AboutStoreFavorite LinksHomeFavorite Blogs

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Back-to-School

Yes, I realize that it's Memorial Day weekend, and I'm not even out for summer, and yes, just earlier this week I was PRAYING for the summer to get here.  It's amazing what a workout and a long, relaxing--nothing planned weekend can do for you.

Today my husband and I took our kids hiking and geocaching.  It was 94 degrees out---shoulda spent it swimming--but got in a pretty good walk. Then of course, I had to Pinercise.  I've mentioned this before----but in case you missed it:

I can clear my head, and think about back to school things. I am actually excited all over again.  I think Connor (my son) may end up being in my room this year!!  I am looking forward to that!  He used to be so fond (and still is) of the Whack-A-Mole games.  The one that looks like this:

and he also likes the card game that looks like this:

The games above are my inspiration for the Whack-A-Mole games I'm working on.  I posted the Whack-A-Word earlier this week in TpT. You can click the image below to see it. (It's currently on sale--as are all other items in my store--for the Top Teachers Memorial Day SALEabration)


But, as I said, I've got back to school on my brain---so I had to make a Whack-a-Rhyme for next year! :)


You can click the picture above to grab your FREE copy at TpT!  Save it back for next year.  I really think your kids will like it.  I know my kindergartner likes it now! :) 

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Top Teachers' Memorial Day SALEabration!


Who doesn't love a sale?  Check out my friends stores during our Memorial Day Sale!! 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

I think I can...I think I can!


How many more days????????????  I'm trying to think positive here. I even hear Dory in my head.

And no matter how positive I'm trying to stay...well, here it is in cartoon form:

5 more days!!  Hoping they go quick!!  When all else fails:


I hope you are all hanging in there.  I know I am definitely ready for the year to be over.  I came home today 4:00....and ready to put on PJ's.  First time all year I think I've been this exhausted.  

I started making a center packet for our last few day of school, but honestly, I couldn't muster the energy to finish it. SOO----it's in my TpT store for free! 


It's a language workstation with a couple worksheets.  My kiddos are still having a hard time knowing the difference between a question and statement---unless I am reading it to them.  I wanted them to practice this skill some more---and I think they are enjoying it this week, as well as doing a good job with it. 

I did make a few products though over the past week or two.  Facebook fans already know about these, but here's for everyone else:


Though these Making Words packets incorporate some the Treasures spelling words, it doesn't use all of them.  It focuses on a few of the words, review words, and the phonics pattern.  They would be good for non-Treasures users as well.  


I also emailed Denyse from Scrappin' Doodles---I was just dyin' to get "Whack-A-Mole" clipart---and she Delivered!!  Check this out!! 

It's a Dolch Word game.....if you like what you see, I'm emailing it to the first 3 who comment!! :)  Be sure to include your email address! :)

****Hang in there Peeps-----and here's hoping your days are going quicker than mine!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

End of the Year---and staying Motivated!

It's always so hard to stay motivated when it's so close to summer vacation.  I can smell the ocean water now....feel the hot sun as I'm swimming in the pool.....NOT hear the sound of the alarm going off----yes, people, I'm talking about how hard it is to keep ME motivated.....my kids are great! :)

Okay, so they too are ready for summer vacation, but today's Math Lesson went fairly quick, they understood the skill, and they stayed engaged and actively participated.  That's doing pretty good on ANY day in a first grade room, let alone with TEN DAYS LEFT!! :)

First, our skill was adding a two-digit and one-digit number together.  My students can do this with a number line, hundreds chart, or counting up.  We've had this skill before on our Math Minutes from Creative Teaching Press----I LOVE LOVE LOVE these things:
But now we are working on it in our Envisions Math as well.  Here's a picture of the lesson we were doing today.


My students love rolling dice to do our Math.  Today, we rolled 3 dice to determine our math problems.  I used two big foam dice (from the Dollar Store), both a different color.

The blue die represented our tens place and the white die represented our ones place.  After we determined our two digit number and recorded it on our paper, we rolled a smaller foam die.

This die represented our other addend.  To give more discussion for possible regrouping, I said that we'd just automatically add two to whatever number was rolled on the little die (perhaps blank dice with other numbers would be better--hindsight---I was teaching on a spur-of-the-moment like we do so many times). 

