Monday Made It! & What to do with all those tomatoes?

I am linking  up with 4th Grade Frolics for the popular Monday Made It! I decided to try to make the ever popular dyed clothespins. However, my plan for them is a little different. I use "Brag Tags" and brag beads as an incentive for Accelerated Reader. Last year, I used a poster board with pockets for the students to store their "Brag Tags" when they were not wearing them. The poster board was constantly falling off the wall which was frustrating! So, I am going to apply magnetic tape to the back of these clothespins and stick them to the side of the file cabinet. Students can clip their "Brag Tag" necklaces to their individual clothespins!!! Yay...organized, cute, and hopefully, they will stay put.:) I'm debating as to whether to add the little tag (The Backstage Pass is by Thistle Girl Designs.) for their names. I will laminate them, so I can use them again. I might just put the tags above the clothespins. I have time to decide...

           

 


For my next project, I had to freshen up my "Where are we?" sign. Here is my old one (The corners were peeling & it just looked ragged.):

Here is my new & improved one (and the signs). The chevron graphics are by I Teach. What's your super power?:

 I love summer because we have so many produce stands in the area! We like tomatoes, too. I decided to make a tomato pie! It turned out to be delicious! (I would use a little less mayonnaise though.)          

                                                              

 Yummy!!!!:)

Have a happy week! :)

Primary Possibilities Classroom Themepack Giveaway & Liebster Again

First, I wanted to tell you about Primary Possibilities' really great classroom theme packs. They are so cute, and the best part is they are doing a giveaway!!!:) You don't want to miss these cute packs. Head on over to their blog to see what I am talking about.







Next, I wanted to thank Sunny in Kindergarten for my third Liebster nomination! I am truly honored. I wanted to take the time to answer the eleven questions she created for her nominees. Thanks again so much!!





1. What is your teaching background? I taught preschool for 2 1/2 years. This is my fourth year teaching fourth grade.

2. What is your favorite season? I love autumn/fall because it is so beautiful to watch the leaves change colors.

3. How did you think of your blog name? I live at the beach which I love, and I also love teaching fourth grade. Therefore, I combined the two for A Day at the Beach with Fourth Grade.

4. What is your morning routine? I have two children so sometimes it varies. For the most part, I shower, then eat breakfast, fix lunch(during the school year), and then head out. During the summer, I don't really have a routine.

5. Your favorite vacation has been? and why? Last summer, my daughter, my parents, and I drove from N.C. to Texas. It was so fun because we made stops along the way in every state. Also, I had never been to Texas. I really enjoyed the Alamo and the San Antonio Riverwalk.

6. What was your favorite field trip as a student? In eighth grade, we went to Six Flags in Georgia.

7. What teaching item can you not live without? I could not live without the document camera/Smartboard.

8. Why did you become a teacher? I feel that education is important to everyone and for many reasons! Also, I admired my teachers and saw what a difference they truly made in my life and others.

9. Where did you go to college? N.C. State University

10. Favorite place to shop? and Why? The Loft because I love their clothes, and I can always find my size!

11. When is your favorite time to blog? I blog whenever I have the time, but if I could always choose then probably at night.

Thanks again for the nomination! Don't forget to checkout Primary Possibilities! I am off to do some Crossfit and dye some clothespins for the next Monday Made It!

Monday Made It

 

I love Monday Made it with 4th Grade Frolics! I enjoy looking at everyone's projects and have gotten so many fabulous ideas! Some of my projects this week are new and others I had to re-do because they needed to be refreshed.

 

First, I use a three tier behavior plan with incentives for individual, small group, and whole group. I give table points for my small group incentives. The past three years, I have just written them on the board. However, there were times that I could not leave the points up for various reasons (testing, board space, etc.) I had to scramble to document the points before erasing them. So, I decided to make a much cuter (& removable version) to keep track of the points. I made a sign for each table and laminated them. I can still use a dry erase marker, and we can start over with points each week just like I have always done! I put the signs on the ribbon, and now I just need to decide where to hang it in my room.

 

       



 

 

I have really been thinking about our first unit in Language Arts which is theme. This is a hard concept for students. In researching, I  found on various blogs and at Scholastic the idea of The Message to help students remember. So, I created my own version. I plan to hang this in my reading area where I do small groups (I will use it whole group when teaching theme, too.)

 



 





 



Last year, our district had a transitional year with curriculum. So, we gathered a ton of math resources. I decided to organize those by strand this summer. My binder needed a cute cover! 



 

 

 

Finally, I made the "Homework Club" from Tara at 4th Grade Frolics a few weeks ago. However, I decided I needed a place to keep the numbers of those students that might not do their homework. I am staying positive and thinking this container will never rarely be used. :)

 

 

The graphics I used in my projects are by I Teach. What's your super power?

 

 

Have a great day!

Tranquility

This morning, we went to the beach for my daughter to try out surfing. She had a great time! We got there before it was too crowded. This photo captures the essence of inner tranquility for me. It is beautiful and peaceful. If I had been alone it would have been the perfect time to reflect. Fortunately, it is captured in this snapshot and time can stand still for a moment. I am not a photographer, but this photo has captured the essence of these feelings. I just wanted to share this beautiful photograph. Enjoy your weekend!



