tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1713515181617690772024-03-28T02:31:10.313-05:00Mrs. Tice's ClassJenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-3788919613230176902018-09-15T11:36:00.003-05:002023-10-02T14:22:55.464-05:00How long does it take to tackle classroom management?When I was first starting teaching I would hear from older teachers to just spend the first two weeks of school working on procedures and expectations. The assumption was that at the end of those two weeks you had sufficiently drilled your students with those procedures and expectations and that everything would fall into place.<br />
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It used to be common knowledge that it took 21 days to form a habit but that was based on a surgeons observations from the 1950s and further research shows that to be incorrect.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVyDkY0Iod7QA57yCxHlH6cjup5SWT2hGoPK5ushkPepTI-s_wVJvSwk-U-WqW_dGQwdSJKHeyRtMptXL4j5aVPQzYbL83CqDE5D04Epmw5ixapMh9z5qW3m0R0pPfmjGKpsNYxhOTrmr/s1200/Stats.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVyDkY0Iod7QA57yCxHlH6cjup5SWT2hGoPK5ushkPepTI-s_wVJvSwk-U-WqW_dGQwdSJKHeyRtMptXL4j5aVPQzYbL83CqDE5D04Epmw5ixapMh9z5qW3m0R0pPfmjGKpsNYxhOTrmr/w266-h400/Stats.png" width="266" /></a></div>
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New research shows that it actually takes about 66 days to form a new habit. Some people take a little longer and others are able to form those habits a bit sooner but for most the average is 66 days. That comes out to 13 weeks in school before those new habits are formed. All those expectations you were hoping your students would grasp in those first few weeks will take much longer. </div>
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<b>Change your mindset</b><br />
I put into my mind every year that it would take the first nine weeks of school to really get my students into the groove. I also decided I don't want my kids to just behave. My goal is for them to be able to run the classroom on their own. If my students know the expectations and the schedule for the day then there is less anxiety. If my students know exactly what they should be doing and working on next then I don't have to worry either. Even your youngest students will love taking ownership of their day.<br />
<br />I spend those first nine weeks getting to know my students and letting them get to know me. We learn to respect each other. Every morning I greet them at the door. I tell them every afternoon that I can't wait to see them again- and it's true! I found that after nine weeks of working hard as a TEAM and using gentle reminders for what activity comes next, what happens later in the day, etc. that my classroom had very few behavioral issues. If a problem arose I would ASK my students what we could do to solve the problem. When they were able to be part of finding the solution it made all the difference!<br />
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The rest of the school year we were able to focus on learning and doing fun things because we'd already put in the work to create a well-oiled machine in our classroom. Substitutes loved subbing in my classroom because my students knew exactly what the expectations were regardless of whether I was there or not.<br />
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It's just mid-September so you're only a few weeks into your school year! Take the time to get to know you sweet kiddos, let them know you too. Put in the time to make this year your best year yet!<br />
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-87705751177398501252017-07-20T00:30:00.001-05:002017-07-20T00:30:56.821-05:00Join me Thursday!<div style="text-align: center;">
It's late Wednesday and I'm sitting here a little nervous for tomorrow morning.</div>
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My dear friend Lindsay from Primary Polka Dots and I are hosting three Facebook Live Hops to share reading and writing strategies for your upcoming school year! I'm so excited about this collaboration. Lindsay is pretty amazing when it comes to <b>close reading</b> and you'll want to hear what she has to say!</div>
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All three sessions will have different information and since they are videos if you aren't able to watch them live you can watch them later in the day!</div>
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See you tomorrow!</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-71341139215265033052017-05-27T09:16:00.001-05:002017-05-27T09:16:04.695-05:00A New Blog Name<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello teacher friends!</div>
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Many of you know that two years ago my husband got a job in Seattle and we moved from Texas to Washington. I've been staying at home with my daughter since then and while I'm very attached to the Rowdy in First Grade name, it just doesn't accurately describe my current situation.</div>
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Years ago when I started my blog I started it because I wanted to share my ideas and things that worked for me in my first grade classroom. First grade is still my absolute favorite grade, but when I go back into the classroom I want my blog to reflect ideas I have for several grades and not just first grade. </div>
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I have gone back and forth about changing my name for months and months. I searched and searched for clever names and anything I came up with just wasn't me or was already taken. I finally settled on Teaching with Jennifer. </div>
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I hope you will continue to follow me. I have many great ideas and I'm ready to share! Over the next couple of weeks I will continue to make some minor changes to my blog design to help you navigate the information I have. Until then...</div>
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<b>Enjoy your holiday weekend!</b></div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-53186942528220215772016-11-12T00:35:00.002-06:002017-02-28T19:54:21.214-06:00Why NOW is the most important time to be a teacherOh teacher friends, my heart is heavy with worry. I know your is too. Regardless of who you may have voted for you likely have students of different religions, race, or students whose parents may be part of our LGBT community. They fear they may have to leave the country, even though their parents are here legally. They fear too many people hate them because of their skin color. They fear people will attack them or their families because of their religion. They fear their parents legal marriage will somehow be dissolved and they will no longer be a family according to the law. These fears are real. I cannot imagine what they feel like. I cannot understand the hate I have seen either. It makes my heart ache.<br />
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I tell you, teacher friends, NOW is the most important time to be a teacher. Our job is already incredibly difficult, I know. It's especially hard when we hear politicians and legislators, who know nothing about what we ACTUALLY do, belittle our hardwork and efforts. This stings more when already we are making up for extreme budget cuts with our small salaries by spending big parts of our paychecks on our kids. But, I feel, in this uncertain time one of the best things we can do is model kindness and understanding. That happens to be a skill that teachers specialize in! It comes easily to us! It's part of why we followed the calling to become a teacher (because that's what it is- a calling!). We LOVE our kids. We invest in our students success with our whole heart. We want them to succeed and we want them to be leaders. We want them to treat others well and with kindness. We want them to be team players and we want them to include those students who may be different from them in some way.<br />
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On Monday, if you don't already do it, greet every student at your door. Every single one. Smile, "I'm SO glad you are here today!" Give hugs freely. Hug your former students as they make their way to class. When you see a colleague do something you know was outside their comfort zone give them praise in front of their class and yours! Smile at your staff members as you pass them in the hallway. At the end of the day hug or high five your students as they leave your classroom and head for the bus. Tell them they are IMPORTANT. Find more activities that require your students to work as a team. Thank them for their hard work. Tell them on Monday how much you missed them. Because not only are they our future...but among them are future leaders of this country.<br />
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We have the opportunity and privilege to be a person that makes a profound impact on how they feel about others and especially how they feel about themselves! XO</div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-46780767884549446412016-09-07T14:57:00.003-05:002017-09-08T16:38:22.374-05:00Writers Making Lists
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<b>This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using my links.</b></div>
Making lists seems like such a simple task doesn't it? I'm at a point in my life where 1) I can't remember stuff and 2) I get great satisfaction from crossing off something on my to-do list. When I started creating my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-the-Write-Moves-829534" target="_blank">writing journals</a> I wanted my students to be a part of the process of creating examples to refer back to. One of the first items we work on is creating lists. Why work on something that is seemingly so simple? Lists are the basis of all of our planning and pre-writing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-the-Write-Moves-829534" target="_blank">Making lists piece in interactive portion of writing journal. </a></td></tr>
