I love the start of New Year's Resolutions!!

 

A New Year always brings new promises, new decisions, new resolutions to change one thing or a bunch of things in your life.  2016 is no different!!

I am so blessed in so many ways! The one area I am resolving to work on for me, as well as my family, is taking care of myself.  I had a rough end to 2014 and spent all of 2015 healing and prospering. I work every day in different areas of healing and I vow to continue to do that in 2016!

My class rocks!! I have amazing students who work hard and want to learn everything.  They give me 100% of themselves daily. I resolve to continue developing and implementing engaging and hands on learning lessons and opportunities for their continued success!!

 



In 2015, I worked the hardest on my TPT business than 2014, for numerous reasons.  I still went slowly in several areas due to my recovery from a brain aneurism but I met many of my goals! I have more to achieve, but isn't that the point? If you meet them all, then you kind of settle for achieving the level you are currently at.  I am not settling!! 2016 is going to be the best ever!! I am going to blow this up!!!!

An Apple for the Teacher $75 Giveaway! Guess Who's Participating?

2016 has already brought many blessings to my family.  I hope it brings at least as many to you and yours. 

I am so excited to kick start this year off with a $75 giveaway sponsored by An Apple for the Teacher and 10 of her friends, including ME!!! You read correctly! $75!!! You know you can definitely use it to get some great goodies off of your wish list!!!   Click on the link below and join in the fun before January 13th! Tweet and share about the giveaway for an extra chance!



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BRONCOS & PEYTON MILESTONE CELEBRATION!

I am a Southern Girl at heart. Born and raised in Tennessee, I know what SEC and NFL football is all about!! Loyalty and working hard!! For me, Peyton Manning is FOOTBALL!! So if he is playing for the University of Tennessee Volunteers, the Indianapolis Colts, or the DENVER BRONCOS that will be the team I am pulling for!!!


As you could see from my Instagram,Peyton reached the 70,000 yards thrown milestone!! AND he ran his famous 2 minute offense perfectly for the Broncos to tie the Chiefs.  With a lot of luck from his defensive friends, the Broncos won their 2nd straight game! To help them celebrate, I am linking up with Powerpoint Gaming's Football Freebie Frenzy!! For their hard work, you will find my STEM Engineering Challenge: Design and Make a Table free for the next 24 hours!! Feedback is greatly appreciated!!! 

 Let's go Peyton!! Check in next week to see what is free or discounted!!

BTS Blog Hop Tips & A Freebie & Giveaways!

It is hard to believe that August is truly here! With it, comes the endless school supply ads, "last summer"  mini trips, vacays, movies, dinners, walks on the beach, etc.  My own kids always knew it was almost time for school when the fair came to town.  The Ventura County Fair is here, so we know it is THAT time!!! To celebrate returning for new adventures, I am participating in a BTS Blog Hop hosted by Tammy from The Owl Teacher.

One of the best tips I have come to rely on is to always plan ahead and be prepared with your materials and have back up plans ready to go. In the beginning of the year, your students are really just the same students who left the school a few months ago, just perhaps taller, sporting new glasses or hair style, along with their same personality.  I often forget how my new 5th graders are still really 4th graders.  They take extra time to complete tasks, often need to be redirected, aren't used to producing 5th grade level complete answer work that I expect.  It is great to have high expectations, but give them AND you a break for a few days until you get your expected daily routines ingrained in them before trying to turn them into the students who recently left your class to go to a new grade were.


I love reading and I love motivating my students to read.  We just started using Accelerated Reader four years ago as a means to motivate and steer students towards books that are truly at their current reading level.   While I don't always agree with the results or keeping students in a certain level for a length of time, I see that it gives structure to several students who need that constant accountability or they wouldn't read at all.  I agree it is not the be all, end all, but I enjoy using it and conversing with my students daily about their reading.   We have been trained the last 2 years and diligently spent time talking with students about the books they were reading, their interests, successes with certain books, and guiding them towards a well balanced selection of fiction and non-fiction. 

While my students loved earning the AR award certificates that are embedded into the program, I saw a chance to step up my game when our school began using Brag Tags for Citizenship at our monthly award assemblies.  Believe me when I tell you that upper grade students love wearing them on necklaces or clips on their backpacks as much as younger students do!! Click on the picture below to grab a sample set to try out for yourself.  The link for the full set of 5 books read up to 50 books read along with 5 AR points earned up to 50 points earned is listed below.  The next set will include 55 through 100! I have had students who earned over 200 books read!!!!!!! Perfect for allowing your own class rules, whether it be allowing picture books, non-fiction, graphic novels, poetry, fables, or every genre!! Easy to store and the diverse options of colors and styles allows every student to find their perfect match!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Brag-Tags-for-Accelerated-Reader-AR-Book-Award-Points-SAMPLER-1867612

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/READING-BRAG-TAGS-FOR-ACCELERATED-READERS-and-BEYOND-1995388

Don't worry!! The fun isn't over yet!! Be sure and hop to the next blog for more tips and goodies as well entries into the rafflecopters for grade specific items!!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TPT Back to School Resources Link Up

It's that dreaded time of year for so many because they are going to miss SUMMER!! And it is that exciting time of year for the rest of us because we are going to meet our new students who will quickly become our newest treasures!

To help get EVERYONE in Back to School mode, I am linking up with Wise Guys for a TPT Back to School Resources Link UP!!!

 

I am starting my year continuing my use of Brag Tags! My 5th graders loved them last year!! Our jr. high students had them as well and it was great to see them swinging on backpack zippers or tied onto the handle or even worn around necks!!! They even were allowed to trade them in for certain "gifts" like first in lunch line, whole class extra recess points, wear a hat in class day, etc.  If you are thinking about them, think no more. Just grab a set and give it a whirl!!

My Reading Brag Tags promote reading by motivating students to earn a brag tag for simply READING!!! This set has brag tags for every 5 books read up to 50 books, as well as acknowledging Accelerated Reader, AR, points earned. Again from 5 to 50 in this set! All AR points earned are filled with glitter designs!! To save ink, there are 2 sheets per award for books and points, one with a white background and one with a colorful one. There is even an offer for free brag tags when you use pics of these in use with your students on Social Media or in a blog post and then email and tag me.

One of the hardest new concepts for 5th grade math has been the shift in teaching place value with exponents.  My best sellers gives students hands-on engaging task cards and scoot opportunities to play while mastering the concepts.

Common Core Powers of Ten Exponent Task Card & Scoot Set along with Powers of Ten Base Card Exponent Set are now sold individually or as a bundle. 

 

 

 

 

If you haven't heard by now, TPT is having their annual BTS sale.  My cart cannot possibly get filled further! Or maybe after reviewing all of the new resources, it can?!?!

Hop around and see what many more goodies to your cart!!

An InLinkz Link-up

 

Birthday Party Blog Hop June 6-12~~

SUMMER BIRTHDAY?!! My friend Celeste over at The Education Highway has a summer birthday!! What better way to kick off summer than a POOL PARTY?!?!  Join us for some amazing summer recipes, kids crafts, freebies, and 3 Giveaway packs jammed full of prizes to splash about!! Let's Get This Partttyyyy Started!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate reading...even with your own little ones this summer! Grab my Accelerated Reader BRAG TAG Sampler and surprise them with treats to keep on reading!

 

 

 

 

 

Download the ebook below for a quick glance at each blogger in this birthday hop and see just what goodies you could win!! Don't forget to check us out on Twitter and Instagram with our hashtag #poolpartyhop

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up