Tune into Technology Linky: Classroom Websites



I am happy to link up with i teach 1:1 for Tune into Technology. I wrote an earlier post, but I was on last weeks topic which was I-Pads. ( It has been one of those days and probably why I needed comfort food earlier this evening. See my previous post.) Anyway, back to the topic! Our district provides us with class websites, but I am not sure what the program is called. I am thinking about using Schoolrack.(I have posted about this before.) I plan to use this website to communicate with parents about homework, upcoming events, and what is happening in the classroom. It is free to use with the option to pay a monthly fee for password protection. However, I do not plan to put anything specific about students or use their names on the website. So, I think it will be okay without a password. Thoughts??

Also, I like to use portaportal which I think someone else posted about. I like to use it for links to practice pages as well as for links to tests. I create tests on Google Docs for the students to access then they can take the test on a laptop or an I-Pad. They think this is a fun way to take a test!

I also use Google Docs for my Anecdotal Reading Records. I made forms based on what our district is looking for with different types of readers such as Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced, etc. As they are reading I can quickly check off my observations and type in the next steps. Then, it puts it into a spreadsheet that I can have handy for parent conferences and to use when I am looking at forming groups. (I really like this because I dislike managing paper!) We are also moving to Standards Based grading, so I am hoping to create some forms on Google Docs for descriptive feedback on formative assessments. That is a work in progress.

I am sure there are other websites I use, but this is the third time I have written this post due to computer issues. So, I think this is enough for now! :)

Tune into Technology Linky: I-Pads & Southern Roots



Okay, my title post is about two totally unrelated thoughts! First, I am excited to link up with the Tune into Technology Linky with i teach 1:1. I really love using I-Pads in the classroom and the students do, too. I have three programs to share with you that I used in my classroom this year and plan to use again!

1. Scribble Press: This is a great program for writing! Students are able to create books and add clipart, drawings, and pictures to their work. The writing can be saved in a gallery to be viewed and read later. My students really enjoyed writing their own books. You can learn more about it on their website: Scribble Press







2. NearPod: Basically, you can put together a multimedia presentation that allows students to follow along. You have the capability to insert questions and get immediate feedback on the students' responses. So, you can do quick formative assessments as you are going through the lesson. It is just a different way to present a lesson, and the students always love to use I-Pads. You control the pace of the lesson, and it lets you keep track of whether a student has logged off of the program. You can access the website here: Nearpod





3. I really like using QR codes in the classroom. Here are a couple of ways that I used them. In science, I created QR codes for various websites about ecosystems. The students worked in pairs to answer questions from each website to review ecosystems. They rotated around the room to access the different QR codes. The questions were based on Bloom's Taxonomy(so they used their higher level thinking skills). I also used QR codes in math. Students were given measurement conversion questions and scanned the QR codes that I created to check their answers. I'm not sure which QR application we have on the I-Pads at school, but there are several free apps. Also, there are several QR code generating websites.(just Google it) It is really easy to do!

Now for the second part of my post and the reason for my Southern Roots title. I really craved some comfort food for dinner. I am from the South so we had fried chicken, fried okra(the only way to eat it & it is only available fresh for a short while), homemade macaroni and cheese, and corn on the cob. Before everyone tells me how unhealthy it is...let me say...my family rarely eats fried food. We usually eat healthy, and I grill or bake the chicken. So, tonight was something I do once or twice a year. The chicken turned out beautiful, so I thought I would post a picture.:) Back to healthy eating tomorrow!









Yum!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the post!

Monday Made It & Fun Find

 

 

I am excited to link up with 4th Grade Frolics again this week! It has been a busy week personally so I did not get as much done as I would have liked. First, I created my version of the binder clips which were inspired by the many I have seen on Pinterest and Etsy. I decided to try my hand at making them. I have seen them with labels, but that is too constricting for me! So, mine will be all purpose!:)

I made one set in black and white and one set in green and turquoise. My classroom is a Rock Star theme with predominately green, turquoise, and black colors.

 

Here is the black and white set:

 

 

Here is the turquoise and green set:

 

 

Next, I found these cute storage containers at Office Max. I knew immediately that I wanted to use these for cap erasers and paper clips because they end up everywhere in my desk drawer. I decided to make labels using the chevron prints since that seems to be the trend right now. Here are my organizers:

 

 

The cute chevron, dot, and label designs were from a set I purchased from TeachingSuperPower on TPT. It is a wonderful set called Basic Brights Ultimate Bundle Set. I cannot wait to use it in more creations!:)

 

 

Finally, I was in Target (love!) the other day for something totally not related to school and found some really cute dry erasers. I bought them in black last year, but this year they have colors!!!!! The students really liked having these to use.

 

 

 



Have a fantastic Monday! I cannot wait to see everyone's ideas!

Liebster Award-Thank you!





