Superhero Secret Skills Review for Primary Students

I know I am always looking for Secret Skill Review for my Primary students.  I have found that if you wrap your review in something SUPER, students tend to do their best because they are having fun!  Here are some Superhero Secret Skill Review ideas!  

Addition and Subtraction Skills

Students will have a SUPER time proving what they know in addition and subtraction.   These pages are a great way for kids to both prove what they know and take a brain break to color either at the beginning of the year or, even, at the end of the year!  Super Secret Skill Review at it's best! 

Sight Words

Sight Words are a jumping spot for reading.  These Super Secret Skill Review Sight Word pages are super simple to use!  Just print and go!  The best thing is, they can be used as Morning Work!  Then, they can be used to assess students ability to read the words! Two in one!  Win-Win!!

Direction Following

This one!  How often do we get a chance to see exactly what students can do with direction following.  These Super Secret Skill Review pages can give you a clear idea of what students can really do with direction following.  They read each step and follow those directions provided.  From this, you can see exactly what your students are capable of, whether it is at Back-to-School time or the End of the Year!  Super easy to use too!  

So, as you can see, these Super Secret Skill Review pages are a great way for students to show-what-they-know and for you to get the information you need to assess from them!  LOVE IT!!  Let me know what you think by dropping me a comment here on the blog!  And, you can join me over at Instagram and Facebook to keep up with my journey there!  I'd love to have you follow along!  

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Back at It!

     I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but blogging just got away from me.  To be honest, I think it is simply because I REALLY found my teacher’s grove again!  I mean, REALLY!  I did some AWESOME activities with this class of students.  So, I figured I’d share a couple of my new to the school year products and some new classroom looks I’ve been working on!  So, here we go!

Mr. Putter and Tabby

     Who doesn’t love a good Mr. Putter and Tabby story!  I had so much fun working with the story in our reader (Wonders) and the kids loved the tale so much, that I quickly pulled out a Scholastic order and found some of the books I already had and decided to do a Book Club with Mr. Putter and Tabby!  But, what to teach?  There had to be more!  My students were REALLY struggling with understanding the character.  So, that was my goal when I set out, what, exactly, could I do to get some of these very difficult concepts across to them.  Using some great tools, I was able to create some incredible pages that could be used across the study within all the books!  AND IT WORKED!  

Mr. Putter and Tabby

This study became the anchor texts for all character discussion throughout the rest of the year!  It was awesome and totally engaging.  Many times my aide would show up in the middle of Book Club.  I would go out with students engaged and walk back in with students engaged!  They LOVED it!  The real test of a product is having someone else use it.  Another teacher on my team wanted to try this out as well.  Same results!  I was thrilled!  And, believe it or not, this was a VERY fun product to make! 

Flat Stanley’s Original Adventure

     This book study was a little different.  I completed this study as a whole group.  The main focus for our study looked at character again.  This time we focused on the Character Wants and Needs chart found in this product and in Mr. Putter and Tabby!  We met as a group and filled in the information as we went along.  Boy, did some things begin to POP!  Arthur seems like such a great kid when you just read the text, but by carefully examining him through his wants and needs, you suddenly discover his selfishness!  And that becomes a MAJOR THEME!  Honestly, when I started this wants and needs thing it was because some Common Core book said to try it out!  What I discovered was that if you want to teach little guys and girls theme, they need a great graphic organizer!  And, it WORKED!  We were able to pick out the major themes (and, verbally, we reviewed Mr. Putter and Tabby as our sample!) and create a cool project in the end!  This was a great unit of discovery!

Continued Math Practice

     If my students are like yours, you cannot leave a major math topic and expect them to retain it!  In Second Grade it is two/three digit addition by two/three digit addition and then, again, subtraction!  My morning work took a change from the typical Language Arts materials after teaching these units.  I started developing pages to go along with it.  I know they are probably out there somewhere, but I just couldn’t find the focus practice I needed for the 20 minutes I needed to use.  So, I came up with a variety of products with some fun themes along the way.  This totally worked!  My kids could practice these, self-check, and complete them in about 20 minutes!  And, it totally paid off in the end!  I’d say about 95% of my class had mastered both skills by May!  I still had a few strugglers but with continued focus, they are close to completing these tasks any time they are given to them!

