Gumballs, Water Balloons & Math

Thanks for all the love on my new blog look! I'm still so pumped about it. I know it's a little loud but I love it.  The colors make me happy.  Actually color in general just makes me happy :)

This is how I track who passed each week.
(don't judge my lack of bling - putting a shiny handle on this thing has been on  my to-do list since fall)

So I have 26 little ones that I got all riled up today about hibernation and groundhogs. We are "on the edge of our seats" waiting for Phil to tell us if winter is over.  Why are we so excited for winter to be over?  

Well, I have added a new incentive to my classroom this week because I'm crazy dedicated to student learning. Each week it's a really BIG deal for us to take our "Gumball Math Fact Test” you can get your copy from Made  for 1st  Grade.   In addition to whatever topic we are on in math, each Monday I make fact flash cards for each student and thus begins their week of independent studying.  They have finally begun to realize that their success depends on how much time they put into studying their cards.  I allow a little time each day for practicing in class and they are allowed to take their cards to and from school and we often partner off and quiz each other. 

The tests are taken in order (+1,-1, +2,-2, +3,-3…).  Each time a student passes, they get a real gumball (this is a huge deal!) and they move up to the next test to begin studying again. Thankfully, students are beginning to move up in their levels but I’ve noticed them getting stuck on the same test for longer.  Thanks to a fellow co-worker who mentioned doing this with her class years ago, I decided I would try it. 

I know I just need to spit it out already!

I have added that for each test that each child passes, at our end of the year cookout, I will let the kids throw that many water balloons at ME.  Yep. I’m just going to stand there and take it.  Needless to say, they are beyond excited about this new incentive.

A few questions…

Do you do timed tests in your class and if yes, how many questions and how much time?

What crazy incentive have you offered your class to reach a goal? 

New blog design - please come see!

If you're reading this then you've seen it!!!!

What do you think? Please leave me a comment telling me. It will make my week & probably Diana's since she's worked so hard  for me. 

This has been such a fun process that I've shared with  Diana from Custom Blog Designs.

She worked so closely with me and was sooo very understanding of my needs, wants and craziness.  This seriously talented Blog Designer is amazing and I encourage you to contact her and update your look! 

THANK YOU DIANA!!! 

Bright Smiles :)

February is such a busy fun time to be a teacher! There is so much going on.  I think every teacher can relate to this time of year. 

To help ya'll out (and ourselves of course) Jessica from Tales of a Teacherista and I have teamed up again to bring you this Dental Health mega unit!!!  

Click {HERE} to go check it out in my TPT store!

If you missed our Groundhog Day & Hibernation Unit, head over to Jessica's TPT store and check it out! 

THANK YOU to all of my new followers.  I hope that you are enjoying your Hibernation & Groundhog Freebie! I appreciate each and every one of you. 

No Snow? No Problem.

No snow? No problem.

I’m just sitting here in North Carolina while my students stare at me like I have 3 heads.  I keep teaching and talking about snow…but do we have any snow? Nope.  Nada.

Of course, that means it’s time to get creative.  What better way to get into a snowy mood than with a SNOWBALL FIGHT!? 

It’s super easy and is a perfect activity when you have that awkward 5 minutes in your day that you need to fill.  You know those few minutes in between which really are not enough time for anything.

You will need a small scrap piece of paper for each student and each student will need a textbook.  I usually use the basal so everyone is familiar with the story/words. 

Tell students to look in their story/book and to write 1 word on their paper that they don’t know.  When they’re done and staring at you for their next direction, have them hold their paper up then crumple it up into a SNOWBALL! After the initial shock and excitement, let them throw it at YOU.

I know you’re wondering where the educational aspect is in all of this…well, after all the snowballs have been thrown, each student finds one,  opens it and reads it out loud.  You can repeat this for as many times as you have time for.  Depending on how much time we have, I will have students write one sentence instead of one word. 

Here’s the tricky part J No matter what, you will always be 1 snowball short.  Somehow, someway one snowball will be thrown never to be found again L I try to make 1 or 2 of my own and throw them in to limit the devastation for that one child who is snowball-less  when it’s time to collect them (look at me making  up my own word -give me a blog and watch out!). 

You can check out this mess in action below-

Disclaimer: this picture is blurry and will ALWAYS be blurry when taken by a 6 year old J

This is me protecting myself  as snowballs are thrown with all their might tossed at me.

Hibernation, Groundhog's Day and a Freebie!

