Must Have Monday and Giveaways

I knew there was something I was forgetting about Monday... Must Have Monday with Sabra over at Teaching with a Touch of Twang.

I've been quite busy of late making all kinds of cute (did I just use that word?) decorations for my classroom! Something that I must have to make this task a whole lot easier is my set of craft punches. I got them on Amazon a couple of years ago, purchasing five of them ranging in size from 1.5"-3".  I've been using the x-large 2.75" and 3" ones a lot this week. Here you see me working on my Common Core Vocabulary Word Wall Letters. Without my punches I would NEVER have attempted to make the letter labels round. Can you imagine cutting out all those round labels? YIKES!

And now for the giveaway! It seems that this summer is quite the time for celebrations in blogging land. Several of my sweet bloggy friends are hosting giveaways. Don't miss out on the chance to win some terrific teaching resources and special prizes.

Kristin over at Teach n' Tex is hosting a 3x3 Giveaway. What you see here is just part of it!

Desiree over at Kinders on the Block is celebrating her second blogiversary.

Jessica from Joy in the Journey has a blogiversary in the works as well!

Happy Teaching,

Angela

The Teacher's Desk 6

Monday Made It

I'm linking up once again with Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It! Last week was my first time and it got me motivated to start working on school projects. I was a busy girl this week.

The original idea for my first project appeared on Pinterest last week.



I thought it was THE CUTEST! But my mind went a whirling and turned it into a student gift rather than a teacher gift. Here's my take on being SODA-lighted at being my students' teacher.


If you would like a FREEBIE set of the SODA-lighted labels, you can download an editable copy HERE or by clicking on the photo.

 I also made some simple refrigerator magnets for my students' parents. I do this every year using a business card with all of my contact information (phone, websites, facebook, etc.) and a piece of magnet cut from a roll of magnetic tape. Easy Peasy!!!! I usually send these home in a welcome letter on the first day of school.

I also worked on several TpT products, completing three different ones all in a polka dot/monster theme. my decor this year. They are all featured in my TpT Store. The first is a set of class journals that I blogged about late last week.

The second is a complete set of  grade six CCSS ELA Reading "I CAN" statements. I introduced the standards to my fifth and sixth graders last year and decided that I was going to display the standards for reading that we would work on each day this year. My principal mentioned that he thought he MIGHT require all the teachers to do this. I'm just being prepared.

Finally, I made a Steps for Dismissal Checklist bulletin board display.

I even made a set of bookmarks to go with the dismissal display. Just an additional tool to help my students learn this important classroom procedure. They come in the set, but I'm also making them available HERE as a FREEBIE for anyone who might like them.

I am sooooooo excited by the way my decor has turned out! I am getting the itch to get into my classroom and start decorating. This coming week I'm planning on adding word wall headers, genre posters, punch cards, brag tags, and 6+1 writing trait posters to my polka dot/monster theme set.


Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Saturday Snapshots, Image Chef, and Class Writing Journals

It's time for Saturday Snapshots with Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera.

I didn't really do much snapping this past week, other than pics of what I've been making for my classroom... those snaps are for Monday Made It and will make their debut in a few days. Although I am sharing one near the bottom of this post. What I did do this week was sort through my albums on my hard drive and reminisce. I pulled out a few of my VERY favorite photos to share today.

First up is a snap of a ceiling hanging as you are standing below it, looking up through. I used to be the liturgist/music director at my parish. Working two jobs got to be too much so two years ago I became ONLY a teacher. While I worked for the church, part of my responsibility was to see that the church was decorated for the seasons. This hanging was part of the Easter celebration. The streamers are 25 feet long and are attached to a thin wrought iron circle that is suspended from the ceiling by means of a mechanical winch. It's really quite stunning!

This snap is of the roses that grow in the front of my house. This particular rose bush once was at my Grandpa's. When he died in 1972 my mom asked if she could move the bush to our house. All those years later it still blooms.

I snapped this shot a while back when the moon was supposed to be at its biggest and brightest. This was taken around midnight with just my flash turned off, no other special settings.

No Saturday Snapshots would be complete without a picture of Ms. DaisyMae. This one is the result of a conversation that I had with my sweet bloggy friend Serena (Nala's mom) over at Magic Mistakes and Mayhem. Serena and I chat about our furry children, comparing stories. Being from New Zealand, Serena uses native vocabulary in her speech. Last week she referred to my little girl as a "Stroppy Madam." I wasn't sure what it meant but I loved the sound of it so I googled it.... OMGoodness, it fit Ms. Daisy to a tee. Just ask my family. Serena, this one's for you...

BTW, the above photo was edited with an online editor called ImageChef. The website is user friendly, FREE, and allows you to add fun, quirky, and stunning effects to your photos. Just upload your own photo and use the handy menus to spice up your snapshot.

The last snap I'm sharing this week is of something I finally made... Class Journal Covers. I had read about them on Pinterest and other blogs for a few years and had just never gotten to them. This week I did. I've actually been working on loads of decorations (all with teal, aqua, purple, and green polka dots) for my classroom and just included these while I was at it. Here's one as a FREEBIE for you. Just click HERE or on the pic for your copy.

