Open House

Open House is the week we return from Spring Break. We had a weird week with testing, programs, etc...so I decided we would just work on our Math Projects for Open House this week. :) I did a different project with each class and was very please with the final product. Now lets just hope it still looks like this when the parents come. :)

*I apologize for the pictures being blurry...They're from my phone :/

My Block 1 did a Symmetry Project. I took their school pictures and blew them up. Each kid had to find the center and draw a vertical line (line of symmetry) Then they had to measure to accurately draw their other half. They had so much fun and I loved seeing what great artists I had. :)

Block 2 did a Clock Project. This clock was my inspiration. 

I had the kids create a clock using examples of math. The only requirement was that the answer had to equal the correct number (and placement) on the clock. I think they turned out soooo cute!

My Block 3 did a fraction activity. I gave them a story about a rock band. Throughout the story were descriptions of the band mates using fractions. They had to create their band using these descriptions. Again, I was so impressed at some of their artistic abilities. 

My Therapy

Music is my therapy.
Praise the LORD Chris Tomlin decided to release his new album on the VERY day I needed it more than ever!!! Burning Lights. It's pretty much amazing...

You hear me when I call,, You are my morning song

Though darkness fills the night, it cannot hide the light

Whom shall I fear

You crush the enemy, underneath my feet

You are my sword and shield, though trouble lingers still

Whom shall I fear

I know who goes before me - I know who stands behind

The God of Angel Armies is always by my side

The One who reigns forever - He is a friend of mine

The God of Angel Armies is always by my side

My strength is in your name

For you alone can save

You will deliver me

Yours is the victory

Whom shall I fear

Nothing formed against me shall stand

You hold the whole world in Your hands

I'm holding onto Your promises

You are faithful.

Snowflakes

We did this today at our Winter Party and the kids really enjoyed it! I encourage everyone to do this when the return in January!!!

Free TpT Products!

Ok...ready for a little bribery?!? Hehe.
My niece Harper has been entered in a little contest.

You can also find adorable Harper pictures here, here, here and here!!!

It's a small contest based out of my hometown and the winner gets a free photography session and a big canvas print!! There aren't very many kids in this contest (25-30) and she's at the top. So...being the great aunt I am, I am bribing my followers to vote for my niece in exchange for any product you'd like from my TpT store FOR FREE!!!

Here's how it works:

You can vote today-December 10th one time a day. Each day you vote, leave a comment what number vote you were and also what product you'd want to use in your classroom. **Make sure you install the app if you are voting from your phone. It doesn't do anything scary...it's just the webpage the voting opens on. Make sure you click the word VOTE. If it worked correctly you will see the current number go up one showing it counted your vote. :)

If you're not a teacher and could care less about the prizes...well, I'll just have to thank you from the bottom of my heart. :)

VOTE HERE!!!!

TpT Items

I finally jumped on the TpT train. And to clarify, I've been on the browsing and downloading train, I've just started uploading my stuff. I started going through my files at school and had a ton of stuff, but figured they looked a little boring compared to TpT standards. Ha! So this weekend, I katie-fied them and added some spunk. Thanks to Kevin and Amanda with their awesome fonts and a handful of other people with their awesome graphics, I think I'm set.

Without further ado...

Tweets in the Classroom. You can read about how I used this in real life HERE

Mean, Median, Mode and Range Review.

Big XII Football.

This is always a big hit. I do a huge display in the hall and we keep a graph of football wins for the week. Then the kids get to find the MMMR each week. We love football in this neck of the woods!

and finally...

This is an activity going along with the book "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by Judi Barrett. My 5th graders love it. Anytime you can mix a fun picture book into a math lesson...you know the kids will love it! :)

Hope you can check out some of my stuff! I'm busy getting more together...so stay tuned. :)

Aunt Katie x3

I was looking through my blog today and realized I've gone all teacher for the last 6-9 months. While that's wonderful and all...this blog did not start out being a teacher only blog. I remember one of my very first posts said it would be about my family, recipes, great deals I've found, teaching...and anything else I found interesting. I use this blog as a place to log things important to me and to be a resource for great ideas.

That being said...one of the things that makes me happiest is being an Aunt. Since my last "Aunt Katie" post we've had an addition. Little Hudson Wayne. :) He is so precious!! ...And I can barely wait until the holidays so I can get my hands on all three of these little babies!

...And now for a little Ella Kate and Harper. :)

These three make my heart SO HAPPY!!!

Venting

Teachers! Have you ever felt defeated at school?  Like to the point that teaching can barely even happen because behavior is so off the chain!?!?

Parents! Please help me out!!!!

Why is stupid recess more important than learning?
Why is football practice a bigger priority than doing homework?
Why are you doing their homework for them?
Why is your child always telling the truth and the teacher is lying?
Why in the world does your child have the audacity to speak to an adult (much less their teacher) with SUCH disrespect?!?!
Parents, why is it ok to speak to your child's teacher with such disrespect?

I could go on...but I'll spare you.

I just don't get it. It was never a thought in my head to speak to my teachers in the way these kids do. AND if I got in trouble at school...you better believe I got in trouble at home. There was no such thing as believing me over the teacher. My parents defended our teachers no matter what...not talk bad about them in front of us. I've never experienced anything like it. Kind of just makes teachers want to throw my hands up in defeat. It seems as though parents could care less that there child HAS TO pass state tests to go onto the next grade level...I just don't know what to do anymore, because like I said...I don't get it! Please tell me I'm not the only one!?!?!?!?!