Aha Moment

So yesterday I told you about the my small SmartBoard mishap. Then I asked are we to dependent on technology?  While sometimes I feel like the answer to that question is yes, we all know that technology is the way of the future now. Because of all of that I had an awesome "aha moment" I'm going to be applying to my second Masters Degree program this time for Education Technology. Why? you might ask. Well that answer is simple, I'm the gadget queen and I love to find ways to incorporate those gadgets into my lessons. I've used it all from laptops, cd players, MP3 players, iPods, digital camera, my iPad, iPhone,video camera, SmartBoard and Elmo document camera. But my problem is I'm sure there are other things that can be done, another way I can make learning so much fun for all of my students. I'm also want to learn as much as I can so I can share the information with you guys (maybe even be able to do a workshop for teachers). I've already contacted the school of my choice National Lewis University about their program and I'm so excited to get more info from them. I guess it's true what they say teachers are really life long learners.

Are we to dependant on technology?

Today RIGHT in the MIDDLE of my language arts lesson the bulb in my SmartBoard went OUT!! I'm talking the buttons where still on but the screen was BLANK! I almost panicked but then I remembered that SmartBoards weren't always around and I could use the white board on the other side of the classroom. After the students were set I made a quick call to our tech person and she came and replaced the bulb within the hour! Has this ever happened to you? What did you?

The badEST bloggER of them ALL!!!

I've been a BAD BAD BAD blogger lately! Between getting food poison, going to a professional development ( I promise the post about what I learned is coming soon), taking care of my little sister because my mom got sick and wedding planning I've been SUPER BUSY!!! I'm talking so busy I haven't even been able to read all of the great blogs you guys have been posting. 

Today is my second day back in the classroom since Spring Break. Yesterday was kind of hard because most of my students just wanted to sleep all day. I guess that is what they did at home during the break. So their little bodies were tired by 10:00am. Today was much better we begin talking about -ER and -EST. I purchased The Teacher Wife TpT lesson and my kiddos LOVE it!!! You can buy it HERE .


Today was just a introduction, of course like always I use my smartboard to introduce EVERYTHING. I used THIS lesson, the students loved it and even raised their hand to tell me they made a text to life connection. <---- Best part of my day. After the SmartBoard lesson we made a graphic organizer listing words in it's singular form, using -ER when comparing two things and using -EST when comparing three or more things. This isn't going to be a picture-less post so check them out below to see how everything turned out.

I love how he made sure the tigers legs were longer so everyone would know the tiger with long legs could run the fastest

Did you notice our spelling words are even -ER and -EST words?

 Sidenote: These are pictures from my phone so the quality sucks!

New Blog

Hey ladies!!! I told you all I wouldn't be posting wedding related stuff on this page so I made a new blog. If you are interested in following me on the road to becoming Mrs. Hammond (I love the way that sounds) check out www.theperfectpair11.blogspot.com . That is where all of my planning will take place. Hope to see some of you over there.


Side note: I attended the professional development today. It was great! I'll be posting some of the things I learned this weekend hopefully or next week since it is SPRING BREAK!!!!!

Lifelong Learner

On Thursday I'll be attending a professional development session entitled "OUTSTANDING IDEAS FOR STRENGTHENING YOUR FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM PROGRAM" 

The session promises to offer:

• Innovative, classroom-tested strategies for strengthening your first grade classroom program
  
• A wealth of ideas for enhancing first grade reading, writing and math instruction
  
• Every idea and strategy ideal for first grade
  
• Demonstrations, displays and an extensive first grade teacher resource handbook filled with outstanding classroom‑proven ideas 

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

1. Incorporate the Current, Best Strategies to Boost Academic Success
   Innovative, practical methods to enhance your classroom instruction and provide greater academic success for your first grade students
   
2. Meet the Needs of FIRST GRADE Readers, from Emergent to Fluent
   A variety of reading strategies to meet the needs of your first graders, from emergent readers to fluent readers … Every strategy ideal for first grade classrooms
   
3. Strengthen Reading Skills
   Specific strategies for using read alouds, shared reading and guided reading to strengthen first graders’ decoding skills and reading comprehension
   
4. What To Do With the Rest of Your First Graders When You Work With Small Groups
   Outstanding practical ideas for how to keep the rest of your first graders learning while you work with small groups
   
5. Create Competent, Enthusiastic Writers
   Effective strategies that build confident writers and improve your first graders’ written vocabulary, word choice and writing fluency … Highly practical ideas you can implement immediately in your own first grade classroom
   
6. Accelerate Math Learning
   Strategies and techniques to help your first graders learn and retain key first grade math skills
   
