Math Journal for the Year! Bundles

   I have FINALLY finished up all of my monthly math journals and word problem journals for August-May. Each journal page is aligned to a 2nd grade Common Core standard, but I also use these journals for my higher 1st grade kiddos and struggling 3rd grade kiddos. These journals are NO PREP...just print, cut in half, and staple! I save even more paper when I copy the journals front to back. They are the size of a half page of paper when assembled so they can easily be stored in a math folder, notebook, plastic tote, etc. I know most of you are not even thinking about the next school year yet, but these would be perfect to print now before the August rush in the copy room. You can purchase each journal separate or save over 30% with buying the year bundle. Grab the bundles below by clicking on the images to be taken to my store.

My Heart Skips a Beat for the Simplest Things

   So I have been going back and forth about what to put out for my classroom kiddos this upcoming week in our writing center and in math & literacy bins. I know all kiddos love Valentine's Day, but with the Winter Olympics beginning next week too it has been a HUGE dilemma in my life!!! But a quick glance in the Target dollar section (a teacher's treasure trove) solidified the answer for me. Look at the cuteness I found...

   Yes, those are miniature mailboxes with lids that pop off! My own kiddos were so embarrassed with the little squeal of excitement I made when the mailboxes and I made eye contact. I know it is the little things that make me so excited. So with the mailboxes sitting on my counter, and a couple little plastic heart containers I had leftover from last Valentines Day, I busted out 8 math centers this morning. My plan is to have a LOVE theme in my classroom the next two weeks and then transform my room into Olympic central the rest of the month. You can grab a copy of my math centers below by clicking on the pictures below. And as an added treat everything in my store is on SALE for the entire weekend to celebrate our BRONCOS in the Super Bowl.



 

 

January Math & Literacy Centers

   Is it just me or does anyone else wonder where the year went? I just realized that tomorrow is the last day of the year. The older I get the faster the year passes by. This year has been a great one for my family and I. My babies boys are excelling in 4th and 1st grade, my hubby is still helping the troubled youth of our society, and I am continuing to have so much fun with my teammates and teaching those second grade kiddos. I could never imagine in less than a year blogging and creating and sharing resources with all of my fellow educators would become such an important part in my life. I cannot wait to see what 2014 brings my family!
   Today I finally cracked open the teaching tote to see all of what I need to get accomplished by next Monday and then I closed it after a couple glances. Please don't judge. A girl just needs a little bit of a longer break!!! I am so glad I already printed, laminated, and placed my Winter Math & Literacy activities in my Daily 5 bins for when my kiddos return. You can grab this 15 center pack in my TpT store by clicking on the images below. Everything in my store will be on SALE the next two days to celebrate the new year. Enjoy!

December in a Nutshell

   The last week before Thanksgiving break has come and gone so quickly. Our First Thanksgiving Reader's Theater and 2nd grade feast was a huge success! Here is a little glance at our feast after our play...

   Our kiddos enjoyed lots of mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, pie, and turkey.  And my little kiddo got to disguise his own little turkey for his first grade class last week. Here is his before turkey...

 and his after picture of his favorite living thing on earth...a PENGUIN. 

   Helping my kiddo with his penguin reminded me that December is just a week away and it is time to prep all our holiday Christmas activities. Here is a look ahead at the month of December in our classroom.

   During our Daily 5 Math rotations we will be using my math journals and Polar Express Math Centers each day.  

      During our literacy block we will be comparing and contrasting different versions of the Gingerbread Man. Here is the anchor chart we will be using with each story using sticky notes. 

   We will also go more in-depth with sequence of details, character traits, and comparing and contrasting the settings, characters, and themes. Here are a couple items from my unit. 

   Our writing will include some activities from my Arctic Animals Nonfiction Unit. My kiddos will learn about various arctic animals, which will lead up to our Polar Express unit, and write a research book based on what they learned. This unit contains over a dozen graphic organizers of arctic animals, writing templates, and literacy and math centers. 