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Young writers need lots of practice writing lists and thinking of ideas quickly. It's hard when you're a first grader to get your ideas onto your paper and to do it quickly. The first example students put into their writing journals is a list. (I also created a few other lists for them to add into their journal. These could be placed into their journals behind my original list or be placed in your writing center as a quick option for them.) I want them to be able to think of simple ideas like farm animals and be able to write a list for them. Then we can practice how to make sentences from our list.<br />
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One fun way to practice making lists is with this list making SCOOT activity. Of course you could laminate these lists and allow students to write on them with dry erase markers so that you get several years of use out of them. I copied mine onto <a href="http://amzn.to/2wftuOz" target="_blank">Astrobrights Card Stock</a>. Astrobrights also has a double color cardstock, but it's very hard for me to find. I did find this brand. I like that with double color I can make my cardstock go a bit further so all of my activities have different colors.<br />
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Split your class into groups of four or five students. Each student gets their own list. It may help to print them on different colors. Students write one item on their list. Then SCOOT to the next list in the group and try to list something not already written. You only have four or five students in each group so the SCOOT game goes pretty quickly. Come back together as a whole class to begin comparing lists. If you have space in your room post all your lists up. This is a great tool for your ESL, ELL, and low readers. It's ok for them to copy the lists into their journals. They are still practicing writing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzCsuXYJcKqxaVl2WTcwY0R1akk/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Lists Freebie. Click on the picture above to download.</a></td></tr>
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This would also be a great small group activity! Many students do better verbalizing what they want on their list before they write it down. Pair up students and have them orally lists items for their list before writing it down. Two heads are better than one, right? So even your shy kiddos will feel successful.<br />
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*If you teach an older group of students you could do the same activity but ask students to make lists on medium sized <a href="http://amzn.to/2wfAPO4" target="_blank">Post It Super Sticky 4x6 Notes</a>. The Miami color combo is so pretty! Your students can stick their notes right into their journals!<br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />When I first start literacy station rotations and journal writing is a station I may tell me students to write a list this time. They have an example to refer back to and this helps them practice using their journal as a tool. We want our students to know exactly where to get the information they need!<br />
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-50744722012301097622016-08-22T09:14:00.001-05:002017-03-01T14:02:08.965-06:00Using Poetry to Impact Fluency<div style="text-align: center;">
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Several years ago I decided that I wanted to incorporate and element of poetry to help my students. I knew that the rhythm and rhyme of poetry was especially helpful to young readers when it came to improving fluency. But I struggled to find something that fit into our day as well as our nine week plans. I sat down to create something that would be useful for me and my whole team and fell in love with the results.</div>
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I wanted to create short poems that could be funny. Something that students would want to come back to read again. I also wanted a product that I could incorporate into small group instruction as well as reading stations/centers. The end result is three sets of activities for each poem. One poem for every week. </div>
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We started each week with gluing our poems into our poetry notebooks. I asked students to circle the title. My students would pick a crayon and I would ask them to find words with _____. This depended 1) on the poem and words in it and 2) what skills my kids needed extra practice on. Sometimes we would highlight or underline short vowel words, long vowel words, single syllable, two syllable words. It's easy to differentiate here. For example, some students could be looking for the sight words the and for. Super simple.</div>
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I read the poem to the whole class. As the year goes on many students join in and read with me. Once the reading is finished students draw a picture to match the poem on the other side of the journal like you see below. I am really happy with this fine motor skill practice. It's another reference to use if you have concerns about fine motor skills as well.</div>
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During the week I have our poem written on large butcher paper and hanging up on a tall pocket chart....er, clothing rack because it's cheaper. Students read the poem together with a partner during station rotations and fill in the missing words. The extra practice with sight words and sounding out words that aren't familiar is much easier with a partner. My kids always felt so proud.</div>
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(Truth: I DO actually have pictures of this station in action....WHERE ARE THEY?! I've searched in Dropbox and my old computer. No clue. Maybe they'll appear after I publish this post! HA)</div>
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The last activity asks students to search for sight words and answer comprehension questions about the poem. I did this activity in small group. It was a great way to gauge where each student was at and it was another opportunity to hear them read. This was also a very simple way to get students to go back to look for information in what they have read. </div>
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Fast forward to December and January. You know those reluctant readers you have? In December and January they suddenly "get" reading and become very excited about what they read. Many of my students would bring their poetry journals to their read to self stations to practice their reading. I also have the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You books and my students would sometime pair up to share reading the poem in that same style. </div>
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I saw incredible progress throughout the year, but mostly I saw that my kiddos loved reading. Poetry is short so it helps those struggling and reluctant readers feel successful!</div>
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I have my entire poetry bundle on sale today during the TPT bonus day sale!</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poem-a-Week-Bundle-2727926" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uugV9PbrlUsUsNDfJHjBp2uzPdbxWeAntDHdoBWGQ4pcHggeOa59k5idZAkh0cOfUu6ghiG-UB_qT3pbDpze6tMY0QwuKlym8EFJo9u7Xge4NiTSp4cDoOx8tRabcY29JuaW0jhLI3Vi/s400/poembundlepic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-61973120597496745482016-08-06T10:52:00.004-05:002017-03-29T17:42:21.853-05:00Using Twitter as a Classroom Tool<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello fellow teachers! This summer I had the opportunity to attend a day of <a href="http://ipadpalooza.com/" target="_blank">iPadpalooza</a> and I cannot wait to share some of what I learned! If you aren't familiar with <a href="http://ipadpalooza.com/" target="_blank">iPadpalooza</a> it's an absolutely incredible conference bringing technology, innovative ideas, and teachers together. Everything is so well done and so organized--it's a teachers dream. Every year there are amazing keynote speakers, classes, challenges, etc. You are literally buzzing with excitement thinking about how you can use all these great ideas in your classroom!<br />
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Some of the most exciting information for me this year was on using Twitter in the classroom!</div>
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<b>Why use Twitter?</b></div>
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500 Million Tweets are sent every day- that's 6,000 tweets per second!</div>
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There are 66 Million Twitter users in the United States!</div>
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Twitter is EVERYWHERE. It's easy to access on any device and takes very little time to set up an account. Many of our older students already have Twitter accounts, so why not get them interested in what we are teaching by using Twitter? Creating and sending a tweet takes less than thirty seconds and the benefits can be amazing!<br />
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<b>1. IMPROVE YOUR CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT</b><br />
