tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20689622733952774272024-03-13T12:13:49.766-07:00Yay Third Grade!katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-77030303539297820112012-12-17T20:04:00.002-08:002012-12-17T20:09:18.642-08:00In RemembranceI know I am not alone when I say that this weekend was pretty tough. I cried the whole way home from school on Friday, and didn't feel like myself all weekend. I just felt numb, in a funk, confused, and upset. I was also in the process of actually becoming sick (both my boyfriend
and about half the kids in my class are dealing with something icky, and
it's finally found its way to me). I had a heavy heart and a heavy head full of sinus congestion. I couldn't stop thinking about the teachers, students, families, first responders, and community of Newtown, Connecticut. <br />
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In the wake of this tragedy, I have found solace in remembering that with the bad, there is also good. I believe goodness will always triumph over evil. I have faith in and believe in humanity. I have faith in children, teachers, families, friends, neighbors, and strangers. I believe in kindness, compassion, grief, acceptance, and selflessness. Above all, I have faith in love. I believe in love. With these things, we can bring peace and comfort to all those who are suffering and bearing the weight of so much unimaginable pain. <br />
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As of right now, I don't know what else to do or say other than share <a href="http://www.dailycamera.com/breaking-news/ci_22199597/connecticut-school-shooting-how-help-victims-families">this</a> with y'all, as well as the illustration below. Seeing it helped me, and maybe it will help you, too. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lisacongdon.com/blog/2012/12/365-days-of-hand-lettering-day-350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2T_TogKo0yP44SRrcczqumyaRfxjMiD-6NWi9AyGaMhRDjYkSt_lks-TyOWqXOjBnxnWOq1zNp88ffUDX87XSsNaC9ILiMnDqM-NKkVdfA1NIDi_KlWqY3h5XujotEa6B2WRBcLFbJM/s640/lisa+congdon.jpg" width="596" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://lisacongdon.com/blog/2012/12/365-days-of-hand-lettering-day-350/">Lisa Congdon</a></td></tr>
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To the people of Newtown: we carry you with us. You are not alone. <br />
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Have a blessed rest of the week with your family, students, friends, and colleagues, and may your holidays be filled with peace and love. <br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-69710758119316046462012-12-08T14:03:00.000-08:002012-12-08T14:21:46.779-08:00Introducing...Rocket, our class' shelf on the shelf! Rocket first came to my class last year, and I have been looking forward to his return this year. On Monday, his first day, we discovered him on top of our TV, and noticed he had brought snowflakes! He also wrote us a letter, and he said he thought everyone should have snow around Christmas, so that's why he brought some to us! He is not used to 80 degree days in December!<br />
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Then on Wednesday, he perched himself on top of the dry erase board. When we noticed him there, I told the kids I was a little nervous about his new spot because last year, he sat in that same spot and halfway through the day he fell, but his legs stayed put, so he ended up hanging upside down for the rest of the day! But, we think he learned from his accident, and that's why he was holding on to the flag pole. It worked, too, because this year he didn't fall - crisis averted!<br />
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That day, he also brought us a special mail box to use. Rocket likes to write letters to us, so he thought it would be useful to have this mailbox so that we could have a special and safe place to put our notes to each other. Now, the first thing the kids do when they get to school is look for Rocket and check the mailbox to see if he's left us anything special! <br />
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My students decided it would be a good idea to keep all his letters in one place so that way they wouldn't get lost (and so that they could go back and read them!), so I found a binder to use and now Rocket's letters are kept here, neat and tidy, just like the teacher likes! The portrait of Rocket was done by one of my students! <br />
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Then, on Thursday, the most exciting thing happened! Rocket brought a
little Christmas tree to our class! There was no note on the tree,
however, so at first, we didn't know if Rocket brought it or not. But,
we've recently been learning about inferencing and how to draw
conclusions, so my students determined that Rocket <i>must</i> have been the
one who brought the tree because (a) I told the kids I didn't put it up,
(b) Rocket was on the tree, and (c) he had told us in a previous letter
that he would always leave something for us every day, be it a note or
something else.<br />
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I am glad to have a shelf elf in my class because it makes the holiday season that much more fun and exciting. And, as it turns out, Rocket isn't just visiting our class to keep an eye on us - he told us in one of his letters that he wants to learn more about the 7 Habits from my students! Rocket takes his job as a shelf elf very seriously, and he told us that he would one day like to be a leader among shelf elves. He said he thinks learning about the 7 Habits could help him be a better leader, and this has motivated my students to use and model the habits more than they have been recently. So, my students are remembering to make good choices, and Rocket is learning from their example - it's a win-win! <br />
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I'll be back next week to share a few more holiday ideas and to give an update on what Rocket has done! Do you have a shelf elf in your classroom or at home? I'd love to hear stories of what your elves have done! <br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-65091718446338267502012-12-02T12:49:00.000-08:002012-12-02T12:55:47.921-08:00December CurrentlyTomorrow, very special holiday visitor will be coming to my class, but before I run up to my school to prepare for his arrival, I wanted to share this month's <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/12/currently-december.html">Currently</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used my new Maggie font for this month's Currently. If you like it, you can grab it <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Maggie-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">here</a>! </td></tr>
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Oh, pop music. I love it. All of it. I grew up with the likes of Britney and Nsync, can you blame me? Every time I hear a song I like on the radio, I Shazaam it on my phone and then add it to a pop music playlist on YouTube. I also recently bought Taylor Swift's new album because one of my students picked DJ for a Day for her reward, and she brought the CD to class and I immediately fell in love (my favorite tracks are I Knew You Were Trouble and 22).<br />
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Part of the reason I love doing these every month is because it's nice to have these to look back on and see what was going on in my life each month. This month in particular I am loving (no, LOVING!) the fact that my mom got a new job and will be moving to Houston in just a few weeks. When I graduated from college in 2007, my mom was offered a job that took her to Africa (Algeria, to be specific), and after about a year and a half there, she moved to Beijing, China. Then, when my grandmother's mental health began to decline, my mom moved back to the states to live closer to her mom in North Carolina. So, for nearly six years, I haven't lived in the same state as my mom, so I am over the moon excited for her return to Texas. She will be moving here during my last week of school, so the timing couldn't be better. I can't wait to have her be just a few hours away!<br />
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I have no idea what to get my boyfriend for Christmas! What do you get for a guy who says he doesn't need or want anything? I'm open to suggestions!<br />
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I'm sure I'm not alone in needing more sleep. This past week, specifically, however, I couldn't seem to fall asleep before midnight, and because of that, I developed a nasty twitch in my right eye. I could feel it flare up every now and then, but I didn't realize other people could SEE it until one of the kids in my guided reading groups said something about it! He tried to be so polite about it, too, but you could tell he was kinda freaked out that my eye was going crazy! My boyfriend has a Temper-Pedic pillow and I love it, so I'm thinking I should get one of those to help me sleep.<br />
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Last weekend, I decided to bite the bullet and buy myself a new MacBook. My old MacBook laptop is five years old and doesn't do what I need it to anymore, so even though I'll be pinching pennies for awhile to pay for the new one, it has been SO nice to have a computer that works well again! Now I just need some time to transfer everything from my old computer to my new one. <br />
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My RAK is from last week - one of my teammates had a terrible day (like the kind where you just want to quit your job right then and there), so to cheer him up, another teacher and I blasted some uplifting music in the third grade hallway to let him know he's our hero and that we love him. During Red Ribbon Week last month, my third grade team and I all wore shirts with each others' pictures on them to show we were each others' heroes, so that's why we played the hero music for him after his bad day! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me (on the left) and my third grade team with our hero shirts.</td></tr>
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Our third graders got a kick out of us dancing and lip syncing to the music in the hall. It was a fun way to start the day!<br />
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Another fun way to start the day is by doing this: <br />
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That's our assistant principal, me, our principal, and librarian doing the chicken dance in front of 500+ students, teachers, and parents at our awards assembly on Friday. Because at my school, we work hard, play hard, and dance hard, too.<br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-48856625108327543822012-11-25T12:48:00.003-08:002012-11-25T12:50:50.909-08:00Cyber Sale on TpT! Hey y'all! Can you believe Thanksgiving is already over?! My sister and I both live in Austin, and we went to North Carolina to visit our mom. The three of us always have such a great time together. My mom and sister are two of the most understanding, generous, and thoughtful people I know, and my heart is full after getting to spend a week with them. We did a little shopping, spent some time with my
grandmother (she moved into an assisted living facility in February),
and did a little wine tasting.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister, mom, and me. </td></tr>
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My mom also pulled out a bunch of old cards and school + artwork that my sister and I had sent our grandparents over the years. My sister discovered this spelling test I took in the second grade:<br />
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She and my mom just about died laughing at the irony of how I got a 100 on a spelling test, but spelled the word 'spelling' wrong. Glad I've since learned how to spell that word right now that I'm a teacher! :) <br />
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On Thursday, we went to Charlotte to have Thanksgiving dinner with the rest of my mom's family. My cousin John got married in March, and his wife Sarah's parents also came down for Thanksgiving. On my mom's side, there are only four grandchildren, and we're all close in age, so we always have a blast playing games and catching up whenever we're all together. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw17U_OUROqzxAdvB8gRuVNNJ9ZQv0mFFIy6szjvCKbBrlw-rOzFA9h3tYJExWRQYId63KDjvE2QPrXQEDha6vXYackIfLdx-k5fTaK6_vrJmyIgh7gFII_TGIBX6LtIxed4yclva2AoU/s1600/family+thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw17U_OUROqzxAdvB8gRuVNNJ9ZQv0mFFIy6szjvCKbBrlw-rOzFA9h3tYJExWRQYId63KDjvE2QPrXQEDha6vXYackIfLdx-k5fTaK6_vrJmyIgh7gFII_TGIBX6LtIxed4yclva2AoU/s640/family+thanksgiving.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lovely family! </td></tr>
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I didn't get back to Austin until late Friday, so I've been working like crazy to get things done before the weekend is over. I've gotten a lot of work done at home, but I'll be heading up to my school this afternoon to get a few things ready for tomorrow. I've also been preparing for TpT's giant Cyber Monday + Tuesday sale! Starting tomorrow, you can take 10% off your purchases from TpT if you use the code <span style="color: blue;">cmt12</span> at checkout. I'm joining in with a bunch of other bloggers and TpT sellers to offer an additional 20% off everything in my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Yay-Third-Grade">TpT store</a>. (PS - I decided to start my sale early, so everything in my store is already discounted!) I just uploaded another new <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bita-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">font</a> (this one's called Bita, named after my crazy kitten), so be sure to check it out as well as all <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Yay-Third-Grade">my other fonts + products</a> before this awesome sale ends on Tuesday!<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bita-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmthMJA0UkquHdaZcDSt6p6IoAh2VomluihuVy980PyRmupf01JuT2JbJ4YouyR2dmuqN91e3yrhlWRdZDjBWwR6V9sXr1p7_DGmWIarL0tFSUpa42gY__z9EDXLKXLSp1vzi9DLwFcw/s640/Bita+Font+Preview.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've got a bunch of awesome products on my wishlist, so now I've just got to fill up my cart so I can jump straight to the checkout line tomorrow on TpT! <br />
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Have a great afternoon, and don't forget to support your fellow teachers by cyber shopping on TpT tomorrow and Tuesday! (Many thanks to <a href="http://www.theschoolsupplyaddict.com/">Ashley</a> for the cute button!)<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-3273252505299292392012-11-15T09:21:00.002-08:002012-11-15T09:27:57.388-08:00Turkey TimeHey friends! Before Thanksgiving comes and goes, I wanted to share a few of the things my kids have been working on this week. We just began learning about author's purpose, and to help the kids learn more about what it means to persuade, I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wanna-Iguana-Karen-Kaufman-Orloff/dp/0399237178/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352998706&sr=8-1&keywords=i+wanna+iguana">I Wanna Iguana</a> to the class. We talked about how persuading someone means you are trying to convince them to do, think, or feel what you want them to do, think, or feel! Then I told my kids that they were going to have to convince me that I shouldn't eat them for Thanksgiving, because they were going to pretend they were turkeys! They had to write a persuasive story from the turkey's point of view to convince me, the reader (and the eater!) that eating them for Thanksgiving isn't such a great idea. Some kids suggested I eat something else as my meat (like chicken), some tried to convince me that they were small, so they wouldn't be as delicious as a bigger, fatter turkey, and one student even told me he thought turkeys evolved from humans, so eating a turkey would basically be like eating a human! I love it! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQro9xGsjeW51xVnlDRaMId96HM8mSalWXNStlkfZsQoEN04ogXfdDS-LAkF4F8mmjbn4yqw7Bd3EoOQ6FAg6u99lTz2DhEHNB9yADHC0RtnnsQtzhycQ1iy9TAITo81ervYefXAqpq0/s640/blogger-image--295468640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQro9xGsjeW51xVnlDRaMId96HM8mSalWXNStlkfZsQoEN04ogXfdDS-LAkF4F8mmjbn4yqw7Bd3EoOQ6FAg6u99lTz2DhEHNB9yADHC0RtnnsQtzhycQ1iy9TAITo81ervYefXAqpq0/s640/blogger-image--295468640.jpg" width="475" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One student's final draft. So cute!</td></tr>
