Five for Friday!

1. Since the common core came into existence and our new district assessment for ELA is based on informational writing, I wrote a unit on Woodland Animals and began adding more informational writing into my writers workshop time. Here's a peek at what that looks like in my room! I am so, so happy with their work!
If you're interested in this unit, it's available here :)

Using the "Jot" iPad app for labeling and diagrams. If you haven't tried this app, it is awesome! Especially for K-1 :)

Some first grade informational writing about moose!

Can/Have/Are and labeling/diagrams

My anchor chart- this is our district determined anchor chart that we use for our informational writing assessment.

The texts I use for this unit.

2. 

 This is by far my favorite activity to use when teaching students about inferences. I got it from Abby at the Inspired Apple last year. Love! Click the link to grab yours! The stuff the kids have to say is so funny - if you haven't done this activity, do it for a laugh!

3.

We are installing a stone patio AND residing our house all at the same time right now. Can you say crazy?! 

4. Can we discuss the fact that we are going to the zoo next Friday to see a birds of prey show? I am TERRIFIED of birds. TERRIFIED. I googled the show to see what it's all about and found photos. OMG. Well kids, Mrs. G.'s just gonna step out for a few... 

5. My Martin Richard Fundraiser will end SUNDAY. So far we have raised over $500 for Martin's family! YAY! Let's keep it going! Read more here. Click the "donate" button to make your $15 donation and receive nearly $80 in awesome products from fabulous bloggers and TpTers! 

Donate your $15 below!

How do you do class placement?

Today is the worst day of the whole professional learning time calendar- CLASS PLACEMENT. It's when we all sit in the library with sticky notes in hand and fight talk about which kid should be with with teacher, who needs to be with who, who needs to be separated from who, etc. etc. etc. I found this year to be especially frustrating because I have a large load of children on IEPs, and those kids are always placed first - therefore, the rest of our kiddos have to be moved in around them. Which is okay, I get why those kids go in first, but it can be challenging to move the rest of the kids in around them. So anyway, it was crazy. I'm also feeling emotionally attached to my class this year, particularly because I looped with a few of them from K to 1, AND I'm leaving my school and moving to another school in my district next year. So my question is, how do you do placement? Do teachers get most of the say? Does your principal make the lists? Are you allowed to put teachers' names on the lists or do you do a blind list without knowing who the kids are going to? Every school I've been at does it different, but it's always equally stressful.

So I'm late to the party, but I'm new to the Instagram craze! Find me- sgio8808. I only have one photo so far :)

I am still working on my fundraiser for Martin Richards! Thank you to those who have donated already. For those of you still looking to make a donation, there's still time! A donation of $15 gets you nearly $80 in TpT products from some fabulous bloggers/TpT-ers! And, all of the money goes to a wonderful cause.

Read about my fundraiser here.

Donate below!

Getting Organized.... and Boston Fundraiser!

I consider myself to be an organized person. Maybe a little bit of a clean freak even. However, moving classrooms every year AND grade levels has caused some chaos in my life and I need a solution!

My files is problem number one. After teaching 3 grades, I have stuff everywhere. Two folders for almost every month, all different grade levels, ugh. Exhibit a:

I just found 4 different files titled "reading logs". Seriously?

So here's my question for you. I'm moving back to K next year and I am also moving SCHOOLS. I need to do a serious overhaul. Do I go with binders for subjects? Binders for months? Both? Bins? Files? What do I do?! 

In other news, my fundraiser for Martin Richard is going wonderfully! If you would like to make a $15 donation to the Richard Family Foundation and receive nearly $80 worth of fantastic products from some super talented TpTers/bloggers, please click the donate button below.

Donate here! $15 gets $80 in awesome products - plus, it ALL goes to an amazing cause!

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