Mrs. Stanford's First Linky: Good Reads!

Mrs. Stanford is having her first linky party and I am joining up!  I am a little late to the party.  But I still wanted to join because maybe someone is looking for good reads for the summer or books to read in their classroom.  Because I was laid off this year, I don't really have any recommendations as far as teachers books, but I have written down a ton of them from the other linky party participants.  So if you haven't read through all the other links, go do so now!

Before I get started, I have a tip to share from my favorite retired teacher friend.  She keeps a small spiral bound notebook in her purse with all of the books she wants to read.  She has pages dedicated to her favorite authors or authors with more than one book she would like to read.  Once she reads them, she crosses them off carefully so you can still see the title.  That way she never rereads accidentally!  I have recently started my own notebook, which by the way says Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake!  I have dedicated the front half to specific author pages and the back half to stand alone books that I want to read.  Just had to share in case you were looking for a way to organize and remember!

Onto my good reads that I have read before:>!  Aside from these, I love James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks, Jodi Picoult, and the Detective D.D. Warren series from Lisa Gardner. 

I read this book earlier this year and it was a great read.  Be sure to read the specific details to know if it would right for you.  I loved it.  It is unlike anything I read before.

Fabulous book that talks about slavery from two different viewpoints with a story of love laced in between.

I am part of a book club with some other teacher friends where I used to work and hope to go back to next year.  Most of the books on my want to read list below come from there.  I am currently in the middle of the second book in the Fifty Shades Trilogy too.  Very interesting to say the least!



This is our book club book pick for June. Who doesn't love dogs?!  This is a story about a woman's journey through life and those that helped her along the way.  Can't wait to get started!

This is one of the books I hope we pick this year during book club.  If not, I will read it anyways.  It is a tale of an Autistic boy, Merlin, and his mother, who makes Merlin the center of her life, leaving no room for another man.  However, as Merlin grows, she tries dating again and meets a wonderful man for both her and her son.  Then, Merlin's father shows up begging for a second chance.  Does Lucy need a real father for Merlin-or a real man for herself?  That is the books description, leaving me wanting to know how it all ends!  Sounds like a must read to me!

And one more before I end the longest post ever!  One of my favorite picture book read alouds.

A teacher read this book to my class in college.  I have been in love ever since.  It is a wonderful story about loving yourself the way you are and the I love the illustrations.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't before!

  

And I suppose that is all for now.  Have you read any of these books?  Do you recommend them?  Feel free to leave a comment and let me know.  And thanks to Mrs.Stanford for hosting this great party!

Rule Breaker!

Today, I am being a rule breaker, posting twice in one day.  Farley posted her Currently Linky Party and I just had to join.  So here's what I am doing, thinking, and feeling currently!

As far as my pageant title, when I was laid off from my previous district, along with 19 others, my school gave out awards to everyone at a little ceremony.  I was given sparklers for being the "spark" that got things going at my school.  I still remember the day and the nickname so fondly.  I hope and pray that I get to go back to my friends and my fabulous school family!

Oh and be sure to enter my giveaway for the chance to win a $20 gift card to either Teachers Pay Teachers or Amazon.com.  It is the last night to enter!

Another Manic Monday & Giveaway Reminder

Once again, I am linking up with Charity over at Classroom Freebies.  I am so excited to see what everyone else has to offer, as well as get more blog exposure.  If you have a freebie you want to share, click on the button below to head over.

Today I am sharing a freebie that is great for the end of the year!  It is coming to the time where the children no longer have shining halos.  Instead, their little heads may begin to sprout horns.  Enter the Mystery Message.  That is what I call my version of this behavior management tool.  I have seen these on Pinterest as well.  They could be called other things too, but I call my version the Mystery Message.  All you have to do is print these cards, cut, glue them to pretty paper (or leave them as white cards), laminate, and arrange them on the board or wall space to say CrAfTy CuPcAkEs!  When students are all on their best behavior, walking in the hall quietly, or doing something that makes you PROUD, flip over a letter.  In my room, the rules are once you figure out the message, you cannot say it aloud.  If someone tells the secret mystery message, then it will disappear.  When all of the letters are exposed, the students can read/shout it out together.  Then, the very next day, the students get the reward.  Crafty Cupcakes is not one that I came up with on my own.  I was inspired by Teri at A Cupcake for the Teacher for this Mystery Message idea.  Be sure to check out her post to see all the great toppings the children got to use to craft their cupcakes!  Here's the Mystery Message letters for you!  I promise they are cuter when you download!

Crafty Cupcakes

And be sure to go to my last post and follow my blog and leave a comment to be entered to win a $20 gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers or Amazon.com!  Until next time:>!

Wacky War Math Center & A Giveaway

Happy Thursday!  Only one more day until the weekend and I am sure you all, like me, are super excited!  Today I am linking up with Laura at Corkboard Connections: Super Math Centers Linky Party.  This game is something I shared over at Klinger Cafe as a guest blogger and I wanted the chance to share it on my own blog too.  Now is the perfect opportunity. 