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We've also just started a unit on money, so I wanted to find a way to incorporate finding the total value of a collection of coins with Thanksgiving. I found inspiration from this <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277626650421/">pin</a>, and my kids created turkeys using pattern blocks. Each pattern block had a coin value, and the kids had to calculate how much their turkey's tail feathers were worth. Their creations turned out so cute! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVR-c7eFlkQNwGoSddwHGl3yyDSWDt9hKbqyO3HerPLlz7MDNKj7_XxnLWOG98UXDWeAGde0twViCfczbI6YBGu5OYo73-8TQCo_bed7iJzGqhdyrDyf9tHEzpLqoginSs0Gx75yORN8/s640/blogger-image-337994459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVR-c7eFlkQNwGoSddwHGl3yyDSWDt9hKbqyO3HerPLlz7MDNKj7_XxnLWOG98UXDWeAGde0twViCfczbI6YBGu5OYo73-8TQCo_bed7iJzGqhdyrDyf9tHEzpLqoginSs0Gx75yORN8/s640/blogger-image-337994459.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitubEgs0zK5MbX4g09X9sDvoNlECM4Zmw32gt2HhqmdYQoi8-zFVEX91FXA9rDyq1k90ZIlncSmpXn4C1rhXvspbhshDCgIVOTTgRYCXc-nbleusMcPL0lee0OHUg1dJaj6nQOszQnj6A/s640/blogger-image--1826908619.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitubEgs0zK5MbX4g09X9sDvoNlECM4Zmw32gt2HhqmdYQoi8-zFVEX91FXA9rDyq1k90ZIlncSmpXn4C1rhXvspbhshDCgIVOTTgRYCXc-nbleusMcPL0lee0OHUg1dJaj6nQOszQnj6A/s640/blogger-image--1826908619.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdWiO6r5kebB_0pvG9Z8Zd15egzW28mRpvQt5qFK5XKy-yR4wImSIwkjp1x1FraqGjLjrzl4uaZPCKD5ciKI4CKYPmYi3LEpkVKR82bvcLywoVsuE0t3C5IqzrkTx40qTfBWXnCtiN-g/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdWiO6r5kebB_0pvG9Z8Zd15egzW28mRpvQt5qFK5XKy-yR4wImSIwkjp1x1FraqGjLjrzl4uaZPCKD5ciKI4CKYPmYi3LEpkVKR82bvcLywoVsuE0t3C5IqzrkTx40qTfBWXnCtiN-g/s640/photo+(4).JPG" width="544" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipr48SjVrAFhgW2wts_Z9S3JjuvAubeNX_1xNaBVbU4MR8Z5Jrpa5alZoFsI_po6q6ZMCoMLwzLGq3L2eZrYXdsydm0N1EpsG1gI4SD8M2wcgbyj9MACv_2R8HlB0_G1jVeh26tyZzP4w/s640/blogger-image-1267190217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipr48SjVrAFhgW2wts_Z9S3JjuvAubeNX_1xNaBVbU4MR8Z5Jrpa5alZoFsI_po6q6ZMCoMLwzLGq3L2eZrYXdsydm0N1EpsG1gI4SD8M2wcgbyj9MACv_2R8HlB0_G1jVeh26tyZzP4w/s640/blogger-image-1267190217.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my example. Below is the record sheet I used to calculate the total value of my turkey's tail feathers. </td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Turkey-Tail-Feather-Money-Tracker"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXI0LrhipA_yu-YamzdcLZhSVWC4pHZzZEEWL25VXgb-bX337zUldwj-dGBM2S2ZE1h5mF1KdZlQSqQ4ABUOnaybiWSHt1iZuv5kzQvD16YX_t0hNFhwKyhSbiPZ-uDqGMsh2tUXW-WiI/s640/blogger-image--1604677568.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My students had so much fun with this, so I thought I'd share the record sheet with y'all in case any of you want to create these with your class! You can pick up a copy of the record sheet for free <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Turkey-Tail-Feather-Money-Tracker">here</a> in my TpT store. If you grab a copy, please let me know!</div>
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Only two more days until we have a week off! I can't wait - I'm going to North Carolina with my sister to see my mom and her side of the family, and I'm looking forward to having a little down time before I come back to school. I can't believe it's almost December already - how has the year gone by this fast?! At least that means the Holly Bloggy Christmas Exchange is coming soon! I loved participating last year, and am looking forward to doing it again this year! Have you signed up? If you don't know what I'm talking about, click <a href="http://teacherbloggerexchange.blogspot.com/2012/11/holly-bloggy-christmas-2012.html">here</a> to read more about it and sign up!</div>
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Have a great day, friends!</div>
<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0px currentColor;" />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-7057325328957321202012-10-30T19:55:00.002-07:002012-11-01T16:42:42.538-07:00Don't Be Scared...I'm still alive, y'all, this isn't a ghost posting on my behalf!<br />
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I swear I keep waiting for the moment when I'll finally feel like my head is above water. I thought that would happen after parent/teacher conferences were over, but then I had to finish up a few wedding projects for one of my BFF's weddings (she lives in LA but she and her husband met here in Austin, so they got married here!). They got married on the 21st and this past Thursday, we had our first field trip, which began with one of the buses being 45 minutes late and ended with us coming back to school an hour and a half before we had originally planned!<br />
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This week, I've been working hard to make tomorrow fun for the kids while also making things align with our curriculum, but as soon as school's out, I have to go visit my doctor for (what I'm hoping will be) a quick out patient surgery, but I have to take Thursday off to recover, so I'm also trying to make sub plans! And, not
only am I preoccupied with thinking about this surgery; I've also been thinking
non-stop about my friends in New York and on the East coast, which currently includes my boyfriend. JJ has been in Boston for the past few days, and although Hurricane Sandy didn't hit hard where he was staying, I'm hoping he'll be able to get home without any delays. <br />
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Anyway, let's move on! My students have been working hard these past few weeks, but of course my camera is still at school. So, I'll share what my class has been up to soon, but for now, I can at least tell you about something else that's new...<br />
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I've made a few new fonts and they're now up for sale in my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Yay-Third-Grade">TpT store</a>! First up is <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Curly-Sue-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">Curly Sue</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Curly-Sue-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaNfRWLUNZBriC3Tltpkv9mqQWDZHyobnECabRtWp4oEREI94Z69M7DgMIo_E6rcLxYhwY26UCyniCl7lK1qmOIH7MbygFOUds5pqhyphenhyphenarIVp7F6S0E5Ei9t_vmMzQh3KgwBWGjG3F6rQ/s640/Curly+Sue+ABCs.png" width="640" /></a> </div>
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Then there's <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sandy-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">Sandy</a> (I told you I was preoccupied by the hurricane!): </div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sandy-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use"><img border="0" height="547" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9R9SW5y1h4H4BxrPdO_rkE0g02hLMybhl6arw_Zi9-_62LFcalJ7MmjoDiGjiY4wLHleMb_uxNGYw1IL1p3rRU6azCNkMPgugJvIxupeIIKD1wPuPZ4Cm1VNQIh_3zl0p22sCb15zMs/s640/Sandy+Font+ABCs.png" width="640" /></a> </div>
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And last, there's <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Maggie-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">Maggie</a>, which is named after my crazy cat: </div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Maggie-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcSmZEieSO4r_pE8Xx0i0WWfL2d4RFyTO_WNZMzS6OSIJsFPmIY87Vdkl-GYGJujoAXgd09D4ukDzD2aroUqPnoClIchFYGHgjzXlthkXt_KVQfF6h1Dw8OZVnR1PbXxZK4A8SBJki2I/s640/Maggie+ABCs.png" width="640" /></a> </div>
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In what little spare time I've had, I've really enjoyed making these! Definitely more fun than making lesson plans and grading papers! Also, just in case you didn't know, all of my fonts can be used for personal + commercial use, which means once you purchase them, you CAN use them to create and sell your own products on TpT! </div>
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I hope to be back soon to share what we've been up to at school! And, as a thank you for your patience with my lack of posting, here's a little <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Day-After-Halloween-A-Graphing-Measuring-and-Predicting-Freebie">freebie</a> for you! </div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Day-After-Halloween-A-Graphing-Measuring-and-Predicting-Freebie"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FJ2NcxhOkJSQx0gIFxtUqBIv_8mHMIaC3tix67kLzriuvCh6bIbmDkJec6voOLZiR3YzVggxJSyK1j6IscOapwa16UsFxjAnFmChJS1eMplEc2Uz4W9VR_gwUnCThZtiQ09PrGKzp7I/s640/Slide1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Day-After-Halloween-A-Graphing-Measuring-and-Predicting-Freebie"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzM7J_grb3RT-nFe1FL2jNyOKskz45PFioZNKN8xtTxrZq7pYXG9N1JKLilNP02ZN3HEP5zElu_2-85Kkb0Rt6e7TlRSf4ieH9slApbfp1dmRjRORgrqg6lwiICzeHocITcuWsf6kU8Xw/s640/Picture+1.png" width="505" /></a></div>
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All you need are individually wrapped packages of Halloween marshmallows, M&Ms, and pretzels!* I plan on having my sub do this on the day after Halloween - this way my kids will get a little day after Halloween treat, but only after they use it to help them practice a little math and measurement! Click <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Day-After-Halloween-A-Graphing-Measuring-and-Predicting-Freebie">here</a> to grab it - I'd love to know if you get a chance to use this in your class! </div>
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I hope y'all have a happy Halloween! Enjoy! </div>
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*You can also buy these in bulk and put a little of each into a small
baggie - as much as I hate the waste of individual packaging, it does
make for a much easier hands-on math lesson, in this case! </div>
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-73319544838256140632012-10-08T06:11:00.001-07:002012-10-08T06:38:50.619-07:00October CurrentlyHey there friends! As I'm sure you all know, <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/10/currently-october-for-classroom-and-you.html">Farley</a> hosts these wonderful <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/10/currently-october-for-classroom-and-you.html">Currently</a> linkys every month, and even though it's four days late, I'm linking up for the month of October - better late than never!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQZMz9tjyeTrLwq_-4kUnDtHGevVuVsUJOFMk1cajquVTo1_lpJ8NovmbmYLVdEakg6iZgvYZYFltP2SEJFqb8KEPCZ3Ft0ls30LrtvPkngQ1KKb-YbaFXpkX6BPQahEjCpd5E6EBhag/s640/blogger-image--1038578164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQZMz9tjyeTrLwq_-4kUnDtHGevVuVsUJOFMk1cajquVTo1_lpJ8NovmbmYLVdEakg6iZgvYZYFltP2SEJFqb8KEPCZ3Ft0ls30LrtvPkngQ1KKb-YbaFXpkX6BPQahEjCpd5E6EBhag/s640/blogger-image--1038578164.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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A note about those hot drinks - I don't drink coffee, but I do drink tea (chai, to be specific) and hot chocolate. I've heard a million and a half wonderful things about the pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, but since I don't drink coffee, I thought I wasn't ever going to be privy to the taste of pumpkin spice. Well, this morning one of my co-workers brought in Coffee Mate pumpkin spice creamer, and she told me to add a bit to my chai. Let's just say my mind is BLOWN. It is the most deliciously fallish drink I've ever had. I'll be heading to Target tonight to get me a bottle (or 12) to keep at school to add to my tea in the morning! </div>
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As for my book choice, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Hallo-wiener-Dav-Pilkey/dp/0439079462/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349703246&sr=8-1&keywords=hallo-wiener">The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey</a> is always a favorite in my class because the town I teach in hosts a Wiener Dog Festival every spring (yes, <a href="http://www.budalions.com/">for real</a>), so they super love this book since the main character is a wiener dog! </div>
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Now I'm off to finish up my parent/teacher conferences! Have a happy Columbus Day, y'all!</div>
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katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-23617108318167189352012-10-01T19:29:00.001-07:002012-10-02T04:24:21.041-07:00Bucket Fillers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hey friends! Can you believe it's already October?! I love this month because it means cooler weather and fall colors, flavors, and fashions are finally here! However, it also means it's parent/teacher conference time for us, which will quickly be followed by open house, so I'm going to be one very busy teacher! Today I just wanted to pop in real quick to share a little about how I use bucket filling in my classroom. This is my first year to read the book and use that phrase with a class, and so far, I'm really loving it. Already, this model has reduced the amount of negative choices, words, and behaviors because now, if a student (or I) notice a friend making a not so great choice, we remind them that what they're doing might be dipping in someone's bucket and that we should find a way to be proactive and be a bucket filler instead! </div>
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After we read the book, my students brainstormed these lists of what it means to be a bucket filler and a bucket dipper:</div>
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Then, on the back side of the shelf near my door, I posted my students' "buckets." Instead of using small pockets or actual buckets, I just used some leftover report card envelopes I had from last year. The size is great, and I like that my students got to decorate their "bucket" with things that were a reflection of themselves. Since we made these on the second week of school, my students were still getting to know each others' names, so I included a small picture of each student on the bottom corner of each <strike>envelope</strike> bucket.</div>
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On the open side of the shelf, there is an envelope that holds the blank bucket filling slips as well as my bucket. My students have been writing me the sweetest things, and I've really enjoyed this new opportunity to share a little love with my class!</div>
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My students can fill someone's bucket by completing one of these strips. I made these because I wanted to give my students enough space to write a few sentences, if they wanted, and I made the space blank so that they could also draw a picture, too! I've encouraged them to fill someone's bucket by recognizing a good choice a person made, by saying thank you to someone if that someone did something nice to or for them, or simply by saying something nice to someone they may not interact with much during the day. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBL6bZQWlsIX63bz6G4zLbByUqrLcXhqIMUZvrF0ASZ3-mNrsolMGfEYp8x4pNx7XhdSw3aSf44F2Bmx29hOlZmT2Da1N1phy12KPkMQ8gq-Esn3rS5nnX6FNsyzKQp0pgB9-pvli_bk/s640/blogger-image--1228918048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBL6bZQWlsIX63bz6G4zLbByUqrLcXhqIMUZvrF0ASZ3-mNrsolMGfEYp8x4pNx7XhdSw3aSf44F2Bmx29hOlZmT2Da1N1phy12KPkMQ8gq-Esn3rS5nnX6FNsyzKQp0pgB9-pvli_bk/s400/blogger-image--1228918048.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Bucket filling has provided my students with the chance to have meaningful, positive interactions with each other, and now that we're getting deeper into learning about the 7 Habits, I'm hoping to see a few kids fill each others' buckets when they notice a friend making a healthy habit choice! If you'd like to use my bucket slip, you can find it on Google Docs <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzvbyBNqPb3yM1dnYUlNT0RBYkE/edit?pli=1">here</a>! <br />
