Freebie Friday!

We just started our early morning tutoring this week, or as we call it, "Enrichment" program.  I've really been consumed with getting together some fun math activities to work on with the 2nd grade sweeties that are coming to work with me on Thursdays.  After all, I'm not too bright eyed and bushy tailed at 7:00 am, so I figure if it's fun, maybe it will help perk 'em up a little.  :)

I made this tonight for them to practice separating their coins (quarters with quarters, dimes with dimes, etc.) and then to add them up.  They are quite good at naming the coins and each coin's value, but when it comes to adding them up...not so much.  I'm hoping we can get right to work on this next Thursday.  Counting coins is my #1 nemesis in 2nd grade, closely followed by telling time.  OY!

I had to create it in black line because my printer ink costs are steadily getting OUT OF CONTROL.  There.  I said it.  I'm a printeraholic.  Sigh.

On a fun note: I just bought/downloaded Microsoft Office for Mac on my fab Macbook, and the whole package was only $10.00 through my school district!  HOT DIGGITY DOG.  So this is my first official PowerPoint creation, as I've been creating in Apple's Keynote until now.  PowerPoint for Mac looks WAY different than the Windows version, but hey.  Whatcha gonna do?  Once you go Mac...

Anyway, I hope this might be helpful for someone--click the link below to download it for FREE from my shop on Teachers Pay Teachers!

My Money Mats Freebie

Oh, I'm sorry.  I forgot to tell you something...

HAPPY WEEKEND!!!

Report Cards, Blech.

So I finally finished entering report card data today.  GLORY BE, HALLELUJAH!

Does anyone else #1, have standards-based report cards, and #2, have to enter them into a program like Pentamation?  Because both are a huge beat down and definitely NOT my favorite part of my job.  :)

It's so difficult to keep up with which kid I'm typing data in for WHICH standard, I finally just created some Excel spreadsheets where I type in my grades/ratings first, then I have a guide as I enter the data in Pentamation.  OY!

So, two 9 weeks down, two more to go.  Time is flying, and yay for having tomorrow off for MLK, Jr. Day.  This is the first year my district has had the day off.  It's always been a student holiday, but this is the first year we've not had Staff Development.  Thank the good lord, because I haven't worked so hard in a LONG time as I did this week.  My week was spent #1, playing catch up from being out 3 days last week, #2, busting my butt to get 22 DRA2s completed, 22 sight word assessments completed, 22 math assessments scored, etc. etc., #3, entering report cards, and #4, lots of fun artic/antarctic/penguin goodies for my kiddos.  Hope to snap pics Tuesday to share the cuteness (all ideas from some other fab teachers, of course).  I LOVE penguins, so even though we were supposed to do the arctic/antarctic unit LAST week, I was determined!!  :)

While going through my math assessments, I had WAY too many kiddos who are still struggling with the BIG, BAD 3:  place value, coins, and time.  I created a center activity for place value, and I plan to use the Numbers to 100 set with my tutoring small group and have my whole class use it during Math Workshop (using the Numbers to 500 set).

Each set is in my TpT shop for $1.50, but I'd love to give one set away to the first 3 commenters if you're interested.  I'd love feedback or ideas for upcoming similar sets I make, such as an activity for telling time and counting coins to $1.00.

 Sorry I didn't rotate the pictures!  I create in the Mac version of PowerPoint, so everything is sideways!  :)

I also created a Numbers to 1,500 set for high achievers or older grades.

Be sure to include your email in your comment if you'd like to have one of the sets.  THANKS for reading, as always!

New Year Freebie

Hey there!

I created a simple, black line writing stationary for my students' New Year's Resolutions and wanted to share it in case anyone was interested.

I have seen some fabulous units on other blogs/TPT for New Year activities, but I frankly can't devote that much time to the holiday and must hit the floor running on Monday!  So we will read a New Year book, discuss the word "resolution" (resolve) and what it means to make a resolution for the New Year.

Then I plan to create a whole group Circle Map, just having the kids brainstorm some good goals they might have for the new year.

