New Year's Writing Pack...Two Hundred Follower Giveaway and a FREEBIE

Hello sweet friends!! I know you are all enjoying your winter break and are taking advantage of your time off.  I know I am!!  I am trying to get as much as I can get done with my spare time.  I go back to school next Wednesday for a teacher work day and my kiddos come back on Thursday.  I am going to take advantage of the short week and get some New Year's writing activities in an up-date my bulletin boards.  So I created a New Year's Writing activities for my firsties.  I just uploaded my New Year's Writing Pack to my Teachers Notebook store.  This pack contains files to help students set goals for the new year.  I included pages for 2013 and goes through 2016, so it can be used over and over again for the next three years.

I will launch my Two Hundred follower giveaway on Sunday.  Be sure to check back   to join in on the fun!!!

Here is a FREEBIE for you...  I created this file last year.  Click on the picture below to grab a copy.  Please be sure to leave a comment to let me know you grabbed a copy. 

 

I will give away a copy of my New Years Writing Pack to the first three people to leave a comment and tell me what you plan on having your kiddos do for the new year.

See you soon!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Wishing each and everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Winter Break...Gingerbread Houses..and a FREEBIE

Season's Greetings Friends!!  My winter break officially started at 3:00 p.m. yesterday!! WoooHoooo!! I am looking forward to wrapping up Christmas shopping, cooking, baking, and just enjoying time with my family and friends this holiday season!!
My student's got to have some holiday fun by creating mini gingerbread houses with graham crackers and lots of candy...Here are their original creations...

Their GINGERBREAD houses turned out just ADORABLE!!

Now for your FREEBIE!! Click on the picture to get a copy...

See ya soon!!

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Words Cannot Express...

The sadness that my heart feels for those affected by the senseless tragedy that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary on yesterday, keeps the tears flowing from my eyes.  My heart aches for the families who have suffered a tremendous lose of their babies who were just beginning their journey.  I pray that GOD would grant them peace and that they would find comfort and solace in HIS arms.

So, to show our support for Sandy Hook Elementary, fellow bloggers will honor them with in a moment of silence tomorrow.  Thanks to Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade for organizing this.

Head on over to Oh Boy 4th Grade for more details.  Keep Sandy Hook Elementary in your thoughts and prayers!!

It's Gingerbread Time and a FREEBIE

Everywhere you look, teachers in the blog world are talking GINGERBREAD!! I am in gingerbread mode too and I love it!! We will continue reading all of the wonderful versions of "The Gingerbread Man."

Last week my FIRSTIES were introduced to telling time to the hour.  They did such an awesome job!! I created this fun center for them continue to practice telling time the hour. It is aligned to the Common Core and I have uploaded it to my Teachers Notebook store.  If you would like your own copy just click on the picture below!!

Now for your FREEBIE!! Here is a copy of one of the skill sheets in the packet.  Click on the picture to grab a copy!!

The first three people to leave a comment will get a free copy of "It's Gingerbread Time"!!  Have a wonderful Sunday!!

Holiday Writing Pack FREEBIE!! and about to reach 200 Followers!!

Seasons Greeting Friends!! Can you believe it is already December!! This is my absolute favorite time of the year!!!  I love seeing all of the holiday decorations and lights. I will begin my unit on Gingerbread next week and Christmas Around the World.  

Oh yeah!! Before I forget, I am about to reach 200 followers soon.  So that means it is time for a GIVEAWAY!!! Who doesn't love a giveaway!!  I am seeking the help of all of my blogging buddies!! If you are interested in being apart of my giveaway shoot me an email:   crystalj40@yahoo.com  to let me know you want to celebrate with me!!!  

To show my excitement for the holiday season and to say thanks to all of my followers here is a Holiday Writing Pack FREEBIE... Click on the picture to grab a copy!!

Have a Super Sunday!!!!

Race to Twenty!

Race to Twenty is a cute math game to help students practice number recognition to twenty.  I created this game for my struggling students to master numerals 1-20. I have just uploaded this game to my TN store and it is on sale for $1.40 until Tuesday.

