Mixed Up Monday!

I am linking up with The Sunny Side of Second Grade for a new linky party called Mixed Up Monday.

I wanted to spend this Mixed Up Monday just talking about some fun things going on in our classroom. We have been doing a lot of learning and having fun while doing it.

 First is my very cute door. We have a lot to gobble about! The kids colored turkeys during morning work that are up on the door. Plus, we really do have a lot to gobble about. We have been spending a lot of time talking about our government and Native American tribes in our state.

 Next, is our post card wall. The kids are loving getting the post cards! We have really enjoyed learning little bits of information about different places. The kids love the funny facts we learn. I know it is going to look really cool once we have all of our post cards!

 So we have been talking about Native American tribes in our state. The students then have to look through all the information they had available to them to find out specific information about the different tribes. They looked for information about the tribes housing, family life, clothing and more. They then had to take the information and create pictures that made sense. Once this was finished they put them on a brown paper bag that they crumpled up. The kids have really enjoyed it and I think they did a really awesome job. I have also loved seeing other students and staff stopping by to view them.

Lastly, I have awesome kids and wonderful parents! I had a parent surprise me with this ADORABLE mason jar. Last year she had sent me one and a few weeks back I knocked it off my desk. I was devastated. So when this came to me I was very excited!

So, that is my mixed up Monday! A little bit of everything but a lot of GOOD THINGS!!!! Hope everyone has a great week and Happy Thanksgiving!

~*~Lena~*~

A little bit of everything!

Wow we are 11 days into November. When all is consider there is not a lot left of this month and December flies by because well it's December. At my school we have 10 1/2 days till Thanksgiving break and 21 full days and 3- 1/2 days before winter break. The 4th grade team has a lot going on in that time to. Right now my kidos are working on Native American scrolls. I think they are going to turn out really good and cannot wait to share them with you all. We are getting ready to start working with lines, point, lines, and measurement or angles. I enjoy these things and for kids who struggle with math I feel this is a nice kind of break. I have a lot of ideas that I can't wait to try out with the kids.

We are also going to Raleigh! The kids are excited and so is my team. It should be a good time and really educational. Since we are going to the capital we are going to start talking about the government in our state. I can't wait to really get into our government and have my students thinking about how it effects them. I think it is important that they know what is going on around them.

The next 20 some days should be fun filled and action packed! It should be a lot of fun and we are going to be working really hard. My plan is to post more and share with you all the exciting things going on in my room.

The last big thing I want to talk about is my decision about my career. I have decide finally what I want to get my masters in!!! Starting next summer I am going to begin working on getting my AIG licensure. I will hopefully have my add-on by the end of my 3rd year and fill strong enough to enter the masters program going into my 4th year. I think it will be good for me and I am very excited. So look forward to hearing about this new step as I work on it!

Hope everyone has a great evening!!!

~*~Lena~*~

Sunday Scoop and Novemember Currently all rolled into 1!

Hello All!!!

Hope the new month is finding you well. I am linking up with two great blogs today. Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade and the Teaching Trio.

So, Sunday Scoop!
I need to finish my kids book reports. I have all their oral presentations grades done just need to finish the written part. I also have a new student starting tomorrow! I got to meet her Thursday and she is a doll. I just can't wait! Lastly, I have to figure out what we are doing for dinner. That's always so hard.
I have a stack of things I have used over the past 10 weeks that I need to get filed away for next year hopefully I can get that done. I also need to get to the gym more this week.!
Lastly, I am just going to enjoy spending time with my family! Nice relaxing day, yep I will take it.

 

November Currently

Listening- I am listening to season 7 of Gilmore Girls. I just love this show! It is so funny!

 Loving- Everything- Things are just really good right now. I am loving my job, I love the nice crisp weather. It's just great right now.

Thinking- I have got to make a list of what I have bought for Christmas so far and what I need to get. Black Friday and Christmas are right around the corner.

Wanting- I need to start emailing my husband Trashy crafters site so maybe he will get me something for Christmas. I just love her stuff!!!

Needing- I need to get my Donor's Choose project funded. It would just make things great to get it funded sooner rather than later. Here's the link if  you would like to help! Help Make Us Technology Savvy! 

Reading- I have my guided reading groups going and 3 different novels are being read so I am reading all of them to. It's been a lot of fun so far.

Well that is enough for now. Have a great Sunday all!!!!

Much love!!!

~*LENA*~

Donor's Choose

So, I have known about Donor's Choose for a while and after setting up a project and getting all the approvals I have finally posted my first project. I have a great group of 4th graders and I am wanting to get some iPad mini's for the classroom. I want to put some technology in their hands that can be used to create videos, help enhance one on one instruction and give students another educational outlet. I hope to get this project funded and get these iPads into my students hands very soon! I would love  if all of you great follower can help me get this funded. Thanks in advance for the help!
Have a great Sunday everyone!

Hi Friends,

I want to make sure my students have the materials they need to succeed, so I just created a request for my classroom at DonorsChoose.org:
Help Make Us Technology Savvy!

