Sharing for my Presentation

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Getting Reading Grade for 2nd Grade??

Ok, so we have been doing some major curriculum changes in our school this year. We are working on creating a Common Core friendly curriculum for our students. In an attempt to collect an effective "Reading Grade" we created a rubric. 

SO, I am posing a couple of questions, how do you take Reading Grades for your students?
Our struggle was with how to grade based on reading level. Our solution was this rubric. We had to find a way to make students responsible for their reading level based on the reading level expectation. It was hard to always be giving students who are reading well below level an A when they really are far behind. This rubric has created a way for us to justify a grade based on their reading level. PLEASE let me know what your school is doing and what you think of this rubric. (The RL and WPM are data based numbers) 

I am working on 1st-4th grade as we speak. Take a look at the preview file below:

Here is the TPT Link.

Eekk!!

Well, I have fallen short on time since school started. My focus has shifted from blogging to creating new Math Units for school and posting them on TPT as well. I have put my poor old computer and Publisher to work! All while balancing a ridiculous masters class that is 0% applicable and 100% book work...lame! I am still working on getting into Words Their Way and will welcome any advice I can get...but here are a few of my latest creations. These are aligned with the 2nd grade Common Core Standards, but could be used in grades 1st and 3rd as well.

The first 2 are aligned with...OA.2.1 and OA.2.2 *Click on the picture to see the unit in TPT.
AND the final one is aligned with OA.2.3 *Click on the picture to see the unit in TPT.

I would love to link them to their place in the TPT Store...however it is currently not working so I cannot link anything or even upload the odd/even unit! BUT as soon as it is back up and running I will get to linking/uploading!

Help with Words their Way

Is there any one out there who is following me or seeing this post that can give me some insight into WTW? I have given the spelling inventory, but now I am unsure of what to do next. I have grouped my kids according to their spelling stages. BUT how do I go about forming word lists for those students. I am looking endlessly across the internet to help me understand and have not had a lot of luck. Is there any one who can give me some insight?

AND, I have officially uploaded my first UNIT to TPT. My Addition Strategy unit is up. Several pieces are listed separately and then the Unit is up as a whole of course. Check it out. Coming Soon will be the Subtraction Strategy Unit. Not near as big, but still great! So HOP on over to my TPT store and let me know what you think!

Words their Way??

Well hello fellow bloggers!

I have been soooo busy this week planning and working on my masters stuff. I need a vacation already ;) However, I have managed to create a custom order of the 1st Grade Standards (I Can Statements) for North Carolina! They are available in my TPT Store! I have also finished the MO I Can for SS and Science AND the 2nd Grade Science for NC. Check out my store for all of the new listings! I will be offering a combination package of all of the MO and NC together to cover about anything you might be doing in SS and Science later this week.

Well I hope your weekend was a little less exciting than mine...after house cleaning, baking, and making dinner for my dad and step-mom...we spent our Saturday night looking for a runaway calf that we had bought that morning. Needless to say it got dark and he wandered into a neighbors field with some Mama Cows and that WONDERFUL neighbor managed to corral the poor little CRAZY runaway! Well let me know if your weekend was as eventful as mine! :)

OH and I HOPE to be more faithful to the poor blog this coming week! May time be on my side!

Not Enough Time in the Day!

Hello followers!!

I have decided that there just aren't enough hours in the day right now!! I am trying to get some lesson planning done and it is taking me forever! Our grade level is supplementing our math curriculum this year and as the math planner for our grade level...lets just say its been more time consuming than I had thought it would be! I have found my weekly planning has grown tremendously! BUT I am loving the new teaching of things without a text book to dictate!

So I have nothing for you today...other than to tell you to visit my TPT store and check out the "I Can Statements" for your classroom! I have finished ELA and Math for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. AND Math for 4th grade. I hope to have ELA for 4th grade done soon! The math planning and scavenging the internet for wonderful hands-on activities along with starting my 3rd semester of my masters this week is holding me up a bit!

Here is a preview of one of the I Can Statements for 3rd Grade! Click the picture to jump to my store to check them all out!

First Day is in the Books!!

Woo hoo!!! The first day of my third year is in the books!! I am OVERWHELMED at this point with my HUGE list of things to get done! SOOO this will be short and sweet! It seems like the 2 days of PDC combined with planning to the new CCSS has made me feel so far behind in the planning department. Really it all breaks down to I am OCD and have to have everything done WAY in advance and this week that just has not been possible. SO next week will be catch up week so that I can get back on track!

I had an amazing first day with my sweethearts! I had a blast and am so in love with my group of kids. I look forward to spending the next 9 months with them! Here I was today:

How was your 1st Day of School??? Any good stories??

I think I CAN...