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Do your students practice bucket filling? I'd love to hear how it works in your class! </div>
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<a href="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0px none;" /></a>katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-28314409618229034912012-09-23T16:20:00.001-07:002012-09-23T16:26:30.930-07:00Cooperative Learning + FreebieHey there teacher friends! I'm not even going to start making excuses for being an absent blogger because (a) I know you all know just how busy the beginning of the year can be and (b) it would not be very proactive of me to make excuses (habit #1, if you remember!). So with that, I'm going to share a few things with y'all that I made and used to get the year started.<br />
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A few years ago, I went to a <a href="http://www.kaganonline.com/index.php">Kagan</a> training with a few other teachers from my school. Ever since then, I've made a conscious effort to incorporate cooperative learning strategies into my lessons. One of the very easiest ways to encourage cooperative learning is to set up your classroom desks in groups, not rows. In my room, if you remember, I have round tables instead of desks, and I chose those on purpose because I love how easily they lend themselves for group work and student participation. At the training, I learned how giving students roles and assigned partners within their groups would also help foster the cooperative learning style, so I made these table mats to help my students remember their roles:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjCGv_mWO7Zk_KqkN9hRAZHCY-v4rzkQ_csPvztNkGai3KtM0kfe-UfRkaQwLzZfP8dg1b4DG6rc-bet7TxUvZSaL-0m4NRnv04jKoZ0iiZiFKGh6qqTRqzwNRg9D_2VY89xF8hXghiU/s640/blogger-image--525550116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjCGv_mWO7Zk_KqkN9hRAZHCY-v4rzkQ_csPvztNkGai3KtM0kfe-UfRkaQwLzZfP8dg1b4DG6rc-bet7TxUvZSaL-0m4NRnv04jKoZ0iiZiFKGh6qqTRqzwNRg9D_2VY89xF8hXghiU/s640/blogger-image--525550116.jpg" /></a></div>
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This is how the mats work: you can see that each student has a number as well as a letter assignment and two partner assignments. Because of this, if you ever needed to have students get supplies or record their answers while working with their table group, all you have to do is assign a number to a certain job - say, all kids who are #4 would be the record keepers. The numbers and letters also help if you ever want to mix up the way the kids are grouped - you could have all the letter As stand up and then find a partner with someone who is standing OR with someone who is sitting, or you could group all the ones together, all the twos, and so on, so that the kids get to work with a group other than those kids at their table. Shoulder partners and face partners are just terms that help kids remember who to talk to if you ever ask students to share their thoughts, predictions, or connections during a lesson. </div>
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I laminated these mats and put them in the center of each group's table. My table groups are named and also have a color, so I made each mat match the table's color. I made these round to match my round tables, but I also created rectangular table mats for those of you who have long tables or clustered desks. If you are interested in using cooperative learning table mats in your classroom, you can find them <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Colorful-Cooperative-Learning-Table-Mats">here</a> for just $1 in my TpT store! The file includes both the round and rectangular mats in five colors! </div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Colorful-Cooperative-Learning-Table-Mats"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKhHW_cimsDiKad9Xeh3epAiuD3GW7eqarmQWUblKMnLMnL-Fgii21pfdc2bg-XD65JsE-7SjWzCJ9H-crGeFYL30GFzZ91qA1ZO7xCq0dkGpQLfD9czFrW81x8MvjjaaO20PqgP0LMw/s400/preview+pic.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now, about that freebie: when I started my reading lessons this year, I made sure to spend a lot of time discussing with my class what it means to pick a just right book. Since my third graders aren't really learning to read anymore (they're reading to learn!), they are much more free to pick books. However, I wanted to be sure they were choosing books that were not only on their level, but books that they'd enjoy and be able to understand. That's where the I PICK phrase comes in. This little acrostic comes from the <a href="http://www.thedailycafe.com/i_pick.pdf">2 Sisters</a>, and it stands for:<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-PICK-Student-Bookmarks"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdzgpqICDD42QqgdYEhP8E_9wl7WczfUQ0ApkSR6WWAk1zTbzYefPtLb3F4QBotEE4JDbKn_cX-dii8Jmas8CWo8GkL5zfw116qDIUS-F4hbSJZsRMCHYGhGaR5SK8B6Qcj0my1oPRB0/s640/Picture+1.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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To help my students remember the phrase, I made <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-PICK-Student-Bookmarks">these bookmarks</a> for them to fill out and color. I gave my kids the blank ones (with just letters) because I wanted them to complete the phrase themselves - I figured if <i>they</i> had to write what the letters mean, they'd be more prone to remember it! Here are a few examples of what my students came up with:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMT6pVZHnvBW4nSswTt8fj909yHHzwYLuqC8FGcCzxYevObngPU8JsHAEUovbCApGbASuqxRyZo9GoRt6zXlIwqvmVK-YZXXOzqGPvh0X0SbCKo5iKs6PF1AOnNihAcC8Al_Yfxvk0U5c/s1600/blogger-image-1140300045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMT6pVZHnvBW4nSswTt8fj909yHHzwYLuqC8FGcCzxYevObngPU8JsHAEUovbCApGbASuqxRyZo9GoRt6zXlIwqvmVK-YZXXOzqGPvh0X0SbCKo5iKs6PF1AOnNihAcC8Al_Yfxvk0U5c/s320/blogger-image-1140300045.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="234" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNGqkPK-ByJfaH2sZBgS4G_ADgeVHutWMmJJ9_tMh_0FJnvfBsaG34Dks8ns07sPMlYP_CAH3Mcaf4tGE1L4Rd3OhdXqTshGvn7GG__-V01DEgXH-hdGPIVr8XV0pN2Jxx7qzPoc4ld0/s1600/blogger-image-1258099680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNGqkPK-ByJfaH2sZBgS4G_ADgeVHutWMmJJ9_tMh_0FJnvfBsaG34Dks8ns07sPMlYP_CAH3Mcaf4tGE1L4Rd3OhdXqTshGvn7GG__-V01DEgXH-hdGPIVr8XV0pN2Jxx7qzPoc4ld0/s320/blogger-image-1258099680.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1Kyda1WAeoac-RsfyN0oypNStBCv7IMh1rbJjQMZuJEsbxZ17fCZdWUh9CeUOC-LMxzzMI4LPlpv1bBCWl3C4g3AFnbo33PODoq34BGiuI2scmjoWwtLjva9t-ap7N9-kifhLJH98Xo/s1600/blogger-image--860876648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1Kyda1WAeoac-RsfyN0oypNStBCv7IMh1rbJjQMZuJEsbxZ17fCZdWUh9CeUOC-LMxzzMI4LPlpv1bBCWl3C4g3AFnbo33PODoq34BGiuI2scmjoWwtLjva9t-ap7N9-kifhLJH98Xo/s400/blogger-image--860876648.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="296" /></a></div>
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I know that not everyone's kiddos will be ready or able to write in the phrase themselves, so I also made a version that has the phrase included. I love seeing my kids use these in their books, and most of my students have been doing a great job choosing books that are just right for them. If you'd like to use these bookmarks in your class, you can download them for free <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-PICK-Student-Bookmarks">here</a> in my TpT store!<br />
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katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-9139384185297937542012-09-09T15:28:00.000-07:002012-09-10T04:04:24.828-07:00The Beginning of the YearHey there friends! I know it's been awhile, but I'm still here! I started back at school on Monday, August 20th, immediately following a four day trip to California for one of my dearest friends' bachelorette party. My flight leaving LA was delayed, and I nearly missed my connection to Austin in Phoenix - I was the second to last person on the plane! If I hadn't sprinted through the airport I would have probably been stuck there overnight, as there were no more flights to Austin that night. Thank goodness that didn't happen, and I made it back to school on time along with my teacher friends.<br />
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The first day of school for students was August 27th, but we had a Meet the Teacher night the Thursday before school started, so I got to meet all of my new kiddos before the first day. I had every intention of sharing my room pics, back to school info, and first week plans with y'all before school started, but it seems I always forget just how overwhelming the first days back at school can be! I'm finally feeling more settled and on top of things, so for today, I want to share pictures of my classroom:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view when you walk in the room. Two of the best decisions I made this summer were to get rid of my teacher desk and to move my teacher computer next to the student computer. I haven't missed my desk at all (I don't have nearly as many piles of papers now!) and I've been much less inclined to check my email during the day now that my computer is incorporated into a student area. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what you see to the right of the door - I love my new giant dry erase calendar (it's from <a href="http://www.pbteen.com/products/dry-erase-calendar-decal/">PB Teen</a>, and it's on sale right now!). Below the calendar are my emergency plans and sub folder. Those files are resting on top of a small bookshelf that is used to hold student lunch boxes. To the left of the monthly calendar is our daily class schedule, and underneath that is a student desk that holds Friday Folders and filing basket that holds all the papers accumulated throughout the week (those papers are what go home in the Friday Folders - things like lunch menus, PTA announcements, graded papers, etc.).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfpgzn7QJq5b4DAPuXrbGVs2MoJwQuwVp3MrfTgd_vMqH_NH9iDBGiEFzbMnfPqYdSNn-E3BcNCyeW8Z3fA93X8aWvgeziDdl0ItetNEfhaXSRPDMdEoJe64EH9Q_F_DVvB3369EFLBo/s640/blogger-image-1406347608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfpgzn7QJq5b4DAPuXrbGVs2MoJwQuwVp3MrfTgd_vMqH_NH9iDBGiEFzbMnfPqYdSNn-E3BcNCyeW8Z3fA93X8aWvgeziDdl0ItetNEfhaXSRPDMdEoJe64EH9Q_F_DVvB3369EFLBo/s640/blogger-image-1406347608.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My classroom library is to the left of the door. The brown shelf on the left is where my math station supplies will go (in the black baskets); the bottom shelf holds dry erase boards, lap boards, and clipboards. The tall brown shelf now has text books on it, and the colored file bins now house my students' writing folders and journals. The green file boxes on top of the shelves are my students' book boxes (or browsing boxes). These boxes hold the books the kids are currently reading and their morning work journal, desk folder, and reading workshop folder. The bookshelf on the right shares a wall with our classroom bathroom, and above the shelf is my 7 Habits tree. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbPXYPxhN8MvkcA3-SfQ4jXO6v3vqnRsVfpbuow5a5aRmuiEchMnFps7GlpqkCwHqySkJ0Gu6uQcaNo7CuRNYUZMUZI4fQZ_2qA1j0oOjHdFhsLkKpsH5GwzcAdqZ0pzi0DnUmt5hcfY/s640/blogger-image--623395040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbPXYPxhN8MvkcA3-SfQ4jXO6v3vqnRsVfpbuow5a5aRmuiEchMnFps7GlpqkCwHqySkJ0Gu6uQcaNo7CuRNYUZMUZI4fQZ_2qA1j0oOjHdFhsLkKpsH5GwzcAdqZ0pzi0DnUmt5hcfY/s1600/blogger-image--623395040.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The door to the classroom bathroom is to the left of the homework holder hanging file. I was inspired by this <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277627780819/">pin</a> to make a sign to hang underneath the mirror that says "I can see the leader in me!" (<a href="http://www.highlands.k12.fl.us/~lce/leadership%20page/Leadership%20Page%202.htm">source</a>). The counterspace to the right of the sink is where students put their take home folders and agendas and the space underneath has two huge bins that hold student backpacks (one for boys, one for girls!). </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmOhQy41dB9wXUgOL1uwhgxlQ_oc0NH_RrhaE9hgBC63urcls76YkUmcO2NKyl5Rav0Sn8i_F_ADVOZ3hDkIsxFpJDIZ54hL-JgSWHdG1qhYCbSH7HGt-XnVgOnl_qeCZ8QUnDm-93lM/s640/blogger-image-897412194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmOhQy41dB9wXUgOL1uwhgxlQ_oc0NH_RrhaE9hgBC63urcls76YkUmcO2NKyl5Rav0Sn8i_F_ADVOZ3hDkIsxFpJDIZ54hL-JgSWHdG1qhYCbSH7HGt-XnVgOnl_qeCZ8QUnDm-93lM/s640/blogger-image-897412194.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the back wall of my classroom. I spent a good chunk of my summer organizing my math and science supplies, which are housed in the tall gray cabinet. Last year, I stored a bunch of lord knows what underneath the counterspace - I just hid it with a polka dotted curtain like the one that's underneath my sink. I love how much more open my room looks because I'm no longer using that space as storage, and it's been a wonderful spot for the kids to write. I cut up an old writing process poster I had to make it eye level for the kids so they can see it as they sit back there and write! This is also where my word work/work on writing supplies are stored for Daily 5 (more info on those supplies to come in a follow up post).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX9w0hMn3nbSV1kEseX9lmFazNyQaJ1NYAMESiYMRNL3GNj4x2c_MV0B9nHKS17T94m70QKSQ6PhNbNuuJ_ixcfTs7AJ4P_tIVF3FuofA0zkLLZsO56APX3I0DEosmuhTF0ZDWNFqgrU/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX9w0hMn3nbSV1kEseX9lmFazNyQaJ1NYAMESiYMRNL3GNj4x2c_MV0B9nHKS17T94m70QKSQ6PhNbNuuJ_ixcfTs7AJ4P_tIVF3FuofA0zkLLZsO56APX3I0DEosmuhTF0ZDWNFqgrU/s640/photo+(1).JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my favorite space in my room - my teacher "desk" area (which is really the guided reading table). I spent a lot of time organizing and purging my teacher resources this summer - I'd collected a lot of duplicates and junk in five years of teaching, and it feels great to have less stuff! I'm really OCD about things matching and being organized - need proof? If you remember, the red bulletin board above my sink is for reading. Guess what kinds of books are in the red plastic bins on my shelf? Yup, my reading resource books. I also made my students' reader's workshop folders red. I love me some color coordination! I also spent way too much time creating binder covers for my teacher, sub, and student data binders (you can see them on the second shelf with the chevron spines), but having them all match makes my OCD heart happy! Also, I'm super in love with this space because of my handy dandy <a href="http://www.staples.com/Staples-The-Desk-Apprentice-Rotating-Desk-Organizer/product_597003">rotating desk apprentice from Staples</a>. I love how all of my supplies are right there at my elbow, and the center section holds hanging files. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvUlNXhBhorr7eTsuIszahcUcwqaxnmXH7qQbjcNxQWDJIifVQE7WJSIdadK0tQM3LJUaGFHHzA_iOaVMjomJIaZw0X0-ptKQJeeLZ6J1HqARJ4wRz9ZKKPWdI9gU6hL0Q-8WOnpyETI/s640/blogger-image--14187126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvUlNXhBhorr7eTsuIszahcUcwqaxnmXH7qQbjcNxQWDJIifVQE7WJSIdadK0tQM3LJUaGFHHzA_iOaVMjomJIaZw0X0-ptKQJeeLZ6J1HqARJ4wRz9ZKKPWdI9gU6hL0Q-8WOnpyETI/s640/blogger-image--14187126.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this wall - it's behind my guided reading table, and it's full of memories from former students and pictures of my family. I made a section of the dry erase board to note student objectives for each subject for each week. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view from my teacher area. The carpet to the left is where we gather for read alouds and syergy meetings. This view better shows where the bathroom is, and you can see the black plastic letter trays on the sink counter where the kids store their folders and agendas (the backpack bins underneath the counter are kind of hard to see, though). The computer station is underneath the yellow bulletin board.</td></tr>
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These were all taken before the first day of school, so a few things have changed since then - for example, I now have 5 round student tables instead of 6. I have 20 students, and each round table seats 4, so 5 tables is perfect. If I happen to get another student at some point this year, then I'll have to get that table back, so although I know I'm running the risk of having to rearrange, there is so much more space without that sixth table so I think it's worth it!</div>
