(Graphics/Fonts: Primary Junction, From the Pond, MelonHeadz, Kevin and Amanda Fonts, and Gingersnaps Fonts.)

I can't believe we are already at December.  Wow; time flies!  I had a wonderful Thanksgiving and even participated in Black Friday.  It was definitely a little crazy.  Wal-Mart was by far the worst.  WOAH.  I was happy to get out of there.  Haha. 

Now, it's time to cash in on some of those fabulous Cyber Monday deals, including Amazon and TpT!  Everything in my store is 20% off, and you can get an additional discount (up to 28% off) using the Discount Code CYBER!

Cracking The Code: Using QR Codes in the Classroom

Click below to read each part in my series on using QR Codes in the classroom.

Part 1: What Are QR Codes?

Part 2: Creating URL QR Codes

Part 3: Creating An Interactive, Independent Classroom

Part 4: Differentiating Instruction

Part 5: Additional Ideas

Using QR Codes in the Classroom - Part 5: Additional Ideas

Part 5: Additional Ideas

I'm going to be wrapping up my series on using QR Codes in the classroom today.  In my recent posts I've covered many ways you can use QR Codes in your instruction.  Today, I'm going to share some other ways teachers can use them.

Using QR Codes in the Classroom - Part 4: Differentiating Instruction

Part 4: Using QR Codes to Differentiate Instruction

Differentiating instruction is essential, and QR Codes can help make this much easier.  Let's take a quick look at how QR Codes can help.

Using QR Codes in the Classroom - Part 3: Creating An Interactive, Indepdent Classroom

Part 3 - Creating An Interactive, Independent Classroom

We're finally at my favorite part of this series!  There are SO many ways to use QR Codes in your classroom.  I hope this post will spark some ideas of ways you might want to incorporate them into your classroom.

Using QR Codes in the Classroom - Part 2: Creating URL Codes

Part 2: Creating URL Codes

I'm continuing my series on QR Codes.  Since my last post covered what QR Codes are, how to create them, and how to scan them, I will now start to focus on what you can create codes for.

So, why might you want to create a URL QR Code?

Using QR Codes in the Classroom - Part 1: What Are QR Codes?

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to attend and present at the North Carolina Association of Elementary Educators' Annual Conference. I got to meet Rachel from The Tattooed Teacher, Deana from Primary Punch, Jen from Hello Literacy, Laura Candler, and Heather from The Teched Out Teacher!

Halloween Ideas For The Classroom

It's hard to believe that Halloween is this week. If you're scrambling for some fun activities to do with your class, no worries! I've got several ideas for you!

To make these Ghost Window Clings, all you need are some bottles of glue, wax paper, and Googly Eyes!  Click here for instructions.

NCAEE Conference

If you attended my sessions today, you can download the presentation files below:

Cracking The Code: Using QR Codes in the Classroom
The Missing Puzzle Piece: Connecting Parents to the Common Core

My Parent Handouts are available here.

Fluency Strips

I want to share one of my favorite activities for teaching reading fluently and with expression.  It's super-easy to put together and can be done within a small amount of time.  It's a little something I call Fluency Strips (yeah, I'm totally not good at naming activities!).

Comparing Numbers Using Greater Than, Less Than, & Equal To

I want to share a simple lesson with you on Comparing Numbers.  There are several different ways to teach this skill.  One of the most popular ways is to use the "Alligator eats the bigger number" method.  With any lesson though, there will be some students who need to learn a skill a different way.  This particular method would be great for students who need a more hands-on approach to learning.

Substitute Teacher Feedback Form

Whenever we have to be away from the classroom, we always hope everything runs smoothly.  Feedback from a substitute teacher is very important. 

Here is a free feedback form you can leave with your plans for the day.  Just leave a note asking the substitute teacher to complete the form.  When you return, you should have a great idea of exactly what went on during your absence.

Download Here!

Flat Stanley Project Guide

If you've previously purchased my Flat Stanley Project Guide, make sure to download it again. I've updated it to include new fonts and graphics, along with a new map tracking activity! 

