Major Wednesday Randomness

Yeah!  Yeehaw!!!  Woohoo!!!  Yipee!!  Woop woop!!  Happy Dance!!!!  The 4th grade state writing test is done................
behind me................
over...............:)) 

Now, moving on........I haven't seemed to be able to focus these past couple of days and now my blog is going to reflect that with a little of everything!

Random #1  Science Tree Maps
We have been studying how plants, animals and people change the environment.  The kids made these tree maps last week and we finally got them hung up.

Sorry they are hard to read:/  They did a really good job.

Random #2 - Caterpillars

Since we have not had winter here in sunny Florida....I kinda think some of the critters are confused......I'm confused!!!  I butterfly garden, not normally until Spring....but found 4 of these little guys.  They are Monarch caterpillars.  I took them into the classroom and today the kiddos actually got to see one turn into a chrysalis!  It was so cool and they were amazed!!!!

Random #3  Seuss Start

My room is starting to become happy again after "state test jail time".  This is a peek at my door.  I got this adorable Seuss set at Michaels.  Love it:) 

Random #4  Seussy Foldables

We made these adorable Seuss foldables!  They are from Mor at A Teacher's Treasure.  So super cute and the kids loved making them!

Thanks Mor for sharing this awesome idea:)))

Happy, happy hump day!!

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How Characters Change and a Lorax Freebie!

My kiddos are struggling with identifying how a character changes throughout a story.  I saw a wonderful idea from Miss T at Journey of a Substitute Teacher and couldn't wait to try it. 

Well, we did and, for a first time, it turned out awesome.  I used the book The Dot for this activity.  LOVE that book and so did my kiddos:)

To set it up, we took a piece of paper and folded it in half, opened it and folded top and bottom to the center fold line.  So when you are done you have two flaps, one that opens to the top and one to the bottom.  On the inside flap at the top they wrote "In the beginning" and on the bottom flap "In the End".  I told them I wanted them to pay close attention to the character, Vashti, how she is at the beginning of the story and then.....does she change?  If so, how is she at the end of the story? 

Then I read it and let them loose to write and then decorate the cover flaps.  They turned out so cute and I am so excited to do this activity again, many times.  They thought it was wonderful because they got to draw but they couldn't do that until the inside was completed.

This is 4 of them...you can kinda see where the flaps meet up.....

That's the top flap open.

This one was one of my favorites.....

I know, I know, I shouldn't have favorites......they were all awesome but this little girl yanked at my heart strings.  I'm sure I have said this before...... if I haven't here it is........my favorite word is BELIEVE.

I am constantly telling the students that they have to believe in themselves.  I am constantly telling my students that I believe in them  soooooo.........this little girl wrote for her "In the beginning" -

"You see, Vashti thinks that she's no good.  BUT, she is an artist, inside." <3 (yes, she drew the little heart)

"She didn't think that she was good because she didn't believe."

I am a true believer that you can be whatever you want to be if you believe in yourself and work towards that.  I think it's wearing off on my peeps:))))  (smile, sniff, tear:)  )

Hop over to Miss T.'s blog to see how she did this.  She used a different book:)  Thanks again Miss T for the yummy inspiration!!

I also whipped together another Seussy inspired worksheet for a freebie today:)  It's a worksheet to be used with informational text.....either books or ......I've got tons of Zoo Book magazines and Nat Geo mags so I am going to use it with them.

Fun Facts with the Lorax

It's a FREEBIE at my Teachers Notebook store if you want a copy, just click the pic and leave me some love:) 

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Story Starters Seuss Style - FREEBIE

Hello all!  Happy Weekend!!  My room is even sadder now......took down the posters, anchor charts, words, word wall, ........the fun:((  Too sad to post a picture of........really sad......(tho thad Teeny and Reagan)....one of my darlins said and I quote:

"Mrs. Eiken, it looks like a jail in here!"

SO SAD!!! 

I told her, no worries...after that big, bad test  wonderful writing experience Tuesday we are gonna be rockin out the room Seuss style!!!  That made them all cheer!!!

