We've Got Mail!

We are learning about the United States in second grade right now.  As I was planning for this unit way back in August, before school started, I joined the Postcard Exchange organized by Cheryl over at


I purchased a plain mailbox from Hobby Lobby so that we could start getting our postcards.

Then I jazzed it up a bit!

Look!  We've got mail!

After we read the information on the back of our postcard and discuss the picture on the front, we record the information in our Book of the States {pick up your copy here}

We started by adding information about our own state:

The students have the half page copies in their book (trying to save paper!) but I am creating one with them on full-page sheets in order to keep in our classroom library when we finish.


















After we fill in the information, we color in the state on our map:

All of the above are included in my Studying the States packet:

Five for Friday!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching again to share 5 random things from my week!  I don't have a lot of school stuff because I was out sick on Monday and we had a snow day today.  My co-teacher was also out on Weds/Thurs, so I had my hands full!1. I finished up my Detectives Book Club packet!  I'm so excited to start this with one of my reading groups!

2. I also created some Antsy Antonyms to go with my Sweet Synonyms.  One of my kids said, "hey, the word antonym begins with ant...that's why there are ants on the page."  Can't fool them!

3. Found the puppy all curled up in his crate (voluntarily) with his favorite toy.  This was his first toy and he sleeps with it every night.

4. I started a photo of the day project on Instagram.  So much fun!

 5. As I write this, we are being buried under 30+ inches of snow.  This is what we have so far:

I'm just hoping we don't lose power!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Are You Pinterested??

Are you an avid pinner?  An amateur?  Never heard of pinning?  Then stick around, you're about to learn more!

I consider myself to be an avid pinner.  I have found that it is a great avenue for sharing and discovering new ideas, especially with regards to teaching and the classroom.   I thought there wasn't much to it.  I repinned my favorite things and gained a few followers.

Enter Melissa Taylor.  Let me tell you, this lady knows what she is talking about!  In August of 2012, Melissa Taylor noticed that Pinterest referrals to her blog had increased her traffic from 7,000 hits a month to 300,000, and her Pinterest followers jumped from 4,000 to over 1 million. Taylor realized that using Pinterest, a free business tool, she was achieving her marketing goals.  Wow!  She certainly has Pinterest down to a science and she has offered to share her expertise with all of us!

Melissa has authored a book titled, Pinterest Savvy:  How I Got 1 Million+ Followers (Strategies, Plans, and Tips to Grow Your Business with Pinterest).


In her book, you'll learn:       
       How to attract more followers & increase brand awareness
       How to achieve marketing and sales goals
       Business-specific strategies
       Success stories & tactics
       Secrets from top Pinners

Pinterest Savvy is a wonderful tool for pinners at all levels.  Melissa begins the book by explaining the very basics of Pinterest and how to navigate the site.  Throughout the chapters, she continues to share secrets that will help you become just as Pinterest-savvy as she is!

My favorite part is the set of chapter guides.  Melissa provides checklists to help you achieve your Pinterest goals!  You can grab them at:  http://Pinterest-Savvy.net. Also, check out the Pinnables (http://pinterest-savvy.net/pinnables/).

I've only been following her steps for a week and I am already up 100 followers!

You can grab your copy at Amazon today!  You can also enter to win a Kindle Fire at Melissa's blog - perfect for reading your new book! 

Looky What I Got!

How many of you went shopping yesterday??  I love when Teachers Pay Teachers has sales!  I definitely empty my Wish List and then some.  This time it was all about the clipart in my cart!  I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin  and Sunny Days in Second Grade to share my purchases.

Want to see what I got?

These are from Ashley Hughes:

These are from Krista Wallden over at Creative Clips:

And from Mr. Magician:

What did you get?  I'd love to see!

P.S. ~ my store is still on sale until midnight!

It's a Game for the Big Sale!

It is Super Bowl Sunday and we are playing a TPT SUPER SUNDAY SALE GAME!! Yup! A group of bloggers have gotten together to shake things up a bit. Do you plan on shopping on Sunday? If so, check out some of the items below and see if you can win our TPT Super Sunday Sale game. 

Here is how it works. All of the resources posted below have a hidden letter in them. You can find this hidden letter on the second page of the resource. All of the letters will spell out: 49'ers or Ravens. So, for example, if you buy my Reader's Companion for Enemy Pie, you will find the secret letter "E". If you buy Valerie's St. Patrick's Day Craftivity, you will find the letter "V". Collect as many letters as you can and then root for your favorite team!! 

