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 ...