Cinco De Mayo Festivities, Monthly $25 TpT Gift Card Giveaway, and BIG TpT sale!

Today was an amazing day of learning as we celebrated learning - Cinco de Mayo style!   I had already shared a few things we had done last week including measurement poke cards and sombreros. Here are a few more things we did today to honor Mexican culture:

We made pinata bags to hold some goodies from our afternoon fiesta. Many of the students brought some yummy Mexican foods and candies to share with the class.  (Of course I forgot to take pics as I was dishing up the goodies)!  Our overwhelming favorite thing was the homemade horchata made by one of the moms - yummy!

Before the party we did a fun little Reader's Theater from Deb Hanson.

We learned lots of interesting facts - Did you know that Mexico City is sinking?  Or that the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebration is in Los Angeles? Or that they have a chihuahua contest in Arizona on Cinco de Mayo?

We also used some of the activities in Teach from the HeART's Cinco de Mayo Crafts and Printables Pack



And this Cinco de Mayo Math Scoot from Teacher's Desk 6 which was a great review!

And unless you live under a rock, you know that today and tomorrow is the big Teacher Appreciation sale at Teachers Pay Teachers!  I am participating and all items in my store have been marked down.  Combine that with the site discount and you can save 28% on any items.  Remember to use Code TPTXO. Time to clear out your wish list - I know I will be!

And now that you've made it through this epic post, it is time to enter my once a month $25 TpT gift card giveaway that I have as a special thank you for following!  Maybe you can pick up anything extra you missed during the big sale!

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Teacher Appreciation - Giveaway and Freebie!

A big thank you to Michelle from 3AM Teacher and Marcy from Simply Sprout Educate for the graphics for the giveaway header picture!

I am joining with my friend, Amy from Teaching in Blue Jeans to lather on a little bit of Teacher Appreciation in honor of Teacher Appreciation this week. 

She is hosting a BIG giveaway with over 100 participating bloggers! We are all donating our best selling Teachers Pay Teachers items as the grand prize - so you are getting the best of the best!  Many of the bloggers are also participating in a blog hop where we share how we use these products, and you just might find a freebie or two along the way!

Why are we doing this?  Because we know as teachers how AMAZING all of you are and we want to share a little love!

I am giving away the number one seller in my TpT store My Third Grade Math Journal.

My math journals are written using the MESS model for problem solving.  You can see the anchor chart we use below which explains it a little better.

As you can see from the anchor chart the MESS acronym stands for:

M - Model

E - Equation

S- Solution

S- Sentence

The students learn to use the acronym to help them set up a written response to a math problem so that they not only know where to start, but also all of the parts to include.  It is really easy to remember and they LOVE the idea of being encouraged to "Make a Mess".

I started my students off with the anchor chart above, then gave them my math journals which are set up using this method, and include 4 math prompts for each standard.  I print out the ones that my students need to work on most and place them in a folder for math journal time.

This student started to divide the given numbers (963/10) but then raised her hand and asked if she could round first.  I told her, "Try it!" 

The students become better and better at writing responses as we share methods and responses throughout the year.  Towards the end of the year in preparation for testing, I start giving them prompts without the model to guide them.  After working with the MESS model all year, they know what to do, and are better prepared. I really emphasize perseverance and trying things out before raising their hands to ask for help.  I compare it to a video game.  I say, "If you don't pass a level on a video game, you don't call me up and ask for help, you try something different, you persevere until you figure it out.  That is exactly what mathematicians do!"

They now beg to do problem solving.  Here is a sample of an extra problem I used with them this year.

This problem was not from my Math Journals, but I prettied it up and made it available as a freebie in my TPT store.

  You can download it here.

And after you have downloaded your freebie and entered the contest, be sure to check out all of the other amazing stops!  Again, thank you for all you do!

Continue on The Best for the Best Teacher Appreciation Blog Hop by clicking the picture below.

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Measurement Conversion Fans FREEBIE

We are currently working on measurement conversions in math.  Here is a measurement conversion fan we have been trying in our class.

