Every once in awhile, there are those blog giveaways that I really, really, really, really want to win.

The Owls are hosting one of those giveaways right now. But I'm not eligible to win. And that makes me all sorts of sad.

But you can win! And that should make you all sorts of happy!

We want you to be ready to head back to school. True, it's hard to leave beaches, pools, rafts, lazy days, and fruity drinks behind, but we're giving away so much good stuff that it should help ease the transition a little bit :)

First up, you can win one of three gift cards to help you get your back-to-school shopping done over at the Owl-ways Be Inspired blog. One winner will win $100 to Amazon, a second winner will win $50 to Target, and winner number three wins $25 to Walmart.

I'll provide the link at the end of the blogpost, because I think there's a few things here you'll want to win as well...

I love bright new borders and crisp construction paper as much as the next girl, but what I really need to head back to school is coffee. And lots of it!

I'm giving away a $15 Starbucks gift card to fuel your mornings and an ADORABLE {as in, my most favorite travel mug ever} Ban.do coffee mug to house your latte with an extra shot of expresso. And in case you overslept, despite the coffee in the cute travel mug, I'm giving away $15 to my TpT store for any last minute back to school resources you might need!

To enter to win, just use the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't forget to enter over at the Owl-ways Be Inspired blog to win one of three gift cards AND to see what other fabulous prizes the other ladies are giving away. SERIOUSLY. It's GOOD STUFF!

Giveaway ends at midnight on Saturday, July 25th!

Good Luck!

Halle

This is Your Year: GIVEAWAY!

2015. It's your year! We owls are here to help you make it happen with a pretty awesome giveaway on the Owl Blog and many separate giveaways on many of our own blogs!

If you came here from Owl-ways Be Inspired, you probably already entered to win a $100.00 Amazon gift card.

{I'll cross my fingers for you}

But I think I have a pretty sweet prize to offer up as well!

While perusing Etsy for baby headbands Christmas gifts, I came across the MOST DARLING shop for all things printable.

Seriously. I immediately ordered two sets of stationary for my grade partners and favorited everything else in her shop, including the sweetest, cutest, most adorable {yet totally grown-up} owl stationary.

How perfect.

You can enter below to win a set of the personalized owl stationary from The Fox and the Teacup. It comes with 12 cards, envelopes, and seals/stickers. It's darling for any time of year but is practically perfect to use as thank-yous for any Valentine's gifts you might receive from your little guys and gals.

Enter using the Rafflecopter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

...and don't forget to head over to Owl-ways Be Inspired to enter for your chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card and see what the other owls are giving away...I happen to know it's some fabulous stuff!

Click the picture to head over the Owl Blog

Good Luck and Happy New Year!
~Halle

Currently July, New Products, and a SALE!!!!!

Yeah I know, I’m late to the party…but what else is new?!



Shall I elaborate? But of course!

Listening: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are my new obsession. I am in love with her voice. I have also been listening to Natalie Maines {formerly of The Dixie Chicks…pretty obsessed with her voice too!}

Loving: It’s Summer! Yes!!!

Thinking: I’ve been so busy creating things for TpT and my classroom…I literally have 2 pages worth of ideas which is great except that I have this nasty habit of starting a product, get a few pages done, and then starting a new product.  I need to focus!
Here’s what I did get accomplished:



I bundled my Math and R/LA Hallway Hunts! I can’t wait to use these at the beginning of the year, and then all year long as my students’ skills progress! Read more about them here. Buy them here.



I uploaded this Craftivity too!  My Back to School Bulletin Board will say “Here’s the Scoop, Second Grade is Sweet” and my students will all make their own ice cream cones and cupcakes to hang up.  I started this waaaay back in May, so I am super pumped that it’s finally finished. I will blog more about it soon, but you can check it out here. I’m kind of obsessed with it actually.{For grades K-4}

Classroom Compliments have such a huge impact on my classroom. I can’t imagine my classroom without them. I will post on these soon, too!  Check them out here.

