Can you believe how fast summer is going by!  Many of us are headed back to school this month {August} and with a new month and school year ahead of us it's time to set some goals!  

First, I did pretty good with my July goals I have tried many more recipes with veggies, I can now squat correctly, and I created a few new TpT products.  Overall July was a productive month for me.

Now to look forward into the approaching school year....

Personal:  I plan to leave school no later than 3:30 so I can continue on my journey to a healthy new lifestyle.  I want to continue to workout daily and work on my weight loss goals.

Organization:  I am pretty good at grading papers, but putting them into the online grade book is another story.  I do not keep a paper grade anymore because I would wait to the very last minute to input my grades and end up with tons of grades to put in.

Planning:  I have already mapped out and planned most of my curriculum for the first nine weeks.  This is because the first few months are pretty hectic and I am trying to avoid that at all cost.  I would like to continue to stay two weeks ahead, I plan ELA with my teammate so this should be doable.

Professional:  My goal this year is to implement the workshop teaching method in several subjects.  I am sure this will be a bit overwhelming at first but I have done a lot of reading this summer and I have a pretty good idea of how I want to run things.

Students: My goal for my students this year is for them to enjoy learning.  I want them to find a passion for learning and enjoy being challenged.  In today's society hard work is lacking {in my opinion} and everything is "handed" to people.  I want my student's to feel that excitement when they learn a new skill, and use hard work to master their multiplication facts.

Motto:  I chose Proverb 22:6 for my motto this year; "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."  This goes along with the goal I have for my students.  I want them to learn the importance of hard work and take that with them through the rest of their lives.  I also hope to "train" them with compassion, empathy, and respect.

Your turn to set some Back to School Goals and Link up!  If you do not have a blog and would love to link up feel free to upload your goals to I {Heart} Recess Facebook page.

1. Copy and save the image below to your computer.  {I save it to my desktop for easy reference.}
2. Paste the image into a blank PowerPoint presentation.  Add a text box text box to add your goals.
3. Save your PP as an image, {JPEG}, again I save to my desktop for easy reference.
4. Upload your goals image to your blog or I {Heart} Recess Facebook Page.
5. Link up :)

Chalkboard image from Erin at Lovin Lit
Clip art from the Digital Bake Shop

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Anonymous

I didn't do much crafting this week because I was working on a new TpT product, 4th grade Interactive Science Notebook for Electrical Charges 4.P.1.2, you can check it out here.  I was able to personalize some cute finds and hand sanitizer bottles using my favorite thing...VINYL!  To see how I use vinyl in my classroom and other hand sanitizer bottles check out this post.

I also have been working on Crossfit this week and discovered how much I hate  loath burpees!  I also discovered a new fear, a 20' box!  Thanks to my hubby's made it monday I have conquered my fear :)

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Anonymous

Our 4th grade Social Studies unit is all about North Carolina, not being from this state sometimes makes it a little difficult to teach.  I have to research some of our topics before I teach my students because I simply do not know in the content.  I do not have this book, but do plan on purchasing it soon, T is for TarHeel is an excellent resource for my students and I.   

This book tells about North Carolina through the alphabet, A is for Appalachian Mountains, C is for Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, etc.  I plan to have my students complete Holly's {from Fourth Grade Flipper} Class ABC Book after I read this aloud.  I want them to be creative in their research and book by trying to choose different aspects of our state for their books than those in this one.

Reminder today is the LAST day to enter a chance to win a $50 TpT Gift Certificate from my Blogging Buddies and I!  We hope you follow our new Pinterest Board for grades 4-6 :)

I just finished my second Interactive Science Notebook unit last night and had fun giving it as a Flash Freebie on FB :)  I loved all the positive feedback I received :) This unit is for 4.P.1.2, Forces & Motion {Electrical Charges}.

Included in this notebook you will find:
Flap books, Science experiment, Written response questions,Task-Cards, Electrical Quiz and answer keys. You will also receive "Teacher Pages" with directions, vocabulary, and suggested answers.

The following Essential Questions are addressed:

What is an electrical charge?
What is static electricity?
How can an electrical charge push or pull objects?

Should I consider bundling my Interactive Notebooks?  Do you prefer to purchase items as you need them or in a bundle?  Thanks for your feedback!

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Anonymous

We know that you're thinking about all of the items on your TpT wishlist as you are switching into back-to-school mode. Wouldn't it be nice if you had a TpT gift certificate to use? Well, it's your lucky day! These upper elementary bloggers are going to help foot the bill!

