Linky Party & A FREEBIE Game!!!

I love this little linky party I found over at Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies!!

It is a linky party to celebrate and reflect on your 1st 12 blog posts of 2012! How fun!! Here are my 1st 12 blog posts of 2012! I actually just started my blogging adventure back in June, so all of my posts for 2012 start then!

1) 06/16/12 ~ My first post!!

2) 06/19/12 ~ Another great blog giveaway....

3) 06/19/12 ~ A little freebie for everyone!

4) 06/20/12 ~ Writing Giveaway!

5) 06/21/12 ~ Word Wall Alphabet Signs!

6) 06/24/12 ~ FREEBIE!!!

7) 06/24/12 ~ FREEBIE!!!

8) 06/24/12 ~ So Much Fun!

9) 06/26/12 ~ Blog Award!!!

10) 06/27/12 ~ Another Friend's Giveaway!

11) 06/30/12 ~ FLASH SALE!!!

12) 07/06/12 ~ I'm BACK!!!!!

WOW!!! Looking back and reflecting is SO MUCH FUN!!! I have come a long way in the last 6 months and I cannot wait to see what 2013 holds for my little ol' blog! :) 

So, let's CELEBRATE 2012 and the beginning of 2013!!!

Anyone who goes to my TpT store, follows it, and comments below with their e-mail address will get my Time Stations Rotation Game for FREE (mentioned in post #7)!! Just click below to go check it out in my TpT store! Don't forget to follow my store, then comment below with your e-mail address! Game ends at 12:01 AM on 01/01/13!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!!!

THANKFUL SALE!!

I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you for supporting me on my blogging and TpT endeavors this past year! It has been and continues to be such a blessing in my life! I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store! To celebrate 2012, my store will be on sale today and tomorrow! Just click on the picture below to head on over and take a look! 

(Background by: The 3AM Teacher)

12 in 12

Hello friends!! I know I have been absent the past few weeks, but I have been enjoying some quality time with my little one! I love Christmas break!! :) I also love this linky party that I found called 12 in 12 by Miss Kindergarten and A Teeny Tiny Teacher!!

So here goes!!

12. Favorite  Movie: 

Definitely The Hunger Games! I couldn't put the books down, and I absolutely loved the first movie! I did see Lincoln too a few weeks ago, and it runs a very close 2nd!

11. Favorite TV Series:

I love Law and Order: Special Victims Unit!! My hubby and I watch the marathon that comes on TC every Tuesday!

10. Favorite Restaurant: 

Believe it or not, my favorite restaurant is Applebees! It has always been the place that me and friends go, and now I love to go with my hubby and little one!

9. Favorite New Thing: 

My favorite new thing that I tried is Teachers Pay Teachers! I LOVE it!!! I am so thankful my good friend Ginger introduced me to it and the blogging world!

8. Favorite Gift:

My sweet hubby got me my first pair of TOMS for Christmas this year! I love them! They are absolutely the most comfortable shoes I have EVER worn!! I will definitely be buying more!! :) 

7. Favorite Thing You Pinned: 

I love this, and it speaks for itself!! :) 

6. Favorite Blog Post: 

This would definitely have to be my very first post!! It was on Saturday, June 16!!

5. Favorite Accomplishment: 

My favorite accomplishment this year is definitely going to have to be being my school's ELA Committee Chair! I have successfully ran 2 different reading incentive programs (sponsored by outside organizations), and they were pretty successful! I have really felt like I have made a big difference in students' lives at my school through these programs! 

4. Favorite Picture: 

Well, my favorite picture that I will always treasure is the last picture taken of my Mom and my little one. She passed away suddenly on June 4, 2011. She was my best friend, and I still have not gotten over her passing. I love her very much, and I love all the pictures I do have of her and my son, but this one is special! 

3. Favorite Memory: 

My favorite memory from this year would definitely be the annual beach trip my family takes together during the week of July 4th! It is always so much fun, and I love spending all that quality time with my family! :) 

2. Goal for 2013: 

My goal for 2013 is simply to live well, love much, and laugh often!

1. One Little Word: 

BLESSED

There is my 12 in 12 for 2012!!! :) 

Now, it is your turn!

How to link up:

Create a blog post sharing your favorite 12 things in 2012. Add the button to your post and link it to this blog post. Then link up below, making sure to link directly to your post, not just your blog.

Christmas/Holiday Homework Pass FREEBIE!!

Hey guys! I created this homework pass to give my kids as a part of their Christmas gift this year! I punched a hole in the side and tied them to a candy cane with some cute red ribbon!! I thought maybe some of you could use it! Just click the picture below to go download it for free! :) Merry Christmas friends!!!

