Monday Made It...Post-It Note Holders

I'm linkin' up again this week with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It.

This past week was one for the memory books for me.  I did some collaboratin' with my great friend Miss Nelson from Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera.  I also got to spend the weekend with family and friends in Georgia for Jerm's grandfather's 75th birthday.  I haven't laughed so much in forever.  I am absolutely the worst passenger EVER in a car!  I guess it's not so bad when you have good company and lots of laughter!

The first thing I made this week was inspired by somethin' that Joann from Head Over Heels for Teaching made about a month ago for Monday Made It...Post-It note holders.  I immediately fell in love and decided I needed to make somethin' similar. I can't say that mine turned out as cute as hers because they definitely didn't, but they'll work for my little rockstars.

Here is what Joann made. 

Here is what I made.

Psst! Want to know a secret?  I'm a horrible ribbon and bow tier. Do you think there is an app for that?
I normally buy the stick on bows for presents because mine always turn out pitiful.
Joann has talent and made it look so very easy!
These Post-it note holders will go on each of my six tables in my classroom.
I have a pink table, orange table, yellow table, etc.

I picked up the photo frames at Dollar Tree for $1 each. Post-it notes at Target for $1 each.  Three sheets of scrapbook paper at Hobby Lobby.  Tulle in the six colors, all for 50% off(regularly $4.99-$5.99) at Hobby Lobby.  This took me about thirty minutes to cut the paper, tie the tulle, and hot glue the Post-it notes.  Not too bad and I didn't even burn my fingers with the hot glue gun this time...amazin'! I really think this will be great for responses and for organization for my kiddos.  I can quickly look to see when someone has turned in a response and check them by table groups since they are colored.

The next thing I made was a continuation from last week's Monday Made It.  I originally made Rockin' Behavior Beads (Special Edition) and this week I made Behavior Beads (Intermediate Edition).  The original sets of Behavior beads were designed by my friend Miss Nelson.  She was sweet enough to let me take on some of the Special Editions.  I couldn't have done it without her bein' so supportive and lettin' me play on her super awesome 'puters.  I'm hopin' I will find all kinds of neat ideas on everyone else's Monday Made Its and con her into helpin' me make some more stuff for my classroom.  She is way more crafty than I am AND knows how to tie bows better than I do. She ROCKS!

$20 Amazon Gift Card...ends tonight...

Happy Friday friends, 

I'm packin' up to head out of town for the weekend.  Just wanted to remind you that Miss Nelson will reveal the winner of the $20 Amazon Gift Card on her Saturday Snapshots link-up this comin' Saturday, July 27th. If you haven't ever linked up...you really should.  I love lookin' at everyone's snapshots!

I would like to give a great big THANK YOU to those of you who have either purchased, re-pinned, or posted about the Rockin' Behavior Beads.  We've had a great week workin' on Behavior Beads together. Lots and lots of laughter!  Can't wait to read everyone's Monday Made Its on Monday!
Have a fabulous weekend!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tune into Technology: Technology Management & Organization...

Today I am linkin' up again for "Tune into Technology Linky: Technology Management & Organization" with Kristin at iTeach 1:1 as well as Alyin and Amanda at Learning to the Core.  This linky will stay open until next Thursday, so come join the technology party!
                                      

Organization is something that I live by...I wasn't always this way.  The older I get, the more important it is in my every day life.  I cannot handle not being able to find something.  I apologize in advance for the horrible quality of the pictures.  I can't take screenshots on my computer, so I used my phone. 

I use many tools to keep myself organized:

Thumb Drive-(I know...it's considered old school now with resources such as Google Drive and Dropbox)  I don't go anywhere without my thumb drive though. I had a major meltdown two years ago when my thumb drive broke and thought I had lost everything(luckily, my intern's husband was able to put it back together for me) Always back-up your files! I have saved files from back before it was even cool to have them.

 My thumb drive has folders with sub-folders inside them.  I do this because I switch grade levels every year.  It's very easy for me to pull up 5th grade and go into sub-folders such as Literacy for 5th, Technology for 5th, Math for 5th, Lesson Plans, Newsletters, etc.  These sub-folders even have their own sub-folders.  Let's use Literacy for example:

Author's Purpose, Classify and Categorize, Comprehension, Compare and Contrast, Connection, Graphic Organizers, Inference, Point of View, etc.  As soon as I save something I immediately drop it into the appropriate folder and am able to find something within seconds.  That's how organized my thumb drive is!  

