Huge TpT Sale!!

Hi friends!
It's posted everywhere so I am sure that you've heard that tpt is having their BIG sale of the quarter!  It's to celebrate 3, 000, 000 users!  Say what?!  How awesome is that?!

Everything in my store will be 20% off and if you use the code TPT3 at the check out you'll get another 10% that!  So go fill your cart and shop without guilt!  You can't pass up a discount like that!

Happy shopping!  I'm getting ready to go back for round 2...lol!

Natalie

Five for Friday ~ Love Style!

Happy Valentine's Day friends!  I love today!  Not because of the mushy gushy kind of love but because it makes 6 and 7 year olds just so happy!  They are simple blissful as they watch their friends drop little cards into their Valentine's bag!  It is friendship love pure and simple!

Now that being said this week was LLLLOOONNNNGGGGG!   More snow, a horrible cold, report cards, and Valentine's Day all in the same week!  Really?!

Like I said ~ it's been a long week!

I managed to get some pictures so I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday!

This cute craft is from Doodle Bugs herself!

They are adorable and they brighten up my room so

much that you can't help but smile!

This is the magical pile of love that I found on my desk today!

Gotta love them:)

My husband and daughter had this sent to the school today!

It is an edible fruit arrangement!

My kiddos were delighted to share it with me:)

Who can resist chocolate covered strawberries?!

One of my kids brought this yummy treat in today:)

I thought this was such a neat treat that I just had to share!

I don't know what it's called but it's 2 strawberries, 2 marshmallows,

and a 2-bite brownie all drizzled with chocolate.

This one obviously isn't school related but I thought I would

share it anyways:)
My daughter and I love going to our local paint your own

pottery store every once in awhile.
I was so excited when I picked this up yesterday!
The colours help me believe that we really will see

summer again!

That's all there is!  There isn't anymore!

Have a great weekend!   Yippee we get Monday off for Family Day!

~Natalie

I Love Teaching Regrouping!

What's really weird about that is that I hated math when I was in school.  In grade four I had nightmares about being locked in a room with numbers.  Seriously, I woke up screaming for nights on end! I think that's why I try and take the confusion out of math for my kiddos.  It can be terrifying (I know from experience!).  The one good this about being an old experienced teacher is that you have a few tricks up your sleeves.  I have worked hard to break down the steps to teach regrouping so every child can be successful.  It works like a charm:)

So this week we worked on the final 2 steps that we needed to master before actually regrouping.
We've worked with Base 10 blocks but now we're into the nitty gritty of just working with the numbers...dun, dun, dun.

We started by just practicing finding another ten.  You know - just practicing regrouping the numbers.

From there we moved onto regrouping in a place value chart.  This gets the kids ready for how the set up of an actually addition question will look like.  Same thing just a different format.

And finally the day had arrived!  We were actually going to do a regrouping question!  My word the kids love this!  They finally feel like big kids!

I always have them highlight the ones column so that they remember that's where they have to start.

In the beginning, when they add the 2 numbers in the ones column I have them write the answer to the right of the question.  They circle the "1" and carry it over to the attic of the tens house.  They underline the other number and take it to the basement of the ones house.  Now they are ready to add the numbers in tens column.  The steps are very sequential and a bit slow at the beginning but it works:)

Here's a picture of one of my kid's weekly math tracking sheet.  I love this because I can record how the child is doing every day.  This week I have an example of what we are working on so that the parents can use it as a reference.

Tomorrow we are moving on to 2-digit addition with regrouping math centers.  I know they will need a lot of support for the first couple of days but so far they are doing really well.  I am just so proud of them!  What's more important ~ they are feeling really proud of themselves!

Tomorrow's Friday my friends!  The end is near!

Bye for now!
Natalie

Five for Friday

What a crazy week!  My kids were nuts!  And now a weekend filled with writing report cards - ugh!
I managed to get some pics so I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday.

In the spirit of the Olympics each class in our school was given a country and we were asked to decorate our door.  I was given Russia!  Sorry the picture isn't better:(  Since we are the "host" country I wanted it to look good!  My kids really love the "athletes to watch for" pictures.  I'm still not sure they really get it ~ one little boy keeps telling me that the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the Olympics!

We started our letter writing unit this week.  Since we are using "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" as the mentor text I made this cute little anchor chart to help the kids remember the parts of a letter.

When I saw this on Pinterest I just knew I had to do it with my kids!  I was so impressed with how well they did!  Some kids used chalk and some used pastels ~ both worked really well:)

If you are looking for the easier classroom Valentine's Day party then you have to try this!

Party in a Bag!  This is the best idea ever and makes classroom parties a breeze!

Click HERE for a copy of the letter and the instructions.  

 More SNOW!

This is what we woke up to Wednesday morning ~ another 20 cm!

What a winter!

That's all for me!

Thanks for stopping by!  Now I'm off to see what you've been up to!

Bye for now,
Natalie

Aar You Ready to Learn Addition with Regrouping?

So we've started to learn about 2-digit addition with regrouping.  Yippee!  The kids love this because it really feels like "big kid" math.  The multi-steps required to actually complete addition questions like this can be really tricky but I have figured out a way to teach it a little at a time.  I introduce one step at a time and then at the end of the week we have learned all the steps needed to regroup!  I get 100% success every year!

Last week we started with 2-digit addition without regrouping.  I want the kids to get into the habit of starting in the ones column so we always highlight that column.  I made this cute anchor chart to help the kids remember the steps and then we practiced a bit.

Today we started the beginnings of regrouping by practicing "finding another ten".  The kids need to understand that we are just "regrouping" the cubes.  

 Source:  Aar You Ready to Learn Addition with Regrouping?

Slow and steady wins the race!

Stop in tomorrow and I'll show you the next steps:)

Bye for now,

Natalie

You Know You're Old When...

I am so old!  I have been fooling myself if I think otherwise!

You know you're old when...you watch the Bachelor and all you can think of is "Do those girls have gum?" and "Where is their chapstick?"

As my daughter and I snuggled down to watch Juan Pablo whoooo his girlfriends last night I couldn't help but wonder if he chews gum before moving on to his next smooch of the night?   Does he choose who to kiss by the flavour of her lipgloss?

It was so sweet when he wanted Renee to have a dress made while they are in Vietnam but honestly he watched them measure her chest on TV!  I told my daughter that I would suck as a contestant because there is no way I would do that!  They talk about how romantic Juan Pablo is and how he remembers the small gestures - seriously women - you know the network is the one to thank?!

Ya I'm old!

But this old lady is sure to tune in again next week!

Happy Tuesday!
Natalie

Super Sunday Sale!!

Happy Sunday friends!
Even though TpT decided not to have it's big sale today most sellers thought it was time for a sale anyways! If there is anything in your shopping cart that you've been itching to buy this is the time!  Everything in my store will be 20% for Sunday and Monday!

If you are still looking for a unit for Valentine's Day I wanted to let you know in my "Love is in the Air" unit  ~ I not only included 10 Valentine's Day literacy centers (in both colour and black and white) but I also included 5 interactive notebook activities!!  My kids love these!!  I have already done two of them with my kids and they turned out super cute!

Subject-Verb Agreement: is or are

Syllables

Here's the rest of the unit:)

Have a great Sunday!

~Natalie