Cute and Content: Not So Impossible!

The first school where I taught was considered “failing.” If our test scores didn’t go up that very year, the school would be taken over by the state and we had a good chance of losing our jobs.

No pressure or anything, right?  : )

A big push from our administration was to consider the value of each and every activity we were doing. Was it cute, or was it content?

While I only taught there two years, the mantra stuck with me.

Now, I don’t mean that we can never do the cute stuff, or that my room is bare. I spend so much time there, and so do my students! But I’m a big fan of bringing in a little content with the cute whenever possible, especially now that I teach 4th grade.

    

This year I decorated with lots of classroom décor items from Creative Teaching Press. I have absolutely loved the layered look of the borders and the colors really brightened up my all-white room! (Check out my turquoise classroom décor here.)

So, Creative Teaching Press definitely brought the cute- but you may not know that they also bring the content, even for the upper grades.
                                
Close reading is one of the most vital ways we dig into text, and I love this close reading poster set for reminding students of the routines! It has a fresh, modern feel- but more importantly, it gives kids a practical reference to use during class. The specific examples for text-dependent questions would be SO helpful for my struggling students!

    
And for math, I love introducing my students to multiple strategies for solving. For my kids, it’s never been helpful to just put reference material on the wall without really using it together- so I love to laminate posters ! That way, I can write on them with a dry-erase marker during our mini-lesson.

Once we’ve introduced and practiced each strategy, we add it to the wall- and the kids can use these anytime they need a reference! Anchor charts, like these for Multiplication and Division Strategies and for Algebraic Thinking, can really  help our students be successful- especially if we make them an interactive part of our lessons.

And, while they’re a very visual way to help kids remember and use the content we learn, they also happen to fit in seamlessly with the classroom décor I already have. (See how well the posters all pair with the lime green mini hexagon border and ombre turquoise scallops border? LOVE!)

Just remember- no matter what your classroom theme or color scheme is, it’s ultimately a classroom. When your mind starts to drift to next year’s classroom theme or setup (I always start thinking about that this time of year!) don’t forget to think about the content as well as the cute!

And to help you out? Creative Teaching Press has offered to share all of the items in this post with one of YOU! If you’re looking for colorful, cute, and practical classroom décor- make sure you check them out.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CTP is always adding new products, too- like a new Snow Much Fun! Bulletin Board to celebrate winter this year featuring a snowglobe, banners, mittens, and more.

To see more of what Creative Teaching Press has up their sleeves (and to enter for more free décor!) hop over to Ehle Kindergarten!

10 Ways Teachers Can Foster a Love of Learning

My summers as a kid included Library Day.
It was usually Wednesday. We’d go to the library, I’d proudly take my Summer Reading Program log to the counter, and then I’d pick out a stack of new books. I usually had to stop when I couldn’t carry the stack anymore.
I love reading. Always have. But my brothers, who were raised in the same household as me- with the same parenting, same read-alouds, same library trips- didn’t get that same love… so it’s not JUST home that matters! It takes teachers, too.
Over at Adventures in Literacy Land today, I talked about one of the ways I was unintentionally killing my students’ love of reading. Here, I want to share about some of the things I do in the classroom to build a love of reading in my students.