One speaker, George Curous (@gcouros), talked a bit about how Twitter could <span style="color: #3d85c6;">change the culture of your school</span>. He asked: <b>What if each teacher on your campus tweeted about something they did in their classroom every day and we all took the time to read and respond to the their tweets?</b> I would love to know about the projects and new ideas other teachers on my campus had. Can you imagine how great it would be to be able to encourage and high five other teachers in grades far above or below you. Wouldn't we all be willing to take more risks in our classroom if we knew we had encouragement from others?<br />
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<b>2. INTRODUCE YOURSELF</b><br />
I listened to Don Goble speak as well (@dgoble2001). He asked us to record a quick 30 seconds about ourselves to post to Twitter. When we tried this I immediately began to imagine parents looking up their teacher's intro on Twitter under their school hashtag. What an instant anxiety reliever for some of our kids!<br />
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<b>3. USE AS A FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TOOL</b><br />
Older students with their own Twitter account could post to your hashtag. Of course most younger students don't have their own Twitter account, but that's ok. I've thought a bit about this. In my classroom my students had a number order. We lined up by odd or even numbers, found even number partners, or odd number partners, etc. To post to Twitter students could hold up a self portrait with their number, or simply their number, and record keeping their identity private. Your district may already have a permission form for the use of Twitter and other social media. Be sure to speak with your administration to make sure you have all your bases covered!<br />
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<b>4. TWITTER CHATS</b><br />
How great would it be to have a Twitter chat with parents to gauge their comfort level with a new type of technology? Or have a chat about a book chapter or new app you introduced in your classroom? Parents could help tweet their child's answers to questions about a science experiment. I can't help but think a Twitter chat could be a great tool to connect with students on bad weather days too. Hold a chat with the fellow teachers in your district. It's a great way to collaborate and find out what other teachers are working on and new tools they have discovered.<br />
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<b>5. LEAVE A TEASER</b><br />
How many times do we hear that our students don't or won't tell their parents anything about the school day? What if we gave them a little tool? For example, if you had been working on a STEM activity you could send a picture like this with the text: "Hmmm...what were we working on today?" You could send a teaser like this out to your students to get them guessing about what they will be learning the next day too.<br />
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Of course the ideas for Twitter in the classroom are endless, but those above are just a few simple ways to begin using Twitter. Twitter has a tips page for educators that you can access <a href="https://about.twitter.com/safety/educators" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-64586745510137574592015-09-23T17:55:00.000-05:002017-03-29T17:41:51.202-05:00Class Yes and Hands and Eyes- WBT<br />
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Two years ago in December break I started exploring the Whole Brain Teaching website. I was so excited to try some of the techniques! I also wanted to see how much my kiddos would remember after being on winter break. The first thing I wanted to try was Class Yes.</div>
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<a href="http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/rowdyinfirstgrade/media/6d5c65c7-5c2b-4c03-9fbc-13d006e43075_zpsihwob254.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 6d5c65c7-5c2b-4c03-9fbc-13d006e43075_zpsihwob254.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q632/rowdyinfirstgrade/6d5c65c7-5c2b-4c03-9fbc-13d006e43075_zpsihwob254.jpg" height="310" width="320" /></a>
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If you have watched some of the WBT videos you see there are some different styles. I'm a naturally sort of loud speaker, but I've worked really hard to speak more softly in class. Why? I have a teacher friend who has a very soft voice and her entire class of preschoolers always talks softly too! I love it! 4 year olds having control over the volume of their voice without even knowing it. So when I started "Class Yes" I didn't say it super duper loud. Don't get me wrong- sometimes we were in the middle of a really engaging activity and our class noise level was pretty high so I would have to be louder with my class yes. But most of the time I was pretty soft and sometimes I even whispered. </div>
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How did it work? </div>
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SO STINKIN BRILLIANTLY!</div>
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I say "Class Class!"</div>
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They say "Yes Yes!"</div>
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And your kids say it in the very same way you did. So if I whispered "Class Class" I would hear a "Yes Yes!" back in a whisper.</div>
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I jazzed it up all the time too with a "Yee-haw Class!" {Yee-haw Yes!}, "Woot woot Class!" {Woot Woot Yes!} The kiddos even came up with a few. </div>
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<b>This is an incredible tool! </b>It works in a fire drill that happens in the middle of recess. For real. The MIDDLE OF RECESS and I shouted "Class class!" The other first grade teacher weren't doing Class Yes or any WBT at this point (at least I don't remember them doing it yet). But just my kids shouting back was enough to get the attention of the whole playground.</div>
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<a href="http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/rowdyinfirstgrade/media/0b705e34-536e-40d0-b337-ca6f9b34b8f0_zpsvatjvtrl.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 0b705e34-536e-40d0-b337-ca6f9b34b8f0_zpsvatjvtrl.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q632/rowdyinfirstgrade/0b705e34-536e-40d0-b337-ca6f9b34b8f0_zpsvatjvtrl.jpg" height="316" width="320" /></a>
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Oh I love this one! This looks phenomenal when administration sees it too. I used this when my kids were deep in discussion or thought and I needed to show them an important next step in our work.<br />
Teacher "Hands hands hands and eyes" and then I clasp my hands together.<br />
Kiddos repeat and put their eyes on you and hands together.<br />
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Sometimes, especially if we were doing an interactive notebook activity, I would have a few students still engrossed what they were doing. We had to try it again. But you know what, that's OK! Once I had their attention I knew I really had their eyes on me and we were able to move on to the next step. My students quickly learned that me asking for hands and eyes meant they should give me their attention or they would miss out on something important.<br />
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I mentioned above that I started WBT before winter break. After winter break my students didn't miss a beat! They remembered everything and honestly I think the familiarity of the routine was a relief to them.<br />
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I strongly encourage you to try a little of WBT in your class to see what you think. You'll be amazed!</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=171351518161769077" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=171351518161769077" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-59799798939873218682015-08-30T22:24:00.001-05:002015-08-30T22:24:25.780-05:00Photo a Day for your classroom<div style="text-align: center;">
Welcome back to school, teacher friends! The summer sure flew by! Not nearly enough time was spent wearing flip flops in the sunshine and wondering what day of the week it was! </div>
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At the start of the school year those first couple of weeks are packed full of routine practice. We plan out the whole day and some activities take WAAAAY longer than we planned because we had to redirect a few friends and come back to the carpet for a chat. Other activities we find go so smoothly that we are rushing to our pile of back to school books looking for what we would like to read next. Sometimes we just need something for our kids to do that takes 5-10 minutes. </div>
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I have your solution! </div>
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I created a Photo a Day pack for you classroom. Have you participated in one of those on Instagram? They are so fun and easy and it's a great way to connect with new people. </div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Photo-a-Day-Back-to-School-2065517" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfIIqdD80bJVsKojxdE_WXVVbgdbS9LAPizBBeZ9deIj-p7t6Pj3Xoa2sVou25_yjvLDaTYDW08623UWqV6EA64lABzNo5vaRaySgqlSyEgoRzX7TuWAQ7bSeF-c1qcyV_yWS0e5o07Xq/s400/Slide01.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>How can you use this in your classroom?</b></div>
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*students can create a photo album- something to show off at Open House and get your students talking about their classroom and school.</div>
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*graphing what students choose to draw- ex: Who drew shoes with laces? Who drew shoes without laces?</div>
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*as a writing tool- even your most reluctant writers will be able to create a sentence about their photo.</div>
