Birthday Fun & Follower Freebies!!

I am so excited! Why, you ask?! Well, in just 10 days, I will be celebrating my birthday! In honor of this occasion, I will be offering up some special freebies across multiple platforms, plus some store discounts! So make sure that you follow me here, on TpT, and on Instagram to be part of the fun!

Also, if, by some miracle, I hit 100 followers on here OR on TpT BEFORE my birthday, there will be a GIVEAWAY!! :)

0

It's been HOW long since I've blogged?!

Wow, I am WAY embarrassed by how much time has passed since my last post. :( Please forgive me, blogger friends! It is truly amazing how easy it can be to get caught up in life and all that it entails. I honestly thought that I was going to log in and see a post from last week. BOY, OH BOY how time does fly! But enough of that... We have been having tons of fun in First Grade. Besides the fact that this past Monday (February 23rd) was the FIRST MONDAY WE'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL SINCE JANUARY 12TH (WHAT?!!?!?!?!?!??!!??). Sadly enough, though... we are bundled up waiting on another winter storm, promising to drop 3-6 inches on us before morning. It sure will be interesting to see if we lose another Monday!! Regardless of all that, we have been plugging along and working our patooties off!!  At the beginning of the month, we began our subtraction unit. These kiddos are flying through it! They surprise me every single day. The kiddos worked on subtracting 0 and 1. They picked it up so, so quickly! Our unit is supposed to continue through March, but little friends are absolutely excelling. We played some review games to fill up some time and found it near impossible to stump them!  Check out what they've been up to in the photos below!

I absolutely love reviewing on our desks! The kiddos are always so surprised when I tell them they'll get to write on the desks! There are so many things that I like about doing this....

1) Easy set-up

2) Easy clean-up

3) Minimal materials

4) Each kiddos gets their own defined space

So, so easy!

Basically, I put a problem (or problems) on the board and set the timer. Students work through the problem. Sometimes I require they use a particular strategy, sometimes I let them do whatever they are the most comfortable with.

Next, I call kiddos up to explain their methods.

Clean-up is super duper easy. We usually end with a bit of competition. I'll give students a series of problems and collect markers from students who miss the mark until we have our winner.

I know that it sounds like the same kids will win every time, BUT... each leveled group has a color name. I assign each color group a different set of problems based on their ability. I aim to have a winner from each group. It works out really well and over time, every single student wins!

0

Working On It Wednesday!!

Good evening, one and all! I was so excited after the TPT Cyber Sale last night, that I jumped right on creating!! Below are a few things that I am working on!!

My kiddos and I are working on different phonics generalizations. We are currently introducing one generalization a day, then will circle back and spend about a week on each one in more depth. My kiddos love trying to work out which words are real and which are nonsense, so I am working to put together some new activities for them to use and will post to TPT as soon as it's done!

Last year, as a Kindergarten teacher, I swore up and down that I would start using Math Journals with my kiddos. We never really got around to it. Now, in 1st grade, we're into December and I have been doing a daily quick math prompt that I put on the board, have them copy, then complete. I would really like to pull something together that I can print for them to maximize our time and help them get directly to the problem-solving! I have already blogged about how busy this month is, so it would be awfully ambitious to think I could have my December prompts completed anytime soon, so I will start with a set of prompts for January. Keep an eye out for the full set! What types of problems would you like to see the kiddos solving in the January pack? Comment below! :)

0

Number Portraits!

As a Common Core math fluency, first grade students are expected to be able to add and subtract within 10 by the end of the school year. To kick off the year, we worked with our students to review their facts within 5. We are now working to ensure that all 1st grade students are able to add within 10 by Christmas break. We laid out a process and created an assessment protocol (keep an eye out for my new math assessment pack!) Last week, we added our number portraits to our portfolios. First, we gathered on the carpet to engage in a Visual Thinking Activity. For this lesson, I chose to have students observe Charles Demuth's Figure 5 in Gold in order to introduce the concept of composition and texture. I just love it when our vocabulary crosses curriculum! :) My students are extremely familiar with the Visual Thinking Strategy as we have been using it since last year and I really get a kick out of the conversations that it sparks! But, more on that later... Next, I took an 11x17 sheet of white construction paper and split it into 4 different sections. From there, I attached a cutout of the number 5 and we worked together to determine different ways of representing it.  The kiddos chose to use:

• Numerals
• Ten frames
• Number bonds
• Tally marks
• Pictorial, etc...

Once each representation was created, we used them to build texture within the image.

Next, I assigned each student a number and off they went creating their own textures! They had so much fun trying to think of new and different ways to represent each digit! Each student used a crayon for this step.

Next, we used water colors to paint each section and it created a really cool effect.

I will say this, the kids had a great time and we had a surprise visit from the District Superintendent and she had some great things to say! I finally got around to hanging them up this morning, but silly me forgot to take a picture!! I'll try to remember to update this post tomorrow with a photo of the finished product!

EDIT: Photos of the final product!!

As you can probably see, we are still working out a few reversals, but I am SO pleased with how they turned out! :)

0

Apple!

