March is here, so bring on Spring!

So here I am linking up with Farley for her monthly Currently.  It's a fun one - and she just got a new blog design by the amazing Michelle at 3AM Teacher.
Soooo cute - you have to check it out!

It's been a little bit since I've had a chance to blog lately, but I can't say that I am feeling too guilty about that since my time has been very well spent this last month.  Keep reading to find out why!

I'm wrapped up in a blanket right now with our heat turned up high because my body is having the hardest time readjusting to these freezing temperatures.  I know I have no right complaining because I did just go on the most amazing vacation EVER, but I don't care.  It's frickin' freezing out there!  Every time I set foot outside I feel as though the wind is ripping off a layer of my sun-kissed skin and sucking out the Vitamin D I was so graciously allowing to fill me up a week ago.  But in all honesty, I really cannot complain.  We had such a great time and I am so thankful to have had the chance to spend that time with my family - all 12 of us!  So I thought I would take a moment to share some of the memories we made.  

Starting with the airport.    

This was the first time my 2 year old was on a plane the my 5 year old was only on one as a baby - so needless to say I was a wee bit nervous about the plane ride.  I started packing our carry-on suitcases a month before we left because I wanted everything to be JUST right.  It turned out great with only a few minor moments of boredom.

We arrived to the most beautiful weather in the Dominican Republic.  We were staying in this gorgeous villa with our own pool, which was perfecto for the kiddos (mine and my sister's two kids).  

We spent most of our time on this beach - Serenity Beach!  There were beds, hammocks, and Lazy Loungers or bean bags with giant pillows to lay on.  I don't know about you, but I have never been to a beach like that before and once I was there - I NEVER wanted to leave.  Plus, I think I'm a little spoiled and will only be able to lay on a bean bag on the beach from now on.  I'll be Googling Lazy Lounger after I'm done typing this post.  

A Brazilian Steakhouse family picture.  This was the second night there.  We were really great about getting the sunscreen on the kids --- not so great about ourselves.  Just little bit burned that night! 

Sweet cousins!!!

My nephew's birthday party.  What better place to celebrate a birthday than in paradise??

We love to take silly selfies =)

And more beach fun!

Check out our little Island Girl in her braids.

So can you see why I wish I was still there????  

By the way -- this was also the reason why I need more time for my to-do list.  But I personally think it's a pretty good reason.  

And if you're wondering what my last one is---134 Days--- Farley decided to keep the question open and you could guess what the question/topic was.  So put your guesses in the comments if you feel like playing and then head on over to check out the rest of the Currently's for the month of March.  

Thanks for checking in!  =)

Organizing Student Data

Today I'd like to share a teacher tip of how I organize my student data in my classroom.  

In the days of Common Core, RTI, APPR, and whatever else is out there that I'm forgetting, a teacher can go a little bonkers trying to keep track of everything and have the evidence needed to support student performance.  It can be exhausting and stressful just gathering all the data you need, but it can also be challenging finding a way to organize that data once it's collected.  This year I decided to keep an all-inclusive Student Data Binder.

To get started, I went to Office Max and got a large binder - mine is only 2 inches and I think I need to upgrade to a 3 inch binder.  I also got these numbered dividers.  In my classroom, I assign numbers to students from the first day of school and we use those numbers for a lot like our lunch choices and behavior chart.  The dividers come with this Table of Contents page, so I laminated that page and each year I will just tape in a copy of my student's names and numbers into it.  This way I can reuse it for as long as it will last.  

I have tried to include as much into this binder as I can so I have one place to go when I need information on a student.  One thing I keep in the binder is any and all parent communication (that is not in an email).    

I bought this 3-hole punched, plastic zipper pouch at Dollar Tree this summer and they are awesome.  They are very sturdy.  This one is in the front of my binder and I put any notes that parents send in throughout the year.  I keep them all!  The only ones I don't keep in this pouch would be excuses that go to the office.  I'm always surprised when I need to go back and look at a note, whether it's to grab a phone number or email that I can't find anywhere else or if I just need documentation of correspondence with parents- I am always happy that I keep them.  Under each student's tab I also put in the parent letters I have parents write to me in the beginning of the year about their expectations, goals, and concerns.  I also keep our parent conference notes and other notes I take when making phone calls.  This is so helpful during report cards to remind myself of what our goals are for each child and what I've already discussed with parents.  