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*Collaboration! Create a class or group poster. If your students sit in groups they may enjoy making a group poster or even big group photo album. </div>
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*Many students are unsure of themselves at the start of the year, but everyone can draw a little something. Drawing helps to improve those fine motor skills. Your ELL sweeties will get extra vocabulary practice as well. My group of students last year loved to talk about what they were writing or drawing and we talked a lot about how we can use what we say in our writing. </div>
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I left several of the prompts very broad, for example, "In PE." This could wind up being a rule, a game, a friend, a teacher, a basketball, etc. Some of your kids might surprise you with what they choose!</div>
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You can grab this pack on <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Photo-a-Day-Back-to-School-2065517" target="_blank">TPT</a> right now!! Have an amazing week at school!! XO</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-55414078232970724752015-08-11T09:53:00.002-05:002017-03-29T17:42:10.397-05:00YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND & other books <div style="text-align: center;">
It's back to school time and although this is my post from last year I thought I would re-post. That first week back to school is SO IMPORTANT! We want to make a good impression and part of setting the stage is using picture books to convey important messages. So if you're a new teacher get ready to shop!</div>
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<b>My name is Jennifer and I have a picture book addiction. </b><br />
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Seriously, put me in Barnes and Noble and it's like I'm in Target. I have no self-control! I know I'm not alone!</div>
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I have 5 books that I read every year and I can't imagine beginning my year without them.<br />
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<b>1. <u>Do Unto Otters</u></b>- Absolutely the cutest book about the golden rule of do unto others. Great for manners and treating others with kindness. Every year I draw the main character and we record all the words we can think of on how to "do unto otters." There's also a VERY adorable <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scrambled-States-America-Stories-Laurie/dp/B004K4FUES/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409191152&sr=8-2&keywords=do+unto+otters+dvd" target="_blank">DVD</a> that you can find on Amazon (it includes 3 other stories By Laurie Keller). It's an animated version of the story and it's always a big hit. The kids are usually giggling at the little rabbit's do-dee-do song.<br />
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<b>2. <u>Wemberly Worried</u></b>- So many students can relate to being nervous on the first day of school. </div>
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<b>3. <u>You Will Be My Friend</u></b>- HILARIOUS! Peter Brown is too funny. Lucy, the cute bear on the cover, has the hardest time making a friend. She even yells "YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND!" which of course does not help her in making any new friends. The kids laugh at her ridiculous behavior and it leads to great discussion about how to make a friend.</div>
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<b>4. <u>Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse</u></b>- Another fabulous Kevin Henkes book. When Lilly draws a nasty picture of her teacher at the end of a bad day her teacher tells her "Today was difficult, tomorrow will be better." I say that same phrase to students all year long. Students easily relate to Lilly's excitement to show and tell about her purple plastic purse, movie star sunglasses, and jingly quarters. </div>
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<b>5. <u>Library Lion</u></b>- the illustrations in this book are so gorgeous. If you aren't familiar with this book it's so sweet. The librarian is very adamant that everyone follow the rules- most importantly STAY QUIET. But what if there's an emergency? Is there ever a time when it's okay to break the rules?</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-8182913751768221072015-07-21T09:39:00.001-05:002017-03-29T17:41:11.794-05:00Get your Grants Funded!<div style="text-align: center;">
How big is your wish list? After hours this summer spent at conferences, scouring Pinterest, and seeing new toys on Instagram and Facebook you probably have more than a few items you'd love to use in class. Now you're thinking about writing grant. GREAT IDEA! I've written grants before and all of them have been funded so I thought I would share my tips. </div>
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<a href="http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/rowdyinfirstgrade/media/58e19306-4eb5-4daf-b6b3-b6b35e9716f2_zps0vh45ldt.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 58e19306-4eb5-4daf-b6b3-b6b35e9716f2_zps0vh45ldt.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q632/rowdyinfirstgrade/58e19306-4eb5-4daf-b6b3-b6b35e9716f2_zps0vh45ldt.jpg" height="302" width="640" /></a>
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Donors Choose is of course a wonderful option for educators hoping to get grants funded, but did you know that many districts have an education foundation? I Education Foundations WANT to give you money for your classroom! Local large businesses and companies based out of your state may also offer grants. Don't forget about your school's PTA- they may have some funds they would be willing to share to help you purchase something if it could benefit a large population of the school.<br />
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Can the item or items you want a grant to purchase be used all year long? Can they be used the following year as well? Will it benefit all the students in your classroom? You are more likely to have a grant funded if you can use it in your classroom continually.<br />
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Don't be afraid to write a large grant! If you want to purchase items for your whole team try contacting the company you want to purchase from and ask if they offer a large order discount. Many times they will help you out! Companies want their product out there!<br />
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<a href="http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/rowdyinfirstgrade/media/e7dfec74-df4b-461c-a941-7f0c5ddfb3d7_zpsu1inxitd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo e7dfec74-df4b-461c-a941-7f0c5ddfb3d7_zpsu1inxitd.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q632/rowdyinfirstgrade/e7dfec74-df4b-461c-a941-7f0c5ddfb3d7_zpsu1inxitd.jpg" height="303" width="640" /></a>
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Many people who want to fund your grants aren't teachers. They aren't familiar with the buzzwords that we are. When you write your grants be specific and make sure your reader can really picture how your item would be used in the classroom. Can it benefit students of all ability levels? How?</div>
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*Have a friend or colleague proofread your grant before you submit it!! Sometimes we have read and re-read and re-read what we have written so many times that we miss errors!</div>
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Show how excited you are to receive your grant! Send out a picture of your items to your parents in a Remind message. Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and now Periscope to show your enthusiasm and show your grant item at work in the classroom! Send out a thank you note. If you've been funded from someone locally a thank you note is a special touch.</div>
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Have a great school year and keep sharing pictures of your new fun items in class! I love seeing how creative we can be in how we teach!</div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D171351518161769077%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fi1167.photobucket.com%252Falbums%252Fq632%252Frowdyinfirstgrade%252F3361e71d-35a6-441c-97ff-f6b3c56dd460_zpskenctpk1.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=g1MwLswMEt2L&description=%20photo%203361e71d-35a6-441c-97ff-f6b3c56dd460_zpskenctpk1.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 33px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1211px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D171351518161769077%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fi1167.photobucket.com%252Falbums%252Fq632%252Frowdyinfirstgrade%252F3361e71d-35a6-441c-97ff-f6b3c56dd460_zpskenctpk1.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=g1MwLswMEt2L&description=%20photo%203361e71d-35a6-441c-97ff-f6b3c56dd460_zpskenctpk1.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 33px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1211px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-72686439447379698942015-04-18T08:39:00.003-05:002015-04-18T08:39:57.470-05:00Big News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few months ago something exciting happened in our family. My husband had an opportunity to take a job in Seattle. Seattle is where we have wanted to settle permanently for a long time, but in our plan it wasn't something we were going to try to make happen for a few more years. Everything happened so quickly. I was still on maternity leave and we did our usual trip to Seattle for New Years and when the baby and I returned to Texas my husband stayed in Seattle and started his new job.</div>
