~~Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary~~

 

My thoughts and prayers go to the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School and the community of Newton, Conn.



 

When a child is apart,
even for a little while,
a parent says a prayer.
We ask the Lord to protect…
to be where we cannot be,
to go where we cannot go.
In Him we place our trust,
for He sees, He knows.
Though how your heart must break,
parted for now from your little one,
know that the Lord keeps your little one safe,
with Him, where we all belong.
He will keep your child in a loving embrace,
just as He keeps you, a child, too.
That is His answer to a parent's prayer,
that is His love --
forever, everywhere.

 



~~A Season of Hope~~

Advent is a season of hope.  As teachers, we hope our students are listening when we are introducing a new skill.  We hope our students turn in all of their homework and assignments. We hope our students are watching us as we model certain behaviors expected of them. We hope our students are treating others with respect.  We hope our students are loving others as God loves them. How do we expect this from our students if we do not teach them how to notice the good in others?  At the beginning of each school year, I introduce what a Bucket Filler is.  I have several different versions of the book.  I read each one and discuss what a Bucket Filler and Bucket Dipper are.  Also, my school adopted Rachel's Challenge.  I intermingle both of these programs to teach my students how to be a good friend and help others.  Instead of the usual warm fuzzies, my students write on strips of colored paper.  The strips are linked together to form our Rachel's Challenge Chain of Reaction. Students are asked to notice how others are showing kindness and compassion. I am constantly amazed at how my students are helping and loving each other more and more.  During this Advent season, my students are reflecting on how they treat others and how they are being treated.  We created a class book titled, We are bucket fillers because...  Feel free to download your free copy and begin creating a classroom environment that includes kindness, compassion, and love for others.

 

 

  Grab your FREE copy (HERE) and (HERE).

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~I want S'more~~

I LOVE S'mores, I mean really, really love them!  And...I also know that my students love them just as much as I do.  Making and eating S'mores in the classroom was something I HAD to do.  Sooooo, I decided to devote a whole week to this fun, oozy, gooey, little, bite of heaven.  Students wrote a nonfiction, how-to guide for making S'mores.  There wasn't a single student who didn't have chocolate or marshmallow cream everywhere!!  Not only were the students having fun, but they didn't know they were learning too!!!  Please check out our creations below.  I made up some activities of my own and borrowed some from fellow teachers.

I am linking up with Teaching Blog Addict: Freebie Friday and Classroom Freebies: Manic Monday to share my S'more Freebies. 

For a prewriting activity, students made S'mores and completed an activity involving their 5 senses. Last year, using the microwave took too much time with melting the marshmallows and chocolate. I changed it up a bit by using chocolate sauce and marshmallow cream (see first photo).  While enjoying the S'mores, students created a chart using adjectives. 

Grab your copy of the S'mores chart (HERE)

 

 

 

 

For the rough draft, students wrote a step-by-step guide for making S'mores.  I used Awesome in 1st: How to make a S'more packet.  Students wrote the steps first as a rough draft.  Then, they created a flip book with the steps.  I created some tabs for the flip book.   

 

Click (HERE) to download a FREE copy of the tabs. 

 

 

Here are some photos of our rough drafts. I helped the students do all the editing.  Usually, I send home the rough draft for the parents to edit.  Since this writing activity was not our usual 5 paragraph paper, I did the editing myself. I used the S'more packet for the rough draft.

 

 

Last, students wrote the final copy of the steps using stationary from the  S'more Packet.  They glued the final copy on black construction paper and made a small paper S'more for the corners.  Check out our finished products below.

 

 

 

 

I also created a S'more Rubric to grade the writing activity.  Grab your FREE copy (HERE).

 

 

 

 I hope you come back for S'more activities!!!

 





 

~~Christmas Goodies~~

I am still trying to get the hang of creating cute, fun, & exciting activities.  Since I have off the entire week for Thanksgiving, I decided to give it a try with some Christmas goodies for you!!!

Feel free to download, copy, and share with everyone you know.  I LOVE feedback telling me how I'm doing!!!  Please check out Teaching Blog Addict: Freebie Friday and Classroom Freebies for more wonderful Christmas ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

Click (HERE) to download your FREE copy.

 

Don't forget to leave me a comment below!

~~I am thankful for.... & a FREEBIE!~~

Long time~~no post!!! I have been super busy with school this year.  Every time I sat down to blog, I remembered something I needed to do for work.  I really miss blogging.  My kiddos have been busy too!  I am in the middle of math assessments~~Fox Adds Up.  Does anyone else do this?  It is a very intense assessment for math.  I already assess in reading with DIBELS (3x's a year) and now Fox Adds Up (2x's a year)!  I am ready to be finished!!!! 

Since I have been MIA for almost a month, I am linking up with Teaching Blog Addict: Freebie Friday .  I created a Turkey Freebie for you!! It is an addition and subtraction with regrouping matching activity.  Feel free to share and use in your classroom!  Enjoy!!

 

 

Click (HERE) to grab your FREE copy!!! 

This week my class has been thinking and writing about what they are thankful for. To grab your free copy of the turkey, click (HERE) Holly's Home .

