August Currently

It's August, folks

so it's time to link up with Farley from

for another Currently linky.

You're welcome to join the fun!

Listening: Folks, it's HOT in central Alabama. The ceiling fan and the a/c are both operating at maximum capacity today.

Loving:  I crave routine.  Yes, summer is lovely and I enjoy it.  However, I love the structure that a school routine brings and I honestly think I accomplish MORE during the day when I'm on a schedule.

Thinking: Although I've been working in my classroom for two weeks, you'd think I'm just about ready for Open House this next week. I'm not and I can't stop thinking about the list of things yet to do.

Wanting: The satisfaction of checking everything off of my "to do" list.  It seems as soon as I cross something off, more things appear at the end of the list.  It's maddening!

Needing: To complete the laundry.  I'm thinking it's not likely to get done, either.

B2SRAK: The lovely ladies with whom I'm blessed to share my day asked that I create a bulletin board on which they could post their kids' AR scores.  My own is done and I'll be sharing the others as quickly as they're completed.

Have you returned to work in your own classroom or do you have time yet to enjoy your summer?

Two for Tuesday - Week 4

Happy Tuesday!

Once again,I'm linking up with 

The Teaching Tribune's

Two for Tuesday

summer bloggin' fun!

To participate,

I've been asked to discount

two products 

in my store for today only,

The two that I've selected are products

that I use with

Accelerated Reader.

First up...

This product was adapted 

from a display I had 

in my classroom for years.  

  One day though,

I needed the wall space for other things, 

so I took it down and converted it

into a personal log book that tracks the students' reading progress. 

In a nutshell, here's how it works...

Each level features an animal 

with 10 circles on it. 

Kiddos read a book, 

then take and pass an AR quiz.  

They're then given one of these 

handy-dandy stickers for their chart.

10 stickers = 10 quizzes

Each page also features 

a fun fact about the animal, 

a graph for recording the types of books they're reading and 

most importantly...

a badge for having completed that level!

It kinda makes me think 

of the 

 badges that 

Boy / Girl Scouts receive, 

except... well, it's not. 

The second product I've discounted is

another favorite in my own classroom.

This is a display for tracking AR points

in your classroom. 

Here's a peek at the product 

on the wall 

in my own classroom.

(You'll have to provide your own READ letters.

Hobby Lobby, craft stores, and Walmart all sell something comparable 

to the letters in the pic.)

Each kiddo is given

 a cave"boy" or cave"girl"

image with his/her name on it.  

The clipart is moved from poster to poster as he/she accumulates points.

My own students love it!

These two are on sale today!

Grab your copies HERE and HERE.

Let the Reading Begin!

Our library has officially opened its doors for the 2013-14 school year and I couldn't be more excited.  

It's time to... Let the Reading Begin!

 

You see, my school celebrates reading with the use of Accelerated Reader and while the program has its detractors, 

I rather like it.

Kids who reach their goal are rewarded at the end of the grading period with bingo games and bubble gum, an ice cream sundae, or a variety of trinkets.

  

(Of course, had AR been around when I was a child I would have been one of the few who read for  the sheer pleasure of reading. However, I was smart enough to know the value of a good trinket for goodness sake.

Say what you will.  It's just how I roll.)

Anywho... 

This is my newest product and it's all about motivating kiddos to read.

 I've taken what was once a display in my classroom for AR quizzes and converted it into a student resource.

Now my kids can keep track of their own progress!

Here's how it works...

Each level features an animal 

with 10 circles on it.  

Kiddos read a book, 

then take and pass an AR quiz.  

They're then given one of these 

handy-dandy stickers for their chart.

10 stickers = 10 quizzes

Each page also features a fun fact about the animal, a graph for recording the types of books they're reading and most importantly...

a badge for having completed that level!

(Kinda reminiscent of Candy Crush, 

except... well, it's not.)

There are 20 levels to complete.  

You may or may not want to include them all.  It's all up to you!

 

I'd like to give a copy (or three) away.

Leave a comment to enter - complete with your

 email address.

I'll announce the winners next Tuesday night!

 

 

Let's Get Shopping!

Shh!  If you must talk, 

be as quiet as a mouse.

Dear 'ole hubby is sound asleep while I burn the midnight oil preparing for a 

site-wide sale at TPT!

The doors open at midnight 

so I've got to be ready!

Graphic by Amy Lemons

Here's a little sample of products that will be available 

from my own store...

This product is a fun display for tracking those AR points!

I expect even the most reluctant readers 

will want to be BEASTS!

Or...

maybe you're in need of writing prompts?

My own little friends love these to pieces!

Perhaps...

you want to get a head start on a science unit perfectly suited 

for the month of October?

This product is available, too!

It's a number sense game my own friends will enjoy as early as...

NEXT WEEK!  

I'll also have a new behavioral management product in my store.

It's called

and its theme is one in which most children can identify.

In fact... my own sweet teenager understands this management system very well, in fact.  She saw the 

"make bad choices - get in trouble" 

theory unfold before her very eyes.  

That's because she happened to be with me when Mr. New Recruit Trooper felt the need to reward me with a second ticket 

in less than one month!

I mean, REALLY?!

It saddens me to say 

we're on a first name basis now.

He didn't try to understand, 

nor was he concerned,

that it was a Friday afternoon and I was able to leave school before 6:00 that night! 

He clearly didn't care either that I had just consumed two candy bars and one soda!  

I tried to explain that the windows were down, the wind was in my hair, and my baby girl and I were singing 

White Wedding Day 

at the tops of our lungs!

I'm thinking all that caffeine must have gone straight to my foot, 

but it no longer matters.

Mr. New Recruit Trooper wasn't receptive to anything I said and eventually...

I just stopped talking altogether.

I'm thinking that's probably 

what I should do now.

Anyway... lots of my products are on sale tomorrow and Monday!

Use the code BTS13 to receive an additional savings!

Click HERE to go to my store!