  

Google Calendar-Everyone makes fun of me because I cannot bring myself to go by this calendar.  I am one of those people that has to write in a paper calendar.  If not, I won't show up or the task will not get completed.  It's very strange considerin' I am pretty techy.  I'm settin' a goal for myself to try harder this year to jump on the Google Calendar wagon. 

Gmail-Oh how I love my Gmail account.  I label every email that comes my way and drop it into color-coded folders.  If it's something that I know I will definitely not need to refer to again, I will delete right after readin'. I check my email at least every mornin', during my plannin', after school, and at night.  This is my main form of communication with parents besides my class website.

Pretty isn't it?

Class Website: Important information for students and parents.  Curriculum, Standards, Class News, Supply List, Links to Websites, Web 2.0 Tools, etc. Rose's Rockstars 

Edmodo:  Read about this tool that I use daily with my students.  This is where I store any videos, documents, Powerpoints, etc. for the students to access ANY time at home or school, as long as the internet is workin'! I LOVE Edmodo

Symbaloo-I have also written about this before.  This is how I have started droppin' in links to websites for my students.  Example here: Science Symbaloo

Accordin' to the pin I saw on Pinterest, "Organized people are just too lazy to look for something".  This is probably true for me.

Don't forget there is one more day to enter the Rafflecopter with a chance of winnin' a $20 Amazon Gift Card.  Read the original post here.  All new Intermediate Edition of Behavior Beads have been added to my TpT store.  

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Differentiatin' Instruction with Menus & a $20 Amazon Gift Card

I know everyone probably already differentiates instruction and has their own way of doin' things, but I wanted to share some books that were shared with me this past year from my District's Gifted Coordinator (she is so sweet).  She was kind enough to send me the Math version of this book in the courier in hopes that I might be able to use it in my classroom, so I did.

Since I loop almost every year, I am constantly lookin' for new ideas because I can't use a lot of the same activities two years in a row(which I probably wouldn't do even if I did stay in the same grade level).  Let's face it, sometimes my brain gets fried and I have a hard time comin' up with and creatin' fresh ideas every second of every day.  I'm always up for tryin' new resources anyways.

I got onto my trusty friend, Amazon, and searched for the book.  Since I never do anything half way...I went ahead and bought the book in each subject area...it's a sickness I tell you.  These particular books are Advanced Level Menus Grades 3-5.  Laurie Westphal has also written them for K-2, 6-8, Algebra I/II, & in menus in the Inclusive Classroom.   If you would like to read the descriptions, click on the picture or on the author's name.

I have not tried everything in these books, but I do plan on usin' many of them.  I've grabbed a couple of the activities from each book and would like to share one of the activities that my kids really enjoyed this year.

I was absent on the day that my students were presented with this particular math menu, so I couldn't wait to get back to school to see what they had been up to.  There were a total of 8 activities to choose from.  Just about every student in my class chose this one.  It just amazes me how very different each and every student is and how their brain works.  On this particular activity though, several of them had the SAME thought.  I busted out laughin' when I looked at their models because every child made sure that they added a DIET COKE machine(for free) for my best friend & I.  They know us so very well!  It was so neat to see what kinds of things they believed the teachers needed.  A manicurist, a massage therapist, a chocolate fountain, a bed for naps, a comfy chair to sit in...the list goes on!

I wish I had pictures of the finished products, but I had to get a new phone and lost all of my pictures.  *Sad face*
 I am in no way affiliated with this author, book, or publishing company.  Just wanted to share my opinions because I have really enjoyed these books.

Have you entered yourself for the opportunity to win the $20 Amazon Gift Card that Miss Nelson and I are givin' away?   Read about it below:


Miss Nelson makes the coolest Behavior Beads and she let ME (yes, me...I was shocked too) design some SPECIAL EDITION Rockin' Behavior Beads!

Are you scratchin' your head and askin'...what in the world is a Behavior Bead?  Yeah, I figured...

Behavior Beads are a MUST in the classroom!!! Students LOVE earnin' and collectin' these colorful tags/beads. If you want to call attention to your students for varieties of reasons such as rockin' behavior, celebratin' birthdays, masterin' sight words, makin' a discovery, rockin' with responsibility, or when their brain is singin', then these are the perfect incentives. I’ve decided to make some simple rockin' “behavior beads” for students to earn and collect. This set of “Rockin' Behavior Beads” is to give to your kiddos for meetin' their math goals, the ROCK STAR. There are several ways to use them. You can print on cardstock and laminate them to attach to some kind of necklace or key chain for your little rock stars to wear all day. (Since this is a SPECIAL EDITION item, they come as is, without custom designin').

