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Back-to-School SALE

It's that time again! While you are prepping your rooms and your resources - check out my TpT store & enjoy 20% off my Extended Standard Resources, August 15-18!!

back to school SHOPPING

So, I usually hold out as long as I can for back to school shopping, but when I saw the bins and boxes at Target - I just went for it.

I am trying to go a step further in my organization - each year gets a little better. 

My first purchase was binder holders from Really Good Stuff.

 

I am using these to organize all my thematic units. In special education, using thematic units has been a long-time practice and has recently been re-encouraged at OCALI conferences and workshops. I have been building these units for the 7 years I have been teaching. A bonus this past year was the purchase of Unique Learning Curriculum & Supplements (from the same company as News-2-You) at my school district. This curriculum is based on themes as well - all linked back to the extended standards/common core. It is pricey, but it was really easy to use and implement. SO . . . I have lots of resources at this point and am in need of organizing and refining the materials. Either you are building your resources or refining them :)

Anyway, these binder holders have been perfect. I store everything for one thematic unit in the bin (file folders, flashcards, laminated books, communication boards, visuals, recipes, spelling materials, math task cards, manipulatives, and so on) and when I'm ready to teach that topic - I pull out the whole bin and get busy! Well, that's the plan!

My only complaint is the bottom section is not as wide as a file folder so things sit about 1 inch up in the bin, on a ledge. If it went all the way down, it would fit into file cabinets without an issue. For now, I have been trimming some tall things :(

I also bought some storage boxes, metal shelving, buckets and bins from Target. Some really cute stuff for some really great prices! You can always count on that store!

 

These aren't the exact colors I purchased, but I did grab all these sizes and kinds in matching colors! 

Now that the classroom shopping is almost done, I need to think about school clothes shopping :)

Best of luck as you prepare for your new school year!

Back to Blogging . . .

Well, I took a break from the blog . . . but I am ready to get back in the swing of everything school. I am a seller on TpT - www.teacherspayteachers.com and I have been TRYING to get some things posted on there for the back to school boom. I am also getting ready to head back to the classroom on a regular basis to set-up, decorate and prep. The summer time goes by so fast :)

For my first post after the break, I will post a limited-time FREEBIE (This is no longer free, but available in my TpT store)!!
I was working on a guided reading packet for a picture biography on Jesse Owens, and I thought to myself - why not make this more general so that I can use it with any biography. That's what I'm posting!

This packet was created for students who have limited - no knowledge of biographies. So, there is an info page on the genre and then a layout of what will most likely be in a biography.

This is the genre page I was talking about. It gives a quick review of what a biography is and gets some prior knowledge going.

Then it goes into the basics - the personal information!

And of course, a timeline for the students to fill out with important dates and events. There are more pages not pictured. I plan to adjust the packet depending on the biography we are reading - so I won't always use every page. Also - a great independent project once the kids know how to roll with it. I frequently use guided reading packets at the table with a group and then give a similar one down the road for independent work. I even gave some for summer work :) 

I'm glad to be back and I appreciate you hanging in there with me!

May Giveaway

I am joining Stacy at "The Learning Lab" for a May giveaway!!



Enter to win from May 5 - 12 - Stacey has over 60 items!!
I entered my Rumpelstiltskin Mini-Lesson.

This lesson includes posters for parts of a fairy tale:

As well as organizers for plot, parts of a fairy tale, Caldecott Honors and theme . . .

Enter the giveaway: "The Learning Lab" for a May giveaway! - I hope you win!!

Primary Math Linky Party

I am linking up with Linda at Primary Inspiration . . .

I posted about my Number Sense packet a few days ago . . . I couldn't resist linking this up. These basic number sense activities are perfect for primary grades. I made them for my older students who have gaps and deficits - but they would be useful for Pre-K and up.

Check out all the ideas and products that are part of this linky!

Concept Confession - Math Madness

I have been working on math activities for my classroom. The issue comes in when the WIDE range of students requires me to make different things. So, on one hand, I was making some fraction activities and on the other hand I was making number sense activities.

                                                            Number Sense Activities


I have had the pleasure of have some extensive training on the importance of number sense. These skills provide a solid foundation for all other mathematical skills. If there are gaps or deficits in basic number sense, then math thinking will not develop naturally and students will rely on steps and procedures as opposed to understanding the concepts. With this being said, I have some students who have splinter skills with numbers . . . I also have students who are just learning their numbers. For both, I have been using these activities from my packet of Number Sense Activities:


These are number cards that could be used for an endless list of activities!

Subitize! This was something I learned a great deal about and had never intentionally taught. I used dots from dice and cards to get quick recognition, but I didn't realize the power it had for visualizing numbers.

Five Frames - basic number sense starts with 5 - this gives a framework for visualizing five and then constructing and de-constructing five.

A fun way to get students to count and make sure they are understanding the value of numbers. Try it as a brain break!

Building numbers is a great way to work on facts. Using a ten frame and two colored chips, this activity requires students to visualize the adding and what that looks like. The more they can visualize these concepts the more it becomes their OWN knowledge and takes on a personal level of understanding.

I love this one. You could play this with dice and cups, but then it would be a great center! It pushes students past using dots to COUNT the answer for both numbers. A great way to lead students to count on, but not tell them to do it.

 . . . these are some of the activities from the Number Sense Packet. My students have really enjoyed using the the materials.

Fractions

The fraction packet is new to my TpT store. It is designed for students in 3rd and 4th grade but who require some modifications to the curriculum. With that in mind, I think it would work for students in 1st-5th, whether beginning fraction work or needing some review.

Here is the cover . . . Super Heroes are big right now for my students. They have enjoyed having a character to associate with their fraction work . . . CAPTAIN FRACTION!

These two are great for reading fractions, fraction identification, and fraction matching. For kids who need challenged, I was able to use these cards to sort equivalent fractions and play Go Fish for equivalent fractions.

These task cards were the hardest for my students . . . trying to color the fraction of the group. This offered LOTS of extra practice. I could easily get manipulatives for them to physically sort and then color with a dry erase marker on these laminated cards.

The comparing cards were a great way to see if kids needed to have a visual or if they were starting to understand the relationship of the denominator and the numerator. I always allow my students to draw or use materials to figure out answers, and this one had a range of student supports.

Finally, I made a Fraction Battle Game - just like war. We mixed it up, having the larger fraction win sometime and the smaller fraction win other times. There are fraction number cards as well. It was great when the kids got equivalent fractions and had to battle for a group of cards! Competitive learning at its best!