Finally, I'll have them write.  (And color.)  This will be displayed in the hallway, as it makes them feel special, like they've sort of been "published," and I find it helpful to let parents see their kiddos' writing as compared to their peers!  ;)

Please click the preview image to download from Teachers Pay Teachers, and Happy New Year!

Spelling Task Chart Freebie

Hey there!

I whipped up a little chart to display in my classroom so that my kiddos will know which Word Work/Spelling activity to complete each day.  We have 4 differentiated spelling groups (we use Words Their Way-eh...), and we rotate on Mondays to introduce the new sorts and on Fridays to assess.  The rest of the week the students work on their word sorts/patterns independently, so I have changed our morning routine to ensure that all students get spelling practice daily.

Please feel free to download this chart if it would be helpful to you.  I included a chart with 3 groups and one with 4 groups.

I'd love to know if you are able to use this or if you have any ideas of how to improve it!

Hope you all are having a good week so far.  Can anyone else not believe that it's only TUESDAY?!  How am I already so tired??  :)

Please click on the screenshot to download this Freebie from my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Thanks again!  (8 days till Turkey Break!...not that I'm counting...)

50+ Followers--Freebies--and my Must Haves

Hey there!

Well, today was my first day back for in service, and it was...long.  I was there till about 6 this evening, but my room is getting close.  Very close!  Pics to come soon!

It was fun to see everyone today, but I saw quite a few people over the summer.  :)  In other words, I would've been ok staying home another week or two.  :)  Anyway, we had our meetings and all that jazz.  Our district's "theme" this year is "Operation Transformation."  As in...changes.  Lots of 'em.
YAY.  Nothing like adding all kinds of new expectations on top of already full plates.  Don't you wish they'd wait until at least the 3rd week of school to tell you about all the new things you have to do (on top of the old ones)?

Today I finished my "Bucket Fillers" area (on the inside of my door), and I think it turned out pretty cute.  I've never done it before, but I got my book in the mail and will introduce it next week when the kids come.  Those of you who do "bucket filling," do you usually read the book and introduce it on the very first day?  Just curious.  :)

My major accomplishment today, though, was cleaning up.  I went on a 10 minute spree before I left, putting things away as quickly as I could because I REALLY wanted to leave.

I'm linking up today with Blop Hoppin' to share my Must Haves!  Click the pic to hop on over and check it out!

1) My Smartboard.

Dude.  I cannot imagine my classroom without this guy at this point.  I only taught for 2 years without one and was the first one in my school to get one (I wrote a grant).  It is so convenient and engaging.  LOVE.

2) My Flair pens.  I use them for everything.  

They have such great color/saturation yet don't bleed through.  YAY.

3) An organized classroom library.  

Do they still put books in the wrong bins sometimes?  YES.  Do they still leave books on the floor instead of putting them in ANY bin?  YES.  But overall?  It works great.  And it makes it so much easier for them to find books they're interested in.  It took me FOREVER one summer to sort my library and label each book, but since then (about 4 years ago) my life has been so much easier (at least in that one aspect, haha).

4) My teammates.  

Seriously.  I don't know what I would do without them.  I've been on 2 different teams and worked with...9 different ladies, and they were all SO helpful and willing to share.  Let's face it: I SO do not know everything about teaching or have all the answers.  I love team planning, and I love being able to talk to them about my kiddos and bounce ideas off them (or even just vent).  YAY teamies!

5)  Post-Its.  

I use them myself.  My students use them.  We all use them.  Love them.




Be sure to link up over at Blog Hoppin' and let us know your own Must Haves.  :)



Anywho...onto the freebies.  Not sure how many people can use these, but I made some new labels for my library bins, and here they are in a couple different styles.  (Click on each one to view/download in Google Docs.)

Black and white dot labels


Teal design labels



Please let me know if you can use these or if you have any suggestions for changes or for future products since I'm new to making things!  Thanks for stopping by!

CAFE Headers Freebies

Well, I planned to get a lot done this week.  Then my son got sick.  Then I got sick.  And we're STILL sick.  Ugh.  Don't you just hate being sick in the summer?  It's like, WRONG or something.

Anywho.