I am thankful for....
***Catherine is the BEST daughter EVER!! She has grown into a beautiful, smart, and sweet teenager.  Believe me, we fight over EVERYTHING, but I LOVE IT!!!!! She is constantly looking for new things to create.  I just love spending time with her and seeing her light up over the little things!!! 
***I am most thankful for a healthy and loving family (parents, sister, brother, nieces, nephew).  My family is always there for me when I need something.  Just this week, my car broke. When I got home from work, my dad & mom had my car fixed and ready!  I LOVE them soooo much. 
***I am thankful for an awesome, sweet, and handsome fiance'.  He is so loving and caring.  We have been together for almost 8 years but have known each other for over 20.  He treats my daughter as his own and loves us unconditionally.  He loves me for me and is always there to offer advice and help!  I love him!!!
***My nieces are the BOMB and they ROCK!!!  Erica and Paige will do just about anything for me!!!!  Kathy, my sister, is the BEST!!!  She was the one who helped me during the roughest times!!!
***I am also thankful for my loving and crazy friends!  I think they are just as crazy as I am~~that is why we get along!!! 
***I am thankful for all of you, my wonderful blogging friends!  My little blog has 199 followers and over 250,000 page views.  I am happy to help everyone and contribute my share of Freebies!!!

What are you thankful for during this holiday season???

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

~~I've been BOO'd~~

My faithful friend, Laura @  Love to Teach :) just BOO'd me!!!  She must know that I LOVE
Halloween!!!  I must admit that I began the BOO game at my school 2 weeks ago.  Shhhh!!!! Kimberly doesn't know it was me!!!


 

                                     

Here's how to play:
Choose a fellow blogger that has MORE followers, another that has about the SAME number of followers, and last, someone that has LESS followers.  Lastly, leave them some love by offering them a goody from your store as their "treat."

My first blogger that I choose with MORE followers is Mel D.  @  Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations . Her blog is the very first blog I ever laid my eyes on.  I had no idea that blogging even existed!  I fell in LOVE with her ideas and activities the minute I began reading her blog. She is the reason I became a blogger.   I use many of her products/activities in my classroom: behavior tickets, noise level poster, Dr. Seuss hand print activity, and so many more!! Please head over to her blog and show her some blogging love!!

   

My second blogger I choose with about the SAME amount of followers is Ms. Walter @ Hoot Hoot Hooray!.  I met this wonderful blogger while I was trying to figure out this whole blog thing!  She is the sweetest and most wonderful blogging friend I have met!  She entered my first giveaway. After reading her sweet comment,  I headed over to her blog and checked it out.   I steal borrow from her all the time!!!  Please head over to her blog and show her some blogging love!
   
My last blogger with LESS (but catching up to me fast) followers than me is Sarah @ Wishful Teaching. I met Sarah in blog land too!  She donated a packet she created and was part of my first giveaway.  Sarah and I learned about blogging together.  I do admit that she is becoming much better than me with creating some awesome products!  We have helped each other through the learning process with creating new units and blogging.  I use A LOT of her ideas in my classroom!  Please head over to her blog and show her some blogging love!!!

I want to thank these awesome ladies for being faithful followers of my blog!  I do not sell any of my products so feel free to download and share as much as you want!!! 

~~Frankenstein Writing & Freebies~~

My favorite holiday of the year is finally here~~Halloween!!! I really don't know why I love Halloween, I just do!  Maybe it's the spooky stories, zombies, bats, ghosts, or horror movies, which ever one, I love Halloween!  My first Halloween treat of the season was homemade.  Check out these precious candy corn treats!!

Now...my writing assignment
I finally found something my students adore~creating a Frankenstein!  In English this week,  students created their version of Frankenstein and wrote creative stories about his/her life.  The final essays came out A-MAZ-ING!  I couldn't wait to hang them in the hallway for everyone to see.  The students were so excited about this assignment.  I am so glad I searched Pinterest!  Check out the finished essays!  Don't worry~~~I posted links of the bubble map and lined paper we used!

First, we brainstormed about Frankenstein.  I allowed each student to tell me everything they knew.  We had quite a discussion about if Frankenstein was real.  After sharing their thoughts, I read the students a cute story. 

Next, I gave each student a copy of a bubble map.  They had to write about his/her Frankenstein~~where he/she lived? who were his/her friends? what does he/she look like? what does he/she eat?  They were instructed to write at least 3 details in each bubble. Many of them just had to draw a picture of Frankenstein on the back.  They couldn't contain their excitement! Check out some of the sample bubble maps. Grab your free copy (HERE).

Then (the next day), students used the details on the bubble map to write an essay.  This essay was a simple writing assignment.  Students had to come up with at least 5 complete sentences~we're having a bit of trouble with this skill lately.  Check out some of the sample writings.  Students did all editing at home with their parents.  You can see below how the editing was done.

 

Last, students copied their edited essay on lined paper.  Grab your free copy (HERE).

After putting the final touches on their essay, students created their Frankenstein.  I gave them a piece of green construction paper and a pile of other colors~~then told them to go create!  Check out the finished essays.

Don't forget to grab your free copy of the bubble map and lined paper below.

 

Free copy of paper: (HERE)

 

Free copy of bubble map: (HERE)

Hope everyone has a safe & spooky Halloween season!