New Saint September 4, 2016

The Catholic Church received a brand new saint on Sept. 4, 2016... St. Teresa of Calcutta! Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful blessing.

Mother Teresa is known far and wide, not just by Catholics, but by so many who are interested in helping the less fortunate of our world. Although she passed from this worldly life nearly thirty years ago, her popularity is as strong today, if not stronger, than when she was alive. A tiny woman, standing just a bit more than five feet tall, her message of love and care for the poor is more powerful than leaders of large nations.

My students and I spent some time last week reading a biographical picture book about this wonderful lady and how she impacted our world. As a memento of our study and Mother Teresa's canonization, I presented my sixth graders with special brags tags (my students collect these as rewards for goals met and for special occasions). You are welcome to share these tags with your students as well.

Just click HERE to download your own file.

Those of you who have visited my desk in the past might remember how I enjoy creating teaching materials that combine my Catholicity with my ELA teaching. I try to incorporate Catholic teaching with typical academic teaching so you will see ZAP games about Lent or Advent, or a mystery picture about First Communion, or even task cards about different saints. My latest creation is in honor of St. Teresa of Calcutta's canonization and is my students' favorite... a ZAP game! I am surprising them with this game on Tuesday morning, after our long holiday weekend.

This is such a fun way for Catholic School students to practice identifying the four types of sentences because all of the sentences are about St. Teresa of Calcutta! Here's what the game strips look like; you can see what the sentences are like. Notice there is no end punctuation to give away the type of sentence. Students must read and think rather than rely on visual cues. There are a total of thirty three sentences that relate a brief biography of St. Teresa of Calcutta's life.

If you are interested in learning more about this fun, engaging game or would like to obtain a copy for yourself, please click HERE.

Five for Friday

I am sneaking this post in....sh, I am actually in an inservice, one about technology. Everyone is required to have a laptop for a hands-on training...and we all know what happens when thirty different laptops start to log on to an online grading program. I am raring and ready to go but the other twenty-nine aren't YET. Soooooo, it's time for...

First.... I finished my classroom this week. Here is the grand reveal!


Second... I have been having such a great time with the app Face Swap. I posted a few pics earlier, but here are a few more.

Third... My 17 year old fur baby had her wellness exam this past week. This is Daisy's happy face as we are getting ready to go home. She passed her test with flying colors, yay! The vet assures me that I should enjoy her for many years to come.

Fourth... This is the BIG WEEK BEFORE THE FIRST WEEK so I've been busily getting notebooks, posters, punch cards, and brag tags ready to go. I just finished up my starter set of tags and got them assembled (with a little help). I just LOVE using brag tags with my older kids. They are a fun, inexpensive reward system. Mine are chiefly used as a homework incentive system. Students do their homework on time and receive fun little tags to collect, showing their accomplisnment. When they collect enough tags they will earn a no homework coupon... GOLD for my kiddos!

Fifth... I had something happen to me that has NEVER, EVER happened before. I live near a long stretch of highway, Ohio Rt. 11. It is rather desolate, exits lead to long distances to small cities or towns. While it does pass near a few larger communities, it is safe to say there is no reason to ever be caught in a traffic jam on this road. However, coming home from a long, first day back inservice that was held 60 miles away, I ran into this. For a moment, this The Walking Dead fan thought she was caught in the zombie apocalypse retreat. I have no idea what caused this jam or why it took me and hundreds of others more than 20 minutes to crawl less than one-half mile... not a nice thing to have happen on that first teacher day!

Something really nice to have happen, though, is being able to link up with Kacey over at Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday. Be sure to visit her blog and read all the fun weekly postings from teachers around the blogging world.

Monday Made It

I've been busily working at preparing all those things that are needed in a classroom each year: signs, bulletin board elements, instructional materials, classroom management pieces, etc.


so I think it's time to join Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics for...

