UISchoolsupply.com {Giveaway & Review}

This is my first week back at school, and I've spent most of my time in meetings and trainings. I'm almost ready for my big classroom reveal.... But first I wanted to tell you all about UIschoolsupply.com

Ever since I started teaching ten years ago, Utah-Idaho Supply has been one of my favorite places to shop locally for school supplies and classroom decor. Their website recently got a big makeover and I loved being able to find everything I needed for my classroom this year all in one spot!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I decided to go with a chevron theme this year, and I loved the huge selection of chevron things they had on their site (here's a sneak peek that I posted on instagram last week:)

Here's a few things I chose for my classroom this year:

Black chevron calendar, Welcome bulletin board (which also doubles as my helper chart), Chevron style Bulletin board letters, First day name tags, and no pink classroom would be complete without pink chevronborders (these borders were sold out all around the valley, so I was so excited to be able to get them!)

In honor of their new website design, UIschoolsupply.com has offered to give one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate to shop on their new site!

All you have to do is visit their new website and let me know what you would buy. Comment below telling me what you would buy, then use the rafflecopter below to confirm your entry (which will make choosing the winner easier :) )

Thanks and good luck! Giveaway closes at midnight August 29th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will post my classroom reveal next week when I announce the winner :)

Bright Idea: Homework Crate

Today's bright idea is all about homework. Does anyone else just dread this word as much as I do? I feel like no matter how much or how little I assign for homework, I can't please everyone. Additionally, homework is a pain in the rump to keep track of. Although I don't have kids, I know that sometimes Friday mornings can be hectic and homework doesn't get put in the folder, planners don't get signed, etc. etc., so I came up with a system that has been working well in my classroom. Now let me quickly explain one thing - this homework crate is only used for my spelling and fluency homework, as it's not really time-sensitive homework. I have yet to find a perfect solution for math homework, so suggestions are gladly welcomed.

Every Monday morning, I send home 2 pieces of paper - one is their spelling list for the week (which includes a variety of activities for them to choose from, and a box for the parents to sign off the assignment each day). This page is nothing fancy - just something that a teacher in my district made. If you search TPT, you can find lots of free spelling homework pages :) The second page is a fluency sheet (again, you can find many on TPT, or your reading programs might have some included - any fluency sheet will work.) Now, the reason that I don't feel like these are "time sensitive" is because when we take the spelling test on Friday, I will quickly be able to figure out who actually studied -- I don't need to see their homework to know that they practiced (or not, as the case may be). Same thing goes with fluency, as they are progress monitored on dibels every week (thanks to a fabulous parent volunteer!) If they are making progress on dibels, I know that they are practicing their fluency at home.

My homework assignments are always due on the last school day of the week (which is usually Friday)... But my students know that it is not marked late if they forget, or their baby brother spills his dinner on it, or the dog eats it.... I give them a new paper or their parents just write a note. It's all good :)

Here's where the crate comes into play. Each Friday, my students line up and put their homework in their assigned folder in the homework crate. The first few weeks this takes a little bit of practice (maybe my third graders will catch on faster than my second graders did?!) I bet you can see where I'm going with this.... The KIDS are organizing their papers for me!!! Do you know how much easier my life is now?! THEY are responsible for putting into THEIR folder :) Which means less papers for me to sort through and keep track of from week to week. I check the crate at the end of each term and simply count how many pages they have turned in (our terms are usually 9 weeks, so they should have 9 of each papers in their folder). I make each page worth 10 points, for a total of 90 points for spelling and 90 points for fluency (give or take, depending on how many weeks we have). I only have to check homework 4 times per year!

To make your own homework crate, all you need is one file crate (Walmart and target always have them on sale during back to school time), then a hanging file folder and a Manila folder for each student. If you number your students, then you can just number the folders and use them year after year (and if you don't number them, maybe THIS POST will convince you to!) If you don't number your students, or if you think it will be too confusing, you can use the clear tabs that come with the hanging file folders and put the students' names at the front of each folder. Ta-da. Your life just got 10 times easier.

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on Facebook or Instagram for more great ideas.  For more bright ideas more than 100 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

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New vocabulary set, product updates, and more!!

 First thing's first -- in case you haven't already heard, the big back to school sale starts today!! It seems so early to be thinking about back to school, but the first day will be here before I know it! I'm actually going to go into school today to switch some bulletin boards, so stay tuned for some pictures when it's all done!

Speaking of the sale, I've been hard at work the last few days trying to get one last product finished in time for the sale. A sweet teacher from Texas contacted me recently, and asked if I would be willing to make some language arts vocabulary cards similar to my math ones. I was both flattered and overwhelmed at the request, but set out to work on it and hoped for the best. Let me just say, I think I outdid myself!! Even I couldn't have dreamed that it would turn out as well as it did. Because the request came from Texas, I wanted to make sure that all the TEKS specific words were included in the packet (along with all the CCSS words since that's what I teach with.) What started out as a simple request turned into a 50 page, 134 word download with all the words necessary to teach language arts in the primary classroom. Unlike my math words walls, which are grade level specific, this pack is made for first, second, AND third grade classrooms. So many of the words overlap that it would have been very hard to narrow them down by grade level without having a great deal of overlap, so I have bundled it all into one big packet of awesomeness!  Click on the picture below to check it out in my TPT store :)

In addition to making this new packet, I also updated all of my math word wall packs to include an editable PowerPoint template in case you need to make your own cards for words that might not have been included in the packet. This template is included in the new ELA pack as well :) The second grade word wall pack also got a big makeover, so if you already own it, you can download the update in your "my purchases" tab on TPT, and if you don't own it, you can click on the picture below to check it out on TPT. This was the first word wall set that I made, and a thicker version of the font was released AFTER I made this packet.... So I tried it on my first and third grade word walls and really liked the style, so I finally updated the second grade pack.  I think the bold font really makes the words POP!  These are also available for first grade HERE, and third grade HERE.