Center Label

Game Board

E can... Statements

Blank Twenty Frame

I will be giving away a copy of this center to the first three people who leave a comment telling what you do to help your struggling students.

Happy Cyber Monday!!! Enjoy your shopping!!

BLACK FRIDAY SALE, Teachers Notebook 3 Day Sale, and a FREEBIE

I am having a 50% off BLACK FRIDAY SALE in my shop today! Then starting Saturday, November 24th and ending at midnight on Monday, November 26th in conjunction with Teachers Notebook, I will be running a 30% OFF SALE for EVERY order.

Teachers Notebook is "giving back" to all its members. Make a purchase from a teacher shop and Teachers Notebook will take off an additional 10% from your ENTIRE ORDER!. With so many shops running sales, you could get up to 55% off!

To show my appreciation and how THANKFUL I am to all of my followers here is a FREEBIE from my Turkey Trot Packet.  Click on the picture to get a copy:

Happy Shopping!!

Turkey Trot: Using a Number Line to Add or Subtract

Happy Saturday Friends!! I have been MIA for a few days now! I am still trying to get better about posting on a regular basis, but as I am sure many of you know life doesn't always allow that!! Anywho!!
My firsties have been working hard to master various strategies to learn how to add and subtract.  We have been working on using the number line. So I created "Turkey Trot" to give them more practice.  I have added this packet to my Teachers Notebook store. Click Here if you would like to  get this packet.

I will giveaway a copy of this file to the first three people who leave a comment. Don't forget to leave your email address.  Well I am off to do a little shopping and enjoy the rest of my weekend!! 

Have a Super Saturday!!

Veteran's Day Thinking Maps and a FREEBIE...

Veterans Day is right around the corner so I created a couple of thinking maps to help my students understand the significance and importance of honoring our Veterans on this special day. You can find this item in my TN store. It will be on sale for $1 until Veteran's Day.

Some books that I will use are...

   

   

I am also a Veteran of the United States Army.  I spent 9 years in the military from 1986-1995. 

It was an honor to serve my country.

Here is a Veteran's Day Tree Map FREEBIE...Click on the picture to grab a copy:

Have a Super Sunday!!

Miss V's Busy Bees-500 Follower Giveaway

Can you say MEGA Giveaway!! Well that is what my bloggy buddy Sara over at Miss V's Busy Bees is having!! 

She is having 5 giveaways at one time with 5 lucky winners!! Some awesome bloggers are helping Sara with this give away, to include me!! I am donating any two items from my Teachers Notebook store.  She is even giving away a 31 Bag-the hot item of the year!!  So go on over and join the fun and enter all 5!!

Descriptive Writing

Each teacher at my school was given a certain amount of money or an item to use to create a creative lesson. I was given $2.50. What better way to get students creative juices flowing to learn about adjectives than with food. Well that is exactly what I did!! First I had the students describe themselves using a cute activity from The Mailbox Magazine, then I used "Let's Get Poppin' With Adjectives" by Abby at The Inspired Apple.  (I fell in love with this activity when I found it on Pinterest last year and I knew I wanted to do it with my students). So I made popcorn in the microwave, so they could see, smell, touch and taste the popcorn.  Then they wrote about the popcorn.

So for my creative lesson I purchased a bag of candy corn and had the students use their senses to describe the candy corn. I had the students brainstorm a list of words to describe the candy corn after they observed, smelled, touched and tasted the candy. They then used descriptive language to write about the candy corn.

My kiddos had fun munching on popcorn and candy as they learned.  What fun ways do you incorporate food into your lessons? Share some of your fun activities.

Where Do You Get Your Graphics? A Linky Party!!

Did someone say GRAPHICS??   Casey  over at Second Grade Math Maniac is hosting a linky party. 

So I had to join the fun!! My absolute favorite place to get graphics is:

Denyse is so sweet! She was kind enough to take a request to make me some cute western clipart:

These are my go to graphics when I'm looking for new graphics!! Happy Hunting!!