What I'm Loving

I'm linking up with Covered in Glitter and Glue for What I'm Loving Wednesday!

They are not teaching related since my brain is in wedding mode this week! 17 more days! Woohoo! The first thing I'm loving and using nonstop this week is of course Pinterest. I'm wondering how weddings were planned before Pinterest??!! Just when I can't make a decision on colors, flowers, you name it, Pinterest has all the answers! Often too many though! 

I'm also loving my awesome town. This was my view from lunch today! Beautiful day in 

sunny So Cal!

This gift arrived at my door two days ago and I'm so excited to use it! If anyone has any juicing tips or good recipes, I'd love it if you'd send them this way! 

And finally, my super cute mason jar water bottle that has made me finally feel like I'm drinking enough! The ice stays frozen for so long in these! 

Well that's what I'm loving this week! I hope everyone is having a great week! 

July Currently

I'm back to blogging so of course I couldn't pass up linking up for the July Currently from Oh' Boy Fourth Grade!

Listening: Go Dodgers! As soon as the fiance gets home, I have no choice but to listen to/watch/live sports. It's my life and I've finally accepted it.

Loving: It feels so good to blog again! I took about two months off from blogging (and reading blogs) to focus on planning my wedding! It was a much needed break so I could focus but it feels so good to be back!

Thinking: I have accomplished everything on my to do lists since the start of my summer break and it feels sooooo good! I still have quite a bit to do but I'm feeling good!

Wanting: This is a must! I can't go on my honeymoon looking like a slob so I must start shopping ASAP! One more month to work out and find some cute clothes!

Needing: Why is it that every time we host events, it is my fiance's idea, yet I'm the one who does all the cleaning? Hmmm. I guess I can't complain about that this time since I'm on break. I do have a TON of organizing I've been putting off too that I need to do!

Tips, Tricks, or Hints: As I said above, I took a few months off of blogging and even reading blogs. It was so hard not to blog stalk, blog, or even create new products, but I think it's okay to take some time off! I feel much better being prepared and all planned for the wedding. It's easy to tell when bloggers are rushed or not really into their post so I'm so glad I didn't attempt that. It will just make catching up much more fun now! I can't wait to read all of the fabulous teacher blogs I've missed reading for the last few months!

Figurative Language

This year I can say that my students mastered figurative language more than any other year! I added a couple new activities and lessons that I think really helped them be successful so I'll share what I added. I purchased the Figurative Language worksheet packet by Rachel Lynette found here and I absolutely loved it! It gives enough worksheets/activities for classwork, homework, and I had a bunch left over that I didn't even get to! They are simple, fun activities to get students to practice.

I also had my students complete a figurative language flip book. I spent one week on each type of figurative language. They would complete the pages from the pack above as well as the corresponding section on their figurative language book. There are many examples of these flip books online but I basically gave them a sheet with the title of each type along with the meaning. They glued these definitions and titles to the outside of each flap and then came up with an example, sentence, and illustration for the inside. It's such a simple project but of course anything using art, they would beg to move on to the next example every week! They also turned out beautiful so I displayed them at Open House. See below...

I also had my figurative language posters up for the majority of the year for my students to reference.

My favorite are the polka dot posters but the chevron ones also seem to be a big hit! 

You can find them both in my store: Polka Dots and Chevron.

My posters, the packet from Rachel Lynette, and the flip books were a huge success! I'd love to hear if anyone else has any tips or tricks that helped make learning figurative language a success!

A Fun Project

I recently assigned my students one of my favorite projects that I thought I'd share with you. I'm having my students complete a country research report and every year I've done them, they turn out amazing! I'm having them due right before Open House (ours is at the end of May) since they look beautiful up! Here are some pics of how great they have turned out in the past…

I have each student do their report on a different country so we end up having so many represented! Their effort on the paper doll portion of the project always impresses me! Here are some more examples of the dolls…

I uploaded this project to my TPT store so if this is a project your kids would love, you can check it out HERE. I can't wait to see all of the other beautiful projects out there! 

Five for Friday

1. This week we finished up some triaramas for science. The students made these models for landslides and earthquakes as well as some nonfiction writing describing each.

2. We are still working figurative language and my students are doing a great job remembering to refer to these posters to remember the difference. These posters are for sale in my store in chevron and also in the polka dots shown below.

3. I also updated one of our bulletin boards with some April Earth Day flair! It was a simple activity that really got them thinking about the small changes they can make!

4. I worked on the never ending task of leveling my library! I'm great at doing this at the beginning of the year but all of those books that get donated midyear somehow slip through the cracks and don't get leveled before I put them out! Finally fixed that this week! Thanks to Kristen from Ladybug's Teacher Files for the super cute library labels! I LOVE these!

5. Last but not least, we are finishing up our Gold Rush unit with this wonderful book below! What I love even more is the wonderful audiobook for it on iTunes! The multiple character voice recordings really make it exciting for the kids! Not only is this tied to our social studies curriculum but there are so many great activities you can do with this book!

Happy Friday everyone!

April Currently

I'm a few days late but can't resist linking up with Oh Boy Fourth Grade for April's Currently!

Listening: I LOVE Modern Family! I laugh out loud every time!

Loving: This spring break couldn't have come at a better time! I was just starting to get unmotivated but this week of relaxing and catching up should do the trick!

Thinking: That "to do" list is still staring at me! I'm about halfway though with only two days left of my break! Yes, it's a long list! 

Wanting: A massage. I wish I could make this a monthly routine! Maybe the fiance will sponsor this month's massage! haha

Needing: Some sun! My body still looks like it is stuck in winter! I need some sun to start this tan!

Advice: Don't sweat the small stuff is such simple advice to remember whether you are wedding planning or dealing with a problem student! :)  I feel like I tell myself this at least once a day.

Spring Centers Giveaway!

Happy spring everyone! My spring break has put me in the mood to post something spring related! My students really enjoyed my St. Patrick's Day Math Centers that they did last month. It ended up being a fun rotation that lasted about two weeks and was great test prep! I decided to edit the product so that those of you who didn't purchase it, can take advantage of the fun, but with a new spring theme!

It includes an answer recording sheet, answer key, and 60 math task cards that cover the following:
-factors
-prime and composite numbers
-multiplication
-division
-adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators
-mixed numbers
-improper fractions

It's aligned to the 4th grade Common Core Standards but is a great review for 5th too! Please keep in mind that if you've purchased my St. Patrick's Day pack, this is the same pack, just a different theme!

I'd love to give away this pack to the first one of my blog followers that leaves me a comment below! Don't forget to leave your email so I can send it to you! Click below to check it out!