Realistic Teacher

Friday, May 17, 2013

I've Been Gone Too Long!

Oh, my friends, I have not gone anywhere....I have just been super busy and my life has been a little (okay, let's get real here...a lot) overwhelming. I am not going to give much "dish" because a lot of what I am going through is personal....so any extra time I've had, I've spent in my classroom, making sure my kiddo's get what they need.

I am tracked out right now...yes, I know you're wrapping up your year and here I sit, at home, waiting to go back at the end of May for another 4 weeks. Don't ask... I'm staying off my soapbox for awhile!

So, while I've been home, I've been busy.... kind of.... I've been doing a lot of rejuvenation for me, but the teacher in me decided to come out and show herself today, so I finished up a few end of the year odds and ends.

I've never created a memory book for my kids before, but decided to do one this year. It has been an eventful and unforgettable year....yes, for many reasons.... ugh! Anywho - I created a Sweet Year Memory Book. Since I created one for second grade, I went ahead and did one for first, third, and fourth. Yes, some of my besties teach the older kids and I wanted them to be able to use it too!!

It is 27 pages - I know, that's a lot - but there are really only 14 pages in the book. I created a color and a black and white version. Why spend money on ink if you don't have to?

For my kids books, I'm going to print the cover in color on cardstock and the rest in black and white. And, of course, I could not do a memory book without a back!! For the boys, I am going to have blue construction paper, and the girls will have pink construction paper... unless they choose otherwise - I know a few of my kids will challenge my system. Yes, that's okay!

Enjoy the last few weeks my friends!!

~Realistic

Monday, February 25, 2013

I'm Back & I've Been Booking Across the USA

You’ve probably wondered where I’ve been for so long now…I’ve been up to my eyeballs in projects and other “teacher” stuff, but today I get to share with you the biggest project I have been working on!

I am a huge fan of children’s literature – I don’t know many teachers who aren’t - and I have been working with an amazing group of bloggers on the project Booking across the USA!

http://growingbookbybook.com/sample-page/

I am so excited to share this project with you…and use it in my classroom. What a better way to share the United States with our kids than through literature!? I am in LOVE!

At first I thought this was going to be an easy project, find a book that features a person or place in your state, and create a unit or activity about it. Ha – was I wrong!! There are tons of great books about North Carolina and the people who live here. So I decided to choose a “theme” of sorts. I chose the Wright Brothers because I believe that children learn social studies and science best by reading authentic literature – it is easier for them to connect the material with their own experiences & because there are a ton of great books at all reading levels about the Wright Brothers.

The book I am featuring is the Newbery Medal Winner The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane.

These activities can be used with any book about the Wright Brothers. You can download these by clicking on the picture below.

The materials that I have for you are:

Ran (Reading & Analyzing Non-Fiction) Graphic Organizer
Comprehension Response - Poetry Activity
Be an Inventor Writing Assignment
Making Words Activity
Achievement Award

I loved this project so much that I created a whole literacy unit about the Wright Brothers that you can find at my TpT store.

Below are links to the other blogs participating in this great project! Please make sure to head over to their blogs read about their featured book and activities.

Alabama: Everyday Snapshots

Alaska: Little Wonders’ Days

Arizona: Simply Kinder

Arkansas: Homeschooling in Arkansas

California: Juggling with Kids and The Outlaw Mom

Colorado: Learners in Bloom and Living Montessori Now

Connecticut: The Teacher Park

Delaware: Mama Miss

Florida: Teaching Stars

Georgia: Fabulously First

Hawaii: Teaching With Style

Idaho: True Aim Education

Illinois: Growing Book by Book

Indiana: Teach Preschool

Iowa: Surviving a Teacher's Salary

Kansas: KCEdventures

Kentucky: Chicken Babies

Louisiana: New Orleans Moms Blog

Maine: Maine Adventure Mom and Country Fun Child Care

Maryland: Picture Books and Piourettes

Massachusetts: Mama Smiles

Michigan: Play DrMom

Minnesota: The Wise Owl Factory

Mississippi: Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk

Missouri- Ready. Set. Read!

Montana: The Honey Bunch

Nebraska: The Good Long Road

Nevada: Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts

New Hampshire: Elementary Matters

New Jersey: The Pleasantest Thing

New Mexico: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

New York: What Do We Do All Day

North Carolina: Realistic Teacher Blog (Look Mom, it's me!! Yes, my hand is waving wildly in the air!)

