Tried it Tuesday...A Little Bit o' This and That!

Today I'm linkin' up with my buddy Holly from Fourth Grade Flipper for Tried it Tuesday.  Shh...don't tell her I was up until 12:30 on a school night writin' this post because I was so excited.

I'm just goin' to give you a fair warnin'...this post is goin' to be all over the place because I tried all kinds of stuff this week...YIPPEE!

#1 Awesomeness:

Last year I saw this pin on Pinterest(wouldn't you know after scrollin' through 2,000 pins that I can't find it) and tried it out with my kiddos.  It was so colorful that we left it up all year.  I HAD a picture of it before, but I had a phone incident and lost all of my pictures.  I'm just full of excuses aren't I?  

Since I have looped with my kiddos, I decided I wanted to do it again to see how different their answers would be for this year.  They didn't disappoint.  Plus, I have a love relationship with Post-It notes...win, win!

Anyways...here's this year's picture...

I have 6 different questions hangin' on the door.  The students responded to the question with the matchin' Post-it note.  Example question:  What will Ms. Rose need to do to help make 5th grade successful?  

Don't you just feel happy lookin' at all those pretty Post-Its?  Thought so!

#2 Awesomeness:

Last week I saw THIS fabulous idea on Teaching in Room 6.  I LOVED it so much that I decided I needed to quickly sneak it into my plans.  Why is it that I feel this need to get every creative idea I see over the summer shoved all into the first week? For some reason I forget that there are 180 days to try out everything.  I imagine I'm not the only one that feels this way!  Stephanie's obviously way cooler than I am because she was actually able to locate the pin she found on Pinterest.  Stephanie used a circle map with her kiddos.  I decided to use this 50 Things I Love Graphic Organizer that Nick from Sweet Rhyme-Pure Reason is offerin' for FREE:

The students filled out 50 things that they love and then put them into illustrations on their hands. 

Here's my class' rendition of the project...

I love how bright and colorful they turned out.

Everyone's is so very different.  The pictures just don't do it justice.  

It's way more awesome up close and personal.

Here are all 22 hands together.  The kids think I should have turned the hands upside down, but it's stayin' this way because I like it.  It almost feels like they are reachin' for the stars!

ROSE'S ROCKSTARS ARE HANDS DOWN A ROCKIN' CLASS

#3 Awesomeness:

The next idea I tried was from THIS post that Courtney at Polka Dot Lesson Plans posted this summer for a Throwback Thursday.  It is all about "Tamin' the Paper Monster".  I think Courtney thought I was either jokin' or nuts when I told her that I was immediately goin' to Wally in the middle of the night to get folders for this activity.  I'm sure by now those of you that are frequent readers of my lil ol' blog know that I did indeed go in the middle of the night to scoop up 24 folders.  It was cheaper to get the pack of 8.   I hung the folders up with blue sticky tack(it's the only kind that works as far as I'm concerned).  After a week of papers flyin' in and out, they are still on the wall.  I'm impressed.  

I am usin' them for Unfinished Work because I don't send home paper homework. 

Here's a close up shot.  

We are workin' on Self-Portraits, so this is an example of an unfinished piece of work in the folder.  I used the numbers that Tara from 4th Grade Frolics offered this summer for FREE.  

#4 Awesomeness: 

Every year we have a bazillion(okay, maybe I'm exaggeratin' a little)website log-ins and passwords to keep up with.   In the past, I have used two different ways to keep track of this.  I have used one sheet per student and typed in all of the info, placed it in a plastic sleeve and had the students store it in their binder.  The past two years, I have actually cut out each square and used packin' tape to tape them in the front of each child's agenda.  If I print the whole sheet, I have to reprint every time we add a new site.  If I tape in agendas, I still have to print, cut and tape.  I don't know which way is easier, but I do know that it is a LIFE SAVER.  This way, if we go to the Technology Lab, the students can either carry their binder or agenda and I don't have to waste time lookin' up their log-ins(chances are I've left my thumb drive in my room with all of MY log-ins and there is no way I can remember one single one of my own without lookin' it up first).  Since both items go home each night, the students have easy access to all of their online info.  I find that usin' different colored highlighters helps locate the websites easier at a quick glance.  

It's not necessary, but something that I just do.   

I made this file several years ago on Publisher.  It took me about two minutes to add the boxes and text. 

I considered droppin' this into a PDF file for anyone that wanted this, but then that would defeat the purpose because you couldn't add text.  Then I thought about transferrin' it into a Powerpoint file, but addin' the text boxes would have been a pain, so I ditched that idea.  If you don't own a Mac, and would like the Publisher file, I can send it via email.  That way you can add which ever sites you use in your classroom.  Leave a comment with your email or you can email me at butterflialisun@gmail.com with the subject: Website Log-ins and I will send it to you...if it's even something anyone is interested in havin'!

