Tag Up

Chrissy from Buzzing with Ms. B has tagged me.

Now here are the rules for me to follow:


So here are the rules:

1. You must post the rules.
2. Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.
4. Tag 12 people and link them on your post.
5. Let them know you've tagged them!



12 facts about ME


1.  I live very close to my family.
2.  I'm a twin.
3.  I prefer Coke over Pepsi.
4.  I'm an "on time" person and hate being late.
5.  I spend more time blogging than watching TV.
6.  I love watching my niece play water polo.
7.  I love teaching PE, but hated doing PE as a kid....go figure
8.  I'm not a texter. I can count on both hands the # of times I've actually texted anyone. 
9.  I procrastinate vacuuming ALL the time.
10.  I never go to my school after hours or on weekends. I'm scared I'll set off the alarm.
I just do most of my grading, planning at home and prefer it that way.
11.  I've been white water river rafting. Never again...I wonder how I did it once.
12.  I never wear nail polish. Too much trouble.


Now here are the questions from Chrissy I'm answering:

1. What is the best part of teaching?

I love that each day is different from the next. Teaching a classroom full of kids is always a guarantee for surprises.

2. What's your favorite holiday?

I love Christmas!

3. Who is your best friend and why?

My best friend is my twin sister because we just "get" each other.

4. What did you want to be when you were a kid?

Not too surprising...a teacher.

5. What's your favorite outfit?

I like any of my outfits from Ann Taylor.

6. What's your favorite breakfast? (calories non-existant)

I love belgian waffles with strawberrries and whip cream.

7. What's your favorite TV show of all time?

I love Seinfeld.

8. What weird habit or behavior did you have as a kid? (I'm assuming everyone had at least one)

I used to crack my knuckles and twirl my hair.

9. Siblings? How many?

2 siblings. One sister and one brother.

10. Beatles or Elvis?

Beatles

11. Beach or Mountains?

Love the beach.

12. What's the BEST trip you've ever taken?

I went on a Carribean cruise which was so fun.

Now I have to tag 12 people. I did my tagging by randomly choosing blogs I follow from my Google Reader.

Tag your IT:

1. You Can Make the Sun Shine Anytime

2. A Chocoholic Teacher

3. Miss Third Grade

4.  Good Morning Ms. Rubie

**********************

I'm stopping at 4 because I'm supposed to be grading and lesson planning right now and found myself playing TAG instead. End procrastination now.

 Now, here are 12 questions to answer:


1.  Are you teaching your dream grade? If not, what is your dream grade?
2.  What is your favorite candy?
3.  What's the last book you've read?
4.  Are you an early riser or night owl?
5.  Tea or coffee?
6.  What was your favorite vacation?
7.  What is your biggest pet peeve?
8.  Do you have any pets?
9. What chore do you procrastinate doing the most?
10.  What subject do you least like to teach?
11.  What is one of your favorite quotes.
12.  What one adjective best decribes you?

Multiplication Lesson Ideas and Activities

Are you on the LOOK Out for great multiplication ideas. I've got several tried and true lessons I've done. I've posted about them individually before, but many of my newer followers may not have seen older posts. So here's a recap. Click on each idea for a link to the original post.

1.  Multiplication Array project

      I use the book Bunches of Bunches of Bunnies prior to this lesson.

2.  Balance Scale Multiplication

3.  Multiplication Hoopla

4. Deck of Card Math

    Can be used to send home or for in class practice!

Have FUN!

Keep in touch. Find me at:

My TPT store

Pinterest

I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

Come Join the group!

Test Prep Activities for State Testing

Testing will be upon many of our classrooms before we know it. Several years ago I created Testing Tips posters and rhymes that have become a valuable resource for helping my students for the dreading week of testing. I display my poster set as a bulletin board right at the beginning of each school year and find it provides constant reinforcement for test prep.  The set has 18 posters with a bulletin board caption. Go grab yourself a copy {HERE}.

I also do the cutest writing activity using this book:

It is included in the poster set.

I have a copy of this book on video from United Streaming.

 

Another wonderful, engaging test prep idea is my Grade the Teacher activity.

Students get to grade the teacher's mistakes on work, and it is always incredibly engaging and versatile.

You can get it HERE

 

 

Find more great ideas on my Pinterest page or TPT store

I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

Come Join the group!

Wrapping Up MLK lessons

Today I wrapped up our learning of MLK with this video and song.
These are perfect for the primary grades! They fit the Goldilocks rule: "Just right"!

Tic Tac Toe Task Cards

One of the many ways I use task cards is by using Tic Tac Toe boards. Students pair up with a board, cute lil' X and O markers, and a task card set. Each player answers a card and if correct marks the board with a X or an O to get 3 in a row.

Wondering where to get the X and O markers? Head to Target and look for this box of Table Scatter!

I organize my task cards on a hanging bulletin board display that students use during centers or independent time. I also have ALL my task cards organized in tubs by subject so I can add them to my bulletin board and rotate them as I teach various concepts.

~Enjoy

I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

Come Join the group!

"Snow" Tired

It's my first week back and I'm "Snow" tired! But I had to muster up the energy to show you an art project we did today. It was quick, easy, and cute.  Sponge painted snowmen are now adorning my classroom.

~Good night, sleep tight!

Find more great ideas on my Pinterest page or TPT store

Calendar Crazy

I'm in a calendar craze apparently. If you missed my One Little Word calendar idea, that's what started it all. Then last night in the late evening blogging hours I stumbled upon this cutest Owl Calendar generator!

Lookie what I made!

Owl lovers unite! You can mix and match to pick your owl picture for each month!

Grab yours here:

I used to have a "pet" owl in my backyard a couple summers ago.She was very protective of her nest and would scold my dog when he'd go outside at night.One night I even got scolded by Mrs. Owl and she started divebombing me until I ran to my patio.I could not believe the racket she was making! It wasn't your normal cute owl hooting and "cooing".She was really bringing out her Mama Owl attitude!
Got any owl stories? I'd love to hear them.And be sure to let me know if you make your own Owl Calendar.

One Little Word Calendars

Thanks to Oh Boy 4th Grade I learned about Ali Edwards concept of One Little Word.

My word for this year is:

BELIEVE

Having chosen my word, now I'm starting to embrace it.

First I changed my Blogger profile picture to my OLW

Then I made a "Believe" themed 2012 calendar

You can make your own One Little Word calendar too. Click {HERE}.

Do you have a word for 2012? How are you embracing it?

Have you entered my Starbuck's giveaway? Go {HERE}

The Important Thing About Winter Poetry Writing Activity

The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown is the lead in to my Winter Poetry assignment.

After reading the book my students will write a Winter Poem in the same pattern.

It’s a Freebie in my TPT store.

I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration.  

Come Join the group!  (Freebie ideas and giveaways are sometimes shared there!)