Winners and a Cool Classroom Tool

Here to announce the winners of my latest task cards.


I used this cool classroom tool to pick the 5 winners.  



Have you heard of this tool?  It's really rather simple.  You edit the names and then click and spin to pick a random name.   You can also choose to delete a name once it's been picked, or you can keep the name.

Here are the winners:







If you didn't receive an email from me, just shoot me an email and let me know that your name was picked!

And, since I was late picking these winners, I've decided to keep it set at 50% off through the weekend.  Plus, I'm throwing a sale!  So, you can get these task cards for only $1.20.



Do You Love Task Cards? --Giveaway--

I just finished a new set of task cards.  This time the focus was on addition and subtraction word problems.  Although it is geared for 4th grade, I'm going to be able to use this with many of my ESOL groups in grades 2nd-5th because I varied the difficulty of the cards.

Task cards 1-6: Add and subtract 3-digit numbers
Task cards 7-12: Add and subtract 4-digit numbers
Task cards 13-18: 
Add and subtract 5-digit numbers
Task cards 19-24: Add and subtract 6-digit numbers.

These task cards are set up like all of the other word problem task cards that I've already created.  So if you like any of the following task card sets, you should like these, too!



Would you like to win a chance to Pin It to Win It :)

Just leave me a comment with the URL link to your pin below. You may pin to this blog post or directly to Teachers Pay Teachers at the link {here}.  I'll pick 5 winners on Thursday night!  If you can't wait until Thursday to see if you win, I have it set at 1/2 price until then :)

Thanks for helping me spread the news :)


How Do You Meet the Needs of English Language Learners?


Language defines who we are.  It is the subject of a new class that I am taking on Cultural Diversity and one that has become a new passion of mine in my new role as an ESOL teacher.
My daughter's two closest friends are Cuban.  Both families are bilingual and in talking with these families, I became more aware of how beneficial being bilingual can be.  However, this is often not embraced or appreciated by the general population.  

I have been witness to many events in which students are being asked to ignore their background and culture in an attempt to acquire English.  In doing so, ESOL students are being sent the message that their culture and heritage don’t matter.  When, in fact, it should be the exact opposite.  


In an ever-changing global economy, being bilingual is almost necessary.  Instead of being ignored and unappreciated, being bilingual should be valued and encouraged.  No longer are educators striving to have our students ready to compete within a local market, but we are now striving to have our students ready to compete with other students at a more global level.  In doing so, doesn’t it make sense to embrace and encourage students who are bilingual?  Shouldn’t we be showing them how much we care?  Shouldn’t we encourage other teachers to do the same? These students are our future, after all.


So how do we meet the needs of students who may come to us knowing very little English?  


One tool I have learned about recently is Smartling. Smartling is a translation software company that translates websites and mobile apps into different languages to break language barriers.  They are interested in finding out how teachers break language barriers in their classrooms, but also share the importance of foreign language education and remaining diverse with the common goal of helping students achieve greatness in school.  

I appreciate the fact that the company states that they are not interested in diminishing a student's native language.  They are just wanting to see how their software can help out students trying to acquire a new language.  I'm definitely interested in learning more.  Are you?


Monday Made It- January 2015

It's Monday Made It time!  I always love checking out all of the great ideas that get linked up each month on Tara's linky.

First a home Made It:
I'd really like to become more organized at home.  If you've been around a while, you know that I thrive on being organized at school.  Kristen (Ladybug's Teacher Files) and I had a weekly linky one summer dedicated to organization, after all.  But, at home...that's a completely different story.  Over the break, I tackled one of my trouble spots.  In our kitchen we have what I call the "Dumping Ground".  I'm sure most of you can relate, right? Our dumping ground was the counter.  Then, I tried to move it to the cabinet above the counter to try to alleviate the mess on the counter.  But, then the cabinet turned to this mess:

So, I decided that I needed to do a complete "Catch All Cabinet" overhaul.  I was inspired after reading a post on Organizing Homelife about creating a Kitchen Command Center.  (You should check it out.)

Take a look at what I was able to accomplish in a few hours.  I just hope I can keep it looking like this.  When it starts pretty, sometimes that helps me.  

So far, so good.  In the afternoons, I open the mail and file it in the correct location in this cabinet. I've been able to keep the countertop clean!  That's such an accomplishment for our family!


I've created a new set of task cards to review place value.  As state testing approaches, I will be making a lot of these to help my ELL students when I see them.  Be on the look-out for more in the next few weeks.
Click here to go to TPT
Right now they are marked 1/2 off in my store, but I'm also having a giveaway for a copy.  You can click on this link {here} to go to that blog post if you are interested.

I hope to have many more Made Its next month.  I certainly have been pinning enough cute stuff lately to have a lot to choose from :)


Math Menus: Division Winner...But There's More!

