5 for Friday!

I want to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching's linky party... so, 5 random things about this week... you might have seen some of the pictures earlier on.  :)
1.  We've been working on fractions - ordering, comparing, identifying, and making fraction penguins...so we made a heart to order the fractions... and this has been blue taped up on the outside of my portable all week.  I just remembered I didn't take it down before I left today - whoops!
2.  We've been celebrating Chinese New Year by making lanterns and felt fortune cookies.

not my picture - found an example of it on Google docs....

3.  Today was report card day - a minimum day that we get the afternoon to get stuff done - and for the first time EVER I finished them in the allotted time.  I will probably go back and tweak something next week, but they could be ready to print!  Anyhow - just proud of myself. :)
4.  Random date night tonight with the hubby... Top Gun in the IMAX theatre in 3D.  We probably haven't seen this in over 20 years yet it all came flooding back.5.  Last thing - proud mommy moment... two of my boys had some major art projects going on... My youngest created his first daycare handprint art, and my oldest turned in his shoebox book report today - complete with lego toilets for his Captain Underpants book...I really don't get why he enjoys that series... must be a boy thing!  Hope you had a great week!  So many ideas are buzzing around in my head to create this weekend - stay tuned!

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Wordless Wednesday

Maybe not too wordless...

Here are 2 things we did today.

We compared fractions by first finding 99 fractions scattered throughout the room and then putting them in order onto a huge heart. It was supposed to be 100 fractions but one went missing.

Then my art mom came in and made lanterns with the kids to celebrate Chinese New Year. We are going to help our reading buddies make them tomorrow.

That's it for today. Ready for a nap... Thank goodness the crockpot made dinner tonight!

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Discipline, Read Alouds, and Fraction Penguins!

It's been this kind of day.  I love my class, I love my class... 

I am just so tired of being tired.

I'm tired of discipling.  I know it's important and I'm not going to be stopping anytime soon, I have the other students in the class to think about - their well being, learning needs, etc... and my own sanity to deal with in addition to the behavior. I think I need to bring out this book again...

We need to revisit it!

My voice is almost gone after today.  Maybe I should blame it on the wind... or yard duty... I don't think I was talking anymore than normal.  I better not be getting sick again! 

This Friday is the end of the trimester - can't believe the longest trimester of the year is coming to a close.  We are busy retaking district math assessments, celebrating Chinese New Year, starting our Survival unit for Reading, and finishing up the read aloud of From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

Today in Social Studies we reached the point in history that discusses the Gold Rush.  The kids are excited about learning about it.  I'm excited to have them get started working on their mining journal.  I'll share more about it later - but it's a fun book that they create.

This is Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher's picture - mine looks like it, but of course I forgot to take a picture...
Click to head to her blog for directions.  She has templates.
 

This week we also have started fractions.  Not just reading fractions, but identifying equivalent fractions, finding simplest form, comparing fractions, etc...  Yesterday my class made Fraction Penguins to begin the unit.  Usually I'm all about creating a pizza, but I just didn't feel like pizza...Hope you had a great day! 

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What I Bought and Monday Made It February

Here's some of what I bought yesterday (:  
I say some because taking screen shots of them wasn't working on some of it...
If interested, just click the pictures and it will take you to the different TPT stores.  

4th Grade Frolics Literature Love Conversations - 16 different prompts to get kids thinking...

 Miss Britnee - My kiddos are having a hard time with the difference between similes and metaphors - this has sorts, examples, writing all in one package.  

 Miss Britnee - I bought this because it takes everyday objects and turns it into a poem.

 Fun in Room 4B - Poke games are always so much fun... and we are just starting fractions!

Creative Classroom A to Z - These have been in my wish list forever... These standards have pictures that directly correspond to what the kids are asked to do... we are starting Common Core next year...

Miss Britnee - This was just funny!  I have my students do an inference lesson of the things in my purse - but love the idea of taking it a step further and sorting through neighbor's trash bags.  

 Oh Boy 4th Grade - I had to buy her math bundle pack.  I love her strategies and would like to start the idea of the 4 square method with my kiddos.  

So yeah, lots of stuff... I'm glad there was that extra discount!

So what have I made lately?  

My main creativity has been with products.  This past Saturday I made up Bow Wow Algebraic Equations.  It's 32 task cards... my kiddos did them this morning and they got them mostly correct.  I could tell that we need to work on 3 step equations - my last challenge type of cards that have parenthesis and multiplication and addition/subtraction.  The simpler ones with just one or two step they did a great job with.  

I also made my son a special birthday cake.  I know I shared it on Facebook, but I was really proud of it.  He just turned 3 and loves Blues Clues.  

I wish there was more Blues Clues stuff out there in the world... 

they aren't in stores anymore!

I'm linking up with both Blog Hoppin & My Journey to 5th Grade for their Sales Sharing and 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It.  Thank you for hosting ladies!

Hope you had an awesome Monday!

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Superbowl, Super Sale, Super Hair Cut, Super Exhausted, and Currently!!

It's been a big day.  This morning our church celebrated their 9th birthday/anniversary.  It was the first of many Superbowl parties... everyone in their jerseys, popcorn and cookies after service, it was great.  
Then we headed to my parents house for lunch with my cousin... she is a traveling nurse and is stationed at present in our area.  She's a hoot to talk to!
Then we got home with enough time to turn on the game on our own TV.  I think it's funny how my little boys are so into the game... well mainly into the game... they took a break to go play legos for a while too.
I've been filling my cart over at TPT, haven't done the official check out yet, but I have loved hearing the TPT app on my phone go "cha-ching" many times today.  Thank you for your purchases!
I did take a moment before the game started to head to get my hair cut.  

