Fabulous Finds and a Fantastic Giveaway

Too bad "Giveaway" didn't start with an "F".  I'd be thrilled with my alliteration...

I told you earlier this week that I'd be back with a giveaway for you.

I'm back with the giveaway and a monthly version of "Fabulous Finds".  What do you think?  I can manage once a month, can you?  I'd love for you to link up below...and enter the giveaway, too.

On to my fabulous find(s):

I was contacted by Signs on the Cheap over the summer to review some products.  I was happy to do so because I knew exactly what I needed for my classroom.  Now, let me tell you, the name "On the Cheap" only means cheap in cost.  These are some quality products, people.

Bandit Signs

I am a strong believer in the "Cubes" method for solving math word problems.  I've blogged about it {here}. 

Basically, students follow these guidelines to help them tackle a math word problem:

Click on the picture to see it closer, but basically:
C-Circle any key numbers
U-Underline the question
B-Box any action words
E-Evaluate how you will solve the problem
S-Solve the problem (and check).

I made the above "poster" for my students last year and wanted to make it larger for my room.  I was toying with taking the image to Wal-something or maybe Costco when along came Signs on the Cheap.

I was able to create a H.U.G.E banner of my "poster" and it is now hanging proudly on my window...I thought I had a better picture, but you can just make it out in the picture of my week 1 mess:

Bad picture...I will try to update tomorrow.

This 2 x 3 foot banner only costs about $12 and it's customized to what my needs are in my classroom.  Score!

I also enlarged my "R.E.L.A.X" poster for testing:

R-Read the question carefully
E-Examine every answer choice
L-Label your answer in the passage or problem
A-Always check your work
X-X-out answers that cannot possibly be correct.

I love them both :)

You, too, can have banners in your classroom.

Or maybe you want to utilize the company's Magnets on the Cheap:

For less than ten bucks, you can have a 9 x 12 car magnet made to your liking.

I knew I wanted to have pictures of supplies as a magnet.  This way, I could throw the magnet on the board of the supplies the kids needed out as they entered my room.  (Remember I'm teaching 3 classes of math.) I used the Back to School Supplies graphics from Michelle (The 3AM teacher) and inserted them into the template for the car magnet and created this:

Plus I threw in a copy of the math book and labeled one as a workbook.

That's a magnetic sheet that I then cut apart (gasp!) and now, when students enter the room, they look on the board to see which magnets are posted and they can get out the necessary materials.  Hello, easy peasy :)

Yes, I know.  I think outside the box every now and again.
So, do you think these are some fabulous finds?  I sure do... I know it's Thursday, but I'm posting now so that you know I'm doing this Fabulous Find First Friday and you can link up :)

Do you want to have a banner, sign or magnet of your own? Enter below to receive the product of your choice:

a Rafflecopter giveaway