Election Fun With Duck for President + FREEBIE!!

Happy Tuesday Friends!!,

I hope that your week is off to a great start!! Mine has been a little crazy, but I'm getting there. I'm starting to believe that what they say about full moons is true. We have a funfilled week of Halloween and of all days, our 50th Day Celebration falls on Halloween tomorrow. Pics of that exciting event to come!!

Are you into the election craze?!? I am SO excited to teach my students about elections this year. I LOVE to teach about this concept. I think that I have more fun than my students! One of my all time favorite books to use with my students to teach about elections is Duck for President. I put together my resources and came up with this unit:

This unit includes 5 days of election ideas, a variety of voting buttons, several graphic organizers to go with the story, "Duck For President", writing responses, a class book: My Teacher For President, posters with important election vocabulary,  and a cute Duck craftivity. 

Kid and mother tested... child approved!!

 

Surprisingly, my little one voted for Farmer Brown! She said she felt bad for him lol.

 

Click HERE to see it in my TPT store!!

If you leave me a comment about ANYTHING, you have a chance to win this packet. I will give 1 packet away by random number generator on Thursday. Don't forget to leave an email address. Good luck!!

Also, here's a freebie from the packet for you from me!! :)

It's a Duck For President Cut and Paste Sequencing Sheet

Click HERE to download it from Google Docs.

To all those affected by Superstorm Sandy, my heart is with you. We have family up in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut and luckily they haven't had too much damage. You are all in my prayers.

Have a great evening!!,

Sunday Shoutouts!

Happy Sunday My Dear Friends,

Oh my word! I had the best time last night. I went to a Zac Brown Band concert and they were AH-MA-ZING!! This was my 2nd time seeing them in concert & it won't be my last. Next time my friends and I agreed that we will splurge for the floor seats instead of the seats in the nosebleed section lol.

Every Sunday, I am going to have a "Sunday Shoutouts" post. This post will be dedicated to all of the awesome products that I have stumbled across on blogs and Teachers Pay Teachers created by other fellow bloggers.

First up is my dear friend Heidi from My Not So Elementary Life. She has an oh so cute fall themed math center pack...and it's aligned to Common Core!!

This pack just looks awesome!! Click here to check it out:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Falling-For-Math-Common-Core-Aligned-Math-Centers

Next up is a cute unit from Kaci Hoffer. She just created the cutest Spooky Stuff Halloween unit aligned with Common Core also! 

You can find it here:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spooky-Stuff-A-Halloween-Unit

Do your students like playing Scoot? Here is a great Scientific Method Scoot game from Penny at Superlative Science!!

You can find it here: 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Scientific-Method-Scoot

Sally from Elementary Matters has created this super cute nouns activity based on an election theme and supports the CCSS!:

Click on the link to check it out!!:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Elect-Common-and-Proper-Nouns

I just LOVE this Thanksgiving math activity from Deb at Fabulously First!!

This will be great to use for fun practice with your students! :)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Happy-Thanksgiving-Addition

Sandy from Deep in the Heart has this cute Clownin Around With Math pack:

Click here to take a peek!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Clownin-Around-with-Math

If you are looking for something to help with behavior, check out Jennifer's Super Student Drops from the Extra Energetic Educator!!

And it's a FREEBIE. Head here to grab this valuable resource!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Behavior-Management-Tool-Super-Student-Drops

Well, that's about all for this edition of Sunday Shoutouts!! This will be a weekly post, so stop by next week to check out some more valuable resources. :)

Don't forget, today's the last day for my Halloween Hoopla sale in my TPT store!!

Click HERE to head to my TPT store.

Have a great week!,

It's a Halloween Hoopla SALE + Winner!!

Happy Saturday Friends!!,

I'm stopping by real quick to announce a Halloween Hoopla SALE at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!! 

(you are more than welcome to use this button if you are having a sale)

My entire TPT store will be 20% off today and tomorrow. Stop by and get some Halloween treats including...

and some oldies but goodies:

Click (HERE) to check it out!! Happy Shopping!!

I am also announcing the winner of my Halloween How-To Writing Pack!! My favorite Halloween candy is....

Nerds!!...Congrats to Suzy Q!!! I am sending the pack your way now! 

Have a great day!! In a few hours I am off to see Zac Brown Band. :)

It's Fabulous Blogger Friday Featuring Greg from Smedley's Smorgasboard of Kindergarten!!

Haaappy Friday Friends!!,

It's that time of the week again... Fabulous Blogger Friday!! Today I am featuring a great guy who is an inspiration to many!! I am featuring Greg...

from.............