Give to my classroom by November 1, 2014 and your donation will be doubled thanks to DonorsChoose.org. Just enter the code SPARK on the payment page and you'll be matched dollar for dollar (up to $100).

If you chip in to help my students, you'll get awesome photos and our heartfelt thanks.

Thanks so much,
Lena

P.S. If you know anyone who may want to help my classroom, please pass this along!

So much going on!!!!

Wow these first few weeks have been CrAzY!!!!! I don't feel like I can slow down or catch up, but they have been wonderful. We have been doing a lot of great work and learning awesome new things. So this blog is just a hodge podge of everything that has been going on so far.

We have been learning all about matter and we have been doing centers to explore the different states and the kids have been loving it! It has been a real blast watching my 4th graders work through their stations and gain a better understanding of matter.

 We have also been learning all about the 3 regions of North Carolina. The kids have been working really hard on their code of arms and are really enjoying learning about their state. They also turned in the first 3 pages of the NC  ABC Notebook and they were really awesome.

We have also been spending a lot of time on the idea of place value. Deb Hanson has created some wonderful fall projects for math that my kids just loved. Can't wait for the parents to see them at open house on Thursday!

I am really enjoying 4th grade. I have an awesome group and I am loving every minute I have with them. I was so sad when I missed yesterday due to being sick but felt so loved when I came back and got hugs and was told how much they missed me! 4th grade is turning out to be everything I had hoped it would be!

Hope everyone has a great evening!

~*Lena*~

Sunday Scoop

I am linking up today with Teaching Trio for Sunday Scoop! I have neglected my blog and everyone who enjoys reading it. I will get better about blogging I promise!!!! So here we go.....

3 Things I HAVE to do....
1) Get more organized at school. This is my plan for tomorrow. I love fourth grade, my kids and my new team but feeling like a first year teacher again is not a ton of fun. I am hoping to get a lot done tomorrow afternoon and feel more in place for the year.
2) Get back to working out. I have been so busy these last few weeks working out has fallen by the waist side (pun attend hehe). I plan to get back to it even if it is just walking the trails by the school or doing laps around our playground area while watching the kids. I know I need to do this because I need to take care of myself.
3) Stay on top of grading. I want to not be grading all weekend so I need to get a system in order so that I can stay on top of my grading and not have to bring a ton home on the weekend.

2 Thinks I HOPE to do.....
1) Work on TPT products. I have had some happy success since I started selling on TPT. With that as crazy busy as I have been I have not added anything new. I plan to start work on a NC ghost stories unit and a few other thing. But I would love to hear from you all about what are some things you would like to see or need. Shoot me a email at 4thgradewithglitter@gmail.com.
2) Blog about what we are doing in class. This is the reason I started this whole thing was to write down what is and is not working in my classroom. I need to get better about blogging and hopefully will now that things are calming down a bit.

1 Think I am HAPPY to do.....
1) Welcome my kids into the classroom each morning. I am loving 4th grade. I think it is a wonderful fit for me. My family and friends think so too. I love seeing my students each day and getting to welcome them into class each morning. We have been having a blast doing morning work and listening to music. This past week I had car line (we help get the kids out of their cars in the morning) and I didn't really get to welcome them to class as they came in and I missed it so. I am glad I do not have car line this week and get to welcome and say goodbye to my kidos each day.


Well that is all for me for now. Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

~*Lena*~

4th grade fun!!!

So, we have 2 weeks in the books! I am loving 4th grade. It had been just a wonderful transition and I am so glad that I was able to move up. I have a great group of kids who are excited to learn and who love to read. We are set  up to have an amazing year together!!!

Earlier this summer Amber from Shut the Door and Teach contacted me for something exciting. She was moving down in the grades and I was moving up so she offered the chance for me to use her products in my classroom and to blog about them. I was thrilled to be given this chance and hope I am able to lead you guys to some great products and help out a fellow teacher! So, what's first? Keep reading to find out!

I love getting to know my students, but all the information that teachers hear at the beginning of the year can be a blur. I wanted a way to know what my students were in to and what they liked and were worried about as the new school year started. I turned to Amber and her Student Interest Inventory. I gave it to my students one morning as morning work and I learned a lot about my kids. 

 Here is all of my kids inventories!

 

Here are a couple close up! I commented on every paper. I am going to make copies, so that I have one and I can send the other home. I want my students and parents to know I care about what they do, like, and dislike, in and out of school! I learned a lot of cool things about my students. A lot of them like science and play sports. The last picture the students like tennis, so I am going to see if maybe we can get some things to have tennis stuff during recess!

The next product that I have been using is Place Value Code Breakers. We start our year off with place value and it has been fun when we have had a few extra minutes and during center time to play code breakers. I don't have any pictures of the kids playing but they have enjoyed it. They like trying to figure out what the number is. It has also helped the kids that are struggling with place value. 

I can't wait to use more of Amber's products and introduce them to you! Hop on over to her store to see these and other products. Have a great Sunday and a wonderful week everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~*Lena*~