Math Fact Practice

This is something that I have been using for a while but just revamped. 

You can get your copy here!  It is still on sale until December 1st!  ;)

My To Do List

I was lying in bed last night and couldn't stop thinking about school.  I managed to NOT think about school since Friday of last week due to the holidays, food, family and friends. 

I made a giant To Do List: (Things that I need to make for my classroom)
*Finish my common core newsletters/exit slips
*Add sticker charts to the common core
*Start reading common core newsletters (to supplement the Daily Cafe newsletters)
*Work on Focus board signs and labels to go with common core
*Work on my editing/peer editing resource pack
*Create more writing forms but with a space to add a detail.
*Make more sailboat fluency phrases
*Create a plus0, 1, 2 and minus itself, 0, 1, 2 math worksheet and poster pack
*Create a plus and minus ten pack (Also finding ten)
*Create a missing addends pack
*Create adding 3 digits pack
*Create mid-term math evaluations for math skills
*ATTEMPT to make poems to go with fact strategies!!!
*Create a winter break and spring break homework to do list.  (I hope to create "real life" things to practice or things that can be completed in the car.)
*Create new/ supplement my math goal I Can charts with common core
*Create new blooms questions to go with math common core.

AHHH!  This is what I do late at night!  At least I am chipping away at it now!  Once these are finished- I'm sure that I will find something else to do as well!  ;)  The good thing is that all of the common core things won't be needed until next year!

It is also Cyber Monday!  To celebrate- my TPT store will be 20% off from today through December 1st!  In addition use the TPT code for an extra deal today only! 

My New Blog Design!

I am so grateful to Jenn over at finally in first and dream team designs for designing my blog!  I LOVE what they did!  You will probably learn quickly from reading my blog and my TPT items that I am not a creative little being.  Almost my entire family is artistic and all of my wonderful k-1 teaching friends but I do not have an artistic bone in my body!

I am so happy to see my paint shop created header go!

Thanks again to the wonderful Jenn!  If you need a new look, stop by dream team designs!   She has a great questionnaire that you answer and her blog is super easy to navigate!  She emailed me right away to confirm that she received my request and let me know that I was on the waiting list.  I always jumped for joy when I saw that she emailed me.  ;)

Big hugs for Jenn.  :)

What I'm Thankful For Linky Party!

Yay!  I am going to attempt to participate in my first Linky Party!  I sure am attempting this blogging thing slowly! 

1.  What are you thankful for in your classroom?
Oh gosh there are so many things- I'm a very lucky gal!  I want to say my projector!  It definitely saves me and is a terrific teaching tool!


2. What person are you most thankful for?

First off- my readers of my blog!  It makes me feel super important!  You all ROCK!  :)

Don't tell him- but I'm definitely VERY thankful for my hubby!  He deals with all teacher stress and "attempts" to even listen!  He cooks, he cleans, fixes my forever dying car, builds mirrors and bars and is sometimes known to help grade papers.


3. What 3 blogs are you most thankful for?
Sooo... many!  Here are just SOME.. :)

http://loryevanspage.blogspot.com/ andhttp://tunstalltimes.blogspot.com/
These two blogs are full of FREE ideas!  They are even bookmarked on my phone!  I can't get enough!!!


http://madefor1stgrade.blogspot.com/
Their mini-units are terrific!  I have purchased so many on TPT!  I just can't keep up with their super creative ideas!  I just love them!

4. What guilty pleasure are you most thankful for?
Made for T.V. movies!  Talk about lounging around!  I can stay in my P.J.'s and just watch these ALL day long!

5. What are you most thankful for?
My little family and my AMAZING friends!  ;)  Mushy- I know!!!! :-D  Look at this bunch... who couldn't be thankful for this many people willing to shove themselves into one of those tiny photo booths?  :)  My eye is in the lower left!  :)

donors choose

My students have been very motivated with our publishing books from Lakeshore.

I have had my students complete one drafting story each week.  At the end of the month they have been asked to choose their best story to publish.  They then get to publish in Lakeshore's publishing books.  My students love these and extra motivated to write!  I only purchased 3 packs in August and quickly determined that these won't be enough!

I also found blank hardcover books at Lakeshore as well.  I would love to use these for the last month of school.  When I described theses, many of my students were very excited!  A few of my students said that their parents have a book like that from when they were in elementary school. 

I just submitted my first request for these items on donors choose.  Has anyone ever filled an order from  here before?  I was confused regarding the $30 donors choose donation added to the total.

Feel free to check out my donors choose website!  If you are in a giving mood, please feel free to donate as well!  ;)

http://www.donorschoose.org/mrslasota


-Danielle

Common Core Measurement and Data Newsletters and Exit Slips

I just finished my common core measurement and data newsletters and exit slips!  I'm on a roll now that conferences and grade cards are over!  :)  It is amazing how we feel like we have more "free time" when those extra duties are over!  ;)

Here is a peak:

You can download your own HERE!  ;)

I also created many of these newsletters a few years ago that will no longer be first grade standards.  I have uploaded them on TPT to download for FREE!  ;) 

They also are included in each of the common core newsletter sections when you purchase them on TPT.  It is just a lot easier to upload them to TPT than google docs.  Google docs and I are not friends.  My documents always look funny... :-(

I had a great Monday with my little ones- I hope that all of you did too!