And finally, here are the winners of the Math Mania packet from Third Grade Tidbits. Congrats ladies! Check your email and be sure to tell Gina thanks :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Okay, it's time for me to start focusing on school. As I've mentioned before, I am switching grades this year, so I can't promise how often I will be checking in here or making new things... (I do have a few things up my sleeve), but I love posting on facebook and Instagram, so make sure you're following me there so we can stay connected throughout the year!!

Math Mania Giveaway!

As much as it kills me, I think summer is coming to an end... and I have kind of been in denial about the fact that I'm changing grades because I am so unprepared... so you can imagine how THRILLED I was when the darling Gina from Third Grade Tidbits asked if I would be interested in reviewing her new "Math Mania" packet for third grade??  UMMM, YES please!! As I've said before, as much as I love to create things, why reinvent the wheel, right??  This was one thing that I had been looking EVERYWHERE for, and just couldn't find something that I loved.... Until now!

Math Mania consists of 36 weeks of math practice for your 3rd graders.  Each weekly page has 20 problems, and follows pretty much the same format from week to week, so once you do it with your students a few times, they start to get the hang of it.  I used something similar with my 2nd graders last year, and was surprised at how quickly they caught on.  After a few weeks, they were able to do the whole assignment on their own.  Now as I'm moving into third grade, I think this will be perfect for their weekly math homework... I'm going to try it with them in class for the first few weeks and see how it goes, but I think they will be fine!  In addition to the 36 weeks of practice, there is also an answer key for each week, which makes this packet perfect for emergency sub plans as well as self-starts, centers, homework, fast-finishers, or any other time you need something to enhance your math instruction.

Gina is offering two lucky readers a chance to win a copy of Math Mania... and if you stop by her TPT store, you can download a free preview and see what the first 2 weeks look like up close!  Ready to win??  Use the rafflecopter below to enter.  It closes Sunday at Midnight and the winners will be announced on Monday... along with another announcement that you won't want to miss!  Thanks for stopping by :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 Stars and a Wish {a back-to-school blog hop!}

Hi Everyone! I'm so excited to be participating in a fun back-to-school blog-hop this week... though it makes me sad to think that school starts in less than a month *sniff*.  I'm going to keep this short and to the point today.... the purpose of this hop is to share with you two tried-and-true "star ideas" that have worked well in my classroom, along with one "wish", or something I "wish" I were better at.

Numbering your students for a successful year:
This picture shows my mailboxes and cubbies with
their numbers printed in vinyl.

My first star idea, although definitely not my own original idea, is to always number your students!  I know it seems so simple, but it's AMAZING what a difference it makes to number your students.  Example: as a brand new teacher, I had a student get sick during recess, and was being checked out.  The secretary called into my room and asked me to send his backpack down to the office.  Ummm, seems easy enough, right? Well, his name was not written on his backpack! I had 29 students and many of the hooks on my coat rack were broken...so I had coats and backpacks EVERYWHERE. It was such a hassle to figure out which backpack belonged to him (and of course, EVERY student wants to help out, which only makes it worse)... fast forward to the end of my most recent school year... one of my students broke his arm at recess.  The secretary came to me and said she needed his backpack... I walked over to hook #8, grabbed his backpack and all the papers out of his mailbox, and just like that, he was on his way.  No classroom disruption, no scavenger hunt, just a few quick seconds and I'm back to teaching.  Numbering your students is also helpful for things like lining up for lunch, recesses, dismissal, assemblies, or anytime you need them in a line.  I got so tired of my boys fighting to be the LAST one in line almost as much as I got tired of girls fighting to be first... there's no more pushing and shoving when they are lining up, and no more scraped knees as they all race to get the coveted spots in line (I also rotate "line leaders" and "door closers" so that everyone gets a chance to stand in both places in line throughout the year, but that is the only exception to my number rule).  In first and second grade, I would also do things like "even numbers line up" or "numbers between 10 and 20 line up".... great basic number skills reviews as we get in line (and a quick way for me to see who understands even/odd and who doesn't!). Also, my students know that they are to write both their name AND number on every assignment, and I organize the papers in number order before correcting them... then the papers are in order as I enter scores in my gradebook.  The possibilities are really endless when you number your students, these are just a few of my favorite reasons to number them! (ALSO, I don't give my students their "official" number until around the 2nd week of school, especially if a few kiddos that are on my list haven't shown up yet... it never fails that a child will move in or out the day AFTER I number them, so I usually wait a week or so while the dust settles on the new school year).

My second star idea is to let the students grade themselves.  This is especially great for meet-the-teacher day, back-to-school night, or whatever you have at the beginning of the year.  I have blogged about my student-friendly reports before, and you can read more about them {HERE}, but seriously.... this is one of those things that after 9 years in the classroom, I wondered "why didn't I think of this before now?!"  This has been a great help throughout the year, and my students think it's soooo fun to make their own report card every time they come to a parent-teacher conference.  The parents also like that their child has to fill it out themselves, and set goals that they want to work on during the upcoming term.  This product is my featured freebie on TPT, so click on the picture to check it out in my store.

 My wish right now is to be more organized..... seeing as I am switching grades, I have NOTHING prepared... Denise @Sunny Days recently posted her long-range plans for the year, and I was green with envy!  I NEED to get more organized... I NEED to figure out some long-range plans... or any plans at all for that matter!!  If you click on the picture below, you can go read all about her awesome organization for the upcoming year, and even download a free template to get you started.... here's to hoping I can someday be as organized as she is!

If you enjoyed this star idea, please consider joining me on Facebook and Instagram for more great ideas.

For more star ideas more than 40 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up