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I'm very excited for this next step in our lives, but sad to leave my family here and the community where I have worked for the last 8 years. I work with amazing teachers and it will be strange not working with my school family next year. </div>
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I'm staying here in Texas until the school year is over then I'll we'll officially move mid-June.</div>
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If you're a teacher in Seattle I'd love to hear from you! I would love to meet up with some Seattle teachers once we are living there.</div>
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Have a great weekend!</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-91922771868196262352015-04-12T11:07:00.000-05:002015-04-12T11:09:15.357-05:00Making Fluency Practice Fun<div style="text-align: center;">
This time in the year I like to focus on fluency a bit more, but I like to try and be sneaky about it. I want my kiddos to practice reading but handing students a sand timer just isn't my style. Over the past couple of weeks we've been using the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chatterpix-kids-by-duck-duck/id734046126?mt=8" target="_blank">ChatterPix Kids app</a>! Now that we've started we just can't stop!</div>
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This app is SO EASY TO USE! Students can take a picture of themselves, objects, or drawings. After choosing a picture you use the drawing tool to pick a spot for a mouth. Next you can record yourself speaking for up to 30 seconds. If you mess up on a recording you just record over it. There are borders and funny stickers to add to your recording too. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!</div>
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(And now a little message from Cody the Cat)</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwUQ-jwuikgnN-GftlA77D1Tu2gBYQY-iR2HWDd85VuFyXKOxBPGg3qrKRvzb-tV9LJxa6ibx5tenqJBpzKXw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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My students recorded themselves reading a poem on ChatterPix Kids. Here's one example of a student reading a Jack Prelutsky poem. This one is just a drawing and a recording without stickers added.</div>
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The possibilities are endless with this app. We just completed Dr. Seuss character drawings and my kids are recording facts about Dr. Seuss. We are planning on doing book reviews with this app too. Students will draw their favorite character in the setting of the story then record their thoughts on the book. I showed my sister and she and my niece had a great time taking pictures of Barbie dolls and made them say all kinds of funny things! </div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-46085678881587859322015-03-24T20:51:00.000-05:002017-03-01T14:03:48.375-06:00Keeping track of classroom expenses<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh my word! <b>I have an app you NEED in your life! </b></div>
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I'm obsessed with Evernote. If you don't use Evernote it's pretty much the bomdiggity when it comes to taking notes, writing checklists, and creating reminders. I use it for grocery lists, lists of upcoming activities in my classroom, etc. You get it. If it's not in Evernote I probably won't remember it.</div>
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Well, the makers of Evernote have a new app called Scannable. Scannable allows you to keep track of documents and export them into Evernote. Just think about how handy this would be with beginning of the year shopping...<br />
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Simply snap a photo of your receipt in the Scannable app then you can export it to Evernote where you can have a "Classroom Expenses" note set up. Tax time rolls around and BOOM all your expenses are in one place!</div>
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*But wait, there's more*</div>
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You can use this app to keep track of student work and your notes on student progress! Take snapshots of student work, your notes (GREAT for Post-Its), tests, handwriting samples, etc. Goodbye copy count worries! How fabulous is that?! All those important papers in one spot and you don't have to worry about copies crammed into your filing cabinet.<br />
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Have a great week everyone!</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-83526461835454148012015-03-02T16:13:00.000-06:002015-03-02T16:15:53.217-06:00Popplet Lite<br />
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We had so much fun using an app called Popplet Lite while we learned about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. You may be familiar with Popplet. It's and app as well as a website that allows for making webs. You can have a whole class working on a Poppet on the website which can be really cool. </div>
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But to start off Popplet Lite is a great tool. It's free too! </div>
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It takes just a few taps on the screen to create a bubble. Students can type inside the bubble or draw using their finger. You can also import pictures. So easy! We did one as a class first then I allowed students to create their own Popplets. Some of my students had such a good time that they even went home and created their own Popplets on family, their favorite books, etc.</div>
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This is a great tool to use in science and social studies and students feel successful! Below is an example. It turned out too cute!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKF6YjW271E5Z2pFVhqDQOcW_cOqkD1hcVglRAG_QHUvfyIIiR9DN-86JuOD8L-hqimhvO8qvkNyOxBMa14QbkYkzQLivrojmX17maKaGJEenomFdngqusljdJl_cMNtm9LDqb4RCU-8fa/s1600/IMG_0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKF6YjW271E5Z2pFVhqDQOcW_cOqkD1hcVglRAG_QHUvfyIIiR9DN-86JuOD8L-hqimhvO8qvkNyOxBMa14QbkYkzQLivrojmX17maKaGJEenomFdngqusljdJl_cMNtm9LDqb4RCU-8fa/s1600/IMG_0243.JPG" height="467" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-72563221445593650602014-11-29T09:21:00.000-06:002017-03-29T17:43:16.171-05:00Snowman Math Races- an indoor recess solution<div style="text-align: center;">
Have you been hit by those terrible snow storms over the past week? Are you DREADING indoor recess? You don't have to! I have a FREE solution for you and it helps your kiddos practice their math facts.</div>
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December means it's time for snowman math races! Snowman math races are a big hit in my classroom. We use addition wheels to practice our facts and turn it into a race. If you aren't familiar with them<br />
<u><b>H</b></u><u style="font-weight: bold;">ere's how they work: </u><br />
Draw a donut shape and place numbers around the <b>inside</b>. Then place another number<b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">in the center</span></b>. Students line up and take turn adding the number inside the donut hole with the center number. They place their answer <b style="color: #38761d;">outside the circle</b><b>.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYaK-bdohIRKMrjnC-7sMhr0RbErvRm8FHnKB9BLuDa0e0D8VEMHFupZN9_c7rmMjN69IZekOz6xmjqNfdtbg-lyfluKnvo8mQrJPZ0pTAyCEJVIrag24jX_MAyEKFdKB0h8ae2nzqt3z/s1600/Addition+Wheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYaK-bdohIRKMrjnC-7sMhr0RbErvRm8FHnKB9BLuDa0e0D8VEMHFupZN9_c7rmMjN69IZekOz6xmjqNfdtbg-lyfluKnvo8mQrJPZ0pTAyCEJVIrag24jX_MAyEKFdKB0h8ae2nzqt3z/s1600/Addition+Wheel.jpg" /></a></div>
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When we race I usually have just three or four students in a line. Students are <b>NOT</b> allowed to whisper or call out an answer <b>OR</b> let another student know their answer was wrong. After a student writes down an answer they pass their expo marker to the person behind them and go to the end of the line. If a student writes down an incorrect answer someone else in the line has to fix it. They simply cross off the wrong answer and write the correct answer next to it. As soon as all of the answers are written down, and all the answers are correct, that group wins. I don't write the same numbers in each wheel when we race because I don't want anyone sneaking a peek at the other team's answers. It's a great way to get students to practice addition facts.</div>
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Snowman math races are easy and quick and great for indoor recess, end of the day, brain break, or as a <u>competition with other classes</u>. (I'm just a wee bit competitive!) My students BEG to have these races! I've also used them for finding the missing addend. If you're an upper grade you could do multiplication wheels. </div>
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Here are our snowman races in action.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB14mG5Cn4sbjx7IMBVCH3f1b0vs9qLeFikpAe3wmp95Cz4CecaCmOejh9ggY_A6yewpPkvwYIZNlO4E3pToBMSdsVWsofP0A3HwkwHvFG5YqicjSodgR6U1zErpIJ27FjQXVWGatkpT2s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-29+at+11.52.51+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB14mG5Cn4sbjx7IMBVCH3f1b0vs9qLeFikpAe3wmp95Cz4CecaCmOejh9ggY_A6yewpPkvwYIZNlO4E3pToBMSdsVWsofP0A3HwkwHvFG5YqicjSodgR6U1zErpIJ27FjQXVWGatkpT2s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-29+at+11.52.51+AM.png" width="300" /></a></div>
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*notice the wrong answer!</div>
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*If you don't have a whiteboard you can laminate some butcher paper or poster paper and cut out your wheel and use dry erase markers to write. Post-Its will work in a pinch too.</div>
