Around the World and a Word Work FREEBIE

I took a break from my slothness to make some things for school. (I know, I know, slothness is not really a word but I am on vacation so anything goes. )

Do you play Around the World with your students? I taught my class how to play to practice our math fact fluency and now they BEG to play. It is also a great time filler when we have a few extra minutes.  I decided I needed bigger addition flashcards to be seen across the room so I whipped some up. Click on the picture if you want to check them out. I plan to make a Subtraction set as well.

Common Core Standards Addressed:
1.OA.6 Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10.

As usual, I'd love to give a copy away to a loyal follower. Enter below and I will announce the winner on Sunday (otherwise know as the end of my bliss.) 
a Rafflecopter giveaway  

I also made Winter Scrambled Sentences for my word work center. If you'd like a FREE copy just click on the first picture.

I know I love when others share so I hope you enjoy these.

I made a font!

Happy New Year! Although working right up to Christmas was hard, I have to say having this entire week off is really nice. I am so relaxed, getting a lot of quality ME time which I don't often do. I have been reading a ton (my absolute favorite past time) but I also have been playing with my new ipad!

I have only downloaded one app so far and it was ifontmaker. I have a font obsession so it was really fun to make my own.  Here is my first attempt. This is how I sometimes write my anchor chart titles. Click on the pic below to download it. If you use it I would appreciate a link back to my blog but no worries if you forget.

I named it JB Aglets because the "tubes" reminded me of the plastic on the end of your shoelace. Did you know those had a name? Is it weird that I did? It came up in casual conversation with my family the other day so I guess it was on my mind. WHAT? You don't discuss aglets around your dinner table?

Anyone know if there is a way to take a finished font and just change the properties like make the line thicker or do I have to redo it all? Also,  is there a way to search for other people's creations? Going to have to go spend some more time on there tonight. Hmmm.... what should I make next?

The other thing I have mostly used my ipad for is watching ALIAS from Amazon Instant Videos. OMG, I loved this show and it so nice to clean, put laundry away, etc while watching Sydney kick some butt! It makes chores so much more enjoyable!

Okay, off to make dinner. My husband will be shocked because he has mostly taken over cooking the last few years. Look at all the energy I have when it isn't zapped by 30 first graders. I even painted by nails this week! I am usually much too lazy because it doesn't seem worth it if it chips within days. Anyway, I went with OPI Meet For Drinks. Do you have a favorite shade?

Christmas Catch-up!

I took a little time off blogging. I had another incident with the my confrontational parent. It was bad. She is seriously schizophrenic and started making false accusations that could be serious. My principal has now told her she may not enter my room unescorted nor speak to me without the principal present. I have a plan to immediately go into my neighbor's room if I ever find myself alone with her. Even though I knew I had done nothing wrong I was very unsettled. Then Sandy Hook happened and I took it especially hard. I am not sure if it was because of the threatening situation I was in, the fact that I teach the same age, or if perhaps my reaction would have been the same regardless? The only good thing is it helped me have more patience with my students who have been acting like there is a full moon. I am hoping it was mostly Christmas excitement (thanks district for keeping us in school through the 21st this year!) Passing notes to cheat on the math test, punching on the playground, making clubs and not letting others join.... no problem, I just envisioned the news showing the pictures of those poor Sandy Hook children and we got through.

So to catch up...
I am not sure Jingles improved their behavior much but I had fun with him. :-)

Jingles tried to pull Santa out of the chimney.

I was pleased when someone yelled out, "Look, he made a growing pattern!"

Riding the ladybug!

Picnic with Pete.

Snowball fight!!!!!

I love Pinterest and found most of my Christmas projects there! I pinned the snowman Christmas ornaments last year so I bought the clear bulbs in the summer when I found them at RAFT for a great price. The only problem was I bought the medium ones and the holes were pretty small so it took me over 5 hours to fill 30 bulbs with the fake snow!!!! Luckily I spaced it out over a few nights but still not cool in this especially busy time of year. I also wrote each child's name and the year in black Sharpie.

We used tempera paint and q-tips for the face but I think Sharpies would have been just as good. I bought sparkly pom-poms and pipe cleaners and let the kids pick. Many liked to mix and match which drives me batty but I kept my mouth shut and hot-glued on whatever they told me!

We also decorated my door.

 

I filled these cute containers with all different mints and added the tag for my parent volunteers.

