Deep Breath - Planning Ahead: Copies

I'm starting to feel anxious about the big to do list before school ends for the summer.  On Monday my back was aching so much so that it hurt to walk... move... sit... so I headed in to Massage Envy to get the knots out.  I had knots I didn't know even existed until the lady pushed on them.  I might have squeaked.  I also found out that Massage Envy had a teacher's discount (aka Corporate Discount) if you are looking into a membership.  The best part was handing over all my gift cards (I had 4 of them from Christmas - Love my parents, inlaws, and hubby for looking at my list), and realizing that they covered the 6 month membership fee.  Sweet deal!

What else?  Like I mentioned - my to do list for school is starting to really get long.  Field trip planning, sending off my copy masters, and figuring out what to preorder for next year... usually I tackle this after Spring Break, but since it's so late this year I have to do it pronto.  I like to plan ahead, and I like to know my papers are all organized going into the summer & next year.  It's not everything, but it's the majority of it.

How I figure out my copies is pretty simple, I try to think of everything I do throughout the year.  I get all my masters together and make a list.  There is a lot to say about the use of our time.  Our copy machine costs 6 cents per copy, Rizo costs 4 cents, but that involves our own paper.  To send it off to the school account means I have to plan ahead, but it's their paper and time that is being used and it's only 3 cents per copy.  The best part is that they get delivered to me in a nice, neat package.

I have 2 file cabinets in my room (8 drawers).  My drawers are:

*Odds and Ends/BTSN Paperwork

*Social Studies/Science

*District Reading Unit Assessments

*Math Standard Assessments & Weekly Story Assessments

*Rowley Math - Multiplication/Division Tests

*District Math Assessments & Per Standard Files

*Math, ELA Spiral, and Reading Skills 

*Weekly Reading Comprehension, Reading Log, Mentor Sentence Foldables, Read Aloud Graphic Organizers

What a relief to get that done now!  In the process of putting next year's copies in the cabinets I ended up pulling out the remaining copies for this year and realized there isn't that much left.  Happy Dance!  8 weeks - 3 weeks before Spring Break, 5 weeks after.  

Here's my list of stuff that I have copied and ready to go:

Quick Checks by Blair Turner

Monster Math by I Heart Recess

(Did this 1/2 page)

Reading Menus by 3rd Grade Thoughts

(Did this 1/2 page)

Weekly Reading Homework by Forkin4th

Language Spiral by Ashleigh

(did this 1/2 page)

Mentor Sentence Interactive Notebook Activities by Jivey

(did this 1/2 page too)

My CA History Stuff 

I also have our normal curriculum too.  :)  Have to have that!  

Hope you had a good day!  I'm just now starting to go through my TPT purchase folder and leave feedback on the things I picked up during the site sale.  I love getting those credits and putting them toward my purchases.  Then it's time for me to go shopping!  I added my store to the mix for this weekend sale.  My bundles are an additional 20% as well!  

Poetry, Oh Poetry!

My class has been focusing on descriptions A LOT lately!  We are living, breathing examples, descriptions, and tons of adjectives.  I wanted to do something FUN and create something that can go toward the big pile of Open House stuff (at this point it really is a HUGE pile of stuff - different post).  

This was one of those items I picked up in the Educents Poetry Bundle.  

Pinkadots Elementary had a complete Poetry Journal Pack included in the bundle.  Pages and pages of different poetry templates, I chose 4 of them, they did it one per day this past week.

Today was the put-it-together day.  I passed out a file folder and then we had a passing out paper party with all the different templates.  They glued in the Bio Poem, I am Poem, Acrostic Poem, and Color Poem.  Those were the four I chose to stick inside the folder.  I have more options for later on this year, but those I will be completing full page (instead of 1/2).

Yep, when I prepped the material I copied them 2 per page.  Shrinking them worked beautifully!  Still plenty of room for the kiddos to write.

Now in the middle of the kids gluing up and finishing their folders, we had our District Instructional Tours stop by to visit.  The Head of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendent, and another principal walked through the door and were admiring all my kiddos hard work!  Great activity.  :)   

Seriously, if you teach Poetry and Figurative Language I HIGHLY recommend this pack!  LOVE the activities.  

Hope you had a great day!  

Figurative Language Partner Review {Using Task Cards}

Today my kids did another activity with Figurative Language.  I used the task cards from Pinkadots Elementary and got my kids into groups.  Each pair of kids got a sheet of task cards (just printed on copy paper) and they had to solve those 4 questions.  We went over the meanings of the different types of figurative language one more time and then they were off.  

The directions I gave them were to not only figure out if the answer was A, B, or C - they also needed to underline the part of the sentence that proved that specific figurative language.  Some of them were tricky (and higher level thinking) because it could have been one or another!    

  Afterward they put their names on their papers, I collected, and then we used the document camera to review full class.  I love being able to just print and go - sometimes kids really do need to write on the materials.      

   

This product is a part of the Educents Poetry Bundle.  11 downloads for only $10.99 - It was a great deal (even though I already owned some of the products).  Saved me money picking up the remaining ones!  

Now you might be wondering why I picked up this bundle since I also have figurative language task cards in my store - also multiple choice.  I tend to use mine at the end of our unit as an assessment tool.  It's always nice having different resources that I can use pre, during, and post.  :)    

Hope you had a great day!  Linking this up with Jivey!  I know her linky is talking about poetry, but figurative language goes hand in hand with it.  We have to teach how to make the words come alive.  It totally makes sense to me with the connection!