D2-bg/s320/SAM_0938.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The final activity we did this week was to read 2 different versions of informational text selections on bats. Students had to compare and contrast the two texts using the bat organizer. They then had to write about the similarities and differences. Here is an example of how this turned out:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zptiIWapEwA/UMKkMkQnCfI/AAAAAAAAAoE/7OO4pG62l7c/s1600/SAM_0945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zptiIWapEwA/UMKkMkQnCfI/AAAAAAAAAoE/7OO4pG62l7c/s320/SAM_0945.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Overall, it was a great set of standards to focus on for the week, and the kiddos loved the activities that went with it, and they seemed to really do well and learn a lot about comparing and contrasting. Another successful week down (two more to go until break, but who's counting???)! :-)</span></span></div>
Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-71504917625032371322012-11-26T07:45:00.002-06:002012-11-26T07:45:30.506-06:00Cyber Monday is Here!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Head on over to my TpT store to get up to 28% off any and all of my products!!! Be sure to use the promo code: CMT12</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrskilby" target="_blank">Click HERE </a>or click the picture below to see my store. Happy Monday!</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-82608879866566367442012-11-20T07:48:00.004-06:002012-11-20T07:49:14.730-06:00Thankful<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Happy last day before Thanksgiving Break! :-) In the spirit of the season, I am so thankful for many many things, but here are a few:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">1. My friends and family</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">2. Having a job where I can teach and make a difference</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">3. The freedom to pursue an avenue of sharing and personal professional development</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">4. Having a few days off to relax, recharge, and enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Thanks so much for following my posts and being a part of sharing ideas - this is why I got into blogging in the first place. I know I haven't been as on top of my blogging this semester, but I will get better. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Today we are having our Thanksgiving feast. We supply a turkey, and the rest is brought in by our students and their families. It is always such a fun thing. I will post more about it later!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">In the meantime, next Monday-Tuesday (November 26 & 27), I will be having a Cyber Monday + Tuesday sale in my TpT store! Combined with TpT's sale, you can get up to 28% off!!! Definitely come check it out! <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrskilby" target="_blank">Click HERE</a> or click the picture below to head to my store and check out all the great items. You will need to enter the promo code listed on the picture to get the full 28% off. Let me know if you have any questions!</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-17081492430545282082012-11-06T17:23:00.000-06:002012-11-06T17:29:31.780-06:00TpT Safety Unit - Safety/Traffic Signs and Symbols, Stranger Danger, Bike Safety, and Car Safety<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">Happy Election Day! I'm so thankful for polling places opening early, because I was able to get in and vote before school today - woohoo for not having to go mess with that after school, because I am EXHAUSTED tonight! It was cute today to see how excited our students were today about Election Day. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">Anyway, I have a <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Safety-Unit-for-the-Primary-Grades" target="_blank">new TpT unit up for sale</a> in my store! <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">This unit for primary age range includes lessons addressing awareness of traffic and safety signs and symbols, stranger danger, car safety, and bike safety. This unit has been teacher tested and taught at the first and second grade level.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"> :-)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">*This unit is meant to be a resource for you, the teacher. While you are welcome to follow it as outlined, feel free to supplement with your social studies text, outside videos (such as United Streaming), and/or other books. Also, depending on your social studies block, some of these lessons you may have to extend beyond on day if you don’t have as much time for social studies. I hope you can use the items in this unit as a guide/resource for you.</span></span></div>
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Along with 8 days of lesson plans/descriptions of activities, this unit includes:</div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-"safety" vocabulary card</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-safety unit anticipation guide</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-safety and traffic sign posters</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-safety and traffic sign powerpoint</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-traffic and safety sign tic-tac-toe boards (2)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-traffic lights poem</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-stranger danger role-play/scenario cards</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-stranger danger bingo with questions</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-dream bicycle helmet writing paper</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-flip book template</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;">-safety unit 4-in-a-row game</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">This file is a zipped file, and you will receive the full unit plans and the powerpoint. I also included many of the pdf files, even though they are in the unit plans. </span></span></div>
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Please let me know if you have any questions at all! To purchase, please click <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Safety-Unit-for-the-Primary-Grades" target="_blank">HERE </a>or click on the picture below.</div>
