How many more days until Spring Break?

I know, I have it easy. My student teacher is doing extremely well, my students are so well behaved, and I don't have any really crazy parents. Hmmmmm... I am still looking forward to Spring Break. We have a four day week this week and then off for another! YIPPPEEEE!


There is an opportunity for me to go to second grade. I know I would be able to loop with the kids whose parents wanted them to be with me again. I am REALLY thinking about this. 
Has anyone else looped with their class? What should I be thinking about that I haven't yet? 



I have added another ELA/Math product linked to CCS. I am having so much fun creating these.




Green Wilma, Frog in Space is such a cute book. I LOVE Tedd Arnold!!!!!
I will be adding a little freebie to go along with this today. It's cold and snowing out! I know I should go for a run, but I am so comfy cozy right now :)

I was notified that my Springy Math Cards did not have 10 rabbits on the 10 card. You can download them again if you click on the link. So sorry about that! How did I miss it? :) 

Enjoy your Saturday!
Have a wonderful day!

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Student Teachers

What are your experiences with student teachers?
Are you allowed to leave the room?
What do you have them do?
I have my second fantastic student teacher until May. I am really enjoying having her in my classroom. I am itching to get back in control though.


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Monday's New Book and a Freebie

Has anyone read John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith?


Starred Review. Grade 2-5–Describing each man in turn as either bold, noisy, honest, clever, or independent, and taking many liberties with the truth, Smith relates how the Founding Fathers of the title–and Jefferson, too–played a part in securing Americas freedom. Hancocks penchant for sprawling his name across the chalkboard as a child led to his boldly writing the biggest signature on the Declaration of Independence. Reveres loud voice selling underwear in his shop came in handy when he had to scream The Redcoats are coming! Washingtons honest admission to chopping down trees led to his serving as president in New York City where there were few forests. Well, you get the idea. The pen-and-ink cartoon illustrations, richly textured with various techniques, add to the fun. Page turns reveal droll surprises such as young bewigged George, axe in hand and already missing some teeth, surveying his felled orchard, or Franklins rejoinder when the townspeople express their vexation with his clever sayings. Early American typefaces, parchment grounds, and vestiges of 18th-century life, like chamber pots and hoop toys, evoke a sense of the time. A true-and-false section in the back separates fact from fiction. While children will love the off-the-wall humor, there is plenty for adult readers to enjoy, too–the clever fly leaf, puns (…that bell-ringing took a toll on young Paul), and more. Exercise your freedom to scoop up this one.–Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT 
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

It is soooooo cute!'We are suppose to get into more non-fiction books. Appropriate ones for first graders are so hard to find. Well, this is not a non-fiction book entirely, but it is filled with facts about these men. I know it's says second through fifth grade. But, there are a TON of fun things to do with your kids.
I have made up a unit based on this book. There are plenty of the ELA Common Core Standards addressed in this unit.

ELA Common Core Standards Addressed
RI.1.3. Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text. 
RI.1.4. Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
RL.1.2. Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. 
RL.1.3. Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
  RL.1.5. Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types. 
SL.1.1. Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. 
SL.1.2. Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. 
RF.1.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. 
RF.1.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Here is a freebie for you to get you interested.
Click on the picture to download.

Here is the link to the unit on my TPT store.
It's 40 pages of BEFORE< DURING< and AFTER reading.

Have a wonderful day!


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Another Snow Day!! (only for the kids :( and a FREEBIE!

The kids in the elementary school have another snow day! 
We, the elementary school teachers, have to have an impromptu Staff Development Day.

We get to work some more on the Common Core Standards and SLO's. 
Is anyone else working on SLO's?

 Oh well, I had an AMAZING snow day yesterday!


And my daughter got her license. She is not happy at all! :)


Here is my latest month song. 
The April song is sung to the tune of the "ABC song". 
Click on the picture below to download.


Have a wonderful day!

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Snow Day Tomorrow!!! No, REALLY!!!

First, Thanks so much to Sarah.
for the 
You made my day!!!

And now for some more AMAZING news!

Crews were repairing a bridge right next to the school. We have a water main break! Yahoo!
Snow day here I come!
This is why I am sooooooo happy!


I mean, yeah, who wouldn't be happy for a snow day, but LOOK AT THAT FORECAST!!!

Have a wonderful day!

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Is anyone else stressed? A Little Pick ME Up Freebie.

