Fve for Friday... evening!

I've used this excuse before, but I did NOT realize that it was Friday! If I don't check my phone or computer I have no idea what day of the week it is. In this one aspect, I will be glad to get back on school time. Anyway, it's time to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for...

This week's Five for Friday is the teacher supply shopping edition. I saw several Periscopes this past week made by The 360 Degree Teacher. She was so cute doing live Periscope broadcasts as she was shopping for teacher supply bargains. She motivated me so much that I actually got dressed, did my hair and went to Target and The Dollar Tree... this was a major event, bloggy teachers. I normally stuff my hair in a bandana and remain in my muumuu all day, seldom venturing out.

Here are five fun teacher shopping bargains, each of them just a BUCK!

From Target

Even though all of our records (lesson plans and grades) are digitized online, I still need like a hard copy of everything. I have lost grades and lesson plans after keying them in online. Nothing worse than double work! Spending a buck for a grade book is awesome.

From The Dollar Tree

Soooo lovin' these 3D puzzles! One activity my sixers and I will use these for is a mini-research on the elements during the first week of school. Each student will be assigned a common element to research, locate an important fact about, a graphic, and its symbol. The information will go on a piece of the puzzle, and we will assemble all of the pieces to form the shape. I have twenty students so the icosohedron puzzle will be perfect!

Also from the Dollar Tree

As a school we have decided to focus on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. These are actions that we as Catholics are to perform to demonstrate our love for each other. We are emphasizing this because of the instances of bullying we are seeing in society and among our students. These anti-bullying pledge cards will be a perfect addition.

From Target

Aren't these the cutest? I'm thinking of using them in Literature Circles as discussion sticks. There is always one or two students who want to monopolize the circle discussions and interrupt others. In order to speak, a student will need to hold the stick so she/he can add his point.

Also from Target

I had already purchased my border and charts (Scrabble theme), but when I saw these I knew that they were even more of a perfect match for all of the Bright Tweens items I've been making for my new classroom. What do  you think?

You can read more about my Bright Tweens items HERE. If you are interested in this bright theme, I have a set of Whole Brain Teaching rules that I have modified for my classroom in the same colorful theme. 

They will be a forever freebie that you can download HERE. Here's a little preview of what one of the posters looks like.

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for the start of Christmas in July here at The Teacher's Desk 6.

Throwback Thursday: Advent (FREEBIES Galore)

Welcome to...

What is Throwback Thursday? How does it work, you might ask? Simply look through your PURR-fect Previous Posts, perhaps a particular favorite of yours, and re-post it! Then add the TBT badge to your post and include your link below! Purr-fectly easy and simple! Your post doesn't have to be from LOOOONNNGGG ago; it can be from last month or even earlier this week. And if you don't have a post to share, perhaps an old photo or two from WAY BACK will do! Even a favorite pin is PURR-fect! Just join in the Throwback fun!

All about Advent (the 2014 season of Advent begins this Sunday, November 30th), this Throwback post then is timely in nature and full of goodies (FREEBIES and paid items) to help you celebrate in your classrooms.

This post originally appeared on The Teacher's Desk 6 on Nov. 28, 2013.

Advent, from the Latin "ad-venire" meaning "to come to", is the first season of the Church year. For Christians, New Year's Day then is this Sunday, Dec. 1st. Advent is the time leading up to Christmas, a time that is oft neglected in our consumer oriented world. In the rush to BUY, BUY, BUY for Christmas, we neglect to prepare for the sacredness of the holiday... the real reason for the season. This is what the season of Advent is for.

Because I teach in a Catholic school, I have the luxury of celebrating the Advent season, a time of expectant waiting. Santa is kept to a minimum and only in the guise of St. Nicholas, the actual man- a bishop in Turkey long, long ago- who eventually becomes our modern Santa. Christmas songs are overlooked in favor of Advent songs. Instead of reds and greens festooning everything, our halls are decked with purple and pink, the colors of Advent.

We have a Christmas tree in our gathering space at school on which hangs holy ornaments, and the wreath in our hallway is an Advent wreath. It won't be until the last few days prior to Christmas break, starting with our school Christmas program that our attention will focus more on Christmas. Until then, we must remain patient, waiting in joyful hope, preparing our hearts for the coming of Jesus on Christmas.

Even my lessons and activities next week will focus on Advent rather than on Christmas.

Next week's Spelling words...

... an editing practice lesson...

... and two graphic organizers...

... all have an Advent theme.

If you would like any of these Advent items to use in your classroom or homeschool, you can purchase the Scoot pack and Zap game HERE or by clicking on the pictures above. The spelling list, revising paper, and graphic organizers are a FREEBIE, and can be downloaded HERE or by clicking on the picture below.

Since last year I've continued adding Advent items to my store. Just click on the pictures to read more about each product.

FREEBIE

FREE BRAG TAGS

Now it's your turn for a THROWBACK!

Two Days and Counting... Freebie

It's Freebie (er, Freaky) Friday.


Today I've got a freaky freebie in honor of my favorite television show. Season five premieres in just two days on AMC and I can't wait!!!!!!

You can download this cute set of zombie spelling brag tags HERE. They feature the adorable (did I just call zombies adorable?) of Sarah O'Shea of Edu-clips. Her clipart is my absolute favorite! My kiddos enjoy her work as well, often commenting about it when they see it on our bulletin boards, worksheets, and task cards. Something else they enjoy is collecting brag tags. You might like to check out my other sets HERE. Beware they are addicting!

Two days and counting!