Announcing the winners for my latest file:
Click here to go to TPT.
Congratulations to the following people:


Please look for an email from me shortly.  If you do not receive an email, I couldn't find an email address for you. So, email me:  funinroom4b@gmail.com

If you didn't win, I'm keeping this menu at half price until tomorrow night!  That's only $1.50!!

If you didn't win this one, would you like to win something else?

I've created a new set of task cards to review place value.  As state testing approaches, I will be making a lot of these to help my ELL students when I see them.  Be on the look-out for more in the next few weeks.
Click here to go to TPT

When I was teaching math, I used task cards in many different ways.  I would use them during small group instruction, or in stations, or during a whole-group "Scoot" game.  How do you use task cards? For this giveaway, I'd like for you to leave me a comment telling me how you use task cards in your classroom.   I'd also love for you to Pin It to Win It. Just leave me a comment with the URL link to your pin below. You may pin to this blog post or directly to Teachers Pay Teachers at the link {here}.
If you do both, that's two entries!

I'll pick 5 winners on Friday, January 19th!

Again, if you can't wait...these task cards are currently marked at 1/2 off!  I'll leave them at 1/2 off until the end of the giveaway on Friday!

**Update: Winners have been notified!**

Good luck!


Math Menus: Division---A Giveaway!

I just finished the Math Menus: Division file and I'd love for you to have a chance to win a copy!
Click here to go to TPT.
When I used these menus last year,  my students would complete their work during the "Math Facts" rotation of our Math Workshop.  I gave them about two weeks to complete the work, but on "crazy" weeks, I might have extended the assignment for a third week.  Some students did like to take some of the work home to add final touches, but I tried to encourage them to complete most of the work during Math Workshop.

Although I love what I am doing now, I do miss Math Workshop and seeing all of the wonderful work that my students completed when working on their menus.

This is again an editable file so that you can adjust it to meet the needs in your classroom.  However, it is also ready to print and go!

Would you like to win a chance to Pin It to Win It :)

Just leave me a comment with the URL link to your pin below. You may pin to this blog post or directly to Teachers Pay Teachers at the link {here}.  I'll pick 5 winners on Wednesday night!  If you can't wait until Wednesday to see if you win, I have it set at 1/2 price until then :)

Good luck!


New Year's Goals for 2015

I hope you are having a fantastic start to 2015!

I'm linking up with Erica for my goals for 2015.  I figured that if I put it out there, I just might stick to it a little more.  I'm not one to make a new resolution every year, because I often fail at them.  Instead, I'm creating some goals that I've already been working on with hopes that I'll see them to fruition.
My primary concern for 2015 is going to be having the financial freedom to send my daughter to college without it being a burden.  Luckily, she is receiving scholarships and money has been saved for her, but we will still need to work extra hard this year to live as we have and still feel like we can give her the extra money that will inevitably be necessary.  For me, that becomes a huge TPT goal, as well.  All of the extra income from TPT will help tremendously.  So, instead of having a more passive role (as I have for the last two years), I'm going to try to become more involved in creating more products and promoting myself.  That is my biggest weakness.  I'm not a self-promoter at all.  I guess I need to get over that.


This school year, I took a huge leap of faith and started a new job.  I have loved branching out and teaching ESOL for my district.  I really want to learn more about how to help ELL learners.  So, starting this spring, I will be taking a college class to begin meeting the requirements to obtain my ESOL certification. Not looking forward to the added workload, but I am looking forward to learning more.

Although my husband and I started eating healthy (mainly vegan) in 2014, we started to slip as the school year began.  Last fall, I saw posts by Rachelle (What the Teacher Wants and For Blogness' Sake) about Whole30.  I read the book, It Starts with Food over the winter break and have slowly been cutting sugar from my diet.  I officially started Whole30 today and I'm so excited to see what it can do for me.  I know how much better I feel when I eat better.  Now, I just have to stick to the plan.
keep-calm-ig
I'd really like to become more organized at home.  If you've been around a while, you know that I thrive on being organized at school.  Kristen (Ladybug's Teacher Files) and I had a weekly linky one summer dedicated to organization, after all.  But, at home...that's a completely different story.  Over the break, I tackled one of my trouble spots.  In our kitchen we have what I call the "Dumping Ground".  I'm sure most of you can relate, right? Our dumping ground was the counter.  Then, I tried to move it to the cabinet above the counter to try to alleviate the mess on the counter.  But, then the cabinet turned to this mess:

So, I decided that I needed to do a complete "Catch All Cabinet" overhaul.  I was inspired after reading a post on Organizing Homelife about creating a Kitchen Command Center.  (You should check it out.)

Take a look at what I was able to accomplish in a few hours.  I just hope I can keep it looking like this.  When it starts pretty, sometimes that helps me.  

So, what are your goals for 2015?  Need inspiration?  Check out Erica's linky:
Erica's Ed-Ventures