Under the Sea Center FUN!

I love having an ocean theme during the last couple weeks of school! What's perfect is that we are performing our ocean themed 1st grade play on Thursday called "Sounds a Little Fishy to Me"!! My sweet peas are having a blast working on this week's Under the Sea Math and Literacy Centers. Here are descriptions of the centers we're enjoying together!!!

 Read the Room- My sweeties read and sorted the /ace/ and /ice/ mermaid cards. They love reading our classroom!!

Fishy Facts and Opinions- In this literacy center, the students read the ocean themed sentences and sorted them by facts and opinions.

Making Words with "Under the Sea"- WOW! My students are masters at making words at this point in the year....I was amazed at the words they were making today!!! They love this center!!

Deep Sea Graphing- In this math center, students reviewed addition, making a tally chart, and making a bar graph. They sorted and counted all the adorable ocean creatures, solved addition problems, & represented them in a tally chart and a bar graph! It was a great review and oh so much fun!!

Fishy Fact Families- In this math center, my little love babies created fact families with the fishy fact family cards! This is one of those skills where I think repetition is important so we are constantly reviewing how addition & subtraction are related!

Under the Sea Sums- In this matching sums game, my sweeties sorted the addition and subtraction cards by sums of 10, 12, 18, & 20! Then they completed a cut/paste recording sheet to show their work!

 A Sea Full of Sentences- Another class fav! My kiddos made ocean themed complete sentences with each set of cards. This center never gets old in my room!!

 Deep Sea Skip Counting- In this skip counting center, the students had to unscramble each number pattern. It reviewed skip counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's.

Under the Sea Story Problems- Students read each ocean themed story problem and showed how they solved it on their recording sheet. My loves have had a center like this one every week for a good 3-4 months and BOY have they got the problem solving process down...I'm so proud!!! This was a hard skill for them this year!!!

 Crabby Contractions- These crabby contractions helped reinforce the word pairs that make contractions. It was a great review!!

All of these centers are in my Under the Sea Math & Literacy Center Packet. Click {HERE} to check it out at my TpT store!! 

Time for bed, sweet friends!!! I'm all blogged out for the day!!

Sweet Dreams....

HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) Reading Response Sheets

They're here! I couldn't wait until summer to get these to y'all!! I just posted my HOTS Reading Response Sheets on TpT! The download includes 25 higher order thinking reading response sheets. They encourage creating, evaluating, and analyzing text. I use them in my weekly HOTS center, but you could also use them as homework or for a small group activity. You can get all the sheets for just $6.00!! Click on the picture below to swing by my TpT store to pick up your copy!! Thank you for all of your support!!

Here are some of my favorites.....

I'll post pictures of my students working on these tomorrow!!

Have a GREAT evening!

More Labels for YOU!!!

What an amazing week!! I love teacher appreciation week....and well, you know already, LABELS. I worked hard on these babies to try and meet many requests! There were some that I couldn't get to and for that I apologize. I am interested in making subject area vocabulary and center labels so be on the lookout for those in the future. As of right now, I focused on crafts, supplies, and math manipulatives. Here you go~click on the picture to download them!! ENJOY!!

I hope everyone has had the royal treatment this week!! My kiddos have a serious case of summer fever, but they sure have been sweet!! Here are a few special treats that have made me feel like a 1st grade queen!

I found this deliciousness on my small group table this afternoon....m.e.l.t. my heart...tears of JOY!!! I love my job!!!

How Sweet!!!

LOVE IT!!!

Need something last minute for a Mother's Day gift?!? Here's the coupon book my kiddos made for their sweet mamas!! They were too cute!!

Click on the picture to download this Mother's Day coupon book.


Don't forget you have until midnight to get 40% off of everything in my TpT store!!! Use the coupon code TAD11!! A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has purchased from me during the sale <insert cyber hug>!!! Y'all are AWESOME!!!

Happy *almost* Friday Eve!!!

TpT 20% Discount Code {TAD11} Extended!!!

Wooohoooo!You can use the TpT 20% off discount code TAD11 today (due to the TpT crash last night) and get an additional 20% off of all my products through tomorrow!! Happy Shopping!!!

FYI- I made lots of labels today and plan to post them as soon as my precious little squirt goes to bed!! Stay tuned, sweet friends!!!

