Giveaway Over at Swimming into Second

We had state testing last week and it was long and draining!  This was the first time in many, many years that 2nd grade had to take a state test.  I am so glad it is over. 

My weekend consisted of driving to Virginia to help my eldest son pack up his dorm room and bring most of it back with me.  His last final is Tuesday evening and then he will be home for the summer.  You can only imagine how a dorm room looked....I was there most of the day yesterday.  I'm excited to have him home!

Have you entered the giveaway over at  ?  She is giving away a $20 gift certificate from

 

 

Hope everyone has a great Monday.  I have to miss Tuesday to go to training....I'm glad I really don't have to do sub plans...this is my student teacher's last week and so the sub that they get me will not have to do any teaching.  I think I will leave her some things to keep her busy though.  I still need to decide what to get my student teacher as a farewell gift.  Any suggestions?

 

Standarized Testing

Here it is...Sunday again.  My student teacher finished her solo week and now I return to the classroom tomrrow and get to teach my little ones again.  This means that I need to get together some lesson plans.  I have to really think about it this week because we have to give the Stanford 10 Test to our 2nd graders for the first time this year.  I have had to clear my walls or cover everything up...my kids said on Friday that it looked empty.  I HATE having to do it because it looks like school is over.  I am thinking that this week we are going to do a lot of art work to hang up all over the empty bulletin boards.  I will post pictures this week of the cute things we do.  

Do you have to take things down or cover them up for THE TEST?  If so, what do you do to make your classroom still look inviting?

On another, more personal, note...I became an aunt again on Wednesday.  She is one out of nine nieces and nephews that I have....and sadly the last.  I am in love with her!!  I drove out to my brother's house yesterday (about an hour and 15 minute drive) just to visit with her. 

 Have a great week!
 

Tax Day Sale

I am throwing a Tax Day Sale on my TpT site.  I am offering 15% off of all my items.

As some of you know, I started making units to go along with the 1st grade Treasure Reading Series.  When I started this, I began at Unit 4.  I am now going back to make Units 1, 2, and 3.  I finished the unit for Unit 3, Week 1.

I can't believe that it is Sunday already.  Friday evening our school held what we call "Spring Fling."  This is basically a school carnival.  I was the head of this committee and have to say that I am soooo glad that it is over!  I spent most of yesterday in the bed with a migraine.  I have had them all my life and this one was one of the worst I have had in a few years.  They always leave me feeling exhausted.  It has not completely gone away, but my 7 year old is wanting to get out of the house.

I'm a little lost because I don't have to do lesson plans for this week.  My student teacher is completing her "solo" week in my classroom this week.  I'm excited to be able to get some things done this week...the only downfall is that the next week we are doing the Standford test....I wanted to review so many things this week.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Tag Your It

I've been tagged.  Tori over at

  has tagged me.   So here are the rules:

* Post these rules

* Answer the 10 questions that the tagger posted for you

* Create 10 questions of your own to ask the people that you're about to tag

* Tag 10 people and link them with your post (and let them know they've been tagged!)

 

Tori's Questions:

 

1. What is your favorite season?  This is a hard one.  I love the summer to recoup and re-energize for the fall.  I love the fall because its football time!  I love the spring because all the beautiful flowers.  The winter is the only season I could do without.

2.  If you could live any where in the world, where would it be and why?  I would live in East Tennessee (where I currently live) because of the beautiful mountains.

3. What is the most recent book you've read?  The End of Molassess Classes by Ron Clark

4. Team Jacob or Team Edward?  Neither - I am not a fan.

5. What is your favorite part about teaching?  Being able to make a difference in some of these students lives.  I love each of them dearly and love to see their face when they finally realize that what I am teaching is important.

6. Who is your celebrity crush?  Not sure that I really ever had one.

7. Name 2 things you can't live without.  My family and my laptop

8. What is your favorite read aloud?  I love to read Stephanie's Ponytail by Robert Munsch, Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillio , and Miss Tizzy by Libba Moore Gray. 

9. What lead you to the teaching world?  As a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a teacher.  I didn't follow my dreams and became a paralegal.  After a rough spell in my life, I decided I couldn't do it anymore.  It was time to do what I wanted and I went back to school and followed my dream...for a large cut in pay....but I'm not in it for the money.

10. Sweet or Salty?  It depends on my mood...normally salty.

 

Now....here are my 10 questions for those I tag...

 

1.  Coke or Pepsi?

2.  What is your favorite lesson to teach?

3.  What is your favorite site to purchase clipart?

4.  TpT or TN?

5.  What are your summer plans?

6.  What is your favorite vacation spot?

7.  What is your favorite read aloud?

8.  Spring or Winter Break?

9.  Best moment of teaching?

10.  How long have you been teaching?

 

I am tagging...

 

Anyone that hasn't been tagged and wants to play along.

 

 My little son being attacked for a hug from my nephew. 

 

My oldest getting goodbye hugs from my nephew.  

With him being away at college, family time is more important than ever.

I hope each of you had a BLESSED Easter!

 

Adjectives and Thankful

This past week at school has been busy.  I have a student teacher until May 4th and she is doing an awesome job.  She comes from a family of teachers and it is very natural for her.  She has started teaching more and more, which gives me time to let my mind wander and think of cute activities that I want to do.

We have been covering adjectives and I love teaching them.  Here are a few things we have done:

 

This activity, they had to draw a self portrait and cut out adjectives that describe themselves.  

 This activity broke my heart!  This came from the Treasures Units that Courtney, over at Swimming Into Second, sells.  The students had to draw a gift on the inside and then they had to write four words to describe their gift and we all tried to guess what they wanted.  Well, one of my difficult students drew the picture above with the seven people.  This is her dad, mom, 3 older brothers, her, and her younger sister.  The gift that she wants the most is for her family to be living happily together.  Sometimes as teachers we have to sit back and ask ourselves why our difficult students are difficult.  This girl has been through so much.....the only thing I can do is be the one that is there for her, the one that shows her someone does love her.

 

This activity is from Babbling Abby's adjective unit.  My kids love this because we begin with popping pop corn...listening, smelling, seeing, and feeling it.  We brainstorm and make an anchor chart before I let them taste it.  We continue to add to the chart and then I turn them loose to do their their own.  

 

The activity that I hear others kids talking about because they recognize it...our Angry Adjective Birds.  My kids loved doing this too.  Thanks to Deanna Stiner for sending me her pattern to be able to use this in my class.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter tomorrow.  I am going to be spending it with my family remember what Easter really stands for.  I spent today saying goodbye to my best friends grandmother, who went to be with our Lord this week.  It was difficult because she was like a grandmother to me.  I know she is in Heaven, singing in the choir.  God has been so good to me and I am very thankful for those He has chosen to place in my life.  I am thankful for all the amazing teachers I have found in Blogland...there are so many that have inspired me!