Currently...It's July...and HOT!

Currently...It's July!!!  And YES...it's definitely HOT!!!  Yesterday I wanted to take the kids to the park again, but it was TOO HOT!  Got to love Georgia weather!  

{Hahaha!  By the way that park visit will be in tomorrow's post so stay tuned!  Sometimes kids ask for something, and then they find out that they REALLY don't want it!}  

Anyway, I'm linking up with Farley over at Oh' Boy, It's 4th Grade!  So check out how I'm "currently" feeling in July!  Be sure to stop by and join the Currently fun!  

Also don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'!

Don't forget...follow me on Bloglovin'...July 1 is on Monday and 

Google Reader = No More!

Lovin' Bloglovin'

I'm linking up with Laura Candler from Corkboard Connections, and I'm Going on a Blog Hunt!  

You should pop on over and link up!

It's time to make a decision...How can you follow your favorite blogs?  Bloglovin', of course!  Every since the announcement that Google Reader is going away in July I've tried a couple of different blog feeders!  By far Bloglovin' is for me!  It's so easy to use!  I signed up for a daily feed to see posts from the day.  And, of course, "there's an app for that!"  Sooooo....guess what I do when I'm at the doctor or dentist office waiting and waiting and waiting....I'm catching up on my favorite blogs!

Follow me on Bloglovin' by clicking the Bloglovin' widget on the right!  I hope to see you there!

Need more info about Bloglovin'?
Check out these posts from some awesome bloggers!

Third Grade Tidbits
Google Reader Is Going Away...

Common Core & So Much More 

Bloglovin' Tutorial...It's Time To Make The Switch!

iTeach..What's Your Super Power
Claim Your Blog on Bloglovin': A Video Tutorial

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Five for Friday {June 14}

 Happy Friday, ya'll!  I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for...   

I'm so glad that it's summer break!  I still don't have time to get much accomplished, but I love saying "summer break"!  Here is a snapshot of my week in pictures...

This summer my youngest kids are finally taking swim lessons.  We have always had our oldest take lessons when she was younger but our other three not so much.  In the past I was always teaching summer school and did not have the time.  Sooooo.... after the kid's first lesson I felt like a bad parent.  Our two girls didn't want to put their face in the water.  Our son was afraid that water would go up his nose.  They SO needed the lessons a long time ago!  They are getting better though.  Most importantly they are getting more comfortable with the water which is what I worried about the most.  Wheew!  SN....I signed the girls up to participate in Guinness Book of World Records largest swim lesson.  On Tuesday, June 18 at 11:00 am many water parks around the country will conduct a swim lesson at the same time to try to get in the records book.  If they pull it off my girls' names will go in the Guinness Book of World Records...how cool is that?  I will let you know how it goes!

We always have visitors...well, kids, anyway!  My niece, Jaia, is with us for a few weeks.  She's a sassy little 4 year old!  Jaia told me this morning that she's never going home.  Sorry, honey!  After a few weeks it's "home, sweet, home".  I also have a 14 year old cousin who seems to always be at our house as well.  He's now on week two with us.  We're up to 6 kids in our house!  I need groceries!!!

A friend's birthday party

Do your kids love veggies?  Well, mine despise them.  They will "play" with them but not eat them.  I have to sneak baby food veggies into spaghetti in order for them to get some servings.  I've even gone as far as putting avocado in their chocolate milkshakes.  Sounds gross but it tastes delicious..very rich!  {Love The Sneaky Chef book!!!}  Anyway, my oldest daughter, Kiana, has a paid internship (Woo Hoo!!) this summer at the Cooperative Extension Office.  She brings home vegetables sometimes.  Last week it was Vidalia onions, and this week she brought home zucchini and squash.  So I have plans to make a Zuchinni and Squash Casserole...Yeah, Ive never made nor tasted it!  Ok, I'm a very picky eater as well.  Any recipe suggestions?

I love our local library!  Every year I sign the kids up for the summer reading program.  They love it because they earn prizes!  I love it because it encourages them to read.  Each week they have an awesome show or activity.  We attended the Chad Crews Magic Show.  He talked about the importance of reading and brought in some "friends"!  I wasn't going to touch this particular friend, but my kids loved it!

