I'm such an absentee blogger... =(

Am I the only one who's feeling overwhelmed this school year?  I feel like lately it's all I can do to stay caught up.  When I get finally get home, get a few things picked up around the house, get supper going, and have a few minutes to chill, I get completely caught up in blog surfing.  There are so many amazing teaching bloggers out there, I wonder what teaching today would be like if we didn't have the ability to communicate with so many amazing educators all over the globe.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who can look around their classroom and see inspiration from so many different teachers out there!  I'm going to set a new goal for myself to get back to blogging more regularly, and hopefully I will reach that goal.  We have definitely been busy in our classroom.  We've been working on finishing up our unit of study on the Puritans.  Man were my third graders amazed at some of the punishments they used back in colonial times!  I have a poster I always take out during this unit that is made to look like an old historic document that shows a lot of the different punishments that were used as well as how someone could get punished that way.  Each day that it's been up on the front board I've had multiple students that love to just stand there and examine it, it's so funny!
 I FINALLY got around to taking some pictures of the Wampanoag Daily Life books that they created at the end of our unit on the Wapanoag people of Massachusetts.  They really did a nice job.  I try to always fit in an assortment of assessments, and during my science and social studies block four of my students are inclusion with intense special needs children.  These types of activities make it possible for them to participate and get so much more out of the lesson than they would if we were just reading from the textbook and answering questions on paper.  They really worked hard on them, and they were very proud of themselves. =)  Here are some highlights:

 

The pictures in the last row of the photo are from one of my special needs students.  He really did a great job demonstrating what he learned, and it would have been so much more difficult for him if he just had to take a test.  For this project they were focusing on the Wampanoag people's winter and summer homes, clothing, tools, jobs of men, jobs of women, and jobs of children, as well as foods they ate.  They all did a great job!

We have also moved into our fractions unit recently.  They are really seeming to grasp the concepts which I love, especially since I wasn't a fan of fractions when I was a kid!  There are so many great resources out there for lessons, but I wanted a little something more to add to my math workstations.  I put together a March/St. Patrick's Day themed activity pack for my students to use during their math rotations.  We're still working hard on becoming fluent with our multiplication facts, so I had to include a bump style game for them to practice with.  I also really need to increase their stamina with multi-step problem solving, so I created a board game that has twenty-four different word problems for them to work on while playing with a partner.  I've also included two different practice activities with input/output tables.  The rules are focusing on multiplication and division facts, and I just print these and slide them into page protectors for them to practice with.  I have them pass in the sheet in the protector before they wipe it clean so that I can see their work and know if they made any mistakes or are not understanding the concepts.  I included a page that I also put into a page protector that has them working on ordering numbers in order from least to greatest.  We seem to slip in some of our skills from the beginning of the year, so I want to spiral whenever possible.  Finally, I made a fraction match up where they are sorting the picture, number, and word forms of fractions.  This could also be used as a memory game it's up to you.  Here's a peak at it:

You can check it out now in my TpT shop...and if you click on the preview you'll find a little goodie ;)  Have a great weekend! 

~Heather~

I've been busy...

Time seems to keep slipping by on me.  It's already February, and vacation will shortly be upon us.  I can't say that I'm not excited about having a break, that's for sure!  Along with keeping up with the normal day to day classroom tasks, I've been working hard on getting some more activities put together for my students to use during math workstations.  We still need lots of practice with our multiplication facts, and multi-step problem solving as well.  I created my Penguin Comparisons for my third graders to practice both of these skills at once.  I love how cute it turned out!

Over the weekend there were some pretty incredible sales going on over at TpT...did you all stock up?  I ended up checking out-twice!  Just don't tell the hubby! ;)  Along with my fabulous TpT purchases I took advantage of the awesome sale that KPM Doodles is having until the 14th- 50% off!  Can we say yes please?  As soon as I saw her Valentine Monsters I had to have them.  Then it came time to decide what to make with them.  My son was a great inspiration with this one.  He suggested making a game where the students have to use a code to determine what math problems they would be solving, and voila!  Creature Code Multiplication Monsters were born!

I love all of her graphics, they are seriously adorable! Both of these games are up in my TpT store if you're interested, and only $2 a piece!  I'd love to hear if your students enjoy them as much as mine.  What's your favorite way to practice multiplication facts with your students?
The other project I was working on was giving my Contractions Hearts Mini Pack a facelift.  I've updated the graphics, as well as added a contractions memory game for additional practice.

 

Well, that is definitely all for now...it's time for bed!  Have a great rest of the week!

~Heather~

Today was a sad day...