Ok...well I have survived 2 days back to school...AND meet the teacher night. So I deserve one day off before the kids return on Thursday, right? :) Well I am exhausted from the first two long days this week!!! But it has been a very productive week and tonight I was able to meet and greet my beautiful new 2nd graders! I am SO excited for this school year to start and enjoy all of the wonderful changes that are to come!

Well it has been a busy and exhausting 2 days (obviously-no Monday post ;) BUT I did at least finish one project- the MATH CCSS I CAN STATEMENTS for 3rd Grade! I have already completed ELA and MATH for 1st and 2nd. I am slowly making my way up to 4th grade! Maybe by the beginning of next week...maybe. :)

Well here is a preview- pretty much the same. All aligned to the CCSS. These are all in black and white. I will MAYBE think about doing colored ones later this weekend. If I feel a second wind or something. I have masterminded mail merge and it is just not as easy for the color coded version. (NO I AM NOT LAZY...just tired) ;)


Here is where to find it!!

1st Grade I CAN STATEMENTS!!

I have been slaving away...trying new means...and playing avidly with MERGING documents...and have finished all 1st Grade I CAN STATEMENTS!!

I have 1st Grade ELA and MATH I Can Statements done in Black and White and Color Coded. I have also created an EXCEL checklist file for tracking student achievement and for tracking what you have taught. There are 2 different checklists in PDF. AND the original in Excel. FYI: If you buy this- the excel doc will not have the same font on your computer! Here is a brief preview of them...
They are the same as the 2nd grade statements. They are just aligned with the 1st Grade CCSS.

Here is how to get to them:
Black and White ELA 1st Grade
Black and White MATH 1st Grade

Colored ELA 1st Grade
Colored MATH 1st Grade

I CAN Statements for 2nd Grade Math

I just thought I would let you know that I DID finish my "I Can" statements for 2nd grade Math!! Woo!! I actually finished them Friday afternoon, but have been relaxing my weekend away with a dear old friend of mine! SO...here they are...

Just like the ELA Statements they are available in Black and White or Colored (Color coded by Strand)! There is a excel checklist for these statements as well.
Check out the Colored ones HERE! And the Black and White HERE!

Check out this Giveaway!!

Head on over to Teaching Fabulous Firsties and check out her wonderful HUGE Giveaway!!

She is Celebrating 100+ followers! I will get there one of these days!

Classroom Reveal!!

Well I have had a very busy couple of days preparing for my company...and she is almost here!! SOOOO I know I promised a classroom reveal...and here is what you are going to get (for now). This is a video slideshow via youtube until I can get them into a post! I have 47 pictures and that will make for more than one post...still thinking about how to make that one work. Well here it is...



Just in time to get back to school on Monday and welcome the kids on Thursday!

My Summer in Pictures Linky!

I am joing in with Success in 2nd Grade for her My Summer in Pictures Linky!!

I will warn you in advance...my summer has been slightly uneventful... :)

My first four weeks revolved around summer school...and cupcakes! I made a new recipe every week! This was the Oreo Cupcake!! Delish!!


Much of my time went to this beauty! My garden! Unfortunately the drought pretty much killed it- BUT only after a million zucchini, some green beans, and a little corn. :)


This is my handsome husband and his fish! We went down to Bennett Springs State Park with the family for Father's Day. We had a blast!

These are my cows! Well they were until we sold them a couple weeks ago. No worries we have 5 different ones now. :)


This is my pal Colonel. I got the chance to ride horses a few times this summer.

Now Link it Up and let me see your summer fun!!

A MAJOR Finish!!

After meeting with my grade level teaching buddies, I decided I was going to create the "I Can" statements for our CCS. We want to display these as our objectives for our kiddos. As a school we were going to purchase a set, but as you well know, I created my own!

SO, after about 4 or 5 hours across 2 days they are finished! And 2 different looks! One is color coded by strand the other are all black and white. They are all coded for easy reference. These are just the ELA standards. I will get the Math tomorrow (hopefully)!! There is also a checklist for your students. I listed the checklist in excel and pdf documents. Of course the font will not be the same in excel unless you have it on your computer. Here are the previews...Color Coded available HERE!
Black and White is available HERE!

Tomorrow I will be POSTING MY CLASSROOM PICTURES!! Yep, it's finished!! Just in time for a visit from my BFF from KS to come stay the weekend with me!! Stay tuned for tomorrows finished classroom reveal!!

Class Journal Covers

I have been seeing these everywhere and decided to create my own (bc that is just what I do)! Now I am sharing them with you! I can custom make if you want...just let me know!!

This package contains 7 different whole class journal covers.