I wanted to say "Thank you" to the two bloggers who nominated A Day at the Beach with Fourth Grade for this award:

Elementary Exploration

Shifting Teacher K-2
 

The Liebster award is generally given to bloggers with less than 200 followers. I think I read somewhere that it means dearest in German. Anyway, it is a great way to show support for these bloggers and encourage them in their blogging. Also, it is a fun way to meet other bloggers too!

 

 

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you, plus create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer. 

3. Choose 5-11 bloggers/blogs to receive you Liebster Award and link them in your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them.

5. No tag backs!

 

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I have not eaten red meat in about 10 years.

2. My favorite colors are red and pink.

3. I love jewelry especially bracelets!

4. One of my favorite foods is pizza, and I could eat it every day!

5. I enjoy spending time with my family.

6. I'm a fourth grade teacher.

7. I enjoy making things for my classroom.

8. I am a huge Wolfpack fan since I graduated from N.C. State.(My husband did, too.)

9.I participated in my first Color Me Rad 5k in May, and I hope to participate in more!

10. I love high heels because I don't feel so short.(especially around my fourth graders)

11. My two children make me very happy to be a mom!!!

 

Questions from Christin:

1. If you could be any actor or actress, who would it be and why? I would choose Renee Zellweger mainly because a lot of people think I look like her.

2. What kind of books do you enjoy reading? I enjoy reading historical romances and mysteries.
3. Do you have any kids or pets?  What are their ages? I have two children who are 10 and 15. Also, I have two Boston Terriers.
4. What is your favorite teacher store? My favorite teacher store is Really Good Stuff.
5. What is your favorite clothing store to shop for work wardrobes? Why? I really love the Loft for both my professional and casual wardrobe. The clothes fit nicely, and I can usually find my size.
6. If you could be on a reality show, what would you choose and why? This one is hard because I do not watch a lot of television. I think Survivor just to see if I could do it.
7. What do you do on the weekends? Generally, I am occupied with whatever seasonal sport my children are participating in or I spend time with friends. In the summer, we relax at the beach!
8. How many years have you been teaching? This is my fourth year teaching. I am a career switcher, and I stayed home with my children for a while.
9. What is your favorite subject to teach and why? I love to teach reading because I feel it is the foundation for all learning.
10. What is your preferred teacher duty assignment?  ??? I don't think we really have any assigned duties outside of our classrooms.
11. If you were on a desert island, what would you want to have with you? I would want to have my cell phone because I don't like being alone. :)

Questions from Sarah:
1. If you could travel anywhere in the world and money was no object, where would you go and why? I would love to go to Italy because it is so beautiful and has great food!

2. Did you ever have an imaginary friend? I don't think so.

3. What is your favorite board game? I like Scrabble and Logo.

4. What website do you frequent the most? I frequent a lot of websites. It just depends on my mood.

5. Where do you hope to be 10 years from now? At some point, I would like to be an education administrator.

6. What season do you like the most? I love autumn. It is so beautiful to see the leaves change colors and the temperature is usually very comfortable.

7. If you could go and do one crazy thing right now, what would you do and why? I would go on a spontaneous getaway because I usually like to plan everything.

8. What was your dream job when you were a child? My dream job when I was a child was to be a ballerina.

9. If you could stay any age for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why? This is a tough question because I have enjoyed every age for various reasons.

10. What's your favorite breakfast food? My favorite breakfast food at the moment would be kale smoothies.

11. Which household chore do you dislike the most? I do not like cleaning bathrooms!

 

11 Questions for My Nominees:

1. What is your favorite movie and why?

2. Why did you start blogging?

3. What is your favorite vacation spot?

4. What is the one teacher tool that you cannot live without and why?

5. What was your favorite subject in school when you were a child?

6. Who or what inspired you to teach?

7. What is your favorite piece of technology?

8. How do you like to motivate your students?

9. What is your dream car?

10. What do you like to do for fun?

11. What is your favorite food to cook?

 

I have nominated the following blogs(Some may have over 200 followers. It is hard to tell:).):

 

The Bender Bunch

 

Write in the Middle

 

 

Fit to be Fourth

 

Frugal in First

 

The 4th Grade Journey

 

Check out their sites and show them some support! Thanks!

Monday Made It!

Click here to link up to the Monday Made It!

I am so excited to link up for the first time with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for the Monday Made It! I do not really have anything new, but I wanted to share a couple of things! First, I am showing my version of the File, Graded, Copy system. Nothing major, but I am happy with it! :)

Next, I am sure you have seen the following saying on Pinterest and elsewhere. I'm not sure where it originated. I really like the message so a friend painted the sign for me in my room colors! It turned out great, and I really wanted to share!! So, technically I didn't make it! :)

 

I absolutely love it !!!! If you would like to visit her website, then click here.

 

Next week, I will try to be more creative! Thanks for reading!

Win an I-pad for You & a Friend

Teacher Created Resources is doing a Back to School Giveaway for an I-Pad and one for a friend. The contest ends on September 30th. Click the link below to enter!
http://tcr.me/grn