What's New and Blog Freebie

As you know I worked in Computer Labs for 9 years, and over those years I collected ALOT of websites to use with K-3rd grades.

 I would put into folders as needed this picture shows the "holding" folder of ones that I changed out depending on the theme/topic each class was doing .....

This shows how many times my links were used

I've decided to share them via a TPT store. They are great for labs, computer centers in the classroom. 

For my loyal blog readers I have created a freebie based on my latest product. This freebie is only available on the blog.

 This was used when the students were studying Space in their classrooms. This is K/1 level BUT I used it K-3rd labs as we all know not everyone is AT Level .......The whole product can be found HERE....

.Below is the K/1 page along with the checkoff cards. The checkoff cards are great as you print, laminate them and give to the student as they work on that page, they check off (with a dry erase marker) as they complete a star. You can be doing RTI with ones that need the one on one work, while your other students do this. I hope you enjoy this, and let me know if you have topics/themes you would like me to do .....as you can see I have QUITE a few links I have used!!!  Thanks for stopping by!!  Let me know what you think! Make sure to follow my store HERE !

Dr Seuss Week Freebie

Just stopping in during one of my FAVORITE times of the year .......Dr Seuss Week....Now due to State testing in IL, my school is celebrating this week, while others are celebrating next week with Read Across America  and Dr. Seuss' actual birthday!! For year's past posts click HERE ......(there is a reading log freebie there) HERE is my Seuss Pinterest Board :)

For this year, I am working on editing my files from what I did in computer labs. As you can see above each year we did themed days....Below is a freebie I used in computer labs on Cat in the Hat day. My Kindergarten thru 3rd Graders all played the same file, some were easy, some where harder but in the spirit of the week they all enjoyed!

Click HERE to download this freebie 

While you are at TPT downloading this freebie, please follow my store, I am getting things organized still, but then you will be able to keep up with new products and freebies!

Reminder Survey Says

 Don't forget .......For a minute of your time you have a chance to win $25 to either Amazon or TPT....

Set this Circus Down: Survey Says : Survey and Giveaway:

Survey Says : Survey and Giveaway

One of the gals at the school likes to say I think with a computer. If they wanted something on the computer they came to me to make it, find it.......

So in my best Richard Dawson imitation ...Survey Says:  I am asking you my readers (and their friends) to answer my survey below ...... If it doesn't show on your screen below click HERE for the survey !!



These results are ONLY going to be seen by me for research purposes. After doing so please come back and enter the Rafflecopter below where when it ends one winner will win a $25 Gift  Card  to Amazon and another winner will win a $25 Gift certificate to TPT ......(give it a minute to load) Thanks for stopping by ! Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Video to share

Found the below video on Pinterest. As we receive our postcards from the various states, I thought this would be a cool resource to share as we tour the states.









If you school "blocks" you tube Jessica has a great tutorial on how to save videos from You tube!
Back soon with more to share......draining days, still treading water.....

A laugh for the day

Shannon at


shared the below video, as I was watching I was thinking of this week and AIMS testing and how many calls we got to help with their new passwords.....One of those that has "requirements" LOL....Thanks Shannon it cracks me up!

Library Thing & Booksource

As I said on Monday I am using Library Thing to organize my books

I am also using Booksource (with scanner and Iphone App)

Now why am I using two applications. Well in one instance I need AR levels for the books, Library Thing does not have a spot (I added them to my comments) for them. Then in AIMS there are now links with Lexile Levels. Which Booksource doesn't add either. But it has a spot for both. So I am using 3 different places to look up book levels.

First is 

AR Book Find

Lexile Find A book

Scholastic Book Wizard

With the combination of the 3 I have found levels on most books. I get books various places. But I am a little ticked that the books I buy at Scholastic aren't in their wizard. On some they were but no levels what so ever. Now the site below I haven't used, as I said I found most via one of the 3 above, but wanted to share it.

Leveled Books Database

I've been doing other things, so I am just getting back to this. What I plan on doing is, enter them all in Library Thing (as it has so many more sources to find them) Then export to Excel and upload to Booksource. That way all the information is in one location.

Here is what Booksource looks like

You see in the above picture of Library Thing how I enter AR Scores. 

Again it is all personal preference, but I live and breath excel so it will it won't be hard for me to import into Booksource. Just thought I'd share what I have been doing so far. When I get them all in then I will decide labels....

Also don't forget Last day to enter Giveaway ......... Drawing is tonight!

Tech Tip for Blog Giveaways......