#5 Awesomeness: 

I didn't get to try out Jennifer from Mrs. Laffin's Laughings new linky party A Peek at My Week, but I will be this Sunday and you should too(if you haven't already)!

I hope everyone is havin' a great week.  

You'll all be surprised to know that I only took a ONE hour nap on Monday instead of my 

normal first week-three hours.  Gettin' better! 

Spark Student Motivation Saturdays and Saturday Snapshots...

Did anyone happen to catch the license plate number on the semi-truck that ran over me?  I know I'm not the only one feelin' this way right about now.  I had to make time to link up with my buddies though for Saturday Snapshots with Miss Nelson and Spark Student Motivation Saturdays with Head Over Heels for Teaching.

  

Spark Student Motivation Saturdays with Head Over Heels for Teaching: 

A box was delivered to school on Friday.

What's in the box? 

An iPad mini from our Donors Choose project!

What better way to get kids pumped and motivated to learn?  

I love incorporatin' technology in my classroom and participatin' in my county's B.Y.O.D. program. 

Not only do I integrate usin' devices in my lessons for researchin', respondin', etc., 

I also like to use them in my reward system.

  If you haven't taken an opportunity to write a grant for materials in your classroom through Donors Choose, you are missin' out.  There are so many things to choose from...not just technology.  I'm a fan!

Saturday Snapshots with Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera:  

My nephew turned 7 this week.  

Jerm made the cake and I decorated with the trucks.  

This was the aftermath of Orientation on Monday.  Luckily, the boys and girls helped me sort and organize or I'd still be there doin' it.  I am so thankful for such supportive families.

Sweet treats on the 1st day from my little rockstars.  It definitely made the transition from

 summer to school time easier.  

This week I bounced into my pod bestie J.R.'s room to snap some shots.  This year all of her students will be sittin' on these stability balls.  If they all go missin' and end up in my room, it wasn't me!  I plan on sneakin' into my other besties' room next week to take pics when they aren't lookin'...shh...don't tell them!

Love the colors in her room(blues, greens, gray, and pops of orange).  

It's always so calm and soothin' when I walk in there. 

Love her boards with fabric, ribbon, and tissue paper.

Love her board that she made to keep track of A.R. goals. 

 Washi tape, ribbon, and tissue paper on a white board.  

A part of her readin' area & bookshelves.

New bookshelves. 

Her beautiful Word Wall.  Letters on scrapbook paper with ribbon hangin' down.

Lanterns with circle tissue paper hot glued on.

She was clearly more prepared for supplies than I was.

Too lazy to eat anythin' else some nights.

Got a new shirt today to prepare for some New Orleans Saints football. 

I'm participatin' in ESPN's Fantasy Football again this year.  I did really well last year, but I didn't win.  

I'll be on two teams this year.  Maybe that will help my chances!  

That's about all I've been up to this week.  Nothin' overly excitin'.  

Sorry I don't have any cool sunset pics either. 

Tried it Tuesday...Save Fred

Today I'm linkin' up with Holly @ Fourth Grade Flipper for Tried it Tuesday.  I was almost too tired to write this...almost.  I enjoy linkin' up with Holly way too much to pass up this post!

Today was the first day back with students and it went very smoothly since I'm in a loopin' year with my 5th graders.  My bestie, next door, also looped with her kids to 3rd.  My two other pod besties did a flip-flop of classes.  One is teachin' 2nd and one is teachin' 4th, so we pretty much have all of the same kids in our pod again this year. It was great to see all of the smilin' faces.    My pod besties are AC, JR, and MJ.
Today my kids got to do an activity with their 3rd grade buddies that Jivey shared recently.  It is called: Save Fred (read #3 in Jivey's post).  Our kids asked a ton of questions before we got started.  Does anyone else's class come up with a billion scenarios before startin' an activity?  We went over the 3 rules of the activity several times and kept emphasisin' that they could only follow the 3 rules.  I'm not sure what was funnier, the scenarios or actually savin' Fred.  Either way...I LAUGHED uncontrollably the whole time.  We made the kids "whisper collaborate" to keep from disturbin' our pod besties, but it didn't last long.  The table that saved FRED first got to stand in their chairs so we knew who made it happen (the kids always love breakin' a rule with our permission).  I highly suggest tryin' this with your kiddos; it's a MUST!

I took more pictures, but I don't want to add more of the kids until 

I get back all of my photo permission forms.

I also tried a nap for the first day.  It's pretty much a tradition...an every day tradition that doesn't just happen on the first day.  Hope you're havin' a great week!