I also keep each student's assessment data in my binder.  This includes running records and other testing documentation like AIMSWEB or informal assessments.  I also tend to write anecdotal notes on post-its during guided reading or math and then I can just stick them in the student's section so I don't lose them. 

I don't keep copies of the actual assessments in my binder because they take up way too much space.  I keep these in a crate with numbered file folders.  So in my binder I do keep any grading sheets that have the scores for these assessments on them, but the tests themselves get filed away.  (I don't have a picture of my grading sheets, but they are very basic).

The last thing I keep in my binder is behavior data.

 I use a card system in my room for behavior.  Each day I very quickly take some markers and document what color card each student was on.  I will often write a quick note as to why they were on a different color or again use a post-it and stick it in there.  I keep these so I can look back at trends, for report cards, and so I can share this with parents if I need to.  I allow students to earn a sticker when they are on green and then earn a reward when they get to 5 stickers.  It might seem like it would take a lot of time, but actually it is only about 2 minutes at the end of the day and it is SO important to reinforce the child's behavior for the day - especially the positive!

 So that's about it for my Student Data Binder.  It has really helped me stay organized this year.  I can grab it when I have conferences or if I need to bring a student up for intervention support.  Last week when I was finishing up my report cards for the quarter, I was so, so happy to be able to grab this binder and just get to it.

I hope you saw something that you could use in your own classroom.  If you are looking for more Bright Ideas, you should check out this Pinterest board by clicking on the picture below.  You will find tons of great blog posts filled with Bright Ideas for the classroom.  

Thanks so much for visiting.  I'd love to hear any other great ideas you might have on how you organize your student data.  

Math Facts and Computation

Dang it is coooooooooollllldddddd!  

This polar vortex is turning me into an agoraphobic (that's when you don't go outside, right?).  It almost seems like there's just no reason to even change out of my pajamas - ever.  But of course, for my family's sake, I do.  Plus, one of these days I will have to go back to work and not have snow cold days.  

So while I'm snuggled up on the couch with a blanket, a cup of coffee, and wearing my PJ's, I thought I'd share what we are doing in math lately.  

I love teaching math!  

But I also stress out about teaching math to my little firsties.  

Having taught 3rd and 4th grade for 10 years, I KNOW where these little kiddos will be going in the next couple years.  I had some students who struggled so much with math by the time they got to 3rd grade and it broke my heart to see how difficult it was for them.  I feel like it's now my job, as a first grade teacher, to be sure NONE of my students will struggle with math in 3rd grade or ever.  Obviously this is setting the bar pretty high, and is probably not possible.  I just think that the foundation of mathematical understanding and number sense is so so SO important and I need to be sure I am preparing my students for what is to come with common core and testing and life.  

So here we are, half way through the school year and I start to freak out a little bit.  I am assessing like crazy to be sure that the kids are where I feel that they need to be in order to reach the standards by the end of the year.  

We've been reviewing addition through 20 with two and three addends.  This is just one example of one of my Common Core Math Centers (Set 2).  

I have Super Sums centers all like this to go through sums of 20.  I expect this to be review for the kids at this point in the year, so if I see kiddos still struggling with these then that is a huge red flag for me.  

Rewind, reteach, and provide intervention!

Then we took a good amount of time talking about subtraction and how it is the same and different from addition. We made this anchor chart together and they cam up with just about everything on this chart on their own.  That was a good sign for me.  

*sigh of relief* 

It seemed like the class had a decent grasp of subtraction, which of course can be a more difficult concept.  We've practicing our subtraction with centers like Dazzling Differences.  I also have these through 20 and we use and reuse these different center all the time.  

I've been doing a guided math approach this year so these centers have been part of our rotation while I work with small groups of students.  I don't think I will ever teach math a different way.  It is so helpful for me to keep track of my students' progress and so great to have students really focus on what we're learning.  We are now moving into more difficult concepts like missing addends and true/false equations.  

Here is a quick example of what we were doing in my small group to help practice missing addends.  We draw the model to represent the parts and the whole.  Then I have students count how many they have and count up to find the missing addend.  Nothing fancy, but it does the trick.

