A look ahead

I saw a this great linky party Michelle is hosting over at Making It As a Middle School Teacher and I knew I had to join! I love setting goals and making lists (I need to remember to actually look at those lists) so I had fun looking ahead. 

click on the picture to enlarge. Font: Hello Sassy

I love to read and ever since I got my Nook this past spring I have been reading more than ever. I love anything by Nicholas Sparks, I guess that is the hopeless romantic in me. Ever since reading Hunger Games I have enjoyed reading other dystopian books as well. I am looking forward to the third book in the Divergent series as well as reading the "Uglies" series. 50 Shades opened my eyes to another new genre too... blush.

I could explain all my answer choices but I think I would bore you to death so I will spare you the details! 

I can't wait to read what everyone else has planned for 2013. If you want to link up, head on over to Michelle's blog by clicking the button above. She has the template all ready for you so it is super easy and fun to link up. Happy New Year!!

Subtraction with Regrouping - speed practice!

This post is a little late but I really wanted to share it with you! After teaching one of my least favorite, the most difficult skills - subtraction with regrouping, I found a really fun way to practice the skill. Behold, 3-digit Subtraction Borrowing Powerpoint Game by Christi from Ms. Fultz Corner - (click here to see it in her store)

Each student gets a dry erase board (or you can just use their desktop), a dry erase marker, a sock or tissue to erase with and then you start the powerpoint. Christi has set all the timing up for you so it is super easy to use. I just start the slide show and the kids get busy. When the chime sounds, students know to look up and check their answers.

                    They copy the problem onto their board, solve, and wait for the countdown to begin!

                           Loud clapping and cheering ensue and the next problem appears. Repeat fun!

Here are my three "this product is Ah-mazing" moments.

1. My kids, the same ones who take for.ev.er. to solve problems in their math journals, were racing to write and solve the problems in order to beat the clock. Seriously.

2. Because everything was already typed out - including the answer to each problem, I was TOTALLY free to walk around the room and watch/reteach as they were working. Behavior was a non issue because it was too fast paced to be off task and they were having fun. It was wonderful to go stand over the shoulder of certain friends and watch them work so I could see exactly where things were going wrong and reteach right then. Super powerful.

3. Kids begged (what??) me to practice more problems. sigh, I am in love.

**tip** they kids enjoyed this so much that I decided to make several versions. I just used Christi's original template and changed the numbers/answers and saved as subtraction with regrouping 1, 2, 3, etc... so I have lots of problems to choose from when we get a little extra time. I plan to do the same thing for multiplication in the 3rd quarter and even going back to create some for addition with regrouping for next year or as review. 

Please head on over and check out Ms. Fultz blog for lots of other great ideas!

12 in '12 Linky

I am linking up to share my 12 in '12 

Favorite movie you watched: This year it had to be Hunger Games. I LOVED reading this series and even convinced my non reading husband to read them. Guess what? He read all 3 books in about 5 days! Guess he liked them too :) It was fun to go see the movie together!

Favorite TV series: Have I mentioned I am an adult stuck in a 13-year olds mind? I love Vampire Diaries. All sorts of drama with some serious eye candy. Yum.

Favorite restaurant: Melting Pot. You can't go wrong with melted cheese or melted chocolate. mmmmm mouth watering deliciousness. 

Favorite new thing you tried: creating items for my classroom! I continue to learn so much about creating school things and I love that is allows me to be "crafty" while making useful products.  Here is my best seller - multiplication bump and scoot.

 Favorite gift you got: My Nook~ I love to read but hardly ever would want to go to the store and spend money on books. I never knew what to do with them when I was finished b/c I can't stand having clutter. I have been reading SO much more and reading different genres because it is so simple!

Favorite thing you pinned: like everyone else I have WAY too many pins to pick one favorite but when I saw this one I literally laughed out loud. I can totally relate. I am pretty crafty (if I do say so myself) but lots of the time I feel like this after a project!