When I assembled the journals, I noticed that the spiral notebooks I had purchased for 11 cents each had ugly writing at the bottom of the cover. I used the journal covers I had made to cover the ugly writing. However, the cover's appearance was off balance, so... I added the label 5/6 at the top to indicate these journals were for my fifth and sixth graders (I also teach eighth grade and will have journals for them also). I really like how they turned out so I made them available in my TpT Store. If you like them as well, you can download the set HERE or by clicking on the photograph.

I had so much fun making these journal covers that I created three more sets:

Chevron/Monster Class Writing Journals gr. 4

Chevron/Monster Class Writing Journals gr. 5

Chevron/Monster Class Writing Journals gr. 6

... and if anyone is interested in a particular style, color, theme, I'd be happy to make them for you.

Happy Snapping,

Happy Teaching,

Angela

The Teacher's Desk 6

Tune into Technology and Throwback Thursday

I've missed being a part of Tune into Technology the past few weeks. Unfortunately, I have no experience

with iPads or Integrating Technology and Math... not my choice, mind you. I'd give my eye teeth to have an iPad (I enter every contest and giveaway) or to be able to teach math. Alas, neither is happening in the near future. However, this week's topic of classroom websites... I'm in!!!!!

I've had a class website of some sort since 1996 where I could post announcements, homework, pictures, etc. to help keep my families informed. Originally housed at a local ISP and built via raw HTML my class website is now part of the Google Tools offered for its users. It's the site to which my blog description above refers.

Similar in design to Blogger, Google Sites is easy to setup and maintain and it is free!!!! You begin by selecting a pre-made template. Customization is possible, although I have not explored this avenue as yet. To the template add your own details and within a matter of a few minutes your website is ready to go. Teachers have the ability to post homework, even uploading the actual worksheets and study guides. A class calendar can be setup to indicate upcoming projects and special events. Photos and videos can be embedded.,, and more! Easy, peasy! And FREE!

Check out my class website by clicking HERE or on the graphic below. It hasn't been updated since the end of the school year, but it will soon be getting its back to school tune-up!

And now for one of my favorite weekly linky parties, Throwback Thursday with The First Grade Parade!

This week I'm throwing back to a post wherein I introduced one of my favorite classroom activities of all time. I originally posted this entry on March 17, 2013, only three weeks after opening my blog. I talk about remembering an idea, but what I didn't mention is that I took that idea and created a BRAND NEW product for my TpT Store out of it... chalk it up to being a newbie!

===========================================================

I Found Something Else...

while cleaning out my desk on Saturday! Another forgotten idea! This one was actually lost. I've moved buildings four times in all the years that I've been teaching. Each move has caused me to stream-line the materials that I take with me. This last time especially caused a huge down-sizing as my newest room as NO storage space. I've tons of things packed in boxes all over my house. This activity is packed in a box with many of my learning center items.

But I diverge! What I found, or remembered,  was one of my favorite activities of all time: Peanutty Fun!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Peanutty-Fun-Writing-Activities

Peanutty Fun is a packet of 12 writing activities for the intermediate aged student. It can be utilized as a writing center or a whole group activity. The individual topics include a wide variety of activities: writing scripts for plays, developing dialog, brainstorming lists, asking questions, and doing research.


Grab a clean coffee can, some scissors and glue, obtain this packet and you've got a great writing center for your intermediate classroom. BTW, I reworked the original activities so that they align with the Common Core State Standards, Anchor Standards for Writing 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10.

===========================================================

At the time of the above Throwback post I hadn't learned how to place a link within a graphic... I knew how to do it with raw HTML, but I hadn't figured out how to get to the HTML yet... LOL! I've learned a lot since then.

Happy Thursday,

Happy Teaching,

Angela

The Teacher's Desk 6

Oh How Pinteresting, What I Love Wednesday!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Wednesdays! I get to blog about Pinterest and talk about things that I love... what could be better?

I'm really LOVIN' my new windows and air conditioning unit. I had a behemoth a/c unit stuck in my living room. It blocked the light, making it dingy and dark in there. This past week the old window unit was removed, a brand new window installed, and a portable a/c unit brought in... my clever contractor actually vented the new a/c unit through the wall so it's technically not portable. I also had a brand new kitchen window installed. The old window NEVER opened; this one does, and a wonderful breeze constantly blows through the kitchen... ah, heaven! And four new glass block windows were installed in the basement that let light and air through... no more musty smell!!!!!

And now for this Wednesday's pins... most of which are for decorating a classroom... the first one is something I made.

Isn't this cute?



Something I made this week to offer in my TpT Store...



And finally a couple just for fun...



What are you loving this week? What have you pinned? Don't forget to visit the fun linky parties at the top of this post.

Happy Wednesday,
Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Tunes Tuesday; Givin' It a Try!

I have always used music as a staging ground for teaching and reinforcing classroom skills (see this post)... but I had not used popular tunes' lyrics. I was a bit doubtful about popular tunes. I am old, well... semi-old! I admit it. I don't really listen to the music of today, that is unless my grand niece or nephew ask me to listen to something they like. To be completely honest, if it's not seventies' music... well, not really interested.