I have a yummy freebie for ya today.....Seussy Story Starters. 

I'm going to use them in my Daily 5 Work on Writing:D

They are at my Teachers Notebook store. Click the pic to grab your copy.  Would love it if you share some love if you grab a set:)  Have a Seusstacular (a word??) weekend, I've got some coffee to go drink:) (Kim, joining me???)

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Sad Sight, Math, and Repurposed Sentence Strips

Hey all!!!  Happy Thursday!  Boy this week has flown by since we started it on Tuesday!!!  First of all I want to show you a sad sight.........

a very sad sight........

Yep.....sad!  Test time starts next week with the state writing assessment so I wanted to get the desks set so it didn't throw my kiddos.  I HATE  dislike the classroom like this!!!  There's no room, I feel like my kids in the back are a block away!!  Next week it will be even sadder because all the posters and anchor charts and anything cute will be down:(((((  WAAAAA!  But as soon as they collect my tests and we get the all clear I'm putting these desks back to groups and we are going Seuss CRAZY!!  So it will be happy after it's sad!!

I posted a new activity for Math on my Teachers Notebook store.  It's called Decimal Times (I'm not very creative with the naming of things.......sorry) Anywho, it has 4 sets (8 tasks per set)  of color coded task cards - 2 sets for multiplication and 2 sets for decimals.  I'm going to use them in Math centers tomorrow.

If you want to give them a peek, click HERE at Decimal Times.

I also wanted to share a last minute, pull it out of nowhere, quickie activity.  I was doing a mini lesson on Cause Effect  yesterday during Daily 5.  We used an adorable activity Cause Effect Treasure from the lovely Mary at Pitner's Potpourri.  Love her stuff.  After we finished the little pirate lesson

 I gave each of the kids half of a sentence strip, they folded it in half, wrote cause on one side, effect on the other.  Then the peeps had to come up with 2 sentences, one cause, one effect....write the sentences and then illustrate......hence the repurposed sentence strips.....well, they weren't really repurposed because they weren't used before but they had been sitting in my cabinets for a looooong time AND they weren't being used for sentences.....well, they were but.......oh, you get the idea! 

These are hard to read...the first one says:

The man was in the rain.  He got soaking wet when he got home.

The second one says:

It was thundering out.  I put my kite away.

The pics on these 2 crack me up.....both people face planted....love my kiddos art work:D

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Lucky Ducky Giveaway!!

I am only too excited to be a part of a wonderbar giveaway hosted by my bud Reagan at Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits.

There are several wonderful bloggers that are part of this and we are all givin away something for all:)  Hop over there and check it out.....then join in on the fun and good luck:))

I made another Seussy project for my soon to be Seussy room for the month of March.  Can I tell you, it will be a wonderful new, bright, fun change after our state test next week:/  What state test you ask?  Our 4th grade writing test is next week and during that, the looks of my room become very sad.  Very, very sad.....(tho thad Teeny and Reags)You either have to cover everything or take it down (anchor charts, posters, basically anything with words........very sad)  So, I'm gonna take down and then refresh with Seuss:D  To add to this makeover I made calendar cards.

Seussy Calendar Cards

They are at my Teachers Notebook if you are interested:)  Graphics The 3 AM Teacher:))

Also wanted to share some goodies I picked up at Michaels shopping with my daughter yesterday. (tho thad she had to go back to school)

Sorry about the glare:/  If you show your teacher badge, Michaels gives 15% off:)

Happy President's Day and day off:)  (if you have one:/)

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Seussy Freebie

Blogland has exploded with Seussy stuff for the birthday of Dr. Seuss and Read Across America...........