North Dakota: ND HealthWorks

Ohio: Smart Chick Teacher’s Blog

Oklahoma: Herding Kats in Kindergarten

Oregon: Journey of a Substitute Teacher

Pennsylvania: Land of Once Upon a Time

Rhode Island: Smiling in Second Grade

South Carolina: Cookies and Kiddos and JDaniel4’s Mom

South Dakota: The Wise Owl Factory

Tennessee: No Monkey Business

Texas: Curls and a Smile and Kid World Citizen

Utah: Teach Beside Me

Vermont: Burlington Vt Moms Blog

Virgina: Once Upon a Story, and The Freckled Homeschooler

Washington: Home Learning Journey and Boy Mama Teacher Mama

West Virginia: This Week @ Great Peace Academy and Mamas Like Me

Wisconsin: Reading Confetti

Wyoming: No Twiddle Twaddle

USA: The Corner on Character

Oh – don’t go yet! I forgot to share the two great giveaways that are being featured as a part of Booking across the USA! Growing Book by Book by Jodie (yes, she is the amazing creator of this project) is having to two amazing giveaways. You can enter the first one – for a 3 month subscription to USA Little Passports from Little Passports - on February 25^th. Her second giveaway is on February 26^th for a United States Bingo Game from eeBo. Talk about adding some great materials to your social studies curriculum! Make sure you head over to Jodie’s blog and enter those giveaways – today & tomorrow!

Hope you enjoy all of the great books and activities – make sure you share – pin, like, or just send a teacher friend “links” to all these great activities.

Smooches!

~Realistic

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Missing in Action...My FREEBIE Apology

I know I have been missing in action for awhile now...I have been super busy!! It is my track out (year-rounders you understand so skip the explanation). Track out is approximately 3 weeks that year-round teachers and students receive every (approximately) 9 weeks during our year-round schedule. It is often confusing, but to us, it is our "mini" summer break. Anywho - I am rejuvinating (reading, spending extra time with my family, cleaning, etc.) and working on some really fun projects.

In exchange for your forgiveness, I offer you this freebie! It is a poster that I created for my classroom to remind students of group expectations when we return. I have not used this and am not claiming the idea...I've seen tons of other teachers use the same acronym, but if you like it, please head over to my TPT store and download it for free.

Please enjoy it....and forgive me...

Smooches!
~Realistic

Monday, February 4, 2013

Manic Monday Management Freebie & 5 for Five

Sweet – it is the last Monday of my track in!! Next Monday I will be taking youngest Realistic son to school and heading back home to snuggle in my comfy bed! But, this week I have tons to accomplish before I can “shut down” my overactive brain!

So, let’s get started right away with my 5 for Five list! Yes, my favorite Monday tradition thanks to Jenn and Jessica.

The results are in and 3 out of 5 isn’t bad…but I’ll looking for better stats next week!

1. Reschedule that massage. Yep – the appointment is Thursday & I can’t wait!

2. Make those dentist and doctors appointments. NASA, we have a problem…. we went from if only they would call me back to….”what, you don’t participate with my insurance and want $220?!?” No, thanks. I’ll get a different referral. Ugh – seriously!!!

3. Blog at least 3 times. Check – done!

4. Work on my North Carolina book project. Well, kind of…I have the book, I’ve got some ideas planned, but I have nothing officially checked off the list. Okay – track out is here, so that is on my long list of will do’s!

5. Get to the gym – twice. Yes! Thanks to my great workout friends – shout out to you Zumba ladies – who inspire me and call me names if I don’t go. Yes, that is what besties do!!

So, here is what I have on my list for this week…

1. Schedule those dentist and doctors appointments. I’ll be relentless, I’ll call, I’ll be demanding (in my sweetest voice), I won’t rest until I get an answer!!

2. Get to the gym – twice. I’m going to keep this on my list until it becomes a habit again!

3. Have my classroom packed up and ready by Tuesday afternoon so that the teacher who tracks into that room is not overwhelmed with my current chaos. It is so hard for people to move into cluttered and dirty rooms!! I promise I won’t be “that” teacher!

4. Make sure my kids have math and reading assignments to work on during track out and they are ready to be sent home with my kids on Tuesday.

5. Schedule a facial. I don’t know exactly when I became old; but my skin feels like it needs some pampering…so I am assuming it has finally “aged”. Ummm…not sure when this happened – where was I during this process?

