Freebie and a Friday Five

I have to admit I was having mixed feelings about this Friday.  Friday is always my favorite day of the week, but a Friday after Halloween and candy for breakfast????  I have to admit my expectations were not good for a day of testing, but I was pleasantly surprised!  It was a great day!

I am happy to finally have time to sit down to blog! (Yes, I lead a thrilling life that the highlight of my Friday night is blogging!)

I am kinking up at doodlebugs to share my five this Friday.  Then I will head back over to discover a few new blogs and see what is up with a few of my favorites!

We had pumpkin fun!  Unfortunately we can't take a field trip to the pumpkin patch because of budget cuts, so we brought the pumpkin patch to us!  We brought in little pie pumpkins for our first graders and even hay to make it more Fallish!  (Granted is was 86 degrees outside in Florida, we haven't quite made it to Fall yet!)

Then we investigated our little pumpkins.  We measured with links and cubes, weighed them with teddy bears, counted lines and tested to see if they sink or float.  This is one of my favorite days!  We learn so much this day, even without a test!

We decorate out doors every Fall.  This year I stuck with my Lego theme.  Check out my mini-fig maxi-fig.   Today I added a vest and Indian headdress and viola Thanksgiving!  (I take pix next week.)

I found an amazing book this week at our book fair.  It is packed with fun experiments that are so simple and the kids love!  I highly recommend this book if you ever come across it.  

Today we did a few sink or float experiments.  The kids brought in 3 different pieces of candy from their night of trick-or-treating (3 they didn't want to eat).  Then we did an investigation to see if our candy would sink or float.

I have a cute "why I love seeing the world through a first grader's eyes" story.  Today at lunch in the cafeteria a very handsome Marine in his dress blues came in to see a former teacher.  While he was waiting I was chatting with him and the kids were in awe!  Several kids were asking what he was, one boy asked if he was police.  Then this little girl asked "Is he a prince?"...  I loved it, I said no, he is even better, he is a Marine!  Then I told the Marine and it made his day!

I have become addicted to the sparkle backgrounds,  so I tried making my own.  I want to share a sample to what you think.  Click here to download it for free from my TpT store.

Check out TBA's Friday Freebies for more great freebies!

I've been Booed and a Fun Freebie too!

I have been Boo-ed by two wonderful blog buddies Cindy at Granny Goes to School and Michelle at Mrs. G's Kindergarten in Heels.  So I guess I have been boo-boo-ed!

So here are the rules:

1. If you've been booed, copy and paste the above pic and these "rules" into your post.

2. Give a shout out to the blogger who booed you and link back to their site!

3. Share 3-5 October activities, books, products (yours or someone else), or Freebie(s) that you love!

4. Share the Boo love with 5 bloggers- make sure you check this link to make sure you don't boo someone again: I've Been Booed

Here are some of my favorite October activities, books, products:

I have shared many of my October favorites and fabulous freebies in the previous posts.  So scroll down and check them out if you haven't had a chance.  Here are a few more October things and activities I really like.

1. A Month for Freebies and New Followers Like You!
I have had so much fun making and sharing freebies this month.  I am amazed to see how many people have downloaded various freebie files on my TpT site.  It makes me so happy to see so many people using the fun thingsI have created.  Here is the latest one, 3 Little Pumpkins.

2. My Eyeball Ping-Pong Balls
If you have been following me, you are aware of my recent obsession with this fun Dollar Tree find.  My kids are loving using them in the Super 6 Daily Differentiated Centers.

3. Pumpkin!!!
I'm not talking about learning about pumpkins in class, pumpkin investigations or center activities.  This is all about pumpkin treats to eat and drink!

Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Latte's, Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream and my favorite of this season.... Pumpkin Munchkins at DD!  (If you haven't tried them, you must, but don't blame me if you become addicted!)

4. Getting Boo-ed
I have loved blog hopping through all of the people who have been Boo-ed.  Have discovered some fabulous blogs and many great ideas!!!  So click to the "I've Been Boo-ed" link above to start blog hopping!  Also check out the latest additions I found have Boo-ed!

Getting Ready for Pumpkin Fun!

Fall is here, although it doesn't really feel like it in Florida.  I love teaching about pumpkins during this time of year.  You can incorporate it in all subject areas. 

Reading and Pumpkins ~  It is great to discuss schema with and adding new information to our schema.  I make a very cute KWL chart and use it during the week as we learn more about pumpkins.  There are so many great pumping books, fiction and non-fiction.  I love contrasting and comparing.  My two favorite books have to be "The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin" and "Too Many Pumpkins." 

I also love doing pumpkin themed word work activities.  Building words with the letters in pumpkin patch.  It is also a great way to learn about adjectives.  The kids always love expanding their vocabulary as well.  My all time favorite word has to be peduncle!  

Math and Pumpkins ~ I review and teach so many topics with one pumpkin!  Estimation is always a skill I introduce with pumpkins.  We weigh and compare the weight to other objects.  We measure the circumference.  The we open in up and look at the seeds.  I divvy them up among the class and we count and add them to find out how many seeds are in our pumpkin.  The teaching opportunities are endless.

Science and Pumpkins ~ My kids love the great pumpkin investigation!  The favorite part is the sink or float experiment.  I love bringing in the biggest pumpkin I can find and letting the kids predict if the pumpkin will float.  They never get it right.  We discuss plant life cycles.  This year I am also going to let one rot for the kids to see and hopefully a few seeds will sprout too.

October is a month of Fabulous Fall Freebies on my blog!  Here is the pumpkin book my students complete as a part of their Super 6 Daily Differentiated Centers.  It includes activities for Word Work, Read to Self, S.T.E.M. and Book Club.  So grab this book FREE at my TpT store.

Book Report Home Projects

I like to send a home project or book report home each month.  As a teacher and parent, I want it to be meaningful, able to be done by the student and not outrageously expensive.  I like them to be somewhat structured, but still allow for the students to express their creativity.  I also feel they should correlate with what we are learning and be fun, not just a dreaded project. 

I came up with an amazing project for October.  My "October Character Traits Book Report Packet" has everything you need and is ready to copy and send home.  It has a parent information sheet with detailed instructions, 2 graphic organizers and a grading rubric.  I offered it for free a few weeks ago, if you didn't get it click here and download it!

My students have had a great time with the project.  I have had a few projects come in and they are amazing.  The creativity of my kids never fails to amaze me.

I have had several people ask me about beginning book report/ home projects for other months.  I have put together three projects for the upcoming holiday months.  Along with the October Character Traits Book Report, I have included a November Non-Fiction "Fact Feathers" Book Project and for December a "Holiday Ornament" Book Summarizing Report.   I just posted Beginning Book Report Projects (Oct. Nov. Dec.) in my TpT store and put it on sale!  

 Do you send home book reports or at home projects?  If so what are your favorites?

Fall Fun!

Even in Florida we still have fun in the Fall (just a little warmer hotter than other places.)  I love my First Grade team at our school; we definitely have more fun in First!  Our hallway is looking very fun and fallish with these fun doors.  The kids love them!

I was shopping (wasting time) in the Dollar Tree today and had a great find.  (The Dollar Tree is within my budget.)

These are packs of eyeball ping-pong balls.  I have a great idea for a "sight" word activity and maybe a math center.  I am working on it and will share when I am done.  I want to know, what would you do with them???