#hallowdeals

Happy MONDAY!

I've teamed up with some amazing sellers for a 2 day sale!

Each of us picked a product that you can use in the next few weeks and made it 50% off!

Click on the picture below to see the deals:

Or you can just use the search tab on TPT:

Type in the hashtag:

#hallowdeals

I can't wait to see all of the great products I can snag up to use with my kiddos

these next few weeks!

Place Value Success

I can't believe that the first nine weeks is already come and GONE!

We spent a huge chunk of our math instruction this month building a solid sense of place value.  I wanted the kids to truly understand that 738 is more than just a 3 digit number.  We pulled numbers apart and wrote about them.  

We broke them down into charts with how much each digit was worth and drew the base ten blocks.

We counted the single units in a bunch of ten rods.

We worked in small groups to see exactly how many 10 flats it would take to equal 1,000.

They couldn't believe that it was 10!  They said of course 10 is a friendly number!  I love when they make those connections.

One of the games we played was Race to 100.  They use a pair of dice and rolled them.  Then they have to color in that many spaces on their 100 board.  You have to color 100 exactly to win.  The challenge is figuring out which dice you want for which place.  After a couple of rounds the kids figured out that you have to really think before you decide.  We had lots of games that had to keep rolling and rolling to finally get a WINNER!

LOVE THOSE SMILING FACES WHILE THEY DO MATH!

Some of the kids got so good at the game we added 20 more to the board and did Race to 120.  This time they not only could use the dice and make a two-digit number, but they could also pick to add the two together.  This third option made them really think and they begged to play it during their free time! That made me so happy.

We spent so much time on place value that I am convinced that is why they are doing so well with mentally adding/subtracting 10 and 100 from the a number.  Time well spent on place value is paying off with our new skill!  HAPPY TEACHER DANCE!

We just finished Fall BREAK!  My son was super busy with basketball practice, so we only got away for one day.  We went to Union City, TN to the Discovery Park of America. What a treat!  They had a pioneer village, old fancy cars, a huge area with military items, an earthquake simulation, dinosaurs, and almost everything under the sun.  

One of my favorite things was the maze that they had.  I was able to go up in the tower and watch them run through it over and over.  

Who would have thought a 14 year old would be so excited about the water play area!

So if you are ever in Union City, check this place out!  Loads of fun and we certainly will be back!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Classroom Reveal!

Better late than never I guess!

The first week of school came and went like a crazy tornado at full speed.  It has taken me days to get myself back together and ready for next week.

I realized with all the craziness I never posted some pictures of this year's classroom.

I'm giving flexible seating a try.....  slow and steady wins the race right?  I've only introduced a few options so far and hope by the end of September everything will be running like clock work.

My reading area is a work in progress.  This year accepted the challenge to level all of the books I have and time got away from me.  I still have about 300 more to level, but I made sure I had enough to get us started.  The green mesh string will slowly become a jungle of leaves.  I knew that the temptation to pull on them would be HUGE, so I decided to just put up the mesh for the first two weeks and after we got plenty of reminders not to pull on it we could start adding the leaves.

I have wanted bucket stools forever, but I'm not good with a staple gun.  When you have a CRAFTY teaching BFF, all you do is send her a picture from Pinterest and these magically appear on your carpet. I couldn't love them more!  Thanks Lee you are amazing!

The table is for small group work or if someone needs more direction than the seat they picked.  I am happy to report that we have only had two visitors all year!  It seems to be effective in getting them back on track to use the seats correctly.  I am thinking that after Christmas it will become the V.I.P. Table.

This is my little corner with all my books.  I think that I might have a serious book buying problem. Three years ago I owned 5 books sets.  That was it.  I can't believe how much I have been able to get. Teaching with chapter books has been a game changer for me and my kids.

These stools are a HIT!  The kids love them, but we are still working hard to keep all four legs on the ground.  That is a work in progress.

This is my NUMBER ONE HELPER!  Every year this kid spends hours and hours helping me move, organize, and label stuff.   He doesn't complain, except that he keeps asking if it is time to go to lunch! At a place of his choice of course!  Love this kid!

If you haven't heard.....  TPT is throwing another one day sale again this year!

I am so excited because I already had 5 things on my wish list to help with flexible seating.  The sale is tomorrow!  Fill up those carts and save some money.  Everything in my store will be 28% off - Don't forget to use the code when you check out!  Click on the picture to go to TPT.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Happy Teaching!

Amazing Inservice and a Special Thanks to some TPT Sellers!

We finished our work week today!  There is no other word for it.....  TIRED!

Setting up my classroom, Teacher Visit Day, leading two inservice sessions, and somehow finding time to feed my son and get him to football.  Not going to lie....  hubby did a TON this week!

The last thing a teacher wants is a meeting during work week!  It is brutal and all you can think about is the million things you have to get done in your classroom.

I found myself presenting twice this week.  I knew they didn't want me wasting their time and I knew EXACTLY what they would be thinking.

COME ON TRACY....  HURRY IT UP!

I did one presentation on Numeracy to PK-2 teachers in my building.  I love MATH and I could talk about it forever!  But they didn't want me to talk forever, I can assure of that!

We talked about what we thought numeracy means and they worked in groups show their ideas.  They did great!

Here are a few pictures of them!

I talked about one of my favorite strategies for math.  It is called My Favorite NO!  Take a second to look at her video.  It is an 8th grade class, but I was able to use the same concept with my second graders and they LOVE it!

Give it a try and you will be HOOKED!

Here is another video clip of some other games that are so much fun!  I taught my class how to play and we played them as a group.  Once they got the hang of it, I put them in centers and the kids played almost everyday!


The second presentation I did was for all of the second grade teachers in our district.  We worked together to create a CFA that we will all give online and come back together in September to discuss the results.   Everyone was busy learning the computer program that we will use!

The best part of my inservice presentations were the GIVEAWAYS!  I always do little prizes, but this time I wanted to go BIG or go HOME!  So I reached out to some TPT authors and asked for some donations that I could give away to the teachers.  I thought I might get about 5 or 6.....WRONG!  Can I say that 38 different products were donated by these AWESOME sellers!  The teachers were so excited!  Who wouldn't be!

Please visit these AMAZING sellers and see the adorable things they have created.  I have to admit I found several things to buy for this year!

                    

                  

                         

                    

                    

          

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

To those starting school on Monday like me.....

Have a fantastic first day!


Happy Teaching!