March Currently and Math Strategies

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Happy Sunday y'all!  Tomorrow is Monday, but for some of you Spring Break is just around the corner!  I don't have that luxury!  We don't have another break until the end of April!  That seems like a V-E-R-Y time away!!

I'm stopping in tonight to link up with Farley for her Currently linky!  Love it and I love her new blog design! Hop over there and take a peek!

Here's a look at my Currently!

Listening to the Oscars pre-show on E!  I love looking at all the beautiful dresses!

Loving that we are finally having a bit of beautiful weather!

Thinking that I have been fighting a cold and I really need for it to stay away!

Wanting some wonderful Banana Cream Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.

Needing to NOT eat cheesecake and to exercise more!

And...the answer to my secret question is...MATH!

Speaking of math, I have just finished re-working a pack that I have used with my parents to help them understand all the Common Core addition and subtraction strategies.  I absolutely LOVE teaching my students these strategies and I tell them it's like choosing from a menu (think CAFE) and they should pick the strategy or strategies that they understand and use it (them) in order to efficiently solve the given problems.  I want them to have a grasp of all the strategies, but they are not necessarily going to be proficient in all of them.  I want them to use what works for them because everyone sees and thinks about numbers differently.  The goal of using these strategies is that students think flexibly about number.  

The down side to teaching these strategies is that often parents have no idea how to help their students.  With my new pack, I send home the little cards that are included in the pack.  The little cards give an explanation of each strategy with an example.  I copy the addition cards on one color and the subtraction cards on another color.  

Go check it out in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  And for sticking with me is the L-O-N-G post, the first three who comment get it FREE!

Don't forget to link up with Farley too!

Till next time...

Currently...It's Monday Made-It {July 1}

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      Two of my most favorite linkys happen today!

Farley's Currently ANNNDDDD, it's time for Tara's Monday Made-It!!

First up-----July's Currently!

      Currently, I'm listening to Duck Dynasty.  Who doesn't love that show?!  It just makes you Happy, Happy, Happy to see such a fun family!

      I'm loving summer, but man!  It needs to seriously SLOW down!!  I mean, come on!  It's July already!  It seems like I was just doing Roller Chair Races for the end of post-planning just yesterday!  

      I am seriously longing for the beach, but it will have to wait!  We aren't going for another couple of weeks!  {Big sigh, right there!}

      Last night I did need to go to bed, but what was I doing?  Creating my Currently instead.  

      In this whole blogging experience, you should always make sure you are having fun and definitely be yourself!!  If you're not doing either of those, you won't enjoy it like you should and it will become a chore!

      Now, onto Monday Made-It!  

                                    

Monday Made-it #1:

      I've been wanting to do some dabbling in creating things for my classroom using QR codes sooooo.... this week, I made some an awesome little set that I plan on letting them use during math centers.  They are for addition within 100 with no regrouping!  They can be used in some many different ways!  Love them and I think my students will absolutely love these!!  If you would like them for free, be the first 3 to comment!! :)

Monday Made-It #2:

      Ok, so I found this great magnetic board last week.  I didn't get it and it has been on my mind ever since.  So, today, back to TJMax!  I think it is great!  The finish is kind of a turquoise that has been roughed up a bit.  Shabby chic love!  

      This beauty didn't come with any magnets and I've been wanting to make these glass blob magnets.  This was the perfect time!  I had some cute scrapbook paper and some peel and stick magnets.  I stuck the magnet on the scrapbook paper and cut around it.  Then, I placed a dab of hot glue on the the scrapbook paper side of the magnet and stuck the glass blob right on top, pressed down, and Voila!  A cute little magnet for my new board.  I can't wait to hang it in my classroom!

Just noticed I need to trim up that chevron one!  Ha!

Head over to Farley and Tara's to check out their awesome linkys!

Till next time...

Robin

Five for Friday...Wait! What? It's Seriously Friday?!?!

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      The last Friday of June is among us!  I can't even believe that!  I have always felt that once we get to the 4th of July, summer is almost over...and July 4th is NEXT week!!!!   This year, we don't go back until the middle of August so we get a little more time for sweet summa time!

      Friday also means it's time to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday!  Whoo-hoo!

                                               

      One of the places that is a must visit place {{many times}} is Crystal Springs Recreation.  It is about 35 minutes away and it is a pool that is spring fed.  The water is a constant 66 degrees all year long!  On our H-O-T Georgia days, that feels heavenly!!  Crystal Springs originally opened in 1859!!!  Of course, from the pic, you can tell they have made many improvements over the years!

      

      On Wednesday, my son had his last double header of the school summer league.  He got to show off his talent in several positions!  In the first game, he got to play 2nd base, pitch, and catch!  In the 2nd game, he just caught.  That's his normal position and I love to see him do his thing behind the plate!

                          

      On Thursday, Mac and I, and my bestie went to the Atlanta Apparel Mart!  This is where all the boutiques get most of their merchandise.  My bestie owned a little children's boutique and we are still considered buyers!  Whoo-hoo!  It's just not summer if we don't make a couple of trips to the mart!!!!!  I hardly EVER pay retail for any type of jewelry!  The JCrew bubble necklaces that sell for $150, I got for $5.99.  That's right - less that 6 bucks!  They have costume jewelry and fine jewelry.  You can see some of the costume jewelry on Mac!  He had to put a little BLING BLING on!

      We also had to have a little lunch while in the ATL so we stopped by Hard Rock Cafe.  It was the first time I had ever been to this Hard Rock!  It's way bigger than it looks and we decided we'd like to live in one of the apartments above it!