Teachers on Pinterest...Did you Know?...

HAVE YOU SEEN IT?  Do you know what I'm talkin' about?  It's the Teachers on Pinterest board(s)!  Isn't it so excitin'?  As far as I'm concerned, it's a teacher's DREAM come true!  One spot for all of those fabulous pins out there that are just waitin' for you to repin and use in your classroom.
  
I am a pin-a-holic and find all kinds of amazin' pins that I have to immediately pin for future reference.  I am a very visual person, so I love gettin' on Teachers on Pinterest boards and checkin' out all the nifty pictures and creative ideas.  I can honestly say that in the past few years that I have been incorporatin' Pinterest ideas in my lesson plannin', it has provided me an opportunity to be more creative in the class and the students LOVE when I give them somethin' fresh.  Pinterest allows for me to not have to spend so much time creatin' lessons on my own because chances are someone has already done the plannin' and shared it with everyone else.  I love teachers!

In my Pinterest life, I've used videos to stream for lessons, found games to match a concept we were workin' on, integrated anchor charts and pictures into all subject area lessons, and gotten ideas for classroom decor...all from the different pins on Pinterest.  I can walk around my school campus into hallways and classrooms and immediately tell who also adores Pinterest as much as I do...simply by lookin' at their doors and walls!  I am quick to exclaim, "Hey, I saw that on Pinterest!  That looks AWESOME!  Do you mind if I try that in my classroom as well?"  

Right here, right now, I'd like to thank each and every teacher out there that has opened up their doors and classrooms by sharin' pins with the rest of the teachers around the world. YOU ROCK!

You seriously need to go check out all of the boards.  What are you waitin' for?  GO NOW!  You can choose to only follow the boards that are of interest to you, or Follow All like I have chosen to do.  I believe the more pins the merrier!  Thanks to Matt Sutton at Digital, Divide and Conquer for introducin' me to these boards.  You can find me pinnin' under Literacy, Math, and Sensory Learning as Alison Rose.

Spark Student Motivation and Saturday Snapshots...

I'm linkin' up with Joanne from Head Over Heels for Teaching for Spark Student Motivation and I'm also linkin' up with Michele from Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera for Saturday Snapshots!

 

This summer, I spent a great deal of time with Miss Nelson creatin' new things for our collaboration store, Double Trouble, but before that Miss Nelson helped me create some Special Edition-Behavior Beads as a piggyback off of her original Behavior Beads.
What better way to spark student motivation than handin' out a Behavior Bead when caught doin' somethin' fantastic, or masterin' a tough concept?  Behavior Beads are not just for the "little kids".  Even the "big kids" enjoy receivin' somethin' they can hold on to and brag about.  Students place Behavior Beads on a necklace and can store at school for safe keepin' or wear back and forth from home to school.  I would suggest printin' on card stock and laminatin'.  Just punch a hole and they are ready to be stored(clear plastic craft or jewelry boxes) until you pass them out for students to put on a ball chain.

Special Edition Behavior Beads:

S.T.E.M. Edition-Behavior Beads

Rockin' Behavior Beads-Special Edition

Rockin' Behavior Beads-Part Two

Intermediate Edition-Behavior Beads

PreK Edition-Behavior Beads (also great for Kinder)

3rd Grade Rocks Beads

4th Grade Rocks Beads

5th Grade Rocks Beads
With TpT havin' a huge sale on 8/18 & 8/19, I will also be havin' a 20% sale in my TpT store until 8/20.  Use the code: BTS13 to receive an additional 10% off.  I don't know about you, but my Wishlist is FULL!.  I couldn't be more excited though because I have TONS of wonderful ideas in my cart that I can't wait to purchase from all of the creative teachers out there.  You guys sure make life much easier for me.  I actually have time to enjoy the things you are goin' to read about below!

Now on to my snapshots: Almost two weeks ago I wrote my Tried it Tuesday post about my major S'MORES fail. Thursday evenin' I woke up from my nap after workin' in my classroom all day and Jerm had made me a treat from a suggestion I got from Liz over at Floating through Fifth. She suggested S'mores Treats and I did all the hard work of copyin' the link and emailin' it to Jerm!  Here is what he came up with:

YUM!  Isn't he sweet? 

Jerm also hung up my glittery read letters on fishin' line(hangin' from ceilin').  

They are not actually attached to my fabric covered bulletin board. 

This is my bestie.  She is showin' off our Back to School display for pre-school plannin'.  We didn't make the display; our sweet Assistant Principal made this.  Our school has had some major heartaches this year.  Our principal has been gone off and on since January with her son while he had treatments and a bone marrow transplant for leukemia.  They are finally gettin' to come home this weekend.  It's been a long journey, but they have remained positive throughout all of it and I am blessed to know such amazin' people.  We are SpiveySTRONG!  Now we have another faculty member battlin' cancer, so prayers are always appreciated for healin' and comfort.