It's the little things in life, right?  So imagine my dismay this morning when one of my girls asked me to sharpen her pencil.  No big deal you're probably thinking...my reply to her was "Sure, bring it to me and I'll sharpen it for you."  She went across the room to my desk where my world's best sharpener from Classroomfriendlysupplies.com is ALWAYS located in the SAME spot on my desk.  "It's not here..."  To which I replied "What do you mean it's not there?   It should be right there on the left side of the desk."  Needless to say, this led to a whole class search where all my students were looking in every nook and cranny trying to hunt down our favorite sharpener.  I was out sick all week last week and during that time my tape dispenser AND my stapler disappeared.  I assumed that one of the subs must have accidentally packed them away with their belongings unknowingly...either that or there's a hot monopoly for stolen staplers and tape dispensers.  It's very frustrating to be having things disappear from off of my desk.  I know that in the grand scheme of things these aren't the most expensive items, but these things add up.  I hate to think that there may be a student in class stealing things.  I sent home a newsletter and mentioned that some things have gone missing, perhaps brought home by accident, and if seen please send them back to school.  The only other alternative that I can think of is that one of the night cleaning staff may have taken them.  I can't for the life of me figure out why they'd want them...maybe they want to play school at home?  Anyway, at least I'm not alone in my sadness over the loss of my sharpener.  One of my boys came up to me towards the end of the day and said "I miss your sharpener already, that's the only one that ever really works."  Who knows, maybe tomorrow we will be pleasantly surprised and they will be returned...one can hope anyway.  On a different note, I also think that I deserve a medal for my restraint this afternoon.  Another one of my girls came up to me at the end of the day and asked if I would like to hear a joke.  Seeing as they are eight and nine years old their jokes are usually safe.  She proceeded to ask the following:  "How do you tell a boy snowman and a girl snowman apart?"  At this point in my mind I was thinking "Oh boy, here we go...how do I get out of this one?"  My reply was "I have absolutely no idea."  "If it's a boy snowman it has snow-balls!"  And yes, she was most definitely referring to a certain part of human anatomy.  I maintained a straight face and said "That is not the type of joke that is appropriate for telling in school.  Please don't repeat that to anyone else."  Her response?  "But my mom told me that one."  Oy...These are the moments that led me to select the name for my blog! Have a great night! =)
~Heather~

Brrr!!!! New product, and a giveaway!

Baby it's cold outside!  Here comes another round of bitter cold in New England, and with it some more snow.  I will definitely not be sad if we end up with a snow day, as I am recuperating from a nasty cold and strep.  After getting a second antibiotic I am finally starting to feel more like my old self.  (Finally!)  I have thoroughly enjoyed my day off in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  My favorite quote by Dr. King is "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."  How true this is for so many situations in life.  Along with cuddling on the couch with my pup and watching an NCIS marathon (love NCIS!), I put together a valentine themed multiplication facts practice game: Purrr-fect Products-Multiplication Facts Practice for my third graders.  I included all facts from the 1's to the 12's.  I think it's important for our third graders to work on the 11's and 12's even though they do not have to master them by the end of third grade.  Each year though I have some students who really seem to absorb their facts quickly, so the 11's and 12's are a great extension for them.  We will be using these flash cards in our math workshop rotations.  I will be able to easily differentiate which facts my students are working on.  I will simply put selected sets of facts in certain groups, that way my students will be working on the facts that are at their current levels.  They'll be using these cards in a couple different ways.  One way will be to match the fact card to its correct product card.  They will also be playing multiplication memory with the cards as well.  Towards the end of the week when they've had a chance to become very familiar with their current level of facts they can even take turns quizzing each other with the flash cards.  

  

I showed my fourth grade son the set when I was looking at it, and he thought it was adorable...I have to agree! =)  I love the graphics from mycutegraphics.com  She's great!

Seeing as I haven't been very regular lately with blogging, I'd love to give away a few sets of my Purrr-fect Products-Multiplication Facts Practice!  I will send a free set to the first 4 followers who comment and leave their email address! =) 

Still here...

Man, I feel like I haven't posted in forever...because I pretty much haven't!  I'm sure I'm not the only one who by the time the day is done and reorganized, I'm finally heading home exhausted.  This year I am really trying to focus on making sure that I spend more time with my family, they are my number one priority first and foremost.  I went back to school after Christmas break feeling pretty refreshed and rejuvenated...and it lasted for a little while seeing as it was a three day school week last week.  This week is our first full week back since vacation and it has been BRUTAL.  On top of being so tired I am now coming down with some kind of bug...fingers crossed it won't end up being the nasty flu that seems to be everywhere right now. (I'm thinking it's just a nasty cold thankfully.)  Even being so tired and worn down I have to say I love my group of kids this year.  Each day there is something new that they come out with that makes me laugh and appreciate their unique and precious personalities.  Just today one of my ESL girls randomly came up to me, gave me a hug, and said "I love to be near Mrs. Michaud, she makes me feel like home." <3  And that right there folks is why I do what I do.  I think that it's so easy for us to get caught up in all of the day to day stresses that we all face, and we often forget where our students come from, and what they go home to each night.  I am very thankful that I get to be a bright part of their day each week, because they definitely make mine brighter. <3

~Heather~

Connecticut...

Words cannot express how overwhelmed with sadness I am for the children and families of Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Thoughts and prayers for their entire community...

Christmas is coming...

I absolutely love this time of year!  Excitement is always in the air, and my children get so excited to put up our tree!  We went this evening to pick out our tree for this Christmas and their faces just lit up, even our twelve year old.  I love that he's still into the magic of the holidays.  I'm thinking we're going to have to leave the tree without decorations on it for a couple of days, because the pup is very interested in it.  Last year was our first Christmas with him, so this year he's much more curious about it.  I'm thinking that after a day or two it will be old news and he'll leave it alone so I can decorate it hopefully! =)  This time of year tends to get crazy in the classroom, so I'm preparing in advance.  I'm hoping to harness some of my students' energy into some practice with essential math skills that some are still struggling with.  In our third grade common core standards we cover rounding to the nearest ten and hundred, which some of us are still struggling to grasp.  I created two more workstation center games for them to have some extra practice with, and I'm hoping this will help drive rounding home for these kiddos.

 Don't you just love these adorable graphics from the 3AM Teacher?  As soon as I saw them I knew I had to purchase them...I love her graphics! =)  If you are interested in these common core math workstation games you can check them out in my TpT store by clicking the picture above.