Yayyy – you’ve done it – you’ve reached the end of my list. Hopefully you gathered some great ideas and will share some with me. What are you doing this week? Does your week look a little like mine, or are we absolute twins!?

And, yes, finally, a Manic Monday freebie. I created an I'm a Great Kid Behavior Checklist to use with some of my babies when I come back to help them remember the daily expectations during literacy and math. We’ve got our anchor charts and review daily expectations, but these guys (and gals) just need a little more. They need to be able to check each little box to see they are successful!

I plan on making the copies front to back and posting it on their clipboards. I know they will love it….and it will provide me with some great data about their most problematic behaviors and which times of day are most difficult for them (that part I already know, but the more information the better!).

Happy Monday peeps!

Sunday, February 3, 2013

A Super Sunday... Currently, Sales, and Socials

Ohmygosh – I can’t believe it is already February 3^rd and I haven’t posted my Currently. I am so sorry Farley – I love you and can’t believe that it has taken me so long! My mind has been racing with so many other things lately and I am looking forward to a break!

So, here is my February (so far!)…

And – it is Super Bowl Sunday!! Woohoo – nothing like a good football game in the house!! I love today – it’s a perfect reason for a buffet of snack foods and an excuse for me to yell at the television! Yayy!

But, best of all, are the discounts I can save in my Teachers Pay Teachers cart. I am so excited!! I have about 10 things that I have been holding off on purchasing knowing I could scoop up some savings today… You’re Welcome Mr. Realistic (Not that he was listening/reading!)… but I’ll remind him when he sees the bill – ha!

Anywho – head over to my store and pick up some goodies at 28% off. Use the promo code SUPER.

And, time for a Sunday Social with Ashley and Neely… another favorite link up!!

This week’s Questions:

1. If you were stuck on an island what are the two material items you would want to have?

My laptop (I would still need to blog, right?!) and an unlimited supply of Girl Scout cookies. Blogging with a sugar high – yep, that’s the life!

2. What are two TV shows you’d watch over and over?

The Big Bang Theory & 2 Broke Girls

3. If your house was on fire what two things aside from family, pets, etc would you grab?

Okay, don’t judge….my teacher bag. I know, seriously, but I have a ton of stuff in that important tote. It would save tons of planning and my phone is there so I would have EVERYTHING. And my second thing would be my laptop.

4. What are your two most favorite articles of clothing?

Okay – let’s just get this clear – I don’t wear them together!! My yoga pants – a girls needs to be comfortable – and my Dansko shoes. Yes, true shoe lust!!

5. What two movies that you saw in the past year would you recommend to us?

We are not huge movie goers. I love to watch a good movie – but usually we watch them here in Realisticville. So, I’m going with The Hunger Games. It was amazing, but the book was better in my opinion.

6. What are your two biggest guilty pleasures?

Chick-fil-a and reality TV

Have a Super Sunday friends!!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Friday Test Prep Freebie

We are working on test taking strategies in my classroom this week…well, we have been for a few weeks. I want my kids to have the strategies to do well on their quarterly assessments. Some of them get so stressed that they can’t even thing straight. I feel so bad for them. So, I have been teaching them the same strategies that I used with my seventh and fifth graders.

I’ve modified it so that it is much more kid friendly. Actually, I can’t remember where I learned these tips – it was before blogging and Pinterest, but I’m sure it was online somewhere. If it was you, please let me know so I can give credit where it is due!!

I think when students get these tests they are so focused on answering the questions that they skim the reading passage and head straight to the questions. I’ve tried to teach my kids to slow down and think about each step in the process. Hopefully these posters will help them. The adorable backgrounds are from Fun for Learning. Make sure you head over to my store and pick up your freebies.

I hope that your week was simply amazing!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Sunday Super Sale & A Pinteresting Wednesday

I wanted to share some great news!! Teachers PayTeachers is having a Sunday Super Sale! You can get products for 28% off the original prices! Those are great savings! You know I can’t pass up a sale – so my wishlist is cram packed with products to purchase on Sunday! I can’t wait!

Make sure you head on over to my store and add some items to your wishlist to buy on Sunday.

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for The Vintage Apple's Oh, how Pinteresting!! I love today, I get so many great ideas from each of you!!

After last week, I’ve cleaned up my boards and rearranged a lot of things. I’m so excited to say I cleaned my Pinterest boards. It’s like reorganizing your cabinets!!

So, here are some of my favorites this week…