Here is another extremely basic (not very pretty) way we practiced true and false equations in small groups.  This is just a white board and post-its.  I tried to throw in all different types of equations here.  Some of the equations I used in this example (since the picture isn't the best) are:

7 = 5 + 2  (answer first)

2 + 3 + 1 = 6 (3 addends)

10 = 10 (not sure what this is called, but it always tricks them)

2 + 3 = 4 + 1  (balanced equations)

and there is one with a visual representation and two equal signs 

7 = ******* = 5 + 2

This is just one center that can be used to practice one part of this.   

I am in the process of making another set of Common Core Math Centers that would include true/false equations.  If you are interested in these centers (there are tons more in this pack including a bunch that review place value), click on the cover below.  

I've also been on the hunt for a good system for achieving math fact fluency and I think I've found it!!!  

Click on the picture below to go to a post by Julie at First Grade Critter Cafe.  She wrote a great post explaining Bubble Gum Math (a product by Fluttering through First Grade).  It is suuuuuper cute and I think kids would love this!  That's right - I said it - they would love taking timed tests and learning their math facts.  Genius!

I can't wait to try this out in my room.  

Finally, just a few shout outs . . .

A Burst of First is having an awesome giveaway.  

You can win my Valentine's Day pack among many other awesome prizes.  Check it out!!

Also, did you hear that the Winter Olympics are this year???  

Well, my friend Molly at Lucky to be in First has made this ridiculously awesome pack of math and literacy games to tie into it.  You have GOT TO check this one out.  

And last but not least ----- a bunch of blogging buddies and I have started a new collaborative Facebook page called Firstie Friends.  We would love if you would follow us.  There are over 80 different first grade teachers working together on this one so you are sure to get tons of great ideas, freebies, and more! 

Animals in Winter

It's 10:30 am on a Wednesday and I'm sitting at home on my couch listening to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the background.  Why, you ask?  We have a snow day today.  Actually, it's a COLD day because of the -20˚ wind chill outside.  It's funny because the weather is actually beautiful - well, at least from my view from the couch.  There's blue skies and sunshine.  I can hear the sound of birds in the air my furnace on overload.  Ok, so maybe I'll continue enjoying the view from INSIDE my nice, warm house.  It almost makes me wish I had a sunroom or morning room so I could pretend it was warmer outside by letting the sun pour in through the windows.  I'll have to add sunroom to my long list of "Things to find on Pinterest that will probably never happen". 

So, because today is a snow day I thought it was a good time to show you what I've been working on (for longer than I'd like to admit).  Winter is in the air -- well for me at least.  So here is a glimpse into my new Animals in Winter non-fiction unit.  I'm kinda in love with it right now.  I just finished it the other day and then had a quick giveaway on my Facebook page and a little sale the day after.  What's that?  You don't follow me on Facebook or get a notice from TpT when I post new products.  I hope you'll fix that problem and head over to those places so you can be in the know next time.  =)

 First up in this unit is an Informational Mini-Book for shared reading.  There is a color copy for you to use as the teacher and a black and white copy to make for students to have their own.  I packed in a ton of important information in this book so your kiddos will be learning a lot.  Good time for an impromptu observation by your principal.  

Speaking of being observed. . . I'm sure your principals like to see the Common Core standards in action. So I included a bunch of practice to hit those reading for information standards.  You're welcome!

Included in those standards is learning new vocabulary, so that's in there too.  There's pieces to use when teaching the vocabulary and then a student book to fill in.  

Next up - writing.

There's papers for your students to write about what they learned and make their own book.  There's also templates for a class book about what kind of animal your kids would want to be in the winter and why.  

I also wrote a little fact filled song called Winter's Here.  

Finally, I included some center activities and printables to complete this thematic unit.   

Did I mention I can't wait to use this unit in the next couple weeks?  Sorry to keep bringing it up, but like I said, winter is all around us here and we might as well have some fun with it.  Even if you are not in the middle of a polar vortex in your neck of the woods, I hope you will find this a useful unit too.  Click on the cover below to check it out on TpT.  

And because I don't want to punish you for not following me on Facebook or TpT and I DO want to thank you for visiting my little blog --- I will do a Pin it to Win it giveaway for those of you who keep coming back to visit me here.  I truly am so thankful for your time and support!!