I am thisclose to finishing all of my updates on My Back to School Mega Pack {including updates on all the individual book studies too}!  It was fun to go back and see what I created a year ago and how things have changed since then…like my taste in fonts :)

Wanting: This is funny. I’ll explain soon.

Needing: So….we FINALLY found a house!!! I could not be more excited!! We close the end of July so I am wishing away my summer days because I want to get in there and paint and decorate!  I want to be more patient and enjoy this time off, but it’s a battle!

Tips, Tricks, or Hints: I have so many, but organizing is key…when I first started I didn’t organize my clip art very well and before I knew it I was buying clip art that I already had.  I’m much more organized now but that hasn’t helped me in my owl clip art addiction. Seriously…

This is just one image per collection, so imagine aout 100 owls on my computer! What’s sad is that there are probably more in the deep, dark, depths of my unorganized clip art files!

I also came across my very list Currently Linky from last July. Take a look at my “want”:



I’ll tell you…some things never change!

Before I go, a few things:

1} I will NOT be hosting my Favorite Things Linky tomorrow.  I’m so sorry if you already have your post ready to go {feel free to still post! I’d love to read}, but I figured so many of you would be busy celebrating America that it would be more of a hassle than anything.  Thursday, July 11th’s linky will be your vacation favorites. I am loving this Linky and all of your posts…so much fun to read!

2} Make sure you’re following me on Facebook!  My Summer of Fun is in full effect…giveaways, freebies, and sales…I don’t want you missing out!  Click here to like me on Facebook!

3} My friend Rachel so generously offered up her 4th of July Sale button that I just HAD to take part! My store is 20% off today and tomorrow! Happy Shopping! {Click the button to head on over}

Click Me!

Have a great holiday everyone!

Halle

Five for Friday {on a Saturday :)}

Happy Friday Saturday!

I missed out on the last Five for Friday, so I had to get in on this one, even if it’s a day late!



1} We celebrated our 100th Day on Tuesday!  We had a blast dressing up like our 100 year old selves.  This picture is actually very realistic, Jenna will definitely be rocking the leopard and pearls as an old lady, and my love for cardigans isn’t going away anytime soon!



2} We made a day of 100th day!  All afternoon the kids rotated from center to center.  The cup stacking center was the definite favorite, followed by the pattern block station.  I’ve had a lot of fun reading what a second grader thinks life as a 100 year old will be like!  We ended the day with 100 Day snack mix!  Fun, but exhausting!




3} My husband surprised me with a night in the city for Valentine’s Day.  We stayed at the Sofitel.  And can I just say, their beds are perfection.  I would’ve been perfectly content to lay in their bed ALL DAY today!  We had fun bar hopping, and ate a delicious dinner at a restaurant called Twenty Manning.  It was a perfect way to spend our first married Valentine’s Day :) Love him!



4} I’m thisclose to finishing this puppy up!  Honestly, these comprehension sheets have been so good to my students as far as improving their comprehension skills.  They’re getting so good at going back into the text to answer questions, they’re restating skills are improving as well.  Thank you so much to all of you who have purchased the Winter Edition, I promise the Spring Edition will be posted by the end of the long weekend! Yay!

{Source}

5} On the very first day of our honeymoon, Dave and I ate at The Pacific Blues Café in Yountville {Napa Valley}.  We had the best burger there that came with this yummy jalapeño jam.  No kidding, I have been craving it off and on ever since.  I finally found a recipe for jalapeño, onion, and bacon jam that I think is worth trying…so that’s the plan for tonight.  Or maybe this afternoon…I’m starving!

That’s it!  Go link up with Doodlebugs so I have something to read this afternoon!



Have a great weekend!

Halle

If I Had $100 to Spend in My Own Classroom {a FREEBIE!}

Hello Friends!

