Tuesday work!

I started off the day by killing myself on my bike ride. I decided to go with some friends for a time trial. Whew! I am exhausted! 

So what did I do? I came home and made espresso chocolate chip shortbread cookies, then worked on school stuff. I ended up printing out and laminating the clip chart and place value chart I created yesterday (see below post and you can have a free copy!).

I couldn't get the clip chart picture all in one piece...so here is the top portion of it! The rest of it looks the same so you get the picture!

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Kleinspiration: Make your Centers Interactive and Engaging with Hot Dots Technology from @ed_insights

Kleinspiration: Make your Centers Interactive and Engaging with Hot Dots Technology from @ed_insights

Have you visited Kleinspiration?  I love her technology related blog posts. She has a giveaway going on right now. At first I thought it was too young for my students, but if you look into the ed insight products, many of the cards are not just for math. There are science related activities, too, for many ages!

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Monday Made It!

Well, I went in to work today to decorate. We're still not there...but getting closer! We decided to go with a black and white theme. My current bookshelf items clashed, so covering my baskets was my first  priority today. I just used contact paper and it was quick and simple. (Yes, quick!)  I then decided to add a little of the contact paper to a few more items, including the front of my desk. Here are some pictures:

Before

After

A few more items

front panels of my desk

I also needed a new clip chart. I hope that you are able to view it with this link:

Click the picture above or CLICK HERE. Note that our class theme is technology, 

thus the word "app"lying wisdom!

...and a new place value chart CLICK HERE .

I am trying Google Docs for sharing, so please let me know if the links do not work for you!  

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10 Days of Giveaways

This is the last day of the giveaway...but I am glad to get in on it! Maybe I'll win! Yay! Head on over to  Swimming into Second and sign up quickly!

I'm heading off to CostCo - wonder what school goodies I find? I'll post if I find anything wonderful! Happy Saturday!

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Kikutext and Three Ring

Today I am blogging about two great web 2.0 tools. The first is Kikutext! It is a tool to connect parents and teachers via text messaging without giving out phone numbers! I don't know about you, but I don't give my parents my personal number. Here is a way to connect:

Kikutext: Overview from Kikutext

The next site that is really cool is "Three Ring". It is like a digital binder to share student work with families. It allows teachers to securely add student photos of work. Just use your smartphone, take a pic, and load. The pictures may be later used for assessment, conferences, or exemplars. Check it out!

Have you used either of these tools? If so, please share and let me know how you like them!

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New Blogger Blog Hop AND Web 2.0

I have been a busy person ~ and sure you have been, too! Yesterday I took the day off and went cycling with my friends up Emigrant Pass. Beautiful! 5183 feet of climbing. Whew! Here's our picture:

OK. So now back to blogging! I have tons of apps and web 2.0 tools I want to begin sharing. I chose two for today. The first one is Martha Stewart's CraftStudio. It is SO fun! I am in love with it. At the time I got it, it was free. Now it sells for $4.99 but still a good buy. Here is an example of something I made with it:

The second web 2.0 tool I want to share is Easel.ly . It is an amazing tool that allows you to create beautiful infographics. And, it's easy to use! Give it a try. Here is one I created...

easel.ly

Here's what you do....Answer the questions below, add your button to the Linky, create a post about this hop, and don't forget to place the code at the bottom of the Linky in your post so that this list will appear on your blog as well.

1. What state are you in? I live in California

2. What is your current teaching position? I teach fifth grade

3. Your teaching experience.... I began education in 1985 and have taught 3,4,5, middle and high school. 15 years has been teaching 4th grade. This year I move to 5th! I have also worked as a Technology Coordinator and Principal

4. When did you start blogging? July, 2012

5. Share a blogging tip/blogging resource....I find a lot of blogs through Pinterest! :) My favorite tip is to follow the blogs. There are so many creative teachers out there it is amazing. 

