Cyber Monday Sale!!

Get your shopping carts ready! Teachers Pay Teachers is having their annual Cyber Monday Sale! Everything in my store will be 20% off. Enter the code CYBER to get an additional 8% off.

Click here to go to my store to stock up & save!

The sale runs from Monday, December 2 -Tuesday, December 3.

Monthly Writing Calendar - November & December!

My students love writing! So I designed this simple writing prompt calendar for my students to use as Morning Work. It will also be used for DEW (Drop Everything and Write). Other uses . . . Daily 5, Writing Centers, small group, the possibilities are endless!

What I love...there are NO DATES & you can use it year after year! :)

Print one calendar page and put under a document camera...create a monthly journal packet...put in a writing center...glue into a composition notebook...again, the possibilities are endless!

What's included each month?

1 Calendar with 20 different prompts (Canadian version for Nov. too!)

7 different cover pages (color & B/W)

6 Lined Stationary Pages (color & B/W)

6 Primary Lined Stationary Pages (color & B/W)

2 Blank Stationary Pages (color & B/W)

       

Get your October Calendar here!

Get your November Calendar here!

Get your December Calendar here!

I will be making these for EVERY month, so check back often!

Common & Proper Nouns...Freebie!!

My class started their work on Nouns this week. We start off talking about common nouns & then next week move to proper. I use these posters to start off the week. I simply put post-it notes on the proper & reveal them next week. Get your set FREE here.

    

           

Enjoy!!

TpT Flash Sale!!

TpT just hit 100,000 likes on Facebook! To celebrate they are having a sale of 10% off the entire site! 

I've decided to add 20% off my entire store as well! So head on over to TpT & stock up & SAVE!!!

Don't forget to use the promo code "FB100K" at checkout!

Graphic courtesy of Simply Skilled in Second.

Monthly Calendar Writing

My students love writing! So I designed this simple writing prompt calendar for my students to use as Morning Work. It will also be used for DEW (Drop Everything and Write). Other uses . . . Daily 5, Writing Centers, small group, the possibilities are endless!

What I love...there are NO DATES & you can use it year after year! :)

Print one calendar page and put under a document camera...create a monthly journal packet...put in a writing center...glue into a composition notebook...again, the possibilities are endless!

What's included?

October Calendar with 20 different prompts

7 different cover pages (color & B/W)

6 Lined Stationary Pages (color & B/W)

6 Primary Lined Stationary Pages (color & B/W)

2 Blank Stationary Pages (color & B/W)

Get your October Calendar here!

I will be making these for EVERY month, so check back often!

Planbook.com....LOVE IT

So  I've been trying to find SOME type of iPad compatible lesson planer.  I have found it! I started using the app and online website planbook.com.  It is only $12 per year to save all your plans in the "CLOUD" and if you purchase 2 years or 3 years at a time, you save $$$!!! There are also plans for groups of teachers, buildings, district wide, etc. 

Check it out here!

It was a little tedious until I figured out how it worked. I definitely suggest starting on the web page via computer first, then moving to your iPad. That was my downfall!

Along with writing plans on the go, here is a short list of the features of planbook.com. I love how you can "bump" plans a day if need be. We had a water main break in our school so classes were cancelled for a day...NOT fun when I just finished my plans for the next two weeks. It was so easy to "BUMP" everything one day & took just minutes to do. I'm still learning things about it & will send them along as I do!

Types of Sentences...Freebie!

We are starting to learn the dreaded "types of sentences" this week. The terms interrogative, declarative, imperative, and exclamatory are BIG words for my Second Grade kiddos. So I made these simple posters for my board for them to use as we learn and review!

Get your free set here. Enjoy & be sure to pass it on to someone else who can use them!

I'm through...what can I do?

We all know students finish things at different rates and we always get the infamous "I'm done what can I do?"! AAAHHH...I'm not a big fan of forced things for students to do. I feel they do their best work when they have choices in what they are doing! 

This is my "I'm through...what can I do?" Poster set. I have it hanging in my room between my windows. 

We spent the first two weeks of school exploring the different options, practicing, modeling expectations, etc. As the year goes on I will add more or switch them out as the needs of my class change. My students use it primary when they are done with their Morning Work / Bell Work / Seat Work in the morning. It also comes in handy on test day when you have those that need some extra time.

You can get these here at my TpT store.
The nice thing is I will customize & update it as teachers email me with other things they want or need.