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I am in love with my classroom this year - it's by far the best set up I've ever had. I love how coordinated everything is, even down to the black border I used for each bulletin board. I just cut up strips of black construction paper to make it, and even though it took me several tries and many hours to get everything hung just right (each board is 12 inches from the ceiling - I told you I was OCD), I love how streamlined it makes my room look, so it was totally worth the time and effort. </div>
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I have loads more to share about the beginning of our year, so check back soon for another post about first week activities and ideas on how to begin teaching the 7 Habits to your class! Have a wonderful week, friends! </div>
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katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-44712553856555581782012-08-13T08:56:00.002-07:002012-08-13T09:04:09.096-07:00Sweet Deal from Erin Condren Well! This week (and weekend) totally got away from me! On Thursday night I remembered I had a training to attend on Friday, and I had to wake up at 6:30 am to be there on time. I've been sleeping in until 9 (and sometimes 10!) this summer, so it was a struggle to drag my butt out of bed that early!<br />
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Today I'm going to head up to my classroom to work, but before I go I want to share a sweet deal that the lovely people at <a href="http://erincondren.com/">Erin Condren</a> are offering you all! I contacted them when I was doing my giveaway to see if there was a discount or something I could offer y'all because I felt so bad that not everyone could win a planner! They responded with this:<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 12pt;">We currently are running a promo the whole month of August for our teacher planners... Teachers can order their planner and then enter the code SCHOOLDAYS at check out to receive $10 off their planner AND a free set of Erin Condren pens - a $18.95 value! </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 12pt;">Feel free to share with all on your blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We also have the following contest running, especially for teachers too:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">To honor all amazing educators, we are having a Teacher Planner Giveaway!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nominate one of your special teachers and she/he just might win the opportunity to personalize a lesson planner for FREE! There’s something in it for you too…as we s</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">elect at random a special teacher each day, we will reward YOU with a $50 shopping code too! Be sure to share with your friends too!</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/erincondrendesign/app_28134323652"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">https://www.facebook.com/</span></span><wbr></wbr></a></div>
<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">erincondrendesign/app_</span></span><wbr></wbr><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Note: the planner I gave away was purchased by me; it was not given to me by Erin Condren to give away.)</span></div>
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So, if you are still in need of a great <a href="http://www.erincondren.com/store/index.php?cPath=318_1094">teacher planner</a>, this is the perfect time to purchase one! Three of my co-workers saw my planner on Friday and they all immediately purchased one for themselves - even my principal said she wished she still had to make lesson plans so that she could have an excuse to get one for herself! (I bet she could benefit from the <a href="http://www.erincondren.com/store/index.php?cPath=1156">Life Planner</a>, which is the next item on my Erin Condren wishlist...)<br />
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Anyway, I hope y'all are having a great Monday! I'll be back soon with a more substantial post, but right now I've got to put first things first and get up to my classroom!<br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-56294482214960537112012-08-08T08:21:00.000-07:002012-08-08T08:27:08.206-07:00Winner Winner Chicken DinnerHey y'all! Happy Wednesday! I was having internet issues yesterday, but I wanted to pop in real quick to announce the winner of the Erin Condren teacher planner:<br />
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Congratulations, <a href="http://aisforapplebisforblog.blogspot.com/">Karyn</a>! I also want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who entered - I'm thrilled to have had so many entries, and to have found so many great new bloggers in the process!<br />
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Later this week I will be back with a post about the remaining 4 habits - I know I said I'd be doing that Monday, but my boyfriend's parents ended up coming to town last weekend and then I decided to hitch a ride with my aunt up to Dallas to see my Granny and my dad, stepmom, and little brother, and I didn't get back home until yesterday. So, that post is still in the making. <br />
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For those of you who are already back at school, I hope you're having fun getting to know each other. For those of you who are just a few weeks away from starting (like me), I hope you're not spending too many of your last days off in your classroom (like me). But, I'll be out of town next week from Thursday - Sunday, and then school starts for teachers on Monday, August 20th, so I want my room to be ready before I go out of town.<br />
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Since I don't have much else to share today, I thought I'd end with a picture of me and my little brother. He started school last week (on my birthday, actually), and even though I call him my "little" brother (I'm 17 years older than him), now that he's in the 4th grade, I realize he's not so little anymore.<br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-49742401202204070932012-08-03T14:59:00.001-07:002012-08-03T15:05:45.214-07:00Currently Linking UpHi friends! Today I'm linking up to a few blogs to share some things I've purchased and created, and to also share my August Currently.<br />
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<a href="http://bainbridgeclass.blogspot.com/2012/07/vistapnt-fever.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaN1X30e2yyaqY6wEmn5XYvo9q8EBnHDgjVgwl0RqrbtLcLDdBkywiSsefYHaZYIDjzaydn41x5OUSef0Cj16Kkd7oB1QZhCMi7lRwP3ZO2InTKbSDYPHb3vOrf4-O16jlZrTbruVoo6A/s1600/vista+linky.png" /></a></div>
First, I'm linking up with <a href="http://bainbridgeclass.blogspot.com/">Christina</a> to share some of the things I recently ordered from <a href="http://vistaprint.com/">Vistaprint</a>. I bought a Groupon for $17 of $70 worth of products, and I'm pretty excited about what I made! First, I made behavior punch cards out of business cards.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EVT13dxFcXKxlKaoSN9agNI8Sw1C6yD36v6P6O7l3n_BcMErZHHzBKYDu_uPktFn5dFG9yPdo9-X2BqwJVC1mfvZiq9YAGQE-UmoXvrVuSbr9Sm6VnSy5NC_OwAzi2A2IFobihLbi0E/s1600/leader+punch+card.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EVT13dxFcXKxlKaoSN9agNI8Sw1C6yD36v6P6O7l3n_BcMErZHHzBKYDu_uPktFn5dFG9yPdo9-X2BqwJVC1mfvZiq9YAGQE-UmoXvrVuSbr9Sm6VnSy5NC_OwAzi2A2IFobihLbi0E/s320/leader+punch+card.png" width="320" /></a></div>
In one of my very first blog posts, I wrote about my <a href="http://yaythirdgrade.blogspot.com/2011/09/rewards.html">rewards system</a>, and this year, since we're going to be a Leader in Me campus, I decided to change the phrase from "________ does great things" to "________ is a great leader"! I'm hoping the business card size won't be too small, especially because I ordered 500 of them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0R6LRxUPPS1Gi073xCobNKUgIwSKuMnBv9a3aErgZ0fivPsN-PQfZeNLPr1Z14SL0CRao65HesYxT_iUOY2-1FWLp-iPxYkw30ZD-KwVr_cMaLD6pcX4qNMAJsCZJJHmIpdX87T0Lrf8/s1600/postcards.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0R6LRxUPPS1Gi073xCobNKUgIwSKuMnBv9a3aErgZ0fivPsN-PQfZeNLPr1Z14SL0CRao65HesYxT_iUOY2-1FWLp-iPxYkw30ZD-KwVr_cMaLD6pcX4qNMAJsCZJJHmIpdX87T0Lrf8/s640/postcards.png" width="467" /></a></div>
Next, I ordered these oversized postcards to use on our back to school night, which for us is the Thursday before school starts. I left the closing blank because I'm planning to share these with the other teachers on my team, and that way we can each sign our name on the bottom.<br />
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I made these postcards, too; they're blank on the back and I used a rocket because my class is the Rockets!<br />
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The last thing I made was this banner, and while it wasn't part of the special deals offered with the Groupon, I only needed to spend $25 over my $70 total to get free shipping, and I figured it'd be smarter to make something else than just pay for shipping! I love this quote, and I'll refer to it to help my students remember to be proactive (habit #1).<br />
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<a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2012/08/fabulous-find-fridayweek-6.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYsLMHrnWKL4kiyP9LQmxx9hwQcpEnlNH17F2DTJm6V6w4G4W6HKQ5gEZvw6l9uYwx7L9ToUn54HihK53KbMq8dF2OPXHHApw4Muw5K_B8dOxFtMLmZpyGNV9IL4IQIgVpC9DZ9DTjSE/s1600/fabulous+find+friday.jpeg" /></a></div>
I'm also linking up with <a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/">Elizabeth's</a> Fabulous Find Friday linky party. My birthday was yesterday, so I did a little shopping (although I bought nothing for me personally; everything was for my classroom!) and this is what I found:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpXS115VjmyjrvIqeBH5wj-5J0FLDRkjjR85G38YUnCVmt6fVlnr8i7jtJ1daflPu9pb764v4gTKMrM4i5oOzQhIYenpZ7owykLgjvkagHTh96Bn1ude3L3Wu8DbLzF14Wpq4u68oU9E/s1600/rainbow+drawers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpXS115VjmyjrvIqeBH5wj-5J0FLDRkjjR85G38YUnCVmt6fVlnr8i7jtJ1daflPu9pb764v4gTKMrM4i5oOzQhIYenpZ7owykLgjvkagHTh96Bn1ude3L3Wu8DbLzF14Wpq4u68oU9E/s320/rainbow+drawers.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
I got this wonderful organizer at Michael's for around $30. I found it in the plastic scrapbooking storage section, and right now everything in that section is 40% off (the sale ends tomorrow, so if you want one for yourself, you'd better go quick!). It was originally $70, and I had a coupon for an additional 20% my entire purchase, including sale items, so it ended up being more than half off! I'm not quite sure what I'm going to use it for, but it makes me happy just looking at it - these guys have so much potential!<br />
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I found these felt crowns at Hobby Lobby for 80% off - they were in the summer section, and with the discount, I paid $1.30 for BOTH! I'm planning to use them for birthday celebrations in my classroom! The small plastic containers came from HEB (a grocery store), and they were only $1! As soon as I saw them I knew they'd be perfect to hold dice - I pinned <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277626555341/">this</a> awhile ago, and have been on the look out for dice rolling containers ever since, so I'm very happy to have these.<br />
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Finally, I wanted to link up to <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/08/currently-plug-another-creations.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2Fjtmhg+%28Oh%27+Boy+4th+Grade%29">Farley's August Currently</a> - head on over to her blog to grab your blank copy and link up!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used my Boxy Print font for my answers - if you like it, you can find it in my TpT store <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Boxy-Print-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">here</a>!</td></tr>
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For my back to school must haves, I need to find a new pair of black leather flip flops. We're allowed to wear flip flops at our school as long as they're not like shower shoes, so I'm on the hunt for a new pair since I literally wore the soles out of my other pair last year! I also need a new lanyard for my keys and ID, but I've already purchased my eraseable pens! If you've never heard of these before, they're called FriXion pens, and they're made by Pilot. I had a student last year with sensory issues, and his therapist recommended he use these pens instead of pencils because they were easier for him to hold. You can buy these pens at all office supply stores, but they only have red, blue, and black. Well, after some searching, I found a website called <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/">JetPens</a>, which sells the <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-FriXion-Color-Pencil-Like-Erasable-Gel-Ink-Pen-0.7-mm-12-Color-Set/pd/3687">FriXion pens</a> in tons of colors! These particular pens are imported from Japan, and they work beautifully. In fact, I am <i>so</i> obsessed with these pens that I just ordered myself the <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-FriXion-Colors-Erasable-Marker-Pen-12-Color-Set/pd/6509">FriXion markers</a> too! I'm mostly excited to have these for my gradebook - now if I need to change a grade, I don't have to scribble over it or use White Out; I can just erase it and write it again!<br />
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That's all I've got for today! I'll be back on Monday to finish up the second half of my Cliffs Notes version of the 7 habits (and don't forget, my giveaway for an <a href="http://www.erincondren.com/store/index.php?cPath=318_1094">Erin Condren teacher planner</a> ends Monday night, so if you haven't entered, you have a few more days to do so - click <a href="http://yaythirdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/07/habits-1-3-and-giveaway.html">here</a> to go to the giveaway page!). Have a great weekend, y'all!<br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-86063316093633734042012-07-31T09:11:00.000-07:002012-07-31T09:30:24.480-07:00Habits 1 - 3 (and a Giveaway!)Good morning y'all! Today I'm going to give you a bit more information on the first three habits - they are the foundation upon which the habit system rests, so it's very important to work on these first. I know some of you may be interested in lesson plans and/or activities to help teach these habits, and I've already begun drafting those posts, but I want to give an overview of all the habits first before I get into those - I just want to make sure I give y'all enough information on each habit so that you can more easily use and understand the lessons and activities that follow!<br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Habit 1: Be Proactive (You're in Charge)</span></strong></h3>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking.</span></div>