   And what is December without a visit from The Elf on the Shelf? This little elf will come packed in a box our first day back from break. My kiddos will infer what is on the inside on the box by using the clues from the outside of the box. Inside will be The Elf on the Shelf book, elf, student journals, and a letter from Santa. My plan is to have our classroom elf hide each day around our room the first week and then become mischievous the last two weeks before Christmas break. My classroom kiddos will draw and write what the elf is doing each morning in their journals. You can get my Elf on the Shelf unit, with package labels, Santa letter, student journals, persuasive writing templates, and math centers, and all of my other December themed units by clicking on the above images. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fall

   Can you believe that November is on Friday??? I know I have said that the last couple of posts, but holy smokes I feel like the autumn season is flying by. Thank goodness for the gorgeous Colorado scenery and weather the last couple of weeks. I have taken time to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of autumn with my own kiddos over the last week. We went to the pumpkin patch with my family. The hubby was working, but was with us in text-message and picture spirit! We were so excited that he took the day off yesterday to go to "Boo at the Zoo" with us.

 My two kiddos with my Family

 Caden & Ashton

 Searching for the perfect pumpkin. The boys wanted orange, green, and white pumpkins. 

 Taking all of our pumpkin patch finds and decorating our home. Yes, we still have very green grass. My hubby is crazy about his yard!!!

Caden has decided he is a little too "old" to dress-up so Ashton was the only one in a costume. BOO!!! My babies are growing up. 

Ashton at "Boo at the Zoo" dressed as Hedwick, the snowy owl, from Harry Potter. 

   

   This past week was such a success for my classroom kiddos. We began our Daily 5 Math rotations independently. I was so proud of the ability of my kiddos to complete all of their rotations by themselves. Here is a peek at some of the pictures of my kiddos working on their own...

   In writing my kiddos took all the facts we have learned the last two weeks about bats and put it into an expository writing. We were introduced to explaining sentences last week so now we can write an 8 sentence paragraph. Most of my kiddos did a great job keep their details and explaining sentences on topic and matching. Because we do not have art as a special this year we are incorporating the art standards into our classroom crafts. Our kiddos go to choose to watercolor with "warm" or "cool" colors to make their background. And then in the foreground we painted our hands to make black or brown bats, added goggle eyes, and teeth. Here are a couple of finished pieces...

 Our writing pages lift up at the top to read the rest of the story on the back

   In Walk to Read my kiddos were finally introduced to Listen to Reading. I introduced them to all of the Leapfrog Tags I have on our shelves, the Nook, and the iPads. They were so quiet and listening as if no one was around them. I do not know how they were listening so intently because I felt as if I was going crazy listening to eight different voices and stories on the Tag pens, the screeching of bats on the iPad, and the Monster Truck vrooming on the Nook. I am thinking headphones are the next item to put on my Donor's Choose account!

   

   This week we will have our highly anticipated Mega Bat Party and Fall Festival. NO sweets on Halloween...only fruit and dip. The whole day of Halloween will be dedicated to BATS! We will also be working on inferring skills. Here is a peak at our anchor chart...

Going Batty & Math Centers

   Have I mentioned before how much I love teaching writing? Well I do and this past weeks unit is one of my favorite to teach...BATS! My teammates and I are combining science and social studies into our writing blocks so this past week our kiddos built their background knowledge of bats to write a Cinquain Poem. Here is a peek at some of our work...

Our vocabulary words & picture cards with an anchor chart of Bats "can", "have", "are"

 Using a T-chart to distinguish between mega and micro bats.

 

 Our noun, verb, and adjective chart to help aid us in writing our Cinquains

Writing our Cinquain Poems on bat templates and cutting out

   We will spend this upcoming week writing an expository piece based on all of the facts we learned last week about bats. The kiddos will be introduced to explaining sentences to help upgrade their paragraphs to eight sentences. YIPEE!!!
   My kiddos were so excited on Friday during our math block. Mostly in part because we begin our Daily 5 Math rotations on Monday, but also because I placed my Halloween centers into our math work bins. Here is a look spending one last day building our stamina with partners before they will be come independent machines on Monday.

 Candy Corn Place Value Puzzles

 Harvest Apple Numeral Sorting

 Monster Number Name Sorting

 Spider Odd & Even Sort

 Haunted Fact Family Houses

 Batty Place Value

Ghostly Graphing

   As I look through my plans for the week I cannot believe that November begins next week. Time to finish my Thanksgiving centers!!!