A Little Persuasion

I've been a little MIA lately....Sorry! Between school and closing on our house in less than 2 weeks - I have no free time! I have only 2 days until Spring Break. You know....we haven't had any snow days this year so we actually get the 3 days before our actual spring break! (Even though we are supposed to get snow TONIGHT!)
I wanted to catch you up on a few things we did this past week. We began Writing Through the Year Unit 4 from Deanna Jump and Deedee Wills. We have already done units 1 and 2, but I didn't start them until the end of October. I skipped Unit 3 (How To writing) because we are required to do a persuasive unit in the 3rd marking period which is what Unit 4 includes. Our very first day of this unit, we wrote a persuasive piece. Here are a few examples:



I am so proud of my babies. This last piece is one of my favorites. She was a student who knew 3 letters when she started kindergarten. She was a student who was a Tier 3 student until about November…then she started taking off! I am SO proud of that girl!!!
These writing units have literally changed how I teach writing. I have always felt writing was a weakness of mine – not now! What I love most about this is how independent it has made my kiddos. The units encourage from Day 1 that the students do it independently. No “How do you spell?” or “I can’t do it.” Writing time in our classroom is so quiet. They work and work and work. Seriously! I don’t have to tell them to write more or what else can you say. They just keep writing and writing and writing! I like that this fourth unit has a lot of different reasons to write giving us a little variety!
Monday we are going to finish up our long a literacy centers. We are going to take a break on Tuesday and enjoy Easter activities including an Easter Egg hunt! Then…SPRING BREAK!!! WOO! HOO!

He's struck again!

That little stinkin' leprechaun! He came again this morning.

(that clue is from my Leprechaun Hints unit)

Why on earth does he have to come first thing in the morning? Really? Those peeps are WILD all day long. And....don't even ask me how many necklaces I took away (made them put in their backpack) because they were swinging those things around, placing them over their ears and in their mouth, or trying to choke themselves.

I made a little surprise for them tonight. We will have a small St. Patrick's Day party on Friday.  (I actually made 2 batches...one for my girl's class too.) Here's a hint:

Give up? We made these:

They were not the easiest thing I've ever done. I'll be honest....some look more like tie-dyed instead of rainbow! :) The kids won't mind! They are only worried about the taste!

This girl loves a good deal

I may have mentioned it here, and here, and here, but I LOVE to shop! Like...for realz. I used to have a MAJOR shopping problem (read: my poor hubby had to pay off MAJOR credit card debt when we got married from places like Macys, The Limited, New York and Company). I have seriously gotten so much better. Really. I have. I promise! :)

So I love the new websites that offer Daily Deals like Zulily, Mini Social, Plum District, Very Jane, and One Kings Lane. Well, GUESS WHAT PEOPLE!!! There is a new site called Educents.

It doesn't launch until April 2nd, so I'm not positive, but I am THINKING it may be similar to one of those sites. It says it is a daily deals site offering the latest educational products at 30-90% off! Woo! Hoo!

That's not the best part! If you go to their website now, you can sign up and receive a $15 gift card. Like instantly. For free! :) I signed up and had it in my email in like 1.5 seconds! You can't pass up free money! Go now!

March Madness Sale

I'm going my Kinderland friends for a March Madness sale!

Here are a few things you can grab in my store! My NEW Long A vowel unit!

 

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner! Grab these leprechaun hints on sale!

 

 

St. Patrick's Day unit FULL of great literacy and math activities

 

 

Make sure you check out the other Kinder teachers who are having a sale too!!! Look for the button above!

 

Rainbows and Leprechauns

Eek! I swear I love this holiday! :) We did these cuties from Cara Carroll on Monday.

(Note: I had extra leftover hats from a project a few years ago where the parent made like 100 copies instead of 10, so I used those. I like her hats better. My girls also wanted bows and well, I totally get that so we did bows!)

We also made these cuties that I saw on Pinterest. LOVE!

Our little leprechaun has already been in our room being sneaky!!! That stinker! He's been leaving little clues from my Leprechaun Hints unit.

The kids are WILD about it. Literally. Wild! That is one thing I love about 5 year olds. Every single one of them believe the leprechaun is messing up our room! Cracks me up!
Have a great weekend! It is supposed to be beautiful here today! YAY!

It's Your Lucky Day Lauren!

Yay! Thanks for entering our It's Your Lucky Day giveaway!

Lauren you are our winner! There was no last name but your email starts with pepper!!!

Be looking for an email from everyone with your winning units! Thanks to all who entered! Have a great weekend!

Currently

I'm linking up with Farley again for Currently...March edition!

 

Listening: I used to be a HUGE Bachelor fan. Like as in have Bachelor watching parties (invitations and all). Well that was before marriage and a kid. I don't have time for all of that now. I've not really been watching (much) for the past 4-5 years, but I love Sean. He's a good Christian guy! I follow his sister's blog and love her!

 

Loving and Needing: My house will be done so.soon! I cannot wait. Poor hubby (the builder) had a slight accident this weekend while working and he's kind of out of commission but he's trying so hard.

 

Thinking: I'm always thinking I need to diet. Unfortunately, I don't do too much about it!

 

Like: Sweets

Love: Shopping

Hate: Sport (Sorry peeps)

 

I hope you will link up!

 

St. Patrick's Day Product Linky Party

I am linking up with Mary at Sharing Kindergarten in her St. Patty's Day linky party.

I LOVE St. Patrick's Day!!! We begin by making leprechaun traps. You can grab my letter to parents below. (I secretly think the parents love it as much as the kiddos do!)

 

To keep the kiddos crazy and wild excited about their traps, the little green guy comes and visits about every other day throughout the 2 weeks. Each day he does different things to our room. Sometimes he leaves green glitter/confetti, destroys our room, leaves green footprints, leaves necklaces, etc, etc, etc. The last day before St. Patrick's Day we go on a hunt throughout the school. This is similar to our Gingerbread Man hunt. I created easy to use Leprechaun hints to help you with this little adventure.

 

 

 

Included are hints for the actual leprechaun hunt but also a few hints that the you can leave throughout the week as he visits the classroom!

 

We have lots of fun in our literacy and math centers using the activities in my Lucky You Literacy and Math Unit.

 

 

My kiddos love graphing....especially with food! Every year we do a graphing activity with Lucky Charms cereal! You can grab your freebie below!

 

Make sure you check out all of the other great bloggers with great St. Patrick's Day ideas!

It's Your Lucky Day Giveaway

I LOVE St. Patrick's Day! Seriously. Slightly obsessed because, well my favorite color is green. We go ALL out in my classroom. That crazy guy comes sneaking in our room for 2 weeks, we make traps, yada, yada, yada. I have no idea why I do all of that. It makes the kids CRAY CRAY, but I do! I'm so excited to have lots of great bloggy buddies who are helping me with a "It's Your Lucky Day Giveaway"! One lucky winner will win ALL of these items. The best part is that you will get it all BEFORE the week of St. Patrick's Day so you can get your plans ready! Here is what you can win!

 

 

You will most definitely be ready for St. Patty's Day week!!! LUCKY YOU!!! For each blog you follow, you earn an entry!!! It's literally that easy! Giveaway ends Friday, March 8th! Good luck!!!

 

 

 

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