Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Work Stations Wednesday

Happy Wednesday Friends!

Today I am starting a new blog series where I share with you what my students do during Literacy Work Station time in my classroom. AND ( the best part) I will be sharing a freebie ( or two or three) with you for each post.

I tried starting this series last April when I shared how I rotate my students through stations. However, I took a class that suddenly took up all my time and I never stuck with it. To see how I rotate my students through stations and read my back story on how I " discovered" LWS click HERE.

I <3 this book!


You can purchase it through Amazon HERE.

Today I am sharing how I have my Reading Corner/ Independent Reading Station set up and organized. Stick around to the end because I have a freebie to share with you.

So this is what my reading corner looks like:



Let's be honest here. It's not a large space. But neither is my room. But like all spaces in my room it is well organized. I have my books organized into bins. All of the bins have a label. I got the labels from the ocean theme classroom set that I purchased HERE. I just used the generic labels and typed in my own categories. This way students can easily put their books back where they belong. 



My kiddo's rotate through stations once a week. Our station time lasts from 9:30- 10:15 each day. That gives us enough time to do 2 station rotations everyday.  Everyone goes to reading corner at least once throughout the week. 

There are three different stations where they read ( or listen to) books: Reading Corner, Listening Station, and Buddy Reading. On the reading log they use it has a space for them to mark which one they are at. This helps to hold them accountable and gives them a focus when they get to those stations. 

Once they fill out their reading log, they spend the rest of their time reading! ( Kind of a giveaway by the name of the station.) Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control my kiddo's only get about 15- 20 minutes of schedule independent reading time per day so that is why I have everybody go to reading station at least once a week.

When I introduce stations this is the first station that I introduce because to me it is the simplest one to understand. There are only two steps to remember: Fill out the log and Read! I keep it fresh by allowing them to read with stuffed animals only at this station. I also read out loud to them at least once a day and many times I pull a "special" book from my book shelf for read aloud. I leave that book out for them to read during reading station. If they have any issues with words they can whisper/ ask someone at the station with them, but otherwise they are independently reading the whole time. 



SO! Now the promised freebie.
I have included both the reading log I use with my kiddo's and a more generic log. Plus two different response sheets ( the same questions but one has a boy and one has a girl). 



Click HERE to get your freebie!

So that is how I run my reading station. Check back next Wednesday for a peek at my word work station and ( of course!) a freebie!

Do you use Literacy Work Stations in your room? I would love to hear how you run yours. 
~Jean~




Sunday, February 16, 2014

Five For Friday



Ok, I just realized that I never finished this post Friday...so what better to do while hubby is watching The Walking Dead, but finish my Five For Friday Post. LOL! Read on.... 

Happy Valentines Day Friends! Hope you got some LUV today!

Me? We had today off. So I spent 7 hours in my 2nd home, AKA my classroom, getting lesson plans/ organizing/ cleaning/ laminating done. Peanut spent ALL 7 of those hours with me. She was amazing. Then we brought home pizza to the Mr. and enjoyed some family time and Funniest Videos. Not the most exciting of Valentines Days, but great since I got to spend it with my favorite people. 

Now both of those people are in bed and I am spending the rest of my night blogging and doing laundry. 

So here I am, linking up with Doodlebugs Teaching for the Five For Friday linky. 

1. We started an informational writing unit this week. So I busted out my Pinterest project from last year and the non fiction text features freebie from my TPT store and got down to work. We have been reading a lot of non fiction lately and they really enjoy it. I think they are going to love writing non fiction. 


2. Since we had today off we had our Valentines party yesterday. I didn't have a ton of time,but wanted something cute to pass out to my students. So I grabbed a bag of suckers, a freebie border and font from TPT and VOILA. Insta- Valentine. Then one of my beans brought me a cute homemade Valentine. It is S'more stuff in a jar with a note that says " There is no teacher I love S'more than you." SO Cute!

3.  I am working on a post on my classroom management. I rarely have issues with students and my administrators have sent teachers to observe in my classroom to see my classroom management at work. This is just a taste of what will be in that post....and a good way for me to really get on with it and get it done! :) 

4/ 5 Do you love looking at bulletin board pictures on Pinterest as much as I do? I love to see the creative things people are doing. I decided to share one that I made ( the mitten one)  and one that one of the 3rd grade teachers down the hall from me put up ( the Olympics one). She told me I could share it as long as I gave the credit to an amazing parent helper in her room who did it for her. :) 

Well, that is all from me. Can't believe I forgot to post this...What a nut. Oh well, better late than never. :) 

~Jean~


Friday, January 31, 2014

Sweet Second Grade Savings $1 Sale!!

Happy Friday Friends! I am so excited to share this linky with all of you!

Happy weekend everyone!  Your favorite second grade bloggers are back, this time with sweet savings for you.  We have gotten together to form a dollar sale linky party!  Each blogger will be adding 2-4 products to the link up below that will be on sale for ONE DOLLAR now through Sunday night.  Come Monday morning, all of the products will go back to their regular price, so make sure to grab them while you can!

Here's what you will find for one dollar in my store, this weekend only:








At the end of this post, you will find previews and links for all of the items on sale for one dollar.  Click on the links below and you will be taken directly to the TpT store where the products can be found to add to your cart.  We hope you can find everything you need for the upcoming month(s).  Happy shopping!