Super Hero Themed Binder

     The next one is all me!  I have never been a super organized person (I have a whole blog post in my head about it!  That’s my problem, I get the post done in my head but never with my fingers!) Last summer I thought, “I can make my own binder! And I want it to match my THEME!”  When I couldn’t find a Super Hero themed binder, I gave in and made my own!  Boy, was I happy I did!  Everything was in one place, I never had to look for schedules or parent info.  It was all right there.  Am I going to be honest and say I actually had plans for every week-in my head I did! 

So, that’s my goal next year!  And, the super fun thing is, I think this year I’m going with my new Jedi Master Notebook!  (But more on that in a minute!)

Editable Star Wars Planner

New Themes and Ideas!

   Another reason I didn’t blog since December is simply because, in May, my fingers and design streak found some fun in designing new classroom décor products!  I had messed around with the Wizard of Oz clipart 

and, just wanting a little bit of fun, I messed around with it some more to come up with a new line!  Then it turned into Pirates 

and Oceans!  

From that it was FROGS! 

Oh, how cute they are!  

With that, I’m fully rejuvenated and fully prepared to face my next adventure-3^rd grade and the FSA!  This summer I will be playing with a few new ideas that will lead to a few new products so watch out!  There will be a LITTLE bit of TALES coming with more focus on FABLES and MULTIPLICATION in my future!  HOMER PRICE’S adventures may pale in comparison!  And, TpT might have a little thing in ORLANDO that I can blog about too! 

Looking forward to posting more!

Classroom Reveal 2014 (Otherwise Known as I HATE Moving!)

Can I just tell you how much I HATE moving rooms!  At the rate I have moved, I should be an expert, but I’m not.  In my building, when you change grades, you move rooms.  Most of us are lucky enough to be able to stay in one spot, and I’m NOT one of those few. I have moved to 5 rooms in 10 years at my school, with the longest (and most favorite room) being 4 years.  It’s not the grade change that kills me, it’s this: 

The majority of my stuff!

My book shelves (loaded with books that we moved) and my paper station.

Most of my math supplies and some of my holiday decor.  

Yes, that is 21 years of crazy teacher stuff spread out all over my new room!  It only took us a morning to move everything because I was lucky enough to pack most of it the last few days of school.  I decided to put my units into plastic bins (which are in there somewhere) and that helped me a lot, especially on space.  I moved from the biggest closet in the building-it was big, like park an SUV in it big- to one of the smallest:

(this is tiny for our building) which was a whole different challenge for me!  That meant clean it out and pack it tight.  It took me 5 days to get this stuff put away (and a whole lot of Advil too!)  But I got er’ done!

Since I was moving grade levels, I also decided to change themes. That was the fun part.  Once the junk-um, I mean, teaching supplies-were put away, I started to decorate.  As I decorated, I loved the room more.  As I loved the room more, I began to “feel” the space and organize more and more.  So, here it is!  The “official” Room Reveal!  I’m loving it, and so are the kids!  

(Most of the Superhero products are from Susan Morrow)

The outside of my room!

And the inside.....

My meeting spot!

The calendar area.

This is what I face when I am sitting in my chair.  

Cute Cubby Numbers by Susan Morrow!

To the left of the cubbies is my desk. I don't really like this huge desk, but it is hiding A LOT!

My word wall!

My library with the computers behind it.  You can see the white monitors poking above the far books.  And, notice the fan.  It is a warmer classroom, so we need the circulation!  This week I had kids put some sweaters on, so that's a good sign!

The view across my room from the Word Wall area.

Great table signs by Susan Morrow

Birthday signs waiting for student's birthdays!

How We Get Home signs - freebie from a TpT Store.

Job Chart from Susan Morrow.  I made the star burst with Power Point.  

The board was all ready for Back - To - School Nite!  

Find Super Hero Giving Tree HERE! You can also see a peek of my rules, which are free HERE!

Super Hero Scientists!  Find them HERE!

This is also a product from another TpT seller.  It is editable and easy to use.

All ready for parents to take home a use to learn about our classroom!