This summer, my Principal approached me about ways in which I currently utilize technology in the classroom and limitations that I have. She began to ask me a number of questions about strategies for teaching and making connections between school and home. After receiving probably 4-5 days' worth of questioning via email, phone calls, and texts, I finally asked her what was going on and she explained that she was pulling together information for a grant application.
Soon, she pulled together a small committee, myself included, to review and enhance her application based on teacher need. In early October, representatives from Apple came out to our building to speak with administrators, teachers, and students as well as to make notes of our technological infrastructure and last week, it was finally announced..

Roosevelt School in Bridgeport, CT is the proud recipient of the Apple ConnectED Grant for the 2014-2015 school year!!



With the grant comes iPads for every student in the building, iPads and Macbooks for every teacher, AppleTV for every classroom, added access points for wireless internet throughout the building, updated technological infrastructure to improve speed and connectivity, and my favorite part... Professional Development! Every teacher will be given support in integrating all new technologies!
I am so excited and honored to have been a part of the process and cannot WAIT to share so many new and exciting technological opportunities with my students!! Upon notification of our school's selection, we were asked to make wish-lists of iPad apps for the classroom.
So, I ask you... what are your go-to apps? How do you Apple products (iPads, iPods, Apple TV) in the classroom? Don't hold back!! If you do not currently have the technology you would like, what would you put on your wish list?

0

Shipping Out!

My husband and I have just finished packing for our cruise and we leave for the boat in... 19 minutes! Talk about LAST MINUTE! I hope we haven't forgotten anything!!
I can't be too upset with myself, as per usual... I got stuck at work late last night. There is just something so incredibly satisfying about engaging in rich conversation with colleagues with the same drive and passion. I know that many of you can relate!
Yesterday, to celebrate the end of summer school, my Principal and a few of my co-workers had a chicken wing party! Living in Connecticut, you really haven't lived until you've tried the wings at the Dew Drop Inn in Derby. I wish they had a website that I could link up to, but... check them out on Facebook. They have something like 80 different varieties of wings -- ALL ARE DELICIOUS! My favorite are Parmesan-Bacon-Garlic, Peanut Butter & Jelly (with a fluff dipping sauce!), and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I know, I know... they sound ridiculous, but NOMNOMNOM they are just... oh, so good! I won't even begin to pretend like I know how to explain how a combination of chicken and candy work, but they just do. Trust me! :) REGARDLESS! While we were chowing down, we began to talk about the the school play for the coming year. During each of our 3 years under the PCAH Turnaround Arts Grant, we held a school production:
Year 1: The Wiz Year 2: The Jungle Book Year 3: Hairspray, Jr.
This year, we were planning to present The Little Mermaid, but made a switch to Annie, Jr. after learning about the new Jamie Foxx-Cameron Diaz movie. 
Through our discussion we began to brainstorm the many ways we are able to integrate the play into our instruction as aligned with the CCSS and district curriculum for grades Pre-K through 8. Our discussion lasted for nearly THREE HOURS! We were unexpectedly productive, building off of one another and now we have been set to task -- as soon as I return from the cruise, I will be putting together a packet for our staff complete with arts vocabulary and ideas for lessons, units, and PBAs (Project Based Activities). I am so optimistic for this school year and really cannot wait to delve into it and share all of our ideas with you!  But now I'm curious! At this point through all of my training, substituting, and now teaching, I have working in 6 different school districts (over 20 schools total!) and have seen arts integration at all different levels. I'd love to hear about your arts integration experience. Answer the question below and feel free to give more info in the comments! I apologize in advance for delayed responses since I will be out of the country until August 2nd!

surveys & polls

Also, don't forget to follow me here, on bloglovin, or on Instagram (Shoelaces_SweetFaces) before I get back on the 2nd. All followers by then will receive a FREEBIE of my completed Sight Word Assessment Pack!
Happy blogging, all and soak up all the sun you can! School will be back before we know it!! :)

0

This Week in 221!

I have been a Pinterest addict for at least a year now... I find tons of spectacular ideas on there. I love that Pinterest is basically a Teacher's Treasure Trove!! Below are some ideas I have snatched up and will be using this week with my Kinderloves.

I've seen this If I Lived in a Snowglobe in many incarnations across Pinterest and numerous teaching blogs.
This particular photo comes from UNDER Paid and OVER Blessed.
I think that it will be a fantastic way to merge our our 5-senses learning
with our Winter Unit in addition to pulling in writing and art to satisfy our school-wide,
arts integration mission. I will definitely post the finished project!

We started working with combinations of numbers to 5 (with some of my upper level students,
we're working on combinations to 10). This afternoon, I will work to create a recording sheet,
but I think that this will be a center that can be easily reused and will lend itself nicely to my very active learners.

I actually started using this sheet much earlier in the year.
I pulled this free pack from Confessions of a Homeschooler and my kiddos absolutely love it!
I printed the pack, laminated and bound it with rings for certain students.
As students master letters, I remove them from their booklet and we graph their progress.
The kids love the bright colors, manipulating the blocks and get SO EXCITED when they
are able to share their newly mastered letters with their friends. 

If you have used any of these strategies and have additional suggestions for implementation, I would love to hear from you!

And feel free to follow my boards on Pinterest! Leave a note in the comments and I'll be sure to follow you back. I'm currently trying to reorganize all of my Teaching Pins... I have well over 2000!

xo Tiffany

0