0 Friday Test Prep Freebie

We are working on test taking strategies in my classroom this week…well, we have been for a few weeks.  I want my kids to have the strategies to do well on their quarterly assessments.  Some of them get so stressed that they can’t even thing straight.  I feel so bad for them.  So, I have been teaching them the same strategies that I used with my seventh and fifth graders.

I’ve modified it so that it is much more kid friendly.  Actually, I can’t remember where I learned these tips – it was before blogging and Pinterest, but I’m sure it was online somewhere.  If it was you, please let me know so I can give credit where it is due!!

I think when students get these tests they are so focused on answering the questions that they skim the reading passage and head straight to the questions.  I’ve tried to teach my kids to slow down and think about each step in the process.  Hopefully these posters will help them.  The adorable backgrounds are from Fun for Learning.  Make sure you head over to my store and pick up your freebies.

 I hope that your week was simply amazing!

Detail: Friday Test Prep Freebie

0 Fantastic Friday Freebie

It's hard to believe that it is Friday already, but I am glad it is! What a long first week back.  It is really hard to get the kiddos back into a routine with the excitement of the holidays, but exciting none the less.

My kids were super excited about some of the "seasonal" activities that we did this week. This week we completed our Remarkable Reindeer Non-fiction Unit.  The kids loved finding the main idea, and then pulling out the important details in each of the articles. When we were comparing the horse and reindeer the students pieced together why Santa needed reindeer - "they're much lighter than horses, no wonder they can fly better" - is what one of my students said.  So sweet!!

I wish I had snapped a few pictures - but, things were so chaotic that I didn't get a chance! Drats! More photo opportunities next week I hope! Fingers crossed :)

We also started drawing our maps of the North Pole. My kids are in love with this activity!! They want to work on it in every spare moment! Adorable!!  So, this is my freebie for you this week...

I hope you can use it in your classroom - even for a "fast finisher" activity.  Have a great weekend friends!!

~Realistic

Detail: Fantastic Friday Freebie

0 Happy Birthday & a Freebie too!

Wow – I can’t believe it is my 19^th Birth-Giving Day! Okay – I guess it’s really not all about me – what, are you serious?! It came as a shock to me too!

Happy birthday to my amazing, incredible and brilliant son! I can’t believe he is 19 years young today. And, hopefully, reading this on the way to class!! 

Here is an amazingly cute picture of him and Realistic Girlfriend near their Realistic college!!  Yes, a beach school!! {{{LOVE}}}

In honor of son Realistic’s birthday I am posting a freebie! This is the birthday pack that I give my students on their birthdays. They can work on it throughout the day and take it home with them. Click on the photo below to receive the pack!!

They also get a special pencil with a balloon on the top. I found the idea on Pinterest and made my own but will spare you the photo…it totally doesn’t look as good as the one I saw on Pinterest. I do not claim, nor have I ever claimed, to be a “crafter”, but I gave it my best effort, which is the same as I expect of my students.

Happy Birthday Bud! I am proud of the amazing and wonderful things you have done over the last 19 years. I can’t say each moment has been easy, but we’ve learned and grown and my world is so much brighter because of you!

Detail: Happy Birthday & a Freebie too!

0 Better Late than Never Friday Freebie & Some Ramblings

Oh my gosh – I can’t believe I let a Friday Freebie post slip by me! I was so caught up with the fame of the Liebster award that I missed a Friday Freebie – please forgive me!!! Did I say I’m sorry, because I really am! :(

In return for your forgiveness – I guess this is kinda like a bribe…what am I the mafia?? Anywho – my mind is racing today – can you see the ADHD label stuck to my forehead?! Here is my peace offering…  The Snowman Book Report.  Just a little something from my blog to you…remember, you owe me forgiveness now :)

And did I tell you? I am trying to convince my son to create clip art!!! He is an amazing artist – this is oldest Realistic we’re talking about – and I thought he could start his own TpT store (with the help of his mama because I know how busy he is at college – can you see my eyes rolling – seriously he sleeps 12 hours a day) called the Teacher’s Kid!

If you’re a parent you know what it is like for your son/daughter to be the TK (teachers kid). The expectations are a little different…maybe they’re held to a higher standard or expected to be better behaved – more mature.  Okay – maybe that is what I expected from my biological TK’s. 

Anyway – I thought it would be a great way for meus to score some amazing clipart and him to make some extra money for his junkbooks, pizza, bike, clothes, college kid expenses. His own little entrepreneurship.  I’m sure youngest realistic will be in on the deal soon – he is really the entrepreneur of the two.  Here will be his offer, “I’ll run your store” for a percentage. Ugh – these boys keep me on my toes!

I’ll keep you posted about my scheme the TK’s art and store as soon as he gets back to me!  Which may up to  1 year...depending on how fast he moves!

Off to refill my coffee cup – peace out peeps!

Detail: Better Late than Never Friday Freebie & Some Ramblings

0 Double Freebie Friday & Holidays Galore

I am so excited that I finished some huge holiday projects this week! I am gearing up for Christmas already!! It helps that I have full free days to get stuff done. Have I mentioned I love track out!!

The other thing that has me so excited is that I talked to my son who is in college last night! I can’t wait for him to be home next week! He shared some (what I think is) great news. He got a haircut and new clothes!! Sending your child away is hard. It’s the little things you worry about. Haircuts and new clothes were always the things I took care of for him. I am so glad to know that he does them on his own now…or at least with his girlfriend’s reminder! It was nice to hear him so excited about how much money he saved shopping…again, he hasn’t had to think about that in the past!

Anyway – I know I’m rambling about my personal life so let me focus on my teaching world. I’m linking up with Teaching Blog Addiction to share my Friday Freebie! Actually I have two freebies to share!!
 

I can’t wait to use this in my classroom this year and thought you might like it too! It is my Christmas Eve Day activity pack. I am planning on sending these packs home with my kiddos to give them something to do besides get on their parent’s nerves play video games, watch TV or ask “are we there yet?” from the backseat. What a better way to keep them occupied and keep their brains turned on.

Here is another quick freebie that I created this week. Hopefully you find it more useful that I do – it has a Thanksgiving theme, and did I mention I’m not in school during Thanksgiving so it probably won’t do me any good? It’s a quick morning work item to keep students thinking about figurative language!

I already posted about my Nutcracker unit – which I am still so excited about; but I also finished my gingerbread stations. My kids loved, loved, loved this last year. I actually had my son come in and help me run some of the stations.

  No, he did not skip school and yes, he is old enough that my students listen to him. He loves my little people!! I tell my school kids they are a part of my family for the year, so when my boys come in to see my students they love to hear what my kiddos have to say. Okay – enough rambling – I know, on with the show!

Here is my gingerbread station day! I divide my kids into small groups (3-4) and they rotate between 10 stations throughout the day. It is fantastic. We set up a cocoa bar and the kids get to work while they sip their hot chocolate. What a better way to finish up before heading home for the holidays! I also love that it is easy clean up for me! Everything is included – teacher directions, student response sheets, station directions (I posted them on table tents last year) and everything that you need for each station.

Even though I haven’t been in school this week and wasn’t able to post about what we’ve been doing, I’ve gotten a lot of things done and am so happy to share. Make sure you head over to TpT to save, pin or print! Thanks for sticking with me through my ramblings today – I just have so much great things going on in this brain right now…and have had about 5 cups of coffee too many this morning! Happy Friday!!

Detail: Double Freebie Friday & Holidays Galore