As I have been creating this weekend with 3 AM Teacher's Seussy graphics, I made an executive decision.
Sounds serious right??  I am going to "decorate" the classroom Seussy for the month of March.  (Now, you may all already do that.....and I am just joining the club....welcome to my world....)  I still have vday stuff up cuz I was too sick to take it down and decide what to put up next.....I have really cute spring stuff but since it's still "winterish" (not here in lovely Florida....we've only had 2 cold days.....2....it has felt like summer in the winter....I know I'm complaining.......sorry but it's a bummer to run the a.c. for Christmas....the bill is not fun.......AND it truly scares me for what the summer holds....like 110????)

oops....sorry, I got on a little rant....won't happen again...(and that's without the latte!!!  Eeek Kim!)

Back to Dr. Seuss.....so I have an area set up in my room for "Story in the Spotlight"

To go along with this theme I made "Seuss Book of the Day".  I will feature different books throughout the month here:)  I'll take pics when it's set up and post later.  I made 2 different signs and they are my freebie for today:)   Graphics by 3 AM Teacher:)

You can grab yours at my Teachers Notebook store for free, just click on the pic:D

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Oh JOY, New Blogger, and Freebie

OHMYWORD!!!!  Ok, so I am up early and feeling better (amazing what some antibiotics and rest can do for you) because I wanted to blog about a new blogger I found and post some new things I have made.......so, I go to my Teachers Notebook to upload and GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?!?  My shop is the featured shop this week:)))))))))))))))))))))) 


My heart's singing:D  I am too excited and what a wonderful way to start my day!!

So, the new blogger I found.....The 3 AM Teacher.  Now, maybe since I have been sick and not blog stalking you all have already heard about this yummy blog but I hadn't and am so glad I found her.  Michelle is a doll and makes the yummiest, teacher friendly graphics!!!!!!!!! 

You have got to check her blog and TPT store out.  You will be so glad you did!!!!  So just click her pic to go there:)

I bought some of her adorable Seussy graphics and am in the process of making some yummies for my classroom.  I have made a few things:

A set of Seussy inspired Daily 5 signs:)

and of course some Seussy inspired Boggle letters:)

They are at my Teachers Notebook store if you are interested:)  I also have a freebie for today...Seussy inspired Main Idea and Details.

Have a super wonderful weekend all!!!

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Hello, Tip, Twins, and 4 Day Weekend!!

And not in that order.....................................

Oh my good golly Miss Molly!!!!!!  I feel like I fell off the face of blogland:(  (well, it's only been a week, but feels like a month!!!)  I have been sick......AGAIN!!!!  This week has consisted of.....work, go straight home, go to bed, wake up and repeat......I finally went to the Doc Wednesday and am hopefully on my way to getting better!!!!!!  On top of lots of blog stalking to catch up on and Pinteresting to do and um.....housework......lots....and lots......I love my boys (hubs and teen) but when momma is sick the housework explodes into another galaxy............I wanted to let ya all know I'm still here:)

Good news is I have a 4 day weekend!!!!!  (dancing with joy)  So I will be ready freddy to get back to it Tuesday:)  We have today off for a hurricane day we didn't use (perks of living where hurricanes come) and Monday for Pres. day:)  

Twins update!!  First of all, for those of you who are my blog friends and don't "know me" and my original "Twins" post might have mislead you........I appologize!!!  I had quite the chuckle when my buddy Kim sent an OMG email telling me she had shot to the bottom of the post thinking I was having twins!!!  teehee.....Didn't even think about that when I posted it....I was too excited about the double babies (which I know.....birds don't have twins but.....)  So, here is an updated pic....they are much cuter now:

Since the hubs and Dr. said REST I am hoping my creative juices will kick in and I can make all kinds of goodies for my classroom and Teachers Notebook, with some freebies of course!!

I wanted to post a quick "How To"  for dying the rice I use in all my shakers and vocabulators:)

(2 of those aren't rice...one is gumballs and the other little clear beadlike filler from Michaels)

Coloring the rice is super duper easy. 

