Currently and a Freebie for Testing

I know you love Farley's Currently as much as I do,  So you understand why I have to post twice in one day!   Forgive me please, there is a freebie at the end:)

I'm not even going to defend letting my license expire.  

Okay, well just a little.  I haven't had a ticket in over 10 years or an accident in over 12 years. 

No one EVER asks to see my license, so I didn't even realize it had expired. 

Plus, I thought it renewed when I got married...it didn't!  Now, I've got to do some studying.

Why, oh why did I plan a Field Trip on Tuesday?  

We're going to Legoland and although I know the kiddos will LOVE it and learn from it.  

I'm just not up for a Field Trip this close to testing.  

Testing.  Testing.  Testing!  Yes, I want 100% of my students to pass their Reading STAAR Test this year.  I know, big goals.  But, I think they can do it;) 

Speaking of Testing, I've got a GREAT Testing FREEBIE!

Click here to grab it!

This Little Piggy can't wait for Summer!

Favs and Blogger Ettiquite for Dummies?

Have you ever joined up with LaToya over at Flying through First Grade for her "Let's Get Acquainted Linky"?  I enjoy linkies- can you tell?  I feel like I post atleast 1 or 2 a week!  

I'm almost to 150 followers and I want to do a giveaway.  However, I only want people to participate whom I either like their blog and/or like their products.  So, is it "bad blogger behavior" to e-mail people and ask for a donation?   Is there a book called "Blogger Ettiquite for Dummies?"

This Little Piggy loves Tiffany Blue!

Plastic Eggs & Multiple Meaning Words

This week we were working HARD on Multiple Meaning Words. Why?  Data shows that this is where my students need help.  {Remember, my goal was to be Data Driven this year.  Shhh...I've taken it a little overboard.}  I figured out why...they do not follow the strategy I taught them (draw a picture).  So all week long, I harped on drawing a picture.  Seriously, folks if your students draw a picture of the multiple meaning word they WILL NOT miss the question.  So, these were my lessons.  

Anchor Chart


I put a multiple meaning word inside one egg and a meaning inside another egg.
 
Students drew eggs and had to find their "match/partner".

Partners worked together to come up with the multiple meanings and they DREW PICTURES!!!

Then, we did an exit ticket.  The exit ticket scores were pitiful.  Why?  You guessed it...they DIDN'T DRAW PICTURES!  Can I be honest?  Sure, we're bloggie friends!  I've been teaching almost 10 years and this group of kiddos is the only group of kiddos (2nd - 7th Grade) that REFUSES to do Strategies!  Why oh why?

So, the next day I had students do a Round-the-Room Activity.  It's basically task cards and/or a cut up worksheet that I post and groups move from station to station to answer the questions.  Then, we grade immediately (timely academic feedback per my eval. rubric).  I required students to draw the 2 meanings of the word prior to answering the question.  Then, students worked on a STAAR Style Passage (holla, Texas Teachers) about Multiple Meaning Words independently and about 95% of them used their strategies and PASSED!!  

If you want to grab my multiple meaning words packet...it's on SALE for 50% off until midnight tonight! It has 3 activities and 2 of the activities above have been altered so they can also be literacy centers.   

This Little Piggy EXCEEDED her TpT Quarterly Goal!  I just need 1 more follower to get to 150...anybody have a 2nd/3rd/4th Grade Teacher Friend who they can send over?

Five for Friday

I was so busy this afternoon reading everyone's Five for Friday...I forgot to write my own!  Can you tell I've got "3-Day Weekend Brain" going on! ha-ha.  Yes, that's my new term.

I'm going to work backward this week...
#5) My Precious Girl woke up early Thursday excited for her egg hunt!  Look how absolutely adorable she is (even with short hair).

#4)  I booked our 7th Anniverary Trip today...yes, I am going to spend 3 days in this HOT TUB looking out into the Texas Hill Country!  My favorite spot in the world!!

#3) We had our 1st Teacher vs. Student Basketball Game on Thursday - Teachers Won!  Our school raised $1200 for the American Heart Association.  YEA<3

#2) I got my progress reports finished on Thursday at 3:15 and left work at 3:30.

#1) Mel from Graphics from the Pond (I just love her frames!) so kindly made this sale graphic and is having a sale linky party.   I decided to do a 15% off sale through Easter. You will not believe this, but I am 15cents AWAY from my quarter goal...yes 15cents!!!     

This Little Piggy is trying to reach her quarter goal!

Let's Get Acquainted Linky

I'm going to do a quick link-up with Flying into First Grade.  Now, Let's Play the Noun Game!

Person/s

My Honey and My Girl.

Place

The Texas Hill Country.

Thing

At this VERY MOMENT I'm L-O-V-I-N-G our brand new (to us) SOFA!  Yes, it's soooo comfy!

Animal

Hum...I just love my Piggies!  Don't you?

This Little Piggy is thinking about doing a 150 Follower Giveaway...

