Love for Sandy Hook

As educators around the world, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School.  We honor them each day in our classrooms where we continue their dream of educating our children.  We honor their memory with our service. Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook. #love4SH

What an amazing testimony from a mother who lost her daughter to the Sandy Hook shooting. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUR7BFTphmI

Two Winter Freebies

I'm exhausted.  We had craft night at our school last night and then I spent a ton of time decorating my classroom {it was supposed to be just the door} Haha!  So I'm just going to post two freebies tonight.  Tomorrow I'll post the pics of the door decorating contest.  I've been so busy, I haven't even had time to look at the other doors, but I'm sure they're great!  Do you decorate your classrooms for the winter?  What do you do?  Please comment and share your pics in the link below. 

  If you want to join us for Secret Santa, click the picture below. 

These are Active Inspire Flipcharts that go along with these cute read alouds.  Grab them while you can.  They are free for the next 24 hours!  Thanks for visiting tonight! 

 

Door Decorating Contest

My class is decorating our classroom door.  Every year at our school, we have a door decorating contest.  The students love being a part of the planning and execution of it.  Here are some before pics.  The kiddos are hard at work, and as you can see, making a huge mess.  They were listening to music as they worked and watching short Pixar movies.  One of my students today said, "Ms. Cloud, we should make a Naughty or Nice poster."  So that's what I did.  

Here's a pic of the Naughty or Nice Board.  Please feel free to use this idea in your own classrooms.  I'm sure there are ideas that are similar floating around on Pinterest.  Again, I can't take credit for this... it was one of my amazing students! 

Here's the mess on my desk as we were working.  I always justify it by saying, "it means are working hard."  Here are just a few of my purchases...the rest are in my car. It was a cool 20*F this morning, so one trip to the classroom was sufficient for me! Frozen toes and nose while I was on duty today! I'd rather be in Arizona for sure when it's this cold here! 

  

Here are some of my kiddos hard at work.  They came up with the cutest ideas and are way more creative than I ever could be.  

Our theme is gingerbread houses, candy, candy, and more candy!  The class decided to make a gingerbread family.  Each group decided on a family member and got to work. We have a mom, dad, brother, sister, baby, and one group wanted to make a gingerbread dog...a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e! 

Check back with us tomorrow. I'll have the final pictures posted along with some pictures of other doors in our school.  We still need to work on the houses {including a dog house}, ornaments, and snowflakes.  Wish us luck on the contest!

I'm doing this after school.  Hopefully it lasts through the night. 

And here's a link to my Pinterest Door Decor Board. Please link up and share pictures of your own classroom doors or favorites from Pinterest.  I love seeing all that's out there! 

Love ya'll! 

Random Acts of Kindness Linky Party and 13 Days of Christmas Giveaway

with 

Here's how it works:

You choose 2 blogs that you follow {try to pick one newer blog that you recently began following and one blog that you have been following since you first began} and highlight them on your blog by explaining why you think they are such a gift! Then you give them a RACK by offering them one item as a gift from your TPT store!

While it's hard to only pick 2 blogs, here are the 2 blogs I am passing my RACK on to this year:

I started following Amy, from 

when I first started blogging.  I'm still amazed at how dedicated she is to blogging, teaching, and service.  Here are just a few reasons why she is FANTABULOUS!

 

A blogger I just recently started following is

 from

I'm so glad I found her through a guest blog post.  Her blog is so bright and colorful.  She has clearly spent a lot of time on her creations and I'm so happy that she is willing to share them with us via TPT. 

Here are some of her amazing products...

 

 
Thanks so much girlies for being such an inspiration to me.  I love your blogs so much and can't wait to get to know you better through.  I look always look forward to seeing your next post, featured product, and seeing what you've done in your classrooms!

Go check out 13 Days of Christmas!  There are tons of freebies and cute featured items.

for

You can grab this freebie today...

Make sure to enter to win this adorable Christmas cookie clip art set... How adorable is this?

And then visit for the next 12 days to grab another freebie.  On the 14th day, someone will win all of the giveaway items!

Secret Santa

If you've linked up, please visit the blogs and shops of others who have linked.  And please leave comments!  We'd love to hear from you.  