 While I was takin' my nap the other evenin' and Jerm was bakin' and makin' me dinner, I got a text from my bestie's daughter.  She asked me to look out my window, so I did.  You can't see them, but they are on this boat goin' past the bridge.  My bestie's daugher will be leavin' for college tomorrow.  My bestie's parents took her out on this dinner boat right before she left for college herself.  What a wonderful tradition and memory they both now have.  My heart is breakin' for my bestie as I watch and listen to her lettin' go of her little girl a little bit, but my heart is also burstin' with love and pride for her daughter as she starts her adventures in the next chapter of her life.  She will do & be great things...more than she already is.  Love, love, love them!

 Paddle boardin'.  This was after my session.  So much FUN!

Jerm was takin' this pic and sendin' it to me from his work while I was sendin' him the next pic from my house at the SAME TIME!

Too funny...great minds think alike.  We've had lots and lots of rain here in the Panhandle this week.  We are on a Flash Flood Warnin' until tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. I didn't want to get out in the rain to go to school to mess with the gate, but I have no problem makin' my way to the arcade for my nephew's birthday party! 

Have a great week everyone and stay safe!

 

What's On Your Wishlist Linky for the TpT Back to School Sale?...

Tonight I'm linkin' up with Collaboration Cuties for their What's On Your Wishlist for the Back to School TpT Sale? 2 + 1=A Blog Hop.  Awesomeness!

  

Startin' on 8/18 and endin' on 8/20, I will be havin' a 20% off sale in my TpT store.  Guess what?  Teachers Pay Teachers is givin' a 10% off sale on 8/18 and 8/19.  You will need to enter the code BTS13 to receive the extra 10% off.  When you do the math, you will end up savin' 28% off my store and most of the other stores also.  I LOVE sales!  What a wonderful opportunity for bloggers to share their 2 Top Wishlisted Items in TpT and 1 Personal Wishlist Item in this linky party to prepare for that sale.  My Wishlist is STUFFED with all kinds of products that I have been scopin' out from some amazin' and creative teachers this summer.  I've already spent a billion dollars(not really, but it feels that way) on TpT this summer snatchin' up stuff that are absolute MUST HAVES for myself and my lil' rockstars! I just keep feedin' my printer with ink to keep it happy.

Rockin' Behavior Beads-Special Edition

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, masterin' sight words or a concept, makin' a discovery, rockin' with responsibility, bein' a reading star, 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 and bein' a ROCK STAR. There are several ways to use them. You can print on card stock 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').

~ 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

Behavior Beads-Intermediate Edition

Here is the official list of Behavior Beads (Intermediate Edition):
~ All-Star Writer
~ Citizenship Counts
~ Roped the Test!
~ Ready 2 Learn
~21st Century Learner
~The dog didn't eat MY homework!
~Reading Master
~Poetry Participant
~There is no "I" in team
~Sizzling Scientist
~Rockin' with Respect
~Math Matters

Fifth Grade Math Task Card Bundle Set from MissKinBK  

This Fifth Grade Math Task Card Bundle contains all of the task cards available in my store. You will receive 19 sets of task cards, plus all of the task cards I add to my store in the future! Currently, I have plans to add at least two more sets to this set.

If purchased individually, this set of cards would cost $41.50. By purchasing the bundle, you save $21.50!

Right now, this task card set contains:
1.) Least Common Multiple (great for 4th grade!)
2.) Finding Common Denominators 
3.) Simplifying Fractions (great for 4th grade!)
4.) Converting Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (great for 4th grade!)
5.) Adding and Subtracting Fractions (great for 4th grade too!)
6.) Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers
7.) Multiplying fractions
8.) Multiplying fractions and whole numbers
9.) Multiplying fractions and mixed numbers
10.) Mixed Review Test Prep Task Cards 
11.) Line Plots (added in May, 2013)
12.) Volume (added in May, 2013)
13.) Graphing on a Coordinate Plane (added in June, 2013)
14.) Classifying Polygons (added in June, 2013)
15.) Place Value (added in July 2013)
16.) Adding and Subtracting Decimals (added in July 2013)
17.) Multiplication with Whole Numbers (Free Product, added July 2013)
18.) Multiplying and Dividing Decimals (added in July, 2013)
19.) Dividing Whole Numbers (added in August, 2013)

It doesn't get much better than that!  LOOK at all of those task card sets for math for HALF the price AND then I will be gettin' an additional 28% off.  Can you say BARGAIN?!  Hurry up 8/18.  I NEED!