iPad Mini Giveaway

I have some exciting news! I have teamed up with 19 other bloggers for a HUGE giveaway!! 

Yes, you read that right, an iPad Mini!! 

If you've been following my blog, you know that I'm a fan of using the iPad in the classroom.  I don't fuss much about phones (though I do have an iPhone) but let's face it, the apps in the Apple App Market are second to none when it comes to education.  Don't try to sell me any kind of tablet other than an iPad, I'm not hearing it.  Both of my kids have an iPad and my husband and I have iPads...we are an Apple family for real.

Let's talk iPads in the classroom. I have one iPad issued to me for use in the classroom.  I've talked a bit before about how I utilize my 1 iPad and I'll talk a little more about that today.  We also have a sets of 6 iPads that we can check out if we fill out a form showing what we are using them for. 

Here are some of my favorite apps for Kindergarten:

       

These are literacy based apps and I use them mostly for skill work during Guided Reading.  I usually only use them for a few minutes towards the end of Guided reading and I pass the iPad from student to student so each child gets a few turns.  The students will work hard if they know we are going to have a few minutes to play the iPad.  I also like to use Letter School (the star icon) during my Guided Practice when I'm teaching my students letter formation during handwriting.  This is a fun way to involve the students and teach formation.  My students know that not everyone can have a turn for that particular app every time, but that everyone will eventually get a turn.

These are a few of my favorite math apps.  I use them sometimes during math groups for extra practice based on certain topics.

Any of these apps can also be used for one-on-one tutoring or extra practice which I sometimes do first thing in the morning while other students are working on their journals if I see one student needs help in a particular area (like letter identification.) I will sometimes pull them for about 5 minutes to play and then send them back to work on their journals so it's not like they are missing anything.

During parent conferences, I give my parents this little sheet of apps so they can download educational apps at home to reinforce skills we've been practicing at school.  All of the apps aren't free, but they have some sort of free version and can be upgraded.  I personally don't mind paying for the upgraded version because I like them so much! 

There are lots of other fun things you can do with iPads.  Have you heard of QR Codes? QR codes are those funny looking boxes you've been seeing everywhere. 

The kids love to scan them! You download a free app to scan them and its almost like taking a picture and information pops up once its been scanned.  You can make your own QR codes at http://www.qrstuff.com/. 

Check out this game I created!  Students will scan the QR codes and sight words will pop up! :) Students then record the sight words on the recording sheet.  Pretty neat, right? Your students will love learning sight words with this fun pack! 

If you loved what you read here, don't forget to follow me on Blog Lovin' so you'll know when I update with new tips, freebies and products! 

Ready to enter the giveaway? Below you will find all the ways you can enter starting on August 1st and ending August 9th! This giveaway is only open to teachers (classroom and homeschool) who are living in the contiguous United States. The winning entry will be verified and proof of eligibility may be required. Please see the complete terms and conditions at the bottom of the giveaway for more information.

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Don't forget to stop by these awesome blogs to check out their tech tips and see if they have any goodies for you!

 

Three Dollar Thursday!

It's Three Dollar Thursday Y'all! 

I am marking down my Wants and Needs Unit to $3.00 for today only! 

If you want to see all the other $3 deals, you can find them here.  These deals won't last long, scoop them up while you can and don't forget to enter to win those $50 TpT Gift Certificates! 

Here is a clickable list of all the participating stores!

An InLinkz Link-up

Back to School Product Swap

I still have a few more weeks before school starts back, but I know there are some schools starting back very soon!  If you are still in denial-land, you might want to start venturing off the island and back to the real world.  It's time to start thinking about the new school year! 

Cara from over at Creative Playground organized a Product Swap so amazing sellers from TpT could swap and review products to help you prepare your wishlists and fill your cart with awesome products to get your school year started off right!

I was paired up with Michele from Mrs. Scotese's Class. 

Check out her blog here:

Check out here TpT Store here:

There are lots of product in her store that are perfect for your Kindergarten classroom! I chose to review:

This pack focuses on 25 sight words (I, red, can, blue, big, yellow, the, run, be, we, not, ran, see, green, am, a, make, at, like, orange, must, one, jump, brown, on) and have a number of activities you can do to practice each one.  

Activities include:

• 10 simple sentences for the students to put together with brown bear word cards and practice sheets to trace or write the sentences when they finish. (Great for differentiation!) 
• 10 bingo cards and bingo counters.
• Memory matching game
• 4 Roll, Say, Cover game boards
• Word cards for play-doh or Wikki Stix
• 3 stories for the students to read with a partner on reproducible sheets.