Here is the official list of Rockin' Behavior Beads:
~ Rockin' Behavior
~ Reading Star
~ Math Star
~ Studied like a Star
~ V.I.P. (Very Important Participant)
~ Drummin' up to Read!
~ Keyed up for Success
~ Boys Rock
~ Girls Rule
~ iRock
~My Teacher thinks I'm a Rockstar
~My Brain is Singin'
~Peace, Love, & Learnin'
~Rockin' with Responsibility
~I Made a DISCovery
~Rocked the Test

Ta Da! 

 

 Want to get your very own Rockin' Behavior Beads?  Go HERE.  

They are on sale today...for a short time! You know you want them!

Click HERE or on the picture to get some of Miss Nelson's Original Behavior Beads.

If you read to the bottom of this post, you are AWESOME because we MADE something else...a RAFFLECOPTER with a chance to win a $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD.  I know, I know...it's such excitin' stuff.  Hold it together enough to read what happens next.  This will end on Saturday, but you can come back EVERY SINGLE DAY to enter to win.  Miss Nelson will reveal the winner on her Saturday Snapshots link-up this comin' Saturday, July 27th.  Keep scrollin'...

a Rafflecopter giveaway



 

Monday Made It...Rockin' Behavior Beads

It's here, it's here...it's FINALLY here!
Tara at 4th Grade Frolics is hostin' her Monday Made It. 

 I'm practically runnin' around in circles(or about to jump off the stage) from excitement because I have teamed up with Michele from Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera for what I believe to be the Rockin'-est thing you will see today.  Okay, okay...I'm a little biased!

I know the suspense is killin' you, but first I'm goin' to show you what I am REALLY good at makin'...

a tiny dent in my wallet AND a mess! 

*Disclaimer: I don't suggest tryin' this at home! 

Finish one thing before startin' another. 
Make sure you read to the bottom for a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

That green binder up there has lists; lots of lists and those lists have baby lists.
I have bought the stuff for:
~ picture frames like Joanne's at Head Over Heels For Teaching (I seriously have the best conversations with her via email.  She ROCKS!)  I bought some tulle instead of ribbon to tie around the tops because they had my colors on sale!
~pizza pan like Tara's at 4th Grade Frolics (our host!) for her Homework Club.  Since my school is a Reading Homework only school, I think I might use the idea for somethin' different...just haven't figured out what yet. I combined it with Ms. Fultz's "Pop Stars" idea.  (Jerm sprayed some "pop" aka "adult juice" tops and put magnets on the bottom)  Save yourself some stress and buy the magnets pre-made at Hobby Lobby.
~READ is goin' to get painted with "my colors" that I got on clearance at our Jo-Ann's Fabrics that is closin', only to reopen again next month in a different location.  I've never seen it so bare; it was creepy!
~ROCK has scrapbook paper and NOISE has black paint that needs to be covered with Modge Podge.
~The rest is just little junk here and there that I NEEDED!

Okay...now onto the ROCKIN' Monday Made It...
Miss Nelson makes the coolest Behavior Beads and she let ME (yes, me...I was shocked too) design some SPECIAL EDITION Rockin' Behavior Beads!  She even kept me from rippin' my hair out while we spent hours on end tweakin' and makin' these.  w00t!

Are you scratchin' your head and askin'...what in the world is a Behavior Bead?  Yeah, I figured...

Behavior Beads are a MUST in the classroom!!! Students LOVE earnin' and collectin' these colorful tags/beads. If you want to call attention to your students for varieties of reasons such as rockin' behavior, celebratin' birthdays, masterin' sight words, makin' a discovery, rockin' with responsibility, or when their brain is singin', then these are the perfect incentives. I’ve decided to make some simple rockin' “behavior beads” for students to earn and collect. This set of “Rockin' Behavior Beads” is to give to your kiddos for meetin' their math goals, the ROCK STAR. There are several ways to use them. You can print on cardstock and laminate them to attach to some kind of necklace or key chain for your little rock stars to wear all day. (Since this is a SPECIAL EDITION item, they come as is, without custom designin').

Here is the official list of Rockin' Behavior Beads:
~ Rockin' Behavior
~ Reading Star
~ Math Star
~ Studied like a Star
~ V.I.P. (Very Important Participant)
~ Drummin' up to Read!
~ Keyed up for Success
~ Boys Rock
~ Girls Rule
~ iRock
~My Teacher thinks I'm a Rockstar
~My Brain is Singin'
~Peace, Love, & Learnin'
~Rockin' with Responsibility
~I Made a DISCovery
~Rocked the Test

Ta Da! 

