Feeling like a GIVEAWAY!!!

I've given 4 away so 1 to go!!!!

I have several different themes for my bingo games, and I'd like to offer the first 5 people their choice for a free bingo game.  

I have 2 addition bingo games and 2 number bingo games.  

Please take a look and decide which one you'd like.  When you've made your choice you can leave a comment, email me at mamapearson76@gmail, and then I'll email it to you for FREE!  

I hope you enjoy!

click on the pictures below to see more information

Keeping Students in School

As a new middle school teacher I've tried to think of new ways to keep my students motivated to come to school.  I introduced this idea to my students this year and they love it.  Sickness has kept them from earning their first reward, but they talk about coming to school to try to get their prize.  I have a feeling that this will be a GREAT motivator in the spring when everyone would rather be outside.

If you're interested in this click the picture to find out a little more about it.  

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Well, I survived my first parent/teacher conferences as a new 5-8 social studies teacher.  I spent the entire time with parents without so much as time for the restroom.  We started at 2:45 and my last parent left at 7:45.  What a night!!
I really believe having a breakdown of student grades was the most beneficial thing I had ready for the night.  

What have you found that really helps you make parent/teacher conferences go smoothly?

"Best Lesson Ever!"

Today as I was sitting back watching my students complete their lesson on their own I heard one of my students say "This was the best lesson ever!"  I almost cried!!!!  I was so excited that I wanted to come share with all of you.  
My students are studying about the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas.  I got on line and found some information for them to read, put them into 3 groups, gave them the information and sticky notes.  The pictures below are the finished product of what they did. 
To get them to do this easily I had previously taught them about working in a group.  We had practiced with simple ideas and topics so that when it came time for more complicated work they could do it without much interference from me.  I literally sat at the front of the room and watched.  They didn't even need me!!!  

It was the best lesson EVER!

Here's a picture of the little supply box I keep on their tables.  It has "Role Sticks" in it all time so that anytime we need a group discussion we can have one easily.

Here's the GROUP DISCUSSION ANCHOR CHART that we created back at the first of school.

My First Big Kid "I need my teacher" Hug!!!

I've struggled all year with missing the dozens of hugs I used to get from my little first grade babies.  I've really missed them!  Well, today one of my 5th graders got shoved a little and hurt her elbow.  She came up to me with a couple of tears to tell me the tale of her elbow accident and put her arms out like she needed a hug so naturally she got one.  :)  I think I needed it more than she did.

Never thought I'd be so thrilled over a hug!

A Little Fall Here and There

I've added a little fall to my middle school classroom, and my students LOVE it!  Even my 8th graders were complimenting me on the addition and wouldn't stop smelling my candle.  It was awesome.  I just wanted to share.

I love FALL!!!

 Usually I have decorated my entire classroom from top to bottom in fall decorations, but this year I've scaled back.  Now that I'v moved to middle school from 1st grade I just don't have the same drive.  I've added a few more fall touches this week, but overall my room just isn't what it has been for the last 15 years.  
  Over the summer I worked on new fall games and lessons that I just couldn't wait to use with my students.  I've got them sitting in a "maybe someday" file for now.  :)  Glass of lemonade anyone?

  Just because I can't use these 

doesn't mean that you can't! 

I have decided to give a couple of things away to my loyal blog followers.  I'm going to put some links below.  Go check these games and lessons out, and choose one you like because the first 5 people to leave a comment can choose 1 game or lesson they'd like to have and I'll email it to you for FREE!!

All 5 have been given away!
This was fun.
Check back with me later because
I have to have this kind of fun again soon.  
:)

I'd love for you to have this great money game for FREE.  Click on the picture below to check it out. If you like it then leave a comment, and I'll email it to you for FREE!!

These lessons I have used, but I won't be able to this year.  I LOVE these stories!!!

This my FAVORITE fall book EVER!!!!  This is my best seller and could be your newest love if you'd like.  Click below to check it out.

JOHNNY APPLESEED GIVEAWAY!!!

30 pages of printables, interactive journal, and lesson ideas!!!!  You also get a great game to play with your students.  I can't wait to give this away!!!!

Click on the picture for more information!  

