Tried It Tuesday - Grammaropolis App

Yes!  I am hooking up again this week with Holly's Tried It Tuesday Linky!

I'm also linking up with Christy at Teaching Tales Along the Yellow Brick Road for her Classroom "App"lications Linky.

Last week I introduced common and proper nouns to my third graders. 

This week we are working on verbs.

Luckily I found an App to use in small groups that reviews both of these grammar concepts.

 

The App is called Grammaropolis, there is also an online website with similar games.

The App includes a short tutorial along with a video and quiz. While it begins with common and proper nouns, it also gets into concrete and abstract nouns, so would work best for third grade and up.

It is very easy for students to use.

The videos are jazzy enough for kids to really get into them.

Check out other great ideas on Holly's blog!

 

Also, again this week I am helping out Table Talk with C&C with their Best Selling Writing Activity Linky - you could win LOTS of great writing activities!

 

 

Tried It Tuesday - Tootsie Pop Reading Stamina

It's been ages since I joined in on Holly's Tried It Tuesday linky.  We've been doing some fun activities to launch Readers Workshop, and it's a perfect opportunity to share something that went really well.

 

Our mini lessons this week have been about building stamina, which we call "reading long and strong!"

"I Can..." statement charts like these are available in my TpT and TN stores.

Yesterday I took out a tootsie pop, and said I had a connection between the sweet treat and reading.  The students faces looked like, "whaaat?"

I then asked what they knew about tootsie pops, and they said things like:

"they've got a good gooey center"

"you lick them"

"they're yummy"

Someone even said they had seen the commercial where they ask, "How many licks does it take to get to the sweet center?"

 

I then said that a book is like a tootsie pop because sometimes you have to keep reading it until you get to the really good part.

I said it was important to not give up on a book, and that the longer you read, the better a book could get.

 

The students really seemed to understand the connection, and them we did a timed Read to Self to show me how they could stick with their books.

Of course we didn't do the greatest the first round, but they've really kicked into high gear on the second and third tries today.

 

To drive home the point, I said if we made it past 10 minutes they would get a tootsie pop.

I made stickers to put around the suckers.

Of course we achieved our goal, and are going for even longer tomorrow.

Check out more Tried It Tuesday ideas on Holly's blog!

 

Also, remember to check out the Best Seller Linky Party and Giveaway that is being hosted by

Table Talk with C & C!

 

 

TpT Best Seller Linky Party! (I Can.... Statements for Launching Readers Workshop)

Caitlin and Carrie from Table Talk with C&C are hosting a very exciting *TpT Best Seller Linky Party and Giveaway* this week. I am very excited to be donating a best selling reading activity for this linky and giveaway! They wanted to have a linky and giveaway that showcases all of your hard work and dedication to making your products meaningful and engaging for your students. We all know how passionate we are about blogging and TpT product making, that we wanted to also celebrate all your hard work and accomplishments as a TpT seller. The countless hours of creativity you put into these beautifully and thoughtfully made products deserve a little bit more love! Why not celebrate them right here, right now?!?! Who's with us?

The best part is that they connected with 14 TpT Sellers ( like me!) who have donated their best *reading activity*  item and we want you enter to win them!!! Enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win ALL of the donator’s Top Selling *reading activity* TpT Product! Yes, you heard me correctly all 14 items FREE!!

Starting today, 9/15/13, you will have a chance to share your best reading activity seller through the linky AND enter the rafflecopter to win all of these amazing products!

The item that I have donated is my I Can Statements for Launching Readers Workshop!

I use these charts to introduce each lesson as I launch workshop during this first month of the school year.
The set includes 12 different charts, along with 12 smaller charts for students to place in reading response journals.

I made an 8X10 frame to serve as the focal point in the front of my room, and then post the charts in the frame daily.

 After I have taught a mini-lesson on the skill, and the students have practiced the outlined goal, they glue a smaller version of the chart into their Reading Response Journals.
Next, I've asked them to write about what achieving this goal would look like.

