Time T'angles'

Do you know about TeacherTipster.com?  I follow Mr. Smith on Facebook and have spent the summer watching all his videos.  Most of the ideas are too young for my kids, but sometimes they lead me to great activities.

Today is one of those days!

First, watch this:




This is a FABULOUS idea!  In the age of digital everything, kids can always use a refresher on time!  I am totally setting this up.  I have found clocks at the Dollar Tree in the past; I just hope they have them again! 


To up the challenge and keep my students engaged, I'm going change up the recording sheet as the year goes on.  Adding in angle identification is a no-brainer.

I am also thinking through how I can make a scavenger hunt out of it that would include elapsed time.  If each clock was the answer to a word problem (The party started at 8:00 and lasted for three hours and 10 minutes.  What time did the party end?), the kids would solve the problem, them go find the right clock and write it's letter on the recording sheet. 

Watch this space for my newest TpT creations related to this post!

Hold Fast

Hold Fast 

by Blue Balliett

Published March, 2013

From Barnes & Noble:

• From NYT bestselling author Blue Balliett, the story of a girl who falls into Chicago's shelter system, and from there must solve the mystery of her father's strange disappearance.  Where is Early's father? He's not the kind of father who would disappear. But he's gone . . . and he's left a whole lot of trouble behind.
  
  As danger closes in, Early, her mom, and her brother have to flee their apartment. With nowhere else to go, they are forced to move into a city shelter. Once there, Early starts asking questions and looking for answers. Because her father hasn't disappeared without a trace. There are patterns and rhythms to what's happened, and Early might be the only one who can use them to track him down and make her way out of a very tough place.
  
  With her signature, singular love of language and sense of mystery, Blue Balliett weaves a story that takes readers from the cold, snowy Chicago streets to the darkest corner of the public library, on an unforgettable hunt for deep truths and a reunited family.

Excerpt:
"...'Reading is a tool no one can take away.  A million bad things may happen in life and it'll still be will you, like a flashlight that never needs a battery.  Reading can offer a crack of light on the blackest of nights.'
    Early looked carefully at her mother's face.  'You sound like Dash now.'
    'Do I?' Sum smiled with her eyes, one of the saddest smiles Early had ever seen."  (p.166)

With themes of everything from homelessness, mystery, words, puzzles, to family, Hold Fast is a book I cannot wait to share with my class.  So much so that I am working on a bunch of activities to go with the novel.  When they're done, I'll put them up in my TpT store.

I'm linking up with Heather at Peacocks and Penguins to share with her Read it Wednesday Linky!  (Just cannot resist!!)

I'm off to start a new book.  Have you read Capture the Flag by Kate Messner yet?

I'm Having a SALE!!

  

All of my TpT items are on sale: 20% off!  Plus you can use the code BTS12 starting tomorrow for an additional 10% off from the great folks at TpT! 

Click here to go to my store.  And don't forget to let me know what you choose!  

For a look at all the teachers participating, follow this link to Blog Hoppin'!

Happy Shopping,

Monday Made a Lot!

I'm linking up with Tara once again!  I love this linky, but I am going to try not to look too hard this week.  You guys make me want need to do more!

~Click the picture to link up~

I got a ton done this week.  At home.  At school, not so much.  I walked in last Monday, took one look around, took a couple of pics and left!

Clearly I have a long way to go.  But I'm ready to hit the ground running this week.  I have been a busy, busy chick in preparation for facing the mess my room.  I finally decided to go with a color scheme and theme, so I was able to choose backgrounds, borders and clip art quickly.  I'm going with teal and black or brown and owls.

First I made myself new letters for a word wall.  I love them!, but the K got eaten by my laminator so I'm not all the way done with this project.  The background on this and the revision posters below is from Megan's Made 2 Match freebie!  I {love} these!

Next up: Revision Strategies Posters.  I got this idea from Chrissy at Buzzing with Mrs. B.  Love these!  I have been looking for something to hang on a ribbon, and these posters just may be it!

I printed and laminated my new Peanut Free Room sign: 
You can get this for free from my TpT store.









Finally, I made an exit poster.  I've seen these around, but for the life of me can't find the person who did hers with fish and posted it on a recent Monday Made It.  Whoever you are, thanks!

I love how cute my owls turned out, and other than some tape runner tape, this whole thing was FREE.  I just need to run it through the laminator at school.  BUT - bloggy friends, I need your help!  I want it to say "WHOOOOO'S LEARNING?" but I can't figure out how to put the lettering on or what kind of lettering to use.  Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!  I still need to number the owls, too.  I am going to check out Pat Catan's (kind of like a cheaper Michael's) tomorrow and see if they have any cute number stickers, but I may just write them on each owl. 

Anyway, I'm ready to tackle my room this week!  I'll post pictures soon!

Check out my BTS Lunch Linky!

Monday Made It

I'm excited to link up with Tara again this week and share what I've been doing!

First, I created new VistaPrint stuff and got a free 7 day shipping deal.  Opening up those boxes and looking at my creations 'live' never gets old!

The t-shirt is a reward for my version of Mrs. Renz's Mastery Club.  (The link to her club is broken, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.  If not, just let me know.  I'd be happy to share.)  The poster is for outside my door and has the same QR code as the brochure: my contact information.

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The other thing I've been working on is this year's lottery tickets.  These were a big deal on Pinterest last year, but I don't know who originated the idea.  My kids LOVED earning these and scratching off the ticket.  Many a 5th grader was late for recess as they watched a classmate reveal his prize!

Sorry it's hard to read.  "It's time to paint. Silver paint with a bit of dishwashing soap. Hint: lay all your cards facing the right way."

I have been completely distracted tonight by The Bachelorette.  But I know many of you understand because I read your Guilty Pleasures posts!   And now it's late, and I don't feel like fixing it.

So there you have it.  I am happy to be able to cross this off of my {very} long list of things to do this summer!  I can't wait to see what you all have created this week!  (Of course, I'll regret looking as I add more to my list!)

Yay!  She chose the right one!  And who doesn't love Peter Cetera circa 1987?

...but I have a good excuse! & a Blog Hop

I have been a very bad blogger this week, but I have a good excuse!  My aunt is visiting from Tennessee, and my sister brought my nieces up for the weekend.  It's been fun!  Yesterday, after a great P.E.O. meeting, my sister and I took the girls to Amish country where we went on a buggy ride through the woods.   The highlights for the girls were 1. the free ice cream after the ride and 2.  the horse poop.  'Nuff said.

This morning we are going to a friend's house to swim.  Meg has been taking swim lessons this summer and can't wait to show off her skills!

So.  As I don't really have time to blog this weekend, I am joining in on the Newbie Blog Hop hosted by Janis at Grade Three is the Place to Be.

All you have to do to enter this blog hop is answer the questions below:

    1.  what state you are in - Northeast Ohio

    2.  your current teaching position - 5th grade in a Catholic school

    3.  your teaching experience - I have been teaching for 12 years - all in the same position

    4.  when you started blogging - If you look at the sidebar, it says I've been blogging since 2010, but only in the last two months have I actually done anything with it!

    5.  share a blogging tip / blogging resource - Comment - share the love!  I know I love it when people comment on my blog.  I feel like it's important that we show our support to each other.  Collaboration is amazing.  Every day, I strive to be a better teacher because of the bloggers who I am inspired by - and I want them to know it!

There you have it!  I have so enjoyed blogging this summer, but I know I'm going to need to make blogging a priority when school starts.  So I created a planning sheet to keep me on track.  You can download it here from my TpT store.

New signature! What do you think?