Blogiversary winner, flash freebie, and some random questions

So I promised yesterday that there would be some educational value today, not sure how much I'm going to fulfill the promise. But first things, first. I have a winner of my giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So congratulations to Janine from Faithful in First.  

Next order of business is my flash freebie. I hope that you've enjoyed these flash freebies I've been offering this week in honor of my blogiversary. I've enjoyed giving them to you. I just am constantly amazed at the generosity of teachers out there in blogland. It means so much to have this supportive community in my life. I've been thinking a lot about why I blog and why I make things. I love this community. I love sharing my ideas and hoping that I'm helping someone along the way. I've gotten some really sweet comments from followers about how I've inspired them and they hope they can create things like I do. That means so much and makes me feel so good. I've been concerned here lately with my numbers. The number of people following me, the number of things that I've sold on TPT, the number of followers I have on TPT. This summer I have been a part of a wonderful Bible study.

It's a great Bible study for a group of women if you are looking for one. Most of the group of women are employed by the school system in some way. It's been nice to be a part of this group. I've made some new friends at church and also been forced to examine some things in my life. One of these, is why I do what I do. This past year, there were times that I felt like people didn't know about all I was doing and I got all upset about. This summer, I've been discouraged by my lack of sales on TPT. Well, yesterday, I realized my focus was all off. I needed to be focused on serving the Lord. If I focus on pleasing him, then I will be doing all the other things I want to do. Like help people and sharing what I love to do. So all that said to say, I'm going to start offering a flash freebie from my store once a week in hopes that I will help someone. I'm still going to try to offer freebies once or twice a week of things that are always free. I'm still going to try to sell things on TPT because I'm making things for my own classroom anyway and I gotta find a way to keep up with my habit of cute clip art and units. But I want my focus to be on helping other teachers and sharing what I've done in my classroom. I need to stop focusing on the numbers and remember that even if just one person reads my blog I've helped one person. Even if it's just a laugh for the day. Ok so now that I've rambled on. On to the flash freebie.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Monster-Mapping
This flash freebie was available from 7/28 at 9:50 AM until 9:18 PM

Today's flash freebie is the Monster Mapping set. This contains a variety of story maps to use with students after reading a story or book. My kids enjoy these story maps and thinking maps mainly because of the monster graphics. The freebie will up for most of the day so be sure to check it out. I would love it if you would leave me some feedback and a comment.
Now the last part of this of this post, random questions.
I thought about starting a linky party to answer some questions about school. I enjoyed reading everyone's Tell me more posts and finding about people personally. Maybe that's just the nosy part of me. So I was curious about some school things. So here are some random questions I would love to hear your answer to:

• Do you have a dress code at school for teachers? Can you wear jeans when you want to or flip flops? We don't have a very strict dress code at school. It's pretty casual. We can't wear flip flops though. I find myself not dressing very professionally. I go back and forth about it. I read Ron Clark's The End of Molasses Classes last summer and he talks about the importance of dressing professionally. I would like to dress more like a grown up but at the same time, I spend a lot of time on the floor with my kids and I seem to wind up with paint and other things all over me.(I've had mayonnaise in my hair and fruit roll up all over me before.) So I'm curious about others.
• Do you do your lesson plans weekly or at a chunk at a time? I do my plans a week a time because I seem to need to make changes as I go. But it might be more effective to do it a chunk at a time. 
• Do you use daily 5, literacy workstations, reading workshops or something else? I'm going to implement Daily 5 this coming school year but I've been reading a reading workshop book and I'm thinking of doing a combo. Just not sure how that will all work.
• Do you number your students? I did this when I taught 3rd grade but I've never done it kindergarten or first. If you teach those grades and number your students, can they remember the number?
• What do you do for spelling? I would love to try out words their way but I just don't have the money for the book. I might be able to get our librarian to order it but I'm not sure. So other than words their way, do you have any suggestions for differentiating spelling instruction? I read someone's blog post about taking their spelling from their writing. I'm interested in that but I need a little more information. 
• If you've moved to common core this year, are you still teaching money in kindergarten and first grade? 