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This habit is so, so important for kids, and I saw my third graders become more responsible and self-aware after they learned about what it meant to be proactive. This habit will teach children that their circumstances don't make them who they are, but their choices do. While all the habits are obviously important to model for kids, this is one that might take some practice on your end. An easy way to model this habit is by simply changing your language - no longer can you say "I didn't have time to..." or "I <i>had</i> to...". Instead, you must take ownership of yourself and the situation, and say things like, "I didn't make the time to..." or "I <i>chose</i> to...". When you use this kind of language in your classroom and even in the hallways when you're talking to other teachers, your students will observe you talking the talk and walking the walk, and they'll quickly begin to use this habit effectively thanks to your example. At the beginning of the year when I'm tired and stretched thin, I am going to make a very concerted effort to not make excuses or complain; I will actively work to change my thinking and my language, and I'm positive my attitude will change, too. If I find myself struggling to take charge of myself, I can always remind myself to not be like the people in this video:<br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind (Have a Plan)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my school’s mission and vision. I look for ways to be a good citizen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Basically, this habit can be summed up in this quote: Failing to plan means you are planning to fail. As teachers, planning ahead is definitely one of the biggest job requirements. While my district requires us to turn in lesson plans every week, it doesn't cause me any added stress because I've already made those plans anyway! I think the majority of people who become teachers are inherent planners, so this habit probably won't be so difficult to model or implement in your classroom. Creating a mission statement aligns very closely with this habit (see last week's post <a href="http://yaythirdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/07/7-habits-mission-statements.html">here</a> for more on writing a mission statement), and keeping a planner or calendar that outlines specific deadlines and schedules will ultimately help you become more efficient. It is very important to think through things first before creating anything, and this is why the mission statement was such a big part of our training - everything we plan for should parallel the goals and results we desire and/or need to achieve. </span><br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Habit 3: Put First Things First (Work First, Then Play)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.</span></div>
This habit means you must begin to put the things that are actually important first, even before those things that may <i>seem</i> urgent. It is so easy to get distracted by emails, phone calls, TV shows, Pinterest, etc., and while making some time for yourself to relax is definitely okay, you will be more likely to truly enjoy your time to relax if you have already given your attention to the things that really needed it. Of course, there are certain urgent things that will demand immediate attention - getting sick, for example - but for the most part, you should focus your efforts on accomplishing the things that will help you in the long run. Muriel shared this video with us, and it summarizes this habit wonderfully:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">I hope this little Cliffs Notes version of the first three habits has been helpful! I know y'all are smart and probably already had a good grasp of what each habit meant, but I am just so excited about this initiative that I can't help but share (as my boyfriend says, I drank the Kool-Aid!). Now, I bet you're wondering about why the title of this post also says <i>giveaway</i>. Heck, you're probably thinking, didn't she hint at a giveaway way back when she hit 100 followers? Yes, I did, but I wanted to wait on purpose because my giveaway parallels so perfectly with habit #2! I'm sure I'm not alone in my love for planners, making lists, color coordination, and organized spaces, so that's why I've decided to give one lucky reader their choice of an <a href="http://www.erincondren.com/store/index.php?cPath=318_1094">Erin Condren teacher planner</a>! I ordered myself one at the beginning of the summer and I can't even tell you how IN LOVE with it I am! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My planner - I chose the zig zag cover (I blurred out my last name and school name). </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Year at a glance - oh how I LOVE!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Bentham;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">To win a planner of your own, there is only one required entry - you must follow my blog - but there a few other ways to get more entries! I'll pick a winner next Monday, so you have plenty of time to enter! My birthday is on Thursday, so I'm planning to put that as my first thing first and celebrate with my friends at my apartment's pool, but I'll be back soon with a post about habits 4 - 7! Have a great day, friends!</span></span></div>
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e191641/" id="rc-e191641" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-68501888398141442852012-07-28T12:56:00.003-07:002012-07-28T13:07:04.424-07:007 Habits: Mission StatementsHey there friends! My sweet cousin was here all this week visiting from North Carolina, so my sister and I were busy showing her around Austin (and one day she even helped me work in my classroom!). It was fun getting to act as a tour guide of my city - we went hiking, ate great food, and went to this amazing place called the <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/7816">Cathedral of Junk</a>. Gotta love the folks who truly do Keep Austin Weird!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cousin Johanna, sister Claire, and me 'deep in the heart of Texas.'</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Anyway, I want to share one more thing about the habits with y'all before I begin going deeper into each habit individually. </span><span style="background-color: white;">If and when you begin teaching the habits in your classroom, it is important to start with habit #1 and move along from there because the first three habits must be established, well understood, and used effectively before the others can truly be utilized. You see, the first three habits are all about YOU and your PERSONAL victories. You must take responsibility for yourself - your choices, behaviors, feelings, wants, needs, etc. - </span><i style="background-color: white;">before</i><span style="background-color: white;"> you can begin to work with and for others. You must take time to determine your values and beliefs so that you can effectively identify how to take charge of your life (</span><i style="background-color: white;">be proactive</i><span style="background-color: white;">), what you need to do to accomplish and achieve your goals (</span><i style="background-color: white;">begin with the end in mind</i><span style="background-color: white;">), and what your priorities should be to ensure you do accomplish and achieve those goals (</span><i style="background-color: white;">put first things first</i><span style="background-color: white;">). </span></div>
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One of the most important (and most emotional) parts of our training was when we were given time to write our personal mission statements. We reflected on the things we'd learned, took into consideration the people and principles we valued most, and spent time thinking, writing, and revising our statements. This was by far the most meaningful thing I did during our training - I don't often give myself time to think and reflect on the kinds of things I want for myself and others or what I need to do to ensure those things happen, and once I started thinking about all the people I love and the children that have been and will be my responsibility for a year, the floodgates opened. Writing a mission statement is so much more than just making a list of things you want to accomplish; it's about figuring out the kind of person you want to be. You must consider what you will need to do today, tomorrow, and every day to ensure you become and continue to work on being that person. </div>
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I want to encourage you all to take some time for yourself in the next few days to reflect on the kind of person you want to be and the kind of life you want to live. Begin by thinking of the people around you - your friends, family, coworkers, etc. - and consider what you need to do to maintain and strengthen your relationships with them. Think about yourself, and what you need to do to take care of YOU! I know this all might sound kind of cheesy, but I can't tell you how empowering it was to realize I have the ability to give myself the kind of life I want. I had to be real and honest with myself, and I had to accept the fact that there are some things I need to change and some things I need to work on to make sure I become the person I know I can be. I now know I have the ability to impact myself and the world in a positive way: the training pointed me in that direction, and it's up to me to follow through. </div>
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If you would like to work on creating your own mission statement, Franklin Covey has an online tool to help you organize your thoughts and get started - click <a href="http://www.franklincovey.com/msb/">here</a> to check it out. I hope y'all will consider taking some time for yourself to think about your own personal mission statement, because it will feel so good if you do! I know many of us are <b>thisclose</b> to starting a new school year, and I personally can't wait to start because I know exactly what kind of year I want to have for both myself and my students, and I know just what I need to do to make sure it happens. While mission statements are very personal, I'd love to hear if you took time to write one or started taking steps towards writing one! </div>
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Have a wonderful rest of the weekend, friends! </div>
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-55582840290467828542012-07-23T06:47:00.001-07:002012-07-23T07:00:17.547-07:007 Habits of Happy Kids: An IntroductionGood morning, friends! Happy Monday! Today I'm meeting with my third grade team to begin mapping out our year, so I wanted to make sure I woke up early enough to get this post written. I am so excited to share with you some of the wonderful things I learned at the <a href="http://www.theleaderinme.org/what-is-the-leader-in-me/">Leader in Me</a> training at my school last week. (For those of you who don't know what the Leader in Me is, it's basically teaching Stephen Covey's <i><a href="https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits.php">7 Habits of Highly Effective People</a></i> to children by having the school as a whole learn and practice the habits, but the habits are by no means just for school, they're for using in every aspect of your life). It was a very meaningful and emotional training, made all the more special because Muriel Summers was our leader. She's the woman behind this whole amazing idea:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">In the latter part of 1999, the 7 Habits made another significant entry into schools. During a presentation in Washington, D.C., I was approached by an elementary school principal named Muriel Summers. She wanted to </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">know if I thought the 7 Habits could be taught to young children. I pointed her toward Sean’s book, but she came back with the reply that she was referring to very young children—as young as five years old. I responded, “I don’t know why not,” and then casually added that if she ever tried to do it to let me know how it went." - Stephen Covey (written in the forward of his book, </span><a href="https://www.stephencovey.com/leaderinme/sample_chapter.php" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><i>The Leader In Me</i></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muriel Summers and me! :)</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I say it was emotional, too, because not only were we, the teachers, taking time to examine ourselves and think deeply about the things we value, but as I'm sure most of you know by now, last Sunday, </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/stephen-r-covey-dies-author-of-the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-was-79/2012/07/16/gJQARWVkpW_story.html" style="background-color: white;">Stephen Covey passed away</a><span style="background-color: white;">. Our training began on Tuesday. As we began investigating the habits, we watched videos and heard stories from Muriel about Stephen, and she made it very clear to us that even though his life may have ended, we are part of the reason he will never die - his legacy will live on through us as we work together to teach kids about his and Muriel's powerful vision for them. </span><br />
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Now, I don't want to get ahead of myself, so next I want to share with you the 7 Habits. Many of you may already know them, but below I have copied the habits (<a href="http://www.theleaderinme.org/the-7-habits-for-kids">from here</a>) with the kid-friendly definitions that go with them:<br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Habit 1: Be Proactive (You're in Charge)</span></strong></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking.</span><br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind (Have a Plan)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my school’s mission and vision. I look for ways to be a good citizen.</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Habit 3: Put First Things First (Work First, Then Play)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Habit 4: Think Win- Win (Everyone Can Win)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want. I make deposits in others’ Emotional Bank Accounts. When conflicts arise, I look for third alternatives.</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood (Listen Before You Talk)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I listen to other people’s ideas and feelings. I try to see things from their viewpoints. I listen to others without interrupting. I am confident in voicing my ideas. I look people in the eyes when talking.</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Habit 6: Synergize (Together Is Better)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I value other people’s strengths and learn from them. I get along well with others, even people who are different than me. I work well in groups. I seek out other people’s ideas to solve problems because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than anyone of us can alone. I am humble.</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw (Balance Feels Best)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I take care of my body by eating right, exercising and getting sleep. I spend time with family and friends. I learn in lots of ways and lots of places, not just at school. I find meaningful ways to help others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">At the end of last year, when our school had just decided to go for it and implement the habits on our campus, I decided to read one story a week from the book, </span><a href="http://www.theleaderinme.org/books/the-7-habits-of-happy-kids/" style="background-color: white;"><i>7 Habits of Happy Kids</i></a><span style="background-color: white;">. These stories are written specifically for kids, and my third graders couldn't wait to hear a new story each week. We rounded out our school year together by practicing these habits and using the language - I would overhear my students said things like, "I noticed ______ began with the end in mind because her homework is already turned in and it's not even Friday!" or "I can see that ______ is upset because she is crying - I think you should seek first to understand and just leave her alone because she is sad and doesn't want to talk to you right now."</span><br />
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I was so impressed and proud of my kids - they immediately began taking ownership of themselves and their choices and actions (Habit #1), and it made my teaching so much easier! Because my students all had the same language to use when communicating with each other, not only were there fewer problems, but they resolved many of their issues themselves - it made my teaching so much easier and stress-free!<br />
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So, if you're interested in learning more about the habits and seeing if they'd be a good fit for you and your students, I highly recommend you start with reading the children's book. I promise that book will be more helpful for you than getting the adult version - even Muriel suggested we read the <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Habits-Highly-Effective-Teens/dp/0684856093">7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens</a></i> if we wanted to go a bit deeper, because it's basically a Cliff's Notes version of the adult book.<br />