Late Night 5 for {Freebie} Friday

Can I ever post a blog-post before midnight?

It's Friday and I actually have things to talk about so I'm going to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the Five for Friday Linky Party.  

#1) Nashville has been re-runs lately, so I'm getting my drama-fix from Dallas.  Woow, it's great right now.  To begin, I'm from Dallas, so it has a special place in my heart.  

Second, I have the slightest crush on Bobby Ewing....

and now, John Ross Ewing (yummy).  

#2)  I got my April Scholastic Flyers today.  I saw a book I cannot wait to get!

It's a poetry book about dog names...I L-O-V-E names!  

And I really need help teaching poetry.  I hope I can find some PD this summer on poetry. 

#3)  I got an iPad over Spring Break, but I can barely use it because My Girl has it in her hands about 80% of the time!  On the upside...she's reading some word families now:)

#4) I WANT TO SLEEP IN TOMORROW (yes I'm yelling in a whiney voice)...but I have to teach Saturday School:(  

*Sorry I cannot get this Pic to Rotate*

 

#5) Today, my kiddos played 2 Games - first, prefix/suffix baseball (I'm sure all of you play baseball at some point or another so I won't bore you with it).  Second, we played "Who's My Character?'  This is a higher level thinking game where students draw conclusion and implement their questioning skills.  Students first generate questions about who their character is.  I put a character from a well known book, tv show or kid-friendly movie on a label and put it on their back.  Then, they walk around and ask their classmates questions.  Finally, they draw a conclusion about who their character is.

Here is my Freebie Recording Document.

 

Whose blog do you love? I heart Aimee V.

Christina Bainbridge at Bunting Books and Bainbridge (one of the prettiest blogs EVER) is having an awesome linky.  I had to think a LONG time to narrow down my bloggie love to just one blog.  Immediately, these blogs came to mind...shout out: Ashley @ The Polished Teacher, Megan @ I Teach, What's Your Superpower?, Laurie @ Chickadee Jubilee, Tonya @ Tonya's Treats for Teachers, Nikki @ SmartTarts Learning and Lindsey @ Primary Polkadots.  

But, I just had to pick... 

Aimee from Pencils, Books and Dirty Looks.  First off, Don't you LOVE her blog name?  I do.  If you've ever taught 5th Grade Girls...then you totally get it.  

Second, I have an old (extra) dining room set that is just begging for her to come paint it!  Look at her amazing talent in the pic above!

She makes these amazing Jar Activites and I've got to figure out how to implement them for next year!!!!

This Little Piggy has STAAR on the brain...

I won...I won!

Tammy over at 1..2..3..Teach with Me and/or Dots of Fun is having a H-U-G-E Giveaway!  I actually won part of it!  Now, I'm donating to the 3rd -5th Section.  All you have to do is look through the products linked up and find a few new stores you want to follow on TpT - leave a comment and voila you're entered!!  

I found SCENTOS and Sunday Dinner

Sorry, I can't get the pic to rotate.

I had to buy printer paper today so I made a quick run to Wal-Mart.  While I was there, I decided to look around for Scentos Markers.  I found them!  They had singles for $1!  I've seen a few blogger posts about them and thought they sounded pretty cool.  I know testing season is upon me and that means STAAR passages BOOTCAMP at my school. Well, I figure a passing score written in smelly marker might motivate some students!  Of course, I also grabbed some Spring and Eastery items while I was there.

My homeroom needs a lot of re-direction for "talking".  So, for the rest of the month, every day they end on "green" or better on my clipchart, they get to pick an egg out of my basket.  Inside the eggs are assorted items - candy, erasers, the stretchy bunnies and even some cute fuzzy bunny stickers.

Update: June 2013

I really wanted to do a Linky Party this summer called Sunday Dinner because I cook pretty much every night during the summer.  Well, Teaching Tales Along the Yellow Brick Road started this foodie linky and today I'm going back to link up my Aunt Glenda's Crock-Pot Roast.

SUNDAY DINNER

Do you ever need a quick recipe that you can throw together in a crock pot and it tastes great by the time you get home from work?  I've got one for you!  DISCLAIMER: This recipe does include beer, but the alcohol cooks out.  I make it atleast once a month.

Aunt Glenda's Crock-Pot Roast 
Ingredients:
Au Jus Dip
Onion Soup Mix
1 Beer per 1.5lbs. (if I make a 2.3lb. roast then I put 2 cans in)
1 Can of Water per 1.5 lbs.
Baby Carrots
6 Potatoes (cut into 1/4's)
1.5 - 3lb. Roast (I normally buy a 3lb. roast so we can have roast sandwiches the next day)

First, Put the Au Jus, Onion Soup, Beer and Water inside the Crock Pot and Stir until the Powder Dissolves.

Next, add Potatoes, Carrots and (unfrozen) Roast.

Finally, cook 4 hours on High and 4-6 hours on low.  

I forgot to take a pic of the final roast:((  But it was YUMMY!  The sandwiches the next day were even BETTER!!