Happy Monday!  I’m lounging on my couch watching live coverage of the Inauguration, drinking my 3rd cup of coffee.  What an amazing day in history.  I feel lucky to be able to see it happen live :).  We’ll definitely be busy in school tomorrow discussing Dr. King and President Obama’s inauguration.

In a completely unrelated topic, I have a FREEBIE for you today!  I discussed some of my plans for our 100th Day of School here, and I left out a really fun {and I think, unique} activity we do in our classroom every year…our 100th Day Shopping Spree!

Our shopping activity is a twist on the 100th Day Favorite, “If I Had 100 Dollars”.
See, we actually give our kiddos real, crisp, green 100 fake bucks to spend on items and experiences in our classroom!

Check it out:

Students are provided a “shopping list” with items and experiences, as well as prices to prepare for their shopping trip in our classroom on {or around} the 100th Day of School.
 


Our students complete this list for homework, and bring it in on shopping day, but you could definitely have your students complete it in class.  I also included a blank template, if you’d like to write in your own choices.

I also included a Teacher Guide page and Parent Letters in this freebie packet, so you’re all set to get this fun activity going in your classroom!  We have so much fun with it year after year in 2nd Grade.  I cannot remember if I was the one that thought of it, or if it was Jenna, or our grade partner, Erica, but at this point I guess it doesn’t matter!

What I love about this activity is that if offers younger students a glimpse at what 100 dollars can really actually buy.  We used to do the “If I had 100 Dollars”, and I was amazed at what students thought 100 dollars could get them!  Although some of the prices are a little off on this list, they do get to see that 100 dollars will not buy them a new PS3 or a trip to Disney World.  Plus, it involves real math that your students get excited about!

I hope this becomes a tradition in your classroom for years to come {or at least this year!}

Click here to grab it from TpT!

Check out more 100th Day ideas at Sunny Days!

And I have to mention my Winter Comprehension Passages really quick!  They’re selling really well in my TpT shop, and I am so, so, so proud of them!  They address all the comprehension skills my students need practice with in 2nd grade.  They’re great for small group or whole group.  Classwork or Homework!  Tomorrow, I will be giving the MLK Jr. {Non-Fiction} passage for homework!  If you’re already a fan, be on the look-out for the Spring Edition :)  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check them out here.



!
Have a great week!

Halle

100th Day Ideas

Hello there!

We’re still a little ways from our 100th Day of School, but I know many of you are coming up on the BIG DAY!

Here are a couple of ideas that I’ve either found online, or that we’ve used in our 2nd Grade Classrooms.  Hopefully you’ll find something new to make the 100th day special for your kiddos :)

{PS: I’ve saved my favorite for LAST!}

{Source}

I love the idea of this adorable shirt.  This little lady obviously has a pretty crafty momma, but I can see making this a class project: Have students bring in a plain shirt and decorate with tallies…or…any combination of 100!

{Source}

I love the idea of creating a list of 100 things about school.  The picture above had students write 100 reasons why they loved their school.  The final product is adorable!  My first year teaching {3rd grade}, we wrote down 100 memories we’d had so far.  It turned out so cute! Those were my pre-blogging days, so no pictures…but trust me, creating a list of anything school related is fun for students and teachers!

{Source}

{I pinned this image.  When I click it to go to the original source, Pinterest blocks me}

Love, love, love this 100th Day Banner!  So doing it this year!

{Source}

This is a 100th Day themed lunch.  Can you say “Super Mom”?  Maybe you could ask parent volunteers to make different 100 shaped foods or make them with your class.  Or, you could just admire this picture {that’s my plan}.

{Source}

{Source}

Speaking of food…how cah-uuute are these cookies? Both blogs that these pictures come from {click source to head there} provide directions for how to make these yummy treats.  Fran, of Kindergarten Crayons had the original idea {bottom pic}, but I don’t think mine could ever turn out that perfect!  This idea is on my “Hopefully, Maybe 100th Day To-Do List”.