After the game, check to see if you have enough letters to spell out the winning team. If you do, be the first to post your name and email address AND the items you purchased that spell out the winning team. Within 24 hours all of the sellers listed below will email you one free item from their store. 

Sound easy??? Of course it does!!! Follow the links below and check out all of the items that have hidden letters. Only the items on this linky qualify. While your at it, be sure to follow these TPT stores to get updated every time new resources are added! Enjoy your Sunday, Happy shopping : ) 


4 CUPID-A Sweet Sight Word Game
9  Valentine's Day BINGO Game
E Enemy Pie Reader's Companion or, Super "e" Heroes-A CVCe Word Game, or It's About    Elapsed
    Time
R Prefix/Suffix/Root-of-the-Day-Book-and-Bundle
S St. Patrick's Day Craftivities

R Roll and Graph a President
A American Symbols Activities
V Valentine's Literacy Centers Aligned to Common Core
E Enemy Pie Reader's Companion or, Super "e" Heroes-A CVCe Word Game, or It's About Elapsed  
    Time
N Mixed Numbers Concentration/Matching Cards
S Iditarod Themed Bulletin Board Project with Student Activities and extra clip art images

February Currently and Super Sunday!

Happy Groundhog Day!  Groundhog Day is one of those holidays that I just don't get.  Anyways, it's February!  Time for a Currently from Farley over at



Here's mine:

My husband asked me if I wanted to go shopping!  I think he's a keeper for sure.

Disrespect has to be my biggest pet peeve.  No doubt about it.  And it seems to be running rampant lately.

Don't forget about THE BIG DAY tomorrow!  It's the Super Sunday Sale at Teachers Pay Teachers!  Oh yeah, there's a football game on too.

Here are some of my favorite items that will be on sale.  Click on any picture to check them out in my store!

      

      

     

I am filling up my shopping cart as we speak!  Happy shopping!

Five for Friday {And a Sale}!

I have another reason to love Fridays (like I needed another reason)!  Doodle Bugs Teaching has created a Five for Friday linky party.

I like linking up and sharing my random things from the week for you!  This week, I really tried to stick to a "school theme."  Here ya go!

1. Compound words with a Scoot component!  The students had so much fun with this.  It took a few days to complete this project, but that was okay.  Day 1 was for drawing.  The students chose a compound word.  Then they drew the first part of the word on the left side of the paper and the second part of the word on the right hand side.  

Day 2 was for scooting.  I have no idea if I play this game the right way or if I am just making up my own version.  I numbered the drawings and put one on each desk.  The students numbered their lined paper and moved around the room, writing down what they thought each compound word was.  For example, here is rain+bow=rainbow:

2.  At snack time, I read aloud a chapter book.  It keeps the students calm and gets in an extra read-aloud during the day.  We usually read Magic Tree House or A to Z Mysteries.  I love leaving them hanging at the end of each chapter and they get so into it!  This week we were reading Dolphins At Daybreak and Jack and Annie have to find a pearl.  I just happened to wear my {Hawaiian} pearl necklace on the day we read it.  I was so excited to be able to share what a pearl was with my students.  {And I love anything that reminds me of Hawaii!}

3.  We go mail!  We started our postcard exchange this week and we got our very first postcards!  Okay, okay, technically I already have most of the postcards but the kids don't know that.  You should've heard their gasps when I said we had mail - so exciting!  I'll post more on that later.

4.  We started Daily 5 (read more here) this week!  Here is one of my little ones checking out the chart.  So responsible!

5.  I didn't have such a great day today.  :(  So, what's a teacher to do?  Have a good drink?  Nope, don't drink.  Have an extra large sundae?  Nope, too cold out.  Shop for clothes?  Nope, not really my thing.  Organize?  Heck yes!   I love the way Jamie Rector over at 2nd Grade Stuff has organized her room and I'm going to copy her make mine similar!  I like the book bins in my class library but none of them match.  It drives me bananas!  So I picked up these lovelies at The Dollar Tree today:

Well that was my week!  How was yours?  Go link up with Doodlebugs!

Don't forget, this weekend is the big game sale!  The Patriots are out of the Super Bowl so I may or may not be boycotting the game...  Instead I'm joining up with Teachers Pay Teachers and throwing a huge sale in my store!

                Thanks to Ashley Hughes for the graphic!

My store will be on sale February 3rd and 4th.  I plan to do a LOT of shopping as well!