Day of Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Cause & Effect Unit Coming Soon

Hey guys! Well, my whole house has been sick the past few weeks so I haven't had much time to work on my Cause & Effect Unit! I am still SUPER excited about it!!! I just wanted to let you guys know that it IS COMING!!! I will have it up and running ASAP!! Hope everyone has a MARVELOUS MONDAY!! :) 

Cause & Effect.....

Cause - I am really excited about a new unit I am making!

Effect - I am writing a new blog post!

If you can't tell, I am now teaching cause and effect in my classroom! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE teaching this unit!!! I have not written a new unit in FOREVER, SO I am now writing a NEW Cause & Effect Unit!!! I have just started, but I hope to have the unit up in my store by this weekend! I love the feeling of creating a new unit knowing that it might be used by another teacher somewhere!! This unit is going to be FULL of fun for students! I haven't been this excited since this summer when I finished my Genre Posters & Labels!! To celebrate, I am posting a picture of the ANCHOR CHART I am using this week with my students! Another one of my favorite things is ANCHOR CHARTS!!! Love, Love, Love them!! :) I am quite proud of this particular anchor chart! My illustration even looks kind of cute! :) 

Check back for the unveiling of my Cause & Effect Unit! I will be giving away a copy to one of you that can answer a question about little old me! :) Happy Almost Hump Day friends!!

I love SALES!!!

Wow! I have been SUPER busy the past few weeks! Between school, spending time with my family, and shopping (I LOVE BLACK FRIDAY), I haven't had any time to think about teaching or blogging!! I have loved every minute of it, but I am glad to get back to my normal routine tomorrow AND I am excited to get back to my BLOG!!! :) I wanted to let everyone know of a Cyber Monday plus Tuesday sale that starts tomorrow! My TpT store will be on sale Monday AND Tuesday this week!! WOO HOO!! TpT will also be giving everyone an extra 10% off by entering the code CMT12 at checkout! 

(Thank you 3AM Teacher for the cute button!)

WOW! HAPPY SHOPPING FRIENDS!!! Look for a lot of blog posts coming your way this week!! :) 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING friends!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful, blessed day!!! I am so thankful for my sweet Jesus, my wonderful hubby, my adorable and amazing little boy, all my awesome family, all my great friends, and all of you my fabulous bloggy friends!!! I am one blessed lady!!! Here is a little Thanksgiving gift from me to you! Here is my first try at making my own clip art ! So exciting!! :) Feel free to use my little friend below, just please give me credit!!! :) GOBBLE GOBBLE!!

wegivebooks.org

I don't know about you, but I LOVE read alouds! I love to read to my students!! I love for them to hear how much I love reading! Last year, the instructional coach at my school shared an AWESOME website with us! It is We Give Books. Y'all, it is a WONDERFUL website! You can read so many books on this website for FREE!! That's not the only thing though...When you read a book, another book is being donated to a charity working in communities around the world!!! How cool is that?!? My students love when I read them books off We Give Books, and they love going on their themselves to search through and read the books! Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE to read real, tangible books, and I SERIOUSLY LOVE the smell of a fresh book!!! This is just another tool to add to your "teacher tool belt" to use in your classroom if you get a chance! Check out the website and let me know what you think!!! :) HAPPY SUNDAY!!!

November Currently

I am linking up with Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for her November Currently! Go check it out! Here is my November Currently: 

LISTENING: I can't believe how silent my house is right now! Seriously, I have a 2 1/2 year old. It is NEVER silent, but I am enjoying it for at least a few minutes!!

LOVING: My new Crocs are SO STINKIN COMFY!!! Here is a picture of them: 

Y'all, seriously, these things are SO comfortable! Just click on the picture to check them out on the Crocs website! 

THINKING: I really love my students, and I have had to remind myself this week of why I do what I do everyday. Being a teacher is not easy. In fact, it can be frustrating and thankless, BUT I do it for my students...PERIOD! I love to teach and watch my students grow! I love to see them light up when they learn something new! At times, I am the only positive person they have in their life, and I count it a BLESSING to be able to do what I do everyday! Teaching is a calling, and I believe I have been called to teach my sweet students! :) 

WANTING: I am a Nicholas Sparks-o-holic! I am seriously missing having a new Sparks book to read! I need a new book!! So, if anyone has any suggestions for a good book I could read, I am all ears! 