So go ahead and pin any image from this post and then leave me a comment with the pin URL and your email.  And because I LOVE reading your comments - let me know what winter is like where you live right now: Are you freezing in the vortex or wondering what this polar vortex thing is?  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Getting ahead (only a little)

First things first - there were two winners in the Pin it to Win it giveaway.  My girls picked #1 and #11 - so those two pinners will win what they pinned!  Check your emails ladies =)

I also just wanted to let you know that I am actually one month ahead on my Powerful Prompts and have finished February.  

These task cards are what I use in my weekly writing center.  I love having this center consistent each week and being able to give students more time during our day to write.  They have monthly writing journals that they use for this center and can also free write in throughout the month.  There is a file folder word wall for each month and some extra thematic ones in some months.  These portable word walls stay at the center all year long so they can refer back to them if they need to.  I also have cut and paste writing prompts that match the task cards.  This helps keep the kids on topic and helps me and the parents see what they were "supposed" to be writing about.  This is especially helpful when you have a hard time deciphering what your struggling writers were trying to write about.  

So for those of you who have contacted me to see when these are done each month, I worked extra hard just for you =)  I know how important it is to be able to plan ahead.  Hopefully I will now be able to stay a month ahead.  Thanks for your interest and kind feedback.  

Now I'm off to take down my Christmas decorations.  I would've earlier this week but I had the flu and was unable to move for 3 days.  Ugh!  Not what I wanted on my nice break, but at least I didn't have to write sub plans for missing school.  

New Year's Resolutions

Some say that resolutions are made to be broken.  I look at them as a way to take some time to assess where you are in life, where you want to be, reevaluate your priorities, and appreciate all that you have.    I am not a person who makes resolutions and gets mad or depressed when they don't work out.  I try to stick with attainable goals or at least goals that will make me a better person in the long run.  

For this post, I'm linking up with First Grade Nest to share these New Year's Resolutions.  Hop on over to Jessica's adorable blog and check out some other favorite bloggers' resolutions.  You might find one that inspires you.

Without further ado, here are my resolutions (more details below):

Drink more water

This is pretty self-explanatory.  I never drink enough water.  I want to live a healthier lifestyle in general and drinking more water is one small part of that.  I've read that drinking a glass of water right when you wake up in the morning is great to jumpstart your body for the day.  I also plan to drink a glass of water before eating - both meals and when I feel like snacking.  Although I do plan on eating healthier, I do not plan on following any sort of diet.  Some small things I plan to do to help with this are: buy fresh fruits and veggies 2 times a week so they are really fresh, eat more homemade soup and salad for meals (I've been pinning recipes like a crazy woman lately to help with this one),  pre-package healthy snacks for grab-and-go, and of course drink more water!

Exercise

 I know, I know!  This is EVERYONE'S new year's resolution.  But I'm just keeping it simple.  I'm not saying how often.  I'm not setting any specific goals just yet.  I just want to find more time to exercise.  I want my treadmill to feel less lonely.  I want to listen to my workout mix on my iPod.  I want an excuse to buy some cute workout clothes.  I will exercise!  I don't know how much or how often - but it will happen.  To help me with this resolution I've downloaded the My Fitness Pal app.  I've started following some people on Instagram for inspiration.  I will, of course, start finding some pinspiration as well.   

Organize my life

 This one sounds little over the top, but I just want to find more ways to be organized in every aspect of my life.  Unfortunately I can't really spend the money to buy all the super cute containers, boxes, bins, shelves, etc. that I really want - so I have to get creative.  Again, I'm relying on Pinterest for help.  I started a new board, Organize This.  Pinterest is filled with organizational tips, so I'm looking to put some of them in action.  This past year I created some binders for our home: one for all our bills and one for all of our important papers like birth certificates, marriage license, etc.  This has helped tremendously.  For next year, I want to find a way to organize incoming papers (mail, school papers) that works for me.  There are so many ideas out there, but I will need to find something that works with our daily living.  I also want to organize better when it comes to grocery shopping: lists, coupons, menu planning.  

Blog once a week

 This will be a tough one for me, especially since I am finding less people are checking my blog and more people are finding me on my Facebook page.  It seems as though people are not commenting on blog posts as much as before, myself included.  So therefore, I will also add to this resolution to comment myself at least once a week on another blog.  I want and need to spread the love a little too!  

