Birthday Sale Just for YOU!

I may not be turning 20, but I'm giving you 20% off

 my store from today through the 31st. 

I got bit by a nasty sinus bug and it kept me home from school today. I'm trying to bring some happy into my life by sharing with you today. Why are you still just sitting here reading this. . . go on. ... get out of here. .. . go to my store and find something you like! 

Enjoy!

P.S. Come back soon to find out how you can win a set of SitSpots!

Patty

Geometry Freebie . . . and Thanksgiving is COMING!

Do you know Deanna from Primary Punch?

She is one of my FAV people that I like to buy from. Her stuff is always top notch and fits exactly what I need for my 2nd graders. 

I picked up this perfect activity this summer from her. 

And I just have to share with you, that my kids are begging me every day to play this game. 

You've heard of the game called HeadBandz? 

Well, this is played just like that. Except the cards that you put on the head band are actually shapes that our kids need to know. Not only that, but it helps them learn more about the description and characteristics of the shapes and how to ask questions.

 Check out some of my pictures below.

This shows a list of possible questions the students can ask their peers to help them figure out which shape is on their head. It also gives a shape cheat sheet in case they can't remember the name of something.

 Here my students are using a different list of shapes to help them figure it out. 

 So many times they wanted to look up on their head to see if they could see the shape that was attached to the head band!!!

Today when we played it, I didn't let them use the question card. After two days of playing it, I felt they were ready to think up their own questions. They were great at this. And I feel strongly that my kids know their shapes much better now, thanks to Deanna's Shape Game. I sure hope she considers making a 3D shape game just like this one!

Now if you're still here, guess what? YOU can pick this up for absolutely none of your pennies, paychecks or pay pals! It is FREE! Yup! That's true. . . all you have to do, is click HERE and you'll have it in your hot little hands. 
Don't forget your manners and please leave her some nice comments after all she gave it to you for nothing!


And One More Thing!

Are you looking for some things to do with your class for Thanksgiving? Well, I have just the place! 

No Monkey Business is showing off lots of links to fun and helpful activities from other teachers.

I found lots of great ideas for my 2nd graders and there are even links for other grades too! Be sure to check it out! You won't be disappointed!

Patty

Hello 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Teachers! Check this out!

Calling all 3rd through 5th grade teachers!

Educents is having a great sale on a bundle just for you!

Click on the banner above to take you to this new edition of great stuff!

Patty

A Gift Away For YOU!

You don't want to miss this! 

The Write Stuff is having a big partay and you are invited. Just click on the picture and you will be swiftly moved to her page. There you will find a gift of goodies from a bunch of people you know and love.

Follow the rafflecopter info and you could be a big winner of all these gifts!

Good luck!

Patty

Oh Pumpkin! + a FREE THINGIE

Have you ever visited Learning Ahoy? Caitlin has a great blog and some really good activities to do with your kids. She let me try out her Oh Pumpkin game. My kids LOVED. IT! It is a great practice for my educational aide to do with just a couple kids or it can be played in a small group of 4-6, too.

Click on the red links above to go to her blog and her store.

Oh Pumpkin is a game using the first 100 fry word list.  I do have some 2nd graders who don't know all of these so it's been helpful to have this set. Plus the kids that come to my RTI group are first graders who specifically need help with their sight words. 

I store this set in a little container that I found at Walmart. I had to trim Caitlin's cover down a bit so that I could see what was in the box. But it works great this way and is very easy for storage and for the kids to use.

 These pictures show my own 2nd graders playing the game.

They draw a card, if they can read it they get to keep it. If they can't read it, then they put it back into the bottom of the pile.

 If they draw a card that says "Trade Cards With Another Player," then they can trade with anyone. Usually they look for someone who has a lot more cards than they have!

If they draw a card that says, "Oh Pumpkin!" then they have to

 put ALL their cards back in the pile!

I know that you would love this game if you bought it. Plus she has other Oh Pumpkin games with different skills that your kids will like too.

If you have found it yet, don't forget to pick up my FREEBIE this week!

