Back to School Sale on TpT

Teachers Pay Teachers is hosting their back to school sale, and I am participating! When you use the code BTS15 you will receive a total of 28% off of everything in my shop!!

These are some of my top sellers in my store. Click on any of the pictures to head directly to my store. :)

This is a great unit to use for an animal study / research and includes math, reading / research, writing, and craftivities.  It can also be used to celebrate the 102nd Day of Second Grade.

If you teach 2nd grade in Georgia, this is a must have unit for you! This lapbook focuses on James Oglethorpe and his contributions to the founding of the state of Georgia. Check it out!

 Geometry Games Galore is a comprehensive unit that covers both plane and solid shapes. It has components that can be used from kindergarten through third grade. It was designed for 2nd grade, but because it is leveled for below grade level, on grade level, and above grade level it can be used in a multitude of settings! If you are looking for a unit that will help you get a Level 4 in TKES for differentiation, this is the unit for you!

Are you looking for a math center to teach place value that requires few materials and minimal time to prepare? If yes, then this is the center for you! Again, this center has differentiation built into it by having 3 different levels. All you need is the cards and clothespins. It will be one of the easiest centers you ever make!

Last but not least are decor items. I am using both in my media center this upcoming year and the colors coordinate very nicely!

     

There are so many fantastic resources for sale by fellow teachers. Head on over and see what you can't live without this year!

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!

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.

Currently ON SALE!!

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

Jimmy Carter Lapbook

Jackie Robinson Lapbook

Martin Luther King, Jr. Lapbook

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

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

Five for Friday: June 19

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!)

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....

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!