Debbie Diller Encore!

Debbie Diller is quickly becoming someone that I completely admire! When I *was* going to be teaching first grade I posted about the Math Work Stations book that she has. Now, that I am moving up to third grade I came across another one of her books called, Practice with Purpose. I have been sticky noting and highlighting like a crazy person!

Now, that I am moving to a new grade I have been reading non-stop! I want to do my best this year--which means-- I have a WHOLE LOT of learning to do before August 19th comes and those cute 'thirdies' walk in my classroom door!

Practice with Purpose offers great ideas for upper grades (3-6) and explains how to successfully implement meaningful literacy stations into the classroom. Boy, are stations different in third than in first! Basically, I have gathered that students are reading and responding, reading and responding some more and becoming creative writers!!

So far, I have made it to Chapter 5 in the text and I am becoming SO inspired to make these stations meaningful for my kids! --You know what that means---Yes, creative ideas for TPT!! :)

These are some of the questions I have had answered so far since reading this book! Thought it may help you out if you have some of the same!! :)

As I stated above, the stations contain different rigor and materials than a first grade classroom. These are the types of stations included in upper grades and here are snip-its of two of them. (I haven't read the whole book yet-check back next week for updates here) 

Alrighty, that's it for me today... We are moving to Columbus this weekend and I need to pack... Which means... I better get off of the ever-so-distracting computer! :)

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We Love CINDY MOO!

I love my children's books! There is one that I found at the beginning of this school year that I became totally obsessed with. My students also became completely obsessed with it... like I read it to them throughout the year because they loved it so much! This cute and full of learning book is called "Cindy Moo," by: Lori Mortensen.

As you can see below, this book follows a tune that is very familiar to students. This book is about a brave cow named Cindy Moo who wanted to prove that cows can really jump over the moon! This story is just full of pure amazing-ness! We had a lot of discussion with moral or the story and inference skills (the ending is quite funny).

This is one of those books where you get to change your voice and make your kids giggle the whole way through... Can I say that this is making me really miss my kids right now. :( Oh, the memories of their cute little smiles!! 

I would have taken my own pictures of the books but they're all in a box in my sun-room--joys of moving homes and classrooms!! :) It really is a joy ha ha... I'm excited!

Anyway, my students and I focused on different skills with this book in the fall and I never got around to blogging about it! I scrounged up some old pictures to show you what kind of fun stuff we did with this book!

We read this book at the end of September or beginning of October. So, we were working on very basic skills. We worked on identifying the main character, identifying when the character is speaking and using adjectives to describe the character.

Students learned to identify when the author VS. the character is speaking in a story. We did a little "yep" hollering when I read a part where Cindy Moo was speaking. Then, we did a mini-lesson on quotation marks. I had mini-sentences on sentence strips for the students and with a partner they had to identify where to put the quotation marks. Couldn't find pictures of the actual lesson... but, here is the result. :)

Then, we worked on how a character change in a story and text-self connections. No picture of that either but these are the activities we completed!

I hope you decide to get this book for your kids! It goes perfect with a farm theme which is what we did that whole week! :) You can grab the entire unit for free right here!

There are day by day lesson plan layouts plus some extra farming stuff with phonics sorts in here!

I hope you enjoy! 

Now, head on over to Deanna's linky to check out other great books!!

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Monday Meet Me!!

It's Monday *morning* ahem...11:00... and I am linking up with The Teaching Tribune for Monday Meet Me! 

I've also had a giveaway end and the winner was Sam C! Sam won not a $5.00 Gift Certificate to TPT but a $10.00 Gift Certificate!! She also won my summer literacy stations! Congrats Sam!!

Now, head over to The Teaching Tribune to link up!!

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FIVE FOR FRIDAY!-- New, News for you!!

This is the first time this year when I don't really mind that fact that it's Friday--not that big of a deal. Schools out, this week has been more than amazing and I get to spend my night with my Mamma! :)

I have some updates for you and 5 for Friday is the perfect way to share it with you!

Remember two blog posts ago when I said I was teaching first grade again and I got a job?...Well, that was true but plans have changed! I literally got 'hunted down' (as my new principle says) by my ALL TIME dream school to teach third grade! Here are the reasons I chose to switch:

1. I was flattered beyond belief that someone wanted me that bad. 

2. It's where I want my kids to go to school & it's 10 minutes from where we live

3. I LOVE my new principle -- we've talked everyday since her first phone call

4. The staff I have met so far is AWESOME!! -- I already feel like I belong!

5. Because it's my dream school---I had already been trying to get into this school and it happened!!

Now that I have a new grade I naturally begin thinking about the content, curriculum and all the fun things I can do with third graders!! I have already begun my third grade back to school packet!! 

Here is a sneak peek for you! :)

I am starting to put my married name on my products -- I LOVE IT!!

I am waiting on a book to arrive so I can add a literature unit in this packet and I have a parts of speech idea and......... some math fun too!! :) I am beyond excited about teaching third grade...not sure if you can tell! :)

Anyway, I hope to have this done within a week or 2... probably 2! :)

Since, I am moving to third grade I have been on the search for some great books to help me still teach in my workshop approach but make it super effective for my new THIRDIES? -- can I call them that?

