Happy Day Before Friday and Winners Announced

This is one of those weeks for me.  I've been fighting something yucky all week.  And as we all know....

Thank you, Someecards for always getting it right.

I'm popping in to share the winners of my Pin It to Win It and to also give you an update on our menus.

First off, I received a great tip from my friend Jivey over at Ideas by Jivey that the print of the menu on the editable version is a little blurry and that I should load it as a zipped file with a PDF of the file that can be used to "Print and Go".  Saving it as a PDF makes the fonts and graphics more "crisp".   So, each of the menus have been uploaded and are now in zipped folders.

The winners of the Pin It to Win It are Stephanie S., Mrs. S., Kaitlyn, Susan K., and Toni N.  I'll be emailing y'all soon!  Sorry I didn't have time to create a cute graphic to show it, but fighting this crud has taken every ounce of "extra" out of me.  So, for those of you not listed, I'm going to keep the item on sale until Sunday.

Happy Almost Friday!  Have a great weekend!

Math Menus: Geometry

We are diving into Geometry in Room 4B, how about you?

I finished the Math Menus: Geometry file and my students were so sweet when I introduced it last week.  I said, "I have a new menu to share with you today."  Then, I turned my back to get them from my table and I could hear "Yes!" throughout the classroom.  These are the moments that make it all worth while, doesn't it?

Just like with the other menus that we have completed, my students complete their work during the "Math Facts" rotation of our Math Workshop.  They have about two weeks to complete the work, but on "crazy" weeks (like the one I think we are about to have), I have extended the assignment for a third week.  Some students do like to take some of the work home to add final touches, but I try to encourage them to complete most of the work during Math Workshop.

I'll come back later this week and give you an update of their work so far.  I've been super impressed since this is now our third menu.  They have "gotten the hang of things" and are producing fabulous work.

This is again an editable file so that you can adjust it to meet the needs in your classroom.  However, it is also ready to print and go!

Would you like to win a chance to Pin It to Win It :)

Just leave me a comment with the URL link to your pin below. You may pin to this blog post or directly to Teachers Pay Teachers at the link {here}.  I'll pick 5 winners on Thursday night!  If you can't wait until Thursday to see if you win, I have it set at 1/2 price until Thursday :)

Good luck!

1,000,000...Wow!

Hi friends,
I can't believe this....

I can't believe that I have had that many page views.  It's humbling to say the least.  Thank you for stopping by when you do and for supporting me for the last 2 years.

I've said it a million times if I've said it once:  Blogging has changed me for the better.  It has helped me grow professionally in ways that I can't even begin to measure.  Thank you for helping me grow...it is because of the interaction with all of my "blog friends" that I strive to be better each and every day. This is BY FAR the best professional development!  You are my Professional Learning Network!

I'm sorry that I haven't blogged as frequently as I did last year.  This year has been a doozie for some reason.  Some years are like that.

One more thing I can't believe is that this sweetie is getting ready to come to my room tomorrow as my teacher cadet!  How does time fly by so fast??

This picture is from a scrapbook that we put together the year she was in my 2nd grade class!  Now, she's a senior...waaaahhhhh!  Each student created a page once or twice a month with different pictures, journal writing, etc. and at the end of the year, I put one last page inside it with a letter to my student.  I'm happy to say that she's kept her scrapbook and I hope to share it with my class this week when she joins us!

Have you ever had a teacher cadet?  If so, how did you best utilize his or her assistance?  I want this experience to be the best possible experience for her because she is very special to me :)  Let me know your thoughts and suggestions!

Taming Those Task Cards....

I'm excited to be a part of this blog hop!  I learned so many great tips during the last blog hop and have started using several of the ideas in my room.  I can't wait to hop along and read all of the 

BRIGHT IDEAS 

this time, too!

My tip for you is about taming the beast of task cards!  I love task cards and have been on the search for a way to keep them neat and organized in my room.  I switch out my task cards about every other week and I wanted a system that would allow me to do it quickly and still keep them neat and tidy.

I found these index card holders during a "Back to School" sale last year and knew they would be the perfect size for holding the task cards that I had been using in my room.

Because I have my groups completing different activities, I needed to find a way to label each box that could also be interchangeable. To the rescue: VELCRO DOTS.  This allows for me to change the task cards inside each box quickly and I don't have to buy a million different index card holders.  (Plus, who has the room for that?)

This allows this mess

turn into something neat and tidy like this

To make the boxes interchangeable, I adhere the label (that of course has been laminated) with a Velcro dot.  I should buy stock in those little dots.

When it is time to change the contents of the box, I simply remove the label and put it and the task cards back into the plastic bag and put them away! Then, I adhere the new label right on the same box. Fast and easy!

These boxes are prefect for several different sizes of task cards, too.

When not in use, I keep all of my task cards in plastic baggies (the mess above), but then put the baggies in the corresponding magazine box that organized and labeled by skill.

Next up on the blog hop, you can check out how to use music in the classroom over at The Lesson Guide by clicking Lisa's button below.  This is one of my favorite topics and I can't wait to read her post!

The Lesson Guide

You can also click on the links below. What are you waiting for?  Have a great time hopping along!

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Five for Friday {3/7/14}

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for

You won't believe this...but this is my first full 5-day week since returning from Winter Break.  And, I'm pooped.  We have either been out for snow, ice, cold weather, MLK Day or something of that nature since we returned.  Last week was a 5-day week for my students, but I spent three days in Myrtle Beach at a Conference.

Not the best picture, but that's me with Darleen Sutton, the South Carolina Teacher of the Year and Jeff Charboneau, the National Teacher of the Year.  This picture was taken at the conference in Myrtle Beach.  It was an amazing three days and I left with such renewed enthusiasm.  Don't you love conferences like that?

This week, we have been working hard on our measurement skills.  I use the site Flocabulary to teach the song "King Henry Died Drinking Chocolate Milk".  Sure, I know that there are better ways than teaching the procedural way of understanding metric conversions, but the song is fun.  See:

My kids love it and love acting as the "King".

I got a cool email notification this week. Check it out:

Kinda made my week =)

I received a sweet treat from a student this week.  That kinda made my week, too!

Finally, it was "Read Across America Week", right?  So, why not dress up as "Thing 4".  Get it?

What have you been up to this week?

Have you linked up this week with Doodle Bugs Teaching?

Before I leave, here's a little teaser about what is in store for Sunday.  I am so excited to be a part of this blog hop!  Make sure you check it out!  I know that my plans for Sunday are to sit back with a nice cup of coffee and check out all of the wonderful posts in this next Bright Ideas Blog Hop:

Happy Weekend!!

Currently March

Already?

Yes!  And...I'm so thankful.  I am SOOO over winter.  Sadly, we are expecting another freeze/snow/ice next week. Really??!!

It's time to link up with one of my favorites, Farley.  You need to head over and see her awesome new blog design created by Michelle (3am Teacher).  It fits her to a "T" and is beautiful!

Listening:  My dog is so lazy.  But, such a sweet dog....
Loving: that it's March!  Praying that the threat of winter doesn't really happen and that things start to warm up around here.
Thinking: I really should be getting up to clean my house...but maybe I'll turn off this computer and take a quick nap first.
Wanting: And...when I take that nap, perhaps the cleaning fairy will visit? Is that possible?  Please, please, please.
Needing: My sweet girl is in Charleston for a DECA Competition.  First, I want her to travel safely...but also, I want her to do well in the competition.  She just texted me and said she was safe, but super stressed!  Poor girl.
???  I'll let you guess the last one in the comments below :) (Be nice.)

Head on over to my friend, Farley and link on up!  Don't forget the rule of three while you are over there.