April FREEBIE Hiding in Five for Friday

It's like an Easter egg hunt!  Kind of.  Maybe just a little bit.  There really is a "prize" for you! Hunt through this Five for Friday, hosted by Doodle Bugs, to find your April Freebie!  Here's a little carrot to keep you going!

Can you find me?  Keep reading to find the link to this freebie!

You know how I like to take advantage of the free clipart on TPT, right?  I talked about it in this post if you want to read more about it.  Well, I recently came across this must-have set from Krista Wallden of Creative Clips.  I love her clipart and this set is FREE! So many possibilities!

I'm loving the variety of colors!  I'm thinking these would be great to write a short & sweet note to co-workers telling them you're glad they are one of your "peeps".  How would YOU use these?  

Still looking for The Great Egg Hunt, huh?  Keep at it!  It's somewhere around here!  I was looking at a class photo from my husband's elementary years and just had to count the kiddos because it seemed like there were a million kids in his class.  I was right.  39.  Say what? THIRTY-NINE.  Granted it was 25 years ago, but still.  I've had as few as 18 (GLORIOUS), and as many as 29 (OMGracious).  What's the most you've ever had?  

In case you haven't heard, I'm giving away a FREE copy of my Fraction 4 Game Bundle!  It includes a 102 page color version, as well as a 102 page grayscale color ink costs too much version!  A winner will be announced Sunday, March 30th in the morning.   Want a chance to win?  Of course you do!  CLICK HERE to get entered!  If you want to see the details on this bundle, check it out HERE!

Isn't she pretty?

This sucker was a labor of love, but I sure do like using purposeful games to make learning fun for the kiddos.  I have always enjoyed playing games and the camaraderie that goes with it, and that has transferred over into my teaching.  Did you know that my husband proposed during a game of Yahtzee?  I shook the cup of dice, tipped it over, and out tumbled a ring!  Side note-that ending up being the first time he ever beat me at Yahtzee.  I must have been distracted...

The great hunt is over!  If you're ready to snag a copy of my April Freebie, look no further.  HERE SHE IS!  You earned it!

I'm so thankful for the "extra" daylight in the evenings!  Losing that hour of sleep was rough, but I feel like I've been way more productive in the evenings after CrossFit & cooking dinner than I was when it was getting dark at 6:00 pm.  Kona, the pup, is loving it too!  She gets fetch time while we cook each evening.  When it's sunny, sometimes she'll just lay in the yard sand, and soak up the rays. She melts my heart!  

Surely I'm not the only one with an insane number of pet photos on their phone...

Happy Friday!

GIVEAWAY: Fraction Game Bundle

Oh, fractions.  How I love and loathe thee all at the same time.  I think fractions lend themselves to lots of engaging hands-on activities and they are so applicable to real life.  On the other hand, it can be tough for such young minds to wrap their little brains around the concept and REALLY GET IT.  Sure we can teach them "rules" about bigger and smaller numbers on top or on bottom, but if they GET it, they don't need those rules.

I thought about saying that finishing my fraction game bundle felt like giving birth, but then I decided that might not sit well with readers that have actually given birth...to a baby.  So instead, I'll just say that I'm finally done!  Another one bites the dust!  To celebrate, how about a GIVEAWAY?

The giveaway begins today and a winner will be announced Sunday, March 30th in the morning!  If you'd like to take a closer look, head over to TPT to see the preview!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck!

It's Yours For the Taking

All you need to know is that I woke up feeling extra generous today, and that benefits you! Head on over to The Rolly Chair on FB and leave a comment sharing what you most look forward to during Spring Break for a chance to win a FREE copy of Match Maker, one of the games in the fraction game bundle I'm currently working on.

Feeling lazy?  Need a sneak peek to convince you?  Take a look!

She's pretty, right? She's also very functional and requires just a bit of cutting to set up.  Print, cut, play!  No weird circular or zig-zag cuts...Ain't nobody got time for that, especially teachers!

It's Raining Money

Last weekend at my favorite local coffee shop, I noticed that the kid in front of me in line paid with Square.  I guess I can relate.  Kind of.  Not really. When I was their age, I was digging in my pocket hoping for a few more pennies so that I would have enough money to pay for my Slurpee.  If only Square was part of CCSS…

Moving on.  I LOVE when we work on coins!  Kids like to get their recently sanitized hands on all that play money and you can see the dollar signs in their eyes!  However, each year I'm always amazed at how many kiddos don't already know which coin is which.  Maybe they are all using Square.  Right.  I said I was moving on.

I put together some resources for my kiddos that match our class anchor charts and a foldable where they had to cut & paste the information into the correct spot.  I decided to use the foldable to check for understanding of coin names and values.  Want a copy for free?  Leave me a comment with one of your favorite teacher tips for your coin unit and I'll email you this product for FREE….zero pennies!  Don't forget to include your email address!  Take a peek!  I also included half page for those of us using interactive math journals!  

Don't forget to enter my RaffleCopter Facebook Giveaway!

Told You So RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!

If Vegas was running a line for the odds of winning my first giveaway, they'd be in your favor.  Let's be real here..there aren't millions of people following me. Yet.  Oh, and unlike Vegas, I'm not asking for any moolah so that you have a chance to strike it rich win my Subtraction Cards. 

Remember that time I told you I was doing some housework on my earliest TPT products?  You better remember…it was just a day ago!  Well, I updated my very first TPT product and now I want to give 2 copies away!

Head on over to my FB page and enter using the Giveaway tab (located near Fan Freebies)!  By completing the extra tasks on the RaffleCopter, you can earn TEN entries!  

What are you waiting for?  Enter to win!

The winners will get 72 leveled color-coded subtraction cards,
a student response sheet, answer key, and game board! 