NEEDING: I need to slow down. I have to tell myself this constantly because I am always going 90 mph trying to get everything done! So, this weekend, my family is spending some much needed quality time together! I really don't care what we do as long as we are doing it together! :)

MUSIC: Honestly, I don't play music in my classroom on a regular basis! Help me out friends! What do you play in your classroom on a regular basis? I would love some good suggestions to use in my classroom!!

So, there it is ~ my November Currently! Head on over to Oh' Boy 4th Grade to link up! Just remember Farley's rule of 3: comment on the one or two ahead of your link and then come back and comment on the one or two after yours... and be sure to make it meaningful!!!

HAPPY SATURDAY and GO CLEMSON TIGERS!!!

Book Character Day!!

Yesterday was our annual Book Character Parade at my school! Can you guess who I was? 

That's right!!! AMELIA BEDELIA!!! We all had so much fun yesterday marching around the school and showing off our costumes! Did your school do anything fun yesterday involving costumes? :)

Elements of a Story & Estimation!

So yesterday my class made their first estimation on the Halloween jar of candy that I brought to school! You can read the post about my Halloween estimation jars here! Would you believe that one of my students estimated the correct amount of Smarties in the jar?!? There were 53, and one of my sweet students estimated 53!! I wish I could have recorded his reaction when I said there were 53 packs of Smarties in the jar!! He literally jumped up and down and screamed, "I WON"!!! It was priceless! I am going to do these for Thanksgiving and Christmas too! The kids love it, and it is an inexpensive way to encourage math skills like estimation! I absolutely love my job! :) I can't wait to do the jar of Tootsie Rolls today and the jar of candy corn tomorrow! 

We are also studying elements of a story this week that will lead into the impact of characterization and conflict on plot later on in the week. Here is a graphic organizer (2 per page) that I created last night for my students to fill in during independent reading today. You can download it for FREE by clicking on the picture below! Hope everyone has an awesome day! :) 

Halloween Estimation Jars!!

I always try to think of some fun, creative classroom activities for my students this time of year! My school is having a Book Character Parade on Wednesday. The students and teachers can dress up as their favorite book character! I am really excited about this, and my students ALWAYS get excited about it! This year I am going as.....AMELIA BEDELIA!!! I'm so excited! I will definitely post a picture after the parade on Wednesday! :) 

A new activity I am doing this year is estimation jars with my students! We are doing one on Monday, one on Tuesday, and one on Wednesday! My jar for Monday has smarties in it. The jar for Tuesday has tootsie rolls in it, and the jar for Wednesday (Halloween) has candy corn in it! I am going to let my students make 1 estimation in the morning (on a post-it note) for the jar that I have planned for that day. At the end of the day, the student who has the closest estimation without going over will win the jar of candy! :) I'm so excited about this, and I think my students will love it! Here is a picture of my estimation jars (all supplies from Dollar Tree)!!

What fun activities do you have planned for your students this week?!? 

I'm finished!!!

Well, I know it has been a few days since my last post, but....I finished my MASTER'S DEGREE!!! Woo Hoo!! I am so excited! AND, my sweet hubby threw me a surprise celebration party this past Saturday night! Am I lucky or what?!? I have missed blogging oh so much, but I had to finalize and turn in my last few papers! Now that I am done, I am going to be spending A LOT more time on my blog! I have really developed a passion for blogging! I hope you guys enjoy my posts because there are going to be many more in the near future! I know this is a short post, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I am finished! On another note, I am almost finished putting together the story quilt that my students made. I can't wait to post a picture! To read my original post and freebie about the story quilt, click HERE! I hope everyone has had a MARVELOUS MONDAY!!!

A Story Quilt & a FREEBIE!

Hey guys! Well, next week we have a 3 day week with our students! They are out on Thursday and Friday, but we have workdays! :) I'm excited though because my grade level has a field trip on Wednesday, so really we are only planning for TWO days next week! While planning reading this week, I realized I need another major grade for my students this quarter! I consulted with the inclusion teacher who is in my classroom at that time. She is awesome! She found a "story quilt" in one of her reading resource books. Well, an idea hit us! We decided that next week, our students are going to create a main idea "story quilt" piece! I'm so excited about this! Here is the version that I created for my students complete next week! 

Basically, each student will choose a book they have read recently and design a story quilt piece! They will write the title, author, main idea, and 4 supporting details. Then, they will decorate their quilt piece to represent their book! After they complete their quilt piece, I am going to mount them on colored paper, laminate them, and create a STORY QUILT in our hallway to mimic a real quilt that would be sewn together! I am so excited about this! I can't wait to post pictures next week when my kids finish and I put together our quilt! 