It was a major cut - 11 inches.  A year ago I made the New Years Resolution that I wanted to grow my hair out for Locks of Love.  I've never done it before, and it has been important to me.  Over the past year my hair has driven me nuts - it's been curly and crazy and gets tangled by little fingers.  I guess bittersweet is the emotion I felt having the lady chop it off.  I did have tears well up as she cut it off and I have to say that I did close my eyes.

But it was worth it.  I know it's worth it... it's just so short!  
All in all - I came home, took a shower to get rid of all the extra hair floating all over, and then promptly fell asleep for a nice nap.  I never sleep during the day, so hopefully I can sleep tonight.  Then I woke up to a power outage and my husband going slightly ballistic over the game.
Okay - here's my Currently.  I'll be number 593 on Farley's list if you are looking for me...

Pretty much self explanatory... I throw a hissy fit if someone dares to use the pencil sharpener when someone is talking or when someone else decides to talk when we are supposed to be listening.  

I think it's time to go check out... wish me luck!

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Making Algebraic Equations Fun!

Just a quick post between grocery shopping and trying to clean up the mound of toys in the family room...
Hope you are having an awesome Saturday.  We are too - it's just weird since hubby doesn't usually work on Saturdays but he had the opportunity to get 8 more hours so he went for it!  We went down there to "help him" for a little bit near lunch as he is trying to rearrange all the technology and cords and well... I'm glad he knows what they are all for.  Since he was busy that left me taking all 3 boys to the grocery store.  I don't believe it's possible for a mother to stay sane going to the store with 3 sons... maybe it would be different with 3 girls...  Things were going relatively decent until my now 3 year old decided to scream/yell/sing/shout/holler "DADDY" throughout the store.  People were looking and I just wanted to climb under the basket.  I really hope my child isn't the only one that plays that game...

Anyhow, in the peace (can't say quiet) before heading out and about, I made up these task cards to help my school kiddos review Algebraic Equations.  The past 2 weeks we have been focusing on graphing on coordinate planes and they were tracking with me... then we tried to revisit function tables this past week (which we did way back when) and turn those outcomes into ordered pairs.  The thinking train came to a complete halt for many of them.  It's a struggle since some of them just didn't remember how to do it.  I guess in their minds graphing should be completely separate from function tables.

Anyhow...
The main gist is that they need more practice working with equations that have a "x" and "y" in them. They need to conquer their fears..  So, onto these cards.  I decided to make it in various levels since my kiddos need the practice... some have just the simple x + a number = y... some are more challenging when they have to solve through parenthesis, multiplication, addition, and subtraction.  

As usual, I added an answer key since I love having an answer key handy.  

You probably can tell that I love task cards.  We just used the long division ones yesterday with our Superbowl stations.  I have started printing off two copies of the cards - one in color which I laminate and get ready for games (Scoot and centers), and the other I just print in black/white which I turn into an interactive bulletin board. 

Just an example of turning something into an interactive bulletin board.

Each student gets their own task card number, they solve it and write the answer on the back.  Then they stick it on their project with a piece of tape on the top and the kids review by flipping up the card after solving to check their answers.  It works great since I have this type of bulletin board on my rolling cabinets.  They happen to be part of the pathway to get out the door when we are all lined up... those kids in the back have at least a couple of moments to review when we are waiting to walk out the door.   
Okay, better go tackle the toys... I promise it was all clean last night!
P.S. - Just a reminder that my stores (yes plural) are on sale both today and tomorrow.  I have my fingers crossed that the items on my wish list will also go on sale.  :)  Happy Shopping! 

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Chinese New Year and a Super Sale

Yes, both my stores will be participating in the sale over at TPT and TN this Saturday and Sunday along with many many other people.  Thanks to Primary Polka Dots for the super cute graphic!   TPT will be 20% off plus an additional amount on Sunday when you use the code "Super".  I put TN on sale for 25% as well. 
This week I celebrated our 100th day of school and Superbowl.  It was fun... and draining!  If I could only mention all the things that my students decided to do today to move on the behavior chart... but I can't and I won't.
I love this time of year, but there are tons of things to add to the curriculum.
Sunday, February 10th is Chinese New Year and I always like to do something special.  Next week we will be celebrating in the classroom because the next week is busy with Valentines...  I made these last year for Chinese New Year... not my picture... this was pre-blog. I ended up doing it slightly different - traced a 4 inch circle onto felt (just used a canning jar lid), the kids cut it out, and then I hot glued a 4 inch piece of pipe cleaner on the inside diameter.  The kids wrote themselves a fortune on a slip of paper, and then I showed them how to fold it - to take their fingers to pinch it closed and fold it into the shape.   
Here are also some free things I found on TPT that I'm excited about.Most everything will be perfect for my intermediate classroom. This has 3 different reading levels plus comprehension questions.
This will be a fun craft.This has everything!  Story, coloring, word search, boggle, tangrams, lantern, learning the language, and writing.

This lantern page is adorable...
Click on any of the above pictures to head to the correct links.Hope this can help someone!  

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