Five for Friday

Today I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching with a Five for Friday post! It's been a low key, Spring Break, kind of week for me. This is my first ever Five for Friday post, but I think I've got it down since I have been stalking all of your teaching blogs for years!

First and most importantly, I'm engaged! Arman (the love of my life) popped the question at the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia. Following that, my family was back at my house to surprise me and congratulate us-complete with champagne and some cute cookies brought by my sister. We decided to go back to the gardens with my sister and her DSLR in tow to get some reenactment shots. Everything was perfect. I am beyond happy and so lucky. 

We started our March Friends Narrative Writing project right before Spring Break. The kids had so much fun with their puppets and comic strips! I know that when they write their actual pieces next week, they will be ready to use dialogue and try out some quotation marks. Grab it here. In fact, both of my March products and a few others are on sale this weekend!

I (and my fiance and my dad) have been hard at work doing some updates on my place. We beat the rain to get my patio spruced up for Spring! I can't wait to spend some time out here once the good weather returns. 

I spent a few days of Spring Break with my sweet nephew! I got to baby sit him while my sister was at work. Here, he is getting a Science lesson while we were on a pre-nap walk. 

 

The only work I did on blogging or my store this week was to plug my Free Sample on TPT. Click on the picture above to read my post about how I have used this unit in my own classroom. My store is barely a month old, so help support me! Download, provide feedback, and peruse my store if you have some time this weekend. 

Freebie Friday: Smart Cookies Opinion Writing

For the last several years, I have introduced Opinion writing through the OREO graphic organizer. So, when I decided to finally take the plunge into TPT selling and teacher blogging,  I decided to start with the unit I have created around the organizer. So, a small sample of the Smart Cookie Opinion Writing pack is my featured freebie for the store!

Click on the picture!

When I used this unit with my class, I presented them with the question, "In your opinion, what is the best cookie?" I modeled writing about my favorite cookies, Oreos, and served up a double stuffed Oreo to everyone at the end of the lesson. For the rest of the week, we focused on understanding how to organize opinion writing with an Opinion, Reasons, Examples, and a closing Opinion. We also focused on understanding the difference between Reasons and Examples and learning new transition words to use (For example, like, and in addition). We added sentence starters to our anchor charts to help with this concept. These lessons were great anchors to build on through the rest of our study on Opinion Writing!Although this one is not free, the full unit is also up for sale on my TPT site. In fact, it is discounted this weekend. You will find many levels of rubric, checklists, feedback, worksheets, organizers, and publishing paper. 

Click on the picture!

Freebie Friday: Dictionary Scavenger Hunt

I don't know about yours, but my students are obsessed with using the dictionary. They will use almost any opportunity to grab those weighty books off the shelf and flip through them.

Now, I know that my 21st Century Learners will not find the opportunity to use real dictionaries very much in their lives. With a Smart Phone close by, what's the point? But, I like to harness their energy in learning about using these reference books in a fun way.

The Common Core standards do state that they need to be able to use a glossary and beginning dictionaries, so why not come up with a fun way to practice those skills?

Today, I'd like to invite you to try out my FREE Dictionary Scavenger Hunt for the month of March. This activity can easily be used for work time, center time, or even morning work. Check it out!

Well, today I sign off from school and ON for Spring Break! 8 hours and counting! Happy Friday!

March Pick 3

I'm linking up today with Pawsitively Teaching and Inspired Owl's Corner for Pick 3-This Month's Top Pinterest Picks Linky! Clearly, Math is on the brain for me this month so far!

Want to be saved from the hassle of Geoboards and rubber bands in the hands of 7 year olds? Have an iPad cart at your school? Then you must check out this free app! We just used it today and it has some great features.

Speaking of Math, I pinned this a long time ago, but I'm thinking it's a good time of year to perhaps create an anchor chart like this in my classroom! It will need to be simplified, of course, but definitely worth spending a few minutes presenting to my students. 

Ummm, I MUST make these. I love the pretzel/kiss/holiday M&M treats, but I've never seen them like this. Perfect for a St. Patrick's Day treat!

Enjoy your Pinteresting!

The Sunday Blues: Passion and Renewal

Tonight, as I was driving back to Athens from Atlanta, I was listening to This American Life on NPR. The topic this week was "Amateur Hour". It was all about people, passion, and just making it work with your work. There were so many things that I heard during this short amount of time that I would love to talk about, but I'll spare you that. My sister can attest that after many Sunday night listens, I immediately text her as many cool things as I can remember when I get home. She might get jealous if I share everything here before I share with her!

Tonight, though, I am reflecting on a Ted Talk that they shared by Mike Rowe, the producer and host of the show Dirty Jobs titled, Are People With 'Dirty Jobs' The Most Successful? (This link takes you to the shortened radio version) At first, he sounds very cynical about following your passion, in fact saying "follow your passion was the worst advice I ever got." But, he really redeemed himself for me when he said, "You don't follow your passion. You bring it with you."

Bringing passion to work, or even a new week in general, is a tough thing to think about on a Sunday night. I sometimes start getting The Sunday Blues on Saturday! But tonight, as I got my home and bags organized for tomorrow, planned for lunches, and sat down to check last minute emails, I also sat down to my Lenten study from SheReadsTruth. The Sunday post is about Scripture memorization. Psalm 51:10 says, Create in a me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  This was just what I needed to read.

Passion...
Renewal... 

I need these things. In all facets of my life. So these are the words I will pray over my week. I'm not sure that I can kick my Blues to the curb, but I know that, with God's help, I can bring passion to and seek renewal in the week ahead. And that's a start!