Fabulous Finds Giveaways

I'm linking up with Christy and Tammy over at Fluttering through First Grade for their Fabulous Finds Linky Party. Best part- I'm going to be able to give away my fabulous finds. YAY! Thank you Second Story Window and Candy Cottage.

First up- School Find

My must have for 2013 is any packet from Second Story Window. I just found out about this awesome store and wish I had known about it sooner.

I started 2013 with their Common Core Morning Work

It's simply amazing.

I also needed some homework and fluency homework. 

Double AMAZING.

check out the post here

If you're interested in learning more about their 2nd grade homework, you can get the table of contents here.  It goes through each day by topic and content.

Check out their Teachers Pay Teachers shop you can download a 10-page sample (pages 61-70).  That's a preview of 2 weeks worth of homework!

Check out the post here

The packet includes:

• 35 common core aligned weekly 2^nd grade passages and comprehension questions that cover a variety of genres
• Parent note explaining how (and why) to do this assignment
• Fluency bookmarks to remind students how fluent reading should sound

The format is so clean and organized on all of their packets. I love all of the instructions pages for teachers and parents. I'm going to have to say that these packets are MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE finds on teachers pay teachers. I use them ALL. THE.TIME

I love how they are all common core aligned too! Want to win a Homework packet or Fluency packet? Second Story Window was so kind to graciously donate a fluency packet or homework packet to a lucky reader. 

Sign up using the Rafflecopter below.

Home Find- Candy Cottage Reusable Gingerbread Houses 

Nobody has time to bake and assemble a gingerbread house these days. There just isn't enough time to do it all.
But, what we all remember most about gingerbread and the holidays, is the fun of decorating. The pure enjoyment and excitement of playing with icing, candies and other creative decorations and placing them on your gingerbread house, each piece adding to a happy memory.
The Candy Cottage® makes those great memories possible once again...without the baking..and without the assembly.
Ready to decorate, right out of the box. Simply snap it together, grab some icing, a couple of your favorite candies and let the decorating begin! And it's reusable - season after season!

Want to win one? Follow the rafflecopter below. Candy Cottage was so kind to donate a candy cottage to one lucky reader.

If you don't have any luck and still want to purchase a cottage just email me. I have a nice supply. Yesterday I brought one over to my niece and nephew. We can't wait to give it a try this week.  I will also be using one in class on Valentine's Day! 

More pics to come!

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners

I'm checking in to announce the winners of the past two giveaways. Hope everyone had a nice Monday. I'll be back soon to link up to

Autographed copy of The Potato Chip Champ-  Tammy

$10 to my tpt store- The Polished Teacher

The Potato Chip Champ Giveaway

Spotlight on Award-Winning Maria Dismondy

I  JUST LOVE HER STORIES!

Maria was born and raised in a suburb of Detroit. Maria grew up with two moms, two dads an older sister and plenty of grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles to love and appreciate her.

Inspiration for The Potato Chip Champ came from experiences in her own life. Maria has witnessed children struggle with wanting it all. She was inspired by stories of children who have barely anything and give away what they do have. After years of researching bullying, Maria has found that what the world needs is an increase in EMPATHY. The Potato Chip Champ teaches empathy and contentment in a silly story with witty characters. Maria writes stories that children need to hear.

Maria went to Michigan State University and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. She earned her degree with a second major in Early Childhood and a minor in English. Maria studied abroad in Thailand for her master’s degree in Curriculum and Research.

Maria is a woman who wears many hats. Her favorite hat is, by far, being the mother of two little ladies. Next up (maybe even tied with being a mother) is being a wife to her best friend. Before becoming a published writer, Maria taught elementary school. She also teaches fitness classes. Maria loves photography and scrapbooking and tries to squeeze in taking classes on both in any free time she has. Reading is one of her favorite past times. She reads everything from young adult fiction to cookbooks to romance novels.

In 2007, Maria and her good friend Meg started a Non-Profit Organization called Making Spirits Bright. Together, they strive to make a difference in their local community.  You can find out more about them on their facebook page.

Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, Maria’s first book, made her an award-winning author winning both an Eric Hoffer Award and a Gold Mom’s Choice Award. It was based off of Maria’s childhood experiences of being teased and bullied for her big hair and funny concoctions she ate for lunch. Maria co-authored The Juice Box Bully with Bob Sornson in 2010 and her third book, Pink Tiara Cookies for Three came out last January.

You can follow Maria on facebook or twitter. She has a blog called Be The Difference and writes about her experiences as a mother and gives advice and ideas to be used when parenting, teaching or dealing with character education.

