Oct 31, 2011

Smells Good Enough To Eat!

After work today, I swung by Office Max for some chart paper.  No matter what I go there for, I always find myself down the markers aisle!  

Today, I picked up these yummy little markers by Mr. Sketch.  


I say yummy because they have the most wonderful scents...cherry, cinnamon, mint, raspberry, mango...just to name a few.  They smell good enough to eat...or at least lick!  bwahahahaha!  They also had a sale... buy one, get one 50% off.  I can't wait to use these yummies at school!

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 27, 2011

Author's Study FREEBIES

When we are doing an "Author Study", I add an Author Study Center.  Here students get a chance to revisit some of their favorite books by the author, as well as, engage in fun activities focusing about the author.  Some of my favorite authors are:

Jan Brett
Patricia Polacco
Lester Laminack
Tomie dePaola
Kevin Henkes

Here are a couple of FREEBIES for you to use.






Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 26, 2011

Simply Learning Centers



I am sooooo excited and honored to be an author at Simply Learning Centers.  {Thanks, Jennifer!!!}
Head on over to check out all the great info that has been shared so far on centers!  You'll be glad you did!

And check out my very first post on "Centers for the Beginner!"

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 24, 2011

Pictionary FREEBIE

My kiddos love putting together a Pictionary for their story/vocabulary words.  This is our anchor chart...a picture + a sentence using the word = cute pages of vocabulary words.  Using a spiral notebook, students can cut and paste their vocabulary entries for each story in abc order.  They can return to their pictionary pages, as needed which I strongly encourage during creative writing.

They love this!

Here's a template if you'd like to use this.

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 23, 2011

Blog On Fire Award

Wow!  Do I feel so honored or what?  I got the nicest surprise from Dana over at 3rd Grade Gridiron...the "Blog On Fire" award!  Wow!  Thank you so much Dana!  This ToTaLlY made my night!

Ok, so the rules state that I must share 7 things about myself, and then nominate 7 blogs for this award.  So, here goes...

1.  I am a HUGE Cardinals fan {and I'm watching Game 4 of the World Series as I type! heehee}
2.  My guilty pleasure is watching The Bachelor/Bachelorette!
3.  I am a Gramma of the most cutest, sweetest, smartest 2 year-old girl, EVER!  No, I don't think I'm biased.  heehee
4.  I am totally obsessed with blogging and blogstalking!  
5.  I admit that I spoil our yellow Lab, Maggie, terribly.  She even sleeps in bed with us.
6.  I think a clean house is no where to raise kids...and even when you are an empty-nester.  ha!
7.  I am obsessed with decorating with vintage/antique finds!

Ok, so now the hard part...narrowing it down to 7 hot blogs...there are just SO MANY!!!







Red Ribbon Week Freebie!


Graphics by: Cupcake Cutiees and Digi Web Studio

ENJOY!
Red Ribbon Blessings,

While You Were Out

Now that the Cold and Flu season is upon us, be prepared for a day out of the classroom for either you and/or your students!  I know that while I'm away, I like to know what happened in my classroom so I created this little packet.  Your sub can record what you need to know on the teacher "While You Were Out" page.  There is also a student page for you to record what your student{s} missed while they were out.  There is even a page of incentives/rewards.  I hope you don't get sick, but if you do, maybe this can ease your mind a little while being out.  You can check it out here.

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 22, 2011

Peek Into My Planbook and FREEBIE


This week during our Rocks and Minerals unit students learned through many hands on activities.  We started off the week with a KWL chart.  Students had many"W's" they wanted to learn, and by the end of the week, we have covered everyone's question.

One day, students enjoyed comparing rocks by different properties.  Rocks are always fascinating to my students each year, and this year was no different.



I also shared my pics of when I went mining in North Carolina when I was in college.  They loved seeing me in old "work" clothes with my pick, bucket, etc.

Our last day, we had the best time making our own rocks.  I got so excited with it myself...I didn't get any pictures.  :(  Why do I do that???

Anyway this is what we did.  I brought in chips of "rocks" in three different colors.

dark brown colored "rocks"

white "rocks"

and yellowish brown colored "rocks.
Yeah...they were chocolate, white chocolate, and butterscotch chips.

With putting the chips in ziploc bags, and dipping them in a bowl of hot water, we saw how the rocks melt.  Then by putting them in cold water, the rocks hardened.  When placing a layer of soft rocks of each "flavor" on top of each other, sedimentary rocks could be formed.  We saw how the rocks can crumble into smaller pieces.  They LOVED this!  Plus they got to EAT their rocks. 
SO MUCH FUN!

And here's a FREEIE for you!
So, now go over and take a peek into other teacher's planbooks for the week!
Visit HERE!

Chatterbox Blessings,

My Bucket Runneth Over

This is the first year that I am doing "Bucket Fillers".  My kiddos are loving this...and so am I!  This past week was our first week back after a two week Fall Break.  

