All the Heart Eyes for TPT

 

When I discovered TeachersPayTeachers I knew that I had entered a new realm of awesome!  I wasn't sure if it was real or not, all of these amazing standards based products and ideas from teachers around the world.  Well it was real, really incredible!  Now as a creator and seller it is still really incredible!  I love that I can share my love for engaging curriculum with other teachers.  

So why do you love TPT?  Just leave your email and answer in the comments below and I will gift one lucky individual with a $10 TeachersPayTeachers gift card.

This giveaway closes at 7:79pm PST, on 2/6/17.  The winner will be chosen at 8:00pm PST, on 2/6/17 and will be notified by email.

Cyber Sale Wishlist

Tomorrow the big TPT sale launches and I don't know about you, but my Wishlist has gotten a work out.  I am ready to move tons of the product into my cart.

I will be discounting my entire store by 20% and with the code CYBER2016 you get an additional 8% off.  I wanted to share the top 3 wish listed items from my store.

You can grab these items and my newest series during the sale for an amazing price!  Also, be sure to check out all of the other bloggers participating in tomorrow's amazing sale!

Happy TPTing!

November Literacy Fun with The Ugly Pumpkin

I LOVE the fall!  I love the change of colors here in the Pacific Northwest.  I love the crisp air.  I also love reading The Ugly Pumpkin, by Dave Horowitz.  It is an adorable tale about a pumpkin that can't understand why no one will choose him to be their Halloween Jack O' Lantern.  It isn't until he stumbles upon a group of squash that he realizes who he truly is...a SQUASH.

My students always get a kick out of this squash, and love the happy ending.  I created several activities that accompany this book years ago.

I finally gave my companion pack to this book a huge overhaul!  

This pack contains:

•Pumpkin and Squash facts

•Pumpkin and Squash photographs

•Pumpkin Versus Squash Venn Diagram

•The Ugly Pumpkin rhyming activity

•The Ugly Pumpkin Figurative Language Matching activity

•The Ugly Pumpkin Story Maps
•2 templates•picture option

•answer keys provided for all activities

•Ugly Pumpkin Craftivities

Head over to my TeachersPayTeachers store to grab a copy of this fun filled pack!

What is your favorite things about this time of year?  What is your favorite fall picture book?

*this post contains Amazon affiliate links *

Game Time with Blends

Word Study is one of my favorite times of the day.  I love listening to my kiddos practicing and learning new words.  It is one of the times throughout the day that I feel like light bulbs are lighting up all over the place.  One of our favorite games during Word Study is Roll Read (Color/Write).   See it in action below...  

My kiddos get so excited when we study new words because they know they will get to play Roll Read.  I have short and long vowels, as well as blends in my TPT store.  You can grab all three in a bundle for a fabulously discounted price.

Building Number Sense with Games: CHOMP

Number sense is critical for each and every child to have.  Many child acquire it at home as they explore and play.  Unfortunately, too many children now lack this vital skill.  As a primary teacher, I work diligently to build number sense with my kiddos.  Over the last decade I have learned that games make the biggest impact on mathematical knowledge.  This is because students are taking mathematical information and being forced to apply it to a real life/useful situation.  They are also building connections to math and the world.  These connections strengthen their brain thus enhancing their mathematical knowledge bank.
One of our favorite games right now is CHOMP.  CHOMP is designed to practice comparing numbers and place value.  The game can be played with either two or four players.  Here two of my kiddos are working together practicing their lanugae skills, while comparing numbers.

By playing games like CHOMP, students are able to apply number knowledge in an interactive means, thus strengthening their mathematical mind. 
You can grab a copy of CHOMP from my TPT store. 

I would love to see it in action with your kiddos.  Snap a picture or video of your kiddos playing and tag me in your pictures!  I love to see learning in action!!

Back2School - TPT Sale Style

Is your cart ready for the TPT Back to School Sale?  My wish list has grown a bit too much, but who can pass up so many incredible resources?!?!  My store will be 20% off throughout the sale.

This is the perfect time to grab some of my favorite products...

Be sure that you are following my store.  I have some great goodies that I will be sending out to my wonderful store followers.  Don't forget to enter code BTS14 for an additional 8% off your TPT purchases.

Happy Shopping!!

Two for Tuesday

It's Tuesday!  Is is Tuesday?  I woke up this morning and forgot what day it was; what an awesome feeling!  Don't worry though, I remembered that today is TWO FOR TUESDAY!  That means that I am linking up with The Teaching Tribune and discounting two of my product by 50%.

A sweet little decor for your classrooms...

It is only $1.50!

A fabulous math pack to use all year!

It is only $1.50!  Don't forget it is only for today.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Monday Made It - Creating Away

I love summer!  Not only because I get to sleep in, walk the dog when I choose, take a nap whenever. Nope, but because it lets me reconnect with the teacher blogger and TPT world.  I spent this past week creating away and I am so excited to show you my new goodies with today's Monday Made It!

I updated and bundled all of my chevron decor!

I created a short vowel Roll Read Color Roll Read Write...

to go with the long vowel edition.

Plus, I bundled them!

Finally, I created a fun interactive short vowel (CVC) game that can be used so many different ways!

The best part is, I am giving one of each of these away!  Just comment below with which product you would like to win and why and I will choose a random winner for each product later this week.  

Happy Creating!!!

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th everyone!!!  Let's celebrate with a sale!!!

15% off my entire store for the whole weekend!

Be sure to check out my new products and bundles.

You can get these two packs bundled!

Sparking Student Motivation with QR Codes

While many teacher have been using QR codes for awhile now, I was hesitant to jump on the bandwagon.  I was fearful that they wouldn't work, cause more of a problem than be helpful, and take away from the learning itself.  I don't know what changed my mind, but I am grateful for it.
QR codes have transformed both literacy and math centers in my classroom.

 Students use codes during their listening center.  Each code links to a different story that is read to them via YouTube with Safe Share.  I purchased these amazing book codes from Lawen Christianson.

 Students also use QR codes to self check some of their centers.  Here students worked on determining if numbers were in the correct order.  They recorded their answers and then checked their work using the QR codes.

Here is another literacy center where students used picture cards to determine which short vowel category each picture fit in.  They recorded each word in the proper group.  Last, they checked their answers using the short vowel QR code.

I am amazed by how engaged my kiddos are.  Of course there were a couple of hiccups, one of the iPads kept dropping off the WiFi, a couple students needed a bit more guidance, but overall the outcome has been AMAZING!  If you have the technology available, I highly recommend using QR codes in your classroom.

How do/would you use QR codes with your students?

Be sure to swing over to Head Over Heals for Teaching to see what other teachers are doing to Spark Student Motivation.

Don't forget to head over to Instagram for a chance to win my favorite things giveaway!