7. Utilize Learning Centers Ideal for First Grade
   Effectively design independent learning centers that will reinforce skills and concepts in first grade reading, writing, math, and science … Classroom-proven management strategies and organizational tips to help you differentiate instruction without excessive teacher preparation time
   
8. Art Activities that Promote Learning
   Creative art ideas perfect for first grade that use a variety of inexpensive materials and are easily integrated into your first grade classroom program
   
9. Work Smarter, Not Harder
   Timesavers and shortcuts to help you be more productive and more successful in your first grade classroom
   
10. Ideas, Ideas, Ideas
    Outstanding sample lessons, materials and techniques, all designed just for first grade classrooms … Each participant will receive an extensive first grade teacher resource handbook

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

• Innovative, new instructional strategies to help strengthen your entire FIRST GRADE classroom program
  
• Models and ideas to help you work smarter not harder when working with first graders
  
• How to create a print-rich environment that integrates all areas of the first grade curriculum
  
• How to create a first grade classroom program where students have more opportunities to read and write and strengthen their reading and writing skills
  
• Ways to meet the needs of your emergent first grade readers as well as challenge your more fluent first grade readers
  
• Practical ways to differentiate guided reading lessons when working with first graders with diverse abilities
  
• How to teach phonics to first graders in meaningful contexts
  
• Specific ways to increase first graders’ vocabulary in both reading and writing
  
• Practical strategies for reinforcing crucial high frequency words important to first grade reading success
  
• How to increase first graders’ interest in writing and success in developing writing skills
  
• How to use graphic organizers ideal for first graders to increase writing success
  
• Ways to motivate and manage first grade students’ writing while increasing their vocabulary skills
  
• How to build writing skills while helping first graders learn about science and social studies
  
• Suggestions for using the calendar to teach number sense
  
• How to help first graders accelerate their math learning and mastery of key first grade math skills
  
• Creative ways to link art activities and descriptive writing
  
• Tips for creating literacy, math and science learning centers, all ideal for first graders
  
• How to effectively use centers in order to meet the diverse needs of all your first grade students
  
• Ideas, ideas and more ideas to help you increase the success of your first graders 

I promise to take lots of notes and bring back all of the great stuff I'm sure I'll learn!!! 

You should also check out the website www.ber.org I've been to several of the sessions and I also enjoy myself and learn lots of new things

NON-Teacher Related Post

Morning Love! Do you all remember yesterday when I told you guys I was going to celebrate my boyfriends birthday with family? My grandmother had planned a big party for both my little sister and boyfriend Skip. Their birthdays are a day apart so it wasn't weird to be celebrating them with both of our families.  

Anyway, everything was going good! There was at least 30 to 40 people at my grandparents house eating, talking and just having a good time. Then everyone was called into the living room to sing happy birthday, we sung and all of a sudden people wanted to make speeches. My sister was first (keep in mind that she is 10) Her speech was simple "Thank you all for coming to celebrate my birthday with me and Skip!" Then my boyfriend was next, the room was QUIET, I'm talking you could hear a pin drop. He says "My speech involves Takara" (my stomach drops) I walk over to him and he begins to speak again. He starts "Takara we have been together for three years, you helped me grow spiritually and made me smile more than I knew was possible and for that I think you deserve the world. But since I can't give you that I'll give you the next best thing. Takara will you marry me?" iDied!!! Then I said yes! lol  Then he slid the beautifulest ring in the WHOLE world on my finger! It all really felt like a dream and I was so happy that I was able to share that moment with family and friends, and now I'm sharing it with you! 

I promise this will me the last engagement/wedding post on this blog, I'll be starting a new blog for that type of stuff!

Still super overjoyed and thankful!

New signature and button

Happy Saturday loves!

Just a quick post to let you guys know about my pretty new button and signature! I hope you love the button so much you add it to your sidebar.Thanks to Kristen over at ladybug recources, she always does such great work.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend. I'm off to help my boyfriend celebrate his birthday!!

Thanks for all the HELP!

Last night I sent out a call for HELP! I could not for the life of me figure out how to make my documents look pretty enough to share. So many wonderful ladies answered my question. Because of you guys I was able to concur the beast named creativity. Below is a preview of what I've come up with so far. I'm SUPER EXCITED about this and can't wait to finish up my Math Journal Unit to share with everyone. BEWARE this is my first draft so some things WILL change before I finish everything up.

Click the picture to see my progress

Feed back would be GREAT!

Blogger Gone Crazy!!!

For the last week or so I've been driving myself CRAZY trying to figure out how to create a beautiful document in Word 2010. Guys I'm not #WINNING like Charlie Sheen :-(  So, someone PLEASE help me. What software do you use to creature these wonderful units? I have so many great things to share but they are just super plain. HELP HELP HELP!!!