All you have to do to download the story quilt above for FREE is click on the picture above! I hope someone else can use this idea too! If you do decide to do this in your class, please send me a picture of your finished quilt to polkadotsnpencils@yahoo.com! I would love to see this document being used! Hope everyone has a FABULOUS FRIDAY! :) 

Product SWAP!!

Can you tell I am just a little bit excited?!? I have been looking forward to this post ALL WEEK! Reason number 1 I am so excited is because I have a great partner I get to swap with today! I had the pleasure of swapping products with Liliris from Fourth Grade Garden!!! She is a 4th grade teacher with one awesome blog! If you have never visited her blog before, please click on the link above or her button below and go check her out!

Reason number 2 I am so excited is because I get to review this awesome product! The product I am blogging about today is her Number of the Week Daily Math Routine. Let me just tell you, this packet is AWESOME! I have had so much fun printing it and laminating it! It is so pretty! You are probably laughing at me, but I love pretty things for my classroom!!! AND this packet is not just pretty, it is a great way to have your students working with numbers EVERY DAY in your classroom! I LOVE some math so this was just perfect for my classroom! You hang a number of the week in your classroom and students complete a different worksheet each day using the number! Let me show you some pictures so you can see for yourself why this packet is fun and exciting!

First, there are FIVE, yes FIVE, designs to choose from for your main "Number of the Week" poster. The one I chose is very colorful. Here is a picture of it all laminated and ready to go!

Of course I had to pick the most colorful one!! :) Here are the other designs that are included in the packet.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them ALL!! <3

This packet also comes with 20 pages of numbers going from tens to ten thousands place! All you have to do is laminate them and cut them out! There is also a page where you can write in your own numbers! I stuck some velcro dots on my numbers and poster so they would be easy to interchange. Here are 2 pictures of how the poster looks with the numbers hanging on it! 

Don't they just look great?!? Now, here are the different daily worksheets students complete with the number of the week, and YES, there is a blank sheet for you to create your own!

I think this packet is a great way to review number sense with your students throughout the whole year! Some of the skills included are expanded form, written form, base ten blocks, rounding, ordering, number line, place value, odd, even, and fact families! This is a great spiral review tool to use throughout the whole year!!

Please go check out my friend Liliris from Fourth Grade Garden! You will be glad you did! :)

Awesome Giveaways & New Flipcharts (PDFs)!!!

Hey guys! One of my friends Bridget from Little Lovely Leaders is having a 500 Follower Giveaway! There are OVER 30 items to win!!! Head on over to her blog and check it out!!!

I also have another friend Jeannie who just started her blog The 2nd Grade Surprise! She is also having a giveaway! Please go and check her out! She is a very talented teacher and you will LOVE reading her blog!!! :) 

Now, I have been busy making some flip charts that I want to share with everyone! First, I have a Decimals Flip Chart that introduces decimals through the tenths and hundredths. Here is the preview: 

Just click on the preview above to head over to my TpT Store to check it out! 

I also just created a Multiplication Strategies & Tricks Flip Chart! It is a GREAT way to introduce multiplication facts to your students! It includes lots of great strategies and tricks to use for multiplication facts!!! Here is the preview: 

Just click on either of the photos above to head on over to my TpT Store to check it out!!!

If you do not have ActivInspire or can't use Flip Charts, you can also get these files in a PDF!!! If you would rather get the PDF form, just e-mail me at polkadotsnpencils@yahoo.com and I will send you the file after payment! :) 

Awesome Giveaway!!!

Hey friends!! So, my friend Natalie (a fellow blogger from SC!!!) is having an awesome giveaway that I just happen to be a part of!!! WOO HOO!!! She is having a different giveaway each day! Isn't that awesome?!? Just click on her adorable blog button below to head over and enter! I am giving away a $10 shopping spree to my TpT Store!!! :) Friday is almost here!!! :) 

Homework Woes!

So, how many of you have that same problem every year with kids NOT wanting to do their homework?!? Last year, I used a Homework BINGO chart where the kids got to sign their name in 1 square each time they completed all of their homework. When the chart filled up, I drew 3-4 names, and those students got to go into my prize box! Well, since I looped up with my class this year, they were getting kind of tired of this. Sooo, I decided to try something new! 

One of my colleagues told me about some cards she found in her room called "Homework Express". Thank you Miss Leon! Basically, the kids each get a card that they are responsible for. Each day they complete their homework, they get one punch in the card (using a single hole punch). When they get 10 punches, they get to go into her treat box! I just thought this was a fabulous idea so I decided I had to try it with my 4th graders!! So far, it has been a great success! No one has gotten to go to the treat box yet, but they are super pumped about it! I have had more students bringing in their homework since I started the "Homework Punch" as I am calling it! 