 Your Name/Name of Blog:  

Smedley's Smorgasboard of Kindergarten

Grade or Subject You Teach?

 Kindergarten

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I have always wanted to change the world and I know the best way to do that is one child and one classroom at a time.  And I always knew I would be a teacher.  There really was never any other option.

Describe your teaching "personality":

 I am a hands-on, let's get messy, wild and crazy teacher.  My classroom probably looks like a zoo to visitors, but it really is a well oiled machine.  A well oiled machine that malfunctions daily!  I believe my job is to guide my students to learning and discovering, not to give them answers.  I am their guide by the side building their scaffolding and then removing it when it is no longer needed.  

What is your favorite subject to teach?

  Reading

What made you decide to begin blogging?  

I have been blog stalking for a few years and have always wanted to start a blog but I was so worried about rejection and ridicule.  It can be scary being a man in such a woman's world.  My coworkers are constantly telling me how great my ideas are and how I should do professional development classes so with  a lot of encouragement from the fiancee' I decided to take the leap!

If you could give one piece of advice to your fellow teachers & bloggers, what would it be?  

HAVE FUN!!!!  And ignore the politics and things that are out of our control!!  Enjoy your students and give them your all!

Finish this sentence: You know you're a teacher when

 you get excited about sparkly scissors!  (BIG LOTS!).

Any personal links you would like to share with readers (TPT, TN, Pinterest, Etsy)?

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Greg-Smedley

www.pinterest.com/gregsmedley

www.facebook.com/kindergarten.smorgasboard.7

www.twitter.com/gregsmedley

Attached is a freebie from Greg:

https://sites.google.com/site/kindergartensmorgasboard/monster%20roll%20and%20cover%20freebie.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

If you haven't already, stop by Greg's blog!!! He has a lot of great tips and is very entertaining. You will love it!! Have a great weekend!

See you soon! :),

Halloween How-To Writings!! (Giveaway)

Happy Thursday Friends!!,

It's almost here...the sweet sound of F-R-I-D-A-Y!! I'm so excited about this weekend. I have a date with Zac Brown Band on Saturday!!

Okay, not a real date, but one where I stand afar gazing at them longingly. I'm headed to my 2nd Zac Brown Band concert. They were absolutely amazing when I saw them for the 1st time in February and jumped on the opportunity to see them again.

Can I let you in on a secret...I tend to procrastinate a little. Shocker?? I know...

A few days ago, I had this idea just POP into my head to create a Halloween How-To Writing Pack. I want to get my students writing in a way that they are enjoying themselves, so it's not like pulling teeth to get a few words out of them. Do you know what I mean?

We tried one of our how-to writings today: How to Make Frankenstein Pretty.

Immediately, my students cracked up and couldn't wait to get started. Here's what one of my lovelies produced:

It's interesting to read first grade handwriting, so just to clarify...First, I would put lipstick on him. Next, I would put blush on him. Last, I would put eyeshadow on him. Too funny!! I practically rolled on the floor laughing.

There are 10 how-to writings in my new Halloween How-To Writing Pack (some informational and some funny & imaginative).

Click HERE to check it out in my TPT store.

Here's the fun part: Since it's almost Halloween, the first person to leave a comment below guessing my favorite candy will win this pack!! Don't forget to leave your email!! See you tomorrow for Fabulous Blogger Friday!

Have a great evening!!,

First Year Bliss Linky!!

Happy Monday All---

I hope that you have had a great start to the week my sweet friends!! I can't complain myself!! My sweets had a great, productive day in first grade and all ran smoothly!

Today I'm here to link up with a blogger who is such an inspiration...Michelle from The 3AM Teacher.

f

Michelle has asked that we share our favorite memory from our first year of blogging. I am still currently in my first year of blogging & I already know I'm going to have to narrow down my favorite memories because I have so many of them.

I have to tell ya, I am SO very thankful for all of the blogger friends that I have made. I feel like I know so many of you even though I haven't met you.You have been such an inspiration to me and I hope that I have helped some of you along the way. Okay, so here it is...my favorite blogger memory has to be when Good Morning America contacted me back at the end of August to feature some of my back to school pictures on their show. What an amazing dream come true!! Even though my pictures were featured for 2.2 seconds (lol), it was such an honor for them to even consider my pictures.

I look forward to making many more blogger memories with you throughout the years. Go and link up with Michelle at The 3AM Teacher and share your favorite first year blogger memory!! :)

Have a Marvelous Monday!,

Fabulous Blogger Feature!!

