Ninja Bunny Sale!

The Indiana Teacher Bloggers are back in business this weekend giving you an awesome deal!

Check out all of our dollar sales!  You won't want to miss them.  Hurry quick because after March 31, they go back to original price!

Here are my dollar deals for YOU!

This is a great resource to add to your daily math routine.  My kids love doing them and it is great practice!

I just made this, and my kids LOVE it!  They ask me when we are going to do Poppin' Readers.  Check it out. 

Who is ready for multiplication timed tests?  I have a few working on them!

Here is my favorite!  I created this reading workshop unit to teach my students about non-fiction text and how to discuss books with a small group.  Check out this packet - you won't regret it!

Check out the rest of my friends below!  Happy Shopping!

An InLinkz Link-up

Abraham Lincoln

During Februrary when we have President's Day, I use that time to share about some of my favorite presidents.  

One of them includes Abraham Lincoln.  We read a story and watched a short YouTube video about him.  The kids find him very fascinating and enjoyed writing what they learned.  

This was our class anchor chart.  

This is how I displayed our work to share with others! 

Here are some examples of student work.  I thought they turned out really cute! 

You can find this Abraham Lincoln template by visiting here. 

What do you do for President's Day? 

French Lick Spring Blogger Meet-Up Weekend in Review

Oh my goodness, this was the most amazing weekend!  I didn't think it could beat the first year, but I think it did.  It just gets better every year, so you should look into going next year - trust me, you won't want to miss it!

A HUGE thank you to Holly Ehle from Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connections for putting this all together.  You are truly amazing!

The weekend started off with me finally being able to meet some of my friends from the collaborative blog I am a part of - The Elementary Entourage!  Eek!  I was SO excited.  I feel like they are all my good friends, but I was finally able to meet them in person.  They are really just the best, so you have to check out our blog!

We had a great lunch, and during this time we were able to enter our names into various raffles.

Check out all the amazing sponsors we had!  I mean we were truly blessed.  Thank you so much!

 * TPT (TeachersPayTeachers.com)

* GoNoodle

* SDE (Staff Staff Development for Educators)

* Lakeshore Learning Materials

* Scentos

* Creative Teaching Press

* Sit Spots

* Scentsy - Ciera Harris

* Orgami Owl - Brenda Hart Frady and Corporate office

* Tallahassee Sunday

* Erin Condren

* Schoolgirl Style

* ESGI

* Hue Animation Studio

* Claire Marie Designs

* Brain Pop

* Seat Sack

* Younique by Dana

Once we ate and had introductions, we split up into grade level groups (because there were so many of us) to play our Teacher Tool Swap game.  You can learn all about that and the different gifts that were exchanged by visiting here.

This is a picture of the 2-3 grade teachers.  We are the BEST!

We participated in fun teacher groups where some amazing teachers took the time to put together a short presentation for us to attend.  I learned so much from the four groups I visited, and I really go to know some new/amazing teachers!

When our day was coming to an end, we were able to receive SO many goodies!

This is a SWAG bag at its finest!

Vera Bradley bag (used this to place everything in!)

Scento markers - OBSESSED with these!

A fun pirate pack full of goodies and an eye patch.  I'm already thinking of ways to incorporate this in my classroom!

Fun stickers!  I am always needing stickers. Don't you love how something as simple as a sticker can make a child SO happy!?

Jamberry sample.  Have you used Jamberry?  I am eager to try it out!

Look at these fun sets.  My mind is reeling on how to use these - I can't wait!

What?!  Scented pens?  Thank you!

A fun magnetic alphabet set for my magnet board in the classroom. 

I didn't even know they made Scento stickers!!  Awesome!

After our fun-filled day, we thought it was over - but one of the most exciting things happened.

We each received an ERIN CONDREN PLANNER!?!  

Is your mind blown?  Mine sure was!

Nothing means more to me than being appreciated for being a teacher.  We all work so hard, and this day just reminded me that teachers ARE special and what we do IS worth it!  Don't forget it!

Thank YOU so much to all the amazing sponsors for this weekend.  It definitely made it memorable!

Once I was able to calm down, I went to dinner with some of my blogging besties!

Then, we got ready for the AWESOME PJ party hosted by TpT and GoNoodle!

We each received a fun GoNoodle necklace!

If you don't GoNoodle, then you must do it.  I'm serious - TODAY!  The kids love it and I enjoy participating on occasion. :] 

Check out all of the FUN teachers at our PJ party!

We danced, ate, laughed, and got to know each other SO much better!

We also enjoyed taking some Photo Booth pictures.

Here is my Elementary Entourage group!

Here are my blogging buddies!

After our party, we had to hit up the casino.  I mean, how could we resist?