• Read great books aloud.
  Pick a really wonderful book that your kids will love, and don’t be afraid to leave out the “lesson” once in awhile. The lesson can just be that reading is fun. (This year, I read aloud Holes by Louis Sachar. They’d beg me to read more! Helloooo, isn’t that what we want?)
• Build a big, diverse, and growing classroom library.Your kids should always be able to find something they love to read that they can read. That means you need variety in a lot of ways- and your library can never be “done” because you should always be looking to add books for your current students. Plus, adding new books through the year brings excitement! Remember, too, that it’s not just traditional books that “count”- and letting kids check out books for home can be a powerful way to encourage more reading.
• Create some buzz about books. Talk up good books. Read just the first chapter as a teaser. Find book trailers online. Browse through the month’s Scholastic Book Order and make suggestions. I have a stack of books at home and a long list on Goodreads of books I want to read next- and we want our students thinking ahead, too!
• Let them see you as a reader.Tell them about the current book you’re reading, or how you stayed up late last night to finish. Let them see you reading the book for a few minutes. Be as excited about new books as they are. Tell them about your moments as a reader- when you choose books, when you’ve abandoned a book, when a book was hard, the books you loved, and the books you hated. Some teachers even create a display in their room to show what the teacher is reading, which I love!
• Start reading routines.One time in my classroom, it started storming. We had a wall of windows, and we could see the trees swaying, the rain pounding, and the lightning flashing. A few of my 2nd graders were clearly a little scared, so I told them how much I LOVE storms- especially reading to the sound of rain. (I really do!) We decided to stop our lesson, turn down the lights, and curl up with good books (me included). From then on, whenever the rain started to pour, my kids would ask if we could pause our lesson to read… and one of my students’ moms told me her kid started to do it at home, too!
• Get kids hooked on a series or author.
  We read aloud The Boxcar Children, and the librarian had a hard time keeping the mysteries in stock. We read aloud The BFG, and my kids would almost fight over who got the next Roald Dahl book. Sometimes, reading teachers need to give kids a taste to get them hooked! (Try not to feel too much like a drug dealer, although books are not a bad addiction to have.)
• Build a reading community.I’m just starting Reading in the Wild, but she’s already made this point for me. Lifelong readers suggest books to their friends, go to book clubs, lend books to family, share what they’re reading on Instagram, join Goodreads, etc. I try to give my kids occasional time specifically for sharing what they’re reading with others. Setting up a way for kids to suggest books to each other is great, too!
• Make reading comfortable.
  Set up an environment that is physically comfortable. Some kids will stretch out on the floor, others will curl up on a rug, and a few just like to sit at their desks. As well as being physically comfortable, kids need to be used to the routine of just reading, and they need to feel comfortable choosing and reading whatever they want without judgment from their classmates. One year, the boys in my class got really into Rainbow Magic Fairies books… yes, really!
• Let kids choose books… but get to know their interests and needs so you can help!Sometimes, kids need to read books at their instructional level… but most of the time, getting them to love reading is more important. If I walked into a library and someone picked books for me, they’d probably never even make it out of the bag. As teachers, we can help guide students in the direction of books that fit their interests and their instructional needs, which is really important to them being successful!
• Give them chances to be successful.Nobody likes to feel like they’re bad at something. When I worked with intervention kids last year, some of them had felt “bad at reading” for years- so when I started giving them specific goals and feedback, helping them track their progress through recordings and fluency graphs, and even giving them chances to “teach” other students or read to younger kids, their confidence grew so much. Make sure every kid gets to feel like they’re good and growing.

If kids love to read, they will read more. If they read more, they’ll get better at reading.
Helping kids to learn to love reading needs to be a HUGE part of our literacy time. Our kids need strategic instruction, too, but if we leave out the passion, our kids won’t be as strong at reading and will only read in school… probably for the rest of their lives.

What are some ways you build a love of reading in your classroom?

A Very Luckey Birthday Giveaway- Day TWO!

I am so excited to continue celebrating with you tonight!

This past week I’ve had the pleasure of trying out some beauty products from Perfectly Posh. Read on to find out how YOU can win free beauty products!

Shannon Peter is an Air Force wife and independent consultant for Perfectly Posh. If you’re like me, you’d probably never heard of this particular company. It’s like a lot of cosmetic and beauty companies in some ways, but here’s what makes them unique:

• High quality ingredients- no soy or gluten fillers, no petroleum, no lanolin
• Imports the very best ingredients- but then manufactures in the USA
• Cruelty-free: no animal testing, and many products are vegan
• Uses natural fragrances
• Everything is under $25 and when you buy 5, you get the 6th FREE!
• A focus on skin care and spa products to, well, “pamper” you! (So, less make-up, and more scrubs, lotions, soaps, moisturizers, bath salts, etc.)

The thing is, I’m a veeery low-maintenance beauty girl, and probably should take better care of my skin, so I jumped at the chance to try out some products- and Shannon was happy to oblige. She sent me the cutest bag in the mail with lots of samples inside!

Even the packing peanuts are environmentally friendly! Can you believe it?

I started with the Sea Witch face mask, which uses seaweed and kelp to clean your skin and help you detox. I loved that these little cards told me exactly how to use it and what it does!When I put it on, the blue-green color made me feel a little like Ursula…

But it made my face feel so soft, and my face didn’t feel greasy or oily at all, even in my trouble spots. I know if I used this even once a week, it would really help keep my face clear!

It did make my face kind of red at first, but my face reddens really easily (and the package warned that it can tingle or burn a little the first few times). I moisturized with some creamy Brazilian Bombshell body butter, though, and it felt a lot better!

