Take Me Back Tuesday

 Hey everyone! I thought I'd try a little "Take Me Back Tuesday" (idea from Second Grade Shenanigans) to give you ideas for an enlightening science lesson and Valentine's Day. Enjoy! (psssttt...freebie at the end)
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Originally posted ---Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Every year we have the science fair.  It seems to be the only time that I am able to fit in a genuine complete scientific type lesson.  The kids LOVE it!  This year we wondered about chips and if they are healthy for us.  I  gathered some of their favorite kinds of chips and one that I knew wouldn't be as greasy just to balance out their oh-so-healthy choices. We crushed the chips and put some on one inch graph paper for a week.  The paper absorbed the oil and we counted the squares to see which chip has the most.  Let me tell you...the chips have been off the papers for half a week and the oil is STILL spreading!  Grossness! The finished project will be placed in the hallway tomorrow...I secretly would like to win first place.  That would be awesome for my class!  When we were wrapping up our project one of my students was very distraught.  I asked him what was wrong and he was just holding his head in his hands and groaning.  He said, "But Cheetos are so good! I don't want to eat healthy chips!"

 




















Valentine's day is coming!  Are you ready?  I tell my hubby that I would rather spend time with him than anything else and I surely don't need any more candy because I get TONS from my students!  Do you get loads of candy from your students?  I don't know how they figured out how much I like chocolate and sugary stuff!  I am giving my kiddos a heart shaped crayon and a book (it is also Love of Reading week).

 I hope the rest of your week is great!  Apple on!
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There ya go!  And I have a freebie for you...the student observation recording sheets and the sheets to place the crushed chips on...the ones that get all oily...ewww!  Go and grab yours here.  Thanks for reading!  Apple on!

It's Beginning to Look...

alot like Christmas! Don't you love decorating for Christmas?! This is a little peek into how I decorate around here...

I haven't done a post about Sunday School in a while so I thought I'd do a quick one and I also have a freebie for you at the end...another Colorful Trees!

 Chevron background found here. Bee clip art found here.

-Bee idea found here. 

-Compasses from Dollar Tree. 

-Apples made out of vanilla and chocolate flavored candy coating. 

I made the apple with this silicone ice cube mold that I bought at Target sometime last year. It was apples...so I had to have it! Also I was unable to print the handout to go with the apples because my printer ran out of ink...boo!  It has to do with becoming a better teacher of the gospel...the youth (ages 12 to 18) are sometimes expected to teach lessons and when they go on missions for the church. I will be sure to post it under the Sunday School tab when I am able to print it.

 Thanks for sticking with me...here's your freebie!

Apple on!

Freebie Friday

Whoa...where has this week gone and where have I been?! I have a freebie for you!

I will probably be making another one of these for early next week or maybe even this weekend. What kind do you think I should make next? Long Vowels? Word Families? Short vs Long Vowels?

Have a good Friday night! Apple on!

Friday Flashback and a Freebie

Happy Friday! The past couple days have been cloudy and chilly but very welcomed! This weather made me reminisce a little about my teaching days. I was always busting out the snowmen and winter activities right after Thanksgiving and would use them all the way until February.

 

This worksheet can be used to create 3 addend equations.  I would provide three dice or dot cards for any students that needed help creating equations. The students need to add three numbers together on the snowman body parts to make the total on the hat. Here's an example...

That reminds me...and brings you today's Friday Flashback...earlier this year when I was teaching in Tucson it did snow. You can read about it here!

  

Thanks for reading! Apple on!

I'm Addicted

Earlier this week someone contacted me on Teachers Pay Teachers...they wanted me to make something for them...EEEEEEK!!! I was so excited!  So I made a power point that includes words with short vowel, blend, and digraph sounds.  I had been researching around about how to make my products more appealing.  So I took the leap with this new product and now I am addicted.  I have updated all of my other phonics power points...and a few other things. Now I'm not saying my addiction is a bad thing but somebody around here better get the dishes done...so I think I'll take the weekend off...maybe. I've had this freebie on my blog before but with my updating addiction I added three more worksheets for you! Click the pic to go get yours!

And to check out the other victims of my updating addiction click on any picture below and it'll take you right to it!

Frame from - The 3am Teacher

Chevron backgrounds from - Jonathan Pearson

Fonts from - Mrs. Leeby and Kevin and Amanda

Have a great weekend!  Apple on!

Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps and a Question

Hey everyone!  I hope you are having a great week.  I can't believe how fast this week has gone!

Remember how I told you here that I have been cutting back on the carbs...like WAY back. My dear friends Kim and Chelsie (follow her at To Second Grade, With Love) taught me this low carb recipe about four months ago. I have made it probably once a week since!  My husband has a general dislike for lettuce and salads but he will devour this every time. And this recipe seriously takes only 20 minutes to make.  Gotta love that!

You are only seeing a half recipe in the above picture. It's just the two of us so we don't eat much...or we shouldn't that is!

Heat olive oil and cook ground turkey with onions. I like to use dehydrated onions...mostly to be sneaky because I love onion flavor but my other half hates biting into onions. If you love fresh onion, by all means, use it!

 Make sure you keep chopping up the turkey as you cook it.

Sprinkle in taco seasoning and water.

Watch out for that steam!  Sometimes the taco seasoning just isn't enough flavor for me so I also like to add some oregano, garlic powder, and a touch a cumin. But go easy on the extra seasoning you just need a little bit to make the flavors pop.

 Let that simmer for five minutes and then your almost ready to eat! So easy, right?

Get your recipe here!