Appreciate more

This is a good reminder for all of us.  Each one of us has so many things to be thankful for.  When I'm stressed it is so easy to get short with the people I love.  I want to spend more time telling them all the things I appreciate about them.  I want to take a step back from whatever is stressing me and recognize the positives and not dwell on the negatives.  Do I need to point out to my husband when he leaves the milk on the counter, or could I just put it away and not say anything?  Should I sigh when my daughter wants just one more book at bedtime because I have school work to do, or could I think about how wonderful it is that she wants more time with me?  This past year has been difficult in many ways and reminds me how precious our time is with the ones we love.  I want to know that I didn't take that time for granted and I tried to show them that I appreciate them.  

Happy New Year everyone!  

I'm honored that you took the time to read my little blog.  

I appreciate you all!

Can you say random? (and Freebies)

Oh, I wonder if there is anyone even out there reading this little blog anymore.  I wouldn't blame you if you weren't, since I have been so bad about keeping up with it.  I will say I've been a little better at giving updates about my classroom using Instagram.  So if you use Instagram and like to see little bits and pieces here or there, I'd love if you'd follow me on that journey.   

I am also hoping to find a little more time to spend on Facebook so you can check me out there as well.  Speaking of Facebook, I just finished my first Facebook Freebie Hop with a bunch of other amazing first grade teachers and it was awesome!  I have to say I was truly amazed and honored at the response that we got from the freebie hop.  It's one of the reasons that I want to spend more time on my Facebook page because it seems like an easy way to check in each day.  

What's that?  You missed it?  

Well . . . because of the overwhelming response - I've decided to put my freebie on here as a thank you to anyone who is still stopping by to see what's going on in my world or even to those of you who have just stopped by for a visit.  I hope you are able to find a use for it.  I will link it up at the bottom of this post.  This freebie will only be free for a little while and then it will be for sale in my TpT store.  Get it while you can.  

Just a quick recap about Thanksgiving because I updated my Turkeys on Strike activity from last year.  First we read The Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey.  Suuuuuper cute book!  Then we worked on these Turkeys on Strike.  The kids had to use a little persuasion to get people to choose something else to eat on Thanksgiving instead of turkeys.  We had so much fun with these little guys!

Click on the picture to get the sign and writing papers if you can use them next year. 

Moving right along to Christmas, because don't you feel like the absolute second that Thanksgiving was over this year it was time for Christmas.  Actually, it almost seemed like Thanksgiving was an afterthought, which is too bad because it really is a great holiday focused on family and not just presents.  

So, right after Thanksgiving we started our Gingerbread week.  Check out this post from last year to get some ideas.  Here is a quick little craft we did using the book, The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup. Another adorable book!  

This really isn't anything big, but the kids were SOOOO excited to make a Gingerbread pirate.  I am thinking I need to tap into this topic of motivation and make a little pirate unit this year.  Add it to the to-do list!  

In case you're looking for a quick and easy craft, here's what we did.  We used those foam cut-outs (I think from JoAnn's or Michael's), glitter glue (which I got on sale on Black Friday), and sharpies.  They could choose to make a hat or sword out of construction paper if they wanted, and most of them wanted to.  Then I had them write a quick little blurb about the book as a reading response (not pictured).  

This upcoming week we are doing Reindeer and Elves.  Here is some Pinspiration I will be using to make this a fun-filled week. 

 Don't you just love those cookies?  I don't think I will be able to pull off the ornament/decoration this year but they are really adorable.  We will, however, be studying reindeer using my Reindeer Unit and going to Elf school using my Elf Elementary pack.  Definitely check out Instagram to see some how these fun ideas turn out.  Learning about reindeer is always a class favorite (right after pirates I guess).   

And finally, here is the freebie that I mentioned earlier in this post.  This includes a fact family math center and craftivity.  I hope you like it!  

***This freebie has expired and is now for sale***

Sorry for my randomness lately, but don't say I didn't warn you with the title of this post.  

I'd love to hear from you and what you are doing as we get closer to Christmas -- Gingerbread, Reindeer, Elves, crafts, etc.  Got any Pinterest ideas to share.  I just love Pinterest =) 

Thanks so much for stopping by!