iPad Teacher Club!!

I'm officially in the iPad Teacher Club!! 

I've been wanting one for a while, but I just didn't feel like I could justify the cost since I already have a MacBook and an iPhone. But, I was able to drop enough hints to my hubby, and he surprised me with an iPad Mini for Valentine's Day. 

I love my Mini!! 
It's the perfect size for me and it fits in my purse perfectly!

Today was my 3rd day trying it out with my students and I'm already very impressed with the way it's helping me in my classroom. 

The first thing I did was hopped on over to Hope King's cute blog and searched for her
App Happy post she wrote last summer. 


Then, I followed some of the links at the bottom of the post. I found this one that I absolutely LOVED that shares lots of ideas on how to teach using one iPad in the classroom. 
Next, I followed EVERYONES advice and downloaded Classroom Dojo.
Everyone's been been raving about this app all year, but what I didn't know is that you do NOT have to have an iPad to use this in your class. Anyone can sign up and, using your computer, you can utilize this awesome website. If I had known that, I would have downloaded this a loooong time ago!

I've used Classroom Dojo with my fifth graders for the past two days, and they are super excited about it! They like to hear the sound it makes when I award points, and all I have to do is pick up my iPad and the behavior in my class immediately improves. They are excited about earning positive behavior points!

If you have not set up an account yet, I highly recommend you sign up and use it in your class. 


I also downloaded the Brain Pop App. They have a free featured movie each day. The movie is less than 5 minutes and is always educational! Yesterday we had an extra couple of minutes after our reading groups and before lunch, so I put the movie on {I don't have an Apple TV yet, so I just put the iPad under my ELMO} and my students were able to see a little video on the Underground Railroad. I know I won't be able to do this every day, but it is a fun idea for those transition times when you have a couple of extra minutes. It could also be good to use as a classroom motivational tool.

My other favorite app is the Kindle app! This is my first experience with an eReader and I'm already addicted! I keep going to Amazon to download more and more books. I'm currently on a self-help kick and am reading these two books:


In other good news...
Rachelle and I will both be presenting at the Utah technology conference next weekend!! I've been to UCET the past couple of years and I've always walked away with so much valuable information. 
If you live in Utah, and would like to come see us, here is the information.
{FYI - Online registration is currently closed, but you can register the morning of the conference!}
I need to know!!
* What teaching apps are your favorite?
* Which books do you recommend I download next?
 Please share your ideas in the comments.

HURRY FAST!!!!


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Jump over to Deedee's blog to enter!
But be QUICK!   This giveaway will be over FAST!




St. Patrick's Day Unit {Common Core Aligned}

20% off this weekend ONLY.......

I've finally compiled my St. Patrick's Day Unit! I'm so excited about this unit.  As we started the Common Core last year, I started aligning all of my thematic units to it.  So, this will make you and your Admin happy, happy, happy {love Duck Dynasty}!






I have this little craftivity in the Unit. It's a great for the CCSS opinion writing, too!

This HUGE pack {91 pages} is full of fun, meaningful activities!  It's available in color and black/white! This Common Core aligned St. Patrick’s Day Unit has everything you need to integrate this fun holiday with math and literacy! Each activity has variations to meet the CCSS for kinder, 1st, and 2nd grade.
Included in this unit:
How to Catch a Leprechaun

Planning out our Leprechaun Traps
Leprechaun Trap Note
Shamrock Estimation
Taste the Rainbow (place value game)
Lucky Catch (Missing addend and/or addition game)
Lucky Me Battleship (number recognition)
Leprechaun Application
Leprechaun Writing
The Leprechaun that Came to School Writing
I’m “Beary” Lucky {writing and craftivity}
The Story of St. Patrick {non-fiction book}
The Story of St. Patrick {student book}
All Things Green {brainstorming and spelling}
Our Colored Crayons are Missing! {predictions}
Leprechaun Poem 
Lots O’ Blends {game}
Equal and Not Equal Gold {game}


Click {here} to check it out!  
It will be 20% off THIS WEEKEND ONLY! 



I also change my "Centers for March 2nd" to comply with the ridiculous copyright/trademark regulations that Seuss Enterprises have.  Now, my "Centers for March 2nd" are "circus" themed. I'm using these centers next week! If you bought my "Centers for March 2nd" last year, do not buy this packet! :) Check them out {here}. It's also on sale only this weekend!






I'll leave you with this {and if you have no idea what Duck Dynasty is then I suggest you find out ASAP :) }....



President's Day!

This next week we'll be learning all about Washington, Lincoln and Obama, and President Trump!  This is by far one of my favorite thematic units to teach!




President's Day and U.S. Symbols Unit

*UPDATED January 20th, 2017 
(Now includes President Trump)
This President's Day and U.S. Symbols unit is a great unit to celebrate America {available in color and black/white}!  
This unit includes:

*President Lincoln Poster
*President Washington Poster
*President Obama Poster 
*President Trump Poster
*Tree Map
*Graphic Organizers
*President Application
*President Picture {___ for President}
*If I Were the President Writing
*Dear President Trump
*U.S. Symbols book {includes 10 U.S. Symbols}
*U.S. Symbols Student Book
*Asking/Telling Literacy Center
*Hot Seat Vocabulary Game
*The Presidential Race {Graphing Math Center}
*Count Them Up! {Money Math Center}
*Class President {Tallying Math Center}
*Abe's Hat {Could be used as a writing center or whole group}
*President Washington Craft and Writing Activity
*President Lincoln Craft and Writing Activity
*President's Day Word Search

There's lots in this unit! So click [here] to check it out! 


