TGIF + Place Value Practice

TGIF! I hope everybody had a frogilicious week! This was my first week back with students and boy am I tired!  I love my new little froggies but they wore me out.  We did  a lot of fun 'get to know you activities' and ice breakers. Next week I am hitting the curriculum hard...that's if I can wake up from the coma-like state I feel right now by Monday!!!!!!!!!!

In Math, our first unit is place value.  I created a ten question place value practice sheet that I thought I would share.

♥ click here ♥ to get some place value practice.

First day of School Activity....Take a Guess!

Here is a fun and quick activity to do on the first day (or even sometime the first week) of school.  This is NOT my original idea, I have no idea where I got it but I retyped the bad hard copy of it I had many years ago. :)

♥ Click here ♥ to download the activity

Winner! Winner! Winner!

Congratulations to Melissa who said:
"I teach in Harlem and for the past 3 years (since I've been teaching in NYC) it's a very somber day. I would love this book to share with my students and fellow teachers!"

I've sent you an email requesting your address! 
Congratulations once again and thank you for entering my giveaway!

What are Molasses Classes?.

It's the start of the new school year for most of us.  We are all excited to set up our classroom and put up all our "cutesy" stuff.  We get to meet our students... oh my goodness they brought me gifts on the first day of school, they're so sweet and we are so psyched to make it a great year! Then before we know it, the "honeymoon" is over!  In his new book, Ron Clark (NY Times Bestselling Author of the Essential 55) offers 101 extraordinary solutions for parents and teachers.  Make your year a FABULOUS one with Ron Clark's help.  I just started reading his book and I am hooked!

♥ Click here ♥ to read an excerpt about Ron Clark's  new book  The End of Molasses Classes - Getting Our Kids Unstuck - 101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers

Another Freebie - Get to 30!

It is sooooooooo hot here in San Antonio, TX!  We've been over 100 degrees every single day for awhile.  I HATE the heat!  Which is why I am inside my cool air conditioned house creating, printing, and laminating more goodies!

My 4th grade team assigns "Get to 30" spelling homework (along with other homework) on Friday afternoon (when the new spelling list goes home) and its due on the next Friday morning.  I personally stink at dislike spelling and spelling homework but we do things as a team and try to stay as consistent as possible.  I know many teachers do a "Get to 30" or other spelling contract but I thought I would share my version. :)

♥ Click here to get my Get to 30 Spelling activity ♥

Do you have your classroom procedures in place?

Teachers in my district officially go back to work on Monday, August 15th and this will be the  last weekend of my summer. You would think I would take a road trip to the beach or even just have a relaxing weekend at home, right?  WRONG! I wish I could be in my classroom right now setting up but since I can't I am starting to create forms, print out labels, and do what I can at home on the computer. ☺  My husband thinks I'm crazy to be working on school stuff on the last weekend but I am so ready to start (Wait until he finds out I have a huge pile of lamination for him to cut out for me)!

I just updated my Classroom procedures sheet and thought I would share. I send this home on the first day of school for the parents and kids to go over together and sign.  I expect this to be kept in their binders for future reference.

*I copy this front/back and three hole punch it before giving it out.

♥ click here to get a copy of my classroom procedures ♥

Calling all teachers (especially if you teach in Texas!)

www.fisherreyna.com

This summer I went to a great Reading & Writing Connection workshop presented by Lois and Rachel of Fisher Reyna Education.  They are awesome presenters & have a wealth of knowledge to share.  I am so excited to tell you that they are offering a freebie for my facebook fans and/or blog followers (and any of your teacher friends, so spread the word)! 


To get free access to Fisher Reyna's reading e-lessons and reading/writing activities, email them at staff@fisherreyna.com.  Include "free access" in the subject line.  They just added many new and exciting activities.  Let them know Lorraine Vasquez or Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies sent ya!  (no, I do not get anything for telling you about this except the satisfaction for sharing a FABULOUS freebie with my wonderful teacher friends!)

I got it! I got it! And you can too!

Today I received my copy of  the Award winning Red, White, and Blue by  Debbie Clement!   Yes, THE Debbie Clement of Rainbows Within Reach! I was going to wait to tell you about the book until I showed my class but it is way too cute to wait. 


This book is based on a song she wrote immediately after 9-11.  However, it doesn't talk about what happened.....it just celebrates the good ol' USA! This book is a winner for any patriotic holiday or just to remind our children how lucky we are to live in such a great country.  I plan on "singing" this book (that comes with a CD) after the moment of silence we will take, after saying the pledge of course, in remembrance of 9-11. This will be a great way to open discussion about the tragedy while remembering those who lost their lives.  


This book is full of beautiful quilt art and  even teaches us some sign language! Red, White, and Blue is easy enough for a very young child to read but can be enjoyed by any child or adult alike.  


You too can get your own copy of Debbie's book with CD for only $19.95 or you can win a copy right here on my blog!  Just leave me a comment with your name and email addy by midnight on  August 17th  and a winner will be chosen (using random generator) . Debbie Clement, herself, will send the winner a copy of Red, White, and Blue!

♫ Teaching Antonyms & Synonyms through a song ♫

Many people may think that fourth graders are too cool too old to sing silly little songs in the classroom.  Actually it's quite to opposite (A.K.A. antonym)! My students love songs that help them remember vocabulary or topics that we are learning.

♫ Click here to see a song I use to teach Antonyms & Synonyms ♫

Back to School Labels (Free!)

Howdy! How is the weather where you live?  Today its was 103 here in San Antonio ~ Holy Heat Batman! I am not a big fan of the heat so I stayed inside today and made some labels for my students and I thought I would share.  Each student would get one sheet for their 6 folders and 4 spirals.  We use a composition book for Writer's Workshop but decorate it so it doesn't get a label.  Hope you can use these!

♥ Click here to see & download the labels ♥

☼ Quotes and Sayings ☼

I had so many emails and great feedback from a quote I posted on my Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies fan page that I decided to put a Quote and favorite Saying page on my blog.  Here the quote I posted on fb yesterday. I will add one or two new quotes/sayings every Sunday.
♥ Click here to see the inspirations I've collected so far ♥

"If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there are were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional execellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job." 
                          ~Donald D. Quinn