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At the corner

I finished painting my desk and getting my corner of the room ready. I wanted to share with you the results! I didn't plan on the lace curtains. I was going to use plain fabric and sew a divider to cover the dictionaries and Christmas tree! But after cleaning out our attic I ran across these curtains. So, I got lazy and decided to use those instead of sewing something else!

Please comment - what to you do with your bookshelves? Do you cover them? Store things in boxes?

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New Classroom Theme

My co-teacher and I debated and debated about class themes! We finally have our decision - APPS (Always Purposefully Placed in his Service).  While I like the idea - I must say it is hard to find app decor for the classroom that is old enough for 5th grade but not too old. So, we will create our own things! This is what I worked on today. You can see - my dog decided to help me!

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Versatile Blogger

Next, I'd like to thank Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Thompson at NerdyNerdyNerdy for the Versatile Blogger Award! They have so many great ideas, so you better check them out so you can see them for yourself! You are suppose to nominate 15...I don't even know 15 new blogs. So for now, I can nominate 3. :)

Here are the rules for the Versatile Blogger Award:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you

2. Include a link to their blog

3. Include the award image in your post

4. Give 7 random facts about yourself

5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award (like I said, 3...)

6. When nominating, include a link to their blog

7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated

So...7 random facts about myself...

1.  I love cycling. (OK, if you know my, you know that's not really random!)

2.  I don't like bubbles or deep water -  ocean depth. Oh! Or pictures of glaciers!

3.  I love chocolate and coffee.

4.  I don't like cake, muffins, or cupcakes. No, I really don't.

5.  Styrofoam peanuts scare me.

6.  I use to collect elephants.

7.  I like to lick peanut butter off my toast. 

Blogs to nominate:

Wild About Words

The Hip Teacher

Grade 3 is the Place for Me

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Monday Made It!

This is my first attempt at a linky party for Monday Made It!  I get so inspired by not only Pinterest, but looking at ALL the other creative blogs out there. Oh my. I sit and wonder how these teachers get so creative!

This past week I decided to make a new desk pad. I bought an old antique desk that I am refinishing for my classroom. I've been busy sanding and sanding. Tomorrow I start painting. As I considered my desk, I knew that I didn't want to get a desk all bright and painted white, then mess it all up at school. So I knew it needed a desk pad. I didn't want to buy a black one and saw somewhere to make my own - so I did!

I don't have pictures of the process. But basically:

1. Purchase a mat board (I bought mine at Michael's)
2. Pick out paper
3. Purchase spray glue
4. I covered the mat board with brown wrapping paper. I used the spray glue to glue it to the mat board.
5. Spray glue scrapbook paper to the middle (or wherever you want it!)
6. I used wasabi tape for the final border.

Here's how it turned out!

If you are a new visitor, please follow my blog to the right! 

Thanks so much!

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Unleash Student Creativity!

I am spending a lot of the summer research web 2.0 sites to use in the classroom. There are so many possibilities! One site I have found that is fun is by Pixton . It creates easy to make cartoons and cartoon figures that move and are fully customizable. I made an avatar for fun to see if I can get it to look like me. I wasn't successful in showing my age - but that was okay with me! I like the younger version of me! As you can see, you can also use photo backgrounds...or a pixton created background. I imagine this would be a great tool for literacy, history, and science! 

 

Have you used Pixton? How have you used it?

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Blog Award

I was nominated by Randi at Teaching in an Organized Mess for the Liebster Blog Award. It is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers...and that is me! The rules for this award:

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you.

2. Post the award to your blog.

3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.

4. Let the other bloggers know they have won.

For the Liebster Blog Award I nominate:

Teaching 5th Grade in Pearls

Nerdy Nerdy Nerdy

Fifth Grade Dugout

Faithfully Fully Fifth Grade Teacher

Teaching to Inspire in 5th

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Starting Fresh

Today I met with my co-teacher to start to clean out our room. We got a lot cleaned out to start fresh for the new year. That's one thing that I love about a new year...it's fun to be able to start with a clean slate.  So, here are a few pics of my room as it is right now. You can see we have a lot of work ahead of us! <br>

We have been considering themes. We are thinking about an owl/wisdom theme. What are some other fun ideas you have?