Click Here to Enter

 

In the above giveaway 18 bloggers, have teamed up to giveaway to a winner 1 item of your choice for each of their TPT stores. When I enter a giveaway I thought I share how I do it .....(you may already but this is for that 1 that doesn't) On one like this, you have to enter a link to the item of your choice, and then click enter on rafflecopter. Here's how I keep track

I copied the links that Blog Hoppin provided for each store that we had to go to in excel. Then I made at the bottom my "form" response for the comments....Each time I would go to the store I would insert the name into the the form by cutting (ctrl-x) it, then I  copied and pasted the whole form into the comment box on Blog Hoppin', (ctrl-home) to get me back up to the top, right click on store so it opens in a new tab,

then when I found the item I liked (omg was it hard so many great choices) I go back to my other tab with Blog Hoppin'.  I am still at the top of Blog Hoppin' so I hit (ctrl-end) to get back to my comment box, then I inserted the link into my already pasted in the comment box and of course I hit submit. Then I fought the stupid spam protection. Let me tell you it was hard for me to after 18 to resist typing I am not a robot you dumb thing. The new version with numbers leaves alot to be desired! Sigh....I know why we have them, but if your not a robot and still can't read it! OY......Hope this helps you! Good luck! Hurry this is a flash giveaway and the winner will be announced tonight at Midnight. (I'm not a part of it, just used it for demonstrative purposes)

Silhouette CAMEO Info

When I find something I think someone would like I share it. Just ask my coworkers, they tend to get ALOT of emails from me with links to various blogs, TPT, Teachers Notebook. LOL......As you know I got a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas. What I have done so far is wonderful. I have enabled many of teacher bloggers with codes etc. As they mentioned they were thinking of buying one. Now I don't get paid from Silhouette to promote their product, just wanted to share about this tool all in one post. So here we go.....

HERE is what I have done with mine (school and home were crazy, but LOVE this machine will share more as I use it more this summer)

What I love about it is that I can cut ANY of my 5 billion free fonts. I also love that I can trace images and the machine will then cut them.......I have a subscription from their store.  HERE is more info from the company. HERE is a link for their teacher's discount.

 I also can use the svg's from Lettering Delights

I love THESE classes about Silhouette from Kerri Bradford (see picture for details on sale going on) You, like me are busy, these are self paced, so you can buy them at discount and do them later.

 My pinterest board for all things Silhouette is HERE

I bought mine HERE (ok fine my mom did with discounts but still)

Others have bought theirs Here (some have been able to use coupon codes to get discounts, shipping is slow but at a discount the wait is worth it, current codes Use Coupon Code 5OFF20 for $5 off any order,Use Coupon Code 10OFF40 for $10 off any order over $40,Use Coupon Code 25OFF100 for $25 off any order over $100)

I get my vinyl at both places, but mostly get from HERE they also sell the Cameo, they are awesome in shipping and customer service! Stalking the postman for printable vinyl and patterned vinyl order...oh the projects that are running thru my head.

Now I have asked silhouette if they would like to expand their market to teachers, and the reply is always a link to their discount program. With the crafty blogs they will send Cameos for the blogger to giveaway and offer a discount for non winners. Below are some of the current crafty blog Cameo giveaways. 

Silhouette Cameo Giveaway and Discount - Rhinestone High heels DIY The winner will be announced on Tuesday the 26th of June.

Craftaholics Anonymous® | a Mustache, a Silhouette Discount, and a Silhouette CAMEO Giveaway!! Ends June 26th. Farley I so thought of you on this one :)

Silhouette CAMEO giveaway!! + discount - I Heart Nap Time 
Ends June 28th

DIY Rhinestone Studded Flag Shirt {Silhouette CAMEO Giveaway} | Skip To My Lou
Ends June 28th


I suggest you shop around for the best deal. Look at the prices on the package deals (ie with vinyl or kits included) As always if you have questions, feel free to drop me a line, and I will do my best to help. Leave me a comment, if you already have one, as some of us were talking about doing a linky party later on with what we have made for school! Hope this has helped, enabled, just plain given good information!

Teacher Appreciation Jackpot LiveSaver

After reading post below click HERE to check out all the wonderful freebies :)

Sorry so long since I have posted, but wanted to share a firefox add on, that has truly saved my sanity, and might yours too. I live in a rural rural area, so my internet well SO much better than dial up, has a cap of  15gb (I have flash drives bigger than this) for downloads and uploads. Yes, most people in cities have 250gb....you see my dilemma since discovering teacher blogs and TPT and Teacher's Notebook...I hit my cap quite frequently. So when the Jackpot above was announced, I had a few options, a)spend Sunday downloading at work (ummm...no) b) hit my cap (I am already at 9) and suffer until I renew on the 22nd (note this is the slowest speed ever known to man, so ummm no) So then I decided there HAD to be away to save documents directly to my google doc (now google drive) meaning no downloading to computer. Well after many many hours of playing with different add ons (this applies to firefox only, I HATE IE, and Chrome is so new to me, I don't want to even try right now) so I thought I'd share in case you would like to do it yourself.

On Firefox click tools adds on.....


 Search in box for Open IT Online


Install making sure that you have selected all to go to google viewer, after doing so it will tell you ' that it has been installed. You will need to restart Firefox for it to work. After restarting, open one of the freebie links (I am using Denise's at Sunny Days in Second Grade Fabulous Freebie for the example) Click on her link to TPT (make sure you are logged in to TPT)

 Right click on the download now, and click on open link in new tab.

 

The above will pop up in the new tab, click on the button that says Open IT online (making sure Google docs Viewer is selected) click ok

  

This is what you should see, click on save in google docs and you are done! Now I am off to download all these freebies myself! I hope I will be back with Teacher Appreciation gifts I did for coworkers. Hope this helps!