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To help my kiddos understand how to do addition math wheels I use wheels from this product. Students quickly understand and your students who are still struggling with their facts get some extra practice. I usually incorporate some of these into our math stations too. My struggling students will take wheels home for homework all month. This packet also includes missing addend practice.</div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Addition-Wheels-437902" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6UMNEQYMQTsAo6IURJ5xTkm15QcIR-TFlMTzyB8MJpmtoPUihJnzJ5Y9AHMdUF0mFTOGSurcuEg0bp_O77LLkenXwi-Lg9Q4DIvqEUZCfXKbAB7LbNxmpw0SNB6mFY0ljqbp1jI1QCyW/s1600/Addition+Wheels.001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This pack will be on sale during the Cyber Monday sale!<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jennifer-Tice" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuP0BUA0XaDufkaQKKA2r92cwwuTYc5rTC929Bsw9PMPQkD_p7I-fCmHaprHnTHjsi8bGzDIv_2Rr65WIX99wr7WsykERVJgIyM6rjsAUmMHh7Xv4ClwlAQsDyvUNSI-F9aCWpDeAJhnIP/s1600/CyberMondaySale.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To give your students a tutorial/taste of snowman math races I've created this freebie. Just click to <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzCsuXYJcKqxUi1FblM5cDRkZ2M/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">download</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzCsuXYJcKqxUi1FblM5cDRkZ2M/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RXtlaFYQiTHxPg7OGNKEUA_Qf9DUprcU1cGANJAID4y8hYS5mKSjre3oXmfTiW2yRhI1HCI5xjncOUt-Np-5N_rnoTbwsZnpFXLEKdKQ3oJ7KH2irthFEbI7OOSZyBDqsVC-9hLiTc3m/s1600/Snowman+Math+Races+freebie+pic.002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-62475734395651745252014-09-14T06:00:00.000-05:002014-09-14T06:00:04.883-05:00Prepping for Parent Orientation<div style="text-align: center;">
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Back to school means getting ready for parent orientation night. Last year we had some feedback from our parents that they didn't realize what a leap it was from kindergarten to first. We wanted to make sure our parents were informed and we also wanted them to know that on our team we all have <b>the same expectations</b> and <b>we all teach the same curriculum</b>....<b>we may just teach it in a different way</b>. I think this was our best parent orientation night EVER!</div>
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We started the night with a 25 minute presentation in our cafeteria addressing all of the parents. We have two brand new teammates so we started with a little introduction. We passed the microphone around between slides so we were all able to present as a team.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkVshV5TtxKM55zDNSMPmzvKSSzTIP4jcRzFrb7Mg3-AeWWW19xSGFtJniYmr60jAeUMezDUbGx7a66vIeAo2C2KRcYhN0_jFlgttoZlDDbIJAehcpbH06hwl_1bkqH-5ut3IE70xErDf/s1600/Grade+Level+Parent+Presentation.001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkVshV5TtxKM55zDNSMPmzvKSSzTIP4jcRzFrb7Mg3-AeWWW19xSGFtJniYmr60jAeUMezDUbGx7a66vIeAo2C2KRcYhN0_jFlgttoZlDDbIJAehcpbH06hwl_1bkqH-5ut3IE70xErDf/s1600/Grade+Level+Parent+Presentation.001.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm so thankful I work with such an incredible group of ladies! Love them all!</td></tr>
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We covered: </div>
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*Schedule, pace, and the importance of showing up on time to school</div>
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*Reading expectations. We hope our students are at a DRA level 4 or above at the beginning of the year and an 18 or above at the end of the year. <b>We took pictures of both a 4 and 18 to show parents what their child is working for. </b></div>
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*Reading comprehension and its part in DRA scores. This is a big deal for us. Many parents know their children can read challenging books, but they don't realize that their child isn't able to remember what they are reading.</div>
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*Spelling- this year we have three mystery words that follow our phonics skill for the week. This way we can see which students have really mastered the skill instead of just memorizing the words.</div>
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*We discussed math facts and how to study them.</div>
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*Snacks, lunches<br />
*BYOD- our district encourages students to bring their own devices</div>
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*Shoe tying! We asked that parents not send their children to school in shoes with laces if they can't tie them by themselves</div>
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*homework- reading every night</div>
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*sight words-Fry list</div>
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After our team presentation was over parents came to our classrooms for individual presentations. These covered a little bit about us (I revealed that I have a blog- I've never told parents that! EEK! My blog has always been just for me. If people figured out I had one I was ok with that but I never actually told anyone except my teammates), our personal behavior management, and other odds and ends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhF6eexPkoGeF9wARiJLy8QhJmEpGew_1mXqWfobeTxVfWVea-SDN7LHSTy8Jjt4mFM7zDVooJHiLRwgyDoKF3NyuAzj5J_zXJ-JdOD2cSB_nposg-qJ1_1_nA-KQDTpztYgNWswSk6b6a/s1600/Parent+Orientation.001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhF6eexPkoGeF9wARiJLy8QhJmEpGew_1mXqWfobeTxVfWVea-SDN7LHSTy8Jjt4mFM7zDVooJHiLRwgyDoKF3NyuAzj5J_zXJ-JdOD2cSB_nposg-qJ1_1_nA-KQDTpztYgNWswSk6b6a/s1600/Parent+Orientation.001.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Every year I end my presentation with this quote. I came across it when I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Book-Whisperer-Awakening-Inner-Reader/dp/0470372273/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410661860&sr=1-1&keywords=book+whisperer" target="_blank">The Book Whisperer</a> by Donalyn Miller. Hands down one of the best books I've ever read! If you haven't read it go put it on your wish list RIGHT NOW!</div>
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First grade is a reading grade and let's face it- all those stinkin standardized state tests are really READING tests!</div>
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My baby is due October 31st and I'm already stressing about making sure I have thorough plans and everything in place. I may have gone a little crazy with the Astrobrights paper. But I wanted to make sure my parents had plenty of information. I saw this fabulous flip book on Instagram from<br />
<a href="http://aspoonfuloflearning.blogspot.com/2014/08/meet-teacher-night-freebies.html" target="_blank">A Spoonful of Learning</a>. I love the end product! You can purchase your flip book <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Parent-Flip-book-Handbook-Editable-811587" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ugh- I see one page was stapled off center. </td></tr>
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*I also made two extra copies and set them aside for new students.<br />
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I found GREAT handouts on reading at home from <a href="http://www.allstudentscanshine.com/2014/04/reading-at-home-tips-for-parents.html" target="_blank">All Students Can Shine</a> and <a href="http://fun-in-first.blogspot.com/2013/07/tips-for-parentshow-to-help-my-child.html" target="_blank">Fun in First</a>.<br />
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I also needed a few other items in my room and used this SUPER cute donut themed parent donation pack from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Open-House-and-Meet-the-Teacher-DONUT-Theme-editable-1410095" target="_blank">Farley</a>! (I wanted to set mine up cuter, but swollen feet prevented me from doing much.) You can find her donut themed parent night pack right <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Open-House-and-Meet-the-Teacher-DONUT-Theme-editable-1410095" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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At the end of the night I was exhausted but I think our first grade parents went home with lots of information and a better understanding of everything first grade entails. I {fingers crossed} hope my parents felt a little more at ease.</div>
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Hope all my teacher friends out there are off to a great school year! </div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-35364439231038808012014-09-06T09:14:00.001-05:002014-09-06T09:14:16.527-05:00Starting off on the WRITE foot <div style="text-align: center;">
Good morning! I survived week two of school. How about you? I have lots to share about our week, but first I have to celebrate a fellow blogger! My dear friend Ashley from<br />
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<a href="http://flyinghighinfirst.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Flying High in First Grade"><img alt="Flying High in First Grade" src="http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy8/JumpingJaxDesigns/FlyingHighButton_zpsce61809e.png" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://flyinghighinfirst.blogspot.com/2014/09/milestone-giveaway.html" target="_blank">Flying High in First Grade</a> is celebrating a milestone and she's having an <a href="http://flyinghighinfirst.blogspot.com/2014/09/milestone-giveaway.html" target="_blank">AWESOME giveaway</a>! You can win my September/October Poem a Week pack as well as several other kick ass prizes. Ashley just had a baby girl and who knows, maybe our girls will be besties one day! </div>