      I also have been wanting to dabble in creating QR code activities for Teachers Pay Teachers.  I created this I Spy QR Codes Addition for addition within 100 (no regrouping).  I cannot wait to let my kiddos use it!  The first 3 people to comment with their email addresses will get it free!  Yippey!!!

      Our washer has been acting a little wonky.  The repairman came today and look what he found in the drain hose!  Yuck!  About 4-5 dollars, an earring, paper clips, and the torn off section of an Under Armour shirt!  That's why the washer was acting wonky!  Then, when I went to wash after the repairman left, my washer leaked all over the floor!  Thank goodness I was watching it and caught it before it was horrible!  Needless to say, the repairman is coming back tomorrow!

Sorry for the blurriness! You can still see how yucky!!

      And last, but not least is coming this weekend is...DUH, DUH, DUHMMMMM...the end of Google Reader!  If you haven't followed me over on Bloglovin, please do that before the end of Google Reader as we know it!  You can push that button over on the right OR click on the picture below!  Easy-Peasy!!

      Have a GREAT weekend!!

Till next time...

Robin

   

Monday Made-It {#1}

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      Hi everyone!  I'm linking up tonight with Tara from Fourth Grade Frolics for her Monday Made-It!

                                            

      I've been soooo wanting to make some of those c-u-t-e clipboards that are all over Pinterest and the blogs.  Well...I finally made one!  I absolutely love it!  It is so cute!  Now, it just have to get about 10 more done!

      Sooooo, that may be my Monday Made-Its for the rest of the summer!!  Hahaha!!!!
                               
                                                     Just kidding......... Maybe...............  ;)

Cute, right?!?!

      I also just posted a two new math resources.  One is to guide your math instruction and it is called Math Talk Conversation Stems.  Your math discussions in your class are sooooo important for student understanding!

      The 2nd math resource is 11 Back to School Centers.  I know I just blogged about both of these yesterday, but they still count for Monday Made-It, right?!

                                        

   

                                       

      Anyway, go link up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made-It!

Till next time...

Math Madness and a FREEBIE!

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      Happy Sunday, y'all!  It has been an amazing first week off for sweet summertime!  We have mostly been at the baseball field.  My youngest is playing in a summer league for his high school so we get lots of quality time at the good ole ballfield!

      I have been thinking a lot about Back to School.  I know, I know!  But, we all do it!  Our vacation is still a couple of weeks away so I'm still thinking about school.

      Anyway, I've added two new things to my TpT store that I am so excited about!  The first product is a resource to use for your Math Talk.  It is a set of sentence stems that can be used to guide your math discussions.  Common Core demands that we have these math discussions with our students.

      Before I got my masters degree last year in math education, I taught the skill and if they got it right - Whoo-hoo!  Well, that's what I thought anyway, but through my program, I learned so much about what my students were thinking.  I learned that they should discuss and defend their solutions!  Wow, this was just in time for Common Core!  I have really felt a little ahead of the game in my math instruction!  Ha!  Is that even possible in a teacher's world???

This is the first product:

      I'm really excited about these because they can lead to such great math discussions and you can really understand what your students are thinking about their math and clear up any misconceptions if they happen to have any!

      As I said earlier, I am already thinking about Back to School so I decided to revamp some of my beginning of the year math centers.  This is my first time putting them on TpT.  There are 11 different centers ranging in skills from ordering numbers, time, money, math facts, among others.  Each center has a direction page with cards and/or a recording sheet.  I hope you'll check them out!  

      Oh!  If you go to the page and click on PREVIEW, you can snatch a little FREEBIE!  Whoo-hoo!!

      Now, I'm off to enjoy the rest of this evening!

Till next time...

   

Happy Monday and a FREEBIE!

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      Happy Monday everyone!  It is a very happy Monday indeed!  I have four days, count them ----FOUR DAYS and we will finally be on Spring Break!  I have been so jealous of all of you having your spring breaks and I thought mine would never come!  You better believe I will be doing the happy Friday dance in FOUR days!!

      Anyway, I am stopping by tonight to link up with Flying Into First for her fabulous weekly linky as well as linking up with Classroom Freebies for a fun Spring Bump game in honor of my long awaited Spring Break!  Ha!



      For LaToya's linky, the topic is...

 The Skittles Game

Here is the code:

Red- Favorite Ice Cream Flavor

Orange- Favorite Memory from College

Yellow- Favorite Sports Team

Green- Favorite Fast Food Place

Purple- Wild Card(Tell anything about yourself)

Red - We have this little specialty ice cream store that opens in the spring and summer that has all these amazing ice cream flavors, some of which I would never try (caramel bacon, HOT Mexican chocolate).  Ummm, no thanks!  My all time favorite they offer though is Bourbon Burnt Sugar!  Man, is it ever delish!!! They have other stuff too like peanut butter and jelly, coffee and donuts, really cool flavors! 

Orange - I hope I don't get in trouble for this one, but when I was a freshman, some of my sorority sisters and I dressed up like Madonna (I'm dating myself...the whole 80's garb was kickin'!)  Mind you, I was a freshman so very underage, but we all headed to a club for one of them to participate in a lip synch contest!  We had such a great time!  

Yellow - My favorite sports team is any team my son is playing on!  I also love the Clemson Tigers!  My husband played football there so they always hold a special place!!

                                                       

Green - Welcome to Moe's!  I love Moe's!

Purple - I cannot wait for Spring Break!  I know, that's not really something about myself, but I really, really have spring break on the brain!

Now, for my link-up with Classroom Freebies!  This is a fun Spring Bump game for your little kiddos to play!

Now, had over to Classroom Freebies and grab some great freebies!  And, don't forget to link up with Flying Into First!

Till next time...