BREAK AND TPT

I love Christmas Break! There is time to relax, more time to spend with family, sleep in a little, clean up around the house, clean out my teacher bag, and even have some free time to work on TPT products!

Over the summer I had BIG plans to create a TPT unit that I would use for my students on rounding to the tens AND rounding to the hundreds.  The unit became too big in my mind, that it got pushed aside with other things.  I had spent a great deal of time on rounding to the tens, so this winter break I decided to make a smaller unit on just that!  I think it turned out well!  I can still use it this school year for review, and next year I'll be able to use it when I teach rounding in the fall.  Maybe by then I'll have the rounding to the hundreds packet finished too!

 (Click the picture for more info!)

I also created some worksheets for my students on two-step multiplication word problems.  This skill will be on the state test in April, and 3rd graders need much more practice with it than our curriculum gives.  This is just three pages, but very useful!  The cute snowman is from Ta-Doodles Illustrations. It is just adorable!

 (Click the picture for more info!)

RELAX?

After a very crazy week, I was finally able to sit down and relax about 8pm Friday night.  I checked Facebook, found something cute from TPT that was posted, and the next thing I knew, I'm downloading and prepping a cute Math QR code task card set for my classroom!

First I downloaded this to use later: (click to check it out!)

Then I found this to use right away in January! (click to check it out)

I felt like I was a character in a Laura Numeroff book!

If you give a teacher a break, she's going to want to check Facebook, if she checks Facebook, she'll see that someone posted a cute clipart freebie on Teachers Pay Teachers.  That will remind her that she needs to look for a cute QR code word problem task card set, so she checks TPT.  She finds a perfect one on TPT that will match the Space theme of the January Science Unit, so she purchases it and downloads it.  Then she prints it. Then the printer runs out of ink, so she changes the cartridge. Then the cardstock has to be loaded into the printer one sheet at a time.  Once it's all printed, the teacher decides to cut and laminate it another day so she can take a break.  Taking a break will remind her that she was checking Facebook earlier, and chances are, if she checks Facebook, she'll probably end up doing more teaching stuff.

I think I'll just go watch tv now.  ;)

DECEMBER

Well, December has been a crazy month, but I probably say that every year!  Last week we had a field trip to the Bureau of Printing and Engraving in Fort Worth, Texas.  I learned so much about our country's money, and my students did too!  It was really a neat trip!  Everyone got a bag of shredded money at the end of the trip.  The kids thought they were rich!  Too bad we couldn't spend it!  This week we saw The Nutcracker performed at Bass Hall.  We read two versions of the book before we left so the students knew what to expect.   It was a great performance!

My school's Administrators have been working hard these past 2 weeks to keep up staff morale with little things like this.  This is such a cute idea!  

Today we had our annual whole school sing-along.  It's always a great time!  My partner teacher and I bought these cute reindeer antlers for our students.  Here is my first attempt at a group selfie.  Sadly all the kids didn't fit, and I'm not really good at blocking out faces without it looking strange, but it's still a good photo!  We had fun!

 My wonderful 3rd grade team had a great time!  

And what group picture is complete without a photo bomb!  

But I have to say that even with all of the fun things we have done this week, this van was my favorite thing that happened this week.  We call it the Vision Van.  So many of my students need glasses but are unable to get them. This van comes to my school to give glasses to those in need.  This year I had a larger number of students in need of glasses than usual, so I am very grateful that now they will be able to see!