Mock Newbery 2019

This year I was able to collaborate with three other amazing teachers in my building to come up with our Mock Newbery List for 2019. I'm currently working my way through the list and definitely have several favorites and a few books I can't wait to get my hands on... I'm always surprised by the winner and hopeful we've done a good job of choosing at least one book that will have a shiny sticker com 2019. However, there are so many wonderful contenders out there this year that its going to be an incredibly tough field!

10 Back to School Picture Books for Big Kids!

I survived my first week! I'm in love with my new group of fifth graders and all the learning and growing we've done already. I'm also really excited about all the picture books we've been reading so far this year! Here's ten of my favorite picture books to start off the year!

What are some of your favorite picture books to start off the year?
Check out the hashtag #pb10for10 for more great titles! 

What's in the Bag?

I saw several bloggers posting about their teacher bags and since I haul mine back and forth just about every night, I thought I'd share my teacher cargo! First, let me say, I love my new Vera teacher bag! This one has the most comfortable straps...EVER! Thank you, Vera Bradley!

What's in my bag?

Test Correction Slips: I always carry my test correct slips with  me. I place these on any test or quiz under a 70%. Students have 1 week to correct the assignment for a 70%.

Backpack Paper Organizer: I found this amazing backpack paper organizer at Target! It's a lot smaller than a normal flex-file. I also like that it stands vertical. I have it organized by homeroom teacher along with keys & late work. I also made a cute laminated "cover" for my flex-file since it's nearly clear.

Pencil Pouch: I already have tons of pens and markers at my house but I bring my favorites home. Inside my pencil pouch I have my Crayola Powerlines, mechanical pencils, Flairs, Post-its, and a granola bar.

Folder: I keep a folder in my teacher bag for anything I need to copy. The folder helps keeps my copies safe and I can go directly to the copier when I arrive at school without stopping by my classroom.

Notebook: I keep my Erin Condren Notebook in my teacher bag. It's great for bringing to workshops or department meetings. I also like that I can write down my To Do Lists and jot down any notes I need to remember. It's a great way to keep track of my school life at home!

Umbrella: I never seem to have one when it rains. Now, I'm carrying all the time. Enough said.

What's in your teacher bag? What are your essentials?

Erin Condren Custom Planner Headers!

It's been a long first few weeks of school! Anyone else feeling the same way? Friday, I needed to go to my happy place and do some organizing and creating! The end result was creating some new headers for the absent section of the Erin Condren teacher planner. I don't need the absent section since our office tracks and reports attendance. I can look up each student online and see their full attendance history.

Using some inspiration from 3rd Grade Thoughts, I made my own new planner headers. I wanted more room for passwords (for teacher and students) as well as a section to keep track of my parent communication so I didn't need to print a separate log.

Here's how mine turned out:

Could you use these in your planner?

If you can use these in your planner simply choose if you would like the EC Planner Editable PPT or the EC Planner PDF version by clicking on the links. When printing just make sure to choose the option "scale to paper" so they are the "right" size. I have included notes with the download so you can get your planner lookin' great in a snap!

I printed mine on astrobright paper and glued them down with rubber cement.

Please post your photos on Instagram using the #ECPlannerMakeOver
Happy Back to School Ya'll!

A Picture {Book} is Worth a Thousand Words!

I've been looking for some new books to add to my ever growing classroom library. I've done a great job with the novels but sometimes, we all just want to read something shorter! I just confessed today to some of my blogging besties that I've been really slacking on my reading this summer and feel like I'm in a reading rut, however, picture books have been my reading savior! They short and easy and still capture my attention eve at thirty-plus years old! Therefore, I've been shopping at Amazon and Half-Price looking some great picture books to add to my library! Picture books are truly worth a thousand words!

Here's a few books I'm planning on using to start off my year! 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter! I'm hoping to tweet out some more amazing books and words of wisdom from the Scholastic Reading Summit tomorrow! Hopefully, I'll be able to grow  my picture book collection even more!

What are some of your favorite back to school picture books?

Library Redecorating {on a budget}

We start back to school in early August! Eeek! Plus, Open House is the first week of August. Double Yikes! So, I've already been in my classroom working on unpacking and doing some "freshening up." Since, I already did a blog post about growing your library on budget. I thought, I'd do a follow up as I work to freshen up my library this year and, of course, I need to do it on a budget! 

Ikea and even Target often have mark downs on display items! I found some great "As Is" items at Ikea for my library! Including two sturdy wooden chairs and a pillow cover! All items were no return so I made sure to thoroughly check them out. Bonus, the Ikea "As Is" section is usually preassembled!

These green pillows were actually outdoor patio pillows on summer clearance! New indoor pillows were $7.99 but these mark down pillows were only $3.00! Slipped a case on these pillows and they are like new! Plus, now they are easier to keep clean! 

