Colorful Owl Newsletter Templates - Digital Download

I have fabulous teacher friends. Abso-stinkin-lutely fabulous teacher friends, y'all.

Last week I had some of them over to my house for a mini Back-to-School bash. It was nice to get together, chat, and help ourselves prepare for our first week back to school (without kids). Plus, I enjoyed getting to show off our new home to some of my friends. We're still in that excited phase!

One of my good teacher friends is someone that I met last year. She didn't grow up in the same area that I did (she used to live in England - she's cool like that), so I don't know much about her. What I do know: she's AMAZING at her job and she's downright hilaaaaaarious! She's also one of those people who is just GOOD. Good, good people.

She actually requested this product from me - editable school newsletter templates. But, not just any newsletter templates - owl newsletter templates.

Here's her OWL!!!!

{Click here to download Colorful Owl Editable Newsletter Templates.}

These actually turned out GREAT! Some day, when I have more time (ha!), I would love to create some seasonal newsletters to throw into this packet. *sigh* We'll see if this happens! ;)

For now, this product is perfect for ANY teacher. The digital download comes with a variety of editable newsletter templates. To be exact, there are four templates to choose from and you can easily edit the content of the newsletter in Microsoft Word. I've even positioned the text boxes for you.

Happy, happy start to the school year! Keep hanging in there!

Enjoy!!

Word Study Foldable Templates - Digital Download

Hello, Internet!

It's been quite some time since I last sat down to blog about some products, or about how the school year is going. Spring Break has passed and now we have just 4 weeks before our state assessments. Eek!

As we get closer to the STAAR test, I'm constantly finding new ways to keep my students effectively busy while I pull small groups as often as possible to reinforce skills.

In fact, just this week I'm planning on implementing a new literacy station system. I'm nervous because we're getting our second walk through from the district this week, but I know I need to change things up! We don't have time to waste, so I'm making the switch the same week as their walk through any way. Wish me luck!

I do hope to share more about the new system with you guys. First though, I'd like to make sure that things go as I plan for them to go. If they don't, I might have to make some tweaks before I share it all. This all makes me think: could be an entire TpT download! {{FUN!!}}

Any way, before I get too side-tracked...I initially started this blog post to inform you about a product that I just added to my store today, Word Study Foldable Templates.

{Click here to download Word Study Foldable Templates.}

I initially made one of these foldable templates when I knew I would be out one day last week. It went over so well & was such a valuable activity for my kids that I made even more & decided to sell them.

As you can see in the preview above, the foldable templates are two-pages each and they should be copied front to back. Then, students cut along the dotted edge and start completing their foldable. I have created a foldable template for the following word study skills: homophones, homographs, antonyms, synonyms, suffixes, & prefixes.

While my students completed the Multiple-Meaning Words foldable last week independently, I'm also going to place some of the other skills at literacy stations. Students will easily be able to manage these activities on their own & be quite successful!

If you think this is something that will work in your class, I highly recommend this for Grade 2, Grade 3, or Grade 4 {my students are in the 3rd grade}. Just go to my TpT shop & download!

Enjoy! :)

Literacy Station Menu - Digital Download

Well, I've survived the first nine weeks of school...barely.

It's Saturday and I just got back from working in my classroom for the second weekend in a row. The sad thing is that if the school was still open, I'd still be there.

I desperately keep trying to get ahead, but I'm slowly getting the feeling that getting ahead won't EVER happen. Someone please tell me it's not true...

-------------------------------------------------

So far, I've been really proud of my students during literacy stations. Most of them stay right on task with each activity and everyone is getting the hang of the dos and don'ts of literacy stations...yay!

This past week was a stressful one because we were observed by people from our district. We have some improvements to make on our campus, but thankfully we also received a lot of positive feedback, too. I stressed and stressed over this visit, but I was counting my blessings that they came during our literacy stations...

My kids ROCKED it!!!

I did forewarn them about the visit - mainly because I wanted my students to know that if they're asked a question, it's OK to talk to these people. You know kids, they have a tendency to give that "I'm not supposed to be talkin' to you!" look and zip their lips (of course, during instruction they're chatter boxes though)!

Despite the stress everyone felt, my kids did their everyday routine perfectly. They worked at their stations, showed off their work, and stayed right on task just the same way they always do!

Part of the reason I feel my kids do such an awesome job at literacy stations is because we call it "Literacy Menu." 

{Click to download a Literacy Menu for your class.}

What's so different about that?

Well, it's just that...it's different. And my kids thrive on working differently.

I give them a Literacy Menu that they must keep in a folder all week long. In that folder, they also compile any activity sheets that may be at a station. At the end of each week, they turn in their Literacy Menu and receive rewards if they were on-task and completing the stations as expected.

It makes literacy stations so easy to run and keep track of! And? It's all because it's "different" that the kids like what they're doing and do it well.

If you'd like a Literacy Menu for your classroom, you can download one from my Teachers Pay Teachers account. I'd love to hear your feedback, too! 

All Grade Level Weekly Lesson Plan Template - Free Download

When I first started my current teaching assignment, it was mid-year and the classroom was every bit of chaotic. Why? The students were going through change.

Third grade is challenging enough, but give the students a new teacher in the second semester of school and you're in charge of creating order in the midst of confusion and kids just thinkin' about summer.

As another teacher phrased it, I had hit the ground running. I didn't have time to hardly think about what classroom management procedures I wanted to implement, let alone sit down with gobs of time to construct elaborate lessons for each second of my day.

Click Here to Download the All Grade Level Weekly Lesson Plan Template (FREE)

This weekly lesson plan template is something I had to create for myself. I didn't see it as an option, and it's been a lifesaver ever since! I quickly jot down my plans for week after week and now, as school is coming to a close, I realize that I'm much more relaxed than I initially was.

What a treat that has been! :)  Some days I feel like I literally walk in my room refreshed from a good night's sleep, flip to my lesson plan template, and let the fun begin.

This download is certainly for the busy teacher that would rather spend more time teaching the fun stuff than planning it! Enjoy...

Click Here to Download the All Grade Level Weekly Lesson Plan Template (FREE)