August 2015

Welcome back!

This is the week you have been waiting for! I am a BELIEVER in TpT! I trust what teachers create for themselves and always find JUST what I need when I NEED it! It also gave me the courage to BE a TpT developer. It makes be puddly, but I love the teacher I have become by take ownership of my classroom rather than depending on what the "box" curriculum gives me. Choice is the KEY!

This week's linky is all about sharing those TpT products! Perfect for finding what we can use in our classrooms in the coming school year. I don't know about you....but I get a little overwhelmed with all the choices sometimes! So, this week's linky is to help ALL of us share...

what we CREATED and USE
what we USE each year
what we PLAN to use

See all of my Reading Street INBs here

Last summer, I decided that I needed INBs for reading that were more tailor-made to my weekly "box" curriculum. It loops over & over in some reading skills--so, buying the TpT ones only helped me once. I also needed mine to be "paper-friendly". Knowing what I needed-I began creating for ME.

I knew I'd put it in my store, but I figured that since it was for "Reading Street"--not many people would need it. BUT--I knew after I started that it was going to be GREAT! Boy...was I ever wrong! My Reading Street friends found me! I think they love it as much as I do because I've created structure in three key areas.

Photos from my new 4th Grade Edition

Each week there is a flap for the skill of the week. I usually teach whole group in the beginning of the year...transition to small group...then they can use the pages independently and we MEET about them.

The Vocabulary strategy of the week gets its own flap also. Some of these skillsloop over and over during the year & my kids want a fresh looking flap to interact with. I REALLY don't want to hear--"We did this one already!" Ami I RIGHT??? #urgetoscream

The weekly Selection Vocabulary flaps take up a full page of paper, but I love this routine!! I change it up quite often. ALWAYS definition on the outside, but the inside changes. Might me

a meaningful sentence
illustration
synonym/antonym
Example/Non-example

It really is up to YOU and what your kidlets NEED!

I got a TON of emails asking about 4th GRADE...so, I started that series this summer. I have Unit 1 ready now...and I will build the collection, much like last year. Is it bad to say that I think its turning out better than my first? Just shows how you grow, right?

CLEARLY....I am an INB fan! We are using Standards-Based Report Cards for the second year. I've been a fan of this series of INBs--but I loved them even MORE last year. My administrators really liked that my INB activities weren't just "fluff". They were meaningful! It is so important that they aren't busy work but are teaching tools!

I really LOVE using task cards and switching them out, as needed. I've made a TON of them. And bought a ton, too! But I really wanted something for Spelling that I didn't have to manage quite so much. My sweet friend Amber at Peppy Zesty Teacherista has this in her store...and I will be snatching it up on Monday! I am hoping to transition to differentiated spelling lists, but I want to establish a routine FIRST!

My friends and I over at ITeach Third had the honor to add a giveaway this week! I hope you will all enter! Be sure to check out all of the posts to build up an AMAZING WISH LIST and simplify your school year with an Oh-So-Tight Budget!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget about the site-wide sale at TpT that starts Monday!! My store will be 20% off and TpT adds an extra 10% with their special code!