                                                                      a Rafflecopter giveaway

FLASH FREEBIE!!!!

FREE TO THE FIRST 

10 DOWNLOADS!!!!

What Will You Do?

With the new school year beginning for most I thought I might collect some ideas from you to share with new teachers.  With this new month starting, I'd like to start a "What Will You Do?" series that gives you the opportunity to share what you are going to try to do with your students that is something NEW and therefore maybe a little scary for you.

For example, are you starting a new behavior plan, a new series, a new way of teaching?  I'd love for you to share what you're doing and how it goes.  My hopes is that through your reflection new teachers can be helped as well as some of us who are new to our position.

What will I do?  This month I am using Interactive Journals with my social studies students, and I'm hoping they use these as their study guides.  I'll see how that works when they take their first test.

My first INTERACTIVE JOURNAL

 I'm excited about my first interactive journal.  I have worked hard to create a 7 week unit that centers around animals (The Amazing Animal World-2nd module in the CC first grade model) and now I'm adding interactive journals to those lessons.  These are just a few of the pages that are available.  I included reflective pages and can't wait to hear how they work!

New Bulletin Board Idea!!!

I'm excited about my new bulletin board idea!!!  I'd love to know what you think.  I'm using this to showcase great work from my students.  The movie theme of it lends itself to the title "Feature Presentation."

Happy Birthday to My Students!!

My goal was to have ALL of my students' birthday card and gift done the first week of school and I made it!
This was about $1.00 a student.

I taped a KRAZY STRAW and KOOL AID packet to the back.

I wrote their name on the front with the date of their birthday for the upcoming year.  It is my plan to tell them to have  a "Krazy Kool" birthday.

There they are all snug as a bug in my birthday bags!

Open House

We had Open House last Thursday, and I wanted to share some pics from it.

Here's my "giving tree" in which I beg for donations of supplies.  

Quick poem I wrote in attempt to be cute and get more donations. 

I had a separate sign in spot for each grade.

I put this out so that parents could let me know what they hope for their child to accomplish this year.

This is just a little something I had out for the students who came to open house.  They loved it.

Click on the picture above and head over to my TpT store for a product to help you do this for your open house.  I have them available for K-6.

New Classroom

   

Making Lemonade!

A couple weeks ago (2 days before staff was to report back) I was told that I would no longer be teaching 1st grade, no longer be on the same campus, and would have to move 15 years of my things in 1 day.

I cried, and then cried some more, and then I cried some more.  Oh, and did I mention that I found this out while I was dropping my daughter off at college.

If you've kept up with my blog at all you have seen that I renovated my classroom.  I was about 5 or 6  hours from having it "kid ready" when I was told to move.  

When I got to my new room it was NOT pretty like the room I had just renovated.   There were rust stains on the wall and drawings of male parts.  

I enlisted the help of my mom and we painted.  It took me 3 days total, but I got it painted.  I've worked nonstop for 2 weeks while going to in-service during the day.

I thought I'd share some pics of my new room and invite you all for a glass of lemonade.

The books were just on the shelf in ABC order.  I bought some bins at The Dollar Tree and have labels to label the bins by author or subject.

Here are my birthday bags.  My plan is to have ALL my students' (around 80) birthday cards in the bags by the end of the first week.

My class rules.  Nothing special I just thought the colors were so pretty together.  :)

This area will be for intervention time for students to work in pairs on things they need help with.  I plan to use the container in the corner to hold things that will help them.

 Just some views of my room.

I made the chart you see below before I got moved and wasn't sure what I would use it for, but yesterday I figured it out.  I'll get a pic of it and update.  

Tomorrow is the first day of school for me, and I no longer teach 1st grade.  I am a history teacher for grades 5-8.  I can do this, but not without a HUGE glass of lemonade.  

Back-to-School SALE

Promo Code BTS13

Come check out my 139 products that will be 28% off on Sunday and Monday.  I know you will find what you need for 

BACK TO SCHOOL!

FLASH FREEBIE in honor of SHARK WEEK

Your students are going to love this shark game!  This game is FREE to the first 20 downloads!

click the picture below to take a look...if you dare to go in the water