Here is what you need to do to enter for a chance to win a $50 TpT gift certificate:

• Click the picture above or {here} to take you to our collaborative board.
• Follow the board.
• Find the pin description that contains the special code.
• Enter the code in the Rafflecopter.
• Easy-peasy!!
• Contest ends Sunday, July 28th at midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Anonymous

First I would like to thank everyone who participated in my giveaway and I appreciate you!

Third Prize: Any 3 items from my TpT store

Second Prize: Surprise Box of Goodies

First Prize: The Quietest Pencil Sharpener Ever

Congrats to all the winners!

Today is my hubby and I's eight year anniversary!  We never had a big wedding because we got married when he was home on leave from his deployment in Iraq.  We called up our friends to be our witnesses for our wedding at the Justice of the Peace, which is at the local jail here. :)  Later that night our friends got together to make us dinner, bought us a cake, and got us a hotel room at historic hotel downtown.  My hubby's son was visiting and they took him for the night.  We have the best group of friends and appreciate all they did for us eight years ago!

If you haven't linked up for Time Travel Tuesday there is still time!  I love seeing everyone's grade school pictures and their favorite memories.  {This linky will be open until Aug. 13}

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Anonymous

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, vinyl!  I use it all over my classroom.  I wanted to share with you a few examples, these are past examples because I have not been in my room yet for this year. :)

1. Name Tags.  Every year I use my Cricut to cut to great name tags for my students.  It is quick and easy and not something every classroom has. :)  They actually last longer than card stock laminated or traditional name tags.  I have had some students pick at the letters but that is normal for any name tag.  These pictures are from last spring.

2. Bulletin Boards.  Love cutting out titles and just slapping them up on the wall.

{Thought I had more pics of BB in my room :( }

3. Classroom Decor.  Love using vinyl to decorate regular object in the classroom.

4. Hand Sanitizer Bottles.  This is my FAVORITE way to use vinyl in the classroom because I can personalize it any way. Here are some I have made in the past.

I love vinyl so much I use it a lot in my home, for gifts, and parties.  Here are a few items I have made.

Can't wait to use more of it in this year's classroom set up!

*Note:  I have a computer program I use with my Cricut which allows me to use a variety of fonts and images.  This program is old and no longer compatible with the Cricut.

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Anonymous

Every year I like to start the school year off with showing my students my 4th grade picture.  They enjoy seeing what I looked like as a fourth grader.  I tell them about my 4th grade school year to help describe what they will learn in 4th and how times have changed.  Last night I was thinking this would be a fun linky :)  Let's travel back in time and revisit ourselves in the grade we currently teach.

Apparently my awkward stage :)

 Grade:  4th Grade
Year: 1990-1991 {If you wish do disclose}
School: Evergreen Elementary School
Teacher: Mr. Allen
Favorites: New Kids On The Block, Full House, neon colors, funky earrings, and LA Gears
Memories:  My teacher wore polyester pants {I remember the ugly colors}, I was the first in my class to master my multiplication facts {0-12}, we did not have a Christmas party that year because of school being canceled, and I sat in the front of the classroom.


When you link up please use your old school photo as your icon :)  Thanks!
{I will keep the linky open for a few weeks, to give you time to dust off the old photo albums.}

I am excited to share with you my new product!  I have created a Magnets Interactive Science Notebook & More for Common Core Standard 4.P.1.1.  For today only it will be on sale for %20 off!

With this pack you also receive an Experiment, Written Response Questions, Find-Someone-Who for review and a Magnet Quiz.

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Anonymous

This week I have been busy with making items for my classroom. A few "Monday Made it" inspired :)

I used Mardi Gras beads and name tag holders to make these motivational necklaces.  Sarah from A Rocky Top Teacher created the tags and has them as a freebie on her blog.  Last Spring I picked up this M&M dispenser off a yard sale website and finally tried it out for erasers.  I wanted the label to be larger but it was difficult with the odd curved glass.  I plan to put polka dots to spruce it up.  

I use a Classroom Economy in my room as part of my classroom management, you can read about it HERE.  I normally have the students create their checkbooks in class, but I decided to have them prepared for them so all they need to do is decorate the front.

I printed, laminated, and cut out my Many Colored Classroom set. {I did this months ago, but never shared it.}  I still need to print out the matching behavior chart that is included in the set.

Finally, I printed, laminated, and cut out Diane's Welcome Banner {which she has on Sale right now}, and my How do you get home? chart.  I plan to use the Banner for my bulletin board outside my classroom.

There only a few more days to enter my Back to School Giveaway!  First prize is the Quietest Pencil Sharpener, second a surprise box of goodies mailed to you, and third prize is any three items from my TpT store.  Good Luck!

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Anonymous