*TpT Update and Extended Sale*

Dang it!!!As you know, TpT crashed last night! Crazy, huh?!?! Due to this glitch, I'm going to extend my sale (20% off everything)through Thursday, May 5th! I'm not sure if Paul will extend the 20% TpT discount code so be on the lookout for an e-mail from him!! I'm very sorry for any frustration this may have caused you!!!                

Thanks again for all you do!!! 

I appreciate YOU!!!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Day!!! I hope you all have had the amazing day you deserve!! Just wanted to remind you of the biggest discount day in TpT history!! Go check out all of the wonderful sales happening right now!! All of my products are 20% off, but with the TpT discount code TAD11 you can get an additional 20%!! That's 40% off everything...WOW!!  Click HERE for a list of all sellers participating in the Blog Bargain Bonanza.

Lots of love and appreciation for all you do!!

Fun in the Sun!!

Here are some pics of my "Fun in the Sun" centers!! My sweeties just started working on them today and they're having a blast! One student came up to me and said, "Mrs. Brantley, I'm really going to miss centers this summer!". What a precious baby!!! To be completely honest, I'm going to miss them, too! I LOVE everything about center time. It is such a fun part of our day!!!

Here are descriptions of the centers we enjoyed in the Fun in the Sun packet!!

Fun in the Sun Word Sort-In this literacy center, my students sorted the naming, describing, and action words.

Surf's Up- Students make 20 with the number cards in this math center. They had to write all of the addition and subtraction number sentences on their recording sheet.

Swimming Sentences- My little loves made  complete sentences with the word cards in this literacy center!

Sunny Days Word Scramble- This is a more structured version of making words. My little loves had to unscramble each set of letter cards to make the mystery word.

Pool Time- In this math center, my kiddos matched the hour and half hour telling time cards (analog, digital, and words).  

Sunny Measurement- I love some nonstandard measurement!! In this math center, the students used the sunny units to measure sunglasses of all sizes!

Sunny Money- My students loved matching the coin combination cards to the correct amount of money in this centers. They have come so far with counting money!!! Victory!!!

Beach Ball ABC Order- My sweeties put the words on the colorful beach balls in abc order in this center!!

 Fun in the Sun Number Riddles- In this math center, they read the number riddles and matched correct number card to them.

You can get all of these centers and more at my TpT store HERE. Don't forget-everything in my store is 40% off *tomorrow only*{discount code TAD11}!!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Day Shopping to YOU!!

A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others.  ~Author Unknown

Pirate Fun Math and Literacy Centers!!!!

AHOY, MATEYS!!! You arghhhh going to love this pirate themed center packet!!! It's packed full of yo ho ho fun!! It includes 5 math and 5 literacy printable centers with coordinating recording sheets. The activities would be a great addition for when you teach r-controlled vowels or if you just want to do a fun pirate theme in your classroom. I just posted it at my lil' TpT store. Check it out {HERE}!

Click on the picture to get a sneak peak!!

Don't forget about the AWESOME Teacher Appreciation Blog Bargain Bonanza TOMORROW! I'm so excited to be teaming up with ten AMAZING bloggers to honor all that YOU do for your sweeties, but also for us! You all make teaching SO MUCH FUN! Please enjoy 20% off all of our products tomorrow, PLUS an additional 20% off from TpT using the discount code TAD11 !! That's a total of 40% off everything!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!! This is Teachers pay Teachers biggest sale e.v.e.r. and I'm sooooo excited about it!!

Shop 'til you drop, sweet friends!!!

Summer Spectacular Giveaway WINNER!!!!

HOLY MOLY, LUCKY LADY!!! You are winning everything I host!!! Congrats to you!!!

If you didn't win, don't forget that you can get my Under the Sea Math and Literacy Center Packet for 40% off on Tuesday!! Thank you so much to everyone who participated! Alicia and I had a BLAST!!

Teacher Appreciation Blog Bargain Bonanza!!!!!

Click on the links below to shop 'til you drop!!

Lesson Plan SOS

Crazy for First Grade

Primary Perspective

Erica Bohrer

Growing Kinders

One Extra Degree

Fabulous in First

Made for 1st Grade

Babbling Abby

Cara Carroll

HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!! I'm so excited to be teaming up with ten AMAZING bloggers to honor all that YOU do for your sweeties, but also for us! You all make teaching SO MUCH FUN! Please enjoy 20% off all of our products on Tuesday, May 3rd, PLUS an additional 20% off from TpT using the discount code TAD11!! That's a total of 40% off everything!! OMGosh!! I can't wait to take advantage of this myself!!