I did make something a few weeks ago that I'd like to share with whoever may be able to use it.  I made these cute headers for my CAFE bulletin board.  I didn't have a CAFE bulletin board last year.  Because I didn't do CAFE.  See, we were told back in like, September that we were going to be doing Daily 5.  Only we hadn't been trained.  Or read the book.  So basically I had enough on my plate to figure out how to implement Daily 5 without also taking on CAFE.  Good times.

So yeah.  I digress.  As usual.  Adult ADD.

So here are the files.  There are 2, because I made several different designs.

Here's a preview of the 1st file, which has one set of headers with red and blue stars and a set with orange and green stars.  (Click the image to download on TpT.)

The 2nd file has 2 other versions.  The first is 4 different brights with white polka dots, and the second design is bright colored stripes.  Here's a preview.  (Click the image to download on TpT.)

I'm linking up with Made It Monday over at 4th Grade Frolics.  I am so excited to have come across this linky party!  I have already seen such amazing ideas from you people!  :)  Keep 'em coming.

I know most people link up their classroom craftiness, and I have lots of that on my list, but I just didn't feel up to anything this week, and I hope the linky party will get the freebie out to more people who can use it!  :)

I hope these will help make someone's life a little easier.  :)  Just print, laminate, and staple 'em up.  I'd love to know if you like these or have any suggestions.  Thanks for stopping by!

-Gayla

My First Lesson Freebie--Counting Coins Up to $1.00

Well, last week our school got two class sets of iPads!  It is AMAZING, and my class has already used them twice, plus I used them for my tutoring students.  (Yes. We are required to tutor 7 year olds.)  So ever since we used them the first time, my little brain has been working overtime to think of MORE ways we can use them besides just practicing our math facts, sight words, etc.  I came up with the idea that the students can "show what they know" using the CAMERA on the iPads (or the iPod Touches, for that matter)!

So I created a lesson in which the kids can use work mats to count coins equaling different amounts.  Then my plan is for them to snap a picture of their completed work mat.  Have you heard of the Bump App?  When the assignment is completed, each student will "bump" their iPad with my own device, and I'll have ALL of their work on my iPad.  From there, I can assess their work and hopefully upload it to our classroom blog.  WHOO HOO!  Can you tell I'm excited about using the iPads?!  :)  It's great to have something to get me excited, because I've been pretty burned out lately, to be honest.  And it's only January.  Sigh.  Long way to go till summer.  :)

If you like this activity and think you can use it, please let me know!  This is my first time really creating a lesson, so I would love to have some feedback.

You can download the lesson at Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking the link below:

Show Me the Money: Counting Coins up to $1.00

Thanks for stopping by!

3rd post's a charm.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you're not supposed to post more than once a day, blah blah blah.  Look, I never post, and I've gotta do it when I get the time, which, as one can tell, is almost never!  LOL.

So anyway, one last printable poster freebie for those who may be interested.

This is the strategy we use at our school for math story problems.  It is used from 2nd-4th grades, so the students become very familiar with it, and I've actually had a middle school teacher email me to tell me that one of her students told her "Mrs. Cockrell taught me this way," so I was quite proud.  :)

It's called CUBES, and I hope it will be helpful for someone!  If so, please leave me a comment and share the love with your teamies.  :)

CUBES math strategy poster

Fun with Picnik--some freebies

I am sad to report that Picnik will be closing in April!  SO SO SAD!  It is the BEST. EVER.  Boo hiss.

Anyway, I was playing around on Picnik and created a couple of fun little posters.  Check them out if you'd like.

Call the Wambulance poster-light blue

Call the Wambulance poster-light pink

Boss of Applesauce poster

The wambulance poster came from all the whiny babies in my class that try to get out of the classroom constantly because they "hurt their finger/hand/arm/leg/foot/face/ear/fill in the blank."  OK, so I don't ACTUALLY tell them I'm going to "call the wambulance."  But I think it.  And I DO tell them, "If I have to SQUINT to see the cut on your finger, you don't need a band aid, and you certainly don't need to go to the nurse."  They are (slowly) starting to grasp the concept (some of them).  :)  Nonetheless, the wambulance could come visit my classroom about 40 bajillion times a day.  :)

Thanks for stopping by!