And...on our first day back, we got TWO new students.  My students have always greeted and welcomed new students because I really strive to create a classroom community right from the start.  But to actually SEE the full buckets of my new students really made an impression on me and confirmed my belief in creating that close, caring community within our class!  I have to tell you that MY bucket was overflowing JUST BY SEEING this!

Wishing you a bucket that is overflowing!
Chatterbox Blessings,
  

Oct 19, 2011

That's A Whopper!

Just a quick post with a FREEBIE writing organizer.



Enjoy!
Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 18, 2011

Thanksgiving Fun Added

Just wanted to let you know that I have added a Thanksgiving Unit to my TpT store.  Hope you can come by and take a peek here.

Chatterbox Blessings,

Prove It!


Yesterday, I shared an Anchor Chart on Anansi that one of my small groups helped me create at center time.  However, it wasn't enough that they picked out words to describe the character.  They had to prove it!  They had to do this by locating things in the reading that supported their decisions.  

So, we came up with a "DOES" list and a "SAYS" list.  Students found sentences in the story that showed what the character did to support their decision for choosing words such as "tricky, or dishonest, etc..  They had to do the same thing to show what the character said to support their word description choices.  They enjoyed working together to find these sentences that would really tell all about this character.  It wasn't always easy for them to locate sentences that really supported certain words they had selected but they stuck with it helping each other.  I love the fact that my small groups always work together to get the job done!  They're the best, and make teaching so much fun!

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 17, 2011

Anchor Charts

I love using anchor charts.  Who says they have to be boring.  I like to make them fun to get the kids interested...and since we use these throughout the year, who wants boring old charts and posters??!!  The kiddos really enjoy helping create these!  


This is one we did when we were focusing on Character Traits.

Chatterbox Blessings,


Oct 16, 2011

Author Spotlight!!!


Love Me Some Lester Laminack!

I have had the privilege of meeting this author several times.  If you haven't checked out any of his books, you are missing out, friends!  OMG and if you get a chance to ever see him in person...RUN!!  DO NOT WALK!  You don't want to miss out!  He is FANTASTIC and SOOOOOOO fLiPpIn' FUNNY!!!

Here's his latest book.


Now GO GET IT!  
And check out all of his other awesome books!  
*smiles*

Happy Reading,

Stellaluna


I adore the story, Stellaluna.  It is so touching and tugs at the heart strings.  So I created this sweet unit chockful of activities for Stellaluna.  

You can find it here.
Thanks for taking a peek.

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 14, 2011

"Currently" Linky Party!

There's a Linky Party over at "Oh Boy Fourth Grade" that I am joining.  We are to tell about what we are currently doing...hence the name "Currently".  lol  So here is what I am currently doing...


Her are the links that I'm stalking...

So, what are you currently doing?  Head on over to the party and join in!

Chatterbox Blessings,

FREEBIE FRIDAY: It's My Birthday...

And I can share if I want to!
And I want to!!!  :)

{Graphics by Lilly Bimble and Scrappin' Doodles}
We have been partying for several days!  My hubby's birthday was on the 8th, our sweet little granddaughter turned 2 on the 9th, and then I turned 4__ *cough*cough* 4__ *cough*cough...ok, 46!  Ugghh...lol on the 11th.  Then my sweet grandbaby came home with us and stayed this past week.  We just took her back last night, and I cried all the way home.  Being a Gramma is the BEST!!!  It's just hard to let them go back home especially when they live 3 hours away.

Anyway, with all the birthdays, I have a "Birthday Info Sheet" FREEBIE for you to use with your kiddos.  Hope you can use it!

And today is the last day of my FALL BREAK...Monday it's back to school I go.  I can't wait to hear all about the "Fall Adventures" my kiddos have had these past two weeks!

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 6, 2011

New Goodies

I LOVE Fall Break!  Other than decorating my house for autumn, planning things for a quick trip and two birthdays, I have been creating teaching goodies again.  

Here's what I've added today...


You can find it here.



You can find this one here.

And this one here.

Thanks for taking a peek.
Hope you are enjoying a wonderful autumn day!

Chatterbox Blessings,

Oct 3, 2011

Word Work Activities

My kiddos LOVE Make-A-Word.  I have several versions, and they never get tired of this!
Sometimes I put letter cards in a pocket chart for a center.  This way they can move and manipulate the letters to make words.  Another way is done in a "cut-n-paste" fashion.  The following one is a "write in" version.


This is one of my kiddos' favorite word activity.
Feel free to grab!

And this word game...


~RaTtLeD~

OMGosh!  My kiddos beg for this one!!!  I use it in a literacy center.
What is your favorite "Word Work" activity???

Share with us, and check out what other teachers like *here*.

Chatterbox Blessings,

Building A Classroom Community

Classrooms are actually communities...after all, educators and students spend a lot of time there together....at least seven hours, five...