The unit is bright and color and follows a chevron theme, which is engaging from the start.  Also, it includes the Brown Bear characters, so it can be tied to a Brown Bear unit or used in isolation.  These activities could be used in a small group, for independent practice at a center, or for tutoring. 

Take a look at some of the activities included in this packet:

Making sentences: There are 10 different sentences with a frame for the students to follow and color words / character cards to complete the sentences with.

Next students can trace (or write the sentence)! This is perfect for differentiation!

Sight Word Bingo - Teacher uses the calling cards and the student covers the words called.  To differentiate, you can show the words or just call them out. Counters are included to cover the words, which we really liked! 

 Story Reading : This is great for identifying those color words! Students color the characters the right color and then read the story.  Also great for practicing sight words.

Play-Doh/Wikki Stick Mats - Laminate or place in a page protector so students can have hands on practice making sight words! 

    

My boys really enjoyed this unit and I can't wait to use it with my Kinders! It's the perfect way to practice those sight words that are so important in reading! 

Michelle is also reviewing my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom unit over on her blog! 

We are so excited about these reviews, that we are going to each give away our units to two lucky readers! Enter below on the rafflecopter! If you don't win but want a copy, stop by and grab it from her store! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

Goodbye July...Aloha August!

Can it be possible???  July is nearly over???

I have teamed up with 40 fabulous stores for...

This is a FABULOUS 4 day event that is full of sweet deals, savings and 4 amazing giveaways!

Here's a peek at what you are being treated to...

Each day a new 'deal' will be posted by the 40 participating stores! 

Be sure to visit their Facebook, Instagram and/or Pinterest accounts to find the daily deals and codes you will use in the TPT search engine to find the sweet deals!
(You can also find the codes on the pictures at the bottom of this post!)

In addition, you can find the links to all the participating stores below...as well as 4 rafflecopters!

YES!

That is right...4 rafflecopters!

Each rafflecopter is for a $50 TPT gift certificate!

Think of all the wonderful resources you could score with that...and just in time for Back To School!

Please visit each rafflecopter and enter! 
Each one will generate a winner- and yes- you can win more than 1!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here is a clickable list of all the participating stores!

An InLinkz Link-up

Be sure to come by and visit our social media sites each day for these reminder posts:

 Enjoy the deals, samples and good luck on the giveaway!

And most importantly, we all send our best wishes for a successful school year!

Back to School Linky - Classroom Decor

It's that time again - Back 2 School Linky with Mrs. D's Corner and Miss V's Busy Bees! This week's topic is one of my favorites - CLASSROOM DECOR!

But seriously - who doesn't love a cute classroom? I always feel like if I get into the classroom and get it all straight, organized and cute my year will get off to a good start.  You feel the same, right? 

I'm not gonna show my whole classroom in this post, because it's not anywhere near ready.  I don't start school back for almost a month and I've been pushing it to go in this early.  I have been in 3 times and I have been busy as can be! 

This post is gonna be all about teasers! 

Like this:

Cute fabric anyone? Yes please! It was $5.99 a yard at Jo-Ann's, but on sale for $3.99 a yard.  I also used a 15% off coupon.  I ended up getting probably 15-20 yards.  What for you ask? To cover my windows, hideous junk in my cubbies, and all my paper.  My good friend's mom is making some curtains for me.  I seriously can't wait to see them! 

How about these cuties? Also from Jo-Ann's! They were 40% off! The polka dotted ones will house my homework folders and communication folders and I'm not sure about that chevron one yet.

Here's a (maybe) little known fact about me.  I got started on TpT because I wanted to redesign my classroom.  I had a mismatch of decor from my local teacher store and I couldn't take it anymore.  I wanted to redo my room in polka dots and got busy creating.  After I finished, I wondered if anyone else felt the same way and opened up my TpT shop.  2 years later, I am so thankful I had that thought. 

These are the things I use to decorate my room:

I also did this to my caddies and book bins last year:

They are dirty this year, so I got a new set and I will be doing the exact same thing again.  I mixed a little polka dot and chevron.  I'm slightly obsessed with both! 

Here are a few FREEBIES to help you get your room decorated:

     

I can't wait to show you how cute my room looks when I'm finished! Stop back back for a huge classroom reveal on August 30th! 

Don't forget to stop by and see everyone else's classroom decor!