Interactive Notebook SALE!!!!

I created two new flippables this week and used them with my students. 

 They are now in my TpT store. 

Through Monday, they are 20% off! 

Along with all my flippables, including the BUNDLE!!!! 

20% off!! ALL WEEKEND!!! 

Individual flippables are on sale as well. 

Go snatch them up!!! 

Sparking Motivation- Interactive Number Lines

Saturday means time to link up with Joanne to share what we do to motivate our students. 

Here I go! 

This summer during my trip to CAMT, I made some pretty big purchases. 

One of them was this interactive number line from Educators Outlet. 

The number line comes a HUGE number line. 

One side with hash marks, one without. 

photo credit 

Suction cups are included. I used magnet clips, they just held better. 

Tiny binder clips. 

Blue links 

Many, many,. many number cards. 

AND... blank ones as well. 

All the materials can be written on with dry erase markers if needed. 

This week, I used it to show rational numbers on a number line. 

I just grabbed a few and gave a few kids a card and had they place it on the chart. 

It was cool for the kids. 

The next day though, I made sure EVERY student had a number to place on the number line. 

I stood at my door and they had to randomly grab a card and link out of a bag. 

Their warm up (on the Promethean board) was to place that card in the correct place on the number line.

It was only mildly chaotic. They did a pretty good job. 

This was WAY better than just having a few kids do it. 

When the tardy bell rang, I was able to walk in the room and immediately start discussing Math. It was a GREAT way to start the class and get my kids thinking math immediately. 

I only have 54 minutes a day with them, I have to use every one of them to the fullest!  

Since they choose the cards randomly, each class period had a different looking number line. It was great. 

As we were reviewing their cards, I found this at the end. 

I said, "Wait, what happened?"

The student who did it, said, "I made it work!" 

Yes, she did! It worked out that I accidentally put a card larger than the number line went to. 

What a teachable moment for me!!! 

I will definitely be using the number line again. 

I am excited about the possibilities and hope to share more experiences we have throughout the year. 

Wordless Wednesday- SUB NOTE

So behind on blogging. Life is B-U-S-Y! 

But, I have time for one picture! 

A scheduled sub didn't show last week, so an aide had to cover my classes. 

She left me this awesome note. 

You know how hard planning for a sub is and how scary coming back can be to "the note". 

This was quite the treat! 

My question: What do you do for your students when you receive a "good note" from a sub? 

Sparking Motivation- The Sweet Tooth Way

It's Saturday (for a few more hours at least) which means time to share how we motivate our students. 

I'm linking up with Joanne to share what I am implementing. 

Last year, with my advanced kids I started the "Smarty Pants Club". I got this idea and cute pictures from our host, Joanne. 

Click here and here to read posts about the club. 

This year, I am continuing the club, but changing up the candy. Believe it or not, we had some issues with Smarties. (its a middle school thing) 

So, while shopping today, I picked up this HUGE bag of candy. 

Then, I made these: 

Last week, we had our first common assessment. I had 2 students make a 100. They will be the first in our Smarty Pants Club. 

They will also get to choose their treat. I made these with Melonheadz super cute Nerd clip art. (These are from set 2) 

These are available in my store now, for FREE! 

They aren't just for testing, you can use them to reward your students for just being awesome.

Enjoy and be sure to link up! 

Weekend Deals- NEW SALE Item

I just posted a new product that has consumed much of my time the past week or two. 

 This bundle includes all of these flippables. 

 REAL Classroom Samples

There are 10 different concepts and 14 different options for flippables. 

It's a BUNLDE, so you save a bundle! (yep, pun intended!) 

Plus, through Monday, it is 20% off. 

And for a limited time this UH-MA-ZING 

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH Bundle is 

for sale through Educents. 

DO NOT MISS THIS GREAT PRODUCT!!! 

Sparking Motivation-Ipads

It has been a while, but I am linking up again with Joann over at Head Over Heels for Teaching to share some motivation. 

This year we have gone 1:1 with Ipads. It is a HUGE initiative for our middle school and WOWIE WOW WOW!!! 

Our technology people are probably the most exhausted people in our district right now and let me say, I am pretty freaking exhausted, so I can't begin to explain how tired they must be!!! 

I won't get into all the logistical stuff, just the fun stuff!!! 

Kids are NEVER idle anymore!!! There is NEVER just down time. We actually have to remind them to eat lunch. They LOVE their Ipads. They LOVE taking selfies and group photos. Yes, we are in the honeymoon stage, I know. 

But, we will take it!!!! 

This was our cafeteria last week after they received their Ipads. 

Right now, we are doing a lot of downloading and organizing. The main reason we have the Ipads is because we received new textbooks and they are ebooks. I spent most of one class period for each class showing them how to download their book. These are the growing pains we are having right now, but in the big picture, it will be worth it. 

Do I think the novelty will die off, probably. And I hope it does. We are using these for instructional purposes and we as the teachers utilize them correctly, this initiative will be successful. 

Hope you are having a great weekend and you can check out all the great links for motivation. 

Don't forget to check out the Mega Middle School Bundle that is on sale for the next week. It's a steal with 16 GREAT downloads ready to use and MOTIVATE YOUR STUDENTS!!!!