Since it was first posted in 2012, I've:
-Added cutting guide lines to make cutting them the same size easier
-Added question numbers
-Added an answer key
-Added a generic game board
-Added a student response page
-Doubled the amount of cards

What was I thinking back in 2012?  Yikes!  Glad I "snazzied" this up and have set some standards for my products!

Roll-a-Shape Monster Freebie

I'm giddy.  Really, really giddy.  This was a big LEGEN…wait for it….DARY week for The Rolly Chair!  I posted THREE new 2D & 3D shape products in my TPT store, I saw an increase in Pinterest followers, AND…..I launched The Rolly Chair on Facebook (and I actually have followers).  So what does all this giddiness mean for you?  I feel like a freebie is the most appropriate way to celebrate and say thank you! I know the way to your heart!

Use pink, purple, and red to make it a seasonal craft,
or any other color combo for a different time of year!

Writing paper is included in the freebie so you
can add a writing extension!

Visit my TPT store to download my Roll-a-Shape Monster Freebie!  Please take the time to rate and leave feedback on TPT too!  I'd love for you to follow The Rolly Chair on Facebook for FB only freebies.

Squares, and Cones, and Prisms, Oh My!

At this point, most of my TPT products are selfish.  They come from MY needs.  I search TPT for something I want, and if I can't find exactly what I need, I make my own.  It's all about ME. Well, that's not entirely true.  I make what I need and then try and add modifications to make it fit what others might need too.  I work REALLY hard to be thorough.  Maybe that's how my 2D & 3D Shape Posters turned into a 150 page file.  That wasn't a typo.  You heard me right…. 1-5-0.  Phew. Glad that's done. I'm marking them 50% off for a few days while they debut, so if you're interested, grab them while they are only $2.  Maybe you're not interested in purchasing them, but you just want to see how on earth I ended up with 150 pages and laugh at with me.  Either way, check them out.

Full page or half page (half page if you have a fire marshal
that isn't a fan of lots of paper on the wall….
speaking from experience)

Plain, real life examples, definitions….you choose!

PS-I'm exhausted and feeling generous.  If you buy the Shape Posters and leave feedback, leave a comment here with your email address and I'll email you my TPT Subtraction Cards for FREE!   That's 150 pages of shape posters and 42 subtraction cards for $2.  Offer good until Shape Posters aren't on sale anymore.

Let's Get Organized

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Everything has a place. It's in my blood.  I just can't help it.  It's my mom's fault.  Color coding is therapeutic.  I'm not ashamed!  After 8 years of being in the classroom and my obsession healthy relationship with TPT, I've accumulated quite the collection of teaching materials.  Have I ever mentioned the Air Force moves us every 2-3 years? See, I have to be organized!  Oh, and I've been hired TWICE on the morning of Meet the Teacher, mere days before school starts.  Again, I have to be organized!  It makes packing & unpacking way less stressful AND it helps me use all of the great stuff I have.  

Storing all of this in an organized way was soooo necessary for me.  In years past, I've realized after a unit or holiday that I had THE PERFECT LESSON already on hand, but had forgotten about it. Does that ever happen to you? You know how the saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind."  I've tried filing cabinets, tubs, binders, digital, etc. and I finally decided on a combo.  I use tubs to store my stuff.  For example, I had a fraction tub. Within each tub, I had a binder or two full of all of my printables, formatives, and centers in page protectors in order.   I keep all of my manipulatives, games, books, etc. for that concept in the tub.  

With the introduction of CCSS, I needed to do a little re-arranging so I decided to bite the bullet and make a coordinating AND adorable chevron set of binder & tub labels that used CCSS lingo.  I tackled math first.  Also, I don't have all of the CCSS memorized, so I wanted quick reference sheets that would be handy & stored with each tub.  Remember that whole "I move every 2-3 years" thing? I figured I won't always be teaching the same grade level, so in addition to 2nd and 3rd grade CCSS labels, I made labels for every possible math concept I might ever teach at the elementary level….yeah, SEVENTY-ONE additional labels.

Maybe it's time for a picture or two!

Adorable, easy to stack, see through, and roomy! 

Binder on bottom, books, manipulatives, stuff, and CCSS reference sheet on top.

These sit inside the tub at the very top.  It's the EXACT CCSS language.

The front of the binder has an OVERVIEW of that CCSS.

I wanted this to work for other teachers as well, so I made skinny spines, fatter spines, full pages, half pages, editable pages, etc.  Interested in my 2nd & 3rd Grade Math CCSS Organization set?  Don't forget there are full pages, half pages, and spines for the 71 other math topics too!  Here's a good look at what you get!  

I might have had a *few* cups of coffee in order to accomplish this!

Happy organizing!

Diagnostic Tool for Subtracting Within 1,000

Data and I are BFFs.  Sure, sometimes we fight and don't speak to each other for the rest of the day. I might be guilty of talking about her behind her back, but we always make up and build a stronger bond than before.  After breaking down the data from a formative assessment on subtraction, I realized I could very easily group my kids based on exactly where their "break down" occurred in subtraction, rather than high/medium/low, got it/kind of get it/lost, etc. After that, I started making formatives and centers that really focused on each layer of subtraction separately.  I'm probably preaching to the choir, and you're probably thinking DUH, but sharing is caring, so here you go!  You can download a FREE Diagnostic Tool for Subtracting Within 1,000 to help you find where your kiddos are breaking down.  One of my peeves is when response spaces aren't reasonably sized for my little guys.  I made this with plenty of room for the kids to show their work!  Easy on the eyes, right?

Plenty of room to show their work!

Blank space for customization!

Who doesn't love an answer key?

What "duh" moment have you had lately?  Comment below!