Happy Saturday Friends,

What a jam packed week it has been! Meetings, Storybook Festival at my school, and the weekend doesn't seem to bring much relief. The good thing is it will be an "enjoyable" busy weekend and the weather here is B-E-A-UTIFUL!!! :)

Today I am featuring Elizabeth...

from The First Grade Jungle Room!!

Grade or Subject You Teach? 1st Grade 

What inspired you to become a teacher? At an early age, I felt called into ministry.  However, I felt God calling me to work with the children in my community.  Therefore, I based my life around kids.  I truly have a passion for children!  I went into the education field even with others were telling me not to because of the money and all.  However, I can not imagine being anything else!

Describe your teaching "personality": I would have to say that my teaching personality is very loving and hands-on.  I feel that children need to know that when they come to school that they have a teacher that has their best interest at heart.  I try to understand where my students are coming from by giving them time to share with me stories.  I obtain a good relationship with not only my students but also their families.  Additionally, I try to incorporate a lot of movement and hands-on activities in my lessons.  I get very bored easily and so I try to keep my classroom lively by not doing tons of worksheets but instead using practical but beneficial activities that gets the students and myself out of our seats.  

What is your favorite subject to teach? I absolutely love teaching Math!  I have always had a passion for Math and actually excelled in Math when I was in school.  It is just something about understanding numbers and being able to use manipulatives that makes me enjoy teaching this subject.  I feel that I am a better Math teacher than I am Reading because of this.  I hope I am able to instill my passion for Math onto my students.

What made you decide to begin blogging? I have had a personal/family blog for a few years, but I was never a consistent blogger.  I have fallen in love with reading blogs and spend many hours doing this every week.  This past school year had many firsts, and I decided I needed to create something that would allow me to remember certain things – funny moments in class, breakthroughs in class, what works and what doesn’t.  I want to be able to take from blogging and grow to be a better teacher.  I teach for the children, and I want to be the best I can.

If you could give one piece of advice to your fellow teachers & bloggers, what would it be? Always remember why you became a teacher - for the kids.  Times may get tough and things may change, but we have to keep the children in mind when it comes to our job.

Finish this sentence: You know you're a teacher when you go to Wal-Mart and end up talking to more kids than adults.

Any personal links you would like to share with readers (TPT, TN, Pinterest, Etsy)? 

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/lizlovelace/

A BIG thank you to Elizabeth for letting me feature her!! If you are interested in being featured for Fabulous Blogger Friday, please email me at fsuteach81@yahoo.com.

Have a Super Saturday!!,

And the winners are...+ Giveaway Shouts!!

Happy Wednesday Friends!,

Yay! The week is halfway over!! I'm ready for a busy, yet fun filled weekend ahead!!
I'm back to announce the winners of my 2 units: Going Batty and Creepy Crawly Spiders!!
And the winners are...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Robyn & Kelly!! Robyn won my Going Batty unit and Kelly won my Creepy Crawly Spiders unit! Ladies you will be receiving an email from me shortly.
Thanks to all who entered!!
*I will be marking both of my units on sale through tomorrow, so if you are interested please stop on by my TPT store and snatch a copy up!!
Click on each picture to take you to the product:

Also, I am participating in a few giveaways now!

Check out the giveaways at:

Second Grade Smartypants

Tales From Outside The Classroom

There are a ton of GREAT things to win! Check it out!!! 

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!!,

I've Been Booed & a GIVEAWAY!!

Happy Monday Friends,

Guess what?!? I've been BOOED by some of my favorite bloggy friends!!

 A big thanks to...

Lori from

Stephanie from  Brandi from...
and Brenda from... So here are the rules:

Here is how it works:

1. If you've been booed, copy and paste the above pic and these "rules" into your post.

2. Give a shout out to the blogger who booed you and link back to their site!

3. Share 3-5 October activities, books, products (yours or someone else), or freebie(s) that you love!

4. Share the Boo love with 5 bloggers- make sure you check this link to make sure you don't boo someone again:

I've Been Booed

Here are some of my favorite October activities:

I am so excited to share about my newest units:

I am having a GIVEAWAY on these units right now!! Only 1 day left!! Click HERE to go to the post and ENTER!!

2. This is another one of my favorite activities from my dear friend Kelley over at Teacher Idea Factory...Pumpkin Adjectives!! I can't wait to use it with my students!!

Click HERE to check it out!!

3. Sweet Teri over at A Cupcake for the Teacher has this awesome bat freebie that I can't wait to use with my firsties:

Click HERE to get this awesome freebie!!

Okay I am booing the following people:

Miss V's Busy Bees

Mrs. G's Kindergarten in Heels

Tonya's Treats for Teachers

Swimming Into Second

Treasures For Teaching

Until the next time!!,