Sunday, March 31, 2013

Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party and TpT Sale


I'm linking up with Latoya again today!  Click the above picture to go to her blog and link up too!  

This week is our Favorites Survey:

Favorite Place to Shop:


I LOVE Macy's!  They have a huge selection and I am always getting coupons from them in the mail.  Who doesn't love to use a good coupon?!  I have found great items on clearance too.  

Favorite TV Show:


I really don't watch too much TV, but I love Criminal Minds.  It scares me sometimes, but they always solve the murders!  They're amazing!  :)

Favorite Sweet Treat:


I love a good doughnut.  Put a little cream inside and I'm in love.  :)

Favorite Food:

I know it's not good for me, but I'm a pasta girl!  I love spaghetti, lasagna, and ziti.  

Favorite Restaurant:


There is no doubt about it.  Cheesecake Factory is my favorite restaurant!  Mmmmm!  

Now, go to Latoya's blog and link up!

A-B-Seymour

My TpT store is on sale today!  20% off everything!  

Happy Easter!!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Spring Cleaning Sale

I have been on Spring Break this week and I have enjoyed it so much!!  

I've been cleaning, organizing, and moving all week.  Now I'm going to do some Spring Cleaning in my TpT store and have a sale!  

 

Here are some of my favorite items in my TpT store:

If your kiddos are struggling with number sense, this pack would be a great help!  

These are story problems with double digit addition and subtraction as well as adding three numbers.  

This is a fun Economics Unit that would be a great unit to cover as we get close to the end of the year!  My kiddos LOVE these activities!  :)

This is my Easter April Activity Pack and I will be adding to it.  I'm almost done....it's been a busy week!  :)

Hope you get some spring cleaning done and empty your wishlists!  

Happy Easter!  :)

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Blogiversary Giveaway Winner and Math Story Problems

Congrats to Sarah at Sarah's First Grade Snippets!  She is the winner of my 1 Year Blogiversary Giveaway!  

I'll be emailing you soon, Sarah!  Check out my TpT store and let me know which 3 items you would like for me to send you.  :)

While I'm here I wanted to share my new Story Problem Pack with you!  

This is going to be short though because my parents have recently bought a BEAUTIFUL new home so I am helping them move.  My dad still can't lift or do much after his surgery so I'm trying to help as much as I can while on Spring Break.  I'm taking a break to blog, but then I'm headed to the kitchen to organize and pack.  :) 

Here is my Story Problem Pack: 





We have been working on story problems with our kiddos as a grade level so I created some to use for extra practice.  My kiddos read the story and then we discuss whether we are going to add or subtract.  We talk about the key words and how we figured out which sign to use and then we color them.  

I know my kiddos are much more on task if they can use a crayon or two.  :)  

Then we write the math sentence, put the answer on the line and include a label.  

I really think using these have helped my kiddos....at least I hope so!  I am going to be adding more story problems along with posters and story problems with regrouping for my higher kiddos.  

This pack is $3 right now, but will go up as I add to it.  Purchasing it now will mean that you get the added pages for free because you can download the updates as I get them ready!  ;)

As always I will give *5 away for free* to the first 5 people who leave their email address and share a tip for solving story problems!  

Monday, March 25, 2013

Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party



The NOUN Game 
The noun game is where you simply just name your favorite person, place, thing, and animal.
Here are mine: 

Person: 
This is my hubby and I at my brother's wedding.  We were goofing around before the wedding started.  We were actually in a bad car accident the next day and my hubby doesn't remember my brother's wedding at all.  He doesn't remember walking my mom down the aisle, or walking with me, the wedding, or anything about the reception.  It's like the day never existed.  I love this pic of us though...especially after how scary the next few days were. 

Place:
I love to travel and have been to all 48 continental US states and several countries, but there is something magical about the west that I love.  The mountains, fresh air, wild animals, and just the beauty of it all.  I LOVE Yellowstone National Park.  It's beautiful and there are animals everywhere.  I just love it!  

Thing:
I don't have a picture of it, but I love my old study bible.  It was given to me as a gift when I was 15 so it's in pretty bad shape now after several years of good use.  I love it because it went through college with me and on every missions trip I've been on.  There are so many notes and stories in it that I feel like my heart is in there too.  

Animal:
I truly love seeing any wild animals in their natural habitat.  A few years ago we went whale watching off of Cape Cod in Massachusetts and saw humpback whales.  It was amazing to see how big they were and how curious they were about our boat.  I loved it.  I love being on the water and watching whales. 

Make sure you go visit Latoya's blog and link up too! 

