New Year's Resolutions?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Although I love teaching, I am enjoying my Winter Break!  Lounging around in pajamas all day, Pinteresting, Netflixing, and snacking - Oh my!

Are you feeling like the picture above?  I know I am.  Lots of snacking this holiday season, so of course my number one resolution is to get back on track with healthier eating.  Nothing unrealistic, just eating smarter and getting back to being more mindful of what I am eating.

In between watching Food Network and playing with our newly adopted dog (which has been going very well by the way) I have managed to finish up a new product.  Below is my newest product on Teachers Pay Teachers (which I am offering as a FLASH FREEBIE right now).  It's an elapsed time task.  I plan on using this with my students after the Break to get us back into the swing of things.  Click on the picture below to head over to my store to get it before it goes back to its regular price.

I also plan on using this product by The Speech Bubble SLP to help ring in the New Year with my students.  Sorry I don't have a picture, but just click on the pink words above to get the product.  It's a freebie too.  Whoo hoo!

What are your New Year's resolutions?  How are you getting ready for the new year with your students?

Sunday Scoop 12/6/15

Here's the scoop for this week.  Thank you Teaching Trio!

I'm excited (and very nervous) about the dog.  This will be a first!

Steals and Deals

Let's face it - as teachers, we are always looking for a deal.  Most of the time we are spending money on our students, our classrooms, and/or new resources.  How about spending a little on ourselves?  Who doesn't want to look great AND do it on a budget?  Have you heard of.....

This wonderful site has eye, lip, and cheek colors for amazing prices!  Not only are the prices great, but the products are high quality and long lasting.  They are known for their matte lip colors.  And me tell you - they are LONG lasting (especially the matte liquid lip colors).

For the swatches below, I rubbed the lip colors with a Ponds facial cleansing wipe 3 times (and I rubbed HARD) before the colors started to fade.  The ultra matte liquid lip colors took many swipes of the wipe before they came off.

I LOVE lipstick/lip colors so I swatched a few of the colors that I own.  As you can see, I am partial to nudes/browns, but Colourpop has a wide range of colors.  You're sure to find something you love.

The lipsticks are called "lippies" and almost all of them have a matching lip liner ("lippie pencil").  The lippie sticks and pencils are $5.00 each.  Yes, you read that right...FIVE DOLLARS!  Same for the eye shadows and creme gel eye liners.  The creme gel eye colors are $6.00, the ultra matte lip colors are $6.50, and the blushes are $8.00 each.  What a deal!

These are some of the sets out for the holiday season.  Honestly I've only tried the lip colors but I think this holiday season I am going to treat myself to some of Colourpop's eye products.  For $5/$6 dollars a pop - you can't go wrong!  Click on the picture below to head over to their website.  Sign up for their newsletter and get $5 off of your first order.  That's like a free lippie or eye shadow just for ordering.  What a steal!

Happy Shopping!

Sunday Scoop

I am sooooo excited to be linking up with The Teaching Trio for their Sunday Scoop.  I've read lots of bloggers' Sunday Scoops and now I get to do it to!  I am thankful for this opportunity.  Here we go...

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.  Thank you Teaching Trio!

Blue Jeans For Babies

Support the March of Dimes

The March of Dimes believes that every baby deserves a healthy start in life. A healthy birth is a gift that can never be taken for granted. It should be every child’s birthright, but it is not every child’s reality. No family is protected from having a baby with a birth defect, born prematurely, or an unexplained infant death.  Today we showed our support of the March of Dimes and the work that they do by participating in Blue Jeans for Babies. 

A Few of My Favorite Things

   I'm so excited!  My new little blog has just had a HUGE make-over.  Doesn't it look amazing?  I am super happy with it and with Kristen from Design Infusions.  She was super sweet and easy to work with.  Take a peek at her website by clicking on her button over there to the right.  This blog is definitely one of my new favorite things!

   I am also super excited to be joining my first linky party!  I am linking up with the Teaching Trio to share some of my favorite teaching supplies.  Here we go!

Mr. Sketch Scented Markers
Do I really have to explain this one?  I just LOOOOVE these markers!!  The chiseled point and the yummy scents make writing anchor charts, or anything for that matter, so much more fun.  There is no substitute.  None.  Enough said.

Scotch Laminator
Again, another no brainer!  What took me so long to get one, I'll never know.  But, best Christmas present EVER!!  No waiting in line for the school copier, I can laminate while watching my favorite reality TV, and the film is soooo much thicker than what is at school or at the teacher supply store.  This also makes a great gift (that isn't too expensive).  I'm telling you, this thing will change your life!

Jumbo Paper Clips
This might sound crazy, but I MUST have jumbo paper clips.  Not those little ones - jumbo.  Plastic coated is best, but any will do.  I am not even particular about the brand.  The ones from the dollar store work just fine too.  I don't know - I just feel more organized when I have them.  I am always clipping something together.  Things to be copied, last night's homework, tonight's homework that needs to be passed out....  If it's more than a couple of sheets of paper....I'm clippin' them.

What are your must haves?  Come join the fun and link up!

Earth's Layers

       We have been learning about the layers of the Earth in Science.   I needed/wanted something quick to help model the layers, but also something hands on.  I decided to use chocolate covered cherries.  After a quick review of the layers of the Earth, I gave each student group 1 chocolate covered cherry and a plastic knife on a paper plate.  The groups could not cut the candy until I told them to.
     
       Once the students started cutting, the looks on their faces were priceless!  Most of them were not familiar with that type of candy so they were pretty shocked when they saw the liquid come out!  While they explored the candy, I had the groups discuss how the different layers of the candy were like the layers of the Earth.  They also had to tell WHY they thought that.  Some of their answers were very creative!

     

         After students had a chance to discuss and explore the candy with their group, it was time to write about what they had just discussed/discovered.  One student wrote, "The chocolate is like Earth's crust because chocolate is made of different ingredients just like Earth is made out of different rocks.  Also, it's brown like the Earth and is the outer most part."

         To wrap everything up, students got to taste a piece of their model.  Some thought that was the best part!  Overall, this activity was pretty successful.  I was glad to incorporate writing into Science.  It also showed me that my third graders need a lot of work on their writing skills.  That's a post for another day!

I Did It!

   Wow!  I have finally taken the leap.  After reading so many wonderful blogs and being a fan of many TPT authors/teachers, I have finally decided to start my own blog!
   I'm nervous, but also excited to see where this leads.  I hope you'll come along for the ride.