The game is called Wacky War.  It is played exactly like the card game war, but with an added twist.  Instead of having the person with the higher number keep the cards, the person who can give the sum or product first, depending on grade level, gets to keep the cards!  There are two versions, one for addition and one for addition or multiplication.  The first set I created, for addition only, has my own version of a tens frame for those kindergarten and first grade friends who may need a visual to help them add the two numbers together.  This set goes to ten.  The second set can be used for addition or multiplication because they have a star in the middle of the card that has nothing to do with the number on the actual card.  They just add a little fancy.  This set goes to twelve. 
Cards

Multiplication Cards

Hopefully you can use one of these versions of Wacky War! 

Now, onto the giveaway!  I am very excited because I recently hit 100 followers!  To celebrate, I am giving away a $20 gift card.  The winner will have their choice of a gift certificate from either

Teachers Pay Teachers

OR

Amazon.com

There are two ways to enter.  Follow my blog and leave a comment and/or blog about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment.  Totally easy right?!  And who couldn't use a gift certificate to one of these two awesome places?!  The giveaway will end one week from today, Thursday, May 3rd.   Good luck to all who enter!

A Little Random & A Linky!

Hey all. Happy Spring Break to many Michigan teachers! Today, I went back to work at the movie theater I worked at for ten years while in high school, college, and my first two years of teaching. Being laid off right now, I am forced to work again this summer. It won't make me millions, but I will make some cash and go to the movies for free! The added benefits of as much popcorn, pop, and candy as I want is both a positive and negative.

Anywho, that's the reason that I have a lunch to pack on a Sunday. And that allows me to join up in the lunch box linky party thrown by Tara from 4th Grade Frolics.  As usual, I'm late to the party, but better late then never.



Here's my lunch for today. It's very similar to what I would take for lunch when teaching!

Sorry it is kind of blurry as well as boring!  The bag is cute though!  It is from Thirty-One, like so many other lunch boxes and totes that I have already seen in this linky.  As far as food, I had Quaker Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon, a strawberry banana yogurt, a Nature Valley Granola Thin, and a green apple.  I don't enjoy red apples.  Yuck!  It seems like a lot of food, but it keeps me from snacking on popcorn and candy.  It is so addicting once you start, so I am trying not to even start.  And as far as pop, I let myself have 8 ounces per week.  Crazy, I know, but I am trying to live a healthier lifestyle.  So today was a successful day as far as not eating movie theater junk, but we will see what happens when I begin to work more!

And that is it!  If you haven't linked up yet, it's okay to go link up now!  You can join me, late to the party!  Who doesn't love peeking at what others eat?  Happy Packing!

Lin-ky Parties

Do you all know that song Rumor Has It by Adele?  She is all the rage this year!  That is the way linky party sounds in my head, same tune!  Rumor has it!  Lin-ky party!  Perhaps I am the only one who understands.  Oh well:>!  Moving on to more important things, like the actual linky parties!



Over at Kreative in Kinder, Crystal is spreading the word, working hard to help teachers and students who have lost so much from the devastating tornadoes that ripped through five different states on March 2nd.  If you haven't seen her post yet, please go check it out now and consider lending a hand.  As an unemployed teacher, and with the state of the economy, I know times are tough.  However, I can't imagine how I would get through losing everything without the help of others.  This is our chance!

Onto the second linky party!  Jeannie over at Kindergarten Lifestyle is having a party too!  She is trying to compile a list of awesome kindergarten through second grade blogs that everyone should know about.  As someone newer to the blog scene, I am excited whenever I see any type of linky party.  It is a great way to get the word out about my blog.  Once the list is completed, Jeannie is going to make a board on Pinterest so all you have to do is go to that board and voila!  Awesome blogs chock-full of awesome ideas.  Fantabulous!

And that is all I have for today.  Check back tomorrow for Tippy Tuesday on a Wednesday!

You Know You Teach When...Linky Party

Today I am joining in the Linky Party awesomeness over at Fun For First.  I have seen other parties like this, however, I always found I was too late to the party.  So I am super excited to join in on the fun.

It may seem a little silly, but I have had this happen.  More than once! 

If you haven't linked up yet, head over to Fun For First now and share your You Know You Teach moment!

What Do You Love?

Kimberly at Funky First Grade Fun is having a What Do You Love linky party!  And who doesn't love a linky party?!  Yes, the Super Bowl is on in the background and the Giants just scored a touchdown.  However, it is not something that I am super interested in.  So I will link up and just keep an ear on the game instead:>! 

• I love to watch movies with my mom or my friends.
• I love to read books on a comfy couch or in bed.
• I love to shop for clothes, for me or for my niece, school supplies, and classroom stuff.
• I love to collect freebies from other blogs!
• I love to listen to country.
• I love to eat ice cream.
• I love to talk about anything and everything!  I tend to ask a lot of questions!
• I love to make hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and whipped cream.
• I love to travel to my sisters.
• I love to teach math!

I am technically challenged and cannot figure out how to make the poster editable...Anyone have any tips for me?  Y'all enjoy the rest of the Super Bowl watching or blog stalking, depending on your preference!  And be sure to link up with Kimberly if you haven't yet!