Summer Reading List for Teachers

I love summer for so many reasons! But one of my most favorite things to do is to relax by the pool or at the beach and READ! I love finding a great book and getting lost in it. It doesn't happen often, but the summer gives me the best chance to accomplish it! 

I am thrilled to be linking up with my dear friend, Molly from Lucky to Be In First to share what I hope to read this summer.

I have just started my summer reading list. Wonder is for my son. He read it this year and told me I NEED to read it. How can a mom say no, right? SO, Wonder will be my first summer read. I also like to escape reality as much as possible, hence my other reading pics.

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns: by Lauren Weisburger

Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey As Told By Christian: by E L James

Wonder: by R.J. Palacio

A Hundred Summers: by Beatriz Williams

Here are two of my favorite books that I have read. I think you will get "lost" in them too. 

The Other Boleyn Girl: by Philippa Gregory

The Pact: by Jodi Picoult

What are you excited to read this summer? Make sure to link up and share your finds. 

Together We Are Better: Parent Communication LINKY

I am linking up this month with some incredible bloggers to bring you ideas about....

I believe parent communication is VITAL to a successful school year. Every year I change, add, and revamp my parent communication to best meet the needs of my "clientele." Some years I have a group of parents that love email. Other years, I have parents that need paper reminders sent home. But there are a few things that remain consistent with my parent communication that I want to share with all of you. 

1. Weekly Behavior Charts: 

I use a color chart for behavior management in my classroom. Each day my students fill out their behavior chart with their corresponding color. Then, on Fridays they take their chart home. Parents sign the chart and the child brings the chart back on Monday. I reward signed behavior charts with tickets for our classroom prize box. 

Parents love knowing the charts are coming home. I love that they don't have to come ask me how their child is behaving in class. It's a win-win! 

Some teachers prefer monthly behavior charts. This way they can go into a folder and notes can be added if needed. It is important to find a way that works for you and that you can manage. I have created a set of monthly EDITABLE charts too.

2. Parent Conferences: 

Communicating with parents about their child's academic and social success is also a key part of parent communication. Before I created my Parent Teacher Conference Binder, I had different papers and information all over the place. Grades were in my grade book or on the computer, student work for their portfolios was in file folders, etc. 

After I created my conference binder, all the notes and information I needed to send out were in one place. I keep the master in a plastic sleeve and make colored copies of the forms I need to send to parents and put them into the sleeve as well. 

 My favorite form of all is this:

There are several variations included in the packet to meet your needs. I LOVE that it has boxes to check off and a few lines for comments. Everything I need to tell a parent about their child is right there at my fingertips. Just a quick glance and I can elaborate in certain areas, if needed. I make 2 copies of the form. One for my records and one for the parent to take home with them. 

3. Print and Go Parent Notes & Newsletter:

At the beginning of the year, there is so much information that needs to be sent home to parents. Forms from you, the office, parents etc. Being organized and prepared is so important. I use this packet of forms to help with that. I also create a monthly newsletter to keep parents informed of special events, projects, and things going on in class and at school. Parents then post it on their refrigerator at home or other special spot, so they know about early dismissals, events and more!

Have you ever needed a last minute note to send home with the kids to remind them and their parents about something for the next day, but you just don't have time to sit down and type it up before the bell rings for the end of the day? This used to happen to me all-the-time! I needed to put a stop to it and QUICK! So, I create my Don't Miss the Boat Parent Notes and Reminders packet. Now, I have all the forms I could possibly need in a notebook, copied, and ready to go at a moment's notice. This saves time and the parents appreciate the reminders too!

Be sure to join in the fun and link up your parent communication ideas too!

Five For Friday {February 27, 2015}

Earlier this week, my classroom door opened and this little pencil was delivered to me. There is a very special story behind this pencil....This pencil belonged to my mom when she was teaching at my school. She taught 2nd grade in room C. My mom has been retired for a few years now and the pencil was discovered in a file cabinet in our main office. Why was it delivered to me??? My mom's name is not on it. Know one would know it belonged to her... Well.... I teach 2nd grade in room C now! Yes, I am teaching in the same room my mother taught in years ago. Same grade. Same room. Now the pencil is hanging back in its proper place! 

We worked on learning some more about Chinese New Year. We wrote 3 things we learned about Chinese New Year, two facts, and asked a question about something we still wanted to learn. 

This came in handy this week! I had my tax appointment and was well prepared because I saved every single silly receipt. This fabulous idea came from Learning in Wonderland. Click HERE for her blog post about the Tax Tub and get an editable download to make your own too!

