Create.Educate.Inspire: February 2014

February 28, 2014

February 27, 2014

Hurry in while sales last!!

Save 20% in my ENTIRE store! Spin a Word MEGA PACK and Roll a Letter: Make a Word MEGA PACK are on sale for $4.80!! Save even more when you use the TPT Promo Code! You don't want to miss out!

February 25, 2014

TPT 3 Million Teachers Strong Sale!!

Have you heard?! TPT is having 3 Million Teachers Strong Sale!!! Feb. 27-28th! Create.Educate.Inspire will have 20% off their store, and with the TPT Promo code you can save up to 28%! Get those wishlists ready

See you there!

February 24, 2014

50+ Bloglovin and TPT Followers GIVEAWAY!

I am so excited to share this mini milestone with everyone! 50+ followers in both my TPT store and Bloglovin! I promised a giveaway so here it is...

Remember my Limited Time FREEBIES where you had 24 hours to get my Roll a Letter: Make a Word activity pages free from my TPT store. Well I'm giving away a Roll a Letter: Make a Word MEGA PACK (or 2!)

All you have to do is go to my Facebook page and comment on my post about the giveaway. Be sure to read the rules! :D I will pick a winner tomorrow evening.

Thank you so much for your support! It means so much!

Check it out along with some other goodies at Mommy & Me Creations for...

February 23, 2014

Limited Time FREEBIE #10!

Whew! What a day! I redesigned my blog, was nominated for the Liebster Award, and created the next Limited Time FREEBIE!

Here is is...

Roll a Letter: Make a CCVCC Word

Enjoy!

The Liebster Award :)

The Liebster Award

I’m beyond excited to be nominated for the Liebster Award I can hardly contain myself! Thank you Cheryl from Techie Turtle Teachers for nominating me! It means so much!!

A little about the Liebster award:

The Liebster Award is an award for new blogs. Liebster is a German word that means: BELOVED, CUTE, LOVELY, DEAREST, and WELCOME.

To accept the nomination I must:

1. Link back to the blog that nominated me

2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers

3. Answer the questions posted for me by my nominator (Cheryl)

4. Share 11 random facts about myself

5. Create 11 questions for my nominees

6. Contact my nominees and let them know I nominated them

Here are my nominees:

Courtney from Ramona Recommends has an adorable blog with suggestions for children’s literature and even some of her favorite things!

Another adorable blog by Elyse from Proud to be Primary! I absolutely LOVE her design by A Bird in Hand Designs. She also has some fabulous posts with just a little of everything!

Brandi from The Research Based Classroom takes research, puts it into practice, and then blogs about it! Being a special education teacher, it’s all about research based strategies. :D

Here is Katie from Glitter Glue & Giggles. Katie has some great ideas for Kinders.

Angie from Positively Passionate about Teaching must post nearly every day! For Black History month, she blogged every day about 1 African American that made a positive influence in our society.

Here are my questions from Cheryl:

1. What grade do you teach and why do you love it?

I actually teach 3 grades! I am a special education teacher working with mild-moderate students in grades K-2. I absolutely love being able to work with small groups of children who struggle with basic skills. I get to be one of their biggest fans while trying to raise their confidence to help them achieve success.

2. When do you grade papers and plan your lessons?

I typically grade my papers and plan at home after the school day. There are a few things I grade in class with the students so they can see their mistakes and fix them, but between a busy schedule and meetings almost every day after school, there is not much time.

3. What is one piece of advice you would share with new teachers?

Choose 1 thing each year to improve on. I can be my own worst critic and I have realized that as you are coming into your own as a teacher, there are many things to “fix”. I prioritize 1 thing each year to improve on as to not get overwhelmed.

4. Who are your favorite sellers on TpT?

Melonheadz, Scrappy Doodles, The School Supply Addict (Ashley Hughes), The Moffatt Girls, The Teacher Wife.. the list goes on and on!!!

5. What is your favorite subject to teach?

My favorite subject to teach just depends on the lesson or year. This year it has been math. My kids have had some great success in math this year and I just love watching the light bulbs turn on!

6. What is your favorite dinner recipe?

I love all food. This is so difficult to decide! I suppose it’d have to be my families Italian Pot Roast Recipe. Every time I go home to visit I always ask for it! (That and Mystery Mocha Cake for dessert! J)

7. How do you spend your weekends?

If I am not going home on the weekends to visit my parents or my brother, sister-in-law, and 3 nieces, I am either doing homework for my Masters or creating materials for TPT. This weekend it has been redesigning my blog. J And playing with my puppy, of course ;)

8. What is your favorite season?

I love Spring, but I’d have to say Fall is my favorite. I love to be able to wear a hoodie, yoga pants, and my flip flops. I’m all about comfort!