In first grade we focused a lot on phonics and simple comprehension strategies. I know in third grade there won't be as much of that and comprehension place a BIG part in the curriculum. I hope this helps! :)

This book tells how to make meaningful literacy stations in the 3-6 classroom.

You all know me... I LOVE stations and I want to figure out a way to keep them but make them purposeful and meaningful for this age group.

This basically has resources, lesson examples and activities to use for math instruction.

At this school we have a lot of freedom with the math curriculum. I'm excited to be able to do full blown math workshop but I need some guidance with the content and curriculum.

This says it all! :)

I am also doing a giveaway that ends in 2 days! Don't forget to enter and win summer literacy stations (perfect for first and second grade)-- and $5.00 TPT gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I haven't really done anything else this week other than all of the above... so, here are pictures of my new room! :) It's literally double the size of my first grade room at my old school which makes for one very, very happy teacher!

I haven't done anything to it so don't mind the mess! :)

I've also been racking my brain trying to figure out how to organize student tables AND how to use up the space! :)

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Book Talk - Math Station Fun!

If you are anything like me then you are always thinking of ways you can be better in the classroom. I always strive to get better and better and I am doing just that... but, I know I can do eveeennnn better!! So, I decided for the month of June I wanted to focus on my math block (because in July I will be focusing on my wedding)--:) -- (with some school thrown in there I'm sure)!!

I purchased, "Math Work Stations" by: Debbie Diller. 

I have not yet read the whole book but woah man... There is a lot I can do to improve math time in my classroom!

I wanted to share some fun ideas that I found in the book and will be using this year!

In this book it makes it very clear that math work stations need to be activities that the students already know how to do--they can practice skills you have already taught them using like activities. I am one that changes the math stations every single week. That's a whole lot of laminating and cutting... let me tell you! Now, they learn a lot from these activities and I won't be totally disregarding them but!... I will be implementing activities we do in whole class into their math work stations.

Example: In the book, the teacher read a math story, they completed a pattern activity as a whole class and practiced drawing patterns. All of those parts were placed into a station tub. I love how the one tub will have so many different components to keep the students engaged.

Another component of it is the "I can" mat. This mat give students a series of activities to complete in ONE tub... it's a way of extending their thinking and taking the materials further and further. 

I made this one up really fast to give you an idea of how it provides students with an order of activities to complete within the station time.

This 'I can' mat is placed at each math station and the purpose of it is to extend thinking and get rid of the 'I'M DONEEEEEEEEEE' voice. (Ya like how I extended that?--ha ha you know how it goes!) It can be written on a piece of paper and slid into a page protector--it doesn't need to be typed up and all prettified... sometimes we just don't have the time for that.

The book also talks about how the math work stations begin with a whole group lesson and then breaking off into math work stations for 30-40 minutes. The students work with a partner and they are assigned two math tubs each day that are numbered. There are two rotations and all students go to their first rotation and the teacher pulls back students for remediation or enrichment. Students stay at their station for 15 minutes and then everyone switches at the same time. The teacher puts his or her name on the station board next to the students he or she meets and that takes place of a station--I love that!!

This is what a section of the math workshop rotation chart would look like. You would have two students names or pictures beside one another. That means the students will be working with each other on each station. I LOVE when students work in partners--- we want them to talk about their learning so don't make your room super quiet or else their poor little brains will not be able to extend their thinking as much. Just like adults; students need to talk things out in order to learn something--let them! (my rant) ha ha.

Then, beside their pictures place number cards. These number cards will correlate to the numbers on your bins. So, this set of students will first grab bin #1 and then when we switch.

Here is the kind of bins I am wanting to get--picture snatcher right here--this is from really goof stuff.

These bins have labels for the kind of activities. I don't think I will do that because I want them to be able to be changed into different kinds of activities. But, I do like the numbers and the bins!

Alrighty.. there is so much more I could share but I think it's good to stop here! I am off to read some more and I will be back next week with even more information for you! 

--NOW-- There is a summer blog hop going on and make sure you snatch up all kinds of AWESOME freebies and enter my giveaway! 

Click here to grab my freebies and find your next hop!

You can enter my giveaway right here!

You will win this...

And this...

Enter Here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Then, don't forget to grab TWO freebies from me and a bazillion of other ones by clicking HERE!

Have a Happy Tuesday and don't forget to check out other great books at Deanna's linky!

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A Summery Blog Hop! FREEBIES GALORE!!

My students and I had our last week of school this past week and I tried my best to make it as educational but also as fun as possible! You're going to be getting a few freebies from me today as well as hopping over to other fabulous blogs! Grab some yum yums and get ready for some great reads and free stuff!

Grab some of the goodies you see above by clicking the freebie button below!! :)

Enter the giveaway below right here to have a chance to win my Summer Literacy Stations!

You will also win FIVE DOLLARS for TPT!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, head on over to visit Alyssa from Just a Primary Girl!

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