Apple-tastic Writing

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately...I've been so busy with school this week.  I came down with ANOTHER sinus infection (second one in two months) and we have NWEA testing!  Anyone else have NWEA or MAP testing???  UGGGG!

Anyways...I had my class do a quick writing activity.  I wanted to see how they came in as writers and I wanted to do something fun involving apples.  I had them pick 4 of their favorite apple treats and put those on the graphic organizer.  Then I had them write why each one was their favorite. 

After that they had to pick only one treat to write about to try and persuade the reader that this treat was the most apple-tastic apple treat.  T

The kids had fun doing it and I got to see where they were with their writing abilities.  I'm having trouble with Google documents, so as soon as I get it working I will make it a freebie.  Sorry I can't get google docs to work tonight.  Uggg...what a week!

Have a great night.  I'm hoping to get a few more followers so I can put my 200 follower give-away on here this weekend!

Breaking News Comprehension

I like to use the 5+1 comprehension strategy in my classroom throughout the school year.  I have my students answer:  who, what, when, where, why, and how.  This is a bulletin board that I have that I use to review this strategy.  The idea came from Pinterest.  I do not know who's original idea it was...

I post it on newspaper so that it looks more like a breaking news story.  I don't laminate the newspaper because no matter what I do, it still turns yellow.  I just replace the newspaper each time I use it.

After I introduce this concept I use it for my guided reading groups.  The children love it because they feel like reporters!

Pumpkin Punctuation Game

I am just starting my first English chapter this week.  I start out with sentences or not a sentence.  Then I go into the 4 types of sentences.  I like to play games when I review the four types of sentences, it keeps the class engaged. 

One game I play is Pumpkin Punctuation Four Corners.  I print out these cute pumpkin cutouts (pumpkins because it's getting to be fall and then I can keep using them throughout fall to review).

I put one pumpkin in each of the corners in my classroom.  I then post a sentence on my Elmo and have the children go to the corner that matches that punctuation mark.  After reviewing sentences for a couple of weeks, I would then start saying sentences orally.  This way the children really have to listen to what I am saying.

I also put the little pumpkins on Popsicle sticks and have my students quiz each other for a center game.

We have a "FALL-tastic" time! 

My 200 Follower give-a-way is coming this weekend...only need 10 more followers!  It's going to be BIG!!!!!

Target Finds

I'm so excited.  I ran to Target for a couple things and I found that they put out a couple things already for Halloween.  I know it's early, but you know if it's in the bargain area it won't be there long. 

So anyways...aren't these so cute?  The big ones are $2.50 for one and the little ones are $2.50 for 2.  I bought these for home and I have a few to go to work. 

The cute little bags were $1.00 each.  I'm going to use them to put a pumpkin punctuation game I made for a center game.

Monday Made It

I'm linking up with Tara for her now monthly Monday Made It. 

I know you have all seen the cute Boggle/Scrabble boards and the neat Add It Up ideas out there on Pinterest and on so many blogs, right?  Well I wanted to make them different.  I used the Boggle idea last year and just copied the papers for my early finishers to work on.

But this year I wanted to do something different.  The problem I was having was how or where I was going to put them.  I ran out of wall room in my classroom, so I couldn't put them on a bulletin board or in a pocket chart.  I really wanted to do them both, especially since I've noticed that I have a few early finishers in my class this year.

I walked into the teacher's lounge the other day and what was sitting in the "FREE Take me Home Section" (or as we call it the stuff left over that we can't fit into our classrooms anymore section)...but two small cookie sheets.  I thought...hmmm...that could work.

I snatched them up and I finally worked on them this weekend.  I decided to start out by just putting the papers taped to the cookie sheets. I was going to put magnets with the items on them, but I thought my students would get a kick out of taking them to their seats when they were working on them.

     

I wanted to do a Scrabble theme instead of Boggle for a couple reasons:  1) I bought the cute graphics from Scrappindoodles so it will be easy for me to change the letter tiles each week, 2) I have a Scrabble game in my classroom so I thought it would tie together nicely, and 3) I like the idea of having the children add up the amounts for each letter used (so maybe they will make longer words).

I also wanted to do a Math It Up idea instead of Add it Up since I eventually will be changing it to subtraction and then multiplication since I teach third grade.

What do you think???

Upcoming Giveaway Help

Hiya!  Can I just say "Oh...My...Gosh....  I will not get all emotional here (okay maybe just a little).  I can't believe that my little blog is getting close to 200 followers.  I owe this to all my bloggy friends out there.  Without you I would just be talking to myself (again, as usual)!

So that gets me to this - would any of my bloggy friends like to join me for an amazing 200 followers giveaway????  If so, could you email me so we can set something up????  I want to get it up and going soon, please!

Thank you in advance and I will have more about my giveaway soon!  Have a great weekend and I hope you are all enjoying your three days off!  :)

I Won a New Blog

Hello everyone.  I am so happy I had to share....I won a giveaway from Megan at I Teach. What's Your Super Power?   I won a a blog design!  I am so excited.  I get to go on Megan's design page A Bird in Hand Blog Design  and pick my basic design. 

I was thinking of doing a classroom blog.  Do any of you have a classroom blog??  If so, would you be willing to share the blog title with me so I can get some ideas of what you share???  I want to make it easy for my parents and students to check, but I really have no idea how to put it together. 

Any ideas my bloggy friends????