Groove Giveaway Winner!

Hi there sweet bloggin friends!  Whew!  Two days back in the groove and I think I've had a total of 3 hours in my classroom!  I know meetings are a necessity but...good grief!  Actually, one we had today was VERY informative about Common Core and the idea of using power standards.  Anyone else using power standards with the Common Core?   Just wondering.  It sounds like our county is focusing on the most important standards and calling them power standards.  Anyway...now that our preplanning meetings are over with,  I can focus on getting everything ready for Open House on Tuesday!  I so appreciate all of you for participating in my "Get in the Groove Giveaway!"  I have to admit I really enjoyed being home this summer spending time with my kids, going to the pool, and spending my mornings drinking coffee while working on the computer.  I didn't go to the school one time during the summer.  I still have lots to do before my new bunch of second graders come on Tuesday! I loved reading your comments on when you all were going back and I love that several of you are new to blogging!  You will love it and make lots of friends through blog hopping!  I know I have.  I appreciate you all following me here on Sassy in Second and am happy to let you know we have a winner!  Here you go...

Congratulations Dray!  You are the lucky winner!  I am also your newest follower.  Everyone check out Dray's adorable blog...Second Grade is Sweet!

I also have some pics here of my classroom!  

I took these when I first went back in my room.  It was a cleaning day for me (about a week ago) with bleaching and sanitizing everything in the room.  I spent a lot of time organizing my book baskets and cabinets as well.

I spent a whole day cleaning out my cabinets and organizing my art cabinet.  I wanted to put everything in plastic containers with lids and labels.  

This is how I store my centers and packets.  I place each one in gallon-sized baggies and stack them in large plastic tubs.  It sure was nice the other day to pull these out and see what all is "already" made for this year.  I am so thankful I started making new materials last year!  My old centers were looking real shabby.  I needed to update my materials! Looking forward to another great year of making centers, tiered math tubs, and lots of other goodies.

I try to keep things posted where my kiddos can see them easily.  I post all of my EQ's at the front of the room with magnetic clips.  This year I plan to use my Common Core EQ posters here!

Now that you've seen some "before" pics...I can't wait to show the "after pics" in a couple of days.  I am making my goody bags (or I should say I have my daughter putting them together for me) this weekend and getting everything labeled in my room.  Check back on Tuesday to see how everything looks!  I also will post pictures of my Common Core Notebooks to let you see where I am with those. I can't wait to start using those with my kids!!!   Have a great night friends and I hope those of you going back to school this next week are "Getting  Back in your Groove" as well!  Thanks-Yvonne :)

Back in the Groove Giveaway!

WOW!  Three more days and I have to get "back in my groove" of school!  I am so excited to start a new and exciting school year with my new bunch of second grade babes!  Teachers report on Thursday and our kiddies' first day is the following Wednesday.  To celebrate (and to say goodbye to my summer) I would like to giveaway a goody to one lucky winner!  There is no purchase necessary.  All you have to do is become a follower of my blog (Sassy in Second), follow my TpT store (Yvonne Dixon), and spread the word of this giveaway either with a tweet, Facebook, or Pinterest (your choice).  Leave me a note below letting me know you've done all three things along with your email.  I'll pull the lucky winner on Friday night (Aug. 3rd) at 10:00 and you get to pick any item you want from my TpT store (WINNER'S CHOICE)!  I'd like to thank Anne Marie Smith at Innovative Connections for the darling background above!  I downloaded this from her freebie Bright Borders set!  

Good luck and thank you for participating in this giveaway!  I'd love to know when you all are going back to school.  It is so wild to hear how we all have such different calendar schedules. 

Have a wonderful week friends and I'll post the winner Friday night!  Thanks so much!Yvonne

Happy Friday!

Hi friends!  I was hoping to post a giveaway for you all this weekend and experiment a little with the "Rafflecopter" giveaway tool!  So many of you all out there are pros at using it and I am wanting to give it a try.  It wasn't working too well for me earlier today so I will get it together and hopefully have everything ready for you by Monday!  I hope you all are enjoying your Friday.  It is officially my last Friday night of my summer (I go back to school next Thursday) and I am breaking out my little black dress for a date with my hubby!  We are going to see Allison Kraus tonight in concert in Athens!  I so love her voice and have been looking forward to this concert all summer long!  Hope you have a fabulous weekend!  Keep posted and watch for my giveaway to start on Monday!  Thanks friends!-Yvonne :)

4th Grade Common Core Notebook!