We are getting ready for Read Across America week, which is literally around the corner. We made these festive cupcakes and wrote about our favorite Dr. Seuss books. This is an activity I do every year with my kiddos thanks to the talented Linda Kamp! 

I got my Scholastic book order this week. During Read Across America week I always give my kiddos new books. We also honor a very special teacher from our school who entered heaven too early. The books have a sticker inside them honoring her love of learning and reading! I will forever carry this tradition on as long as I am teaching at my school. 

Hope you all had a fantastic week! Head on over to Doodle Bugs Teaching and link up!

Five For Friday {February 13, 2015}

We have had a fun filled week in second grade! There is so much to share. It is only fitting that I link up with Doddle Bugs Teaching this week.

Love Bots! 

These adorable little guys are from the amazing Aimee at Primarily Speaking! The kids LOVED making their Love Bots! They all are unbelievable adorable in our classroom. 

Today, I gave each of my kiddos a copy of Marlene, Marlene Queen of Mean for Valentine's Day. My sweet SIL made this happen for my class. They kids were so excited to get the books, so we had a spontaneous class read aloud! They also each made a Valentine's Day Cootie Catcher that their pen pals sent them to celebrate their love of friendship! Too stinkin' cute!

We got ready for Presidents' Day by reading Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers by Karen Winnick, 

Then, the kids wrote an opinion piece about whether or not Lincoln should have a beard and made these little Lincolns. This activity plus many more can be found in my Patriotic Presidents' Day pack. 

We also started our geometry unit. We discussed the difference between plane and solid shapes. We learned about vertices, edges, and faces. Then we compared and classified our shapes on our posters. This adorable activity is from the very talented Linda Kamp!

Finally, don't forget to enter this amazing giveaway my blogging buddy, Aris from Sailing Into Second, and I are hosting. We each are giving away a copy of our popular Map Units to a lucky winner. There are only a couple to days left to enter. Don't miss out!

Hope you all had a fantastic week! Head on over to Doodle Bugs Teaching and link up!

SUPER Thankful Link Up

Thanksgiving break CANNOT come soon enough. I WILL be thankful when it arrives and I have the week to relax, spend time with family, and EAT, SHOP and BE MERRY. This time of year makes me reflect on all the things I am thankful for in my life. 

I am linking up with my Primary Powers gals to bring you a Super Thankful Thread Linky.

Words cannot describe how much these people mean to me. They support me, love me and keep me in check. Only people that love you for you, do that for you. I am blessed!

Who would have thought 2 years ago, when I started my little blog and TpT store, that my life would be filled with these amazing ladies? My blogging gals have changed my life ten-fold! They are another support system in my life that I am SO thankful for! Can't imagine it any other way now.

I am SO thankful that I got to be this little girl's mommy for 12 years. She was my first! Unconditional love sums it all up! I miss her terribly but I am so glad she was a part of my life. 

Make sure to head over to Primary Powers, grab the slide and link up with us so we can read what you are thankful for in your life too!

Friday Freebies and More!

Bring on the weekend! I love me the weekend. And yes, it has finally arrived! I am ready to share my week of randomness and excitement! I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for this week's Five for Friday.

We have been working on our life cycles unit and studying butterflies. We are gearing up for a field trip at the end of the month where the kids will be getting a hands-on experience with them. We just finished our paper bag flap books about the butterfly's life cycle. The kids were crazy about them. This activity is part of my Life Cycles packet too.

I have been working all year with my kids trying to help them build their fluency of their addition and subtraction facts. We started in October and have been on a roll ever since! They take a 3 minute timed test each Thursday in class. Each test has 50 problems. They have to get ALL the problems correct in order to move to the next level. We start with addition and move to subtraction. I have some kiddos that have passed all the levels and now I am starting them on their multiplication skills! How happy are those 3rd grade teachers going to be next year??? I am so proud of them!

I just reached over 2000 followers on IG! I am so excited about it!!! I am preparing a bit of fun for all my followers. Be on the look out! If you aren't following my on IG and you would like to, click HERE.

Who doesn't love a freebie? Well, this is your weekend! There are tons of FABULOUS freebies up for grabs! I am a part of Amanda's (Primary Gal) Free for All. Click on the image below or HERE to take you to my Facebook page to get started. Once you are there, find the yellow Free For All tab to find an awesome freebie waiting for you. It will lead you to MANY more freebies waiting for you. Have fun!

I am almost done with my most recent set of task cards for Sequencing! I thought my kiddos had this standard down pat. BUT, I was wrong! We need more practice at different levels. Hence, this task card set was created. I hope to have it up for you by tomorrow.

Happy Weekend Everyone!