Ok so I think those are the only random questions you have. I hope you'll offer me your answers in comments or even blog about it. If you think it would be a good linky party let me know.

Flash Freebie

Click Here to get the freebie! 
THis was free from July 27 2012 at 12:14 until July 28 at 9:00 AM.

I had every intention of posting a good post today with some educational and teaching related, but I just got home from Bible study and next up is a picnic with my dad. Yesterday was his birthday and we're having lunch today. I offered to take him out but he wanted to go to the National park for a picnic and card game. I thought I better at least post my flash freebie. I'm offering my word work tools activity for free today for probably most of of the day. This picture below is from an old post. It's been pinned a ton. It's a picture of my kids playing this game. I found the hammers in the Target dollar spot and this game was born. My kids love it! So be sure to download it today while it's free. Leave me some feedback and a comment. Thanks to all my bloggy friends who were so encouraging after my negative feedback. This is why I love blogging so much. The positive and encouraging environment I choose to be a part of!

Today's flash freebie is my word work tools activity.

Monday Made it, just a little late plus a flash freebie

So I've been meaning to link up with this party all week long but I still had finishing touches to put on a few projects. I still have 3 weeks until school starts back. I've been slowly working on getting my room together and I'm making progress. I try not to put a lot of pressure on myself until August. I made all these things to go with my black, red, and blue them, like a voice level chart, transportation chart, scheduling cards, and clock numbers. Well when I went to print them out on Tuesday with my new ink cartridge from Amazon, all the red printed out yellow. So while it isn't what I was going for, it doesn't look bad. So here's a peek and what what I've been working on.

I made these tags and used ribbon to attach them to bubbles. I have one small problem. I only have 12 things of these bubbles. I'm still on the hunt for more of them.

Here's my version of the transportation ribbons. I have boys and girls club, car and bus. These were suppose to be different colors but thanks to my printer, I have what I have.

I also got my Teacher's notebook all set up so I'm ready for school start. Again, the yellow was suppose to be red. You can get all these freebies, by going to this post.  If you download these freebies, please leave me some comment love.

This is a recycled crystal light container. I saw this on What the Teacher Wants blog. Check out the post here. I bought her Journals through the year pack last week and I'm excited to use it. It's going to be what my students do when they come in the room each morning. She put her prompts on Popsicle sticks. I just printed mine on cardstock and laminated them. They are to be used when the kids can't come up with anything. I've found a variety of prompts from other blogs that I will add to this collection.

Here's another freebie that I've been working on. This will go on the top of my work bulletin board. I had big plans of getting all this put up before posting but I decided I didn't want to go into school today. I just wanted to hang out at home. This freebie can be found here.

 These are some schedule cards I made. They were suppose to be red, blue and teal instead of mustard yellow, teal and blue. They don't look bad but they weren't what I wanted. I also realized I left some things out of the line up like lunch and our special classes. So I'll be adding those.

I'm really excited about this project. I have had a voice level chart pinned forever and I'm finally gotten around to making one of my own. I printed them out on cardstock, then lamintated, cut them out and attached them together using ribbon. Again, these were suppose to be red and black, not yellow and black. Now, imagine these numbers around a clock. I'm excited about this one too. I have had some apples I made like 7 years ago surrounding my clock. So these will be a nice change and they printed the right color.
I've made a few other things to go with this theme but they will be shared better put up. I made some objective signs and signs for an author corner. I'm thinking about bundling all these projects together and selling them. Would anyone be interested?

Ok on to the flash freebie portion of this post. In honor of my one year blogiversary extravaganza, I'm offering a flash freebie each day until Saturday. So check it out. I'm a little discouraged. The freebie I offered yesterday was downloaded over 100 times and only got 3 feed backs. One of the feedback was not so positive. It hurts to hear sometimes that your product isn't what people want. I took the feedback and made a few changes. So if that person happens to read my blog and wants the updated copy, please let me know. I printed the numbers off and hung them up in my classroom. They look good to me.