 Favorite blog post: I am still very new at this and this one did not get the most "traffic" but I worked really hard to create a product for one of my favorite teaching ideas. My kids LOVE being the traveling scientist and I love seeing what they learn at home with their family. 

blog post here

Best accomplishment: 

Not really sure about this one. I guess I would have to say I am proud of being the kind of person who can roll with the punches and make the most of each situation (there may be some internal complaining) I went from having an awesome teaching partner and teaching 3rd grade math/science, to being a kindergarten teacher, to being a 3rd grade self-contained teacher in about 1 week. Stressful. Challenging. But I am doing it with a smile on my face (most days) !

 Favorite picture: Too many to choose from! Here is a family picture we took this month

Favorite memory: Again, there are too many to pick from! I enjoy all the time spent with family and there are lots of wonderful memories around those times. Especially time spent with the grandparents - I really value that time. Growing up, I was with my grandparents all the time and it makes me sad our kids live so far away from theirs. So when we do get together, it is very special. Here are some pictures from an animal safari we went on this summer with the grandparents. 

Goal for 2013:
Be more organized at school and home, start using data binders with my class and the ever popular, exercise more!

 One Little Word: breathe

Sometimes, when school gets crazy and my house is a mess and my kids are driving my nuts, I need to remember to just breathe. In light of the Sandy Hook tragedy, I need to keep things in perspective and realize that I am beyond blessed even when my house is a mess and the kids are "perfect"

I wish you and your family peace and joy and a happy, healthy new year.  

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Want to win a Nook HD??

Have you heard about the mac daddy of all giveaways??  Head on over to Tips for Top Teachers and enter to win a Nook Color HD and LOTS of teacher goodies!!!! I am so excited to be a part of this amazing blog. You should go check it out and enter right now! Don't worry, I'll still be here when you get back :)

Good luck

Currently and Multiplication Bump

I love reading everyone's currently each month and this month is no different. Farley asked us to commit to a Random Act of Kindness (RAK) and I think that is a fabulous idea. I mean, who doesn't love doing something nice for others?

Taylor Swift, am I secretly a 12 -year old girl? I can't help it, I just LOVE her songs!!

Okay, I normally read only in the summer but for whatever reason, I downloaded a free book from Barnes and Noble called Bonded. Well, surprise, surprise, it was really good (not in a Shakespeare kind of way, in a cross between Twilight and 50 Shades way. Wink, wink.)

After reading this one, I read The Mating, then The Keeping, and I just started The Finding. Seriously addicted!

BIG stack of paper starring at me from my teacher bag.... progress report grades are due Friday so I better get on it :(

Wanting to finish one thing without adding 3 more... you can totally relate, right??

Needing to get my happy butt off the couch/computer and start walking. I am up 15 pounds from last Christmas. YIKES. I am not happy with my tight clothes and I refuse. REFUSE to buy more in bigger sizes. 

RAK. I am loving reading all the ideas out there. Since Farley said it need to be random, I picked the first thing that popped into my head. Buying Sonic drinks (because my school puffy heart loves Sonic drinks) for all the amazing women in our front office. I am so blessed to work at a campus where everyone gets along and respects one another. My front office sets the tone of the whole school and they go above and beyond for us everyday. They are like family and I want to spoil them this week as a mini thank you for all they do.

Both signs are VERY true so I think I will print and frame to add to our front office decor! To get your own CUTE posters, head on over to Sweet Blessings, ALL her work is ah-dorable!

If you are still here, I wanted to quickly share with you my latest TpT item. We are getting ready to start multiplication and my kids have been loving bump and scoot this year. Check out my winter themed multiplication bump and scoot pack!

What RAK will you commit to?

Winter Holiday Tips!!

I am so excited about this Winter Holiday Book you can get from TpT! It has over 50 pages of freebies from top bloggers along with teaching tips for the holiday season! Click on the picture above to snag your copy! Many thanks to the super talented Rachel Lynette from Minds in Bloom for putting it all together! I even have a page included in this year's book  - how cool is that??

my page!

This book is specifically for grades 3 -6
but you can click here for the Pre K - K book,
or here for the 1st-2nd book!

Happy Holidays :)

My place value freebie from the Winter Holiday Book