We then showed our two-digit number using tens and ones, and added on our second addend.  *You can see better in the the top picture that these are on my white board*

We figured out our math problems by trading in ten cubes for a tower if needed, and regrouped as necessary.  My class was better today with this math lesson than they had been all week.  

We use dice a lot for our math, but I guess I hadn't had them out for a while.  I think it made a difference today. 

Ohh, and for the tens and ones----stack a tower together (a ten) and stick a big piece of magnetic tape on the back.



For your ones cube, just a small piece of magnetic tape on the back is enough to keep it on the board.  This would also be a good way to use manipulatives for centers too.  


Monday, May 14, 2012

Pin-ercising and Phonics

Yep---Pin-ercising! 

Pin-ercising (verb) to play on Pinterest while exercising, best done on an I-Pad while walking on a treadmill.  DeAnne's workout went much quicker while pin-ercising

It's true though.  I played on Pinterest tonight while walking (granted my arms weren't pumping, but my fingers were getting a workout), and it made my exercising more entertaining.  I'm a fluffy gal y'all.  I like SWEETS, I love CUPCAKES, but apparently those things are also loving my hips, and gut, and hiney---SOOO---to the treadmill we go.

Anyhoo, enough about my weaknesses for chocolate, and lack of motivation for exercise---BLARG!

This week our sound pattern is oi/oy.  Most generally you will find oy at the end of the word with a few exceptions.  It makes the spelling pattern a little easier for my kiddos to learn it this way.  They are enjoying our new Phonics Dance chunks too.  We added oi, oy, and wr to our hunks and chunks as those are the skills for Treasures this week. 

It's been a while since I've posted a picture sort, and I wanted to share the new one with you guys.  Last week, I had a comment from an ANON user asking why I give so many freebies, and if I've heard of Teachers Pay Teachers.  I will answer that question now...when I first started my blog, I started out with freebies, and that is something I will continue to do.  I figure if I can help out another classroom, why not?  Yes, I've heard of Teachers Pay Teachers, and I do have products there, but that doesn't mean I won't continue doing what I've done from the start--which is offering goodies for you here too.  I hope you all enjoy what I post and are able to use what we are doing in our classroom. 

Okay---here's the sort I promised ya. Click an image below to grab you a copy!


The pictures are:
oil, enjoy, coin, soy (beans), decoy, point
cowboy, toy, boil, soil, boy, toilet

Your kiddos will LOVE the toilet--just wait!! 

Friday, May 11, 2012

WOW--that sums it up

I have once again neglected my little blog, and I haven't been real great on facebook either.  Where has the past couple weeks gone?  It seems like it's gone by quick---but when I think I still have FOURTEEN days left to go---it doesn't seem quick enough.  Yes, I love my class dearly---but this momma/teacher needs a VACATION!!! 

I apologize for being gone--I've had a few orders for cupcakes (yes, that dream is still tickin' in my head), and I've been a little "stressed" with everything--apparently my blood pressure is of concern to some dear friends of mine---ahh---I'm still kickin' it!!  But, I thought a little break would do me some good---until I realized that "creating" and baking are my therapy....so I'm back...until I'm told otherwise! ;)

OHH--- Because I'm so proud------I have to show you my kitchen creations!!
 Above are my "There's no Wrong Way"--as in there's no wrong way to eat a Reese's!! 
 Pictured above is "Strawberry Shortcake."
These are "Snickerdoodle, Baby!"

Thank goodness they are all out of the house, because I'm REALLY wanting a chocolate one.  

Okay, onto the teaching world! This week was just, I dunno?  It was teacher appreciation week, and I'll just leave it at the fact that I don't think anyone knew...and that's okay.  I do what I do, because I enjoy it.  When I see my student's "get it"---that's enough for me!!  Sure, a thank you or recognition would be nice---but ahh, I'm not in this for the fortune or the fame!

My kiddos are such a sweet group of kids, but they've been, in lack of a better word, NUTS lately.  Full Moon?  Spring Fever?  Summer vacation in FOURTEEN DAYS?  I think I've lost control of my little darlings.  I just tell myself I think I can, I think I can---and Just Keep Swimming! 