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This week we were busy working on routines, incorporating more Whole Brain Teaching, and setting up our writing journals. We want to start out on the "write" foot! LOL! Before school started I blogged about my All the Write Moves pack and the changes I had made to it from last year. You can check out that post <a href="http://rowdyinfirstgrade.blogspot.com/2014/07/all-write-moves.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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First we glued in our tabs to separate our journals into sections. Then we started gluing in all of our Writers Can pieces. I used my new <b>Belkin Tablet Stand</b> document camera for the first time. It was awesome. (I'll be doing a post on that in a couple of weeks after I've figured out all the cool tools!)<br />
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Some pieces are interactive. But my main goal with having a Writers Can section was to give examples for my student to refer back to when they are working in their journals. I'm so excited to see how their writing changes and how they challenge themselves with journals set up this way.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-the-Write-Moves-829534" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-the-Write-Moves-829534" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84sTDGffQe_uNHJEMi5YOohOej1ISmnBi4E8SeMKjTOIbjxktAIgRKy0RGV0AtE3mn27M614r40FtQythPBVcni_NMmWFc-vCnbcSLzmPfRXVQAWTCejaUJmHiKAMt_mokg2dTXgfB4Fb/s1600/All+the+Write+Moves.001.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can find my All the Write Moves pack on TPT. Just click on the picture above! </div>
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Happy Saturday!</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-47604256062969605352014-08-27T21:19:00.000-05:002014-08-27T21:19:06.499-05:005 Must-Read Books for Back to School<div style="text-align: center;">
It's been wonderful being back at school this week! I've missed being in the classroom and I've really missed my picture books.</div>
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<b>My name is Jennifer and I have a picture book addiction. </b><br />
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Seriously, put me in Barnes and Noble and it's like I'm in Target. I have no self-control! I know I'm not alone!</div>
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I have 5 books that I read every year and I can't imagine beginning my year without them.<br />
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<b>1. <u>Do Unto Otters</u></b>- Absolutely the cutest book about the golden rule of do unto others. Great for manners and treating others with kindness. Every year I draw the main character and we record all the words we can think of on how to "do unto otters." There's also a VERY adorable <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scrambled-States-America-Stories-Laurie/dp/B004K4FUES/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409191152&sr=8-2&keywords=do+unto+otters+dvd" target="_blank">DVD</a> that you can find on Amazon (it includes 3 other stories By Laurie Keller). It's an animated version of the story and it's always a big hit.<br />
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<b>2. <u>Wemberly Worried</u></b>- So many students can relate to being nervous on the first day of school. </div>
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<b>3. <u>You Will Be My Friend</u></b>- HILARIOUS! Peter Brown is too funny. Lucy, the cute bear on the cover, has the hardest time making a friend. She even yells "YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND!" which of course does not help her in making any new friends. The kids laugh at her ridiculous behavior and it leads to great discussion about how to make a friend.</div>
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<b>4. <u>Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse</u></b>- Another fabulous Kevin Henkes book. When Lilly draws a nasty picture of her teacher at the end of a bad day her teacher tells her "Today was difficult, tomorrow will be better." I say that same phrase to students all year long. Students easily relate to Lilly's excitement to show and tell about her purple plastic purse, movie star sunglasses, and jingly quarters. </div>
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<b>5. <u>Library Lion</u></b>- the illustrations in this book are so gorgeous. If you aren't familiar with this book it's so sweet. The librarian is very adamant that everyone follow the rules- most importantly STAY QUIET. But what if there's an emergency? Is there ever a time when it's okay to break the rules?</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-85258161347576746862014-08-21T22:06:00.001-05:002014-08-21T22:06:22.517-05:00School starts Monday & I have no furniture!<div style="text-align: center;">
You read the title right friends. I have no furniture. </div>
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<b>BUT I'M NOT FREAKING OUT</b></div>
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Our district is going to be building a new elementary school and I'm one of two teachers that's piloting new furniture. I'm SUPER excited about the new furniture. It's modern and on wheels and will allow for lots of collaborative group work. This furniture was supposed to have been delivered and set up last Friday. Well, Friday came and went.....Monday too...I did finally get a teacher desk and what will replace my horseshoe table. But y'all, that's it. Desks were delivered today! However, after the custodians put one together they realized the district ordered chairs that were too small. Isn't that awesome? </div>
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<b>BUT I'M NOT FREAKING OUT</b></div>
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I still have my bookcases. I haven't removed my carpet or horseshoe table yet since I needed some place for paperwork for parents at Meet the Teacher Night. And if I have not desks Monday we'll have to be sitting on the carpet a lot! I don't have anything on my walls because I have no idea what other furniture I'll be getting besides desks. Murphy's Law: If I put things onto the wall the way I think will work out then once the furniture is there I will have to take it all down and put it up in a different spot.<br />
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<b>SERIOUSLY, I'M NOT FREAKING OUT</b></div>
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If you've followed my blog for a while, or follow me on Instagram you may know I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I love putting my room together and I feel like what your room looks like is part of your first impression to parents and kids. </div>
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School starts Monday. I'm 7 months pregnant and I'm tired. My feet hurt. I could easily have big BOO-HOO episode about the whole dang thing. But what would be the point? Crying won't solve anything. This situation is completely out of my hands!<br />
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<a href="http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/rowdyinfirstgrade/media/80d872ad-d27e-47a5-be2c-d2cdb4d03aae_zps78d0e7fe.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 80d872ad-d27e-47a5-be2c-d2cdb4d03aae_zps78d0e7fe.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q632/rowdyinfirstgrade/80d872ad-d27e-47a5-be2c-d2cdb4d03aae_zps78d0e7fe.jpg" /></a>
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Tonight at Meet the Teacher as I was explaining/apologizing to a parent that my room just wasn't ready he said, "Who cares? No one is here to see furniture or posters on your wall. The kids want to see you!"<br />
That will be true on Monday too. The kids will follow my reaction. It's the perfect opportunity to show I'm flexible and that even when things don't go as planned you can still make the most of a tough situation. We want to teach our kids that skill anyway!<br />
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This year as unexpected and unplanned things happen remember you are in charge of your reaction and attitude! Teachers are tough and resilient. We have an incredibly tough job and WE DO AMAZING THINGS!<br />
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Have a great school year! </div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-56670682843160758622014-08-14T00:00:00.000-05:002014-08-16T09:36:11.138-05:00Wish List Blog Hop<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Button_zpsfbf1e05c.png" border="0" src="http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a555/happytchr35/Blog%20Toppers%20and%20Images/Button_zpsfbf1e05c.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm so happy you're here! Thanks for visiting our blog hop! </div>
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I am...<br />
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<a href="http://rowdyinfirstgrade.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="HopStop9 photo Slide11_zpsb50d875d.png" border="0" src="http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a555/happytchr35/The%20Vegas%20Dozen/th_Slide11_zpsb50d875d.png" /></a>