This item will be a one of the MANY great products you could win if you enter this giveaway at
Table Talk with C & C's blog!

You will definitely want to add your top selling reading item to this linky!

Here's how it's going to work.

1. Take a look through your TpT Store and sort your products by "Best Sellers."

2. Find the product that is your best selling "reading " related product.

3. Link up your "BEST SELLING READING ACTIVITY."

4. Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a *FREE* best selling reading activity!

5. Spread the word about the linky and giveaway through all your social media!!

The *best selling reading activity* linky will be up for one week and then we will share the winner from the rafflecopter! The schedule for the linkys are below!

We hope you will all join us and we celebrate the hard work, creativity, and countless hours that we have put into making teaching and learning more fun and engaging!! :)

Five for Fraturday - Book Recommendation Sheet Freebie

Hi -

 

I'm squeaking in a post before it turns to Frunday!

It's been a busy first week, but I'm glad to be in the swing of things.

I have a great group of 24 third graders!

I'm happy to again be joining Doodle Bugs Teaching for her Five for Friday linky.

 1.

One of my traditional first day activities is something I call a line transformation.  When I was a Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher I was trained in a creative and critical thinking skills program called Talents Unlimited.

One of the lessons in this program involves turning a line into something no one else would think of.

I love seeing the cool ideas students come up with.

The original line in these is a bit darker than the rest.

 

 

2.

I have a book exchange during the first week of school.

In my back to school letter I ask the students to bring in up to 3 books that they have finished reading to swap with other students.

One of my new third graders said that it was just like trading Pokemon Cards!

 

3.

We started working on our calendar and math focus wall.

The kids are loving having to figure out the number quizzes on my calendar cards.

The calendar cards and corners shown in the picture are in my TpT and TN stores.

 

4.

The students completed a reading inventory during the beginning of the week.

They were asked about how many books they had read this summer, as well as about their favorite genre of books and favorite titles.

I only had one student that said she hadn't read any books in the summer.

 

5.

We used the information from the Reading Inventory to help create a Recommended Reads bulletin board.

The students searched for the book cover of one of their favorite books on the computer while we were in the lab, then copied and pasted it into a Word Document.

Once we were back in the room they glued the cover and their name onto a sheet of paper.

We brainstormed a list of reasons why someone might like to read their favorite books, and the students completed the sheets.

If you'd like to do this activity with your students, feel free to use the sheet that can be found here.

 

I am also part of a huge giveaway you may want to check out!

Click this link to take a gander at the giveaway.

Currently September and Winners of Flash IG Giveaway

Well - this is it people.  September is here and we start school tomorrow.  While I really enjoy being at school, I am sad to say so long to another summer.  Thanks to Farley at Oh Boy, 3rd Grade we can ease our way back into the changing season with her Currently linky.

 I am a huge Phil Mickelson fan, and am hoping he's able to inch closer to the lead today.

 

Like many others, I went with a chevron scheme in my classroom this year.  I am still adding to it, but if you look at my previous post you can check out some pictures of my room.

 

I am also a huge Green Bay Packer fan, and the higher ups in the organization have cut ALL of our back-up quarterbacks this weekend.  WHAT??  I hope Aaron stays healthy or we're cooked.

 

We are beefing up our classroom libraries this year - in fact, there are 4 boxes of new books in my colleague's room for us to go through.  I am definitely in need of more shelves to display all these books.

 

I took an Engineering in Education class at the Boston Museum of Science, and approached my principal about starting a monthly STEM Club for our 3rd and 4th graders.  He was all for it, and even told me he'd pay me for running it.  So, my goal is to get it going this month.

 

I have been somewhat attached to my iPad this summeCome on over to IG, and check it out!r.  I have to cut the cord now that school is getting started.

 

I just reached 300 followers on Instagram!
The winners of my giveway were:
Diane from Fifth in the Middle
Breanne Simons
Thanks for the comments and for following me everyone!

I'm hoping to get to 300 followers on my blog, too!