Currently September

Man o man!

August has come and gone.

September is before us!

My students know me.  I know them.  And we can finally get this show on the road.

We are starting rotations this week!!!

Listening:  I started a yoga group for teachers after school and am on the lookout for good music.  Anyone know of a great playlist?  

Loving: It's Labor Day weekend!  

Here's what I've been up to today:

Thinking: I just started a book club, and we are currently reading The Giver.  Anyone else out there love this book?  I can't wait to meet and discuss it.  And watch the movie.

Wanting: Fall. Please. Come. To. Texas.  Sincerely, the sweaty girl with frizzy hair

Needing:  I need to catch up on all my yearly doctor appointments.  Eye doctor.  Dentist.  Lady Doctor. Fun.

3 Trips: 

Australia - my husband's family is from here and I would love to go see where he was born!

East Coast - I've never been (obviously!) but want to visit to see all of the history and beauty!

Alaska - My sister just got back from driving her friend from Alaska to Texas to help her move.  I saw pictures and now I wanna go!!

Thanks for stopping by!  

I hope you have a great short week :)

Peek at My SHORT Week!

This week is only a four day week!

Today was wonderful.

Labor day.

A sweet taste of what summer used to be (oh-so-long-ago!)

I'm here to link up with Mrs. Wills for a peek at my week!

This week I even have links for you.  

It's amazing what a three day weekend can do for you.

thankyouverymuch

In Math we are starting our Module 2 from Go Math.  

We are still adjusting to the new curriculum but I like it so far.

In Science we are finishing up our Scientific Process lessons. 

I made a few posters for the process which you can find here.

In Social Studies we are beginning our Good Citizenship Unit.  I have to say, I am not very pleased with the products on TPT for this topic.  Does anyone have a good resource they would like to share?  I am all ears!

In Reading this week we are starting Lucy Calkin's Reader's Workshop.

You can find that great resource here!

We are also beginning our Flat Stanley Unit which I am beyond thrilled about!!

In Writing we are finishing up our workshop routines and adding an expert list into our Writer's notebook.

We are also beginning our Reading and Math Rotations this week!! 

Keep your fingers crossed for me!  

It's going to be a quick, action packed week!

Peek at My Week

I'm linkin up with Mrs. Wills for a Peek at My Week!

Week 2 that is!

Most teachers around Texas are headed to school tomorrow for their first full week. 

Not me.  No way Jose!

I'm knee deep into my second full week of school!  

I got the cute peek at my week template here.

I don't have any fancy links in my plans, but that's okay!

This is my first time to join in the fun!

I do have a new TPT product for you that we will be using this week.    

If you teach in the grand ole state of Texas and would like to snag my State and Country Symbols Cut and Sort, click the picture below!  The sort includes both state and national birds, flowers and flags as well as a pictures of each category that are neither a Texas or USA symbol to sort. 

For all of those teachers out there starting up their first full week of school, good luck!  

My thoughts are with you :)

Back to School Blog Hop: What

I absolutely love to teach writing!  It is by far the hardest subject for me to teach, which makes it all worth it to figure out how to help my students write!

Click here to learn more about how I launch writer's workshop!

I co-created a Writer's Workshop launch pack filled with anchor chart examples, documentation, and templates to help get you started this year!

Click the picture or here to check it out!

I also love to teach reading! 

My kids have already figured out (six days into the school year) that I am a book-a-holic.  

I love reading books.

Repeat: I LOVE reading!

Growing up in school, I was not a strong reader.  

After lots and lots of practice and a wonderful fourth grade teacher, I finally fell in love with reading.

THAT is my goal as a reading teacher.

In order to stay organized as a reading teacher, I have created a Sight Word Pack.

This pack includes student booklets, 100 sight words for 2nd graders, as well as teacher documentation and tracking.

Click on the picture to check it out! 

Here is how I use them in my classroom: 

And for my freebie, check out my Daily Five student rotations!

What do you love to teach?  

Anyone out there in love with teaching math yuck social studies or science?

Care to share any helpful tips?

Back To School Blog Hop: When

I'm linkin up with Blog Hoppin again tonight to let you in on my daily schedule!

This year, our school adopted the Go Math program. I am definitely still learning how to use this edition. It is WAY different from Everyday Math, which I have taught for four years.  I am happy to make this switch, but feel like I am in my first year of teaching all over again!  

Anyone out there teach with Go Math?  Do you have any advice for me?  

