Back to School Freebie

 

Back to School Activities

It's been a couple of weeks since I've linked up with Manic Monday.  Summer is flying by and I can't believe its already July! This packet has three beginning of the year activities.  I teach third grade, but it could be used for any grade.

1. "Find Someone Who..." Students will talk with classmates to find out if they fit into any of the categories listed below. 
2. Students will brainstorm a list words related to school that begin with each letter of the alphabet.
3. Students will write about their summer vacation.

 

 

Click here to download this back to school freebie. 

Monday Made It...a day late

Personalized Back to School Postcards

This postcard is the perfect way to reach out and make a connection with your students before school begins. Your students will love getting mail from their soon-to-be teacher!

I sent this postcard to my students before school started last year. I took this document to my local print shop and asked them to print it double sided to look like a postcard. This document includes the front and the back of the postcard.  There are 24 different designs included. I can personalize the postcards as well. Just email me at bmarsh@bcps.org with which design and your name or grade you would like on the postcard. 

 

You can purchase this product from my TpT store for $4.00.

 

 

 

There are tons of other cute ideas on Monday Made It.  Here are a couple that I want to try.

Chalkboard Paint Buckets

I love this idea from Fourth Grade Frolics.  She got buckets from home depot and painted the middle of them with chalkboard paint.  Very cute!

 

Glitter Magnets

 

This idea was from The Creative Apple.  You can add magnets to them and use for anything in the classroom.  They also look really fun to make!



 

DIY Throw Pillows

 

The Teacher Life made really cute throw pills using fun designs.  She got the pillow covers from Hobby Lobby.  Looks like a cheap and creative idea!

 

 

Crate Seats

I've always wanted to make crate seats, but I've never gotten around to it.  I'm thinking that summer is a great time to check this one off my list.  I found a great tutorial at Fourth Grade Frolics.  Check it out.

 

Bloglovin

 

I know you've heard a few times about Google Reader ending July 1st.   As of July 1st, all of your access to all the blogs that your follow go away.  There are a ton of blog posts on how to join.  It's super easy.  Create an account, click on import blogs, you're good to go.

 

Head on over to Tori's Teacher Tips to link your Bloglovin page up to her awesome linky party!

 

 





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Monday Made It

I'm excited to link up with Tara's Monday Made It at 4th Grade Frolics.  I LOVE anything crafty and always check out the Monday Made It linky.  I'm finally linking up. 

Last summer my nieces and I got into beading and making bracelets using the flexible Stretch Magic cording.  One after another seemed to break, so I looked into making bracelets with a clasp.  It was super easy (took about 5 to 10 minutes each) and turned out really cute.  I used a tutorial on Michael's website to get started. 

 

 

Here are some of the finished products:

 

 

Here are the steps to get started:

 

 

 

Back to School Freebie

This week my Manic Monday freebie is a beginning of the year activity pack.   There are three different activities in this freebie.

1st page

"Find Someone Who..." Students will talk with classmates to find out if they fit into any of the categories listed below.

 

 

 

2nd page

Students will brainstorm a list words related to school that begin with each letter of the alphabet.

 

3rd page

Students will write about their summer vacation.  There is also a space for them to draw a picture when they are done.

 

Click here to download this back to school freebie.

Currently June

It is Farley's Currently time!!  Her currently is so much fun.  You should definitely link up and join in.  

 

 

Listening: 

To all of the sounds on the train.  I went to New York this weekend for one of my best friend's bachelorette parties.  I'm currently on the train back to Baltimore right now.

Loving:

That we only have ten days of school left.  It has been SO HOT lately and I don't have AC in my classroom.  Talk about a long hot day!

Thinking:

About how much fun I had this weekend.  I got to see some old college friends that I haven't seen for awhile. 

 

 
Wanting:

My new Erin Condren lesson plan to come in.  I jumped on the bandwagon and I am so excited to start organizing!

 

Needing:

To start working on report cards.  I hate waiting until the last minute, but I feel like I JUST did last quarter's report cards.  The end of the year always has so many activities and I really want to get report cards out of the way.

 

 

What will you do differently?

I am linking up with Kim over at Finding Joy in 6th Grade.  This school year is coming to an end, so it's a great time to reflect on how to make next year better.

 

Back to School Postcards and Fraction Benchmarks

Back to School Postcards- Freebie!

This postcard is the perfect way to reach out and make a connection with your students before school begins. Your students will love getting mail from their soon-to-be teacher!

