Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate my 2nd Blogiversary! 

Congrats to Melissa Cloud for winning my FB giveaway and to Susan Lopez for winning the Gift Basket and $20 Amazon gift card!

I am currently on bed rest thanks to my back deciding it was going to rebel anytime I moved by having multiple spasms.  I am enjoying taking some time off, but would rather do it without the pain...although the meds are helping a bit!

Today I wanted to share with you an online student portfolio one of my coworkers shared with me.  In the past I have always had individual student hanging files to keep all work samples, notes, and RtI information in.  Some files were larger than others and I always lugged them around to meetings and conferences.  Three Ring is the digital answer for student portfolios.

Three Ring is a free online student portfolio site, and is SUPER EASY to use!  Once you sign up you can download the app to you phone or classroom iPads to make it even easier to use!

Once you have created a class you simply add your students, you can even copy and paste your roster.  For those who have more than one class you are able to create as many classes necessary.  So if you teach all five 5th grade ELA classes then you can create a portfolio for each of your students and by class. Once your students have been added to your class you are all set to upload their work.

I created a portfolio for each of my boys to show you how the site works, it's also a great way for me to keep up with their work. :)

Once your students have been enrolled you are then able to provide them with their user name and password.  I love this feature because students can upload their own work samples and parents can view them!  In order for parents to view them you will have to provide permission for each item, but again it super easy.

I also like the idea of allowing students to upload their own work samples to provided them the opportunity to share what they feel is their best work and/or important to them.

There are two ways to upload work.  The first is on the webpage by adding an artifact simply upload the image as if you were attaching the item to an email.  The second and I think the most convenient for teachers is through the app.  

To add and artifact via the app you select the class, student name, and then picture, video, camera, note, or microphone.  To test it out I recorded my son reading the beginning of a book using the microphone.  What a great way to share with parents samples of their students reading aloud or presenting a project!

Once an artifact is uploaded you can go in an add a note, your notes are NOT shared with the student or parent. 

I love the variety of artifacts Three Ring allows you to keep!  What a great tool to have for parent conferences, data notebooks, RtI notebooks, teacher portfolios, etc.!!

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I {Heart} Recess

I cannot believe I {Heart} Recess is 2 today!

Two years ago I started this blog as an outlet for a VERY difficult year and it has turned into such an amazing blessing!  I am grateful for the opportunities I {Heart} Recess has brought me, and for the friendships I have formed due to IHR.

To celebrate two years I am hosting a few giveaways and marking products down to 50% off!  Make sure you follow IHR on FB and IG so you don't miss any announcements!

My first giveaway will begin here on the blog!  One lucky winner will win the following prizes:

Thirty-One Basket filled with my favorite things:

AND

$20 Amazon Gift Card

The following products are currently 50% off!

                                     SALE $1.50                                           SALE $5.00

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Don't forget to follow on FB and IG so you won't miss out on the next giveaway...Hint...Hint! :)

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I {Heart} Recess

Over the past two years I have had first hand experience of how wonderful the teachers and followers are in the TpT and blogging world.  I have made life long friends with people I have never met in person!  I would do anything to help them out and know they would do the same for me.  Our friendships have been created through teaching blogposts, emails, TpT products, and FB conversations.  No matter the forum, true friendships have been formed.

Our amazing group of "Best Blogging Buddies" have joined together to to help a fellow BBB out!  Our friend Nick, from Sweet Rhyme & Pure Reason, and his wife are currently in their adoption journey.  To know more about this check out Nick's post HERE.  To help with the fees of adoption our friends have created an EXCLUSIVE Fall Bundle!  Many of these products are currently ONLY AVAILABLE IN THIS BUNDLE.  This Bundle is also ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME. 

There are 19 amazing products available for $25! (That's about $1.30 for each product! ) This bundle includes fall themed products for ELA, Math, and Science.  Check out all of the incredible products included in this bundle below:

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I {Heart} Recess

Just a quick post in between loads of laundry!

This is a glimpse of what I have planned this week.  I am really excited about some of the projects I am working on, and in need of prayers for one :)

This is a busy week of research, PD, and presentations!

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I {Heart} Recess

Sunday my oldest son turned 8!  I can not believe how fast he is growing!  Xavier is a sweet and caring child.  He is the type of kid everyone wishes they had in their class, I know because I have been told this by several of his teachers!