What you need:

- big bag of white rice (got mine from Wally world)

- large bottles of rubbing alcohol

- big bowls

- paper towels

- cookie sheets

- food coloring paste or gel (I'm sure you could use liquid but I read somewhere that gel or paste makes color brighter)

1) Pour rice into bowl and pour in enough rubbing alcohol to cover the top of the rice

2)  Add paste or gel and stir until all rice is covered

3) Let sit - the longer it sits, the more intense the color...the longest I let mine sit is an hour

4)  Drain rice

5) Put several layers of paper towels on cookie sheets

6) Pour wet rice onto paper towel lined cookie sheets

7) Let sit at least over night until completely dry

That's it:)

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Valentine Goodies to Give!

I have been busy, busy, busy all day getting things ready for school and to take to my daughters college tomorrow:)  First of all I made the cutest little heart pillows for my girl thanks to Reagan at Tunstall's Teaching.  I have been wanting to make them ever since I saw her adorable post!

So fun!!!  Thanks Reagan!!

I also got these super beautious (I know....not a word) bracelets from Michaels.  They were $3.99!!!  Are you kidding me!!!  They are glass/crystal...sparkly as all get out (OH Farley......) and soooooo fun!  I got pink for my daughter and clear ones for my team mates at school:)  I didn't take a pic but my teamies goody bags have a bracelet, some chocolate, and candy hearts:)

PRETTIFUL!!!!

Then I made super cute goodie bags for my daughter and her quad mates with more treats from Michaels.

This is what is in each bag....

Final products:)

Next I put together my students Valentines.  I made these little cards and posted them a while ago.  If you would like to grab a set, they are free at my Teachers Notebook store.

I punched holes and put in pencils.....they kinda look like Cupid's arrow:)))

I will be adding these:

That's it!  I'm all prepped and ready for tomorrow and Monday:)

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Visualizing, Book Recommendation and Twins??

Spoiler Alert!  Part of this post is not teacher/school related....well kinda teacher cuz it's related to me and I'm a teacher  so that counts right....or not.......but....yes, I'm rambling:)  (Drinkin a latte as I type:) )

First up..........visualizing.  We did a visualizing activity this week and it turned out awesome.  I have posted in the past about our visualizing or creating mental images.  I read a book and they sit with their eyes closed and at certain times during the reading I stop and say "Draw" and they have about 3 minutes to draw their mental image.  Then they close their eyes again and I read on.....then I stop and say "draw" again....you get the idea.  I usually stop 4 times.  I have the kids fold their paper to divide it into 4 boxes so they have 4 different places to draw.  It is best to do this activity with a book that they have never heard or seen before and that can be a challenge....that leads me to the recommendation portion of my post............................Have you ever heard of the book......................The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone by Timothy Basil Ering??????

Oh my goodness!!!!!  I just LOVE this book!!!!  I love everything about it......it's fun, it's got lots of little lessons that you could pull (patience, friendship, hope.....)  The illustrations are my fave too!! 

So my lovelies hadn't heard this book before.......YEAH.....I put it in a folder so they couldn't see the cover and read it to them.......they had to draw 4 different times and then the ending is so cool I gave them all one more piece of paper to do the end...(they boy in the story lived in Cementland....dull, dreary,....a junkyard.....in the end of the book there's lots of colors...(can't tell you why...ya have to read it).  I was blown away at how the kids "mental images" were so close to the book even though they had never seen it. 

Dull, dreary Cementland 

New Cementland

Can I tell you how much my kiddos love doing this?!?!??!?!  Ya gotta check this book out...it's great:)

This activity is also a great "assessment" as to what's going on it their minds as you're reading....kinda cool.

Ok....sorry.......seems I'm a little long winded tonight.....now to the non-teacher/school maybe teacher related news......

A)

Is that soooooooooooo pretty?!  The hubs surprised me with it Thursday:)  I love orchids and have never seen a blue one!!!!  

B)

I know it's hard to see but I have twins!!!  Well, not twins......birds don't have twins do they???  For those of you who don't know....I have an outdoor bird aviary and went out there to feed them tonight and was surprised by not one but 2 baby diamond doves:))

Happy weekend all!!!  Going to see my baby girl this weekend at college:))))))) 

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