March to a different drummer. Be the YOU in unique. Dance like nobody's watching. Take the road less traveled. Be the brightest crayon in the box. Respect and accept others. These are the important quotes that I will integrate into my language arts lessons next week with the help of many of my favorite Dr. Seuss books, and I've linked up with my colorful gal pals over at The Primary Pack  to share them just in time for  Read Across America Week! Gertrude McFuzz and her one-feathered tail will demonstrate to my second graders that her one-feathered tail is special, not strange. Horton and his village of Who friends will show the Sour Kangaroo that "a person's a person no matter how small." The Lorax will "speak for the trees" and be the voice of the minority against the majority. Sam-I-Am will show the importance of not passing judgement or h...

Hello Friends! I've spent some time on this morning of SNOW DAY #2 planning a savings extravaganza just for you! I've been working hard to stock my TpT store with resources that are thematic, creative, and useful for you, and most always offer a related freebie for each one!   As the countdown to Leap Day continues, I thought it would be fun to feature some of my favorites at half-price!  If possible, I've linked them to prior blog posts so that you can get a better idea of how I use each one in my classroom! Happy shopping!  Be sure to check out the other resources in my TpT store while you are there! Also, be sure to click on the green star next to my logo to "follow me!"  Thank you in advance for leaving thoughtful feedback on your purchases and freebie downloads!  Know that I use your comments to improve my product line, and truly do appreciate your input! Comparing and contrasting different versions of favorite...

FEBRUARY. The month that is full of 100th Day celebrations, candy hearts, American flags, and indoor recesses because of unpredictable weather.  The month that despite being short in days seems to pass by  ever-so-slowly.  The month that has teachers everywhere asking..... HOW MANY MORE DAYS UNTIL SPRING BREAK?!?!?!? If your classroom is anything like mine these days, it is suffering from an extreme case of the WINTER BLAHS, a time when both teacher and student behavior and attitudes definitely need an adjustment.  When morale is low, and spirits need a boost....  With that in mind, I decided that this week's  Five for Friday (....or in my case...Five for Saturday) would be a list of ways to improve your student's mood and help you push through bravely until March!  I hope you find something on my list of step "out-of-the-box" and "put-the-pencil-and-papers away" ideas that you can use! ...

Puppies. Poetry. Cuteness overload, right? What better combination of two of my favorite things to help my primary grade students practice reading fluency, recognizing vocabulary context clues, rounding up rhymes,  and writing poems of their own! PUPPY LOVE POEMS ...

Well HOWDY! I'm so glad you've wandered on down to my little ole' blog! I'm honored to have you here, and am just proud as a peacock to be participating in my first  I Teach 2nd Linky !  Special thanks to Nicole for being hospitable and inviting me to join the fun! www.nicoleandeliceo.com Those who've been here before know that I have a love of all things western that is no secret!  I'm here to share that with you today as we hunker down and study just how Tale Tales can enrich so many aspects of your language arts lessons! Explaining tall tales and how they are stories about real American folk heroes and heroines that include both facts and fictionalized anecdotes is great fun when you use a big ball of yarn!  Settle your students in a circle, start a story, and then pass the string along.  Let your students unroll and unravel the skein as they stretch or exaggerate the truth for comic or dramatic effect! Pulli...