Say "HELLO" and maybe even "GOODBYE" to winter with this HUGE Hibernation and Groundhog Day unit!

I've teamed up with Jessica from Tales of a Teacherista to create this mega unit.  Head over to Jessica's TPT store and check it out.

We're not done yet though...if you would like a 10 page freebie not included in the unit, here's what you can do:

1) Follow my blog and  leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address so I can send it to you 

2) If you already follow my blog, then head over and follow my TPT store and leave a comment on  this post with your e-mail address and I will send it to you

Randi's TPT Store

Jessica's TPT Store

Head over and follow Jessica's blog if you don't already, it's a blog you won't want to miss!

Check these ladies out!

Teaching First is celebrating 200 followers with a huge giveaway.  Go HERE to enter this mega giveaway.  Great work ladies!  

You can check out all the fabulous bloggers that she has teamed up with  below! 

Ms. Preppy 

Sassy in Second

Rowdy in First Grade

Loving & Learning in pre-k

TPT Sale!

I decided to put EVERYTHING in my Teachers Pay Teachers store on sale Sunday, January 15 & Monday January 16.  I want to do this as a "THANK YOU" to my followers for their support and all the kind words and e-mails! Enjoy!

Clipboards, Highlighters & Dice~Oh My!

This is my newest unit posted to my TPT store ~ You can check it out HERE.  

As I post this unit I feel so anxious just thinking about it.  I'm going to have my hands full for the next 4-8 weeks! My (dear, amazing, awesome, wonderful, sweet, kind and loving) full time classroom assistant is going to be out until an unknown date :( 

I have 26 little ones....1:26 just doesn't seem fair...so yes, Clipboards, Highlighters & Dice~Oh My!

I pray for her speedy recovery.  The good news is, she will be coming back to us..... I do mean this with my whole heart.  However, we are sure going to miss her.  She is the reason our procedures and routines run so smoothly.  She is rockin' out behind the scenes so that I can actually teach my children which is where my heart is.  When she's not doing that she's helping the children and they adore her.  For real ya'll she's amazing.

I know how lucky I am to even have a full time assistant so I plan to just grin and bear it.  In the meantime though I created this unit to help me function.  It's full of activities using clipboards, highlighters and  dice.  It's been my experience that given one of the above mentioned items and a task, my students are UNSTOPPABLE! I really can't handle giving "busy work" out and this is not that.  These are independent activities that will keep them engaged in their given task and I'm hoping quiet too! I have a chatty chatty bunch this year. I'm pretty sure this packet is what I will turn to time and time again for independent work and literacy stations.  

I would love to hear about your class sizes and if you have any other adult help in  your classrooms...plus I heart comments.  

Owl Love You Forever

Get a jump start on February! You can check out "Owl Love You Forever" ~HERE~

How adorable are these owls right?

CLICK HERE

Do you play the teacher card?

Do you play the teacher card? 

You know what I'm talking about, it's the one that gets people talking and often gets us FREEBIES! When I first started teaching, I didn't realize how powerful this card could be. Quickly, this began to change.  

At first, I would happen to mention at retail places that I was a teacher that's why I buy things in quantities of 25.  What I noticed was many people would immediately loosen up and start talking to me.  Let me stop here and explain something...

I am from up north (Ohio).  I have lived in NC now for almost 8 years.  Let me just say, my personality, can be somewhat too much for people.   I move fast, I talk fast and I'm always in a rush to move on to my next task.  This I feel is an admirable trait.  I also happen to get through life on sarcasm which may or may not be an admirable trait...moving on...

I've found though, that sometimes I just end up confusing people.  So, after 8 years, I think I've found a small talk happy medium.  The teacher card though can get anyone talking.  There are a few things that people say that come up again and again

• People tell me they could never do what I do  
• People tell me horror stories about current teachers of their children and how wrong that teacher is and what do I think? Um...awkward 
• Of course I get the "you have 3 months off so whatever your worried about now doesn't matter" ~ that usually ends that conversation  :) 
• The best reaction though is people who will go out of their way to help simply because I teach

I have received free carpets, limitless paint stir sticks from paint counters, free recyclable bags, free glue, free paper, crayons, countless "extra" discounts, free painting services and so much more over the years.  

It always warms my heart to see how my profession touches not only children, but adults as well.  To me, it means that at some time, somewhere a teacher made a difference to them.  I hope I can be that teacher to some of my students.  

So, thank you for all of you who go out of your way to help a teacher out!  

Now teachers, when and where do you play the teacher card?