I'm Featured! With a little bit of Let's Edit and Student Self Assessment!!!

Last night was my first blog hop ever and if you still haven't picked up your freebie (or freebies) it's still there and please remember to leave a comment and show some love by becoming a follower of my blog when you  download my freebie or any of the other freebies along this amazing blog hop!! As a result of the blog hop, I was featured this morning on the Math Coach's Corner Sunday Blog, Bagels and Blogs where she reposted my Father's Day Freebie:


(click on her button to take you there)

I was super excited! In other news my first grades besties and I have been texting back and forth this morning and joking about entering the DPP (Deliberate Practice Plan) Cave today--our county's version of a professional growth plan. My plan is on Charlotte Danielson's power component 3D-- Using Assessment in Instruction and specifically in my plan-- writing. Writing to me is one of the most hardest skills to develop in primary as they come in with all kinds of writing skills! Am I right??? So this year was especially difficult because we went straight to Common Core writing (our state and county are slowly implementing CCSS by county and grade level) where most of it was evidence based writing and finding where in the text they can find support and write about it, then writing opinion pieces based on evidence, and the list goes on, and on.... We really didn't touch too much on the final editing process as our writing went with the story of the week and then we had to move on. Whereas in years past I could spend an extended length of time on a writing concept/piece and really focus on mechanics, style, and creativity! And if I am to be honest with myself, my kids this year as not as strong in writing as they should be. As a reflective practioner I should be able to be honest with myself and say that and that's okay! So, as these past few weeks dwindle on and I have my homeroom class back, I really want to focus on writing projects the old school way with a twist of common core as I have done all year!! To help I have revamped my editing sheet to share with you. I use a simplified version called CUPS:

Here is another for student self assessment I just added:

You can click on the pictures to download it from Google drive. I hope you will find them as useful as I have! The kids find it easy and I have toyed with the idea of putting CUPS on one of those self stampers but I like the idea of  having the peer editor put a comment for improvement and one compliment (always end with a positive, right??). 

Okay, well, now I am off to retreat into my DPP cave! I pray for the light at the end of the tunnel! Happy Sunday, friends! 

Orange 'Ya Glad It's a Blog Hop! Stop # 7

Welcome to First Grade and Flip Flops!! And Orange 'ya glad it's a BLOG HOP!!! Thank you for visiting our exciting blog hop! This is my first time participating in a blog hop and I have only been a blogger since this March so I am excited and nervous!!  I hope that you have enjoyed visiting all of these amazing K-2 blogs, looking at and hopefully purchasing helpful units for your classroom as well as grabbing some FREEBIES along the way! I am the





I have two great units to share with you on this blog hop! The first one is my Mission: Space unit! I don't know about you but there is something about the world beyond ours that is just so fascinating! Is there life out there? Can we one day live in space (other then the Space Station right now??) So many questions with no answers!!! When I first posted about my unit, I can vividly remember being a Young Astronaut in 4th grade and wanting to go into space, I loved learning about the planets, and I loved going to Kennedy Space Center! Living in FL I was lucky enough to do that! Click on the cover page to take you to my TPT store to grab your copy! It is a unit that is sure to inspire all future astronauts out there!!!

There is just so much that I could not fit them all into a collage! 

So, now for your FREEBIE!!! How many of you are tired of the same old Father's Day tie card?? Do I see any raised hands?? LOL! 

Now, while I am not saying that we shouldn't still give those out as they are cute! However, why not give that special father figure in your life a Father's Day Gift in a Bottle!!!

(Click me to grab your FREEBIE!!)

(cute cat NOT included!! Ha! He wouldn't leave me alone!!) 

My friends, just click on the the cover page of the FREEBIE and it will take you to my TPT store where you can download the craftivity. If you are not a follower of First Grade and Flip Flops, then now is your chance to show me some love and support! Please follow me on my blog and my TPT store! :-)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you are enjoying the blog hop! The next stop is Tammy from the Resourceful Apple! Click on her button to take you there! 

If you'd like to go to the beginning of the hop, head over to Tamara's blog:

Have a great night and weekend!!! 

Orange 'Ya Glad it's a BLOG Hop??? It's Coming!!! Be there or.....

be square!!! It's my first ever blog hop!!! A little nervous and excited. No clue what I am doing but these ladies from above have been AMAZING and supportive! It starts at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 27th. You can visit  Tamara of Mrs. Russell's Room as your first stop.

Be sure to show them some love and become followers as you hop from blog to blog grabbing their fantastic products for good use in your classroom AND grabbing your FREEBIES!!! Who doesn't love FREE??? I promise that you will not be disappointed! I am especially excited to reveal my freebie tomorrow as it is one I know that we can ALL use so please be sure to hop on by!!! 

In other news I am so glad that FCAT testing is DONE!!! Thank goodness because I am not sure how long I could've taken to a different schedule any more. As a team player I am always happy to accommodate others but man, it just goes to show how important routine really is to the primary kids!!! Can I GET an AMEN???? I sometimes liken them to ants--- you change up one eensy, tiny little thing and they are out of whack!! So now that testing is all over and I can go back to my normal life I hope that their behavior can go back to normal, too! There is only so much redirection and just dance wii on youtube I can take in one day to get the wiggles out! Go ahead! You know you want to now!! LOL! 

I am also preparing for my annual Mother's Day tea event. It is coming along swimmingly but time consuming!! We made our photo frames today and will continue to shower the women in our lives with sweet tokens! Will post pictures as I have my kiddos make them: thumbprint necklaces, Sweet Wishes card, and coasters (they paint tiles)-- although I am not sure about this year as I feel the time crunch... It really all comes together in the end with blood, sweat, and tears and is such a great event!!! I am making my tea hats this week so stay tuned on how to make those! 