Pets
Vacation
Weekend
1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Grade Memories (1 for each grade level)
Favorite Books
Letters to the Teacher
Traveling

They are bordered with bright colored polka dots and ready to be printed and glued to writing journals!
HERE they are!!

Monday Made It!

I am linking up for my first Monday Made It!!
These are the crate-seats that I made for my classroom! I know many many other pinners have completed the same, but I just LOVE them! Mine are made of milk crates that I spray painted black (such a pain). I choose milk crates because they are stronger than the file crates and they were FREE from the farm!! My plywood was free-another teacher had it left over. I paid $8 for a foam mattress pad at DG and some fabric from Hobby Lobby! I had to screw some small wood blocks on the bottom to make them fitted and not slide around, but I LOVE THEM!! I still have one more at home to spray pain...one of these days!

I made this about a week ago for a baby shower, but thought I would share! It is a fabric covered diaper case! I made one a couple of years ago, but this one if my favorite!!

And that is IT for today! (Only because my pics are taking ten years to load ;)

More Borders and Daily Math Groups!

Well I have not had a super productive weekend on the Teacher End...and I am happy for that!! It was wonderful to spend time with my husband, helping some friends move, hauling a camper for my Dad, and enjoying the first measurable rain in OVER a month and a HALF!!

However, with the thought of heading to a quick grade level meeting tomorrow, I got at least one things done! I have taught math with a guided math format two years ago, but it didn't fit well for my kids last year. I am going to kick it off again this year and can't wait! It helps give my lower kiddos much more attention and that is just what they need. I am following the format found at Clutter Free Classroom. I will setting up my Math Workshop Board much like hers. I made polka dot labels and will be creating my board like this tomorrow!

My favorite part of this was the MATH acronym...M-Math Facts, A-At Your Seat, T-Teacher's Choice, H-Hands On.

Since I did not come up with this idea on my own, I do not find it fair to "sell" these labels. SO I am offering them for free through my google docs. I will be posting a picture of my math board when it is finished. I encourage your to head over to Clutter Free Classroom and check out these Guided Math resources.Click on the images above to download the full document.

I have made these borders and one addition border available at my TPT Store! Here is the link to get those!

Teacher Binder Covers!

I decided to follow the trend and make some Teacher Binder Covers in polka dots of course! It took me 10 years to get them posted to TPT store...well maybe not 10 years, BUT overnight for sure! I am determined to be SUPER organized. I am slightly OCD already so that is why I say SUPER. Here are my cute binder covers (10 of them for $1.00)!! And just like all my other items if you purchase the file and want something custom just leave me a comment and I will create and email it to you!
Check them out HERE!

Name Plates

Well I have decided I am just a make-it-myself kind of person!! I finally decided to make my own name plates that are polka dot to match my classroom! I actually found a font that I like and typed mine up on the computer. They are something that I am much more proud of then my own chicken scratch. (I just cringe some times at my own writing ;)

They are colorful and are in 11 colors. If you want your names typed up them send me an email and I can create them for you. I will charge $3-$1 more than blank- and ask that you purchase them through TPT store under a special document (but I will give you those instructions if you want to purchase).

I printed them and they are a little larger than the store bought name tags, but I LOVE THEM!! I will post a picture of them in my room after they are laminated and attached to desks!!

Colors include: Orange, Purple, Pink, Royal Blue, Lime Green, Light Blue, Yellow, Bright Pink, Black, Bright Green, and Red.

HERE THEY ARE...

(WITH NAMES)


(WITHOUT NAMES)

Get them HERE!!!!

DIY Day...Quick Post!

I have vowed that today will be DIY Project Day around this messy house! So far so good, but the computer won me over to address a TPT Question from a buyer! SOOOO I thought while in Rome...I have been trying to add all of my creations that were created prior to my blogging life to my TPT store. So that is what I have for you today! Maybe tonight (if I am not as exhausted as I was last night) I will post my projects!

Back to the new item: I made these labels to display on my objective board. Here they are:
They are available HERE!! I can also custom make a couple of labels if you want them. Just purchase the original document and then let me know what you would like me to add. I could then create and email them to you!

Ok I was going to give you a preview of how I use them in my classroom...but my camera battery died yesterday! SOO I will give you that picture next week! :)

Latest Creation!!

Okay...so in the blog world I stumbled across something that I had seen on Pinterest and wanted!! However the wording needed some tweaking. SO I did what I do...and recreated it. HOWEVER, I did like CARBON COPY RECREATE it so I want to give credit where credit is due...

(PARDON THE LINKING PROBLEMS WITH THE TEXT. IT SHOULDN'T LINK-BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO FIX IT!!)

Hop on over to her site and check out her Back To School Freebies! I downloaded them all and they are amazing!!