Click here to get my Puppy Ten Frame Scoot game for free at TPT. I would love it if you would follow me on TPT and leave me some feedback or at least a comment. This product will be free until this evening, most likely. Hope you enjoy it!
This item was free from July 26th 2012 at 11:59 until July 26th 2012 at 5:15 pm.

Flash Freebie

I hope you got your freebie while it was free. It was free from 8:39 pm on 7/25/12 until 7:52 AM on 7/26/12. Be sure to check back later today for another flash freebie. 

So I know I've already posted today but I had planned on offering a flash freebie as part of my Blogiversary Extravaganza. But TPT was down all day. Hence the 2 postings.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Black-and-White-Number-Posters

 I'm offering my black and white number poster for free for a short amount of time. I'm thinking until I get up in the morning. So be sure to head to my store and get these numbers! While you're there check out my sale I'm having as part of the extravaganza!
Here are a couple of picture of them all printed out. I wish I had thought to take a picture of them after I put them up at school yesterday. They look good with the alphabet I bought from Annie Moffat. Anyway, be on the look out for tomorrow's flash freebie.

One Year Blogiversary Extravaganza!

As of today, I have been blogging for one year. I am amazed by this journey I have been on this past year. (that sounds so cliche). I have met so many great friends in person and through the blogs. I have grown so much as a teacher. I had a personal blog before starting this teacher one. I enjoyed posting on it but I didn't really have much of a readership. I wrote a blog post on that blog  that got a lot of attention from my teacher friends. This led me to doing a search of kindergarten blogs. I found April Larramore's blog Chalk Talk and Fran Kramer's blog Kindergarten Crayons. I was hooked. I found all kinds of ideas and books to read and resources. I just kept clicking away. From there I found so many blogs for all grade levels. I also discovered all these great resources and I was inspired to start creating some of my own. One of the best thing about blogging is all the friends I have made. I have had so many people help me along the way and inspire and encourage me. There are friends that I have never met but they leave me sweet comments on my blog and help me to feel inspired. There are also some fabulous friends that I have actually met. This great state of Tennessee has some fabulous bloggers. Especially my bloggy BFF Laura at Kinder Kraziness. She organized an awesome get together back in April and then started a facebook group for us Tennessee bloggers. I also had the pleasure of meeting Natalie from Teachery Tidbits in person. I'm sure that all this seems a little nutty to those that are not a part of this amazing community. We send presents to people we don't know (thanks to the bloggy exchanges). We spend hours talking at restaurants with people that we've just met but feel like we've known forever. I love this community. It makes me feel like I'm normal instead of some weirdo who gets excited about school supplies or can't turn the teacher brain off. I also can't believe that over 400 people read what I have to say on a regular basis. In honor of all this sappy stuff and my excitement of having over 400 followers I'm have a blogiversary extravaganza this week. It kicks off today with a giveaway.
I also have put all my items on my Teachers Pay Teachers store on sale until July 28th. You want to make sure you're following me and keeping up this week. I plan of having a flash freebie Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday on my TPT store. So be sure to check back.

 

Here are some things you can win:

My entire TPT store

2 Items from Markeeta at A Teacher and A Blog's TPT store

An item from Laura at Kinder Kraziness's TPT store 

An item of your choice from Holly at Crisscross Applesauce in First's Grade's TPT store

Your choice of items from Mary Lirrette at Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives' TPT store

Owls on Dots Classroom Theme from Natalie at Teachery Tidbits 

 

Splish Splash Splat Unit from Mrs. Castro's Class

Any item from Jennifer at Herding Kats in Kindergarten's TPT store

An item of your choice from Erin at Eberhart's Explorer's TPT store

"/>Enter below at the Rafflecopter. You have until July 28th to enter. I'll announce the winner on Sunday July 29th. Be sure to check back at my blog this week for all the goodies.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Daily 5 Book Study