My favorite, though? A few hours ago I used the Daily Grind Coffee Scrub on my hands. I don’t love to drink coffee, but I always like the smell- and I could tell this had actual coffee beans in it! Just a couple of minutes of scrubbing, and my skin felt so soft!

I smoothed some Big Fat Yummy Hand Crème on after the scrub, and I will absolutely be buying some of this stuff! It feels light and whipped as you smooth it on, but a little goes a long way.

The Lil’ Snarky scent is light and sweet, and unlike a lot of hand creams, this kept my hands soft without making them feel greasy and gross.  My hands have been so dry this winter, and the combination of the Daily Grind scrub and the Lil’ Snarky Hand Crème is making them feel amazing, even hours later.

I also got a chance to try the Big Fat Yummy Lips gloss in Raspberry Bang-Bang, and I just love the tint of it! My usual make-up routine is moisturizer, quick sweep of mineral powder foundation, a dash of bright eyeshadow, and mascara if I’m on time (just being honest here).

This will be the perfect way to add a little color to my lips without it being “too much” or too intense for my subtle make-up- but still has a little menthol to make them puffy and kissable. My husband noticed right away that I had something different on my lips!

Basically, I came away from my time sampling Perfectly Posh wanting to try and buy more! The products I used were high-quality and made my night a little happier- and we all deserve that sometimes!

Today, Shannon and I are giving you a chance to win the Apple of my Eye Lip Scrub and Bombinator Set—the perfect Teacher Appreciation gift that teachers will actually enjoy. Sugar lip scrub that smells (and tastes!) like apples, plus a fizzing Bombinator that pretty much makes your bathtub a relaxing oasis.

I know I get very, very tired of apple-shaped things that I can’t really use, but this nods to “an apple for the teacher” while also giving them some much-needed relaxation.  Perfect, right?

Enter below in the Rafflecopter and I’ll pick a winner this weekend!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Want to try some of these products yourself? I highly, highly recommend Shannon Peter! She was easy to communicate with, sent things fast, and even included personal touches like a thank you note and an email to check in and see how I was enjoying everything.  She really knows her products and she gave me perfect recommendations of what to try!

You can also pick up some of the apple-themed  Teacher Appreciation gifts for your kid’s teacher or your teacher friends! (Follow her on Facebook to catch current deals!)

If you live near her in Missouri, you may be able to meet up with her in person (and even host a party where you can try some products in person!), or you can order Perfectly Posh products online through her at this site.

Thanks, Shannon, for letting me try some of your amazing products!
(I may have had a little TOO much fun!)

P.S.-- I’m putting the finishing touches on Text Detectives April, so be sure you’re following on Facebook and Instagram to see when they’re finally up on TpT!  :)

Luckey Birthday Giveaway- Day 1

Guess what? Last week was my birthday- AND I hit 1000 followers on TpT,  my best month ever, and I am veeery close to 100,000 pageviews on my blog.

You all are AMAZING- and this is absolutely, definitely cause for celebration & thanks- so, today starts A Very Luckey Birthday Giveaway!

Today’s prize is for LOCAL readers in and near Cincinnati- and it’s a celebration of two things I love- music and Pixar movies!

I can remember when I first saw Toy Story.  How could you NOT love a story like that? How could any kid not love to imagine their toys coming to life and having adventures?

In my head, I can’t think of Toy Story without thinking of Randy Newman’s drawling You’ve Got a Friend in Me, and the second movie wouldn’t have made me cry like a baby if not for Sarah McLachlan’s haunting When She Loved Me.

Similarly, when I think of The Incredibles, I can’t help but hear the score- jazzy, syncopated music with wailing trumpets and saxophones. It just wouldn’t have felt like the same movie without it!

Looking back at Pixar’s films- Monsters Inc., Brave, Finding Nemo, Cars, Up, and more… well, let’s just say they’re amazing, and the music is absolutely a huge part of what made them so touching and entertaining.

The Cincinnati Pops- right here where I live!- are presenting “Pixar in Concert” this upcoming weekend. Along with playing music from Pixar’s 13 films, they’ll be showing clips of the movies (perfect for keeping kids engaged during the concert!)

If you’ve never seen the Cincinnati Pops, they play in one of the most gorgeous buildings in the Midwest- Cincinnati Music Hall.