You can click on the picture or here to get your own free set, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know what you think of this. . . I've had almost 300 friends grab this and only 6 took the time to say thanks!

Patty

It's a Fact Jack-O-Lantern!

It's October in southern Michigan and it's muggier than in August! Why bother curling your hair on a day like today?

So instead I sat down and created a new product 

and I. Just. Love. It!

I just recently started buying the clip art from Melon Headz Illustrating. I don't know why I was so reluctant to buy it before, but I am so glad that I started doing it. (I'm a freak about cutsie clip art.) In this package there is also clip art from The School Supply Addict as well as from DJ Inkers.  I chose the font called Luv Ya Like a Sister from Kim Geswein fonts.

My kids will have a lot of fun finding whether these were facts or opinions this week. We discussed them a little and they caught on pretty easily. Apparently my kids know all about opinions!

If you'd like to see more about DJ Inkers, just click on this picture below. They have some pretty good deals going on right now that you may not want to miss!

Patty

Connections to Help Test Taking Skills

My building is a K-2 building, as are the other two elementary schools in our district. When the students leave our buildings they go to a 3-5 building. We miss seeing them and watching them grow. 

We were searching for ways to continue the relationship that we had with them as 2nd graders and wanted to help them try harder on the state assessments. They take them next week and we want them to know we still believe in them. We think they have a better relationship with us than their own 3rd grade teachers at this time of year.

We asked permission to leave our 2nd grade classroom and go visit with our students at the 3-5 building.  They agreed it was worth a try. We did it last year in October and we loved seeing them and they loved seeing us again! We even returned in May and praised them for doing a better job on their tests. 

Tomorrow is our day to go visit. I'm excited to see my kids from last year. They will all be in one room when I get there. We'll have time to remind them to do their best and that I will be following their scores. We also made some treats to give them to remind them to do their best. 

 The back of the card has my signature some smarties

 and a sharpened pencil.

 The front of the card has the acronym for Smarties with some suggestions for taking their tests.

I know that relationships are very important especially for some children who don't have good relationships with anyone including their family members. This kind of stuff is what excites me about teaching. 

How do you build relationships with your students or past students?

Patty

Candy Corn Winners

Tsk Tsk Tsk. . . I'm sure the BP (Blog Police) are just waiting around the corner to catch me and send me to jail for posting twice in one day! But oh well. . . lock me up!

I wanted to check back in and announce that I'm such a softy today. I ended up giving my Candy Corn Place Value to anyone who left a comment. I hope you all enjoy it! If you did, please come back again and let's be friends!

If you're interested in getting some of your own clip art from DJ Inkers, just click on this picture and you'll see lots of fun stuff.

We had a tragedy in our small town (10,000 people) today. A local accountant was found murdered this morning in his office. It has taken the whole town by surprise and it is a very sad time for all of us. He was very active in the community and loved life. There is a suspect in custody so it's not like I'm worried that a killer is running around town. But still it's an odd feeling to think that happened here. Please offer prayers for this family of Dave and Cheri if you're a praying kind of friend.

Patty

Please Come Visit ME! I'm feeling lonely!

Don't forget to check out yesterday's post. . . YOU could be a lucky winner of my latest update.

Leave me a comment and your email address and please, please, please don't forget to be a follower!

Expanded Notation Could be YOURS for Free!

I got the itch to come home and start being productive! So I updated one of my Halloween activities from last year and I think it's so much better. But you'll have to be the judge of that. 

It's called Candy Corn Place Value.

It's not a biggie, but it does help my kids think differently 

about the larger numbers. 

This activity helps them to understand the expanded notation for numbers that have 3 digits.You can use it in a small group, as a center activity, or they can work on it individually.

If you can't copy in color at your school, 

you can grab these in black and white too at my store. 

I'm feeling pretty snappy tonight, 

so I will be glad to give 2 of these away on Wednesday night. 

Be sure  you're a follower, leave me a comment and tell me your email address. I'll pick the lucky winners on Oct. 2nd after 9:00.

Patty

The clipart is from DJ Inkers, Melon Headz, and School Supply Addict.