 Y'all are a constant source of inspiration for me!!! Thanks again for everything you do!! I'm working hard on finishing my pirate packet so that you can get it during this super sale! I should have it up and running over at my TpT store by tomorrow night! It would be a great addition to your classroom when you teach r-controlled vowels!!

Happy TpT Shopping!!!

Don't forget to enter the Summer Spectacular Giveaway!!! It ends at midnight!!

Happy Saturday Y'all! Just wanted to remind you that today is the last day of the "Summer Spectacular Giveaway"! You have until midnight to enter {HERE} ! Thank so much to everyone who has already participated in the contest!! Alicia and I will announce our lucky winners tomorrow!!

Also, a BIG THANK YOU to Kristen at Ladybug Teacher Files for teaching me how to number my comments. I'm about to get that going in just a minute!! YAY for a quick and easy way to find our winner!!

GOOD LUCK!!

Check out Erica's Whimsy Doodles Giveaway!!!

Check out Erica Bohrer's AWESOME Whimsy Doodles giveaway HERE!! You could win a $20 giftcard!! The contest ends Sunday at midnight!!! Crossing my fingers for some new and free clipart!!!

Need more label love?!?!?

One of my lovely followers, Amber, wanted to know about the font I used for my labels because she needed to make more. I used "Giddy Gingerbread" from Lettering Delights...love, love, love it!!! It got me thinking though...I would be happy to make labels for other crafty classroom things. Let's compile a list and I'll get to work on it this weekend. SO if you have something that I left off that you need a label for, just leave a comment below!! I will try to have them made by next week!!

Also, don't forget to enter the "Summer Spectacular Giveaway" that I'm hosting with Alicia from First Grade Factory. You have until midnight on Saturday to enter!! Can't wait to give the lucky follower Alicia's memory book and my ocean themed center packet!!

Now back to my pirate themed center packet while I watch The New York Housewives......I've just started on this adorable packet (pirates are too stinkin' cute), but hope to finish it up sometime late next week!!

Happy Friday Eve!!

Summer Spectacular Giveaway with First Grade Factory!!

Alicia from First Grade Factory and I are teaming up for a Summer Spectacular Giveaway!! WOOOHOOOO!! You could win Alicia's awesome My School Memory Book AND my Under the Sea Math and Literacy Center Packet! Please note that if you have already purchased these items, you may pick something else out in our stores for the same value! We are each hosting this contest and will be giving away these prizes to two lucky followers (one from each site)!! You have 5 chances to win!!
To enter, follow these directions.....
1. Follow my blog and post a comment!
2. Follow my TpT store HERE and leave a comment!
3. Follow Alicia's blog HERE and leave a comment!
4. Follow Alicia's TpT store HERE and leave a comment!
5. Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link!!! (Please help us spread the word!)

Don't forget to go to Alicia's page and enter there, too!! The contest will end on Saturday, April 30th at midnight! We will announce the winners on Sunday!!

Good Luck!!

Label Love

These crazy, unorganized, messy, embarrassing baskets full of "stuff"-mostly crafts- finally got on my last nerve y'all! I couldn't take it anymore so....

I went out to Big Lots and bought a ton of these organizational babies....love me some plastic containers!!! I seriously had an adrenaline rush when buying so many at once! I knew it was worth every bit of my personal moola!

What would go perfect with them?!?!?....LABELS!!! Not just your ordinary ole' boring labels, but cute and colorful Lettering Delights inspired labels for all my stuff...and I mean ALL (there's actually more than what's shown below) !! Okay, I'm really showing the world right now what a dork I am......

I laminated, cut out, and glued the sweet labels on the containers. Once my kiddos left for the day, I had a sorting party on my classroom floor!

OMG!! It's a dream come true!! Can I get a woot woot??!!!

They look so happy in my cabinet!!! Sorry for the bad pic...it was dark!!!

Want the labels for your stuff?!?! Just click on the picture to download them!!

Hope everyone is having an awesome week so far....only 3 more Tuesdays for me before summer....woooohoooo!!! Love every minute of what I do, but I can't wait to spend the summer with my sweet son!!!