He is the first to help someone, pray for someone, and appreciate what others do for him.  He loves to talk so we joke that he will most likely grow up to be a Pastor or Sports Castor.  :)

LLI is new to me and I am trying really hard to figure it out!  I am struggling with determining if it is being effectively implemented in my school.  I would LOVE to know how you use it at your school (if you do)!  I think it is a valuable intervention, but looking for a better way for it to work at our school.

One of the great things about being an Instructional Coach is when your hubby text you that he is in the ER for chest pain and shortness of breath you can drop everything and head to the hospital.  No calling in a sub, and no sub plans.

He was admitted that night for observation.  Still waiting to see if they figured out the cause.  He has been stumping doctors for three months now.

I LOVE being an Instructional Coach!

I am working with a small group of 4th grade students three times a week in a small Guided Reading group.  This week we reviewed Drama and Prose and going back to the text to find evidence for answering the comprehension questions.

I think my favorite part of my day/week is going into the classrooms to observe the teachers and the students.  I normally go into the rooms for about 5-10 minutes.  This week I jumped in during a two math lessons to coach teach a little bit with the teachers.  I am grateful to work with teachers who are open to me doing this and aren't intimidated when I do.

After my walk throughs I ALWAYS leave the teachers a little note in their box praising them for something I observed.  This week I saw students acting out multiplication problems, students working together in collaborative pairs, and teachers teaching to mastery.  I love using bulletin board cutouts for my notes, I picked up these cute robots at Walmart for $.97!

I think my teachers appreciate my little notes because many of them will thank me, some have saved them, and some have told me they reread them when they need a little boost.  I can't say it enough I LOVE this job!

Monday night I posted about Close Reading and asked you all to join in my "online PLC".  I randomly chose two commenters who each win $5 worth of products from my store. 

The winners are....Anne and Mommy24!

Congratulations!

(Please check your email.)

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I {Heart} Recess

As an Instructional Coach part of my responsibilities is to provide PLCs for my teachers once a week.  A few weeks ago I went over Close Reading strategies, tips, and big ideas.  Many of my teachers were not familiar with Close Reading and several didn't realize what they were doing had a name.  I wanted them to walk away from the PLC knowing why we use Close Reading in our lessons, ideas on how to use Close Readings, and a tool to use during their lessons.

After going over these Big Ideas I asked my teachers the following question, 

"What surprises you most about Close Reading?".

I ask you the same question.  What about Close Reading surprises you the most?  What do you like about Close Reading?  What do you dislike about Close Reading?

If you participate in my online PLC you will enter a chance to win a $5 shopping spree in my TpT store. :)  I will randomly choose TWO commenters to WIN!

(Winners will be announced Friday, Oct. 10th)

Everybody is a winner of my Close Reading Guiding Questions Flip Book!  I provided a set of Higher Order Questions for each of my teachers to use during their whole group or small group instruction.  Another great idea would be to make a set for each student to use during their independent reading or partner reading.

(Don't forget to leave some feedback love.)

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I {Heart} Recess

{Posting a little early :) }

My office is located in our Media Center and I am always checking out the books our Media Specialist places on top of the book shelves for display.  One day I saw "Math Attack" by Joan Horton and was quickly captivated by the art work on the cover.  I also wanted to take a closer look because it wasn't a Math text I was familiar with.

This story is about a little girl whose brain goes crazy after she is called on to answer 7 x 10 during arithimetic.  Numbers start spilling out of everywhere!

The author uses a wonderful vocabulary for describing what is taking place in the story.  During the story the little girl is sent to the nurse, on the news, the police are sent, along with the Nation Guard.

Finally, the gears start spinning in her head and she is able to find the answer to the multiplication problem.

As I was reading this story I thought about how difficult it is for students to remember their multiplication facts and how their little minds go into over drive when searching for the products.  I recently taught a model lesson in a 3rd grade classroom on multiplication strategies.  This book would of been a fantastic activating strategy, of course I found it after my lesson!  It is still a great book for my teacher to use during their multiplication unit.

Since I had a "wish I had found this sooner" moment I am giving you my model lesson for FREE!  I hope you enjoy it!  

(Get it HERE.)

I recently just completed my 4.OA.1 lesson plan and added it to my TpT store. 

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I {Heart} Recess