 I like to have lots of toppings on mine.  I have one warning for you...this meal is a messy one! Sometimes those lettuce leaves don't cooperate but if that's the case then get a fork and your taco becomes a salad but don't tell my husband :)

I have a question for you...how do you have your students "draw" a place value model?  I'll show you what I used to have mine do.

Border from- The Army Wife Teacher

Font from- Mrs. Leeby

 This is a sample from my comparing two digit numbers power point that I have been working on.  Right now I am trying to access clip art of base ten blocks that I am allowed to use in a power point. 

You can see that I used to have my students just draw sticks to represent the tens and dots to represent the ones.  It took alot less time than them drawing a rod or trying to draw a cube. So back to my question... 

How do you have your students "draw" a place value model?

Thanks for reading! Apple on!

Next Up...Turkey Time

I can't believe it's November! October just flew by for me! Anyone else feel that way?!




My TBA Friday Freebie is a turkey two digit plus one digit number counting on worksheet!  My students had a great time with this last year...I hope yours do too :) click the picture to get your copy.

This is Dr. Steeley's custom made sign!  I loved her color choices and it was really nice to get my craft on.  You can visit her at her blog A Little Red Wagon.  I've seen her do a couple of awesome posts about her favorite pins from Pinterest...I love it!  Congrats and I'm glad you love your sign!

I might be back this weekend for another post...if not...I hope you all have a great weekend! Apple on!

Giveaway (still happening!), TBA Freebie and Green Chili

I am having my first giveaway this week!  

I am giving away a custom classroom sign. 

 Click here to enter this giveaway...

winner will be announced next Thursday!

For this week's TBA freebie Friday I have comparing number symbol cards.  I am working on a powerpoint/ worksheet combo about comparing numbers that will be up in my TPT store soon but please enjoy this freebie until then!

 
 Last Friday I told you how to make and can Apple Butter {here}. My aunt also taught me how to can green chili.  We were able to have our green chilies roasted by the friendly guys at a local stand. I have been using these green chilies daily!

Probably my favorite way to devour one is to stuff it with cheese and pan fry it. It is also amazing alongside a fried egg...think chili relleno. Yum!

When I was thinking about what to make for dinner the other night I knew I wanted to use some green chilies but I didn't really have a recipe on hand. So I threw some ingredients together and made soup and it ended up being pretty dang good!

Want a copy? Click on the recipe name below :)

Smoked Beef Sausage and Green Chili Soup

 

Apple on my friends!

It's TBA's Freebie Friday and Apple Butter

Happy Friday everyone! I have a fun counting on pumpkin freebie for you...Click on the picture below to get your pumpkin freebie! This worksheet covers numbers 5 and 6 of operations and algebraic common core math standards.

I also have my first giveaway coming up next week so keep coming back...you won't regret it!

Pumpkin Clip Art from Carmela Fiorino Vieira

Click the button to check out all the awesome freebies this week at TBA!

I have been getting super domestic and  have learned how to can apple butter. {Thanks to my aunt!}  Canning is so much easier than I ever though!  I always used to think it took days and days of work to can anything.  While it does take hours it is well worth it because sometimes in the dead of winter you just want the fresh taste of apples that you can't buy at the store!

The recipe is so easy you could just leave it and do whatever you want while it cooks away.  We filled my 6 quart crockpot to the top with cut, peeled and cored apples. My aunt has one of these....

source

...which makes me wonder why I don't and makes the cutting, peeling, coring process go very quickly! Then dump in 4 cups of sugar and 4 teaspoons of cinnamon. We turned the crockpot on high for four hours but you could turn it on any temperature you want!  Make sure you stir it every now and then. I was able to fill 12 half pint jars when it was all done cooking.  You have to give the cans a water bath to seal them up. Set the cans in a pot, fill with water to just above the top of the cans. When it starts to boil set the timer for twenty minutes.  After twenty minutes remove the jars...you will hear each of them pop as they begin to seal. (That part scared my cat nearly to death!) Let the jars sit for 24 hours...this allows them to seal properly and don't forget to tell your husband not to poke the jars and prevent them from sealing. *sigh*

Yummy goodness in a jar!  My aunt says they make great Christmas gifts but I'm pretty sure they won't make it to Christmas time!  I just want to eat this stuff with a spoon but it is amazing on toast!

Come back soon! Have a good weekend! Apple on!

Apple On is Back!

Hello!  I'm back!  It's been a while but I have been so busy getting adjusted to all the new in my life.  The hubster and I moved into our new home in early July and I am LOVING it. After spending all of our married life in rentals it is so different and fun to call something your own and be able to make it your own!

The last days of school with my class in May were awesome.  We had alot of moments that I will never forget and I shed alot of tears but felt like I left things just exactly as I wanted to.

Since May I have been trying to figure out what my new calling in life should be and what I should make of this blog but for now I have been getting my "classroom fix"  by helping out some of my favorite people...my dad and Chelsie from To Second Grade, With Love! She is new to the blogging world and is doing and AMAZING job! {Hi Chelsie! Give that baby boy of your a cuddle for me!}

                                          

Dad and Me

                                                                              

Me and Chelsie

Another thing that I've been doing is teaching Sunday school. It has definitely been a challenge for me but it is also a big blessing!  Here are some of the handouts I have made for my class of 13-14 year old kids (I know...absolutely terrifying coming from 6-7 year old kids).

Free printable found at SugarDoodle

Scriptures made out of Hershey's Nuggets...idea found here!

 

Welp...that's just a little bit of what's been going on with me. I am happy to be back and ready to help you! I will be back soon with a contest or giveaway of some sort. As a thank you for sticking with me I have a little freebie for you! Click the picture below to get your copy of fall context clues! 

Thanks for reading! Apple on!