I LOVE using videos in my lessons to excited, engage, and intrigue my students.  Have Fun Teaching has created a new product that does just that to help students read!  How incredible is that!?!


Have Fun Teaching needs your help! They have just launched a BIG IDEA on KickStarter that will help kids all over the world learn how to read! Join The Movement - Click Here.



If this project is funded during the month of MAY, Have Fun Teaching will be creating 220 Sight Word Music Videos that will give teachers and parents a fun and effective way to help children become better readers!

Here is a sample video for the Sight Word, "IS":


Every little bit helps and you can even receive awesome Rewards for backing this project!



I am planning a giveaway to celebrate 1,000 Bloglovin' followers!!

If you would like to donate please feel free to fill out the Google Doc HERE.


Stop by see what other's have shared HERE.

Today I wanted to share with you two products I have recently updated. These were one of the first few products I had posted in my TpT store back in 2012!


Each product now contains a complete lesson plan (CCS, vocabulary, EQ, Activating Strategy, Teaching Strategy & Engagement Activity, Summary Strategy, and Practice (independent and/or homework). I have also included everything needed for each part of the lesson plan, including Interactive Notebook Components and a Math Investigation Card.


I am currently working on the rest of fourth grade NBT standards and will have them posted individually and bundled.  I will also complete lessons for fifth grade within the next month.

What are some of your favorite activities to use during your math instruction?  I love utilizing cooperative learning groups or learning teams, partner games, whole class SCOOT, and manipulatives.

If you purchased these products in the past check your "MY PURCHASES" folder to download the revised version.

Feel free to link up ONE Math product and/or blog post!

I am linking up today with my girls Amanda & Stacia from Collaboration Cuties today!
I know many of you are REALLY close to the end of the year, I'm jealous!  We aren't done until June and still have to complete our state testing next week!

During this time of year you are either scrambling to keep your students engaged and focused and/or thinking of all the great things you want to do next year.  If you haven't taught Ecosystems yet there is still time to order this series I just discovered!  If you're planning for next year grab them before you forget about them! :)


I found a new to me series called "What If There Were No ______?" by Suzanne Slade.  There is a book for each type of ecosystem!  Each of the books are written from the animal's perspective and describes their importance in their ecosystem.  For an ELA connection these books are also perfect for teaching or reviewing cause and effect, point of view, and compare and contrast (if you use more than one book)!


We just started our ecosystem unit on Friday by watching Brain Pop and added vocabulary to our Interactive Science Notebooks.






I am the new Instructional Coach at a school just down the road from my home!

I am switching schools, districts, and positions next year!

My five year old took this picture right before my interview, my BBB's helped pick out my outfit :)

Are you changing positions, grade levels, schools, or any other exciting changes happening for you next year?



Stop by see what other's have shared HERE.



Today I am sharing a quick post about Fourth Grade Flipper's Line Plots with Fractions.  I purchased this last year during TpT's Back to School Sale.  I knew I wanted a hands on activity to use for this skill, and this was the perfect product for it!


I ran my copies and cut out six sets of cards for my students to use.  The objective of the game is to earn the most pizza for your pizza party.


My kids LOVED playing this game!  Once they chose a card the recorded the amount of pizza earned on their line plot.  Students could earn 0-8 slices.


My favorite part of this game was the extension sheet.  Students didn't just create a line plot, but they were also required to answer questions related to their personal line plot.  Students had to add up the total number of slices to determine who earned the most pizza for their party.


Line Plots with Fractions Math Center {aligned to Common Core}

Check out HERE.



We all know teachers are magic, but it seems that this time of year, our magical powers need a little extra umph and a maybe even an ABRACADABRA to get us to that last day of school!  So, I teamed up with some amazing intermediate bloggers to create some magic of our own!  You may recall that a couple of weeks ago, we joined forces to swap some of our favorite resources, armed with the goal of putting a little extra magic in our lessons and keeping our students engaged during these final weeks of the school year.

Credit goes to these talented graphic & font artists: Krista Wallden, KG Fonts & CC Fonts.

As promised, we’re all back today with Part 2 of our blog hop giveaway – the big reveal – viola!

Nonfiction Book Report Project (Aligned to CCSS)

If you remember from my previous post I chose Kathleen's Nonfiction Informational Book Project to keep my students engaged this time of year....I am happy to report it was a hit with my students!


We collected cereal boxes for a week so we could have them ready to use.  The first day I attempted to teach my kiddos how to wrap a cereal box like a present using bulletin board paper.  Now, do you ever have those moments when your realize you are in too deep to abandon ship?  I had that moment about two steps into this process!  After repeating myself, hearing my named called over and over, and running out of glue we ended up with 23 boxes successfully wrapped.


On the second day I passed out the rubric, yes I saved my copies by shrinking it down, and showed examples of completed projects from Kathleen's blog.  Students then read their nonfiction text and started taking notes and working on the assignment requirements.


On the third day my students started working on their boxes.  I broke up the requirements by day, day 1 the front, day 2 the sides, day 3 the back, and day 4 was for those who needed extra time. 


Here is an example of a completed front.  I hate that I don't have more pictures today, I was out Friday and didn't get pictures of the completed boxes.  If you check back Tuesday I will have more completed pictures.

I am so glad I chose this product!  My students absolutely LOVED working on their projects and asked every day when they would get a chance to work on them.  Normally, I would of assigned this project as a homework assignment, but at this time in the year I wanted to provide my kiddos an opportunity to be creative in class.  While they worked I was able to pull students for their end of the year DIBELS assessments.  I highly recommend Kathleen's product for a fun end of the year project!  It's a fun way for students to demonstrate what they have learned about informational text.

Now to our second round of magic giveaway!  We decided to switch things up a bit by having several winners this time around!   In fact, 14 classrooms will receive a little magic for their own classrooms!  Each of the blogs featured below will be giving their prize to a different winner!

So, perhaps you want to know what MY winner will collect!  Whoever is drawn as the winner from my blog will receive

"Winner's Choice"  That's right, the winner will receive one item from my store (excluding bundles)!
Good luck!

Here’s what you need to do for this giveaway:

Stop by each blog to read about all the magic that has been spread around classrooms near and far!

Enter to win each blogger’s resource using the raffle below.  Each blog is showcasing the same Rafflecopter, so you can just add entries as you go! 

While you are at each blog, if you’re not a blog follower already, sign on to follow!  (You can earn bonus entries for following all blogs once you unlock the additional entries.)

Again, a total of 14 winners will be named!   Each blog will award a winner.  That individual will receive the prize listed at that blog!

Here’s the list of blogs to visit: 
Swap Stop A
Teaching FourthTeaching with Blonde Ambition

Swap Stop B 
Fifth in the Middlehttp://thebrownbagteacher.blogspot.com/

Swap Stop C 
http://iheartrecess.blogspot.com/http://middlegradesmaven.blogspot.com/

Swap Stop D 
http://crafting-connections.blogspot.com/http://www.theteacherstudio.com/

Swap Stop E 
http://createteachandshare.blogspot.com/http://teachingtoinspirein5th.blogspot.com/

Swap Stop F 
One Lesson at a Timehttp://www.commoncoreandsomuchmore.com/

Swap Stop G 
Photobuckethttp://www.thesciencepenguin.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Well, friends, here’s the blogosphere sending a little magic your way this May! :)

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