Wow!  I am thrilled to tell you guys that I've posted a 4th Grade Common Core Notebook!  Never did I dream I would make any teaching materials past third grade level but I've had several requests for the template of the notebooks and decided to make them through 5th grade! So excited and hope it works well for all you amazing fourth grade folks out there!  I admire you!  Your fractions standards are brutal!  God knew what he was doing when He placed me in primary grades! :)

   I went to my classroom today and I am getting SO excited for our new school year!  It was just a cleaning day with Mr. Lysol and Mrs. Clorox, but tomorrow I will list all of my "things to do" before open house in less than two weeks! I'll keep you posted and show you some pics!  Have a wonderful night!-Yvonne

Math Journal Prompts- A Complete School Year!

Woohoo!  I am excited to let you all know that it is finally posted...my Math Journal Prompts -A Complete School Year!    I've had lots of requests for this bundle to make it easier for you guys to purchase your math journal prompts by the month (plus you get a discounted price for buying the set).  I appreciate all the sweet comments about how they have helped your students with higher-order thinking skills and problem-solving strategies!  I love using math journals.  This year I plan to start on day one with my August prompt tickets and establish a routine for student-teacher conferencing.  I believe I will keep my routine pretty much the same but will allow time at the "end" of my school day for students to come to me individually to read their problems to me and have our math discussions.  Math time is busy, busy, busy in the mornings between math tub time, morning problem tickets, and a whole group lesson.  I plan to post quite a bit when we start back to school in a couple of weeks to let you all know my routine and how it goes!  Anyway...thanks again for those of you who have already purchased these prompts and I hope they work well for your students!  -Yvonne :)

Math Maniac Giveaway!

I just got back in town from a 3 day camping trip with my family!  You all would have cracked up watching me stand in a freezing stream "somewhere" in the NC mountains!  We had a ball catching trout and just having some quality family time.  My son (Derek) won the prize for catching the most fish.  I, on the other hand, didn't do so well.  It was fun trying!  These are the times I will cherish

later on!  On another note,  I am almost finished with all 12 months of math journal prompts!  I will post the complete set by Wednesday for sure!  I know some of you are waiting on these and I really do appreciate your patience! I am also working on the 4th grade notebook which should be out sometime next week!  

Here is a great giveaway for second grade teachers!  Casey at Second Grade Math Maniac is hosting a spectacular second grade giveaway that I am proud to be a part of!  She has some awesome blogging buddies who have donated quality prizes so be sure to go check it out! This school year I am still working on math tubs and materials to support math instruction so her items look great to me!  Go check her out and good luck with the giveaway! -Yvonne :) 

Spine Labels for Common Core Notebooks!

Happy Wednesday ya'll!  I am off to the doctor today and have lots of running around to do but first I wanted to give you these great spine labels for your Standards-Based Notebooks.  I usually store my notebooks and binders in cubbies in my own classroom but I know most folks use bookshelves.  These labels will make it easier for you and your kiddos to organize and pull their notebooks when needed.  These spine labels were actually by request from a sweet someone who bought the 1st Grade Notebook and asked for them!  Why didn't I think of that?  That is what I love about teachers!  We always help each other out with cool ideas!   I will go ahead and put the labels in the 4th and 5th grade Notebooks when I post them on TpT!  Here they are for 1st-3rd.  I've updated those packs as well.  Just click on the pictures below for the grade level you need! Thanks friends and have a great day!  

                                       

I love this! What a great, creative, thorough way to assess the CC standards! The only thing I would like to see added is a template for a spine label so the kids can find their notebooks on a bookshelf.

July 7, 2012

Yvonne Dixon (TpT Seller)

Thank you!  I hope you enjoy these resources and they help your students organize their artifacts/evidence of learning the Common Core Standards!  Great idea about adding a spine label!  I will work on that and post it on my blog for all to see/download.  I so appreciate your purchase and great feedback!-Yvonne Dixon