I found this amazing freebie from Kim Miller on Teachers Pay Teachers.  I printed a few out and used them with my small groups.  I used a binder ring instead of a brass brad to hold them together.

They list the conversions for both standard and metric measurements and have really helped my students master the concepts.

We also used them cooperatively which helped increase student learning!

Currently May 2014 and a Giveaway!

May is here!  Yeah!  Last month of school and then time for a much needed vacation!  Time to link up with Farley for Currently!

I am listening to Phineas and Ferb in the background - they boys love that show.

I am loving the Starbuck's Chai I am sipping as I write this post - I am seriously addicted!  

I am thinking about all the things I have to do this weekend:

• baseball pictures - Luke
• baseball game  -Tyler
• cleaning the house
• shopping
• haircuts for boys
• new work shoes for hubby
• planning for next week

Calgon take me away!  I seriously need a time genie to give me just a little more time!

I need  to go to Staples - they are having some awesome sales - particularly on grading pens and dry erase markers.  I didn't want to buy anymore dry erase markers for the year, but we are down to 14 and I have 21 students - it causes problems.  I might get a jump start on next year's supply shopping as well.  I swear the kids eat dry erase markers!

My surprise shout out is to Alison from Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin'!  She has got to be one of the sweetest bloggers around, and she leaves the best feedback!  Sometimes you feel like you are blogging to yourself when you get the silence of crickets, but she always makes me feel appreciated!


Stop by and show her some comment love!

And now for the giveaway!

I am joining with Table Talk With C&C for a great big giveaway to celebrate 1,000 Instagram followers - Woo Hoo!  I am donating a Winner's Choice from my store, and there are tons of other prizes, so head over and enter!

Five For Friday May 2, 2014

I have survived the week AFTER Spring Break.  One of my co-workers made an off-hand comment about the Tuesday after Spring Break being the most exhausting day of the year.  Thinking back to all of those first days of school exhaustion - I disagreed - and that night it hit me.  SHEER EXHAUSTION.  Seriously, every night this week I came home and collapsed - which explains my lack of blogging and my three half finished TpT products.  Oh well, the week is over - and it is time for Five For Friday with Doodle Bugs Teaching! Here are a few things that tuckered me out this week.

I started my week with a pick me up treat from Starbuck's and a little shameless begging asking for some stir sticks for these poke cards.

The students convert measurements (this little guy is using our measurement conversion "cheat cards" which I blogged about here), and then look for the answer on the card.

They poke the Starbuck's stirrer through and see if they got the correct answer (if it is circled).

They collect as many cards as they can.  This one likes keeping her correct cards on her stirrer. 

These poke cards are also in my Cinco de Mayo packet.

Tuesday after school I had the last rehearsal with my drama club before their performance on Wednesday of their Spring play - The Lost Treasure.

I teach drama club to 5th and 6th graders at the school next door.  Here is a cast shot.

And a selfie fail!

Here is a picture of Cody before Wednesday's performance.  He is with the girl who was the main pirate  - he was her sidekick in the play.  She had to hit him several times in the play and I think she secretly loved it.  She MAY have gotten a little too into character! LOL!

Here is Tyler in his costume.  He had to fill in at the last minute for a sick student (what a trooper!).

We made sombreros to decorate for our upcoming Cinco de Mayo Fiesta on Monday!  We are so looking forward to it!  We have been using Cinco de Mayo centers, researching Mexico, and creating Mexican inspired art.

And the final products

And we wrapped up the week with a fun new version of Scoot I made up on the fly this afternoon.  Musical Chairs Scoot!  

We used these cards (area model multiplication).  I placed them around the room on the tables, but the catch was that I had more students than cards!

So... I played some music.  When the music stopped, they found a card as fast as they could.

If they didn't find a card, they checked their work or finished unfinished problems.

If they found a card, they solved the problem.

And I would love to say that I am off to rest, but... I am off to the Spring Carnival at Cody's school tonight!  Wish me luck!  Have a great weekend!