Cue the slow, sad music!  My most favorite fabulous discontinued GAP long and lean jeans have finally run their course.  No!!!!!!!  I LOVE these jeans!  Best jeans that I've ever owned!  They have been discontinued!  What now?  Bring on the patches!!!!

Here's an extra pick...I finally got my son to wear flip flops...we live in the south and he hated wearing flip flops because he cannot stand to have anything between his toes...Talk about a time saver!!!!  Love flip flops!

Coming soon!!!

I'm in the middle of updating my Tracking Common Core Checklists.  You can use these checklists to keep track of the standards that you address in class as well as the standards that your students master.  Here are some of the updates that I'm making are...
1.  The name of the standards strands have changed a bit.  The strands for my checklists were named by my state, Georgia, so I change from CCGPS to the CCSS.  Only the strand name changed not the actual standard.
2.  Added a class checklist to track mastery of standards for each of your students.
3. I think I'm sort of digging creating covers...I placed covers and some ideas on how to use the checklist.
4.  Most exciting--- I will be adding bundles!  I know that some of you teach multiple grades so I will sell them in bundles at a discounted price.

The checklists are available for K-5 for English/Language Arts and Math!  Check them out by clicking on the picture!

Hop over and link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the Five For Friday linky party!  Thanks for stopping by!

Currently June and a NEW DESIGN!

What a way to kick off the summer "Currently June" and a new blog design!  I am so SUPER, DUPER excited!  I have a new blog design and ABSOLUTELY LOVE it!  It's so ME!  Huge shout out to Megan from A Bird in Hand Designs...she does FABULOUS (ok last all caps word) work and makes things so easy!  She is very patient and Ah-May-Zing!!!!  Be sure to check her out if you are looking to fix up your blog!  Now..

Currently...it's June!  I'm linking up with Farley over at Oh, Boy It's 4th Grade...Check it out!

Be sure to link up and join the fun!

(Yay!!!...Megan also did my blog signature...Heehee!)

Behavior 101: Super Student Drops!

I just finished "updating" the cover and instructions for the first product that I posted on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

Here is the first cover.  I know...blah!

Here is the updated cover...Boy, that's better, but I still have lots to learn!

Click here to download

 Super Student Drops is a behavior management tool that I have used in the past with my students.  Although a very simple and basic idea, super student drops was a hit in my classroom!  All you need is a basket or container to house the drops.  If you see a student following directions, being a good citizen, etc, slip a drop on his desk.  It's amazing to see how so many other students fall in line once they see a student receive a Super Student Drop.  Once a student receives a drop, he/she writes his/her name on it and quietly walks to the basket and drop it inside.  As the teacher, you can decide to do an hourly, daily or even weekly drawing for a treat or prize.  Students will learn quickly that the more drops that they earn the better chances they have at being drawn from the basket.  Be sure to download and PLEASE leave feedback!  

What are some simple behavior tips that work wonders for you in your classroom?  

Share with us by leaving a comment!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jennifer

Check out TONS of other freebies!

Click HERE for FREEBIES

Currently...It's May!

It's May ya'll!  That means birds chirping, flowers sprouting...and the last day of school is approaching!  Yay!  If I were counting, I would say that we have 17 days of school left.  Then summer time!

I'm linking up with Farley over at Oh', Boy It's 4th Grade.  This is my first "Currently" post!  Here goes...

Listening...

It's 3:42 AM at home, and it's QUIET!  All that I can hear is the AC blowing!  How many of you have to get up SUPER early in order to get some things done?  I have to!  With kids bouncing balls off the top of my head, the TV blasting and a hubby who can NEVER find anything I have to get up a couple of hours before them in order to get work done or work on TpT products.  I've run into a glitch though...the older I get the harder it is for me to get up!

Loving...

I LOVE MY FAMILY!  Although it gets SUPER CRAZY around my house, I love my crew!  This year has been very hectic!  For years I've always taught summer school.  NOT THIS YEAR!  I'm taking time off to spend time with my family especially my kids.  They are growing so fast!  My oldest will be a senior next year!  Tears!

Thinking...

I think know that I need to exercise!  I purchased a treadmill back in...I don't even remember.  I know it's only been about three months and I've only been on it twice (no longer than 10 minutes each time  Ha!).  So I'm thinking that I need to get back to exercising.  {The treadmill has been helpful in hanging my clothes on it to dry!}

Wanting...

