This has been my first quarter selling on TpT and I love creating materials for my class and being able to share them.  In honor of the end of the quarter, I'm joining up with Tonya's Treats for Teachers to have an end of the quarter sale!

 

Everything is 20% off AND you can buy 1 get 1 free!

 

If you buy any item, you can get another item of equal or lesser value for free!  Just email me the item you bought, leave feedback, and then tell me the item you want for FREE!  It's that simple! 

 

I hope you're able to add some great materials for your classroom!

 

In other news, I will be hosting a HUGE giveaway starting on Monday!

16 bloggers................................................6 prizes!

Please stop by to check it out!

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Brandi

I just wanted to quickly post about some of the things I was able to finish up recently.  I'm so thankful to the blogging world for re-energizing me and getting my creative juices flowing!

I'm also linking this post up for Manic Monday so be sure to scroll down to pick up your freebie!

We're beginning a study on abbreviations so I created a Pumpkins Abbreviations Unit:

There are 46 pages to this unit with 44 abbreviations cards (22 different words with the abbreviation) that I plan to use for memory/matching, as well as use to play swat.

There are also 2 graphic organizers, 2 worksheets, and pages for a book of abbreviations.

The next product I made is my Sweet Synonyms and Antonyms sorting activity:

In this activity students will sort pairs of words as synonym or antonyms.

When they're done sorting, they can use a recording sheet (it comes with 2) to record their answers.

I'm very excited for these new products.  You can find them by clicking {HERE} to go to my TPT store.  They are both on sale until tonight at midnight!

 

Now on to the FREEBIE!!!!  Here's a pumpkin themed missing addend set of 10 worksheets in both color and black and white (23 pages total!).  You can laminate them and use with dry erase markers in a center, or you can print them individually for students to use. 

click the picture above to download in google drive or click here to download from TPT

Have a blessed Sunday!

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Brandi

It's almost midnight so I'm saying this won't count as posting twice in 1 day!  I'm super excited to be linking this post with TBA's Freebie Friday and Teaching My 3's Fall Blog Hop!

  I'm starting a unit on place value next week and wanted to come up with an I have who has game.  I whipped this up and will be using it throughout the unit.  My kids have really taken to playing "I have who has".  Everytime we play, I post their time on the board and they're continually trying to beat their previous time.

Here's the game:

click here to download

This set comes with 32 cards to practice identifying numbers with tens and ones.  If you download it and use it, I'd love to hear how it goes in your classroom!

I also plan to use this marshmallow activity and worksheet from Babbling Abby:

from Babbling Abby

from Babbling Abby

For this introductory unit we'll just be focusing on tens and ones, but I love doing any hands on activity that involves food!


Here's the info for the Fall Blog Hop. Make sure you stop by and pick up some great freebies!

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Brandi

Today is my daughter's 4th birthday!  I don't know where the time went............some of those sleepless nights seemed long, but boy, 4 years goes by so fast!

 

In blogging news, I'm linking up with Casey from Second Grade Math Maniac for a fall sale.  Stop by my TPT store for 20% off all of my products! 

 

 

I'll be back tomorrow to recap the last few weeks and to post some new freebies!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

Don't forget to check out Casey's blog for this great blog hop.............happy shopping!

 

 

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Brandi

So I'm taking introducing WBT gradually with my class. For one, I am still reading up and learning about correctly implementing these strategies.  Also, the first 2 weeks of school have been CRAZY!

The first week I introduced "Class-Yes" and my students have been doing a great job with it.  This week I introduced "Teach-Okay".  We started our social studies unit on government and my kids were taking Nancy Fetzer notes (a topic for another post because I love her!).  Anyway, I'm not the best when it comes to hand motions, but seeing as so many of my kids are bodily-kinesthetic, I know I need to implement this strategy more often.

We started with our main idea (or S, S, light bulb for those of you familiar with Nancy) and I used a gesture to remember it.  Once we had all practiced it repeatedly, I divided the class into pairs and introduced "Teach-Okay".  My students loved it!  They were engaged and excited and truly listened to their partner.  Once the 1's went, I said "Switch" and they responded "Switch", then the 2's taught their partner.

We continued to use teach-okay for each section of our notes.  By the end, the students were so engaged and focused...........it was amazing.  Even the next day when we went to review what we learned, they immediately used their hand motions and could tell me their overview of our government unit!

It was fun for me and them and they retained the information........what more could I want!

If you're using WBT strategies, how's it going for you?

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Brandi

I finally took pictures of my classroom!  I've brought my camera everyday, but it wasn't until I was preparing for University Orientation (aka Back to School Night), that I actually stopped and took pictures.  After uploading them to my computer I realize I didn't capture everything, but here's what I did take:

My school does a university theme and my class is the University of Texas......no I didn't go to school there, nor am I from Texas.  I picked them because they have good sports teams and it's fun to hear my kids say "Hook 'em horns!"