 We made nutcrackers and wrote about them. It always cracks me up why they say he doesn't eat nuts.

We read lots of gingerbread stories and wrote about how we ate a gingerbread cookie (yum) using Lori's packet. I pulled out various craft supplies and let the kids go to town decorating their own gingerbread person.

We performed our annual holiday chorus which is always a big hit with the parents.

I also need to announce the 2 winners of the Me on the Map unit giveaway. SO sorry for the delay.

Congrats to Bren P. and Julie Marciniak I will email them right out to you! Click on the picture if you are interested in a map unit.

Alrighty friends, I am off to go try to catch up with some of your blogs! I hope everyone is having a safe, relaxing holiday and enjoying your family. Hugs and happy thoughts to all!!!!!

Snow in CA, freebie, and giveaway

I think 2 weeks may be the longest I've ever gone between blog posts. Sorry friends, once December hits I start feeling overwhelmed. In addition to all the holiday stuff, I have gotten 2 new students so I've been a busy elf.

New girl is sweet, QUIET, and follows every rule. She does shake her head like she understands even when she doesn't so there is that but clay I can mold.

New boy on the other hand is a lot of work. Apparently in his last school it was acceptable to yell, "Teacher, I need help" across the room and talk nonstop.  And steal supplies from your partner when you are too lazy to look for yours. And to constantly get up for a new pencil and then break them ON PURPOSE!  I was pretty understanding at first knowing he has had a change in home situation as well as school but he seems to be pushing the limits so I started cracking down. Which is necessary but exhausting, as you know. He was out sick Thursday and Friday. I'm sorry he is sick but I have to admit it was nice to have a little break.

I finally got on the Elf on the Shelf bandwagon. We named him Jingles and it is fun to say, "Jingles, are you watching to see who is following directions quickly?" Gold, I tell you!

Perched front and center to watch the first day.

Making friends with our snakes.

Hanging upside down from the projection screen

Reading a book.

 

Emailing Santa.

 My middle school son found a website to email Santa so he started filling it out from Jingles and set him in front of the keyboard. When the kids came in the screen saver was on so they started guessing that Jingles was playing Angry Birds Space, etc. So I said, "Let's see..." and moved the mouse to wake it up. The kids were so excited to see the email. A little chaotic but fun. :-)

This week we read Santa's Stuck and did the same project as last year that I originally got from Cara at The First Grade Parade. She used cotton as the snow and I changed it to glue/shaving cream for a 3D look.

The kids favorite part is adding the snow. I perfected my "snow" recipe this year. Instead of half glue and half shaving cream I used less glue and it stayed fluffy and almost feels like styrofoam when it dries! So cool! I tried to get a close-up for you.

We also completed a story map which you can download by clicking {HERE.} The cute Christmas frame is from Corinna at Surfin' Through Second.

There are antonyms written on the Christmas bulbs. This ideas was adapted from Precious Perks.

Me on the Map is coming up in our reading series and as I pulled out my templates to get everything copied I realized I posted that I got the packet up but I forgot to give a copy away like I usually do. I am so sorry my faithful followers! Thank you to the many of you who bought it already!!!

To make amends I will give away 2 copies!! Just enter below and I will pick the winners next weekend. To check this unit out click {HERE} or on the picture.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you all are doing well at this crazy time of year.

Me on the Map Unit

 I have had a zillion requests for the templates for the Me on the Map circle flip book I posted about last year.

You can read about it here if you missed it. As I mentioned during that post, this project was not mine but my teaching friend Robi's so I have not felt the templates were mine to share.

However, I have been told that others are copying it and making money from it and I feel badly that Robi is not getting the credit (or profit since she has a freshman in college!)

So, I finally talked her into partnering up with me to not only share all those templates and step-by-step directions but a whole 40 page unit packed with other activities we do during our map unit!

This map unit covers:
Cardinal Directions cards, map worksheet and activities
Map Features including a brace map and cut and glue worksheet
The Compass Rose
Models versus Maps clay project including a double bubble map and writing activity
Vocabulary matching cards and activities
A Make Your Own Pirate Map culminating activity (the kids love this one!)
and other teaching ideas

You can grab your copy of our new unit here or by clicking on the picture below.

And don't forget that I am offering 20% off everything in my store Monday and Tuesday!

I have been on the computer literally ALL day trying to get his finished so I must go rest my eyes now. Tomorrow is put up the Christmas tree day. Thank goodness we still have one more day off...yippee!!!