Five for Friday: June 26

It's hard to fathom, but another precious week of summer has slipped by...it can't be the end of June already!  On the upside, it's time for one of my favorite linky parties....
 Doodle Bugs Teaching

I love nothing better than finding a new blog to stalk! Well, Kristin over at A Teeny Tiny Teacher has mentioned her friend Shay on more than one occasion. I finally headed over to check her out. Oh.my.goodness.  So much fun happening over there....you should check it out....especially since her husband is seriously easy on the eyes!!

 Mix and Match Family

Shay also has another blog titled Mix and Match Mama. Obviously, the first blog focuses more on her family including fashion, recipes, decorating and hilarious stories about friends, family, and her 3 kiddos. Mix and Match Mama is primarily recipes that look delish!  I'll get you started with a post that had me snorting tea out my nose. If you have kids and have ever gone to the pool with them in swimmies, this is a must read! The good part is at the bottom....so.keep.reading.Friday Favorites.


Assorted beach necessities on the back of my husband's weekend racer.  Today is packing day. Excited.beyond.words! (about the beach-not the packing)

Tomorrow, this will be my view for an entire week....





This item is one of the most wish listed items in my store.  It will be on sale 30% off through the weekend or until I remember to wander in from my lounge chair on the beach to check the computer.  ;) I am also offering the opportunity to win your own copy!

 102 at the Zoo!

I created this resource because I couldn't find anything on TpT to celebrate the 102nd day of school that hadn't already been done in kindergarten or first grade. Our first grade does a 101 Dalmatians theme, and I just couldn't do 102 Dalmatians...I could already hear the kiddos exclaiming, "But we already did that in firrrrrst grade!!" Oh.the.horror....


Although this unit was created around a theme, it could totally be used any time of the year because of the content. If you leave out the cutesy decorations, you have a thematic unit based around researching zoo animals.

 102 at the Zoo

This unit includes QR codes to make integrating technology a breeze, leveled graphic organizers and leveled writing responses which include a frame for students that need extra support. I used that piece with my special ed kiddos, but it would be equally useful for your ESOL friends.  Those features check the box for differentiation. Can I get a woo hoo? Leveled math practice is also included along with a graphing activity. There are a variety of art pieces included to choose from to help make displaying the report a snap. Don't forget that second graders still need to practice those fine motor skills and stretch their creative brains.  I particularly like the activity where they take the numbers 1, 0, and 2 and create a zoo animal. Take a look at that elephant....too.dang.cute!









a Rafflecopter giveaway


I know this doesn't look like much...just a big ol' industrial metal door. But trust me when I say that The Bee Hive is teacher heaven!  I am fortunate in my county to have a teacher resource center that has a million and one (only a slight exaggeration) die cuts, colored card stock, construction paper, poster maker, laminator, glue sticks, et. al. This place is run by the most creative, kind woman on the planet! Terry is truly there to serve teachers and in turn to impact students. I'll be showing some of the really neat stuff I've made there this summer over on 4th Grade Frolics Made It Monday linky when I'm ready for
the big reveal! 

Here's a sneak peek...




Prepare yourselves for a moment of mama nostalgia. This is my oldest on the last day of school. It is incomprehensible to me, but next year he will be in middle school. The days of recess and tire swings will give way to a new season. And while he is ecstatic about it, I find myself growing misty-eyed and wishing that "let them be little" was more than just a cutesy saying on a t-shirt. Here's to the joy of childhood! It's time to find my 3 littles and get in a little summer fun before this day slips away! Have a great weekend!





Wish List Wednesday: June 24

I'm joining up with Teacher by the Beach for Wish List Wednesday. I have checked to see what you guys have on your wish lists from my TpT store, and I will be offering one of those items at a 30% discount until Friday!! You can also enter the giveaway for a chance to win the unit tonight. Today I am sharing one of my favorite resources - 102 at the Zoo! 


 102 at the Zoo!

I created this resource because I couldn't find anything on TpT to celebrate the 102nd day of school that hadn't already been done in kindergarten or first grade. Our first grade does a 101 Dalmatians theme, and I just couldn't do 102 Dalmatians...I could already hear the kiddos exclaiming, "But we already did that in firrrrrst grade!!" Oh.the.horror....

