Random Thoughts plus a review!!

I have been so far behind on life in general.  Haven't been feeling the greatest lately and the end of the school year is kicking me in the hiney!!  We officially have 25 days of school left and as all teachers know it is the craziest, busiest time of the year.  I apologize for leaving all you wonderful followers in the dark lately.  I have also been trying to complete two classes I am taking for ESL and I have no motivation to read my last three chapters and write my last paper.  GRRRRR!!! 

Weather was crazy here in Kansas, with a total of 112 tornadoes that touched ground.  I hope all my fellow Kansan teachers are safe.  We spent our Saturday evening following and watching the weather hoping our family and friends were safe.  My 8 year old daughter also made her First Communion today, so we celebrated with friends and family.

I also want to take time to share with you a K-5 Reading and Math program that I have been using for the last six weeks. It was a free trial and it provides some great activities to help your kiddos with Math and Reading.  The one thing that I really liked about it was that students can take a pre-test to see what level they are on.  Then lessons are set up just for them on their individual level.  Each activity is split apart with a game to keep the kids interested.  It's also great because parents can log into their child's account and see how they are doing.  If you are looking for another great technology resource to use in your classroom, you can check them out at any of the following places.

Website: http://www.k5learning.com
Blog: http://www.k5learning.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/k5learning
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/k5learning

 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!  Twenty-five more days, can I do it????  Yes, I can!!!!

Easter Activities!!

I am getting Spring Fever!!  It has been so nice here in the midwest, upper 80's today and hardly any wind.  I am so excited our KU Jayhawks beat Ohio last night and are in the championship finals Monday evening.  Go KU!!!  We are down to about 33 school days and I am getting pretty excited to spend the summer with my two girls, but there is still a lot that I need to get done with my kiddos.  I love Easter and all that goes with it. 

Here are some ideas you can use with your kids for review of compound words and math facts!

This first basket, kids are matching words to make compound words.

Click on the image to download the recording sheet!!

 This basket, kids will match an addition or subtraction sentence to the sum or difference.  You can really do anything with this and the kids will love it.

Here is the recording sheet for the math egg activity!

Some other ideas to use with those plastic eggs are:  synonym matching, antonym matching, or even send an egg home with each student and have them fill it with an item.  The kids have to guess what each kiddo brought by shaking it and making predictions.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!  We only have a four day week,  whoo-hoo!!  Anybody else have only four days this week??



It's Almost April!

Wow, I just counted down how many days we have left until summer and I counted only 37!!!  That is crazy, but I am getting pretty excited.  So sorry I have been MIA this past week, Spring Break ended and I had to go back to work, as we all know how crazy it can be to go back after a week off.  I hope to be posting some Easter/Spring freebies to my blog this weekend, so make sure to check back.  Leave me a comment and let me know how many days of school you have left!!!

Also, stop by Erica Bohrer's blog and enter to win her Scholastic Spelling Booklet.  She is giving away 10 autographed copies to some lucky winners.  I sure hope that I win!!!  She has amazing stuff for teachers.  Click on the link below to go and enter her contest!!  Good luck to you all, but I hope I win!!! 

http://ericabohrer.blogspot.com/2012/03/20-super-spelling-centers-contest.html?showComment=1332899796772#c8134590701552562649

Passing the award on!!

O.K. as I mentioned in the earlier post, I will be picking 15 blogs that deserve an award.  This was tough because there are so many great blogs out there and they are all WONDERFUL! 

Here are my 15 blogs I chose to recieve:

Rules to follow:

1.  You must link back to the person that awarded you the award.

2. Pass the award on to 15 other lovely bloggers.

3.  Follow the person who sent it to you.

So here are my 15 in no special order:

1.  Laura from peaceloveandfirstgrade.blogspot.com

2.  Laura from tattlingtotheteacher.blogspot.com

3.  Heather from peacocksandpenguins.blogspot.com

4.  1stgraderockss.blogspot.com

5.  Mrs. McHaffie from mchaffiek.blogspot.com

6.  Debra from thepaisleyapple.blogspot.com

7.  Beth Ann from familyrunningmyjourney.blogspot.com

8.  Dee from firstimpressions34.blogspot.com

9.  Nina from lovelylittlelearners.blogspot.com

10.  Ashley from live2learn-ashley.blogspot.com

11.  Brenda from primaryinspired.blogspot.com

12.  Jessica from underthealphabettree.blogspot.com

13.  Tammy from foreverin1st.blogspot.com

14.  Kelly and Diane from madefor1stgrade.blogspot.com

15.  Ms. Boyle from greatfirstgradeexpectations.blogspot.com

Stop and check out these blogs!!

K-2 Linky Party and a new Blog Award!!

Check out the K-2 Linky Party.  Lots of great blogs out there, click on the picture below to see them all!!



I'm also so excited to be recognized again by Michelle from "Our Sweet Success" with the "One Beautiful Blog" Award. 



I will be posting later some blogs that I think deserve the "One Lovely Blog" Award.  Thanks so much to all those that have joined me on my blogging journey, it means a lot!!

"St. Patrick's Day" Irish Giveaway

And the winer is #14.   This is what Jen said she likes to do on St. Patrick's Day!!

 

Jen R. @ The Teachers' CauldronMar 18, 2012 05:07 AM

I love to get creative with my cooking/baking and see how festive I can be :)

♥ Jen
The Teacher's Cauldron

Thanks to all who entered.  I love giveaways, and as many of you know I am always doing them.  So keep checking back and be on the lookout for more goodies!!

If you would still like my Easter packet, you can go and get it {here}!!

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Random Number:

St. Patrick's Day Giveaway

So in honor of my hubby's Irish heritage, he thought I should do a giveaway because of him.  And I said, "What the heck!"  So in honor of the good Ol' Irish, I am going to do a short giveaway.  You have a chance to win my new "Basket Full of Eggs" Easter/Spring packet that I just uploaded to TpT.  Click on the picture to go and check this packet out!!

Just leave me a comment telling me what you like to do on St. Patrick's Day!!  Of course, you need to be a follower of my blog and TpT store.  Contest will end Sunday, March 18th at midnight.  Good Luck!