You can purchase her books on her website at www.mariadismondy.com or on amazon or barnesandnoble.com

Maria is currently hosting this blog tour. You can find the schedule on her website under events. Would you like to win an autographed copy of The Potato Chip Champ? 
You can earn up to 3 entries. I'll pick a winner on Monday the 21st at 8:00 a.m. central time. 

1. Leave a comment with your favorite chip.
2. Follow Maria on FB! Leave a comment saying you do!
3. Follow Maria on Twitter. Leave a comment saying you do!

Maria on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariadismondy

Maria on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mariadismondy

Maria's Blog: Be The Difference: http://www.mariadismondy.com/blog

MLK resources

Hope everyone has had a great week so far! I've been rearranging furniture the past two days. We have a teacher work day Friday and NO school Monday. Yipee! This will give me plenty of time to set up some new giveaways. You should see the fun items I picked up at the Atlanta Gift Mart this past weekend. I have some really fun items to give away so keep checking back.

I need HELP!

I'm in the process of setting up my new home office. New carpets, new furniture and a new I-MAC. I'm so use to my pc. I need to learn the shortcuts soon. Any tips? I'm really missing the right click on the mouse. If you leave me a tip... I'll enter you into a drawing for $10 to my tpt store.

Need some MLK resources-  You should check out Teaching Heart. Need a cute graphic organizer? Check out Latoya Reed's free MLK packet here.

Great Product Swap Giveaway

I just found out about the product magical swap a few months ago and now it's already in the works for swap 4. How did I miss the first ones? If you have never signed up I would HIGHLY recommend this wonderful experience. 

To sign up for swap #4 click here

I was so lucky to be able to pair up with Rachel Lamb from The Tattooed Teacher. Have you seen her darling blog? She's my kind of blogger. Great tips for technology and her tpt store is to die for. I have found many ideas on her blog. It's my go to blog for ideas on Reading, Spelling, Science and more. One of my favorite posts from Rachel was a Reading Log Opting Out Form. I just love her clip art and fonts in all of her cute tpt packets. I can't wait until Rachel starts creating her own clip art. 

This year I was having a hard time covering all of the 2nd grade common core standards. It's my first year in 2nd grade and I needed something to beef up my guided reading centers along with my reading groups. I choose to preview Rachel's Sweet Summarizing Packet.
I. FELL. IN. LOVE Can you say ... SUMMARIZING HEAVEN

Let's face it. Teachers have a love/hate relationship with this strategy. It seems so straight forward to us as readers, but it is difficult to get students to determine importance and generate the main ideas rather than give details! They are all about details!

I LOVED the anchor charts, summarizing sheets for students, and recording sheets. 

Tons of colorful anchor charts

Flip books for Fiction and Non fiction

Now if you purchase this awesome pack before Wednesday I have a really neat GIVEAWAY planned. You will earn 5 entries into the giveaway. 
Have you seen these? It's a reusable Gingerbread house. My brain has been trying to come up with ideas on how to use them for many occasions in the classroom. I will be using one on Valentine's Day for sure. Maybe even if a table team has the most points this might be an option in the Best "BEE"havior catalog. All you need is frosting and a variety of candies. I ordered these while in Atlanta.  They are $29.99.  All you need to do is purchase Sweet Summarizing and then come back here and leave a comment with your email address and tpt username. 

Source: candycottage.us via Michele on Pinterest

You can also enter our giveaway to win both Sweet Summarizing and my Word Work Packets for FREE. Just follow the steps on the rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pay It Forward

Hope everyone had a wonderful day back. I just donated and wanted to pass along this Random Act of Kindness Opportunity to Pay it Forward

Post from Fun in 1st Grade -A lot has been said about "paying it forward" these past few weeks.  If you are looking for an opportunity, I have something for you.  The wife of one of our district's principals is terminally ill.  A site has been set up for donations (final family vacation, medical expenses, etc).  The theme of this site is "It Takes a Village".  If many people give a little, this family will be able to take financial issues off their list of concerns...and will be able to focus on what truly matters:  making final memories (with spouse, daughter, and granddaughters) that will be recalled for a lifetime.

If you can...please do.

Click this image to go to the donation site.

Please feel free to share this on your blog or Facebook page.

Winners and Photography Resolutions

Winners please email me or comment on this post.

If you are fast ...you get to pick your prize

$25 Tpt or Amazon

$25 Bonefish/Outback

Camera Strap

Elf

My Photography Resolution- Take at least two pictures a week in the classroom. Make an animoto video for my students to remember their first and second grade year. Also make a shutterfly yearbook that students may purchase.

Have you tried Animoto? It's super easy and FREE for educators.

Unlimited Videos For Educators.

Enhance your digital classroom with Animoto, an ideal tool for creating videos and presentations. It takes just minutes to create a video which can bring your lessons to life.

Educator Site