Although this unit was created around a theme, it could totally be used any time of the year because of the content. If you leave out the cutesy decorations, you have a thematic unit based around researching zoo animals.

 102 at the Zoo

This unit includes QR codes to make integrating technology a breeze, leveled graphic organizers and leveled writing responses which include a frame for students that need extra support. I used that piece with my special ed kiddos, but it would be equally useful for your ESOL friends.  Those features check the box for differentiation. Can I get a woo hoo? Leveled math practice is also included along with a graphing activity. There are a variety of art pieces included to choose from to help make displaying the report a snap. Don't forget that second graders still need to practice those fine motor skills and stretch their creative brains.  I particularly like the activity where they take the numbers 1, 0, and 2 and create a zoo animal. Take a look at that elephant....too.dang.cute!

Researching with the tablet

Researching with the Chromebook

My students had a blast on the 102nd day of school! They enjoyed the collaboration with their partner and being more in charge of their own learning. They worked at their own pace, and I essentially facilitated the learning. Many of my students included it in their favorite activities section of their memory books. Oh.happy.day!

If you'd like a chance to win this unit, enter the Rafflecopter below. If this isn't the correct level for your students, please share the information with teacher friends that might be able to utilize it. Thank you!






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday Made It: June 22


Today's first Monday Made It was inspired by Abbey over at A Teacher Mom. Just click on her button to see her fabulosity!

 A Teacher Mom

Monday Made It #1 is a patriotic wreath that cost less than $6.50 total.  My kind of wreath!! I bought the flip flops and "America" star at the Dollar Tree. Are you noticing a trend in my shopping habits? I'm afraid I would be easy bait for a stalker!  Anywho, the ribbon was 70% off at Joann's and I had a 40% off coupon for the straw wreath.

The Supplies

As it turns out, I should have memorized Abbey's supply list a little better. If I had, I would have remembered that she used a block of wood and not a wreath. Those flip flops absolutely wanted no part in the roundness of that wreath. So, I traded the wreath for a block of wood. Abbey's was a square, but I improvised with a rectangular piece of wood that was in the shop floor. It worked just fine.

The Amended Supplies

You simply glue four flip flops down in a plus shape.  Then you come back and glue the other four in an "X" configuration. My $1 star had a little rope hanger already attached at the top. I simply threaded by stars and stripes ribbon through that to create a long enough hanger for use on the front door.

The Centerpiece Being Attached

Tada!  The final product hanging on our front door. It makes me super happy and was easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!

The Finished Wreath on the Door

My next MMI involves shopping at one of my other favorite school stores...Target! Do you ever stop by your media center to pick up "just a couple of books?"  And then leave with a stack that towers so high you can barely see over the top?  Yeah, me too. In order to make that trip back to the room a little easier to accomplish (and a lot safer for the little people that you can't see over the stack of books) I bought 4 large baskets in the outdoor section for $5 each at Target.  I made a tag to attach to the basket reminding friends where the basket belongs.  
The Finished Product

An Up-Close of the Tag

For some reason, the colors on the tag came out a little muted. It has a diagonal stripe in the background with rainbow colors like the basket. There's a super cute dragon on the bottom. Our mascot is the Knights, and we have a castle in the media center. I thought the cute little dragon fit right in. ;)

Love the colors!

Do you think the money spent on the baskets was worth it? I'm hoping they'll see lots of use!

The last thing on the agenda for the week is the newest addition to my American Heroes: Georgia Edition. James Oglethorpe is the topic of the latest lapbook. Second grade in Georgia is required to teach a series of heroes that impacted Georgia in some way or originated here. Some of those heroes like Martin Luther King, Jr. have scads of materials and resources to choose from on TpT. Then there is James Oglethorpe. If you search for him on TpT, there are a total of 5 products that pop up.  These lapbooks help second graders continue to develop their fine motor skills within an academic purpose. My students have loved each and every one of these that they have created. They take ownership in the product, develop research skills, work cooperatively, and learn a ton about the person. I hope you will take a moment to check out the lapbook if this is a topic you teach.