Saturday, January 11, 2014

Five For Friday

Happy Saturday Friends!

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. I am ACTUALLY participating in Five For Friday this week. ( Yes, I know it's Saturday, but better late than never....Especially since it was never for MONTHS now!)


                                                     
If you want to join in all the fun head over to DOODLEBUGS TEACHING and join in. 


So this week was our first week back after our Christmas break. I was not really feeling ready to go back and I guess God was listening because we got hit with FUH-REE-ZING cold weather. SO, we got two days off of school. :)

Peanut and I decided that while we had some extra fresh snow laying around we would make snow ice cream. Iused to make this with my aunt when I was little. I think you can tell by the smile on her face that she loved it. :)






 We also had a snow day the day BEFORE break ( so I really got 2 1/2 weeks off). The only thing is, that is the ONLY day of the year that I DON'T want a snow day because we get to wear jammies, comfy read, open presents, make crafts, and watch Polar Express in the afternoon. Basically the most awesome day of the year. :) 

We rescheduled it for this Friday. I wish I could share all the cutey-cute pics of my Little Beans in their jams. You will have to settle for this impromptu wehavetogetourkidsfromrecessasapquicksmile picture of me and my grade level team. :) 

( Super bummer that we took this pic AFTER one of my teamies student teachers left. She was wearing FOOTIE jammies. SO cute!)


Last weekend I took part in a Facebook Freebie hop with some of my FAVE bloggers. I hit over 500 followers on this blog. So you know I am going to have to do SOME sort of giveaway as a thank you. :)


The Facebook Freebie Hop was just the thing I needed to get me back into the groove of creating and blogging. Not only did I create this for the hop


( And if you missed it, it is in my TPT store now. You can get it here.) 

But I also finished something I have been working on since the beginning of the school year. 




I like to change my kiddo's seats monthly and I like to change their desk name plates when I move their seat. I started creating this product for myself at the beginning of the year ,and have been adding to it each month for my own use. After creating the freebie for the hop I got inspired and finished it. You can see that there are over 20 different kinds of name plates. It might be my favorite product of mine. :) 
This is also in my TPT store and you can get it HERE. 

( Like my numbers? The background is by DOTS OF FUN and the Numbers are LITTLE RED.)

Finally I just HAD to share my find from last night. I am not as extreme as some people, but I do stockpile gifts ( for my whole family) and clothes for my peanut. I know a lot of people know about clothing or after season decoration sales ,but one of the things that I discovered after Christmas last year was that many stores also mark their toys down. 

I have been stocking up on items for my Peanut and I already have her Valentines presents done.... Yes, we do  presents for Valentines day in my house. :) 

So anyways, last night I was shopping and found this Ariel play set for 75% off! I paid only $12.50! ( I know what the Easter Bunny will be bringing her this year.) 


So that was my week. I am glad I was finally able to share! 
Have a great weekend!
~Jean~

Friday, January 3, 2014

Sorry I Have Been AWOL! ( Here is a Freebie to Make it Up to You!)

Sooooo, yeah. Not posting since November. Not cool. Sorry. 

What can I say but, life happened! You ALL know how that goes. 

But I am here today to say that I am BACK ( FOR REAL) and I have an awesome Freebie ( Plus 29 more!) to offer you!

Head over to my facebook page HERE to get your freebie!

THEN! Head over to Tori's Teacher Tips facebook page HERE to get 29 more awesome freebies!


Thanks for sticking around Diving Into 2nd Grade. I appreciate it! :) 

~Jean~

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

K5 Learning Invitation

So a week ago I got an email from a website called K5 Learning to check out their website for FREE for 6 weeks with one of my students and write a review of the site.

I was pretty psyched to do it. I see bloggers sharing the things they get asked to review all the time and so this made me feel like a "real" blogger.

I am starting it today with one of peanuts and before I start it I needed to put this little blurb on my blog.

K5 Learning has an online reading and math program for kindergarten to grade 5 students.  I've been given a 6 week free trial to test and write a review of their program.  If you are a blogger, you may want to check out their  open invitation to write an online learning review of their program. - See more at: http://www.k5learning.com/review-k5?sid=20520#sthash.9iY93nx5.dpuf

I am excited to see how it works out.

Enjoy your Wednesday friends. I think I may ACTUALLY have a 5 for Friday post in the works! Craziness I know!

~Jean~

Monday, November 4, 2013

November Currently

Ok, all. I thank you for sticking around here at Diving Into 2nd Grade. I have been a horrible blogger and I thank you for sticking with me. :)

Today I am actually linking up with Farley over at O Boy 4th Grade for her November Currently.

So, this is what is currently going on with me...
I thought this yummy pin would be perfect to share for this time of year.

skinnypumpkin2 
The recipe looks pretty easy and only 500 calories for the WHOLE loaf! I am IN!

Seriously, this class NEEDS to end. All of my free time seems to go towards that class and I don't feel as if I have learned anything that is really beneficial to my class. :(  But on a positive note, you know I love me some Christmas season and it is ALMOST here! )

*Fingers crossed* I am hoping to have a post for you tomorrow or Wednesday about our 2nd Grade Market Day.

~Jean~