Pumpkin Day

Halloween is still a few weeks away, but I want to go ahead and share with you a favorite activity of mine.  It's never too early to start planning!

For a few years now I have had a "Pumpkin Day" instead of celebrating Halloween point on because I legally haven't been able to.  The students have always had a blast and never noticed any difference.  It's a great way to incorporate the season into curriculum but still keep it friendly, not scary.

NC Elementary School Conference

Earlier this year I was invited by Laura Candler (yes, that Laura Candler!) to present at the Annual North Carolina Elementary Educator's Conference, and, of course, I accepted!  This year's conference is being in Greensboro on October 20-22.  I'm super-excited about it, and if you'll be in the area, I hope you will join us!

Building Skills at Home: SPANISH Parent Handouts

Many of you have asked for a Spanish version of my parent handouts.  I'm happy to say they are finally available just in time for parent conferences!  A huge thanks to Eileen, Nayda, Jorja, and Liliana for translating.

 

Handouts are available for math, spelling, reading, writing progression, and writing at home.

You can get them in my TpT store here.

Fall Blog Block Party

I'm super-excited to be kicking off Fall with a fun blog hop and giveaway!  I have teamed up with an awesome group of Second Grade teachers for this party, and you're going to love it!  A huge thanks to Heather from Second Grade Perks for putting this together!

Here's how it works:  Each blog is offering a freebie today through the 29th.  To get the freebie, you will need to visit each blog.  Once you have picked up the freebie, you will see where to head for the next freebie.

Johnny Appleseed Ideas

It's that time of year again!  If you're a first or second grade teacher covering Johnny Appleseed, I have a mini-unit for you!  It includes lesson activities for all subjects, including some fun reading, science, and writing projects.  One of my favorite activities is this How To Make Apple Pie Craft and Writing Activity:

Monday Made It: How To Make Your Own Question Cubes

Although I am not very crafty, I love to make my own resources when an idea hits me (which is, unfortunately, not very often!).  My latest idea came after getting these boxes from Gigi's Cupcakes.  (Kleenex boxes would work great too!) They reminded me of the story cubes that are present in many classrooms. 

Money Posters

Just a quick note that I have updated my Money Posters.  The included worksheets now have new font changes.  If you have purchased this set before, you'll want to go to your "My Purchases" and download the update.  You can also purchase this set here.

Back-to-School Sale!

The wait is finally over!  The TpT Back to School Sale has been announced! 

(Graphic and Font Credits:  JazzyPatterns, KPM Doodles, Moffat Girls Doodles, Miss Galvin Learns, Teaching with Style, Kevin and Amanda Fonts)

There won't be another sale for awhile, so this is a great time to stock up on things you will be teaching during the next several months.  My entire store is on sale, but here are a few items in particular that will be helpful in the coming months:

United States Reading, Comprehension, and Geography Packet

Ok.  Am I the only who can't believe that it is August already?!?  It feels like May was just yesterday.  Where did the time go?  I've spent the summer travelling, setting and breaking exercise goals, and spending WAY too much time scrolling through Hulu and Netflix.  Can I also just say that I am completely addicted to Minute To Win It?!?  Ohmygosh!  I caught a few episodes several years ago but never really paid it much mind.  Several weeks ago I just happened to watch an episode on Hulu, and I am now addicted!  I want to organize a Minute To Win It party. Haha!  I HAVE to try some of these games out! Has anyone done this?  I've seen glimpses of how some teachers have incorporated the game into their classrooms.  Now that I'm a total Minute To Win It addict, I'm going to have to read up on the classroom version!

Educents Back to School Deal

It's FINALLY here!  If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you know what I'm talking about.  For the last several days I have been dropping hints that something HUGE was coming on August 1.  Well, the wait is over, and I'm so happy and excited to announce that the big surprise is an Educents Back to School Deal for Grades 2 & 3!

If you haven't heard of Educents before, it is basically a Groupon for teachers.  They offer major deals for educational products during a limited time period.

