Bright Math Ideas Blog Hop

Hey everyone!  I'm so excited to be part of this blog hop!  I'm always looking for fresh ways to boost achievement and instill a love of math in my students.  In my classroom, games are always a GREAT way to accomplish both of those goals!  

The cool thing about kindergarten is that, you can call just about any activity a "game" - and they believe you!!  :)  Hook, line, and sinker.  Especially if dice, mini erasers, or spinners are involved!!

I discovered last year how much my students absolutely ADORE spinner games!  

I think just about every teacher knows the pencil & paperclip spinner trick.

However, I found awesome transparent spinners online that my students LOVE!!

You can get a set of 10 spinners for just $7.95...that's cheaper than the Dollar Spot!!  ;)

We use our spinners all - the - time.  Seriously.  Like, I'm always afraid we're going to wear out the poor spinners, but they are really durable!!  We use them a lot with our math curriculum, but my students started requesting more spinner "games" to play during centers.  So, I happily obliged.  :)
You can pick up a FREE sample of my new Love Bunny Addition & Subtraction Spinner Games below - this game has been a huge hit with my kids!  If you're anything like me, we had so many snow days and days off school that I'm still getting some mileage out of my Valentine centers!  Hope you can, too!! 

Note:  This link is to a paid product -- the FREEBIE is included in the product preview!   It will only be a available for this weekend, so don't miss out!!
I'd love for you to leave me a comment letting me know how you make math more fun!! Thanks for stopping by!!  
Click the picture below to hop on over to the next stop on the Blog Hop!

Five for Friday

I always love getting to link-up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for 

I'm so excited about my newest products!  

I had such great feedback from my "FLASH" Mixed-Up Sight Words freebie that was featured in the TPT Newsletter, that I made some new coordinating sets.  My kids LOVE the challenge of figuring out these mixed-up sight words!

My sweet boys took me out last weekend for an Early Valentine's Day date!

We ate at my favorite place (Pei Wei) and watched The Lego Movie together.  

They are out of town this weekend on a "boys trip", so I'm missing them today.

After the craziness of my first kindergarten Valentine's Day last year...

I am THRILLED to report that things went much more smoothly this year! 

My kiddos loved these sweet little bouncy ball Valentine's!  

The tag was a free printable that I found here.  So cute!!

SonShine and I had so much fun putting together these fun Minecraft Valentine's for his friends.

The cards were a free printable that I found here.

I'm prepping these Silly Cat Mixed-Up Sight Words for

celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday & Read Across America!!  

I wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day!!
Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Five for Friday!

Wahoooo...it's Friday!!

I'm linking up for 

I'm not sure where this week went!!  It flew by!
If you follow me on Instagram, a lot of this will look familiar!

This was my week to kick it with my kiddo in Sunday School!  I teach in his Sunday School class every other week and it's my favorite thing to do!!  

I loved having Monday off for MLK Jr. Day!  Several of my best blogging friends and I teamed up for an EPIC Snowball Fight facebook hop.  It was SO much fun!!  :)  I gave away a sampler of my newest {adorable} product - Penguin Pals DIFFERENTIATED Addition & Subtraction Spinner Stations.  

I was SO excited about all my new and faithful followers, that I created this
Groundhog Differentiated Number Order BONUS FREEBIE!!

Some of you know that I'm sharing a classroom this year.  I teach 1/2 day PM kindergarten and share a room with the {awesome} AM teacher.  It has been a much easier experience that I anticipated, but there are definitely downsides.  One -- I cannot seem to get organized!  Things just keep piling up!! 

We've been having lots of fun with Elmer this week!  

Here's a sneak peek of an idea that I found on Pinterest...it turned out SO cute!!

Helllllo Data Binder!!  

I've been working away on my 3-year Evaluation Portfolio all week.

I'm putting on the finishing details this weekend...I'll be SO glad to be done!!

 

I'm also linking up with...

Thanks for stopping by!!  :)

"FLASH" Freebie!

"FLASH" FREEBIE!!