I've been wanting my summer break BADLY!  I've been going nonstop since last summer....kids after school events, work, college classes, tutoring...UGHHHHH!!!!!  I would like to take some time during the summer to create some more TpT products.  Here's the last one that I created.   It's a FREEBIE!

But honestly, I just want to sit on the couch for a change and eat Cheetos!!!  But I guess that will go against me THINKING that I need to exercise!

Needing...

I need a personal assistant!  Okay, I can't afford one, but the thought of having one would be AH-MAZING!!!  If I had one, I think that I would stare at him/her for a while because I would be in shock but after the shock wears off....IT'S ON!  He/she [no gender preference ya know] can begin by organizing my closets and then my cabinets.  Oh yeah then mounds of papers on my desk...Okay, I'm going to stop dreaming because I'm getting excited over the impossible...

Summer Bucket List...

Well, since I will not have that personal assistant, I've got to get organize.  I have file cabinets and boxes filled with papers that need to be organized into folders.  I need to clean out my file cabinets (something that I started two years ago) and get those papers organized.  I also have my TONS and I mean TONS of computer files on my school laptop and external drive that I need to organize.  Heck!  I'm going to need more than a summer to get all of this done!

So, what's up with you Currently!  Let us know by heading over to Oh' Boy, It's 4th Grade and link up!  Thanks for stopping by!

Follow my Teachers Pay Teachers Store here!

Five for Friday...My First!

Yay!!!  It's Friday!  I wanted to try something a little new this week so I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs for her weekly linky party!  Here goes...I do hope that I'm following the guidelines of the linky and doing it correctly....

{1} So last week while I was on spring break I attended a cousin's wedding and kind of went crazy with taking pics!  On Sunday I uploaded the pics and it took me A LONG time to upload...145 pictures....and that's not all that I took.  Yep!  I thought that I was the wedding photographer!  I finally stopped uploading!  Here's a favorite pic that my aunt took of me!

{2} I'm a VERY busy woman!  (Who isn't, huh?} Aside from working during the day (and what seems like night) our kids are very active!  This week our oldest, Kiana, had region soccer playoff games!  SN:  They scored 10-0 in one of the games!  Mercy rule...the refs had to call the game!  Anyway, these shots made the newspaper in Augusta which is 45 minutes away from us!  Not exactly our local newspaper, but she was in the news!  Wish I could get my hands on one of the newspapers!  Anyway, one of the team members was able to get me some of the shots that was included in the article.  They've won each game this week which means we continue on next week!  Go Devils!!!!!  I couldn't resist adding both pictures!

She likes headers!  I don't understand why a
person would like hitting a ball with their head!

Kiana in action!

{3} Girls Trip Alert!!!!  My college girlfriends contacted me this week and want to go to Charleston, SC for a long weekend in July!  I'm SUPER pumped...one...the girls and I haven't had a trip together in about 4 years...two...I've never been to Charleston...three...I'm looking forward to relaxing ANYWHERE!  SN:  Ready for summer!  Here is a pic of the apartment that we are renting for the weekend!

Looks comfy!!!

{4}  Earlier this week my son, MJ, and I met Adrian Peterson from the Chicago Bears!  Peterson is a graduate and football legend from our local college Georgia Southern University.  He came to our school to give our students a pep talk before the CRCT.  He also did a book signing for his new book Don't Dis My Abilities!  My son is in PreK so I woke him up from his nap to meet him and for Peterson to autograph his book.  My son was rather grumpy so I'll post a picture of the book instead.   At least he has an autographed book!  The book is definitely on my "To Read Over Summer" book list.  Any other suggestions of books that I can read over the summer?

{5} This week I tried pinning some of my products!  I like LOVE Pinterest...just like everyone else!  I do get caught up in pinning my wants, dreams, etc.  This week I just wanted to see what kind of response that I would get from pinning some of my products.  I received a lot of repins and some Pinterest followers!  That was exciting!  If you're interested in my newest freebie Sweet, Sweet Arrays...check it out!  It focuses on helping students recognize arrays!

Please follow my blog and my TpT Store here if you're 

interested in learning more about me and my TpT products!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Jennifer