In the back of my room I have my Texas bulletin board.  Last year I had a student who's aunt owned a farm and sent in pictures of her longhorns so I displayed them up there, along with my Texas poster and other university stuff.  I am going to give the disclaimer that this bulletin board is above my back cabinets, and in order to get up there, I had to do some "interesting" climbing all while my foot was in a brace.  When I got down I realized the right side border and most of the pictures are completely crooked :(  Maybe one day I'll venture back up there but for now I'm stuck looking at it!



On my back cabinets, I have my "starting line up".  I'm doing a sports theme and thought this would be a cute way to display my pictures from meet your teacher.

On these cabinets I also have my jobs display ("Helping Horns").  I used the pick me pot numbers from A Cupcake for the Teacher.

Finally on this back wall I have my word analysis posters.  In 2nd grade, my kids are tested on synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, suffixes, abbreviations, multiple meaning words, and compound words.  I'll do a long post on how I use these soon, but in essence, when we're reading and students find any of these types of words, they put them on a sticky note.  Then we'll discuss what they've written down and if they can correctly explain the word, they can add it to the board.



My large bulletin board in the back is where my students writing will be displayed.  I've labeled it "All-Star Work" to keep with the sports theme.



On my back door I have my birthday chart.  I will be taking pictures of the kids holding the numbers for their birthdays.  Below that is my mini word wall.  I put library pockets on a black poster and laminated it, then cut a slit for the opening of each pocket.  I put an index card in each pocket (haven't done that yet) and when students need help spelling a word, they get the correct card and I'll write it on there.  When they need help, they can look there first before asking me.



On the right hand wall, I have some motivational posters and my multiple intelligence display.  I teach at an MI school, so we test all the kids to find out strength and display it in our rooms.  I have a very bodily-kinesthetic and interpersonal class, so lots of movement and talking!



Continuing around the room, I have my behavior managment posted with my rules, consequences, and rewards.



In the front of my room, on the white board, I have my brownie points pan, my WBT posters and classroom signals.

The other side of my white board has my calendar, daily schedule, and picture directions cards.



Next, I have my boggle board, but I think I'm going to move it and use this space to display my weekly standards.

Finally, my kids and I complete the Going for the Gold glyph from Hope King's Going for the Gold back to school unit.

I need to take a wide angle shot of the entire room, but I'm loving my set up so far!  Here's a great year everyone!

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Brandi

Well the first week is in the books and I'm exhausted.  I love my kids (all 32 of them!) and love my new room.....I moved from the portables in the back to a big room in the front!  I have more cabinet space than I know what to do with.....go shopping I guess!
 
Anyway, I still haven't taken pictures....I know, bad blogger.  But I love how my room turned out!  Will definitely post pics and link up to the classroom picture parties ASAP!
 
Now, on to my new favorite classroom technique.....WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING!  Why haven't I been using this for the past eight years!

 

I started by introducing the classroom rules.  I downloaded my rules from The Polka Dot Patch and taught them to my class early on the first day.  Using the gestures was amazing!  My kids actually remember what the rules are when asked, instead of giving generic answers.  When they need to make a better choice I just do one of the gestures and they know what they should be doing!  I love it!


Reflecting on previous years, I'd never really taught my kids the rules.  I told them and we discussed what they meant, but they could never tell me what they were once I had introduced them.  If they don't know them, how can they follow them?  I know this bunch will have a better understanding of the rules, which I'm hoping will help them remember to follow the rules.  I also know that they've been given multiple chances on a daily basis (which we'll continue to do) so there's no excuse as to why they aren't following a rule.


After I'd taught the rules and we'd rehearsed them for a while, I showed them part of the second video from Miss Smartie Pants' blog.  Even though the video was middle schoolers, my kids were into it and wanted to do what they did!  So motivating!






A little later in the day I introduced "Class, Yes".  This beats all of the things I've done in the past hands down.  My kiddos respond instantly and are ready for directions almost immediately.........again, in love!  They think it's hilarious when I use different voices and really try to imitate me as best as possible.
 
Next week I plan to introduce "Hands and Eyes" and "Teach, Okay".  I need to brush up on some videos and blog hop.  I am just loving WBT so far and feel ashamed for not having used these strategies sooner.  I'm so thankfully for blogging which has opened my teaching world!

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Brandi

I finished up my first week and I love my 32 second graders!  I still haven't taken the obligatory classroom pictures, but will do that this week and post those.  I'm trying to get back into the routine of posting regularly, but I know I've been horrible at it!

Taking a small step in the right blogging direction, I'm linking up with Farley for September's currently!

 

During the summer I got into the bad habit of letting my daughter sleep in my bed.  It was just so much easier because she slept all night and slept in!  But I know she needs to be a big girl and sleep in her room, so I'm listening to the lullabies CD that's playing in her room.

 

One of my goals this year is to really get ahead.  I'm an organized person, but don't always get organized when it comes to planning.  My grade level is really trying to make our year long plan to get ahead and I'm determined to not teach week to week!

 

Finally, I was super excited for football to start yesterday!  I don't necessary have a favorite college team, I just love college football!

 

I'll be back tomorrow to talk about my first week and how I love Whole Brain Teaching!  Have a great Labor Day! 

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Brandi