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I've got to head out to meet my team, but I'll be back later this week to go a bit deeper into the habits and what I personally experienced during our training. I also think I've finally decided on what to do for my giveaway, and I'll give you a hint: it starts with an <i>Erin</i> and ends in a <i>Condren</i>.<br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-90986259136601306812012-07-18T18:07:00.000-07:002012-07-18T18:11:40.882-07:00Blog Redesign + New Name!Good evening everyone! I've been super busy since I returned home from Houston after attending Debbie Diller's conference, and part of what I've been up to is a little makeover for my blog! Although I liked what I had come up with a few months ago, it still wasn't as "me" as I thought it might could be, so I did a little tweaking to my banner, color scheme, and background. I also decided to change my blog name! I am hoping this does not cause a lot of problems for any followers or subscribers; I'm assuming that if you were already following me via Blogger, an RSS feed, or Google Reader that nothing will change, but I wanted to alert those of you who might just bookmark my blog that the domain name is now <a href="http://yaythirdgrade.blogspot.com/">http://yaythirdgrade.blogspot.com</a>. Part of the reason I changed my blog name is because I'm in the process of redesigning and updating my Etsy site, which is called Yay Paper. I'm hoping by correlating my teaching/blogging endeavors to my Etsy shop it'll push me to create more and put my products out there. <br />
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In other news, I am over the moon because I noticed I now have 100 followers! I started this blog a little under a year ago, and it was mostly so I'd have a site to link back to as I blog stalked - never did I imagine I'd become so addicted to being a part of this wonderful teaching community! I am so glad you've found me, and I hope that by following me you've found something useable for yourself and your classroom. I will be hosting a giveaway soon to celebrate this milestone, but I want to take some time to think long and hard about what it will be. As a way to say thank you to you all right now, I've reduced the price of my fonts on my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Yay-Third-Grade">TpT site</a> (which is also now called Yay Third Grade). I love the feedback I've gotten from y'all on what I've created, but since no one has purchased a font yet, I think that may mean the price is too high. I know there are a billion free fonts out there, so I get that paying for a font seems unnecessary, but perhaps someone out there will want to spend $2 so that I can at least say I've made my first sale on TpT! That'd be two milestones in one week!<br />
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Thanks for stopping by to check out the change! Tomorrow is my school's final day of the 7 Habits/Leader in Me training, and next week I will share some of the great things I learned and experienced with y'all. I also got lots of great ideas from the Debbie Diller conference, and after I create the things I'll need to implement those ideas, I'll be sure to share those, too! Have a great rest of the week, y'all! <br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-82099527380650312882012-07-11T13:21:00.000-07:002012-07-11T13:25:45.057-07:00And the Winners Are...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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6 = Keri @ <a href="http://teachplaysmile.blogspot.com/">Teach~Play~Smile</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8BnYgsXp8a7pRulGXXw5PTEKqHxvrBmLXszIi4EZ81QRe2-E7WLP6fIYTXIzlIDAwOngKdaFxLETBxAq-aUmtPZR_RKpDnNM9KZ8t_Jz4e9qQpb3f_nTXOO_VO1iyUY5y8dIZCTe_MQ/s1600/Winner+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8BnYgsXp8a7pRulGXXw5PTEKqHxvrBmLXszIi4EZ81QRe2-E7WLP6fIYTXIzlIDAwOngKdaFxLETBxAq-aUmtPZR_RKpDnNM9KZ8t_Jz4e9qQpb3f_nTXOO_VO1iyUY5y8dIZCTe_MQ/s1600/Winner+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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2 = Stephanie @ <a href="http://3rd-grade-thoughts.blogspot.com/">Third Grade Thoughts</a></div>
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8 = Colleen @ <a href="http://totallyterrificintexas.blogspot.com/">Totally Terrific in Texas</a> </div>
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5 = Jennifer K. @ <a href="http://herdingkats.blogspot.com/">Herding Kats in Kindergarten</a> </div>
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Congrats ladies! Thanks to everyone who entered - you helped make my first giveaway a success! I'm really close to having 100 followers, and as soon as that happens, I'll have another giveaway, so stay tuned!<br />
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As for now, I have to pack and get myself on the road to Houston because tomorrow and Friday I'll be attending Debbie Diller's Summer Institute! This is my first training of the summer, and I can't wait to see what all we'll be doing - I'll be sure to share once I get back! If you'll be there, too, let me know, I'd love to meet you!<br />
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Happy Wednesday y'all! <br />
<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-58039012747646919342012-07-09T14:53:00.000-07:002012-07-09T15:05:41.722-07:00Monday Made ItHey y'all! I'm happy to finally be able to participate in Tara from 4th Grade Frolics' <a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2012/07/monday-made-it-6.html">Monday Made It</a>! Last week, when I was reorganizing and cleaning up my <a href="http://pinterest.com/katherineloiry/">Pinterest boards</a>, I made a list of the things I'd like to try and make before the summer is over. Today, I realized two of the things on my list could be made using materials I already had at home, so I got to work! <br />
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First, I made this Kiss Your Brain treat jar (<a href="http://lewislearninglibrary.blogspot.com/2011/02/managment-monday-tuesday-other.html">source</a>; <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277626928390/">pin</a>). I used an empty plastic rice container, scrapbook paper, left over glittery stickers from a wedding project made for a friend, and Modge Podge. I love using the phrase "kiss your brain" when a student says something super smart or inquisitive, and now my students can grab a Hershey's Kiss from my jar if I tell them to kiss their brain!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGJHbchd9zRx4bekd1Imz7A-2k6NZ_Ft6d8k8fd_530i_6BbnMFsN2OIDuPh5pd4_S7ox6zf6aJbV8ERdLOOMz0OF2aeBt2V-2uNmCqC4E6ItCjEHt9vBeGcCT2mHVg0_9JwCXMbd3jo/s1600/kiss+your+brain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGJHbchd9zRx4bekd1Imz7A-2k6NZ_Ft6d8k8fd_530i_6BbnMFsN2OIDuPh5pd4_S7ox6zf6aJbV8ERdLOOMz0OF2aeBt2V-2uNmCqC4E6ItCjEHt9vBeGcCT2mHVg0_9JwCXMbd3jo/s400/kiss+your+brain.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(just imagine there are Hershey Kisses inside!)</td></tr>
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For myself, I made a spiced concentrate (<a href="http://www.letherbakecake.com/2010/02/blog-steal-chai-concentrate.html">source</a>; <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277627592927/">pin</a>) to add to my chai tea lattes. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I.am.obsessed. with chai tea lattes. Unfortunately, I can't afford to spend $5 at Starbucks every time I crave one, so I've been on a mission to try and recreate the drink at home. This concentrate is made using sweetened condensed milk and a combination of spices, and it definitely mimics whatever it is they add to the chai at Starbucks! I've made sugar syrups (both vanilla and cinnamon and then vanilla and cinnamon combined), and those made my drinks gritty and overly sweet. The sweetened condensed milk is sweet, too, but it's not <i>so</i> sweet that you feel like you're going to get a cavity from drinking your tea! If you're a chai tea latte lover like me, I highly recommend making this to add to your tea (I make the base of my drink from Tazo chai tea concentrate and vanilla soy milk). <br />
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If you'd like to link up with something you made or just want to check out what other people have made, click the image below to join the linky! <br />
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And, just in case you haven't checked them out yet, I made a few new fonts last week and you can win your favorite if you just visit <a href="http://thirdgradeteacherfiles.blogspot.com/2012/07/fun-new-fonts-julys-currently-giveaway.html">this post</a> and leave me a comment telling me which one is your favorite (they're also for sale in my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Third-Grade-Teacher-Files?&breadcrumb=2&subject=59">TpT store</a>)! There will be four winners, and the giveaway ends tomorrow evening, so don't forget to stop by! <br />
<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0;" />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-76547116065528660632012-07-06T14:46:00.001-07:002012-07-06T15:03:12.109-07:00Fun New Fonts + July's Currently + A Giveaway!!!!Hello friends! I've been super busy these past few weeks - my mom was in town visiting for awhile, and then I went up to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to visit a friend and my boyfriend's family. This week, I finally had some time to get creative, and I'm so excited to have a few new things share with you all - I've made four new fonts, and I've just posted them to <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Third-Grade-Teacher-Files?&breadcrumb=2&subject=59">TpT</a>!<br />
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This one is called <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Plain-Print-Bold-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">PlainPrint Bold</a>: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQdSnE-9zfG47D-iiv7J3CjXoRZT-Iks3FHGUHrpxVt31lADfRRfqlhqfsLrnJfxUmqva9Yc14ZVtQSxqOxgLI_gd8DGrOITz4COMG2sBkJT3FLTOO66pcYnIqJoo1z14p31tkOZ3jeE/s1600/PlainPrint+Bold+ABCs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQdSnE-9zfG47D-iiv7J3CjXoRZT-Iks3FHGUHrpxVt31lADfRRfqlhqfsLrnJfxUmqva9Yc14ZVtQSxqOxgLI_gd8DGrOITz4COMG2sBkJT3FLTOO66pcYnIqJoo1z14p31tkOZ3jeE/s400/PlainPrint+Bold+ABCs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This is called <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Boxy-Print-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">Boxy Print</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YqL3hzptbnZtH6b3_Lp1hNuqzzZW0j75sI_cGrG8IyPG8LTqCD6CmyCooVr1Hu7291ddHAfT8WpkqcrZWIedyT9OMY_IafJle5ejtqF967cBmWDe0zUEwahTPSorvPLMV7y3HcDfKXk/s1600/Boxy+Print+ABCs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YqL3hzptbnZtH6b3_Lp1hNuqzzZW0j75sI_cGrG8IyPG8LTqCD6CmyCooVr1Hu7291ddHAfT8WpkqcrZWIedyT9OMY_IafJle5ejtqF967cBmWDe0zUEwahTPSorvPLMV7y3HcDfKXk/s400/Boxy+Print+ABCs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This is my fancy shmancy <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calligraphy-Print-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">Calligraphy Print</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaUEvruPzQjDuIGPxECHMexuZh_aj8iB94cRqUp0hBbuEFkr_yHgeMUrOHVDS-JRUhVWjo1TGb8kYc0pNDQLe4SGLP8GxwJfUDa-hcEdWamBtNcW7-5luW7I5GYPE6gVCdwNuTGA4l7M/s1600/Calligraphy+Print+ABCs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaUEvruPzQjDuIGPxECHMexuZh_aj8iB94cRqUp0hBbuEFkr_yHgeMUrOHVDS-JRUhVWjo1TGb8kYc0pNDQLe4SGLP8GxwJfUDa-hcEdWamBtNcW7-5luW7I5GYPE6gVCdwNuTGA4l7M/s400/Calligraphy+Print+ABCs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And this guy is called <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bubbles-Font-for-Personal-Commercial-Use">Bubbles</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij53qbMEs3tZkLLeA9yP6criP9OyxynBu59VUr3iRpaMuoU0wcTTIRQLb414y3bZUYyBNYdq6q-fuRG3ZK4g6ZH4oc1S2VAV19ELNKDsIgDhYRpWlWtOFmKj6OcUno4qtQzDNNb9lUm3c/s1600/Bubbles+ABCs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij53qbMEs3tZkLLeA9yP6criP9OyxynBu59VUr3iRpaMuoU0wcTTIRQLb414y3bZUYyBNYdq6q-fuRG3ZK4g6ZH4oc1S2VAV19ELNKDsIgDhYRpWlWtOFmKj6OcUno4qtQzDNNb9lUm3c/s400/Bubbles+ABCs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This is my first time to list anything for sale - all of my other products are free, so I'm nervous and terribly excited to see if there will be any purchases! The response to my <a href="http://thirdgradeteacherfiles.blogspot.com/2012/03/font-freebie.html">first font</a> was overwhelming (it's still posted over on <a href="http://www.dafont.com/plainprint.font">dafont.com</a> - over 17,000 downloads as of today!), and I still get so happy when I see my font pop up on people's websites and products. I hope these new fonts will be just as useful and popular as my first one was! <br />
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If you like what you see, head on over to my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Third-Grade-Teacher-Files?&breadcrumb=2&subject=59">TpT store</a> to purchase and download! And, if you're interested in getting one of
my new fonts for FREE, please leave a comment below telling me which
new font you like best! Since there are four new fonts, I'll pick four
winners - don't forget to include your email address so I can email you
your choice if you win! I'll randomly select the four winners next Tuesday, July 10th, so be sure to leave a comment before then! <br />
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In other news, since I missed June's currently, I wanted to be sure to <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/07/currently-waiting-rule-of-three.html">link up with Farley</a> this month with my July currently. I know I'm a little late, but here's what I've been up to:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyQ6xQpj2kZEkpgKl7tlMpyuFSvkGopTn1DaAPRsS2FL0pEauOst7kaJo9qoxmTavtpze5wNn_-K05RJ4QwFNjlhYWqa3HjokK77rTpXfmlXQr9kHpwthcJOoN6jpWCfp4xSVBryzmjnA/s1600/july+currently.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyQ6xQpj2kZEkpgKl7tlMpyuFSvkGopTn1DaAPRsS2FL0pEauOst7kaJo9qoxmTavtpze5wNn_-K05RJ4QwFNjlhYWqa3HjokK77rTpXfmlXQr9kHpwthcJOoN6jpWCfp4xSVBryzmjnA/s1600/july+currently.jpg" /></a></div>
For my reads, I picked <u>Holes</u> as the book I love to read aloud to my third graders. I have a few go-to books (<u>Matilda</u>, <u>Because of Winn Dixie</u>, and <u>Charlotte's Web</u> are a few others I read regularly), but I really love <u>Holes</u> because it provides so many great conversation starters. I also appreciate that the main characters are BOYS who are strong both physically AND emotionally. <br />
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For my go-to professional book, I immediately thought of the Two Sisters, as their practices and teachings definitely changed the way I approach reading in my classroom. However, next year our school is going to become a <a href="http://www.franklincovey.com/tc/solutions/education-solutions/elementary-education-solutions--the-leader-in-me">7 Habits Campus</a>, so I've been reading <u>The Leader in Me</u>, and I'm sure that will end up being my new go-to book. <br />
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Alrighty, that's all for now! Don't forget to comment if you'd like a chance to win your favorite font! Have a great weekend, y'all! <br />
<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-49164986037718495172012-06-20T09:10:00.004-07:002012-06-20T09:15:55.696-07:00Busy BusyAs the title of this post suggests, I've been busy, busy - but, none of what's keeping me busy has anything to do with teaching or my classroom! I know this is a teaching blog, but it's summer, after all, so I don't feel guilty about taking a little teaching break! However, I do plan on going to my classroom sometime later this week to pick up my Daily 5 and Cafe books so I can participate in <a href="http://www.wereadweblogweteach.com/">this</a> book study - it's been awhile since I've reviewed both books, so I'm excited to join in - are you going to read along, too? <br />
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Thanks to those of you who left sweet comments on my last post - saying
goodbye to a beloved pet is never easy, even if it is something that
needs to happen. Both me and my other cat, Maggie, were