(Just a warning, the post is going to be a little rambly about my thoughts on daily 5)
I have been so slack in posting about the Daily 5.  I missed listening to reading and read to someone completely. I read the chapters and took notes on them but I never did get around to posting about them. I didn't really have much to add to what everyone else posted about the topics. I'm still working through all this is my head. I've sketched out schedules to make sure I can make this work. I think I am ready to give up control and let my students have a go at Daily 5 completely. I still have some questions about which things I want to teach whole group and what I want to teach in small groups. I'll have an assistant for most of the day so that will help with the small group part.
So here's what I'm looking at for a schedule for the upcoming year:
While I don't have my special times or my lunch time, I know that I'll have the mornings to do all my reading and language instruction.
8:00-8:30 - Morning Work time - What I'm thinking for this time is a writer's workshop type time here. We're going to journal time. I just bought Rachelle Smith's Journals through the year pack on TPT. I'm pretty excited about it. They will also have to answer the question of the day and take a bathroom break during this time.
8:30- Morning meeting - This time we go over rules, question of the day, morning message, and calendar. I need to try to squeeze in some language and grammar lessons using the morning message during this time. That's one of those areas I'm not sure what to do about with Daily 5.
8:50 - Minilesson #1 - This one will be a read aloud lesson that focuses on a comprehension skill. Then we will have round 1 of daily 5.
9:20 - Minilesson #2 - This one will be a phonics lesson or spelling. Maybe. I'm still trying to decide if I want to do this whole group or small group. Last year I did my phonics lessons small group and loved that. I'm not sure if I can swing individualized lists or not. I used Words Their Way when I taught in Nashville and liked it but when I looked into purchasing the book, my budget just couldn't take it right now. This is an area I'm still mulling over. Then we will have round 2 of Daily 5.
9:50 - Minilesson #3 This one will be writing and grammar. Then the 3rd round of daily 5.
10:20 Mini lesson #4 I want to still use some of the reading out of the basal so that will be this time. We will use our reading books during this time. Then they will have the last round of daily 5.
The order of the minilessons might vary. I'm not sure that it is important what goes where. During their group time, I'd like to work on phonics, spelling, writing, and reading workshop type lessons with small groups.
As I'm typing this, I'm starting to think maybe I'm completely crazy for trying this. Am I being too ambitious with this scheduling idea?
I realize too that this post isn't about working on reading or word work at all, yet. I feel like having activities for the kids to during that time, is the easy part. I use Deedee Wills's writing workstations and I also use some activities from Caitlin Clabby. She has a pack of writing center activities.

Then I've been working on word work activities to go with our reading series. We use Treasures. If you are interested in checking it out, I've finished unit 1 and am almost finished with unit 2. It's called Words that Pop Up. 
There's a freebie there. I like to use games where my students practice reading the word. Then I've included a variety of activities like a magazine hunt for the word and then popcorn words three ways. This is for high frequency words.
Last time I was in first grade, I had my students sort their spelling words, put them in alphabetical order, write with them. I think these activities that I asked them to do as a whole group would lend themselves to work work time as well. I'm seeing some spelling freebies in my future. I also reorganized my magnetic letters to make them easier to use. So I plan on having the kids use these as well.
Ok I guess I've rambled enough about my thoughts on Daily 5. I have a couple of other pieces of exciting news.
The first is my I just got my first Donor's Choose Project approved and posted. I'm super excited. If you are interested in making a donation, I would love it and so would my kids. The project is to provide my kids with a wider variety of non fiction texts on their levels. I discovered when I was organizing my books and making my classroom library more accessible to the kids. I was lacking in this area. Click here to see my project. If you have done several of these projects and you have some tips or suggestions for ways I can improve my project or get funding, please let me know I'm new to this and very excited about it!
The second exciting piece of news is my blogiversary is coming up next week. Tuesday July 24th to be exact. I've got some good friends helping me with a giveaway that will go up on Tuesday. I'm having a sale in my TPT store from July 24th -28th. Then starting on the 25th through the 28th, I'll be having a flash freebie each day. So be sure to follow me to get your freebies.
Let me know if my daily 5 ramblings made any sense. I'm liking up with Fabulously First. Be sure to check out the other posts on Daily 5.