 

 Want to get your very own Rockin' Behavior Beads?  Go HERE.  

They are on sale today...for a short time! You know you want them!

Click HERE or on the picture to get some of Miss Nelson's Original Behavior Beads.

If you read to the bottom of this post, you are AWESOME because we MADE something else...a RAFFLECOPTER with a chance to win a $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD.  I know, I know...it's such excitin' stuff.  Hold it together enough to read what happens next.  This will end on Saturday, but you can come back EVERY SINGLE DAY to enter to win.  Miss Nelson will reveal the winner on her Saturday Snapshots link-up this comin' Saturday, July 27th.  Keep scrollin'...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Smorgasbord...

I'm linkin' up for Sunday Smorgasbord with Fabulous in First. I like random, so this is right up my alley!

First, how many of you have heard of the app "ibotta"?  If you answered "no", you NEED to get this!  Before you do, you should know this is NOT a teacher-y app.  This app is to help you save money while shoppin' at your local grocery or discount stores.  Just for loadin' it, you can earn $10(you read that right TEN DOLLARS) and send it straight to your PayPal.  Yep, it's that EASY!  When you complete certain offers by purchasin' featured products, all you have to do is scan your receipt and scan the barcode of the product and "POOF"(did you like that onomatopoeia?), they send you money.  I know, I seriously thought it was crazy when I first heard about it, but it DOES work!  You can only transfer a minimum of $5 at a time to your PayPal account.  I've had it less than a month and have already earned $29.75.  Cha Ching!  I mean HELLO...who doesn't like free money when you are already purchasin' the products?  If you sign up, you automatically earn that $10 and I earn $1. DO IT, but come back when you are finished because there is more to read!  

Click here or on the picture to check it out. 

Now the next app you NEED to get is called Shopkick.  This app reminds me of a scavenger hunt.  Since you will already be in the store usin' your ibotta app, why not use Shopkick at the same time?  The point of the app is to earn "kicks" while you are in the store.  Some stores will give you kicks just for walkin' in: Target, Old Navy, American Eagle, Macy's, Best Buy and more.  They feature different items for you to scan to earn kicks in an attempt to have you try out new products, BUT that doesn't necessarily mean you have to buy them to earn the kicks, unless you want to of course.  Each day they add "surprise kicks", so you can earn kicks while sittin' on your couch.  After you earn a certain amount of kicks, you can spend your kicks on all kinds of rewards: Gift cards to Target, iTunes, Starbucks, Old Navy, Lowe's, Redbox, Toys R Us, Game Stop, Nike, Sports Authority, Tiffany & Co, Kate Spade, Coach, The Ritz Carlton...the list goes on! I don't think I earn anything if you link up to this or not...maybe a few kicks, but hey...a few is better than none. 

Click here or on the picture to check it out. 

If you are T.V. watcher, the next app you should check out is Viggle.  You can earn rewards just for watchin' T.V.  I know you are probably thinkin' "NO WAY!", but I assure you, it's true.  How many of you spend hours cuttin' out and laminatin' stuff from TpT while watchin' T.V.?  Well, now you can Viggle while you're workin'!  One of my co-workers introduced me to this app and he has earned a ton of rewards from this.  How it works: open the app, turn your T.V. to the channel you want to watch, let Viggle listen to your T.V. and it will check you in.  You earn a point for every minute you watch a program.  Sometimes when I DVR stuff it will still pick up the show for about a week.  Each night there are popular bonus shows that will get you bonus points.  Yep, this one really is that simple too!  This app doesn't have any kind of reward for linkin' up that I know of, but you can link up with friends just because you like your friends. At least I hope you like your friends. 

Click here or on the picture to check it out. 

Next, I want to share somethin' from Ideas by Jivey(if you aren't followin' her, you should).  She has a section on her blog titled "Techy Tips" and let me tell you...this is GOOD stuff!  As you know, I'm new to this bloggin' world.  Luckily, I stumbled across Jivey's blog and boy am I glad I did because she has some really helpful tips; not just techy ones.  The major one that jumped out at me was for that super annoyin' captcha that shows up when you are leavin' comments on other peoples' blogs.  I bet some of you don't even know that it's on yours; I sure didn't know it was on mine.  Never fear, it is no longer here!!!

Click here to learn how to get rid of YOUR captcha! 

I went to the nail salon today to get a pedicure because, well...just because!  I got a fun design after seein' a nifty pin that Erin from The Short and Sassy Teacher posted yesterday on her blog. I hope she doesn't mind that I snagged her idea.  I seriously bet she won't because she's super sweet! (For some reason my toes look really short here, but they really are not in real life). A little bit of pink, white, silver and black...my favorite colors! 