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I have two products to share with you today! The first product is a paid product.</div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Moo-lah-A-First-and-Second-Grade-Money-Unit-131034" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDLqHSIypIkiBfdFyskWnoSeRC3qNz7LAkFTZbeSBxBXrqOQYAEc4HQw7sFswVPTS_UwYzLkOiMoAuoYAJkNg2qw4b0Cf4dQxwAd2g8G01kHl5P3kqAOJQWB0GcB0Ft-tCGtUbb99GfqO/s1600/Moolah+Unit.001.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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My first graders always seem to struggle with money each year. Many kids just don't see or get to feel and play with any actual money. Most of us use our credit or debit cards almost all the time. I created this unit to move gradually through money concepts beginning with coin recognition. My students love working on money because it makes them feel so grown up! I've had so much success with this product! This product is $5 in my TPT store.</div>
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<b>You can win my unit as well as all the paid products featured by my fellow hop hosts! Winner will be announced on Sunday!</b></div>
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/44f273476/" id="rc-44f273476" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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The second product I want to share with you is a little preview of my Moolah Unit. </div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzCsuXYJcKqxejBQenMzdXlqZTg/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjIaehgsRrjWnpRqFEZ2bTAu5Yqu8efMb-qL-Gyw25R7KLaWL9twsKnPAUWwPeMU-_SA5cMS-eT4OzPmxEcFRW_KS39XGBbETixqa_RiKHmCruAXJtT7PYMObZcIeH7meyGAKi2uc7Gyt/s1600/moolahpreview1.001.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thank you so much for stopping by!<br />
Your next stop on the hop is<br />
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If you would like to start the hop from the beginning head to<br />
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-89735192117043966942014-08-13T19:29:00.001-05:002014-08-13T19:29:11.145-05:00I hate to be a tease....<br />
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A few fabulous gals I connected with at the TPT conference in Vegas and I are doing a super fun blog hop! We were all talking about what we had on our TPT wish lists and wanted to share.....stay tuned. You won't want to miss it!</div>
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Meanwhile it's back to school time and I'm desperately trying to set up my room. But I'm 7 months pregnant and I get tired so quickly! My printer has some issues (followed by an epic pregnant lady meltdown last night) so I haven't even been able to print anything. Hoping to have pictures of my room done by Sunday......or Monday.</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-15355488223401905432014-07-31T06:00:00.000-05:002014-07-31T06:00:04.997-05:00All the Write Moves<div style="text-align: center;">
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Writing in first grade is so exciting! I love how much growth you see when you view their writing journal entries from the first month of school to the last month. </div>
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I personally don't love scripted programs that tell you what to do with each lesson for writing from the first day of school on. Having taught 4th grade writing for two years I know very well that writing can feel like a chore to many students- especially those who aren't naturally strong writers. I feel like writing should be taught the way reading is. First children are exposed to writing just as they are books and reading. But when we first start "reading" we are pretending. We aren't really reading anything yet. For years we are given freedom to mimic what our parents read and how they read it before we are ever exposed to letter sounds and how to blend them into words. The first half of the school year I allow a lot of freedom in my students writing journals. Monday through Thursday students can free write in their journals. I have journal prompts and sentence starters for those students who want to use them. On Fridays we do a writing assignment together. I show students our writing prompts and we write together. I put each sentence on a sentence strip in a different color. We read and re-read what we have written to make sure it makes sense. Then students go back to their seats and do their own writing to the same prompt. Beginning in January students do much more writing that is assigned. By this time the majority of students are at a reading level that allows them to use good vocabulary and write sentences using many of our sight words. They begin to see how creative they can be and many students take several days to complete one journal piece.</div>
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Last year I created an All the Write Moves packet. I posted our writing goals in our center as well as our posters from this pack.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-the-Write-Moves-829534" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 5db97d4b-c20d-4453-b455-f65f943013b2_zpsb9c2f3d7.png" border="0" src="http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q632/rowdyinfirstgrade/5db97d4b-c20d-4453-b455-f65f943013b2_zpsb9c2f3d7.png" /></a>
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But I found as the year went on that I really needed students to have mini versions of the posters inside their journals to use as a reference. I began updating my pack and edited and added several pages. There are example pages what writers can write. I also have mini versions of writing posters in both black and white. Writing activities and examples are listed throughout the pack. I also included our writing goals.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-the-Write-Moves-829534" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUgEVEeMUifSxVT5dO7j8b1RmrlMRUPsQYbQJVMExaojMXJTolzGYhs6ts7_hjcKuDO4eUCyLpd8anfzbzGHmwvnRGYSBo_lVino-U84SQqTFN6TNsTjhyphenhyphena4TUDKUSqMDGjs3YX1xYpWM/s1600/All+the+Write+Moves+pin+pic.jpg" /></a></div>
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If you have already purchased All the Write Moves be sure to download the latest version. This is the perfect product to add to your Back to School wish list! Click on either picture to view this product on TPT!</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-67696859280443966052014-07-30T11:19:00.000-05:002014-07-30T11:19:16.376-05:00OSMO<br />
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I just saw the video for the OSMO. You've seen it in FB ads all summer. I never clicked on the link until today when another blogger blogged about it. I watched the video and immediately pre-ordered. The pre-order price was too good to pass up! I can also see how this could be a perfect for a grant for your classroom.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CbwIJMz9PAQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The OSMO works with the latest iPads including iPad mini and iPad2. You attach the reflector camera to the top. It also comes with three games to start with: Tangrams, Newton, and Words. All challenge your students in different ways. Tangrams you already know. Students are given positive "dings" when they place a shape correctly. In Newton you guide falling balls into targeted zones by drawing shapes or adding objects- very cool. Words- spell out words to describe what is on the screen. Great as a small group or partner game! You can see all three games on the video above.</div>
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If you click the link below you can pre-order YOUR OSMO for 50% off! Just $45!</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194571225988930877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171351518161769077.post-43810389754999841602014-07-07T20:10:00.001-05:002014-07-07T20:10:36.491-05:00Chapter 4: Early Guided Reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chapter 4 is all about early reading for your higher level kinder kids and your first grade students. This week the host of this chapter is sweet Jill from <a href="http://abcsandpolkadots.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-next-step-in-guided-reading-book.html" target="_blank">ABC's and Polka Dots</a>! She has a great document to add to your documentation binder for your small groups.</div>
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Here are my thoughts on this chapter:</div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;">1. What part of the reading caught your attention?</span></div>
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There is a list of skills children progress through in the early reading levels. </div>
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I thought the list would be great to add to our open house presentation for parents. Parents aren't really aware of all the skills that we want students to gain mastery in. </div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;">2. How do you already incorporate this into your guided reading routine?</span></div>
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A few years ago brain feelers were introduced in a blog post from <a href="http://missknightskhronicles.blogspot.com/2011/02/brain-feelers.html" target="_blank">Miss Knights Chronicles</a>. I don't bring them out every week but when I do my groups are highly engaged and love picking their questions. </div>
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One bit that really stood out for me was this quote:</div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"> It is extremely important that children listen to themselves as they read and stop if what they say does not make sense. Self-monitoring is the foundation for comprehension. When you say, "Does that make sense?" do a child, you are teaching comprehension.</span></div>
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If you are new to guided reading this chapter has a great plan for your daily small group instruction.</div>
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