Second Grade Facebook Freebie Hop

Hey Second Grade Teacher Friends! Is it just me, or does it seem like there aren't a lot of second grade blogs to follow? Or when you're shopping on TPT, the K-2 products seem too easy, yet the 3-5 stuff is way too hard?

My girl, Tori, over at Tori's Teacher Tips, has rounded up some of the best second grade bloggers for a Facebook Freebie hop! Each of us has an *exclusive to Facebook* freebie for you. All you have to do is "like" our Facebook pages to pick it up. When you get to the Facebook page, look for this image:

Click on it and grab your freebie! It's that easy!

Fourth of July Sale!

Both my TpT and TN stores will be on sale for 20% off from July 3-4th for The Fourth of July!  As much as we may hate to think about it, August will be here before we know, and it will be time to head back to school. 

Show Us Some Bloglovin' Giveaway for Bloglovin' Followers!

Hi fabulous followers!!

You have probably heard by now that Google Reader is going away on July 1st.  Well, Google Reader may be going away, but we don't want YOU to go away, so we hope that you will consider following our blog through bloglovin!  We know that change is hard...so we thought we might sweeten it up for you a little bit!

We are doing a giveaway for all of our fabulous followers that take the leap and switch over to bloglovin.  You may have already switched over!  In that case, this will be an easy entry!

New Blog Design & Logo!!!

If you're familiar with my blog, you probably have noticed that I have a new blog design and logo!  I'm super-excited about this.  Kelsey did an AMAZING job!  I plan to update more now and have some fun ideas planned for this summer, so stay tuned!  Anyway, more about the new design in this week's Five For Friday!

A Mix of Randomness!

It's been close to a month since my last post...oops!  I've had a lot going on lately as you will see below.  I'm finally getting settled into my new life now, and I can't wait to show this blog some love and attention once again!  I have some fun ideas to share this summer, so stay tuned!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five For Friday:

Five For Friday!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching once again for Five for Friday.  Here's a look at five photos from my week:

Five For Friday!

I'm so excited to be participating in Doodle Bugs Teaching's Five for Friday for the very first time!  What took me so long?  Well, I really don't know!  I've intended to link up several times but come Friday, I guess it just slipped my mind, and then, when I would remember, I often felt that it was too late.  Not this week though! 

Mother's Day & Father's Day Activities

So, I'm a little sad that Teacher Appreciation Week is almost ever.  Especially now that the big sale is done and over.  I love to stock up on clip art during the sales.  I'll admit it.  I'm kind of addicted to it. I can't help it!  Whenever I see adorable graphics, I get ideas, which is great for my classroom and kiddos but not so much for my wallet.  I do think I stocked up on enough during the sale though to last me for awhile.  ;-)

Now that I have the sad news out the way, I have some fun and exciting news to share!  I have joined the fabulous authors at Teaching Blog Roundup!  It's a great, new collaborative blog that just began this month.  Every single day there will be a post from a different author with helpful information, classroom tips, and, of course, fabulous freebies to share!  I'll be posting on the 9th of every month, so make sure to stop by!

Anyhow, today I want to share with you what I always do for Mother's Day in my classroom.

Teacher Appreciation Sale!

By now you've certainly heard the BIG news!  Teacher Appreciation Week is upon us, and that means it is time for huge sale!  So, sit back, relax, and shop!  That's what I certainly plan to do! :-)

Everything in my store is 20% off May 7-8, and you can receive an additional 10% off (so up to 28% off in all) using the code below:

Instagram Fun!

After being tempted for awhile, I finally decided to jump on the Instagram bandwagon today! I'm so excited that I did! It's a great way to connect with other teachers and take a peek into their classrooms. If that isn't exciting enough, What The Teacher Wants and Apples and ABC's have joined forces to throw a #teachertalktuesday party every Tuesday! Every Tuesday on Instagram, hundreds of teachers will share a picture from their school day using the hashtag #teachertalktuesday.

15 End of Year Test Prep Ideas

With the end of the school year quickly approaching, end of year tests will be here before we know it.  I've scoured the Internet and some of my favorite teacher blogs for ways to not only get my students prepared for their upcoming tests but also excited about them.  Since teachers are so busy at this time of year assessing students, re-teaching concepts, and preparing students for assessments, I want to share some of the amazing ideas I have found!