(Photo by Tom Hamilton on Flickr)

The inside of the building features ornate details, sparkling chandeliers, and a beautiful, buzzing atmosphere.

The Pops and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra do all kinds of amazing events, like last year’s outdoor concert Lumenocity, where they used the façade of the building as a giant projection screen for a light show timed to live music. They just announced they’ll be offering it again this summer, and I could not be more excited!

(My picture is blurry, but I promise- it was VERY, very cool!)

I’ve seen the Cincinnati Pops a number of times, and they are always entertaining. The Pixar concert this weekend (April 4-6) is sure to be entertaining for adults and kids alike! Here, you can listen to the conductor John Morris Russell and some of the musicians talk about the concert:

So, if you’re within driving distance of Cincinnati and would consider making the trip  for their shows this weekend (Friday evening, Saturday evening, or Sunday afternoon)… please enter below for a chance to win FOUR FREE TICKETS to Pixar in Concert with the Cincinnati Pops!

You’ll even be able to choose which date you’d prefer to attend! Please see the terms and conditions in the Rafflecopter. Giveaway winner will be chosen at midnight EST on Thursday, April 3rd! (So you really only have tonight and tomorrow to enter!)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A special thanks to the Cincinnati Pops for sponsoring this giveaway!

Tickets to The Cincinnati Pops Present: Pixar in Concert are on sale this week!

Kids’ tickets are only $10, and CSO/ Pops are even offering special ticket deals for Reds Opening Day this week! You can purchase tickets here at their website or by calling 513.381.3300 to talk with ticket sales representatives.

Not a local reader? No worries! I’ll have two more giveaways over the next two days! (Including April’s Text Detectives pack : )

Wow Wednesday & Thankful Thursday

I have an exciting giveaway for you today, so be sure to read all the way to the bottom to enter! It’s unlike any giveaway I’ve seen on a teaching blog before :)

I only had two days of school this week, but I still want to share a “wow” from my week. I’m linking up with Emily & her pals at Curious Firsties!

You might remember that when I moved this year, I found a great new position- but it was only a half-time position. To be honest… it’s been a little tough on me. I really, really miss the classroom and sometimes I don’t feel as great about myself as a teacher because I just don’t feel like I’m able to teach to my potential, if that makes sense.

I do love working with kids who are low in skills. These kids need me- if not for reading help, for basic love and attention- and I absolutely adore working with those kids. And I’m fine-tuning a lot of my RTI skills this year, which is fantastic for if I ever do move back into the classroom.

But my “Wednesday Wow” for this week is that I’ve started a long-term subbing position in the afternoons- so for a few weeks, I’m working full-time! The ESL teacher at my school needed to be out until after winter break, and my principal worked out a way for me to sub for her every afternoon.

This is “my” room for the afternoon- just look at the resources she has! (And that’s not even going into her cabinets, which are full of tons more!)

It feels amazing that my principal went to special trouble to have ME teaching those kids, but it also just feels great to spend all day at school and feel like I really get to use my talents!

I know, I know. I’m a person who is actually ENJOYING more hours of work—but I’m so thankful to have a job I love so much!

I am also incredibly thankful for all of you!

Thank you   for your support.

Thank you   for validating my teaching ideas.

Thank you   for commenting, sharing ideas, and becoming friends.

To say thanks, I want to offer 3 copies of my newest Text Detectives pack for free. I’m working on the last few passages in the next couple of days, and I’m so excited to give some away! It includes passages about Holidays Around the World, winter and snow, and some December fiction.

Plus, I want to offer something one-of-a-kind.

My uncle is an incredible artist who has recently turned his talent into a business called Imitation Station.

He can take a photo and turn it into a personalized sketch. What I really love is that he can do a more realistic sketch or more of a caricature to match exactly what you want!

He can even do a portrait of a celebrity. Because he’s my godfather, I’m lucky to have three of his portraits as gifts—Josh Groban (my celebrity crush) and two of Donald Driver (my absolute favorite football player!). They are incredible- and such a great gift.

Every piece of art is completely unique and hand-drawn.

You can order your own custom caricatures and sketches from Imitation Station’s website and Facebook page. (He even offers Facebook promotions sometimes, so it’s worth following!) He even guarantees your satisfaction with the final product!

As the grand prize of this giveaway, you can win a $40 gift certificate from Imitation Station plus FREE shipping in the continental U.S.!