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</span></span>Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-67514931710244284652012-11-04T12:44:00.000-06:002012-11-04T12:48:06.824-06:00Free Terrible Turkey - Subtracting Tens Game and Weekly Dinner Planner<div align="center">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Ummmm. Wow. November is here, and while it doesn't <em>feel</em> like November, it certainly is. There are exactly 2 weeks and 2 school days until Thanksgiving break. Where has the year gone??</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">This is the time of year that I start feeling busy and like life is a little crazy. Our past few weekends have been filled with weddings, birthday celebrations, trips out of town, etc..., so this weekend felt like heaven. We met a couple friends out on Friday for dinner, I went post-Halloween shopping and to lunch with another friend yesterday, after I got home I did absolutely NOTHING, and then today I woke up early and did my grocery shopping for the week, cleaned the kitchen, and did a pile of the mountain of laundry that has built up. So, it's been quite a productive and fabulous weekend. :-) Speaking of which, because I feel like I'm losing my mind at the moment, I've come up with a weekly dinner menu planner to keep at least that part of my life sane. Feel free to download a copy if you like! To download, <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5iECqL9FXwzTGtRUGxDam1zd0E" target="_blank">click HERE</a> or click the picture below to go to the file on Google Docs. Then, go to File, Download, and download a copy for yourself! It's amazing how such a simple document can make life that much easier. I print a copy, write in my dishes, fill out the shopping list, attach copies of each recipe (if using), and go shopping! Very simple, but very handy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5iECqL9FXwzTGtRUGxDam1zd0E" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UnSTxIeHhWw/UJa1VVk4txI/AAAAAAAAAlk/EiBUcudvMbA/s320/Weekly+Menu+Planner.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">I have another math freebie for you today also. Someday, when I have a life again, ha, I will be posting some more TpT units for sale, but for now, you get a math game freebie. I want to thank you all for your support, comments, and feedback on both my teaching blog and my TpT store. I am absolutely amazed at how each has grown over the past year. This hobby and passion for sharing has turned into more than I could have ever imagined. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Anyway, in math, we have been learning all about mental addition and mental subtraction. I created the following game for students to practice subtracting tens. </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">To play this game, put students in groups of 2-3. Each group will get a set of cards (print on cardstock and laminate for best results). The cards will go in the middle of the circle. Each player will take turns drawing a card and solving the subtraction problem listed. The other students will also solve the problem to check the answer. If the student gets the problem correct, he/she gets to keep the card. If a student draws a “Terrible Turkey” card, he/she will say, “TERRIBLE TURKEY”. Everyone must then put all of their cards back into the pile, and the game starts over. To download a copy, <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Terrible-Turkey-Subtracting-Tens-Game" target="_blank">click HERE</a>, or click the picture below to go to my TpT store and <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Terrible-Turkey-Subtracting-Tens-Game" target="_blank">download for FREE</a>!!! </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Terrible-Turkey-Subtracting-Tens-Game" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PGiLiGgigBQ/UJa3RR7YjOI/AAAAAAAAAls/ZqNhy7orHBE/s320/Terrible+Turkey+Subtracting+Tens+Game.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-5229481231998685402012-10-17T18:45:00.000-05:002012-10-17T18:45:00.474-05:00"Pumpkin Smash" - a free 2nd grade sight word game<div align="center">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Holy moly. How is it already parent-teacher conference time??? This school year has flown by on the wings of crazy. Anyway, in honor of conferences and all that goes with this time of year (being too busy, having a million things on your mind, etc...), I have a freebie sight word game for you. This one is called "Pumpkin Smash", and my kiddos got a kick out of it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'DJ Basic'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">To prepare this game, copy it on cardstock and/or laminate and cut apart. Each group will get a stack of cards.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'DJ Basic'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Students will shuffle the cards and lay them out, facedown, on the table or ground in front of them. Students will then take turns to play. When it is a student’s turn, he/she will choose a card, and he/she will read the word aloud. That student will then continue to draw cards, reading each word, until he/she gets a pumpkin card. If a student picks a pumpkin card, he/she says, “PUMPKIN SMASH!” (some students seem to think this is hilarious - how little it takes to entertain a 7 year old...), and it is the end of his/her turn, and the next player will go. Play continues until all of the cards have been chosen. The person with the most cards is the winner! They seem to think it's pretty funny when a student will draw a pumpkin card right away. Dear me...</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: 'DJ Basic'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;">Hope your students enjoy this game as much as mine do. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'DJ Basic'; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'DJ Basic'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: 'DJ Basic'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;"> This is a great game to use for word work during Daily 5 or guided reading, or students could practice it at home or play it together any other time.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: 'DJ Basic'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;">Enjoy! To download, <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkin-Smash-a-free-2nd-grade-sight-word-game" target="_blank">click HERE</a>, or click the picture below.