 American Heroes: James Ogelthorpe

 American Heroes: James Ogelthorpe

Currently ON SALE!!

These are the other lapbooks currently available in my TpT store:

 Jimmy Carter Lapbook
Jimmy Carter Lapbook


 Jackie Robinson Lapbook
Jackie Robinson Lapbook


 Martin Luther King, Jr. Lapbook
Martin Luther King, Jr. Lapbook

Or you can purchase all 3 in a bundle at a discounted price!
American Heroes Bundle

What did you make this week?  It's time for me to start blog hopping to find out!  







Five for Friday: June 19

 Doddle Bugs Teaching

It's hard to believe that another precious week of summer vacation has grown wings and flown!  This week has been a mixture of lounging and working like a madwoman on house preparations for listing it on the market.  Without further ado, I present this week's Five for Friday.





My oldest came back home after his first week away from home without anyone in the family being with him.  He was happy to be home, but his mama was happier by far!  And let me just tell you, after a week in the woods with other Scouts and approximately 1 (Yes, you heard me right. The adult male-also known as a dad- said that all of the boys had at least 1 shower.) shower the entire week....he.was.ripe.! Smelling that is.  We took a quick authentic picture, and he stripped in the laundry room before hopping in the shower.  I wouldn't even let him take those clothes upstairs.  Just be glad that picture is not a scratch and sniff sticker....woooo-eeeee! A skunk's got nothin' on a prepubescent boy who has been in 90 degree heat with no shower...for a week!!! 
(So happy he's home -now that he doesn't stink...)


This is the saddy-sad dresser that my oldest has used since he was an infant. It was given to us, and we painted it to try to make it a little less sad.  Well, eleven years later after a multitude of stickers, string, gunk and goo it was time for an upgrade (and a little cleaning off of the top of the dresser...I mean seriously, who does that???).  Behold the replacement....


And a choir of angels sang.... 

Okay not really, but I feel happy just looking at it!! It is an old mahogany dresser that I bought at a local antique store.  I love supporting local artisans while purchasing quality items.  I am all about upcycling and recycling when that is a viable (read affordable) option. Happy, happy, happy dance happening at my house!! (Plus, he had to clean off the top of the dresser. That's a win-win in my book!)



 American Heroes: James Ogelthorpe

My American Heroes series is a top seller in my TpT store.  This is the latest addition to the series. If you teach second grade in Georgia, this is for you!! Every worksheet / topic you need to cover when teaching James Oglethorpe is included in this lapbook unit.  Take a sneak peek....

 American Heroes: James Ogelthorpe

The lapbook includes character traits, an option of timelines, vocabulary, comparing self-to-Oglethorpe, interesting fact recording, short answer, short essay with text evidence required, and more.  Not only will this cover the CCSS, it will also allow your second graders to get much needed practice with their fine motor skills. Helpful hints are included in case this is the first lapbook you've used along with a photograph showing one possible layout with an explanation and example of the parts. I will tell you that my students have loved.every.single.one we've done! They take ownership of these and truly learn a tremendous amount during the unit.  American Heroes: James Oglethorpe will be on sale for the next 48 hours!





We should call this segment "Hubby Made It."  I am very fortunate to have a husband that is also a handy man with a workshop and scraps of wood at his disposal.  He quickly whipped up this bike stand to help organize all of the bikes at my house that typically get dropped either in the driveway directly behind my van or in front of the door into the house via the garage.  No longer, my friends. No longer....and yes, it's okay if you're jealous. I got the last good one! ;)




Is it too soon to start thinking about our beach vacation at the end of June? I didn't think so either!  The boys and I picked up new flip flops (they grow like weeds from summer to summer!!) for a $1 at The Children's Place. Just the simple act of buying flip flops got me super excited...I don't know if I can wait another 2+ weeks!!!  The sand, the breeze, the books, the tropical drinks,.....I could go on and on. Instead, I present you with this picture. Need I say more?  I thought not!


Yes, please! :) 

Head on over to Doodle Bugs Teaching to see what all of your blogging buddies have been up to this week. There's a link at the top of this post. And while you're at it, I would love for you to check out my latest unit - especially if you teach second grade in Georgia!