Then, just when I think I can't take anymore---I'm reminded of how innocent they really are.  We were watching our high schoolers give us a little preview of their upcoming musical.  One of the characters said, "Shut up!"  OH MY!  This was horrible--my WHOLE class turned and looked around at me like that's such a bad word!!  I've trained them well--I hope they keep it up.  They tend to stop mid sentence of their tattles.  I hear please, thank you and bless you.  I see them trying to work out their own problems.......they have even learned not to say FART lol---they still giggle when I say Stinkers---but they have learned so much.  

It's amazing how much they learn from you, not just academically, but how they take on your mannerisms, and even your words or sayings.  I'm so blessed to have the job that I have---to make a difference.  Wow, okay, I'm getting kinda sappy here--MOVING ON! ;)

This week we talked about the sounds of au/ aw.  I don't have many tricks for y'all on these.  There are phonics dance chunks for both, and to be honest, I'm not sure what it is exactly for 'au', but I improvised with my own.  Do you remember the Facts of Life?  Telling my age here, but that was one of my FAVORITE shows.  I remember when Natalie and Tootie were trying to learn their elements--gold especially.  Natalie said "HEY YOU (A U) give me back my gold!!  That's where our au comes from.  We point and say "A U (hey you), ah/ah/ah.  IT works and they've had a kick out of that this week. ;)

I have a little something for those of you working on the au/aw sound.  You can click below to grab you a freebie game.  Enjoy---and know that you are APPRECIATED!!  I hope you all had a great week this week--and realize that your job and the lives you touch---well, it's AMAZING!!  


OHH and Congratulations to Lisa Arledge the winner of the Luna.  Lisa, please contact me at mrsdeannedavis@hotmail.com with mailing address so I can forward it to Learning Resources.  You can see the winner on Rafflecopter HERE.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Teacher Appreciation (A funny and a giveaway)

 I was grading reading assessments today, and I had to chuckle.  One of my little cuties wrote how I sometimes feel!  Check it out!

LOL!!  How true is that? :) Gotta love my job!!

I was recently asked by Learning Resources to test out the new Luna interactive.  As soon as it arrived, I was playing with it at home and couldn't wait to get it to school!!  My own children (10, 5, and 33--yes hubby counts) were excited about it, so I could only imagine how excited my first graders would be with this.

The Luna Interactive is an interactive projection camera.  It also functions as a web cam and camera. Don't let these technology words scare you, because it's very simple to use.  It connects to your computer with a USB port.  It's quick and easy to install.  Within just a few minutes, you are ready to go.

Why I like it:
1) I can project student writing samples onto the board.
2) I can use it to demonstrate how to use manipulatives, for whole group lessons--OR for those who are limited to resources, you can do a whole group lesson with just a few.
3) I can use it to project books to the whiteboard--no more "Mrs. Davis, I can't see the pictures!"
4) We are limited to resources in my district, so the needed science experiments are generally teacher directed.  With this, I can project the action to the board and BAM! We can all see what's going on!
 5) We have a play coming up (or if you do Reader's Theater), they can be recorded and we can play it back in the classroom to watch later.

*Also, I can email things to myself at school and pull it up from my computer and project it, but daggone if I'm not forgetful.  With this, I can stick whatever we are working on under it, and project a copy to the board.  Problem solved, and I didn't have to send a student (or myself) to get it sent to my email.  


All in all, for the price of the Luna (compared to the price of other projection cameras) it does the job for my classroom. Here's a picture from their website.

 Now, would you too like to own the Luna Interactive?  Check out Rafflecopter below!

***EDITED 5/8/12*** Some of you are having a hard time entering with the Rafflecopter this time.  I've had a couple bloggy friends tell me that they needed to try google chrome to get it to work.  I apologize that it's not working for everyone.  Perhaps try another browser.  Another thing, if you aren't following me via Google Friend Connect (through the blog), I'm not sure if you will be able to enter. Try both of those things first if you are trying to enter and are unable.  

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Teacher Appreciation Jackpot!

Thank you for all that you do!!  In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I am giving my Making Words with Blends packet free (for Sunday only).  This is one of my top sellers--and a savings of $4.25.  I hope that you enjoy these activities as much as my students do. You can click the picture below to head to my store and grab your FREE copy!! 



Don't forget to check back at all these other great blogs/stores to see what item they are offering for free!! 


Total Pageviews