in mourning for a few days, so my vet suggested getting another cat to help with the healing process. So, part of what has been keeping me busy these days is my new kitten, Abita. She's precious, see?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduoVcuu2MnJ44a0ST2BwNxXQ8XuWYO7BtNk5T5T9gLyEvsf4Qq4EIB8uURBQTapQCQouWr7nizq033T6i3qfuF5BUgGyopIP04hejDfbVV_B9a2Rj4atfK8nRggM6NbBUSjWLBNhePfk/s1600/abita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduoVcuu2MnJ44a0ST2BwNxXQ8XuWYO7BtNk5T5T9gLyEvsf4Qq4EIB8uURBQTapQCQouWr7nizq033T6i3qfuF5BUgGyopIP04hejDfbVV_B9a2Rj4atfK8nRggM6NbBUSjWLBNhePfk/s400/abita.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's only been a week since I said goodbye to Corona, and Abita is not a replacement by any means, but she is certainly helping me not be as sad as I've been. I'm in love with her name, too - my friend Emily suggested giving her a beer-related name, since Corona was named after the beer, and my sister came up with Abita, which is perfect because not only does her name pay tribute to Corona, but Abita is a Louisiana beer, and I was born in Louisiana. My boyfriend spent his middle and high school years in New Orleans, so he instantly liked the name, too. Maggie is still gets a little uneasy if Abita gets too close, but she's definitely made progress in tolerating her. <br />
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Another thing that's been keeping me busy is Pinterest. <a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/">Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics</a> has been hosting a <a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2012/06/monday-made-it-3.html">Monday Made It linky party</a>, but I can't participate quite yet because nothing I've made has been teaching/classroom related. However, <a href="http://amber-polk.blogspot.com/">Amber from Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher</a> is hosting another linky party called <a href="http://amber-polk.blogspot.com/2012/06/i-saw-it-on-pinterest.html">I Saw It on Pinterest</a>, and I can link up to that one! There are a few new things I've made this summer from things I've pinned (mostly recipes), so I'll share those as well as a few things I'd like to make:<br />
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First, I made this bread, and it was delicious AND easy: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXOEO-oRc8mGu1bcYSG0zVesXSKB_vqQjNk8kR9lHHJrzdUUnlJKka0dLN1LddpwMkBefiMEvNjD4TsxedBffh4erl4kJPgWJrqzbqR64qmhgJ8YWZcXAmaWvRCVaHkGAn5OM8s9F75s/s1600/bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXOEO-oRc8mGu1bcYSG0zVesXSKB_vqQjNk8kR9lHHJrzdUUnlJKka0dLN1LddpwMkBefiMEvNjD4TsxedBffh4erl4kJPgWJrqzbqR64qmhgJ8YWZcXAmaWvRCVaHkGAn5OM8s9F75s/s400/bread.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277626831094/">pin</a>; <a href="http://www.lafujimama.com/2009/09/simple-one-hour-homemade-bread/">website/photo source </a></td></tr>
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I've been making homemade pizza dough for awhile now (recipe <a href="http://annies-eats.com/2008/08/15/perfect-pizza-crust/">here</a>), so I decided to make my own pizza sauce, too: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrMudoqX8SAqIuBkC7TNFJHGtz3gDqclhbUX5lM_Vd-HX0CHqZj9emwbb6huDtU9JwWcj0rDp7v14BPzk2oIbHJtOSSLOHc1E9F9BjyGdJhnRNIFsW2pQTP__-5iVGldGDfaik6q4lnA/s1600/pizza+sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrMudoqX8SAqIuBkC7TNFJHGtz3gDqclhbUX5lM_Vd-HX0CHqZj9emwbb6huDtU9JwWcj0rDp7v14BPzk2oIbHJtOSSLOHc1E9F9BjyGdJhnRNIFsW2pQTP__-5iVGldGDfaik6q4lnA/s400/pizza+sauce.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277627626201/">pin</a>; <a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/condiments/homemade-pizza-sauce-3/">website/photo source </a></td></tr>
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I also just bought a popsicle mold at Ross (it's not a Zoku, like the recipe below shows; mine's just a regular plastic mold), and these Nutella fudgesicle pops are currently being frozen in my freezer (I made them this morning!): <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNIEUYf3NfxiY4q_pcUQM2qjnPzT_5_graa_RXxRDD6RN8CyLYO3Kk7QwUjBGYnq0T6ptU1MRLHcSVAuP7M_AdjzCL6rm_ZvESotEaF0waALl6nvfsiI5p1uDEU_INOuSzs1ldBNYNPE/s1600/red-nutella-pop_250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNIEUYf3NfxiY4q_pcUQM2qjnPzT_5_graa_RXxRDD6RN8CyLYO3Kk7QwUjBGYnq0T6ptU1MRLHcSVAuP7M_AdjzCL6rm_ZvESotEaF0waALl6nvfsiI5p1uDEU_INOuSzs1ldBNYNPE/s400/red-nutella-pop_250.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277627544827/">pin</a>; <a href="http://dailywaffle.com/2011/06/01/zoku-popsicle-maker-nutella-fudgesicles/">website/photo source</a></td></tr>
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I want to make a few crafty things this summer, too, and these cute gold tube bracelets look super easy:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FO01qMxQ4FyHfPk6zj4ISkHStjft_HCdSQDu3QJNeknI7n6yct-yevM7N_SHRScaRl87xUt9a_hzW6hATO-XqDQdFG7gzUeL17V3Po5AF1CH7gdasp1iLIoVXUUvEWJYFDfLPoUCBv8/s1600/bracelets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FO01qMxQ4FyHfPk6zj4ISkHStjft_HCdSQDu3QJNeknI7n6yct-yevM7N_SHRScaRl87xUt9a_hzW6hATO-XqDQdFG7gzUeL17V3Po5AF1CH7gdasp1iLIoVXUUvEWJYFDfLPoUCBv8/s400/bracelets.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277627646506/">pin</a>; <a href="http://honestlywtf.com/diy/diy-gold-tube-bracelets/">website/photo source </a></td></tr>
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For my classroom, I'd like to set up my first Donor's Choose project, and the information found here will be very helpful, I think:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwIxUBOJuuR8tJFuu_aZMBxORj4fJ41TrHVqh439HnZifPAhEAr_2XxoDlU-ZjHMOf1Cl3uVfL39i2QDJNbcMb8BmIyrCyWEQHRgZdUBmGqk3jg92yyPvvucnsY-117iShDBB9VqMPbI/s1600/donors+choose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwIxUBOJuuR8tJFuu_aZMBxORj4fJ41TrHVqh439HnZifPAhEAr_2XxoDlU-ZjHMOf1Cl3uVfL39i2QDJNbcMb8BmIyrCyWEQHRgZdUBmGqk3jg92yyPvvucnsY-117iShDBB9VqMPbI/s400/donors+choose.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277627620187/">pin</a>; <a href="http://www.frugalteacher.com/2012/06/how-to-create-donorschoose-project.html?spref=tw">website/photo source </a></td></tr>
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There are many other things I'm itching to try, and you can see all my pins and boards here:<br />
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I have plenty of teaching related boards, so feel free to follow me! Link up over at Amber's blog to see what everyone else has been up to this summer!<br />
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As for now, I need to get after some cleaning and tidying - my mom is coming to town on Saturday, and she'll be staying in Austin for a whole week! I'm excited to get to spend some quality time with her and my sister, so that means I'll be absent from blogging for another week or so while she's in town. Until then, friends! <br />
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<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-78510049382027122592012-06-13T08:27:00.002-07:002012-06-13T08:29:05.617-07:00The Summer BeginsMy students' last day of school was May 31st. My last day was June 1st. As soon as I finished packing things up on Friday, I drove to Dallas to see my family, since I hadn't seen them since Christmas (sad!). My brother had just turned 9 the week before, and this is the first year I haven't been there on his birthday - usually school is out by then, but not this year, and he was a little miffed I wasn't going to be there. He told me I should "order a substitute" so I could come up on his actual birthday. Ha! Once I got there, though, we had a lot of fun - we saw The Avengers, went to the Lego store for some birthday Legos, made homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream (without an ice cream machine!), and worked on a collaborative Avengers art project.<br />
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Then, I spent a day in Ft. Worth with my boyfriend and his family, then we came back to Austin. For my one full day back home, I went back to my classroom to finish up a few things, and came home to clean, do laundry, and pack...because Thursday morning we had to get to the airport before sunrise to head to New York for my friend's wedding. I had a really great time in NY, exploring during the day and spending time with my friends in the evening, and weddings are always fun to celebrate.<br />
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But then, when I got home from NY on Sunday night, I noticed my cat, Corona, was not acting right. I have had Corona since I was in the 4th grade, and my dad found her in the woods on a golf course when she was just a tiny kitten. She had been attacked by something, and as a result she had to have her back left leg and tail amputated. Regardless of her disability, though, she had never had any issues walking, running, or jumping with just three legs, but on Sunday, she was losing her balance whenever she tried to walk, and when I went to pick her up to see what was wrong, she hissed and growled at me, and even bit me so hard that I started to bleed. She has NEVER done that, so I knew something was wrong. I called the vet immediately and made an appointment for yesterday afternoon (I would have gone in Monday had I not already promised to babysit for the kids I used to nanny for in college).<br />
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Once I got Corona to the vet, he checked her out and the prognosis was not good. The leg that had been amputated so many years ago was done below the knee instead of above, so she still had a tiny bit of her lower leg attached, but it had popped out of the knee socket, and that was what was causing her so much pain. I knew it wasn't going to be a good diagnosis, and I had prepared myself for the inevitable. I had to say goodbye to my sweet Corona yesterday afternoon, and while I'm at peace knowing she's no longer in pain, I am so, so sad that she's gone.<br />
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So, I've spent the first week of my summer vacation running around like crazy, enjoying time with my family and friends, and now that I'm home, I'm without my feline companion. I've been an emotional wreck this morning, but sharing about her passing is helping me heal. Eventually, I'll post about how we ended the year in my classroom, or I'll move ahead to talk about what I'm doing to prepare for next year, but for now, I'm in mourning.<br />
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If you have a pet, be sure to hug them extra tight for me today.<br />
xo<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-25016931213939497612012-05-23T20:30:00.000-07:002012-05-23T20:49:58.839-07:00Like Whoa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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*EDIT: Okay, so my original title "like whoa" is totally appropriate - I wrote this <b>last week</b> and I thought I had pressed the "publish" button, but apparently I only pressed "save" and, a week later, I am <i>just now figuring that out</i>. So, while the below post is obviously now even <i>more</i> outdated and overdue, I can't not share it now because: it's been nearly a month since my last post; I'd rather focus on this than grades, which are due tomorrow; tomorrow is also our Living History Museum (see below) and ALSO our Camp Carnival (that's a whole 'nother post waiting to happen); and I found out this morning that my boyfriend's uncle passed away last night, so...this week is owning me, as will the weekend, as will next week since it's our last, and there you have it - more than enough reasons for this outdated, overdue post. I'll be back soon...to publish, not save!*<br />
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So...we have 10 days left, and I'll be lucky if I can make it until May 31st without going crazy first! Last week, after returning home from the wedding in Houston, I had to write three days of sub plans because I went camping with our school's fifth grade class - but, to make things harder, my sister's birthday was on Monday, and my boyfriend's birthday was on Tuesday, so by the time we left school on Wednesday for our three day camping trip, I was already exhausted. This is my third year to be a counselor with the fifth graders at their camp - the kids are split up into small groups and participate in team building and outdoor learning activities, like this one:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XAZUkR4H0KeCwJinHX2imQVhplBC91JbD4g__qAbs4QXDtJo-VoVoG1HOIS-XGabGB-u50DjYm677SX7Wn32pQ6zQVlZxP14U9Iy1ZhOQFZJlY2wbiCnFJUxlPUrTT4NREAKfOUq5lo/s1600/IMG_1728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XAZUkR4H0KeCwJinHX2imQVhplBC91JbD4g__qAbs4QXDtJo-VoVoG1HOIS-XGabGB-u50DjYm677SX7Wn32pQ6zQVlZxP14U9Iy1ZhOQFZJlY2wbiCnFJUxlPUrTT4NREAKfOUq5lo/s400/IMG_1728.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the perks of being a counselor = getting to climb the rock wall!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My fifth grade teacher friends and I.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S'mores for the teachers - this is just before the downpour! </td></tr>
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But, as fun as being a camp counselor can be, making sub plans for three days at the end of the school year isn't exactly easy. Plus, the sub I <i>thought</i> I was going to have (one I knew and trusted and had already talked to about my plans and certain kiddos and their needs) ended up NOT being my sub, and the substitute I did have said something terrible to one of my students. Oh - and on Thursday, the rain gods decided to send a downpour to central Texas, and while we obviously need the rain, our outdoor activities at camp were canceled, and it made our day so much more tiring and stressful. And - as soon as I got home on Friday night, I got sick - like throat on fire, coughing, sneezing, heavy head sick - I guess that's what spending a day outside in the rain will do to you - so I spent the weekend in bed when I should have been catching up at school. (UPDATE: The sickness never fully went away, and now it's a sinus infection...at least, that's what I think. I don't have time to go to the doctor to verify, but since it's been two weeks and it's still not better, I'm guessing - sinus infection.)<br />
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Anyway, needless to say, when I got back to school on Monday, I had quite a few things to tend to. I wanted to share with y'all what my class did for Mother's Day before I left for the camping trip, but there was just no way that was going to happen. So, here's what we did: mom and me journals (inspired by <a href="http://www.mamajennblogs.com/2010/11/mama-me-journal.html">this</a>, found on <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194499277627245344/">Pinterest</a>) and flower pens (<a href="http://www.homemademamas.net/2010/07/flower-pens_12.html">this</a> tutorial is close to how we make them). My mentor teacher taught me how to make these pens 5 years ago and they're still my go-to for Mother's Day because my kids can actually make them themselves, and the supplies don't cost an arm and a leg! Several moms have already told me that their kids have written them letters and notes a few times, which makes me SO happy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids got to decorate the covers with scrapbook paper, construction paper, stickers, stamps, and whatever else I had! This is just the only one I remembered to take a picture of before it got wrapped up!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This student copied the sample letter I wrote, but the kids had the freedom to write whatever they wanted for their first letter, as long as they explained the reason behind the journal! I also added in ribbon "bookmarks" so they could keep their place in their journals. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then we wrapped up the journals with tissue paper and yarn, and they made sweet cards! Some of the kids had never wrapped a present before, so we had a little mini lesson on wrapping and bow tying! </td></tr>