Here are my essential question frames that I used in my other classroom.  What I did was create superhero pages to put inside! They work great!  You can download these for free HERE and HERE!

So, as you can see, I kept many of the elements that I created and used in my former room!  

Here's another look from the teacher desk looking forward. 

I have to admit, this was three weeks ago, so there are kids, messes, papers, crayons, markers and messy book shelves, but that's what makes it our space! I do like this room, and I'm coming to love it!  I just have to work on that closet space! 

And, so, with that, I leave you to enjoy your school year.  Let me know what you think and what you are doing in your classroom.  I'd love to hear about it!

Meet the Teacher Linky Party!

I've joined in the fun over at Falling into First!  She is hosting a linky party!  So, here it goes!

Hi, my name is Julie and I've been teaching for 22 years!  I have taught almost everything in elementary-1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and Science Lab, which included a period a day with Kinders!  This year I am back in 1st grade and, currently, should be working on getting things ready instead of distracting myself.  I tend to be easily distracted!  I am a mom of two wonderful boys and a wife to my wonderful husband!  In my "spare" time I have taken up triathlon and will be competing in my 3rd event on August 30th!  It is a great way to keep in shape (and loose the shape I currently have!)  

I have also rediscovered the joy of sewing!  I'm happy to say that my first two weeks (except Friday's) fashions will be things I have made-either to go with something or, the whole outfit!  

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...

Joann's Fabrics, swimming-as in, laps!, scrap booking, CAMPING, spending time in and with nature, barred owls!, Eagle Watch, Adopt-a-Block, photography, Church, lasagna 

 IF YOU WEREN'T A TEACHER, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BE?

A few years ago I was actually faced with thinking about this. Florida went to that crazy idea that teachers should give up tenure. I actually planned my new career.  Para Legal.  It was something I could sink my teeth into and I love to do research on things.  Thank goodness, the law doesn't require a mandator removal of tenure!

THREE LITTLE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU.

Creative (This one was an actual graduate award!), committed, caring

FINISH THE SENTENCE, "________,  SAID NO TEACHER EVER!!"

I LOVE all the paperwork....

Q: IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY AND YOU CAN INVITE ANYONE {DEAD OR ALIVE} TO THE PARTY. WHO ARE YOU INVITING?

I don't know why, but every time I hear a question like this, I respond with Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.  It is always those two, in that order.  I think I have a lot of questions for them!

Q: IF SOMEONE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE?

The Search for the "Just Right" Everything

Q:YOU GET TO PICK ONE SUPERPOWER. WHAT IS IT?

I actually took a Facebook test and got invisibility!  I said that it was "just right" for me!  I would love to use it and be the fly on the wall idea!

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING?

Golden Rule:  Never assume a task is too hard-let them try!  

University of Cambridge Web Site

It's my email tag and I don't know if it is even on the website anymore.  

Q: IF YOU HAD TO SING ONE SONG ON AMERICAN IDOL, WHAT WOULD IT BE? 

Fearless by Group 1 Crew (Just love this song!)

 Q: ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR A NIGHT OWL?

Morning! And I cold caffeinate!

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE RESOURCE THAT YOU'VE CREATED IN YOUR TPT SHOP?

It's a TIE!

My favorite one that the kids complete is my Native American Mall (for upper grades).

My favorite one I created is:

Q: SHARE SOMETHING WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU! 

As you can see, I am a redhead.  However, as I've aged, I've had to color my hair BACK to some close shade of red (it fades hard and fast! What you may not know is that I think this is God's joke (because we all know he has a sense of humor and knows us enough to know we will get it!)  My WHOLE life I would cry and complain about my carrot top curls!  I wanted to dye it as soon as I got old enough-period!  When I got old enough, I realized that even though I wasn't thrilled with it, people paid A LOT of money for my color, so why change it.  Now that I'm TOO OLD, I have to color the hair I hated most of my life back to a decent red and I long for my true red color.  It simply proves that God knows what he is doing!  (Plus, I'd look totally ridiculous with black hair!)

Thanks for following along!  Now, go check out some other bloggers or join in yourself!  I'll be checking out others along the way too!