Teacher's Toolbox

Something I LOVE that I made this year is my teacher toolbox. Several teachers use theirs for their own supplies, but I decided to use mine for the frequent things my kiddos need. It is so much easier than them asking all the time for a post-it, band-aid, pencil, etc. 

I decided to go with tabs only for my box. I wanted my students to be able to see what they were searching for in addition to reading the labels. The labels were are super cute & FREE download from Lady Bug's Teacher Files. Get your editable set here!  Since these were free labels, I had to keep the black and white color. I liked the font & kept it as well. 

I had purchased a dark blue box from Lowe's. 

The dark tabs on a dark box didn't go well, so I ended up enlisting the help of my handyman dad to help me sand, spray paint, sand, spray paint, sand my toolbox all up. The sanding was a very tiny grit paper along with a regular brown lunch bag. It just helped take off rough edges and any runs I had from a heavy spray paint finger! I wish I had taken pictures of the process, but I was too excited to remember!

 Here's the finished product!

This has been a GREAT addition to my classroom!  I highly suggest the investment!

Interactive Notebook

So Interactive Notebooks have become all the rage on TpT and on so many blogs. I loved purchasing them on TpT, but after about my 3rd one I still didn't find one that fit Reading Street & what my classroom needs were. Either the skills didn't match perfectly, there were wordings I wanted to change, or things I needed to add.  So of COURSE I had to make my own! 

Here are a few sample pictures from Unit 1.

I have to be honest...the first day I did this with my kiddos I was ready to scream! It seemed like such a simple activity, but took FOREVER!  BUT...they LOVED it and had so much fun with it. So we have stuck with it and are on our third story creating these pages together. Every entry goes just a little bit smoother.

I have found it is good to have a sample journal already completed (like the above) to show them as you explain the process.  Then I create a second one that you color, draw in, write answers/examples, etc. for them to see as you are creating it with them. I keep reinforcing the idea that they can "reference" this ELA Notebook ANYTIME they need to.

My best "success" story to date to tell me this is worth ever bit of the effort is this...my students completed their first reading test on their own last week. The cold read / comprehension part referenced Main Ideas & Details. In the middle of the test I saw one of my students with his ELA Notebook out. I simply asked him what he was doing...his reply..."I was "referencing" my ELA Notebook to confirm the difference between Main Idea, Detail, and Topic. You said we could pull it out anytime we needed it." Indeed I did!!

So far I only have completed Reading Street Unit 1 & Unit 2, but like everything else in my TpT Store I will be creating them for all the units.

Check out a full preview of everything you get in Unit 1 here in my TpT Store! Click here for Unit 2.

If you have any suggestions, needs, or ideas for additions just let me know!

Open House FREEBIE!

With the start of school things have been so hectic! I have Open House (Back to School Night) this Thursday...so here is a freebie I'm going to share with you that I like doing. It is my "Thanks for Poppin' In" popcorn label. 

I always like having something nice for the parents & kiddos...and popcorn always seems to be a fan favorite...so I created this label last year.  I usually head to my local SAMs Club & buy a huge box of microwave popcorn, print the label off, & I'm all set. I either have a nice basket for everyone to take from or add it to the papers the parents take home. I've also used these for Parent-Teacher Conferences. 

It uses Avery Label 5164. Get this FREEBIE here in my TpT Store!

Tech. Tuesday...Bloglovin'

So I'm new to blogging...something I found I absolutely LOVE related to blogging and reading blogs is Bloglovin'! You can get the free app from iTunes for your favorite apple product. You can also use their online version at their website www.bloglovin.com 

What I love about this app/site is how it organizes all my favorite blogs & their posts! You can mark posts as read, like them (which saves them), and even share posts via Facebook, email, and/or twitter. Blogs are also organized by categories and you can find "related" blogs when you log in! If you like reading blogs, be sure to check it out soon!

T'was the night before school started

T'was the night before school started
When all through the town
The parents were cheering
It was a riotous sound
By eight the kids were washed
And tucked into bed
When memories of homework
Filled them with dread
New pencils, new folders
New teachers, new friends
Their anxiety grew
The parents just giggled when they
Learned of this fright
And shouted upstairs
GO TO BED - It's a school night!

(Author Unknown)

Freebie Friday....a few days late!

Ok...so I am a little late with the Freebie Friday giveaway! I had Clerical Day on Friday and left straight from school (an hour late) to spend time out of town with my family. Tomorrow is my first day with kiddos so this will be a short & sweet post!