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Now, my kids are knee deep in their Living History Museum projects, which is the big finale for our biography unit. My kids got to pick a famous historical person to research and learn about, and next Thursday, they will "become" that person in our Living History Museum. The kids have taken notes, made posters, and written speeches that showcase their person's life, and on Thursday, they'll dress up as that person, get a "button" (circle) drawn on their hand, and then the whole school/parents/teachers/etc. will come through our halls to press those buttons and watch/hear our kids come to "life" and present their speech, which will tell the audience all about their person's life. They write their speech in first person, as they are really pretending to "be" that person - it's kind of like a wax museum that's come alive, if you will. I'll take some pictures next week to show you how it all works out. The posters our kids make come from Scholastic, and you can find the outline we use to match the poster <a href="http://printables.scholastic.com/printables/detail/?id=30359">here</a>, if you're interested. It makes the poster making so much easier, and then from there, the kids can easily write their speeches.<br />
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My class is also hard at work prepping for their student lead conferences - more info and files to share on that soon, I promise! <br />
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Finally, I found out today at our staff meeting that we're going to have to spend a few days conducting interviews for the two third grade positions that are open at my school. One of my teammates, who got hired the same year as me, is moving to first grade next year, and it makes me so sad to think I won't see her every day. Her classroom is right next to mine, and she is the one person on my team that keeps me sane. So, with her leaving, and with the upcoming number of second graders, we need to hire two new teachers - I'm glad I get to be a part of the interviewing team, but to hold interviews right now just makes me more stressed out. (UPDATE: interviews are over and we have a few hopefuls, so I guess we'll see what comes of it!)<br />
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So, since the end of the year is kicking my butt, I just ordered myself an <a href="http://www.erincondren.com/store/index.php?cPath=318_1094">Erin Condren teacher planner </a>- I've never had
one or even seen one in person, but once I saw them pop up on Pinterest
and on a few blogs, I couldn't stop thinking about them, and I can't wait to get mine in the mail! <br />
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Happy almost end of the year, y'all!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-2265135705855912142012-05-05T11:22:00.001-07:002012-05-05T11:36:39.509-07:00Camping Under the STAARsThis has officially been the longest week ever! We had a field trip on Wednesday, then Field Day on Friday, and immediately following that I had to rush home to get ready to head to Houston for another wedding weekend (last weekend we drove to New Orleans for my boyfriend's high school friend's wedding). Of course, Thursday evening my new upstairs apartment neighbors decided to have a raging party (my walls were shaking because the music was so loud!), so I didn't even go to sleep until around 2 am. Friday was a very.long.day.<br />
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Anyway, we made it to Houston right as the rehearsal dinner was starting last night, and then I went to sleep as soon as it was over. Now I'm taking it easy in our hotel room, and I'm finally going to share with y'all some of the activities we did in my class the week before our STAAR test.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfKloH93tKRhbJjLI5mqr_rFpkMdzFWUc4nvVmasNIg95rMnIpk7me6FC3s1z4J4xjVTMVlhDXaMw_IFPW1MSgaeoDMO5LirOPX9_zNpHuQP9nrgGWoptgb78MYVhD2H8EK47OYAYrvQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfKloH93tKRhbJjLI5mqr_rFpkMdzFWUc4nvVmasNIg95rMnIpk7me6FC3s1z4J4xjVTMVlhDXaMw_IFPW1MSgaeoDMO5LirOPX9_zNpHuQP9nrgGWoptgb78MYVhD2H8EK47OYAYrvQ/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a>Since I decided to go with a camping theme (I told the kids we were going to be camping under the STAARs), I asked my parents if they had a tent we could borrow, and one parent had a tent that fit perfectly in my room! My kids made stars to help them remember the STAAR acrostic poem (more on that later), and I hung them up above the tent. My students LOVED reading and working in that tent - it was the best motivator ever!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRp6fyJOF3c2ZWbOHzqbbnZJFMBH0O4xL9QDYbjYv-keV7AOuMEPvLXYq_ZeMomE9i9cAibv86GBKigNi37dcf6rpLQD0phl_aU6wUQb-axxrkAOKrlZgtc1i0P03SDeUMENfrn4QdAeE/s1600/photo(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRp6fyJOF3c2ZWbOHzqbbnZJFMBH0O4xL9QDYbjYv-keV7AOuMEPvLXYq_ZeMomE9i9cAibv86GBKigNi37dcf6rpLQD0phl_aU6wUQb-axxrkAOKrlZgtc1i0P03SDeUMENfrn4QdAeE/s640/photo(1).JPG" width="476" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddA2v9wpKEJL72G8QqzUm8p4ThyphenhyphenueAOva0ZnjuxzXLq1HUWudQhvYmnqZqHA0JseC9ju0w0olLAW1nACUtpmTe4a0hBHojtNIxVapI3FJKYU8w-Us1vwnthbnFSgkz0hwDglSPrymU0g/s1600/photo(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddA2v9wpKEJL72G8QqzUm8p4ThyphenhyphenueAOva0ZnjuxzXLq1HUWudQhvYmnqZqHA0JseC9ju0w0olLAW1nACUtpmTe4a0hBHojtNIxVapI3FJKYU8w-Us1vwnthbnFSgkz0hwDglSPrymU0g/s640/photo(2).JPG" width="640" /></a> Each day of the week, we reviewed/practiced all of the reading and math skills and concepts we'd learned that year. For the multiplication and division review day, I decided to make things more fun by making a scavenger hunt. In this scavenger hunt, though, my students were hunting for the answers to the problems they'd already worked on in class. I gave my students 12 multiplication and division word problems (they came from an old Step Up to TAKS workbook), and once they finished solving/answering them in class, they would take their word problems, a clipboard and red pen, and a map of our school to go hunt for the answers. The maps had 12 x's on it, and each x marked where a tent would be posted. Each tent was labeled on the outside with the question number, and when you lifted the flaps, you'd see that question inside the tent, with the correct answer bubbled in. So, my students were able to grade themselves as they found each tent. By the time they came back to my room, their paper would be checked, they'd know which questions they missed, and I'd immediately get to go over those missed questions with them. While it took quite a bit of time to make the 12 tents, my kids all loved this activity, and now it's already made and ready to use again next year!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0NHzcLskmBVSvjI1NtLHm_vC9IhDR8d7ULeEa7KL361oqmW7Q1-oBoJsCC9n4f1vcCqu54U2_vEStqqvMf-ddCNxHMEP0x_o48809v2ExnCzzRx_7dv-Xdn_Xwr4ncBM7Y9dRRW70jg/s1600/photo(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0NHzcLskmBVSvjI1NtLHm_vC9IhDR8d7ULeEa7KL361oqmW7Q1-oBoJsCC9n4f1vcCqu54U2_vEStqqvMf-ddCNxHMEP0x_o48809v2ExnCzzRx_7dv-Xdn_Xwr4ncBM7Y9dRRW70jg/s640/photo(3).JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Another fun math activity we did had to do with graphing. I have 6 table groups in my class, and I told each group to come up with a question that had to do with camping (this group's question was <i>What did you sleep in when you went camping?</i>). Then I gave each group a large sheet of graph paper, and they created the answer choice options (I was very proud of this group for realizing that some kids might have slept in more than one of the choices [like both a tent AND a cabin], so they made answer choices for those options, too!). Then my kids walked around to each group and colored in/initialed the square that corresponded to their answer. After the data was collected, my students then had to use that data to create a matching pictograph. One boy was dead set on making one stick person equal 5 people, and when I asked what he would do for answers that were less than 5 people, he said each arm and leg could count as 1, so if the answer were just 3 people, he'd remove one arm and one leg to show that it's 5 - 2 = 3. I guess if just one person had answered that they'd slept in a cabin, the symbol to match that on his pictograph would have been a armless, legless person!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pvo5ak5blakOn3UcNiKR6852EaS6aNK0HWYBSmgmCWY0fucS_R8ea1yzOhTbUMp5qE4lJiN5WQPYl7BT3dcfBDSDrvlvwpDopMtGKgpqmYijsL6xNaJPuq1JL9MUrI0Z8LSmavP2Igo/s1600/photo(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pvo5ak5blakOn3UcNiKR6852EaS6aNK0HWYBSmgmCWY0fucS_R8ea1yzOhTbUMp5qE4lJiN5WQPYl7BT3dcfBDSDrvlvwpDopMtGKgpqmYijsL6xNaJPuq1JL9MUrI0Z8LSmavP2Igo/s640/photo(4).JPG" width="640" /> </a></div>
The last thing I wanted to share with y'all was the Tips and Tricks Tent we made. At the beginning of the week, this tent was blank. Then, as we reviewed concepts and ideas, we talked about the strategies and helpful things we could do to solve all the different kinds of questions that might be on the test. As my kids came up with ideas, I recorded them on the tent (one side was for math, the other for reading). Then, in the middle, I wrote down the strategies the kids thought would be helpful to use and remember for both reading and math. I was pleased they remembered so much - like the replacement strategy, for example, is one I taught way back in the fall when we were learning about synonyms, multiple meaning words, and context clues. Then, above the tent, I made my own stars to show the STAAR acrostic poem, which I found <a href="http://hedwigsnest.blogspot.com/2012/03/toil-and-trouble.html">here</a>:<br />
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S - Stay focused </div>
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T - Take small breaks </div>
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A - Answer carefully </div>
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A - Always use strategies </div>
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R - Review your work </div>
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Since we were told we had to have all math/reading/test related things taken down or covered during the test, I just made bigger stars to cover the ones I'd made, and I used more brown construction paper to cover up the tent. Studies have shown that students test better in familiar, comfortable environments, so instead of taking everything down or covering it up with unfriendly black butcher paper, I just made it look like it had looked at the beginning of the week (although I just realized as I was typing this that I could have simply taken the tent down and just turned it backwards, with the words facing the wall, instead of covering it up with more paper - how wasteful of me!). That's why the stars that my kids made were only decorated - they couldn't have written the STAAR poem on their stars or else I would have had to take them down during the test - so I just told the kids to think of those stars as a reminder of what the poem meant. Since the poem was short and simple, they memorized it quickly and easily, and one morning for morning work, I had my students come up with their own testing strategy acrostic poem using their name (I found this idea <a href="http://working4theclassroom.blogspot.com/2012/04/some-eye-catching-strategies.html">here</a>!), and the poems they came up with were awesome! I'm sad I forgot to take pictures - since we made these poems the day before the test, I had to send them home that day because I couldn't have them posted in my room or even in the hall.<br />
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We did much, much more than what I showed you here, but this was what I remembered to take pictures of! I realize none of those activities above are about reading, but we just read different fiction stories about camping, and then, to review how to read/answer questions/think about non-fiction stories, we read a bunch of books about different animals and insects that might live in the woods near a camp ground. I also bought <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Camp-OutNumber-Style">this </a>on TpT - Hope's activities definitely made my plans easier! <br />
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That's all I've got for y'all today - I am so ready for my schedule to get back to normal so I can feel on top of things again. We'll get back to Austin tomorrow evening, and then my sister's birthday is on Monday, JJ's birthday is on Tuesday, and then Wednesday - Friday I'll be going along with our 5th graders to be a counselor at their big end of the year camp. This'll be my third year to go, and while it's always a lot of fun (especially because some of the 5th graders were in my class two years ago!), that means I have three days worth of sub plans to write...so on that note, it's time to get off my blog and get on to writing plans! Have a great weekend, y'all! <br />
<img align="left" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/katherineloiry/Picture1.png" style="border: 0pt none;" /><br />
<br />katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068962273395277427.post-88048751147056880282012-04-22T20:20:00.001-07:002012-04-22T20:44:49.571-07:00Create Your Own Math HomeworkHello friends! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you with the math homeworks - I was crazy busy at the end of this week making sure everything was ready for this week's tests, and then yesterday I got some not so great news, and that kinda threw me for a loop. Then this morning I ran an 8K race (and in under an hour, I was very happy with myself!), but I am exhausted because of it (I actually have had a headache for most of the day - I hope it's not running related, because it's feeling really good to get back in the habit of running).<br />
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Anyway, I went ahead and uploaded the homework packs to Google Docs as Word documents instead of PDFs (links below; example problem above) so that way y'all can download them and edit them how you need. Y'all are already going to have to do a bit of editing because of the dates on each homework set, but hopefully you won't have to change too much. Again, these homework questions are geared towards the skills and standards for third graders in Texas, but I think they should work for most any third graders (and, with some tweaking, could also work well for other grades!). If you end up using this for homework or otherwise, please let me know by leaving a comment! It really does give me a thrill every time I see via comments and blog posts that someone has used something I've created. I've been seeing my <a href="http://thirdgradeteacherfiles.blogspot.com/2012/03/font-freebie.html">font</a> pop up on lots of people's creations recently (it was especially shocking/surprising/amazing to stumble upon it when I clicked on this <a href="http://blog.justinablakeney.com/2012/04/new-column-mangiona-with-caitlin-levin.html">link</a> via Joanna Goddard's blog, <a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/#fbid=HkLv7NJyeCX">A Cup of Jo</a>, because her blog has a HUGE following and has nothing to do with teaching), and it absolutely blows my mind that nearly 13,000 people have downloaded my font from <a href="http://www.dafont.com/katherine-reynolds.d3708">dafont.com</a> - I honestly thought when I posted/shared it that only my teacher friends and followers would have any use for it. Crazy to think that many people are using my handwriting to create things - it really boggles my mind!!<br />
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Our third graders will be hard at work on their reading and math state tests this Tuesday and Wednesday, and then I'm leaving right after school on Thursday to head to New Orleans with my boyfriend for a wedding. I hope to share some of the things we did to review and prep for our STAAR test before I go out of town, because as tired as I was last week, I'm really pleased how everything turned out. Have a great week, y'all!<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4VyzwufKsuuTDBWUGQtb3lralU">Create Your Own Math Homework #1</a><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4VyzwufKsuuSXk1OU9pYkFzWFU">Create Your Own Math Homework #2</a><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4VyzwufKsuuUndXeUM2QnlVQ0U">Create Your Own Math Homework #3</a><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4VyzwufKsuuRU1VYWRHTjFrRnM">Create Your Own Math Homework #4</a><br />
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</div>katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14349283890675818841noreply@blogger.com6