</span></span></span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-34957906248152861702012-10-11T07:44:00.002-05:002012-10-11T07:44:57.686-05:00Free Pumpkin Thief 1 Before and 1 After Game<div align="center">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Happy Thursday! We our taking our sweeties to the Pumpkin Patch today - so excited! I just love going to the pumpkin patch, and taking the students and seeing their joy and excitement makes it so fun. We have a great day ahead! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Anyway, here is a math game freebie! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">This game is to be used for helping students practice 1 more and 1 less (1 before and 1 after) with a hundreds chart. <br /><br />To play, each student will place his/her chip on "Start." They will take turns flipping a red/yellow counter. If the counter lands on red, the player will move 1 spot. If he/she lands on yellow, the player will move 2 spots. For whatever number the player lands on, he/she must say the number before and the number after, and the other player should check his/her answer. If a player lands on "Splat", he/she loses his/her her turn (I tell them that means they dropped their pumpkin). If they land on a "Hidden Passage" spot, they get to take the shortcut down the arrow. The first person to make it to the square marked "Finish" is the winner (we always go over good sportsmanship in our classroom). <br /><br />Hope you can use this game in your classroom or with a small group of kiddos! It's a fun way to practice those math skills. :-) To download,<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-1-More-and-1-Less-Game-Pumpkin-Thief-1-Before-and-1-After" target="_blank"> click HERE</a>, or click the picture below. Enjoy!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-1-More-and-1-Less-Game-Pumpkin-Thief-1-Before-and-1-After" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oSKX6HTqos/UHa_OLCLmII/AAAAAAAAAkk/1dk7nS28ck8/s320/Pumpkin+Thief+1+Before+and+1+After.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-84441364260976127412012-10-08T19:00:00.000-05:002012-10-08T19:00:08.904-05:00Text Dependent Questions<div align="center">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">The Common Core State Standards for reading ask that students analyze, grapple, and linger on parts of complex text in order to better understand what they are reading. To do this, students are now answering questions that can only be answered by explicitly referring back to the text being read. These kind of questions are called text dependent questions. <br /><br />As we implement the CCSS ELA, we will become better and more comfortable at writing and developing these kinds of questions for our students. Hopefully this document will help you to understand how to do that. <br /><br />This document has tips for you, the teacher, and it also contains 20 generic text dependent question prompts/stems (I cut these cards out and hang them on a ring for easy access, but you could post these in your room, keep a copy in your plan book, etc).</span> </div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">To buy a copy, head on over to TpT! <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Text-Dependent-Questions-Resource-Pack-w-tips-question-promptsstems" target="_blank">Click HERE or click on the picture below</a>. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Text-Dependent-Questions-Resource-Pack-w-tips-question-promptsstems" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6L7MTYmus94/UHH4Iwcb0KI/AAAAAAAAAkE/JG4_hTgwJjk/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049392142599879558.post-59100853518942970882012-10-07T11:51:00.004-05:002012-10-07T11:51:43.250-05:00Office Max - A Day Made Better<div align="center">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Aside from fighting a nasty cold, I had a great surprise this last week. I was nominated for the Office Max A Day Made Better Award, and I had no clue! Here I was getting ready to teach math, and my coworkers told me that the principal was coming down to talk to our students. I was thinking to myself, "Why didn't I get that memo?" Lo and behold, in walks my principal pushing a brand new chair, and following her are some Office Max representatives with flowers and a gigantic orange box full of presents. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I get ridiculously embarrassed when the attention is on me (I even dread Christmas morning every year when the whole family stares at me while I unwrap a present - yes, my family does the one present at a time thing - lucky me). So, as my cheeks turned red, and I started making awkward comments, the attention continued while they bestowed upon me all of these gifts. In spite of the mortification, it was a really cool surprise. Thanks so much to Office Max for providing this treat, and I am very grateful for the new supplies and things I got for my classroom! Check out my new chair below (take a long at the old nasty one - when I moved into my classroom originally, I didn't have a nice comfy roller chair like I was supposed to - it had disappeared!).</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HfrzeGT7DPU/UHGxpTH4_YI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/8jL3i6EupAk/s1600/chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HfrzeGT7DPU/UHGxpTH4_YI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/8jL3i6EupAk/s320/chair.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Here is the gigantic orange box (almost as tall as my mini-fridge in my room):</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PSZh0X1XYTM/UHGyDlObgCI/AAAAAAAAAjY/LRdbXtagreo/s1600/box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PSZh0X1XYTM/UHGyDlObgCI/AAAAAAAAAjY/LRdbXtagreo/s320/box.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">And here is the "loot" that was inside of the orange box. It was so much fun to go through with my coworkers! My students will certainly enjoy the sparkly folders that were included (my girls will anyway). Check out the laminator in the back - pretty cool! </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9AloCXxpi6U/UHGyabLU67I/AAAAAAAAAjg/Ys_aGaZVfV0/s1600/box+contents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9AloCXxpi6U/UHGyabLU67I/AAAAAAAAAjg/Ys_aGaZVfV0/s320/box+contents.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Hoping for another great week ahead! :-)</span></div>
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Mrs. Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04143985722613461640noreply@blogger.com0