Don't forget about my 1 Year Blogiversary Giveaway!!  It's a HUGE one so click here to go enter!  It ends Wednesday night so I'll announce a winner on Thursday!  :)

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Happy 1 Year Blogiversary Giveaway! :)

I have officially been blogging at ABSeymour for 1 year!  I can't believe it's already been a year!  

To celebrate my 1 year Blogiversary, I asked some great (meaning some big name) blogger friends to help me out with an *awesome* giveaway!!  

Click on each name to go follow their blog and click on their giveaway item or picture to go follow their TpT store and then enter the Rafflecopter!  

Here is what you can win:


My Photo
ANY 3 items from my TpT store!  Click on the picture to choose your 3 items!  




Amanda from One Extra Degree is donating her new Sticky Note Jot Spots.  I have already used this with my reading groups and it was a HUGE hit!!  

Bunting Books and Bainbridge
Christina at Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge is donating the classroom or hall hunt of your choice!  These look like so much fun!  I'm also in love with Christina's fonts!  :)

Sour Apple Studio
Kelley at Teacher Idea Factory is also giving away any 1 item in her TpT store!  

THANK YOU so much ladies for helping out with my Blogiversary giveaway!  I'm so excited to have your help!  :)

Now, go enter in the Rafflecopter below to win these great prizes.  There are lots of ways to enter so good luck!  

The giveaway ends next Wednesday, March 27 at midnight so I will announce a winner next Thursday.

Thank you all for your love and support on my blog and my TpT store over the last year!  It has been so much fun!  :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

SomeBunny Loves You Linky

I'm linking up with Christina and sharing with you one of my favorite blogs.  
 
Jenny is a third grade teacher, but I have found so many great ideas on her blog that I can use in my first grade classroom.  She has a lot of organizational tips that I could definitely benefit from...I need some help in that area!  

She also blogged about giving her students a report card to fill out to grade her as a teacher last year.  I did that with my kiddos at the end of last year and it was eye-opening!  

My Photo
 
Click on her cute little frog and go check out her blog and say hi!  You'll love it!  :)

Monday, March 18, 2013

From Leprechaun Hats to Easter Eggs

We made Leprechaun hats on Friday in hopes that Lucky the Leprechaun would visit our room over the weekend and shrink them down to leprechaun size and leave a treat.  

Well, he made it!  

My kiddos were SOOOOO excited when they walked in this morning and found these cute litte leprechaun hats on their desks with chocolate underneath.  

Those were regular Styrofoam cups until they were shrunk by our leprechaun!  :)



We started the day with leprechaun hats, but we ended the day with Easter eggs!  

From one holiday to the next....

We used Anna Brantley's idea that she shared on her blog a couple years ago.  I used several plastic Easter eggs and wrote different numbers on one half of each egg and a clue on the other side.  

The pictures are hers!!  I forgot to take pics of the eggs I made, but they were similar!  


Then we used her freebie worksheet to go with it.  My kiddos LOVED this Easter egg fun today!  Click here to go to her blog!

I've never celebrated Saint Patrick's Day and Easter on the same day before, but we're on Spring Break next week so I wrapped up Saint Patrick's Day today as well as squeezed in some Easter fun!  :)

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Saint Patrick's Day Activity Pack Freebie

Every month I create an activity pack for my kiddos.  It's a great way for them to review important first grade skills in fun way.  

It's also great for me.  If I need a few minutes to talk with someone or I need a couple minutes to work with a kiddo, I can just say take out your March packet and work for a few minutes. 

The kids love it and I love it so it's a win/win!  

I always use Natasha Wing's books as inspiration for these monthly packs.  Most activities can be done without the books, but they make a great addition!  March is no different.  I read The Night Before Saint Patrick's Day to my kiddos already.  They LOVE it because it's mostly about catching a leprechaun!  

This month I decided to give away my Night Before Saint Patrick's Day March Activity Pack for FREE!  It includes a class book too.  We make one each month!  :)





I know it's late in the month and Saint Patrick's Day is today so many of you might have already celebrated, but you can save this pack for next year if you like it.  There are still 2 more weeks left in March so some of you may have time for it.  

I just print it off and then staple the pages together into a book.  You could also print one page at a time and do them together.  Make it work for you!  

If you do like it and can use it, check out my TpT store which is on sale today at 20% off for my other monthly activity packs.  They can be purchased for $3-$5.  

I am currently updating my April Activity Pack so it will be up soon!  

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  

My kiddos made leprechaun hats on Friday and we're hoping our leprechaun friend Lucky shrinks them over the weekend and leaves us a treat!  I'll share pics later this week!  