Earth Day Fun!

We have had such nice, Spring weather here lately.  It's consistently been in the 70's and 80's for a little over a week now.  To say I am loving it would be quite the understatement! 

Speaking of Spring, Earth Day is only a week away, and I spent this week getting ready for it.  In the past, I've always based my Earth Day lessons and activities around Dr. Seuss' The Lorax.  I once had a Lorax unit with all of the activities included, but since Seuss Enterprises no longer wants teachers creating resources to go with their books (grrrr!), that is no more. 

The good news is that I finally got around to updating the unit and replaced all the Lorax references with an Earth Day theme!  The unit can be used by itself or with an Earth Day-themed book, and if you'd like to use The Lorax, it will work perfectly with it as well! If you previously purchased my Lorax unit on TpT, you can get the update (which also includes a few new activities), by re-downloading it from your TpT Dashboard.

Counting and Segmenting Syllables

I've previously shared a lesson on counting syllables and segmenting words into syllables:

Second Grade Common Core Measurement Unit

If you're a follower of my blog, you might know that measurement is one of my favorite units to teach.  I love teaching math in general because of how hands-on it is, and, in my opinion, it doesn't get much more hands-on than measurement!  With the Common Core in place now, my measurement unit needed some revamping this year.

Here's a look at some of the things we did in Second Grade:

The 101st Anniversary of the Titanic Sinking

Last year was the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster.  This year's 101st anniversary, which is Monday, April 15th, isn't a major occasion, but it's an important historical date nonetheless.  Kids today are still fascinated by the ship and its story. 

To mark the 100th anniversary last year, I created a mini Titanic unit.  I thought I would share it again this year incase some of you might want to use it with your class or own children at home. :-)

Spring-Themed Four In A Row Game

Last year I picked up these adorable Easter/Spring-themed mini erasers from Target's Dollar Spot. 

Beatrix Potter

I hope y'all have had a fabulous Spring Break!  I have certainly been enjoying mine.  I do wish the weather was a little nicer though.  It's been quite chilly here this week, and it even snowed one day!  Warmer temperatures are on the way though...just in time to head back to school!  That's how it goes though, doesn't it?!?  I'll definitely be thankful for the sunshine and warm weather come recess time though!  Cold, windy weather sure makes for some dreary playground days, especially for me since I get cold very easily!  I think I enjoy the warm weather more than the kids! :-)

Before Easter/Spring Break we began my favorite Spring unit...Beatrix Potter!  I absolutely adore Beatrix Potter books.  Not only are her illustrations easily identifiable, but she used vibrant and illustrative language in her books.  More often that not, Beatrix connected the two, which make her books perfect for comprehension and word study. 

Jellybean Sort and Graphing Freebie

Here is a fun freebie to use with jellybeans:

It includes a sorting and graphing activity.

Download Here.

St. Patrick's Day Fluency Sheets

Here's some fun St. Patrick's Day-themed Fluency and Comprehension sheets:

 

 

Included:
*Saint Patrick's Day Fluency Passage, Comprehension Questions, and Bubble Map
*Ireland Fluency Passage, Comprehension Questions, and Bubble Map
*Leprechauns Fluency Passage, Comprehension Questions, and Bubble Map
*Rainbows Fluency Passage, Comprehension Questions, and Bubble Map      

 

Click here to get your free copy!     

Building A Reader At Home - Spanish Handout

My Building Skills at Home - Parent Handouts packet now has a Spanish copy of the Building A Reader At Home handout!  Thanks to Edith for the translation!

President's Day

It's time for my all-time favorite unit to teach, President's Day!  Call me crazy, but I love teaching history, and I personally find United States/Presidential history fascinating.  I love sharing my (limited!) knowledge with my students, and I especially love being able to teach a subject that I feel doesn't quite get the love  and attention it deserves.  Needless to say, I go all out for President's Day!

Valentine's Day Poem Templates

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!  Here is a set of poem templates that I hope you might be able to use.