I've noticed that there are some tricky sight words that many of my students still trip over while reading.  I created this "FLASH!" Mixed-Up Sight Word game for my students to use when we return from winter break.  I love how interactive it is and I think my students will love the novelty of unscrambling the mixed up letters!  (And, word building activities are always a favorite!) 

Those first few days back to school after winter break are always the toughest!

I created this activity to get my students up and moving while reviewing their sight words.

Click here to grab your "FLASH" FREEBIE on TPT!

I  attached each camera to a solo cup.  (I just used scotch tape on the back).  I put the corresponding word strips inside the cup - enough for each student in my class.  I will provide a recording sheet for each child.  Students will move around the room, stopping at each camera to build the word using the word strips.  Then, they can color the camera to match the card and either write the word or paste the letter cards next to the camera.  Easy, fun, and interactive!  :)

I hope you enjoy these last few days of winter break and look forward to getting back into the classroom!  

Just a reminder that my Camera Words Sight Word Folder System BUNDLE is 50% OFF! 

Click the picture below to read more about how this system can help you
BOOST student learning, ENGAGE parents, and SAVE TIME!!  

But, the sale ends today!!  So HURRY..you won't want to miss this deal!!  :)  

Click the picture below to head over to TPT and check it out!

I hope you have a fabulous weekend and a great first week back at school!

Thank you!!  

Five for Friday and a FREEBIE!

It's time for...

1. You never realize how much you depend on something until it's gone.  Like my cell phone.  It's gone KAPUT...but I'm not eligible for a phone upgrade until June 1st.  {sigh} My phone did an automatic "update" about a month ago and it hasn't worked right ever since.  It only works when it's plugged into a charger...which basically renders it a landline.  I sure hope June 1st comes quick!!

2. Yesterday was a our District's annual "Spring Symposium" Professional Development day.  Teachers and instructional coaches from the district present sessions on various topics and you can pick which sessions to attend!  :)  I love "Choose your own Adventure" PD!!  I was able to attend sessions on Writing Workshop in Kinder, the "Language Experience Approach" for emergent readers, Poetry in Kindergarten, and "Coring Up" kindergarten curriculum.  Lots of new ideas!!  LOVE!!

3. I found out this week that I won't have my own classroom next year.  :(  We are adding another full-day kindergarten, so the AM teacher and I will share a room.  I'm trying to have a super-positive attitude about it.  She is AMAZING...I call her classroom "Kindergarten Wonderland".  I know I will learn soooo much from her!  So, we're putting our heads together and trying to figure out how to make it work.  Any of you ever had to share a room before?

I'm hoping we feel like this...

not this...

LOL!!

4.  I learned about the Book Creator app at our Symposium yesterday.  It makes me *wish* I had an iPad!!  If you have one, you should check it out!  

5.  Earth Day is Monday!  :)  Here's a fun little FREEBIE for you.  

Be sure to check out these fun Earth Day literacy stations, too!!

...a  little late!
If you teach kindergarten, you don't want to miss this giveaway! Hillary, over at Rockin' Teacher Materials, is giving away a free pass to attend the I Teach K! kindergarten conference is VEGAS this summer!!  And, you get to bring a friend if you win!  :) (click the picture to head over to her blog and get yourself entered)

Happy St. Pat's, Friday 5 & a SALE!! :)

There's a fun little freebie at the end of this post!

I'm celebrating my IRISH heritage & kicking-off Spring Break by throwing a 2-day SALE!!  Pop on over to my TPT store and check it out!!  :)  With prices this good, you'll be able to stock up on great products to spruce up your spring lesson plans and still have plenty of gold left in your pot!!

Have you tried my Sight Word Snapshots Sentence Writing Fluency mini-books yet?

If not, NOW is the time!! :)  

I've combined all 11 books (99 pages) in a BUNDLED set.  

It's a great deal and will provide you with 11 weeks 

of sight word & sentence writing practice.

Take advantage of my sale and SAVE even more!!

Read more about how you can boost your students' writing skills and confidence with Sight Word Snapshots!  

