Blog Nomination

I received an e-mail today saying that my blog was nominated for Really Good Stuff's Classroom Blog Contest.  This is super exciting!  I am very surprised and honored! Thank you! There are some amazing blogs up for nomination, and there are many on the list who deserve to win.  Voting begins July 1st!

Winner!

Easy Giveaway Reminder

My giveaway ends tonight! All  you have to do is leave a comment that you're a follower (on the original post - not this post)!!!  Yes, it's that simple.  You could  win a  FREE copy of "The Book Whisperer"!

Vote - RtI Training

I've spent the last two days in a training learning how to implement RtI in my school. This is new to our county and I am wondering if any of my blogger friends are required to use RtI in their school. I would also love to hear any feedback you have!  Just leave a comment.  Now, help a girl out and vote!

Does your school use RtI?
	Yes
	NO
pollcode.com free polls

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!

Oh Happy Day Blogger Friends!!!  I'm having a GIVEAWAY to celebrate my blog success of 105 followers!  I missed 100 so why not celebrate 105?!? 

This is going to be an easy one! 

~All you have to do is follow me and leave a comment on this post saying that you are a current follower or a new follower! 

The winner will receive a copy of the book "The Book Whisperer".
The WINNER will be announced Tuesday, June 28.

Good luck & may the best blogger win :) 

Candy Rewards

I went to a graduation party this weekend and they had a "candy bar"!  How cute is that?  I wasn't able to snap a picture before the kids and adults attacked the table (literally), but I did find this one online...

(source)

So it got me thinking...in my classroom I use Tootsie Rolls and Skittles for small rewards.  I call Skittles "Smart Skittles" and Tootsie Rolls "Thankful Tootsies".  I give one Smart Skittle out randomly during the day for answers to tough questions and just generally smart observations.  I give "Thankful Tootsies" out for students who do thoughtful things for other students when they think nobody is looking (if someone picks up another student's pencil,  helps them tie their shoe, says excuse me etc).  

After seeing all the fun colorful candy at the candy bar I started thinking about what other catchy reward phrases similar to the above that I could use.  Other candies that I thought would work well would be M&M's, Dots, Mike & Ike's, and Lemon Heads.
So, do any of my fabulous blogger friends have any ideas?  What are you using in your classroom?

Writing...help

My summer has officially begun! Woohoooo!  Today is the first full day!  On another exciting note, I see that I now have 98 followers!  Of course this is cause for celebration and what better way to celebrate than with a giveaway! Stay tuned for giveaway details!

For now though, I need some advice.   As I sprung out of bed this morning, I started thinking about writing for next year.  This is where you come in...

I would love hear what you use in your classroom for writing instruction.  The program/structure to follow has always been a challenge at my school and I would love to know what other first grade classrooms are using!  Thank you!

From the mouths of babes!

While explaining to the class how we were going to move all the tables and chairs into one corner of our room for the end of the year...

Sara: "Ms. Fleming, how are you going to make them all fit into the corner?"

Me (teasing) : "Well, I have a whole bag of tricks that you guys don't know anything about!"

Jose from across the room reading a book says: "Hey! I have one of those too!"

Me:  Jose - What do you have?

Jose:  "A bag of tricks! - I use them for my Bayblades!"

Too cute! I am sure going to miss these moments with my kiddos!

Summer Reading

I received this book yesterday from an end of the year party and so far it's amazing.  The author is a real live teacher and she isn't sugar coating the day to day realities!  I am a few chapters in and have laughed out loud a lot :) She is very real and very sarcastic.  If you have a sarcastic sense of humor I think this would  be an enjoyable book for you! 

Available HERE