We found this fun sign along the way - this is my blogging friend from the beginning.  I wouldn't be able to make it through all of our crazy teaching shenanigans if it wasn't for her.  This is the amazing Maja from KookyKinders. <3

We ended the weekend with a wonderful brunch where we got to say our final goodbyes.  Here is one of my favs - Greg from Kindergarten Smorgasbord!   We met last year, and I just love him!

Now, I know you are DYING to attend this blogger meet-up!  I know you are bummed you missed out.

But...we have some AWESOME news for YOU!

You can enter to win a SWAG bag of your own!

Yes- YOU!

Check it out!

Just complete this rafflecopter! We are giving away 3 sets!  Good luck and thanks for visiting! :]

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Check out all the other amazing posts about this weekend below.  You won't want to miss what they have to share!

An InLinkz Link-up

First Reconciliation

My students experienced a very special evening for their First Reconciliation.  They started at the church where they led their families in a special mass. 

Here is a copy of our mass if you're interested!

Then, the students individually walked up to the front of the church with their family members.  The child would introduce their family to the priest, and then their family would sit back in the pew while the child went to the altar for their confession.  We played music lightly so people wouldn't hear their conversation.  The other students sat in the pews with their families and completed a Reconciliation pack.

Once they were finished, they cam back down the stairs and met with their families and the priest again.  The priest gave them a blessing, and the child then went to pray his/her penance.  Once he/she was done with their penance, they received a cross necklace and certificate for their completion.

When every child completed, we all went to the school cafeteria for a short reception where they could celebrate with their family.  Here are some pictures of my kids at the reception!

I also gave each child a small gift for completing their First Reconciliation.  I made a treat bag with this note.  You can find the note here.

What do you do for First Reconciliation? 

Teacher Tool Swap Gift - French Lick Blogger Meet-Up

I attended the second annual French Lick Blogger Meet-Up a few weeks ago.  Let me tell you, it was AMAZING!  I was able to see my blogging buddies and meet some of them face-to-face!  It was definitely an enlightening experience.  It is always so exciting being around other teachers that have the same passion for teaching as you do!

While at the meet-up, we play a super fun game where we bring our favorite teacher tool and swap it with another teacher.   Amanda Pauley from Mrs. Pauley's Kindergarten made up the fun story when we stood in a circle.  She would read it and when she would say the word left, we would pass to the left, when she would say right, we would pass to the right.  It was so funny when you would pass it one way and then immediately pass it back!

When the game finished, I won this AMAZING gift from Taking on Second.

It is the cutest gift!  I was SO excited and I am already using it in my classroom.  Thank you SO much for your thoughtful and creative gift!

She game me a fun bucket with sticks!

I wrote numbers on the sticks because I assign my students numbers, but she left it blank in case I did  something else.  Then, I pull out the sticks, I have the student with the number answer the question or do an activity, then I put it back in the bucket with the red side facing up.  This allows me to call on kids equally because let's face it - I can never remember who I have called on. 

She also gave me a Big Red pop.  Believe it or not, I have never drank Big Red before!  Eek!  I can't wait to try it!

I also received this fun pens.  They are my FAVORITE!  I use them all the time in my planner. :]

You can check out the other teacher tools that were swapped at our blogger meet up by clicking on the pictures below.  Happy hopping!

An InLinkz Link-up

Fiction Book Clubs Week 4

This is our final week for the reading unit.  Wow, this month has flown by!  The students have participated in meaningful discussions and have grown as readers.

The last week we looked at topics within a book.  When we read we are always looking for things we can learn more about to help us better understand what we read.  For example, if you are reading a book about the election of the President of the United States then you might want to study more about the election so that the book makes more sense.

That is what we did in the books we were reading.  We thought of topics in the books that we could better understand to help us really enjoy the book.  If we spend time trying to figure out something then it takes away from the book.  But, if we do a little research on the topic, then we can read the book with ease!

While we read Junie B. Jones, we thought of some good topics in the book we could learn more about to help us really understand the book.

Then, we thought of our connection to the topics and why we would want to learn more about them!

Students also completed this in their book clubs using their reading journals. 

Then, we focused on choosing one of the topics to research.  Students asked questions about the topic and then researched their questions using the computer or tablet.  This was a great way to practice independently looking up answers. 

Students recorded their responses in their reading journals and shared them with their group members.  Students reread the part in the book that included the topic they researched and discussed how this may have changed their thoughts of the book.  When we research topics it also helps build schema!

The students did a wonderful job throughout this unit.  I hope you enjoyed learning about what we did.  If you are interested in purchasing the unit that includes all the lessons, worksheets, activities, and reading journal, please click the image below.  You may also just purchase the fiction reading club journal separately. :]