My wonderful friend Miss Nelson and I spent several hours yesterday workin' on our Monday Made It project and I can't wait for the reveal.  I'm burstin' with excitement.  No really...I am!

Happy Sunday friends! 

Saturday Snapshots...

I'm linkin' up again with Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera for "Saturday Snapshots".  I haven't snapped a lot of shots this week.  I went to a district Common Core trainin' and did some runnin' around at all the local craft stores and before I knew it...it was already Saturday again.

Peeked in on my classroom...still waitin' on the floors to be cleaned. 

Ate some of the yummiest Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream 

at my favorite place, Pink Pelican!  I crave this stuff sometimes!

Found some super cute baskets at Tuesday Mornin' that I want to snag.
My colors and butterflies...love!

Found this one at my Nitty's before I left.  I hate clowns.
This must have been before I watched Poltergeist for the first time.
It's okay if you're laughin'...I sure did.

I know some little rockstars that would like some of this stuff.
Does anyone else get really cool purses and such that the kiddies make
for you out of Duck Tape?

How did I not know about this stuff?  Again...livin' under a rock! 

Saw these at Walmart.  I think I need these in my life.
I'll be Hap-pay! Hap-pay! Hap-pay! 

My backyard. I didn't snap this, but my bestie did for me this week.
I sure was missin' this view while I was out of town.

My better half, Jerm! He is the happiest person on the face of this planet.
I've never seen this guy in a bad mood,
even when he has to put up with my sassy, bossiness!


Did y'all see this?  Head over to Oh' Boy 4th Grade to check this out
and enter for your chance to win $100.

Guess what?!?...I WON somethin'.
I never win anything, but today I WON a box of goodies
from The Techie Teacher, Julie.  Hip Hip Hooray!
I feel like I won a million bucks!
I'd add a picture of her email, but y'all already know what gmail looks like.

Be on the lookout for somethin' special comin' your way from 
Miss Nelson and myself.  
Here's your hint: It ROCKS!  Are you intrigued? 

Tune into Technology Linky: Classroom Websites...

Today I am linkin' up again for "Tune into Technology Linky: Classroom Websites" with Kristin at iTeach 1:1 as well as Alyin and Amanda at Learning to the Core.  This linky will stay open until next Thursday, so come join the technology party!
                                      

I really couldn't wait for this topic to come up!  I am new to the "bloggin' world", but NOT to the "classroom website" world.  I have had a classroom website for many, many years and can honestly say that I couldn't live without one.  I do pay for my site each year, but it is well worth the money and less hassle for me to try to design one.   

My website consists of a main page with many topics such as:  About Me, Communication, Curriculum, Class News, Supply List, Class Schedule, Grading Polices, Behavior System, Links to Websites, Homework, Technology, Calendar, Slideshows, etc.  As I try new Web 2.0 tools, I like to add a section to showcase that tool.
  
I update my Class News weekly and ask the parents and students to read the Class News together Monday afternoons after I have shared it with the kiddos during the day.  Often I send the Class News in a group email to the parents as a little reminder.  This gives them a heads up on any special assignments, important dates, and what we are learning that week.  If students are absent, they can still keep track of what we are doing by lookin' at the Class News & Homework tabs.   If somethin' new pops up durin' the week I send out a quick email to the parents.  If any students do not have online access at home, I print a hard copy for them to take home. 

At the beginnin' of the year, at Orientation, I give each family a magnet with our class website printed on it. I order these from Vistaprint.  I always make sure to have extra copies printed for students that may reside in more than one home and also for any new students that may enter in the middle of the school year.  

At the beginnin' of the summer, I made a few changes, but I have been at Common Core trainin' for my county this week and have learned some new information regardin' gradin', etc.; I will be sure to update my website again as the start of school gets nearer.  
As always, you are more than welcome to link my site if you find a resource or section that you think would be a beneficial resource for yourself or your students.  It's not just for my students and parents; it's for teachers too!

Here's what you've been waitin' for: ROSE'S ROCKSTARS and my favorite part of my website: My Links

For the most part, my class website is geared towards 3rd-5th in the "My Links" section and I am ALWAYS addin' links(in fact, this mornin' I added a new engineerin' website: Get Caught Engineering. Wendy and Cheryl even mentioned me and my science links on Symbaloo on their Facebook this mornin'...sweet!). 
I like for this section of my website to not be grade-specific since I loop back in forth between the upper grades.  Anything and everything that my students or parents need should be on our class website...SOMEWHERE!