Sweet dreams-

Danielle :)

Fairy tales

Friends,

Can I tell you that I purchased the most amazing item on TPT today?  It is a unit on fairy tales that covers 10 different fairy tales.  Each day has some sort of comprehension map to go with your read aloud story, a writing prompt with cute paper and usually some sort of math activity. 

For example:  For Cinderella the math activity is a telling time sheet.  :)  So cute!

I am going to copy these to use during the LONG haul between winter break and spring break.  I think that I'll dedicate a day to each fairytale.  I think that it will help the kids and I stay energized! 

Head on over to TPT and check it out here!  It is by far the best item that I have purchased from there!
 (I promise that I DO NOT know her!) I just don't want you to miss out on such a great item!  :)

Have a great week!

-Danielle

Geometry Common Core Standards

I decided to post my common core standard items in chunks!  This way I can post them as I finish them! 

Here is a peak at a few of the items included:

You can find them here.  I also have included 7 Math Mention Newsletters that I wrote that covered old Ohio First Grade Standards. 

I also ran across something that I added to my wishlist on TPT.  I haven't purchased them well but it looks like they would go well with my assessments, newsletters and exit slips.  :)

Happy Saturday!

-Danielle

Sight Word Games

I ran across this site and thought that I'd share.  :)

http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Games/GamestoMake/games_to_make.htm

I LOVE it because not only are there many easy ideas to implement but Word documents are included so that you can type in your own words and print!

I typed up my yellow and red words in the football tackle game and will be cutting the lamination this weekend!  I can't wait to play with my little friends!

-Danielle

Common Core

I LOVE receiving mystery gifts in my mailbox at school!  Last week I found 3 Common Core Clinics workbooks in my mailbox.  I asked my secretary if she put them there but she said no.  My guess is that I have them because I am the grade level rep.????

I FINALLY took a few minutes to flip through them.  I absolutely love them.  It is like a tiny textbook/workbook using the new common core standards.  It even has a dictionary with terms in the back.

I can't wait to figure out if these are just samples- and if they go more in depth or if this is the actual workbook.

Here is the link to the workbooks.

I also have been revamping my Math Mentions Newsletters.  I am re-writing them to go with the common core standards and I will also be including an exit slip and skill cards to go with each subject.  Since I already have many written for counting money and "old" standards, I will be including them in the pack as well.  I hope to have these posted on TPT in the next 2 weeks!

Here is what they look like so far:

I hope all with Levy's on the ballot did well today!  I'll be crossing my fingers for you!

Have a great Wednesday tomorrow!

-Danielle :)

The Boy Who Cried Bathroom

We started our class book, The Boy Who Cried Bathroom, a LONG time ago!  We finally finished it!  We just have to publish!

Here is the non storybook form.  I thought they did a good job!  I coached a bit on using conversation in the beginning. 

I just adore how much my class LOVES to write!  I would get out the drafting of this story as a reward!  :)

You can definitely tell that we had been discussing inferring from their, "Mrs. White crossed her arms and squinted her eyes!" 

This also came at a great time to introduce revising.  I started holding back on introducing revising until the second grading period because most of my kiddos are not ready for it. 

If you haven't read Jennifer Jacobson's, No More, "I'm Done": Fostering Independent Writers in the Primary Grades, I highly recommend it!  I saw her at a conference 5 years ago in Michigan and she completely changed how I teach writing!  When this book first came out you could actually view the entire book for FREE at the publisher.  I read the entire book and STILL purchased it!  It really is that good!

The reason why I brought up Jennifer Jacobson's book is because she uses a revising strategy called "spider legs."  My kids and I made up a spider legs song to the tune of the "spider man" song.  My kids absolutely loved using this strategy with our class book. 

I was so impressed how my students really reflected and said, "Now I think we need to add the words, 'his friend' because I don't know if Raymond is a teacher or a student."  All I did was write and call on students.  They gave all of the ideas and revisions.  Some I was a little skeptical about like the, "I thought that I was going to pee my pants!"  However I said, well you are the authors and you are thinking about your audience and what they would like to read.

The best thing about this class book is that my students keep referencing it when they hear that someone is lying.  "You have fooled Mrs. LaSota too many times!  How will she know when you are REALLY telling the truth?"

My kids also had a great idea to also write this as a play!  I can't wait because that will definitely address ANOTHER standard!  ;)  Who would have thought that this one class book idea would last this long and have so many teaching moments??

Now I am finished posting for today!  Happy Saturday!

-Danielle

Accountability Buddy Part 2!

I had such a crazy week!  I ended up calling in sick Thursday and Friday because I felt horrible and my puppy ate my computer cord.  I know, I sound like one big lame excuse! 

My patient little giveaway winners JUST NOW received their documents!  Sorry for the delay!

I revamped my accountability buddy documents just to break the day into morning and afternoon.  It has been working rather well!  My custodians are AWESOME!  They will even pop into the room during the day, make eye contact with my little one and then leave.  :)  I hear my morning buddy praising my little one for the smiley faces.  I also hear the buddy asking what they will do to get the big face because they is what they expect. 

I am still new to using google docs.  Sometimes it seems easier than other days!  I will attempt to load it here in word format so that you can change the social story and accountability sheet to meet your needs!  You can get it here. 

We all have to stick together through these tough years!  :)

-Danielle