So here is our Freebie Friday for last week....Roll & Write Rainbow Spelling.

My students love this fun Spelling Activity. There are so many variations. Start simple with rolling one die and writing the spelling word in that color. As your students (or child) gets the hang of it let them roll more dice alternating the colors they use either letter by letter or word by word. Whatever works! You will soon find they will make up their own variations, rules, and games with this! 

Get your Freebie Roll & Write Rainbow Spelling here!

Wild About . . . Reward Catalogs

Well today was my district's first day back for in-service. Another day of meetings tomorrow AM followed by new student visitation in the afternoon. Then, Friday is our Clerical Day & last day until I meet my new students on Monday! Woo hoo!

For this week's "Wild About . . . " edition I'm going to highlight my Reward Catalogs! These catalogs come in every theme imaginable...Jungle, Baseball, Camping, Space, Ocean, Pirate, School, Movie and more! Click here to see the entire listing of themes in my TpT Store! 

First off I got this awesome pocket chart through Really Good Stuff on clearance!! Each student has their own pocket with their punch card in it. 

They earn punches for various things...good behavior, getting a compliment from another teacher, etc. It can be for anything you want.  Some teachers use it for homework.  My kiddos use the 20 punches, but there are 5, 10, 15, or 20 available to use.

I printed my Panda catalog out on card stock, put the pages in protective sleeves and put it in a binder.  I keep my catalog on my window ledge along with other things!

That's all there is too it. The nice thing about the punch cards and catalog is everyone progresses at a different rate. I found that as soon as my first few students went shopping, the behaviors in my room improved dramatically! I was sneaky too...I didn't tell any of the kiddos what was in the catalog. So when the first few went "shopping" they were VERY eager to tell the others what they saw!

Click here to see all the Reward Catalog Themes in my TpT Store! If you just want the Punch Cards, click here to see all the themes. 

Do you want a theme I don't have? Just contact me & I'll be happy to make it! Do you need a reward I don't have? I can add that too. Do you want to make your own? Click here to get the blank border pages!

Tech Tuesday - Blog Design

I'm not a big geek when it comes to technology...heck I hardly know how to do a blog! But I am getting there!  So naturally I would have to have my FIRST Tech Tuesday blog be all about the person who helped me the most in getting my Second Grade Shoppe blog up and running.

A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE...did I mention HUGE...thank you goes out to TESSA over at Tales From a Blog Designer.  She is the wonderful person who helped me make my blog BEAUTIFUL! She does fantastic design work for a ton of awesome bloggers as well!  She was so patent at helping me and my indecisiveness when it came to making decisions about blog design. Be sure to check out her portfolio section of her blog.

You can see her awesome blog design work here.

TESSA also has a super blog dedicated to her Third Grade classroom adventures! 

You can see that blog  here.

Check back next week for more "tech talk"...if you have an idea or something you would like me to check out, just let me know!

Facebook Winner!

Congrats goes out to Heather W. She was the first person to "Like" Second Grade Shoppe's Facebook page. What was her prize you ask? A FREE pick of ANY item in my Teachers Pay Teachers store! 

What did she choose?  My Monthly Journal Writing Prompt Bundle Sept.-May. Congrats again Heather and thanks for all your support.  Get your bundle here!

This is a great writing set. For each month there are 24 task cards that relate to that month. For example, in September Labor Day is a holiday as well as celebrating Step families. There are four task cards on a page.

Then there are two ways to track the cards you have done. Either a blank calendar or a check sheet. Most of my students prefer the check sheet. They keep it in their writing folder & any time the visit our Writing Center and choose one of these cards they simply check it off. 

 

Then students write their prompt on the coordinating stationary. 

Be sure to check out all my Monthly Journal Writing Task Cards in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. Click here to link over to it!

Starting this week...

TECH. TUESDAY...every TUESDAY I will highlight technology related items I use in my classroom...it may be websites, iPad apps, or more!

WILD ABOUT WEDNESDAY...every WEDNESDAY I will be highlighting something I'm WILD about! It may be an activity or something I have created or something I found, use in my classroom, and love!

FREEBIE FRIDAY...every FRIDAY I will be giving away something FREE that can be used in your classroom!

Back to School TPT Sale!

Today starts TPT's back to school sale!  Stock up for this year!!
Everything in my store will be 20% off Sunday, August 18 & Monday, August 19!

Thanks to Jamie & Allison over at Firsties with Heart for the image. 

Check out their blog at ...