Nick over at Sweet Rhyme-Pure Reason had me intrigued, however, with his Tunes Tuesday. I read and reread his post and thought and thought and then just dismissed the idea. Yet, today as I watched the blog roll with all the Tunes Tuesday titles, I was hooked. I couldn't get to my computer earlier since I had a lot of running around to do today but my mind was running also, thinking of all the songs that I could submit. Then it hit me...


To top it off... I actually like this song!!!! So here's my humble attempt at Tunes Tuesday. This song's lyrics are perfect for identifying pronouns and antecedents as well as contractions, and it's perfect for distinguishing the difference between "your" and "you're." You can download a FREEBIE containing the lyrics and spaces for student responses HERE or by clicking on the graphic.

Happy Tuesday,
Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Monday Made It w/ a Must Have

I'm linking up with Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It! This is the first time I've joined this particular linky, but not the first time that I've been a part of it. I wait for Mondays so that I can eagerly read all the crafty blog posts, hoping to pick up ideas for my classroom. I'm also linking up with Sabra at Teaching with a Touch of Twang for her Must Have Mondays. This is a two-fer day!

It's all about my must have: DUCT TAPE! I am all about repurposing old things into new things. On a Catholic School teacher's salary, repurposing is a must have! Duct tape allows me to save money and have stylish stuff, especially now that there are all those cool colors and designs available.

Last year we moved our school into a new building, well, actually an old building that our community repurposed. The rooms were spiffed up with new paint, shelves, wiring, all the important things. However, small details were overlooked, among them the PA system speakers... they were old, scratched up and UGLY! Here was my solution...

Duct tape to the rescue!

This year, duct tape is once again helping me be stylish. I have a dozen or so clip boards that I use in my classroom for everything from literature circle organization to portable lap desks. They are OLD having ALL been purchased at garage sales for either a nickel or a dime. The first thing I did was spray paint the metal clip with silver paint. Then I covered them with strips of duct tape in shades and designs of teal and purple, the colors in my classroom. They look fresh and new. In the snapshot you'll also see a pencil/crayon box that my brother-in-law made for me; that, too, got taped. LOVIN' IT!

Off to find other things to tape!

Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

And the Winner Is... and a FREEBIE

To see the results of the giveaway, please click HERE.

Cheryl has won a prize package of THIRTEEN terrific teaching products from the following bloggers:

• Hunter's Tales from Teaching
• 24/7 Teacher
• Teaching Tales Along the Yellow Brick Road
• Hodges Herald
• Rosie's Rambles
• Mrs. Russell's Room
• Surviving Sixth Grade
• Finding Joy in Sixth Grade
• Kinders on the Block

THANK YOU to all these generous bloggers! 

You helped to make my celebration terrific!

THANK YOU to everyone who participated! 

You are all winners in my book!

Here's a little FREEBIE writing prompt as a token of my appreciation. You can download it HERE or by clicking on the graphic.

Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Saturday Snapshots with Phrase.It

I just love Saturday Snapshots with Miss Nelson's Got the Camera! It's fun to see the personal side of my sweet bloggy friends and meet new bloggers as well. This linky has also encouraged me to delve into photo editing just a bit. Last week Miss Nelson inspired me to learn about watermarks, and this week I stumbled upon an online speech bubble photo editor called Phrase.It. The possibilities for classroom use with this website are endless: writing captions, creating comics, etc. The best part is that it is free and requires no registration--- so easy-peasy! Just upload a photo, select a bubble style, drag it in place, type some text and VOILA! The two snapshots that I'm sharing today were created using Phrase.It.

This first snapshot is of my extremely temperamental, tabby Daisy Mae. I made it to post to my niece's FaceBook timeline as a teaser. For eleven years Daisy Mae LOVED my niece! Then three years ago, I took a week vacation and my niece had to come in daily to feed and care for Ms. Daisy. Since then... forget it. All I have to say is, "Becky's coming," and Daisy up and stomps up the stairs... no kidding. And when Becky comes to my house, Daisy growls at her then disappears.

The second snapshot is of moi! I made this one to post to my class website as a reminder to my sixers that they need to do their summer reading. Can you imagine their faces when they visit the site and get a load of this? LOL!!!!!!

Happy Snapping,
Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Fabulous Feedback and a Freebie

I'm once again linking up with Christina over at Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge for her Fabulous Feedback *2nd Friday* Linky Party.

This month's fabulous feedback was given by tjmiller99 for my Common Core Latin and Greek Roots/Stems for grs. 5 and 6. I appreciate that this buyer took the time to recognize my work and showed enthusiasm for it. Thank you, tjmiller99. Please contact me at teachersdesk@yahoo.com to let me know what similarly priced item you'd like from my TpT shop as an appreciation gift.

I've a little thank you freebie for all my followers: The Latin and Greek Roots/Stems Wordsearch which you can download  HERE and the accompanying wordlist which you can download HERE. Both are seen in the graphic above.

Happy Teaching,

Happy Freebies,

Angela

The Teacher's Desk 6