I sent this postcard to my students before school started last year. I took this document to my local print shop and asked them to print it double sided to look like a postcard. This document includes the front and the back of the postcard. Click here to download this freebie.  I would LOVE comments as well :)

 

 

 

Back to School Personalized Postcards- Bundle

 

If you like the freebie and you would like to see more, check out my bundle pack of PERSONALIZED postcards.  There are 24 different designs included. I can personalize the postcards as well. Just email me at bmarsh@bcps.org with which design and your name or grade you would like on the postcard.  Click here to view this product.
 



Fraction Benchmark

 

I just finished a fun activity that I am using this week to teach fraction benchmarks.  This is a wonderful resource to help students learn to estimate fractions on a number line.  Students will estimate whether each fraction is closer to 0, 1/2, or 1.  Click here to purchase this activity from my Teachers Notebook store for $2.00.

 

Five for Friday

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday.  It's my first time linking up with this:)

1.  I am very jealous of everyone who is already on summer break!  We go until June 14th, so I still have a litle while left.  The last week of school we have Move Up Day.  My soon-to-be third graders will be able to visit the third grade classrooms.  In preparation for this activity, my students each wrote about one of their favorite third grade memories.  They did a wonderful job and had a lot of fun with it.

2.  I saw a really cute DIY craft on Teacher Madness that I wanted to attempt.  It actually turned out great.  You can see the final picture below.  I ordered the acrylic straw dispenser on Amazon for about $25 including shipping.  Then I used scrapbooking paper to decorate and turn it into a pencil dispenser.  For my final touches, I added some letter stickers to spell out "Pencils".  My students think it is the coolest thing ever! :)

3. I am trying to sort, consolidate, throw away, and organize my gazillions of papers.  I am trying to swap from folders to binders for all of my files.  Here's what I have so far...   You can purchase my organizational binder covers and binder spines from my TpT store by clicking on the links below.

Organizational Binder Covers and Spines- PART 1

Organizational Binder Covers and Spines- PART 2

4. I am VERY excited that I finished working on two major items in my TpT store. 

Common Core Bundle: Reading Strategies Printables & Graphic Organizers

This 67 page product is loaded with printables, graphic organizers, writing responses, and comprehension strategy activities aligned with the CCSS for Literature and Informational Text.

Common Core Standards Nonfiction Text Features Posters

28 pages of non-fiction text features!

5. After hearing all of the stories of survival and tragedy in Moore, Oklahoma, everyone wonders what you can do to help.  Teachers Notebook is raising money and already has over $2,223.17 in products donated so far!  Big love and prayers to everyone affected. 



Freebie and Common Core Bundle

This 67 page product is loaded with printables, graphic organizers, writing responses, and comprehension strategy activities aligned with the CCSS for Literature and Informational Text. These activities are ready to be used with ANY fiction or nonfiction text and can be used many times throughout the year.  This reading comprehension pack includes tons of kid-friendly graphic organizers and posters for reading strategies that you use every day.  They are great to put at literacy stations after being taught whole group, at small group guided reading time, and in writing to help organize ideas.  Here's what is included:

Reading comprehension posters with journal starters for the following skills:

1. Make a prediction
2. Ask a question
3. Clarify something
4. Make a comment
5. Make a connection
6. Make an inference

Before, during, and after reading strategy posters

Organizers for the following skills:

1. Predictions and inferences
2. Character traits
3. Story sequence
4. Fact and opinion
5. Story summary- beginning, middle, end
6. Story Map-characters, setting, problem, solution, theme
7. Retelling- somebody, wanted, so, but, then organizer (with examples)
8. Venn diagram
9. Cause and effect
10. Problem and solution
11. Text features

Non-fiction reading makes up a large part of the new Common Core Balanced Literacy lessons. It is essential that our students can recognize and understand text features.  This packet also contains colorful posters to teach 22 non-fiction text features to teach informational text!

They are broken up into four categories: print features, illustrations, organizational aids, and graphic aids.

1. Print features: table of contents, index, glossary, pronunciation guide, and appendix

2. Illustrations: photos, illustrations, and magnification

3. Organizational aids: bold print, bullets, titles, headings, subheadings, captions, labels, and sidebars

4. Graphic aids: diagrams, graphs, maps, charts, tables, and timelines

Common Core Bundle: Reading Strategies Printables & Graphic Organizers

Click here to download this item from my Teacher's Notebook store for $9.00.

 

Maniac Monday Freebie

 

 

Once again I am linking up with Maniac Mondays at Classroom Freebies.  My freebie this week is 22 pages of my Common Core Bundle: Reading Strategies Printables & Graphic Organizers.  Click on the pictures below to download this freebie.  I would LOVE comments or feedback!