9. Share a technology resource that you love using in your classroom.

I love being able to use the Smart Board. I am able to teach a lesson, play games with the kids, or watch videos. My kids love being able to get up and be interactive with their learning.

10. If you could have an unlimited supply of one school supply for your classroom, what would it be?

Do books count? If I couldn't have anything else in my room, but books, I’d be one happy teacher.

11. What is your typical bedtime on a school night?

Um…. Honestly, between 8-9. I am an early bird!! I never used to be, but anymore I just can’t keep my eyes open! And I still have a hard time waking up at 5:30 in the morning. (That’s what coffee is for, right?)

Here are 11 random facts about myself:

1. I LOVE coffee!

2. I originally wanted to be an art teacher, but switched to a duel major of General Ed Pre-K and Special Ed K-12 due to the job market.

3. I played 13 years of soccer, and I HATE running.

4. I have a dog, MochJo, who will be 1 year old on February 25h! She’s my baby and spoiled rotten.

5 I also have a cat, GusGus, who is 7. Surprisingly he plays well with Mocha… for about 30 seconds.

6. I want another dog (as a playmate for MochaJo).

7. I have 3 beautiful nieces who are 8, 4, and 6 months. :D

8. I like to organize, but I am terrible at keeping up with it.

9. I live an hour and a half away from my family, and that is too far. Hopefully I can find a job closer in the coming years.

10. I am getting my Masters in Reading.

11. I enjoy all things crafty! J

Here are my 11 questions for my nominees:

1. What grade do you teach? Do you love it or would you switch grades?

2. What is your biggest pet peeve in the classroom?

3. What inspired you to start blogging?

4. What is one teaching supply you couldn’t live without?

5. What is your favorite lesson to teach?

6. What is your favorite dessert recipe?

7. How do you spend your weekends?

8. Coffee or Pop?

9. Share a technology resource that you love using in your classroom.

10. What is your favorite children’s book to read to your students?

11. What is your typical bedtime on a school night?

I cannot wait to see the responses from my nominees!

Blog Design... What do you think?

Hello All!

I have been busy at work today redesigning my blog. I think I finally found something I like. Hopefully I will keep this one awhile. :D Let me know what you think!

February 22, 2014

Limited Time FREEBIE #9!

Here it is... #9! Get it while you can. You have 24 hours!

Roll a Letter: Make a CCVCe Word...

Enjoy!

February 21, 2014

Limited Time FREEBIE #8!

Here's your next Limited Time FREEBIE! Get it fast! You have 24 hours...

Roll a Letter: Make a CVCC Word...

Enjoy!

February 20, 2014

Limited Time FREEBIE #7!

Here's your next Limited Time FREEBIE! Get it fast! You have 24 hours...

Roll a Letter: Make a CCVC Word...

Enjoy!

February 19, 2014

Limited Time FREEBIE #6!

Here is your next Limited Time FREEBIE! Get it fast! Only free 24 hours!

Roll a Letter: Make a CVVC Word..

Enjoy!!

February 18, 2014

Limited Time FREEBIE #5!

Here is your next Limited Time FREEBIE! Get it fast! Only free 24 hours!

Roll a Letter: Make a CVCe Word..

Enjoy!

I just linked up this product and 1 more with Mommy and Me Creations for ...

Go check it out! :D

February 17, 2014

Limited Time FREEBIE #4!

Here is your next Limited Time FREEBIE! Get it fast! Only free 24 hours!

Roll a Letter: Make a VCC Word..

Refreshed Blog Design (and classroom decor)

If you haven't noticed I changed up my Blog and Facebook Page a bit. I wasn't totally satisfied with the last one. Although I loved the design per say, I wasn't set on the colors. It was simple, but bored me easily and wasn't eye catching. So yesterday I spent reworking it a bit. I decided to use the colors scheme that you would find in my classroom. What's interesting is that the colors seem much darker once up, so bare with me if you see some subtle changes. And if you have any advice, please let me know! :D

I decided to post a few pictures of my classroom so you could see my colors. :)

Here was my theme. I created these owls over the summer, and then designed other classroom decor around it.

I loved the idea of re-doing my classroom into a theme (I never had before), but I frankly don't have much money to spend on classroom decor. I'd rather spend my money on books for my students, mentor texts, and other resources. That's when I dabbled in clip art design. I created these through Word, before I did my research and found out Microsoft PowerPoint was soooo much easier! I've learned so much since then and may revise these come next summer.

Here are my time visuals.

Please ignore the few falling pieces, including the minute hand which is currently residing on my bookshelf. Again, I created these myself using Microsoft Word. If anyone knows how to get things to stick better to a brick wall please let me know! I eventually gave up on trying to put them back up because in order to do so I need the tall ladder.

And last, I needed something to cover up those old blinds and sort of bring things together.