And please comment below with your email and blog name

 so I can partner with another Blogging Buddy. 

Thanks, and hope you are having a nice and relaxing weekend.  Keep warm! 

The Mystery of the Missing Candy Canes Freebie

Click the picture below to grab this fun activity. 

{It will be free for the next 24 hours!}

Also, make sure to visit tomorrow if you're interested in doing Secret Santa this Christmas.  I'll be posting all about that tomorrow.  We did one for Halloween and the treats were super cute.  If you want to participate, but can't visit tomorrow, just leave your name and email here and I'll make sure to include you.  Hope you are all having a great weekend!  

Show Us What You Bought Blog Hop

It's a longer post today, but I wanted to share with you all of the wonderful products I purchased during the TPT cyber sale.  After reading about all the amazing teachers who have created these wonderful resources, come back to click on the frog and visit some other bloggers to see what they bought.  And then join in on the party and share with us! I love shopping, but love even more being able to share with you all of the creations these wonderful ladies have made for us to use in our own classrooms.  I wish I had half the talent as they!

Make sure to visit all of these amazing blogs and stores!  These teachers are out of this world, amazing! I already have products from all of them and can only say positive things about them.  I have learned so much from them and they have made my life so much easier. The past two years, I have taught two different grades, so it's nice to read their blog posts and purchase some things that I can use in my own classroom without having to reinvent the wheel! Thanks so much for all your hard work and dedication.  Thanks for sharing your ideas and amazing talents with us.  Can't wait to use all of my new purchases...  I'll be blogging about these as I do!

Need I say more?  

Jen Bengal is amazing! Check this out from her shop.  She has other grade levels as well. 

 

http://outofthisworldliteracy.blogspot.com/

Woo Hoo!

 I LOVE Interactive Notebooking, so I'm really looking forward to using it in Science, too. Thanks Melissa!   She just did a blog post about Elf in Shelf in the Classroom. Adorable! 

 

http://www.commoncoreandsomuchmore.com/

One of our Standards is on Poetry, Prose, and Drama, so the next two are going to work perfectly to address those standards.  Please pray for her pup, Stella.  She just had to undergo surgery.  My pup had to do that a few years ago after eating my running shorts.  It's not an easy surgery and takes it's toll emotionally and financially.  Prayers for a quick recovery for your precious girl!

I have been using the Poetry Centers all week and LOVE it! So do my kiddos!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poetry-Centers-Common-Core-Correlated-226047

Here are some pics of my class today...

Each group made a poster with the help of  One  Extra Degree.

 

I made this so students could record information from the posters from each group.
  They were able to Walk the Room and had a blast!

I'm going to be using this the next two days...

 Make sure to check out her Science Holiday Challenge while you're there!

http://teachingwithblondeambition.blogspot.com/

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Task Cards by Rachel Lynette.  She makes them for Reading and Math and they are so easy to use.  Print, Laminate, and Done!  And the Chicklets love to do them!

Visit Rachel at http://www.minds-in-bloom.com/

I was about to make my own assessment on Equivalent Fractions today, and then I remembered I had purchased this.  I logged in, downloaded, and La-Di-Da...it was DONE!  So easy...right?!?

Visit http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Math-Mojo/Category/Assessments to get your own.  They have everything you need for Math in Grades 3-5.  I love using their Exit Slips! 

And one of my blogging besties, Amy from 24/7.  She is hard working, dedicated, accurate, and most importantly, kind hearted!  I am truly grateful to have come across her blog this summer, as she has taught me what it means to truly care about others.  She dedicates her time and effort to her products for her family.  I just love that about her!  And as I'm writing this and linking to her blog, I'm realizing that as I've stated earlier, this girl truly has taught me what it means to care about others...she is currently doing Teachers Helping Tornado Victims!  I'm definitely buying a bundle.

I use text passages from Amy all the time, so I'm excited for some new ones...

She also has a December Unit.  We can all use that for sure!  I've included the link to make it even easier for you to buy it now.  

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/December-Close-Reading-Passages-w-Common-Core-Aligned-Text-Dependent-Questions-974894