Under the Sea Center Packet

Happy Easter, Sweet Friends!!! I hope y'all have had a wonderful day!! I'm so excited to finally have my ocean themed "Under the Sea" math and literacy center packet up and running over at my TpT store!! I had SO much fun making it!! The 71 page packet includes 10 printable centers (5 math and 5 literacy) full of adorable fish, dolphins, whales, sharks, sea turtles & more!! All of my centers come complete with a coordinating recording sheet. You can get your copy of all of the fun HERE! Click on the picture to preview the packet!

Centers

It's a challenge to explain how I manage my centers. It's one of those things where you really have to be there to completely understand how it works. However, I'm not going to let that hold me back from sharing what I can with all of you! Here it goes.....

This is my center board. Students go to the board to see what they need to work on each day. We work on centers Mon.-Thurs. for about 1.5 hours. If needed, Friday is our day to continue working on centers. When students have completed all of their center work, they get to have "Free Friday". This is a time when they can play a math or literacy game of their choice.

As you can see, I have four center group posters above the centers (on the fish). I move the group posters each day. I use push pins to hang them up so I can easily move them around the board. However, I think next year I'm going to use some sort of clip instead!

Students might go to a center more than once a week depending on how many activities are in the center. For example, the red fish on the board is my math/science/social studies center. During the week, students will have 3 opportunities to work on the 3-4 activities in that center.

Here is a list of all of the centers in my classroom:

-Math, Science/Social Studies

-Skill

-Spelling

-Writing

-Journal

-Computer

-Listening/Reading Response Station

-Pocket Chart

-HOTS (Higher Order Thinking)

I'm very lucky to have these amazing wooden shelves to store my center materials. This shelf is sectioned off by skill, spelling, and math/ social studies/science centers. Did I mention how much I love this shelf?!?!

Here is a picture of my listening station! I actually have two of these to accommodate more students. Nothing spectacular, but does the trick!

Here is a picture of the pocket chart center. Again, very simple-just a pocket chart on a stand!! I have a little basket on the floor beside it that holds the recording sheets. I love using this pocket chart for sorting, making words, and matching games!!!

Here's a pic of one of my kiddos at the computer center. He is working on his math facts using a program my school purchased called "Math Facts in a Flash". It's great for practicing math fact fluency!!

This is my HOTS center!I ran out of room to put things so I made a pocket with a file folder, labeled it, and hot glued it to the side of my desk!! I put activities in the pocket that promote higher order thinking in reading and writing. This week, my students are working on an activity on their "Think Dots" board. A TpT HOTS center packet is on my summer project list!!

Everyone has a center folder to help them stay organized. One side is for completed work and the other is for incomplete work. My little loves keep up with what they've completed using a center checklist. The checklist is a wonderful tool! It keeps everyone on track & allows me to open a folder and immediately see what a student is working on. It did take a good couple of weeks at the beginning of the year to train them to use the checklists, but now they are center checklist pros!!

I meet with my leveled reading groups at this lil' table while everyone's working on their centers. I also have a parapro or parent volunteer working with students at this time.

I stole this idea from my super organized team member...I use labeled expandable file folder pockets to store all of my center cards and recording sheets. L.O.V.E this!

Whew! I know I probably just confused the heck outta ya! If so, I apologize!! Please let me know if you have any questions in the comment section!!

The Easter Egg

I love anything by Jan Brett! She is one of my favorite authors!! I was so fortunate to receive a copy of her book, The Easter Egg, from a student during our book fair!! Too sweet, huh?!?! If you haven't read it, it's a story about an adorable bunny named Hoppi who can't decide how to decorate his Easter egg. If Hoppi wins the Easter egg contest, he'll get to help the Easter Bunny deliver eggs. Hoppi discovers that it isn't easy and gets discouraged. He goes into the woods to think when a blue robin egg falls out of a tree. He keeps the egg safe and warm until the baby bird hatches, and when the Easter Bunny arrives, he chooses the empty blue robin egg as the winner to reward Hoppi for his kindness. A.W.E.S.O.M.E!!

After I read this sweet story, my students decorated their own egg. I just cut eggs out of white construction paper and put every crafty thing out for my students to use to decorate them-glitter, pom poms, sequins, ribbon, etc. Fun stuff!!!

Then students used this writing paper to write about their egg!! Click on the picture to download it!

I thought they turned out super cute!

Hope y'all are doing well! I'm on a mission to post how I manage my centers next....