{Source}

I saw this image like literally the day AFTER our 100th Day last year.  I’ve had it on my 100th day list every since.  I think this looks so fun, and there’s a a real educational element to it.  So doing it.  {Check out the whole blog for lots of fun ideas!}

I’ve saved my favorite, “We’re Most Definitely Doing This On Our 100th Day!!!!” idea for last!

Last year we had students dress up like they were 100 on the Hundredth Day.  It was a riot.  Some of their parents these kids got so in to it.  I really, really, really wish I could show you their pictures!  One of my sweeties carried around a purse full of mints, and she sprayed her grandma’s perfume all over.  It was perfect.  Kids had walkers, canes, knitting needles.  It was too much!

I can, however, show you a picture of Jenna and I {with our grade partner, Erica} dressed up like an older version of ourselves :)

For your viewing pleasure:

{L-R: Old Halle, Old Erica, Old Jenna}

You totally need to do this if your principal is on board!

I hope I was able to give you a few new ideas for 100th Day!  Can’t wait to see your pics of the big day!

Halle

Linking up: My Teaching Tip

Hidy-Ho!

I’m linking up with Miss Kindergarten {and tons of other fabulous bloggers} to offer up one of my best teaching tips.  Well, I at least think it’s pretty neat.

I present to you the Extra Copies Bin!



The Extra Copies Bin was actually my cooperating teacher’s idea, but the minute I saw it in action I knew I needed to have it in my own room one day!

The concept is simple: Anytime my paper passers or mailbox person has extras of any paper, they place it in the Extra Copies Bin.  After a few weeks of training me reminding students to check the Extra Copies Bin, students stop telling me they need a paper and head straight over to the bin instead.  It’s pure magic.

I clean it out every few weeks.  Some of the sheets I keep and file {like the president one above}, others I recycle, and some become free draw paper.  I also love it because I never end up with any piles of papers on my desk {well, almost never}.

This bin has saved me when I needed a lunch menu or school calendar last minute, or when one of my grade partners needs an extra copy of an assignment.  It’s a true time saver in more ways than one.

Here she is in all her glory!

I hope this helped a few of you out there swimming in papers!

Now go link up with your own genius tips so I can steal borrow them!


~Halle

Have You Heard About These Amazing Giveaways? Plus, My Number of the Day Freebie for You!

I could've sworn today was Thursday.  So much so, that even though my iPhone said Friday, I turned on the TV just to make sure.  And it's not Thursday, it's Friday. Shucks.  I feel like I lost a day somehow.


Thanks to Casey's giveaway over at Second Grade Math Maniac, we went from less than 100 followers to over 100 followers pretty quickly!!!  {Thanks Casey!!}  And since we didn't have the chance to put together a big giveaway for you, I decided to whip a freebie up for you instead!


It's my Number & Word of the Day sheets.  I plan on printing them on cardstock back to back and laminating them, then using them as morning work weekly.

Have any of you done something similar before?  For example: Monday: Journal Writing, Tuesday: Number of the Day, Wednesday: Word of the Day, etc?  I never have, but I thought I might give it a go this year.  If you have an opinion about it, I'd love to hear it!


Anyways, you can grab the sheets at our TpT shop.  I made 2 different leveled math sheets, thinking I'll use one for the first half of the year, and switch over to the second one the second half of the year.


You know I love feedback, so please leave it here or at our TpT shop if you find yourself downloading the sheets!


And now for 2 giveaways that put my freebie to shame.  Seriously.

Amanda Madden over at Teaching Maddeness is having a 500 Followers Giveaway, and you can win a $50 Amazon giftcard!! Yes!! How cool, I know, and she's made it so easy to enter!  Head on over.

Courtney over at Swimming into Second is offering 10 days of giveaways to celebrate 1,000 followers. Wow!  Congrats Courtney.  She is giving away some amazing prizes, so make sure to enter each day!


Have a good one!


Halle