I am launching a new theme this year... SCRABBLE! The colors (brown, black, and the primaries) are more in keeping with the classroom I moved into last year. One of the first things that I made was a cursive alphabet pennant banner. Also in this line are a welcome banner and brag tag starter set.

Speaking of brag tags... I've been working on several new sets (a growing bundle of glittery emojis) and one set that I started two years ago, used in my own classes, yet never uploaded to my TpT Store (spelling tags for the entire school year). Here you see my assistants providing suggestions as I create my emoji tags.

I printed out all my tags and signs and ran them through the laminator, while binging on "Penny Dreadful" on Netflix.

Here is the next step in my Made It saga... cutting out EVERYTHING!

The final Made It this week is the punch cards that I use in conjunction with all those brag tags. Punch cards are the means for tracking the targeted behaviors I observe and reward. In this case, homework. For each homework assignment that is competed on time, a student receives a punch on his/her card. Every five punches, a student earns a brag tag, and when the entire card has been punched, a student earns a no homework coupon. My kiddos LOVE no homework!

Be sure to hop over to this week's Monday Made It to see all the terrific things that teacher bloggers have made. I know you'll find something there that you'll just have to make, too!

And if you're reading this and it's still Monday, hop on over to TpT to check out all the #mondaymadness deals being offered. Just search using #mondaymadness to find loads of great deals. Teacher sellers mark down favorite teaching items to one dollar for this day only. If you visit my store, you can pick up FOUR sets of brag tags suitable for bigger kids for just one dollar each. Hurry though, #mondaymadness last only for today, Monday!

Mind-Boggling and Markdown Monday 1.25.16

It just wouldn't be a Monday without a little boggle. Here's your weekly Boggle board. Just download and project it for you and your students to have a little mind-boggling fun!

Not sure how to play Boggle? Click HERE for the original game rules.

Need a Boggle board that you can edit yourself? Click HERE for a free editable board.

Want a blank boggle board template for your students to use with classroom boggle? Click HERE.

How about a variety of editable boards to change with the seasons? Click HERE for a bundle of fifteen boggle boards that you can program yourself.

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It also wouldn't be Monday without a little markdown fun. Markdown Monday is a fun little linky hosted by Kelly and Kim's Kindergarten Kreations. Participants select one of their Teachers Pay Teachers products and mark it down so you the buyer can earn substantial savings. 

This week I am marking down one of my most popular products, Editable Punch Cards Monster Theme.

Contained in this packet are 5 pre-programmed punch cards and 5 editable punch cards with 7, 14, or 20 punches. Use the punch cards to track student behavior and provide rewards. When a student performs the behavior you are seeking, punch a space on his/her card. When the student earns a particular number of punches he/she receives a reward.

These punch cards are larger in size than typical ones. They easily fit in a pencil pouch or toolbox and are harder to lose or misplace.

The brag tags referred to on the pre-programmed punch cards are simply small cards with positive messages. Brags tags are a little like trading cards; they are sometimes called behavior beads. Students collect them and store them on a metal ring, cord, or thin chain. They are a visible/concrete symbol of student success and achievement, something a student can brag about. There are several styles of these available on Teachers Pay Teachers with many in my own store. A simple search using “brag tag” or “behavior beads” will lead you to them. A few are even free.

The blank punch cards are editable. You are able to add your own text and graphics and determine your own goals and rewards. Simply use the “insert” feature. Then select “text box” or “picture or clip art.” I have included text boxes on each blank card for you to begin with. You are free to use your choice of font(s) and graphics. However, please be respectful of copyright.

You'll have to  hurry if you want to save on these fun, engaging punch cards because their special markdown price only lasts until this Friday, Jan. 29, 2016. It will then return to its regular price.

Be sure to check out all the other Markdown products over at Kelly and Kim's Kindergarten Kreations. There are always terrific deals to be found each Monday!

New Year Incentive for Braggin' about Great Work

"I forgot my homework, Ms. A.!"
"I left my homework at home, Ms. A.!"