Spring is in the air. The kids come back in with smiles on their faces. They can finally get on ALL the playground equipment and run in the grass now that it is dry. They all try to tell me at once what happened on the playground. "Ah, Yes...Oh Wow...Uh Huh!". I get them settled for Math and they are playing these wonderful games from the Investigations program.
They are all playing so nicely.
And I am thinking about what I am going to have to do next year when they come in from recess. Take attendance for the "whatever number" time. Make sure they are all there so they can learn the math they need to learn for the end of the year. There will be no more time for them to tell me what they did at recess. We have to begin at 12:00 on the dot. If we do not, I will get points taken off if I have a "walk through" at this time.
 I am so stressed about next year. UGH! Is anyone else feeling this way?
What happened to caring and making education fun? What is going to happen to these children when they start to not enjoy school? 
I need to forget about what is going to happen or not happen next year and focus on the fun that I can have with these children this year. This is my resolution from today.
Hold me to it! :)


I made some really cute Math cards to use for games and stuff. They are numbered 1-10. It is so important for children to learn those facts. I thought I would try to make it a little more fun.

Click on the egg to go to my TPT store.


Have a wonderful day!




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I am really getting ahead of myself. Freebie!!!

I know it's not anywhere near. But, to get things laminated and cut out. I like to get things printed up early and ready. So, here it is. My "Making Words/ Cottontail" Freebie!
I just LOVE Scrappin' Doodles!


Click the bunny to go to my TPT store to download.

I am loving this weather!
Here is a pic from yesterday. I can't believe it's MARCH!


Have a wonderful day!


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Common Core Standards: Staff Development Day

I have so much information running around in my head. 
We had a very productive day yesterday. 
We had a person from BOCES come in and work on the Common Core Standards. ELA in the morning and Math in the afternoon. We have been working a little on the ELA, so we got into a little more depth. The last time we worked on the ELA part of the CCS, we made up this unit that we, as as first grade team, will probably never use. It wasn't really worth our time. It did get us thinking about how to work with the documents and get more information about the six shifts, but we created something that was not very useful. We have learned more about how to use the CCS and integrate them into our curriculum. 
Yesterday we chose our "Power Standards" and then picked a unit to work with. We chose "Authors as Mentors". It worked well.
We had math in the afternoon and barely scratched the surface there.
At least we don't have to choose what we think to be the most important standards. I feel much more confident with the math standards. We are getting an "extra" unit to help us along with what has been added and taken away. 
Thanks to all of you who responded to my cry for help the other day. I will be contacting you to ask you some questions. 
I really feel that I would not be as prepared if it weren't for the community of bloggers. For that, I thank you so much!
Off to enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend!
Have a wonderful day!
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Randomness Hmmmm?

I wanted to create a product with the Construction Cows from Scrappin'Doodles. They are so cute. So, I started and got a little random. There are some name tags, labels, and making words. I will begin to work on some more Common Core Standard units. I purchased some awesome books from the Book Fair. I want to incorporate these into the units. 
See, I told you I was random! :)

Click on the picture to go to Google Docs for the download.

I went outside with the kids yesterday for recess. I had so much fun. There is so much to learn about them when they aren't in the classroom setting!
I am going to try to go out at least once a week. Then I can take more pictures!


Have a wonderful day!



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Common Core Standards

I feel like I have a grip on ELA part of the Common Core Standards. We are having another Staff Development day to really get a firmer understanding of the ELA Standards. 

 It will also be the first day that we are going to work on the Math Common Core Standards (UH OH!). Our Math Specialist has been asking and asking. I think they wanted to focus on the ELA so we weren't so overwhelmed with both. 

I am lucky I have been taking a look at all of the wonderful resources out there (meaning all of you) and have a better understanding of this than most in our district (at least for a first grade teacher). 

I am wondering how your districts are helping you out with learning and implementing the Common Core Standards in your classrooms. I would LOVE to hear all about it!
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Thank you to all who entered the giveaway. 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

The first winner of all the products is:


Congratulations Misty!
You won!

The winner of the iTunes gift card is:

Mrs. Richling, you won an iTunes gift card!

Thanks so much to Sue, Laura, and Natalie for helping me out with my first multi-blog giveaway!

Photobucket

Peace, Love, & First Grade


Have a wonderful day!


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