Thursday, March 14, 2013

iPad and Smartboard

I have the greatest thing to tell you about using your iPad and Smart Board! 

I really love my iPad and my Smart Board as I'm sure you do too.  I use my Smart Board and iPad every day for Daily 5 and Daily 4.  Well, recently I told my kiddos that it would be great if I could use my Smart Board from my iPad at my small group table.  

So, I looked in the app store to see if that was possible and of course it was!  I immediately bought and downloaded the Smart Board app.  It was only $6.99.  Now I can use my iPad to control my Smart Board from my small group table in the back of my room!  

I am able to use my Smart Board from my iPad because I have an Apple TV.  I use Airplay to show what's on my iPad up on my Smart Board.  I'm lucky that my school has purchased several Apple TV's and I got one of them!  :)

There are some differences using the Smart Board on the iPad, but I've got it down pretty good now....I think!  

What's even better is that I have taught my kiddos to use my iPad to control my Smart Board!  

Give me a ten finger woohoo!!  :)  (whole brain teaching shout out)

Here are some screenshots from my iPad of Daily 4: 
This is how my kiddos make their choices during our Daily 4 Math time.  This is a Smart Board file opened on my iPad.  It's nothing fancy, but it works for us. I have all of my kiddos listed on the right of the screen.  I took their names off for this and added just 6 names of my friends!  :)
 I use my iPad to drag their names under their choices.  My small group kiddos go into the box on top.  



I have been doing this for awhile and I love it!  However, I was getting annoyed spending so much time dragging their names and helping them decide where to go when I could be working with kids so I decided to teach some of my kiddos how to move everyone into their choices.  It gives me a few more minutes to work with my kiddos and they love getting to be the 'teacher'.  
This is Round 2 of Daily 4.  I change the colors of the background so my kiddos know it's the next round.

Just in case you're wondering the Math by Myself games are in different colored folders so I just put the color on there.  I got those games from Hope King and they are amazing!!  I have every month so they last me all year.  

I also change my Math with Someone games every month.  I rotate through different math games reviewing skills we have learned throughout the year.  Many of the games I use I have shared in one of my Fantabulous Friday Freebie posts.  

Math on the Computer also changes.  We practice math facts and play different math games.  The numbers are on there because I have four computers and they are numbered so that the kiddos know exactly which computer they go to.  

I have the same routine for Daily 5 too.  

I love our Daily 4 time too though.  Working with my small groups has really helped my kiddos improve their math skills.  I get more time to work with my struggling students and my kiddos love playing the games which helps them practice their skills.  

I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for the weekend.  Happy Friday tomorrow!!  :)

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Penguins and Polar Bears

I really meant to post these pics a few weeks ago, but then life got in the way.  :(  Busy would be an understatement!


**Note- I actually typed this post last night, but fell asleep at my computer before I could load the pictures!  I've never felt so exhausted.  Spring break...where are you?!?!  :)

We used Erica Bohrer's Penguin Packet to learn about penguins.  We then used Hope King's Ultimate Winter Writing and Craft Bundle for the adorable penguin and polar bear crafts.  

We spent several weeks researching and learning about penguins and then we researched polar bears and compared them.  

My kiddos wrote their penguin facts using a graphic organizer first. For the polar bears we wrote our first draft, but then typed our final copies on the computer.  Trying to get in those technology skills any way we can!! :)

My kiddos typed their facts in a Word document and then they used google images to find a picture of a real polar bear to add to their 'report'.  They loved it and felt so grown up!  

Check out these cute pics!  







I will be back soon with more pics!  There is lots of learning going on in our classroom!  :)

Saturday, March 2, 2013

March Currently

It's the beginning of March so that means it's time for a new Currently from Farley!  


I am at my parents' house and my dad is listening to the Hatfield and McCoy feud on the History Channel.  

I LOVE that my dad is feeling better.  He had surgery on Wednesday and is feeling a little better.  Woohoo!  

I am thinking that I really need to organize my guided reading books at school.  I have put it off for far too long!

I am definitely wanting to know how to reach my Autistic student.  We have really good days and we have really not good at all days.  I'm going to a training in a few weeks that I am really looking forward to.  It breaks my heart to see him so frustrated and not be able to help him.  :(

I need to paint my nails.  I tried a new color and I am not liking it at all...I need something pretty!  :)

My name is Rachel so I had to use the letter R for the my like, love, and hate:
Like- ranch dressing because it's soooo yummy!
Love- reading a good book.  I could curl up and read a good book all day long.  
Hate- roaches.  I hate bugs and every time we go to Florida we see these little guys and it totally creeps me out!!  

I'm off to help out my parents....have a great weekend!