Guess My Number FREEBIE!

Well, today has been a little rough. We found out this morning that we have to surplus a teacher because our numbers are too low. It was decided to be one of the 3rd or 4th grade teachers (of which I'm included), for multiple reasons. I am trying not to be worried, but as this is only my second year in 3rd grade, I am a little worried. And whichever way it goes I will lose a colleague and possibly absorb half her class, making mine 33! Eek!

But enough about that! Here's a freebie to lighten the mood. "Guess My Number" is a super fun, critical thinking/reasoning, game. I learned it several years ago when I was student teaching. I'm sure there's many version out there with different names.

I did it for the first time this year and my students absolutely loved it! You can draw the chart on the board and do it as a whole class, as partners, or as a math center/game. Click the picture below for a recording sheet and instructions for the game.

I hope your students love it as much as mine :)

From the Heart of a Teacher

Hello blogland! I made it through the second full week of school. Whew! I forgot how little they know when we first start- like how to sharpen a pencil, or line up. :) Establishing those procedures sure takes a lot of time, patience, and practice, but it is so worth my sanity in the end!

We started school on a Wednesday this year, which hasn't happened in years. I loved it! We were able to have 3 days of getting to know each other and practicing routines without having to start our "normal" routine of Spelling, Reading and Math programs.

Last night I was feeling especially emotional about the students and my job. Here's what I posted on Facebook last night.

"I don't know if my students will ever know how much I love them. How I think about them all the time. How I wonder what I can do to help them learn the content they need to succeed. Or how when I go to sleep at night they are the last thing I think of. How my heart breaks when I see them cry, hurt, or discouraged and how I want to make it all better, while teaching them to be strong. How I am brought to tears when they finally get it-the thing they've struggled with. Or how I do silly, embarrassing things just to make them smile and laugh, because school should be fun, dangit! I wonder if they'll ever know how much I want them to be happy. Or how I treasure the notes, drawings, eraser "presents" and custom honeysuckle crowns. I don't know if they'll ever know, but I hope, I really hope, they can feel some of that when they come to school everyday."

 

I love my job. :)

The adorable honeysuckle crown a student made me at recess. Wore it all day, too :)

You are O"fish"ally in 3rd Grade Bulletin Board!

I finally got everything moved into my new classroom! It feels so great having most everything put away. I'm not done, but I still have 3 days I can be in the school before the students come so I'm not stressing. (BIG deal for me, I'm really trying to not stress out like I did before the start of last year.)

I actually felt unpacked enough that I put things on the walls and even got my bulletin board done!



I don't have the most recent class list, but I know I have more students, so I saved the fish bowl for their fish.

Now take a look at these two pictures. Can you see it? Are you a perfectionist like me?

Yep. Try as I might I couldn't leave the "in 3rd grade" line where it was.

How much time do you spend on bulletin boards?

New Design and Back to School Treats

I am loving my new blog design. It was a lot of work, though! I used Photoshop Elements to create the banner, background, and navigation bar. Then it was a lot of looking up stuff about html and CSS that I didn't really, and still don't, understand. But I did it! I like how it turned out, it's just what I wanted!

Today I finished moving my classroom, yay!! I really hope I'll stay put for awhile. Moving every year really stinks!

Now I just have to put everything away and get things ready for the students to come. That's the fun part.

I am trying really hard to not buy a lot this year, so I went through my bulletin board things and found some fish and a fish bowl. I'm thinking of doing an "O-FISH-ally" theme.

Eighteen 25

The Creative counselor has an adorable treasure hunt with clues to find the fish! It goes to places within the school to orient the students. There's also a cute poem to attach to the treat. I'm in love!

The Creative Counselor

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I love these fish bowl cards, but there was no link on Pinterest, just the picture. Please let me know if this is your idea and I'll link it up!

 

 

Back in the Game

Wow. I cannot believe it's been almost TWO years since I said anything on this blog! Last year was a pretty rough one for me personally and this blog was the last thing on my mind.
But, I'm ready to dive in again and share new ideas and DIY projects.
I LOVE the techy stuff so I thought I'd redesign my blog from scratch! I've been researching and learning through articles and youtube videos. I've created my own background and header and am working on a cute navigation bar. If you are interested in customizing your blog check out The Cutest Blog on the Block and Kevin and Amanda; they both have great tutorials.