I also listed a new "Ninja Bunny" literacy pack and math pack that are SO much fun!!

Ninja Bunny Number Bonds 

Developing strong number sense, including concepts of 10 and decomposing numbers, is critical for future math success! Includes cards for Making 10 and cards for those Tricky Teens. 

This differentiated math pack is perfect for adding a bit of Easter/Spring merriment to your lesson plans! For added visual & kinesthetic support, consider adding some mini egg erasers for students to act out the number combinations...it adds FUN, too!! 

This product has 2 tiers for differentiation. 

Tier 1 includes "Making 10" cards to help your students master decomposing the number 10 AND your choice of 4 recording sheets to tailor the activity to meet the needs of YOUR class!

Tier 2 includes "Making Teens" cards to help your students master the concept of "10 and ___ more" to make a teen number. Your choice of 2 more recording sheets are included to tailor the activity for YOUR class! 

Ten frames are included on the recording sheets make the learning more visual and concrete!

These cards can be used in so many ways! 
Read & Write the Room
Math Tubs/Math Stations
Small-Group Math Lesson
Intervention Lesson

Ninja Bunny Sneaky CVC Pocket Chart Station

These clever little Ninjas will be a huge hit with your class!!  

This fun-filled Spring/Easter themed Pocket Chart activity can be used as a whole-class lesson, small-group mini-lesson, center activity, or literacy station. 

Print, laminate, and cut apart the CVC egg CVC word cards and Ninja Bunny characters. Arrange them in a pocket chart. Hide the Ninja Bunnies behind the egg CVC word cards. Use as many or few as you wish.

A medial sound word sort and sentence-writing recording sheet is included!

And now it's time for...

 
ONE

I'm now officially on Spring Break!!  :)  I've got a bloggy to-do list that 4,692 miles long and I can't wait to get crackin' on it!  On the top of my list is Teaching Blog Traffic School.  I purchased a membership a few weeks ago, but haven't had time to do anything with it yet.  :(  I'm excited to learn more about my new adventure in the wild world of blogging!!  I feel sooooo very LUCKY to have Charity's expertise and the support & wisdom of the entire TBTS community!!  

TWO

Today was a super-fun day because I got to attend my very first Blogger Meet-Up!!  Sweet Miss Leanne Prince of Mrs. Prince and Co. was our planner extraordinaire!!  It was really great to meet these lovely local ladies.  I was even surprised to find out that 3 of us are from the same school district!  We enjoyed a yummy (long) lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and lots of stories & laughter.  I'm already looking forward to the next gathering!  I just wish I would have remembered to snap a picture...bummer!!  Be sure to check out their blogs!  I'm so LUCKY to have met such amazing new friends...I've said it before and I'll say it again...teachers are the BEST!  The teacher-blogger community has been so welcoming and encouraging to me as a new blogger.  Happy Teacher Heaven!!

We Are Second Grade Smarty Pants    
 Apples, Crayons & Caffeine 
Miss Martin's Classroom

THREE

My Scholastic Book order arrived just before Spring Break...which was exciting because I used bonus points to purchase a fancy-schmancy listening station for my classroom.  I had purchased the headphones earlier in the year and finally had enough bonus points to buy the stand!  I am LUCKY to teach in a school where parents support their children's literacy development by participating in Scholastic book clubs each month...and the teacher rewards ROCK!!  

FOUR

This little baby blog of mine almost has 100 followers!  I'm having so much fun, learning TONS, and I have a long list of ideas to share with you.  I'm so grateful for each new follower and each new comment I receive...y'all put me in Happy Teacher Heaven, for sure!!  I'm excited to start planning my 100 follower giveaway! I am lucky incredibly BLESSED to be a part of this wonderful community of teacher-bloggers...I'm having SO much fun and learning more than I could have ever imagined!  Win!!

(finally) FIVE

Here's that FREEBIE I promised you.  :)  

I hope you & your kids enjoy these crazy little bunnies!!

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

I'm linking up with TBA and Classroom Freebies ...