How do you freshen up your classroom on a budget?

Wild Reader Locker Tags!

I normally don't blog twice in one day, but I've been super productive today! Many of you saw my teacher headers & student locker tags {on Instagram} that I've been working on after re-reading Reading in the Wild.

Here's the inspiration and my student locker tags I made today... 

Well, have I got a treat for you...

{click the image to visit my TPT store}

This is a forever freebie to help inspire and promote WILD reading. Included are a few teacher tips as well for implementing locker tags and teacher reading displays! As always, make it your own and use it if you can! Can't wait to get mine printed and laminated and blog {after school starts} about our reading community!

Happy Sunday,

Library Building on a Budget!

Everyone that knows me, knows I love obsess over a good sale! Why pay more if you don't have too? I use a similar rationale with my school library. If I can get the books cheaper - I'm going to try and go for it because many of the "favorites" cease to return at the end of the year even with my record keeping and stellar accountability system. So, I thought I'd share my top ways to build a library on the cheap!

This seems a little silly but trust me, you need to make a list - favorite authors, genres, titles, etc. Anything you can get down on paper before you hit the store the better. This will help you control some of those impulses scream "Ermaghgerd Books!" and then proceed to buy all books! Here's an example of my list I made for a recent Half Price Book Trip. Before I sat down at thought about author's bins that are overflowing {Gordon Korman} and some that are a little less than flowing {Garth Nix} so I could try and come up with a shopping game plan.

Here's my list:

Make sure you have signed up for mobile coupons or check websites! Half Price Books and Barnes and Noble both offer email coupons to help you save even more. Also, don't forget that many book stores {Half Price and Barnes & Noble, included} offer teacher cards for EXTRA discounts!

Okay, so how do you actually stay on budget when you enter the glorious book store??? GIFT CARDS! This was a fabulous idea brought up by my blogging bestie Lisa from Fourth and Ten! You can buy a VISA giftcard to shop for all your Back to School needs or you can set a book budget. I know it's blasphemy but sometimes you just gotta stick to a budget. This year I saved all my Half Price Cards and Barnes and Noble cards from students and had a pretty decent stash set aside for new books.

Once you're at the store, don't forget to check for a clearance section. This is where I can find some great books for genres or authors on my list. If you have a Half Price Books near by the clearance kid's section is usually less than $3 dollars a book. Usually, the books are $1 a piece! 

Also, if you're an Amazon junkie don't discount the Market Place. I've scored some great books with free prime shipping with little to no damage! I've actually only had one negative Market Place experience in numerous purchases! Half Price Books and Barnes and Noble also have a similar resale market place on their sites!

My Half Price Clearance haul from Friday:

{All books were $1 except Amulet (used 40% off coupon) and Maze Runner $4}

We all have a favorite authors {James Dashner, Roald Smith, Sharon Creech, Kate DiCamillo, Sarah Weeks, Cynthia Lord, Wendy Mass, to name a few} but knowing what's "cool" and what kids are reading is also key. This year I kept track of what books my students were checking out through my reading running record and tracking my Scholastic Book Orders. I also tried to note authors making a comeback like Garth Nix who is now the author of one of the Spirit Animal books. So, finding some of his "other" books keeps kids interested in his work. I also grabbed some Gregor the Overlander books since Hunger Games is still so popular! Many students don't know that Suzanne Collins has other books too!

The Nerdy Book Club is also a great place to go find what other teachers and readers are currently reading and loving!

{My Classroom Library - Read more here}

Hope some of these tips and tricks help you build a stellar classroom library! Building a great library can take time. So, save those Scholastic points, wait for warehouse sales, and use the library as often as possible!

Also, if you're looking for great book bins, Walmart currently has $1 neon crates that make wonderful and sturdy book bins!

How do you build your book collection?

#BTS14 Classroom Reveal!

Okay, I finally remembered to take photos for my classroom reveal! Today, was our third day of school and I finally got to start doing some writing & social studies. Tomorrow, we launch reading, writing, and social studies. Can't wait to get the ball rolling!

But let's first take a tour for my #BTS14 classroom reveal! 

Welcome to 5th Grade!

Writing Area + Character Trait Post-It Stop

 These three drawer carts from Target are housing all my Social Studies folders {6 per student} and our extra paper and glue sticks! These will get labelled once I get my label marker up and running!

Regions Map and Student Mailboxes

This wall opens up to my teaching partners' classroom. I usually just write the agenda, missing work, an lunch DT's on this board in case it's open.

New "Jot Lot" courtesy of @LessonsWithCoffee's TPT Store!

SMARTboard, Teacher read aloud area, and job board!

All this hard work makes for one tired teacher!

Tonight is definitely a pizza night!

Happy Monday,