Here is the link to my copy of this letter...for those whose school doesn't do that background check part! I changed the wording and the font and made my own background. Check out the backgrounds at my TPT store (there is a whole set)!

CHECK IT OUT HERE!!!

And the winner is...

Congrats to...





She wins my first giveaway!! BUT since there was only 5 people (about 25% of my followers ;) I decided I would giveaway 2!!Congrats to...



Let me know your choices and your email and I will send it to you!! All I ask is that you please create a post about your win and link it back to me! THANKS!!! and CONGRATS!!!

Dot Backgrounds!

Okay, so I have been busy busy creating today...and cutting...and printing...and gluing...and cutting some more...typical day in the life of a teacher! I tried my hardest to not leave the house today and succeeded!! I got lots done at home today as you can tell!

There are 10 Dot Backgrounds in the package. They are JPG files. They can be used for whatever you want. Please give credit where credit is due if you use them on your TPT Products.

The backgrounds are:
White with Pink, Green, and Black
White with Purple, Blue, and Yellow
White with Black and Red
White with Black and Pink
White with Blue and Red
Black with Red and White
Black with White
Black with Yellow
Purple with White
Red with White

Here is a preview of one (go HERE to see more)
Check them all out and buy them HERE!

More Dot Borders

I have had lots of success with my Polka Dot Borders at my TPT store...so I am adding some more! I use these for label everything in my classroom and just change the color when I feel necessary. So I thought why not share the rest of them!

The colors are: Black, a SKINNY BLACK border, bright yellow, bright green, lime green, light blue, orange, bright pink, a softer/bright purple, and a sea foam green.

Here is a preview of one of them...to see more preview go to my TPT Store (HERE)!

Check them out HERE!!!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Okay to all my followers out there!! I am going to have my first GIVEAWAY!! I will be giving away EITHER a set of MATH VOCAB CARDS (pick your grade 1st-4th) or the BRAIN BREAK CARDS!!! Woop Woop!! Here are the rules...COMMENT on this post...BE A FOLLOWER...and do it before 7:00 CENTRAL TIME TOMORROW (Tuesday)!!!! I will use a random number generator to pick a winner!! GOOD LUCK!!!

Freebie of the Week!!!

I do believe that I will help you all jump start each week from now on with a FREEBIE...(disclaimer: I do NOT promise that I will be able to produce one EVERY week! So let's commit to more like at least every other week;)

This is a sign that I made to hang on my door!! It will tell everyone where we are when we are not in our room. I can customize colors for very reasonable if you are interested and do not have time to create your own. (Like for $1) I got this idea from Pinterest somewhere...but it is lost in Pinterest space! So if it is your idea please let me know! I did however make my own title and design! ENJOY!Get it HERE!!!

Writing Process Signs!

Happy Monday!!! Well it is happy until I realize in 2 short weeks its back to school! Yikes!! Bring it on, I say!! Well I finally decided what project I would complete next for my classroom...and...it...is...WRITING PROCESS SIGNS!!

These are signs that show each step of the writing process. I have included extras because I know some grades use different names. Included in this set: Brainstorming, Prewriting, Rough Draft, Sloppy Copy, Revising, Editing, and Publishing.

These can be printed laminated and used in the writing process in several ways. I like to give each child a clothes pin and they clip their name to the stage they are at. They could also be printed 2 to a page for a smaller cards.

Enjoy!! I think I am feeling my FIRST GIVEAWAY coming up soon- Perhaps a users choice giveaway of either MATH VOCAB CARDS or BRAIN BREAKS???? Stay tuned (Hint Hint: Probably tonight!!)

Check them out HERE!!

Award Time!!

Mrs. Goodwin at ILive2Learn ILove2Grow nominated me for an award!!

The Rules:
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you
2. Post the award to your blog.
3. Give the award to at least 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.

OK this was really hard to find blogs that did not already have it...so you will have to settle for 3!!







A Series of 1st Grade EVENTS!!

Brain Break Activities!

In between creating a diaper cake, going to a babyshower, laundry, and house cleaning...I have found an hour to finish something I started a while back...BRAIN BREAK IDEAS!!! I wanted to let my kids have a good way to get active and break between learning times. I made these and plan on putting them on sticks in a bucket on my desk for easy access. You could also hole punch them and put a ring in them to keep handy as well!

Contains brain breaks such as: Cha Cha Slide, Freeze Dance, Cross Lateral Movement, Dance Party, and MANY MORE!!

Includes a brief description of each activity for your reference. Kids will love to get up and move around the room. This will allow the kids a great break from thinking and get them set for the next learning adventure. THERE ARE 27 BRAIN BREAKS!!!


HERE THEY ARE!!!!