Sound all too familiar? Sure was for me, until I started using brag tags as an incentive in my classroom.

So just what are brag tags, you might be thinking? Brag tags are badges/mini-awards that students earn by completing a specified behavior. They are incentives for good behavior, good habits, and good work. Students collect these cute tags and hang them on a metal ring, cord, bracelet, or necklace. They can wear these bracelets and necklaces or hang their rings in a prominent place to display their accomplishments. They get to brag about what they have accomplished, thus the name.

My kiddos LOVE collecting them and can't wait for me to introduce the newest set. No more homework woes, just lots of braggin' about great work and terrific work habits! Please visit my TpT Store to see all the cute tags that I've created for my students. Here's a small sample.

Test drive some brag tags in your classroom with this free set, just in time for the New Year. These just might be the thing to motivate your students to start the year off on the right homework foot. You can download your set HERE.

Sunday Scoop: Happy St. Nicholas Day

Today is one of my favorite days during Advent. I just adore the tradition of St. Nicholas, the kindly third century bishop from Turkey. It is from this religious figure that we derive our Santa Claus. St. Nicholas came to visit our school on Friday and he left treats in our students' shoes.

You can read more about this legendary figure HERE. Meanwhile here's a little freebie in honor of St. Nicholas Day, a set of brag tags made just for this special day. You can download your set HERE.

It's not only St. Nicholas Day, it's also Sunday Scoop day. I'm joining the bloggers of the Teaching Trio for this fun weekly linky.

Here's my scoop for this great day week...

Have a great Sunday! Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Mind Boggling Monday: Celebrating Veterans Day

This week we celebrate Veterans Day, a day to remember veterans who served our country. I am grateful that men and women feel the call to serve our country and keep us free.

My students and I will be learning about the history of Veterans Day and how it is celebrated in other countries. We will also be reading a famous poem associated with it, "In Flander's Field."

Here's an easy, quick way to add a little about Veterans Day to your busy day- play a game of boggle. The words "veterans" and "day" are hidden away on the board. Simply download the image and project for your students to play. It can serve as a conversation starter and is great word work!

Not sure how to play Boggle? Click HERE for the original game rules.

Need a Boggle board that you can edit yourself? Click HERE for a free editable board.

Want a blank boggle board template for your students to use with classroom boggle? Click HERE.

How about a variety of editable boards to change with the seasons? Click HERE for a bundle of fifteen.

Looking for another quick, simple way to add a little Veterans Day to your studies this week? Do you teach Language Arts to intermediate students? Here are three low prep activities suitable for students in grs. 3-6.

 

Mystery pictures are a fun way to practice the ho hum skill of identifying parts of speech. In this Patriotic Mystery Picture students practice identifying singular and plural nouns and past, present, and future tense verbs.

 

 

Veterans Day Scoot is an extremely versatile item. The cards can not only be used for a round of scoot but also in a literacy center, for small group instruction, a classroom scavenger, or a game of scatter.

Veterans Day Zap is a fun, engaging game to help students practice identifying complete sentences while learning about the holiday.

 

Since Veterans Day is all about remembering those who have kept us free, here is a fun little FREEBIE to give to your students, parents, veterans, and all to remind them of this important holiday.

 

Celebrate Veterans Day with this set of Veterans Day Brag Tags!

 

 

 

Two for Tuesday: Homework Woes Solution

It's time to join Chalk One Up for the Teacher for some AWESOME bargains...

This week's bargains at The Teacher's Desk 6 are marked 50% off through Thursday, July 16, 2015 and offer you a fun, engaging, classroom-tested method for managing homework. Click on the product links below the graphic to learn more about each product.

Homework Management System (Bright Tweens Theme)

Growing Bundle of Brag Tags for the School Year

Looking for more bargains? Hop on over to Chalk One Up for the Teacher where you're sure to find more great teaching products. Don't wait too long! The bargains only last a little while.