Ingredients for Teaching Faith-fuel-ly

Many of you are familiar with Christina from Sugar and Spice. She is the hostess of the ever popular Wordless Wednesday weekly linky that so many of you, including me, enjoy so much. Christina recently wrote about how she chose the name for her blog by thinking about the most important thing (quality) that a teacher needs to possess. She couldn't choose just one, after all a teacher needs lots of things mixed together, like all the ingredients that go into a cake... sugar and spice and everything nice!

Christina is inviting all teacher bloggers to share our own teaching ingredients via a special linky party.

Most of the ingredients in my teaching are fairly self-explanatory. However, I do want to point out the cross in the center. The cross is a symbol representing The Lord. The Lord is at the center of all that do, but especially at the center of my teaching. I am blessed to teach in a Catholic school where I can freely let my faith shine, and I can incorporate my beliefs in all my lessons.

Because my faith is an important part of my teaching ingredients, I am also joining my sweet, bloggy friend Jessica from Joy in the Journey for her special weekly linky.

Some of the ways that I am able to incorporate my faith within my teaching are by creating worksheets, activities, and teaching aids that contain faith-filled elements. How many of you use grouping cards when you ask your students to work in cooperative groups? The grouping cards that I will be using this coming year all contain pictures of Biblical characters (the clip art characters are designed by Edu-clips). If you are interested in learning more about these cute cards and how to use them, please click HERE.

I also will be doing a CURRENTLY activity with my students each month that includes elements of our faith. Currently is a favorite weekly/monthly activity for many bloggers, both teaching and non-teaching. It is a great activity for students to generate ideas, practice introspection, and broaden their thinking capabilities. Here is the first CURRENTLY that I will be using with my students when we return to school in mid-August.

You'll notice that one of the elements to which I'm asking students respond is PRAYING. Prayer is an extremely important part of my students' day. You'll also notice that the image (designed by Charlotte's Clips) is that of Jesus. What better way to start back to school? If you'd like a copy of this particular CURRENTLY, simply click HERE. This Back to School page is a FREEBIE, but if you'd like to learn more about the rest of the months, please click HERE.

I hope that you will stop by Sugar and Spice and Joy in the Journey to read more about what ingredients it takes to teach and about how our faith impacts our daily lives. If you are interested in other faith-filled teaching items, please visit my TpT store where you will find additional items, including more freebies. And if you are in search of even more freebies, be sure to check out Freebie Friday. You won't be sorry that you did!

Five for Friday with Pins and Freebies

I looked at the calendar today... sigh! Just a little more than three weeks from today I will be sitting in a faculty meeting. WOW! Where did the summer break go? The time has passed quickly, and speaking of time---

It's that time! Time to join Doodlebugs for...

Do I need to say more? It's been like this since early Thursday morning. I'm waiting with fingers crossed.

We had a wonderful family celebration this week! The youngest in our family, my grand niece Kamryn, celebrated her 13th birthday.

I spent a great deal of time this past week doing some initial planning for the upcoming school year, particularly in the area of Interactive Notebooks. I found many wonderful ideas on Pinterest... of course... and started pinning and pinning and pinning. I found so many INB pins that I had enough to start a new board just for INB's. This has quickly become my favorite set of pins so I am sharing them with Teaching (Powered by Caffeine)'s weekly linky.

Have fun looking through all the pins. I dare you to NOT pin any of them!

Follow Angela's board Interactive Notebooks on Pinterest.

This week wasn't just all fun stuff! I did get some work accomplished. I use a behavior incentive program in my classroom for both my fifth and sixth grade students that involves brag tags, small little badges/awards that students earn by doing their work, performing well on tests, or exhibiting notable behaviors.

I had used brag tags YEARS ago but I tired of them. Back then it was laborious making the tags!!! Not now, though with computers, printers, and laminators at home! This will be the second year that I am using this system, and because I have my students for multiple years I needed a new set of tags. I suppose I could use the same ones from last year, but my kiddos will notice. They love getting new designs and often spend a great deal of time choosing a tag when confronted with a choice of tag. So, I was busy this past week creating four new sets of tags. To read more about each or to download a set, simply click on the pics below. To see all of the brag tag sets that I have created click HERE.

First up is this set of editable Back to School Tags. Included in this packet are five sheets of 18 count brag tags for a total of 5 different designs plus one blank page which can be customized to include school, teacher, and student names as well as grade and academic year. This is a GREAT starter set!

The second set of tags that I put together are for general classroom behaviors. Included in this packet are twelve different designs. Combine this pack with the one above and you've got your reward system in place.

Because I teach in a Catholic school, many of the tags that my students can earn reflect our faith. My kiddos learn special prayers and religious concepts for which they can earn a brag tag. This packet contains nine different tag designs for this purpose.

The final set that I completed this week is a homework management system that will motivate students to complete their homework assignments on time. It's a combination of punch cards, brag tags, and no homework coupons. I had a group of sixers last year who were notorious for not doing their homework. Once I instituted this system, there were few instances of late or missing work!

Here's how the system works.

Students are given a homework punch card. They earn punches by turning in their homework on time.

The punches earn them brag tags...

... and no homework coupons! YEA!!!!

Would you like a copy of this homework management system to try in your classroom? Then hop on over to my Facebook page. I am holding a giveaway for this product through noon EST on July 19th. That's tomorrow so you should hurry!

Still not too sure about brag tags?!?!? Here's a fall brag tag freebie for you to try. You can download it HERE or by clicking on the pic.

I'm linking this freebie with my friend Lynda from Teaching Science with Lynda. She has a great fall freebie linky going on right now. I'm also linking it with Freebie Friday. Be sure to stop by these blogs for more AWESOME freebies!!!