I have structured my math time in a workshop model. 

We start with a 15 minute warm up.  

During this time we complete our "Do Now" which is a quick word problem with multiple choice questions.  We then practice our math drill of the week.  For example, this week we are working on plus zeros.

After the warm up, I teach the meat of the lesson.  

Then we have a guided practice time that leads into independent work.  

My goal is to provide students with rotations so that I can pull small groups and support all of my students.

This year, I am planning on using the BUILD math rotations:

Buddy games

Using manipulatives

Independent Work

Learning about numbers

Doing math (computers and ipods)

We end our math time with a conclusion.  

We have a daily assessment check and tear out our homework for the day.

Again, this is my ideal plan.  

Right now we are in the baby stages of this schedule, and I am still trying to figure out the new textbooks!

This year our scope and sequence changed up a bit which has caused our Science and Social Studies units to be out of wack a bit.  We are tweaking them and adjusting them to meet the needs of our district requirements.

We teach from Core Knowledge for Social Studies.

This year in science we have adopted Stem Scopes.  Which is UHHH-mazing!

Again, an exciting change but a change non-the-less.  

Ask me at the end of the year, and maybe I will finally have this new stuff all figured out :)

For reading, we do a mix of the Daily Five/Reading Workshop with our Imagine It textbooks.

I am not in love with Imagine it....to say the least.  

But it is just about the only resource available at our school.

This year, we luckily have a focus skill of the week that helps tailor our mini lessons!

And finally!  My favorite time of day!

Ahhhhhhh....writer's workshop.

Yesterday I launched WW with my kiddos.

They were on their knees begging me to write all week long.

I decided to set a timer and see exactly how long they could write for.

We stopped at 22 minutes.

22 yall!  

That's with no build up to stamina!! 

Let's just say their first grade teachers instilled a LOVE for all things writing!  

I cannot wait to dive deep with these kids during writing time!  

Our time will follow the typical workshop sequence of minilesson, writing time, and share time.

And that's a typical day in 2nd grade. 

Of course things are so different at the beginning of the year.  

We are working up to being able to do all of these things.  

But have no fear, we will accomplish this goal.  I can feel good things coming with this group.

Does anyone else use a basal type reading program with the Daily Five or Reader's Workshop model?  

I'd love to pick your brain on how you incorporate both in one day!!

Until next time!

I'm Having My First Sale!! (and Why Wednesday)

I'm having my first sale!  

Hip hip horray! 

Head on over to my TPT store to get 20% off my Sight Word Book and Monthly Newsletters!

Hurry!  Sale ends tonight at midnight!  

You can also snag up a Writer's Workshop pack over at Melissa store! 

Now onto: 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE staying organized.  This past Friday, my partner teacher and I went through all of our math manipulates to make room for our new Go Math manipulates.

It made my heart sing.

It was Friday afternoon, the first Friday of a new school year.  But I didn't care.  I was too excited to organize!!

I have tried many many many different organization techniques over the years, but this year I am ranting and raving about the Together Teacher.

My friend read this book over the summer and shared everything she learned.

Here's the basics to what she told me:

Get ONE planner with a monthly view and weekly view.  Put your entire school calendar on it AND your entire life calendar on it.  Take this calendar everywhere.

It. Changed. My. Life.

I went out the next day and bought a planner.

I borrowed the book.

Made my Ideal Week and Planning Time Agenda.

It really is wonderful.  Everything I need to know is in one spot.

PLUS, I know when everything will get done.  I still have just as much work to do, but everything has a time and place to get it done.  

I can sleep easy.  What is on my to do list now, will still be here in May!

How do you stay organized?  Are you a together teacher?

Back to School Blog Hop: Where

I teach in a small charter school in Texas.  I have taught there for all five years!

This is my third summer to move classrooms!  I think I have this packing thing down by now!

Here's a peek at my classroom this year:  

This is my classroom library/craft board display.

I think I reorganize my books each summer.  

Anyone else have OCD about this area of their classroom?

From the door....

Gotta love my giraffe rug!

Clip chart and Daily Five supplies.  And to the left are my brand spankin new curtains made by yours truly.

And this fancy-dancy curtain hides: 

ALL of our science and social studies units!  

I am happy to say that I went through them this summer and reorganized it all.

Ya'll there were resources there from the early nineties!  I am sure of it!

Here is another angle of the room.

And who doesn't love a good selfie?