Enter to win a Text Detectives pack or a custom caricature using the Rafflecopter below! :) Thank you so much for being a fan, and happy Thanksgiving! The giveaway runs until midnight Monday, December 2nd.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nonsense Words for the Upper Grades

Congratulations to the winner of my giveaway, Angela Victory! Angela, thanks for following, and check your email :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In other news... oops. I completely forgot I was guest blogging yesterday!



If you missed it (like me), go check it out at Buzzing with Ms. B. I posted about how to use nonsense words in the upper grades. Go ahead- read it, so that this post will make a little more sense.

My kids LOVED when we used nonsense words, in part because I took my last name and added "ington." And somehow, when these were not just made-up words, but words from the kingdom of Garwoodington, of which I am queen, it made them so much more fun.

Nonsense words don't have to be "kog" or "lat." Make them grow with the kids to reflect the unknown words that kids will face! Nonsense words are perfect for working on how to read multisyllabic words that combine digraphs, blends, prefixes, suffixes, and more.

Most weeks, I use chart paper to write at least a couple of nonsense words using our phonics pattern of the week, but nonsense words are also a great way to work on context clues and vocabulary skills.

Every once in awhile, I throw in a REAL word, too- and after they sound it out and figure out from context clues what it means, I surprise them by saying it's a real word. They love knowing that they just 'discovered' a new word and didn't even have to look it up!

In this freebie, I've included a short answer page, and then a short story with some comprehension questions and *four* nonsense words. I've even included one real word so you can surprise your class!

Pick up your freebie copy here and write in your own "kingdom" name!

I love using nonsense words because students think they're fun, but I can teach many valuable, authentic skills that ALSO apply to tests! Do any of you do things like this? Would you like to see more?

P.S. -- If you thought the "scubba" in my guest post was the word "cheesy"... you're right! :) Yayyyy!

P.P.S. -- Did you catch my post about Hats for Kenton?



Don't forget to sign up to help us cheer up a boy with leukemia (and his family!). And please help me spread the word on your blog, if you have one!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

A few days ago, I found a list of summer blog goals.

200 followers by the end of June.
250 followers by the end of July.

Well, here I am, at the beginning of July, with over 265 followers already. Say what!? (Also, where the heck did June go?)

I had no idea that my lesson plan post, planning template freebie, and lesson plan customization tips would suddenly go crazy on Pinterest, but I am SO GLAD you are all here, and now that I have a break in my summer job, I want to celebrate!

Thank you to my generous donors! Please check out their blogs and products.

From Sara of Smiling in Second Grade...

Writing Journal Prompts
(one a day for the whole year, plus journal paper and monthly journal covers!)

From Mrs. Mc of Buzz Buzz Buzz...

 Time Bingo for Time to the Hour and Half Hour
(don't we ALL need more practice with this?)

 

From Jennifer of Delighted in Second...

Probability Fun with Pets! Math Unit
(how cute is this?)

From Tori of Tori's Teacher Tips...



Word Families Galore!
(This looks so practical- ready to print and go!)



From Mechele of Barrow's Hodgepodge...



Back to School Literacy Centers
(almost 50 pages of adorable centers perfect for the first few weeks of school!)

From Ashley of the Resource Room...

Reading and Language Arts Summer Packet

(So cute and bright!)

From Jackie of Third Grade's a Charm...


Scoot Combo Pack- Place Value Review and Rounding Robots!
(Because, seriously, is there a class in the world that doesn't love Scoot?)

 You can get it at TpT (click above) or at TN (click below).

From Denise at Yearn to Learn...

$5.00 credit towards anything in my store Talbott's Teaching Trove

(also known as Task Card Paradise!)

From Candace at Watkins Way...

Back to School Community Building Activities

(so perfect for while you get to know your kids that first week!)

And from Denise of Sunny Days in Second Grade...


Something I actually use in my classroom EVERY week of the year!
Second Grade Word Wizard and Math Magic (Set 1 of each!)

You could win all of this just as a THANK YOU for being a loyal follower! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One of the Rafflecopter items invites you to leave a ten-word summary of your blog (and a link) below.

Here's my example:

A new third grade teacher who loves science and frogs! 

Luckeyfrog's Lilypad

If you aren't sure how to leave a link in the comments, check out Kristen's terrific tutorial here.

This will help me make sure I've checked out my followers' blogs... but it will also help some of you find new blogs to follow (I hope!)

Happy July!