It's a Jam-Packed Week!

Yes! We are lovin' this week already! It'll be FULL of Valentine's Day fun!


 I'm giving my kiddos these Goldfish Crackers on Thursday 
{They'd work with Swedish Fish too}:





We practiced our spelling words during word work today!


We made these Love Monster bags today from Lindsey's cute unit! Check it out {here}!


And finally, We read all about why we have Valentine's Day in a non-fiction book from my unit {here}:



If you'd like more Valentine's Day ideas, click {here}.

What I'm Lovin' Right Now!


When I went to Kansas and presented at the SDE PreK-3 conference, I got to meet the SWEETEST bloggers EVER!  Please meet these ladies by heading to their blogs and showing them some love!


This is Kelley. Super sweet girl who was so thoughtful and brought me a cookie during my break.  She knows her way to my heart. Her blog is PRECIOUS and you must check it out!  {Buggy for Second Grade}

Let's talk about Carmen. She's an encouraging, thoughtful, and a sweet friend!  She brought me a present and travled to come and see me present! Thank you, Carmen! {Exploring Third Grade}

These are THE  ladies behind Made for First Grade.  Um... they are celebrities!  We went to dinner and these ladies had me laughing!!!  They are full of RIGOR and are simply AMAZING! {Made for First Grade}



I'm LOVIN' these fonts, clipart, and blogs!


1. Kimberly Geswein Fonts- Ohmyword! Fabulous fonts and hundreds to choose from {free for personal use and 5.00 for a commercial license for each font}.
2. Classroom Confections- Cutest blog written by the sweetest gal, Molly. Check her out {she's got great games}!
3. Creative Clips- Krista makes the CUTEST clipart! ADORE her!
4. The Teacher's Cauldron- Jen is such a sweetie and saved me from a clipart crisis a few weeks ago. HA! She's a doll!  Check out her blog!


What are you lovin' these days? Link up with Growing Kinders!!!

Share the Love - Birthday Weekend

Last week I posted a birthday invitation and asked you all to join with me in celebrating my 30th birthday.


The goal was to see how many acts of kindness we could do around each of our schools. I had no idea at the time how much my heart was going to grow in just one week.

To be honest, when I posted this little invite I had no idea what type of service I wanted to do. I started brainstorming a list of ideas which included things like baking treats for my co-workers, getting gifts for the office staff,  or letting my students know how much I appreciate them. I made a list of all my ideas and while trying to decide what I wanted to do, I had a thought come into my mind.

* * * * *

One of my co-workers has the sweetest heart. She and her husband have recently taken in an 11 year old boy as a means of getting this boy out of a bad home environment. When this boy showed up at her house, he only came with one pair of jeans, one pair of pajamas, and a few shirts. He didn't even have a toothbrush.

I decided that for my "act of kindness" I wanted to do something to help this boy and my sweet friend out. My idea was to do a little clothing drive to try and get him some much needed clothes. I posted a request for clothing on a community facebook page and was thrilled when a couple people started contacted me to let me know they wanted to help. I agreed to meet these people to pick up the clothes.

Little did I know that LOTS of people turned up to help this boy. People, complete strangers who had never met me, my friend, or the boy, showed up with bags FULL of clothing. People donated sweaters,  a variety of shirts, church pants, and even a winter coat. One lady went to Walmart and bought a large package of socks and new underwear. I even started getting messages from people who wanted to donate gift cards. I was AMAZED at how much love was offered by so many different people.

The moral of this story is that people are wonderful. This world is full of angels who are willing to help those in need. We hear about the bad stories on the news and we tend to focus on the negativity in the world. Over this past week, my heart has touched in so many ways. My eyes were opened to see how much love and kindness are all around. I am happy that I was able to play a small part in helping one new family in a critical time in their lives.

* * * * *


If you would like to join our birthday linky party, I have extended the deadline until Feb. 11th at midnight. I invite you to reach out and do something nice for someone else and see how it blesses your life. 

I'm so thankful for the experience I had this past week and am so happy that I could spread some love to a co-worker (and an 11 year old boy) who really needed it. 

Best birthday present ever! :)

Look What We Bought!


It's become a tradition around here to show what we bought after a TPT sale. We are linking up with Blog Hoppin'.


Here are just a few of the things Natalie bought at yesterday's big sale:

I love Hope King and I love that her husband is collaborating on some units with her. (He's a teacher too!) I'm excited to use this fun mini-unit with my 5th graders!

Amanda from One Extra Degree's new Common Core Love and Literacy centers are too cute! I'm excited to have some fun Valentine's Day lessons to add into my plans for next week.

With the recent glitter craze, I knew I had to get some of these from the famous Tracee Orman

This will go perfectly with the fractions unit I am teaching right now. Can't wait to start making all sorts of new fraction resources. 

Here's what Rachelle bought:

This is PERFECT for your sub tub! But, I don't need a sub {hopefully}, so I'm using it!

 So far I have EVERY.SINGLE.ONE of these Word of the Day Packs! LOVE THEM and I love Made for 1st Grade. 



I use these poems from Deedee for one of my mini-lessons during Daily 5.  My students LOVE them and so do I.... I just had to snag the February set during the sale yesterday. 


And... in case you missed it... here's Natalies brand new resource she made for Literature Circles! It's PERFECT for any book!!


HUGE sale on Sunday!






Don't forget to enter code SUPER at checkout!



Check out these other fabulous stores on sale! A HUGE thanks to Amy Lemons for making all of these posters!  If you have a store on sale and you'd like to promote it, leave your store link in the comments!






















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