Since this has been going so great for me, I decided I just had to share my "Homework Punch" cards with my friends!! So here it is! All you have to do is click on the picture below to go download it from my TpT Store for FREE!!! I printed mine out on bright, colored card stock, and they turned out looking super cute! I hope another teacher out there will find this as useful as I have! 

I hope everyone had a fabulous Monday! Happy Teaching! :) 

And the WINNER is.......

And the WINNER is.......

Congratulations KATIE S!!!! An e-mail is coming your way! Thank you all for participating and supporting my blogging efforts!!! I hope everyone has had an awesome week! :)

20,000 Page Views GIVEAWAY!!!!

That's right friends! It is time for another giveaway!!! :) YAY!!! Some of my awesome bloggy friends have once again donated some AWESOME prizes! I am one lucky bloggy girl to have such great friends!!! :) Here are the prizes: 

Journey of a Substitute Teacher is giving away any one item from her TpT store!!!

It's Elementary is giving away any one item from her TpT store!!!

A Special Kind of Class is giving away any one item from her TpT store!!!

Teacher Idea Factory is giving away any one item from her TpT store!!!

The Reading Olympians are giving away their Greek and Latin Root Program!!!

Ginger Snaps is giving away any one item from her TpT store!!!

Second Grade Spin is giving away her new School Themed Clipart!!!

I am also giving away a $10 shopping spree to my TpT store AND a $10 Starbucks gift card!!!

WOW!!! Isn't all this stuff AWESOME?!? Now, go and use the Rafflecopter to enter!!! :) 

You guys are awesome, and I can't wait to pick a winner!!! :) 

One last thing to celebrate! I am having a 20% off sale in my TpT Store until Wednesday, September 19 just to celebrate and say THANK YOU to all my followers!! :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SC Blogger Meet Up!!!

I'm on my way to the SC Blogger Meet Up!! I can't wait to meet some fabulous ladies today!! I will post pictures later!! :) Look for my 20,000 Page View Giveaway in the morning!! I know it is a day late, but better late than never right?!? Happy Saturday friends!!

20,000 Views Giveaway Coming Soon!!!

BIG NEWS!!! Sometime this weekend, I reached 20,000 page views!! WOW!!! So, I have to celebrate with you, my awesome followers!!! My wonderful bloggy friends have once again donated some AWESOME prizes to help me celebrate this milestone!!! My last giveaway was a great event, so I am super excited to do this giveaway too! It should be posted by this coming Saturday! Be on the lookout!!! :) :)

Attention/Silence Signal & Brain Breaks!

Wow! I am pooped after this week of school! I know it has been a good week in my classroom when I am tired on Friday! :) I am wondering how everyone elses school year is going...I would love to hear about your school year so far! Comment below and let me know!

So, as most of you know, I looped up with my class this year from 3rd to 4th!!! I LOVE it!!!! I mean seriously, if you get the chance, you should do it! :) I have kept most of my procedures in place for this year so my students already knew what to expect walking in the doors. However, I have seen some AWESOME stuff on Pinterest and other blogs that makes me want to spice things up a bit! I am looking at finding a simple attention signal to use in my classroom! I always like to give my students a signal to tell them I need their attention! I want something that is fast and wastes little to no instructional time. In the past I have used repeated clapping signals and finger snaps. I have a found a few tools online that I am thinking about to spice things up a bit!!!

I think this "Woodstock Percussion Zenergy Chime" I found on Amazon.com would be an awesome way to get my students attention!!!

I also really like this "No Yell Bell" I found at Learning Resources! How cool is this?!? It plays different sounds to get students' attention!!!

Now, after looking at many different websites and blogs, I do think this "No Yell Bell" really suits me better than the chimes. Don't get me wrong, I love the chimes too!!! BUT, I am a vocal, rambunctious teacher SO I figured this is more my personality! :) What are some quiet signals you guys use?!? I would love to hear about them! :) 

I have also been seeing tons of "Brain Breaks" on Pinterest and on other blogs! I am super interested in this! I think I might just make some myself for my classroom! I would love some input from you guys though! What are some brain breaks that work in your classroom? We do the Wiggle Dance a lot in my classroom. You would think that 4th graders would think this is too "elementary" for them, but my 4th graders LOVE it! They love to wiggle around and laugh! :) I am also working on another giveaway to celebrate almost 20,000 page views!!! How crazy is that?!? I just love blogging and sharing all the fun we have in my classroom! :) Happy Saturday friends!!!