This weekend I will be wrapping up my DPP or Deliberate Practice Plan for the year which accounts for 25% of my overall evaluation. Now I am not sure how you are evaluated but I am known for saying how it is (and unfortunately a lot more if you know me-- call me and we'll get get together for a more candid and in depth chat!! LOL) but this whole evaluation system really stinks! And for me, that is putting it mildly!! :-/  

So, with that said I will be working on that to get it finished-- reflecting on best practices and uploading evidence... yay for me! 

This week we are learning all about SPACE!!! So excited and I just can't hide it!!! If you haven't picked up my space unit yet, be sure to grab your copy on my TPT store!!! It's a great unit filled with so many literacy activities. I can't wait to use it with my class this year! 

 

Tomorrow is a busy day: school carnival (I am going as a mommy this time and am not manning a booth for the first time in 7 years-- kinda feels good!!!), birthday party, then blog hop at 7!!! Have a great night/weekend!!! 

Mission Space Giveaway Winners and Fabulous Projects!!!

Congratulations to Angie and Diedre on being winners of my first giveaway! Please look at your e-mails for a link to download your unit! Hope your kiddos enjoy it! 

I started decorating my classroom hallway to get ready for space... This is the wall opposite of my classroom so the angle from where I took the picture is awkward but I think you get the picture.. Ha! I told one of the the girls on my team (who really are my BFF's!! I LOVE them!!!) that it would be neat if we each made planets to place outside our hallways (we have an interior hallway-- not all classrooms have this) and have our little 1st grade astronauts orbit the hallway-- that it would look really cool. I painted the moon but there is still wall space next to my door.... hmmmm..... ;-)

Today was also an exciting day for my students. We have been working on a non-fiction share research project based on endangered animals. They looked so adorable walking into the classrooms with their projects. 

I posted about it a few weeks ago but I was still in the process of adding files and am still adding files as I find more things to add as I study and learn with my class. 

As soon as I finish up my files I will post it up on TPT but I will leave you with a FREEBIE "Choose Your Endangered Animal" form I used with my class. Click on the cover page of my new upcoming unit to grab that. In the meantime, take a look at their sweet faces with their projects! They are the BEST!!!

Have a great night! 

FLASH Giveaway!!!

It's a FLASH Giveaway!!! Looking for a great Space unit? I am giving away two Mission: Space units! Winners will be choosen at random. 

To enter you must: 

1: Be a follower on my blog

2. Leave me a comment with your e-mail (so I can share the file with your via Google Drive). 

There are 90 pages of literacy packed centers. I have previewed some pages for you in the previous post as well as in this post. You can also enter the Applicious Teacher's Giveaway also by clicking on her name! She is also giving away her Space Unit. 

"Sun" Sational Compound Words 

"Out of This World ABC Order"

Astronaut Boy/Girl Writing Craftivity

Isn't he the cutest boy ever??? 

All entries must be entered by 9:00 p.m. EST. by Monday April 22nd (Happy Earth Day to you!!) This unit is also available on TPT if you must have it today! 

Good Luck!!!

Mission: Space

Space... It is the final frontier for sure!!! In fact I just read an article on CNN that talked about 3 new planets that could possibly sustain life!!! I am in the works of finalizing my Space Unit-- 90 pages of space themed activities... Here are some pictures...

I am SO SO SO excited about this!!!! Well... I am ALWAYS excited about the centers I make... But I really and truly love learning about space. I remember being in 4th and 5th grade and being part of the Young Astronauts Club and just being amazed by all the cool stuff they got to do. Since I live in FL, we are not too far from Kennedy Space Center so that was always a fun experience for me, too. I think I could've been an astronaut if it wasn't for the motion sickness thing.. Just sayin'.... LOL! So, if you are interested, stay tuned! I am posting a FREEBIE from these centers in an upcoming blog hop. 

To go along with this unit of study, I am going to be putting some websites on my student computers:

Google Moon

NASA Kids

These are both great sites,  along with Google Earth (which wasn't  cooperating when I tried to capture the screen), to use when learning about space. The kids, though, really love the NASA one!

I am also doing two projects from Sarah Cooley's Blog  "First Grader at Last" and am making Mars Sand and Shooting Stars (pictures are from her blog-- not mine-- please click on her name to link to the directions)

Thanks Sarah for the cool projects!!! Be sure to check it out!! 

Now that this project is done...I am on to my next few... Mother's Day tea event, Father's Day gift in a bottle, Oceans, and End of Year... Never ends.. does it???

Behaviour, Behaviour, Behaviour!!!!

This is me today if I could really take my picture today!!! The FCAT schedule is really torturing me and my class!!! We have special area first thing in the morning, then 100 minutes of Language Arts, lunch, then the rest of the afternoon hunkered down in our rooms= No Bueno!!!

Now I do pride myself on being an effective teacher in classroom management. I always joked that as the token Asian teacher I am well versed in Kung-Fu (total joke) but man!!!! even I am tired and tried at the end of the day. 

Our primary units use the behaviour system of Promise Bands.

They are simply a hair tie with Oh-So-Much meaning. Every day kids choose 3 bands to put on their wrists. The kiddos will work to gain as many promise bands as they can at the end of the day and they are so proud to walk away a big number. Now some teachers are more giving about it than others but that is their prerogative  You can give promise bands for anything (following directions, being on task, answering questions when you hear crickets to that all important question you asked..whatever) but can also take for transgressions just as easily. I like them because they are immediate feedback for great behaviour but also a great for consequences. It is a good visual for kids. 

Here is a copy of the letter we sent home to parents if you are interested:

Hope this helps some of you as we move forward onto the last few weeks and it serves as a reminder to myself....

Follow my blog (if you haven't already) if you AGREE!!!!! LOL!!!

PEACE!!!