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Free Behavior Form!

A few years ago I created this form and am sharing it with you for free! It is a way to reflect on behavior/actions. I hope you enjoy it! Please click this link to download.

Download HERE!

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We had parties every day!

Last year one of my former students spoke about me during his 5th grade graduation speech. He announced to everyone that we had parties in my class all the time. Ha ha. Really? I had quite a few people contact me and let me know that not only did everyone laugh, but that he was also quite serious about it. So I thought and thought until a co- teacher reminded me. We did have parties...almost every day and at any time!

We called them one second parties! Anytime we wanted to celebrate something in the room...an accomplishment, a birthday, spelling scores...anything...we would throw a one second party! I would count down...3...2...1..."woooooo!!!!" I told the kids it could last only 1 second. So yes, we did practice it! I guess they loved it because they would ask for a party for many accomplishments. And I usually said yes knowing it would only last a second and we could get back to work!

Yes, James, we had parties all the time. And I'm glad they are such a fond memory of yours! You brightened my day, too!

Visit Schoolgirl Style for real party / decorating ideas!        http://www.schoolgirlstyle.com

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Final Look Here!

Yea. I'm very excited to have a final look for my website! Thanks to Dreamlike Magic, I have a "sweet" new template. Can you please tell a friend to follow my blog? My goal is 100 followers within a month. That's a big goal - but if each person tells a few teacher friends, it will work! Then I will have my first giveaway! :)

Thanks!

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Final look coming!

I have spent so much time trying to get the right look for my blog. So, I have decided to go with Dreamlike Magic Blog Designs. I put my order in today and soon I shall have my new look! I am excited. :) hope its a keeper so that my blog will be recognizable and I won't be changing it all the time! Now... To begin my new desk project! Pictures soon!

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Another Giveaway

I don't know how these teachers do it. 100 followers, 500 followers, and more! Then, they have great giveaways to top it all off. Here is another fun giveaway by "The Teaching Bug".

I hope to win. Perhaps you will!  Please follow my blog and tell your friends so that I can have a fun giveaway, too! :)

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Corkboard Me

Corkboard Me

Have you tried Corkboard Me?  It's a wonderful tool for teachers. Corkboard Me is a free web tool that functions similarly to Lino.it and Wallwisher. Like these other tools, it allows users to post notes on a corkboard which can contain images, links, etc.  Give it a try!

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Giveaway!

EduKate and Inspire is a great blog and she is celebrating 100 followers! (if I can get 100 followers I will do the same!). She is having a wonderful giveaway. Visit her site for a chance to win and hook up with other great blogs!

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My Tradition...

I have a tradition that I have kept up...I don't even know how many years! I have a stool that I purchased one year that was wooden and had a black pad. So, I painted and covered the pad. Every year since, I have made it a tradition to repaint the stool and recover the pad! Let me say...it has layers and layers and layers!  Last week I kept up the tradition by repainting my stool again. This year I added a clip board as well just for fun. Here are the results:

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Faith based banner

Yes, banners are quite the decorating item these days. I decided to make a banner for my room and am sharing the banner on TPT. It has the words faith, joy, and love. Head on over to TPT to see the download!

Faith Based Banner : Faith, Joy, Love

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Huge Blog Giveaway!

Have you visited http://www.kleinspiration.com?  Let me say - she has a HUGE (huge) teacher give-a-way. So many things...if you know me, you know I like to try to win stuff and yes, I have entered!  Make sure you take a visit!

Also - praise...I have a new job for next year! I will be returning to Capital. Yea! I feel like I will be going home. I am very excited and am visiting Pinterest daily to get new ideas! So ready.

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