January Brain Boxes and a SALE reminder!

January Brain Boxes are finished and uploaded to my TpT store! Today is the last day of my “End of the Year Sale,” so pick up January Brain Boxes for 15% off! If you haven’t used Brain Boxes as a “fun when you are done,” activity and want to learn more about them you can check out my blog post here. 

Check out January Brain Boxes by clicking on the picture above.  Don’t forget to download the free answer document (click here to get it).
Get your January Brain Boxes and anything else in my store for 15% off!  Today is the last day of the sale!

Happy New Year everyone!
 

Authors and Apple Pie

Happy Monday everyone!  We were back today for a “normal,” week of school.  Of course, there is no such thing as normal in third grade!  We have an assembly tomorrow to kick off our big school wide fundraiser and that is guaranteed to get them all crazy!

Today we started talking about identifying an author’s purpose during reading.  Not something kiddos usually get too excited about right?  Well, a little bit of gum and permission to chew it in class will get any third graders attention!  We learned that authors write for P.I.E.  We looked at some examples and made a “Pie Plate,” to help us remember.

While they were quietly working they were allowed to chew on this…..

Last year, when my teammate and I were lesson planning for author’s purpose she joked that we should bring in apple pie for the whole class.  Well, I had remembered seeing this yumminess at the checkout stand.  I know what you’re thinking….gum that tastes like apple pie…really?  It really tastes like apple pie, I promise.  All but one of my kiddos ate it up…literally!  I am hoping that this helps the concept of author’s purpose “stick” with them.
In other news, I finished up with my November Brain Boxes and they are now in my TpT store.

If you missed the post on Brain Boxes you can read about it HERE.  If you are using Brain Boxes in your room I would love to hear how they are working!
Have a great Monday night!

-Mrs. Wood

What a Day!

It was back to school after Fall break today.  What a weird day though, only 2 hours of school with kiddos.  Then it was time to finish up the rest of my Parent/Teacher Conferences.  I can now breathe a huge sigh of relief….they are finished, WooHoo!!!  So, conferences were done, classroom was clean and lessons and copies were done for next week.  What is a girl to do with some extra time on her hands????
Boot shopping and hanging out with my two favorite junior high girls (my daughters!).

Here they are, not exactly the riding boots I’ve had my eye on but these babies were on sale for 70% off!  I just couldn’t pass it up.  They are the most beautiful shade of tan, this picture just does not do them justice. I am hoping this beautiful weather keeps up so I have a chance to wear these soon!
Okay, I promise to focus now and get back to school stuff.  I struggled for many years with what to do with those kiddos who consistently finish their work early.  I want to make sure that they choices they are making are ones that will make their “brains grow!”  One day, while surfing Pinterest I came upon an idea.

I call them “Brain Boxes.”

My kiddos are crazy about them right now and I can’t even tell you how easy it was to make.  I spent less than 5 dollars at Dollar Tree.  The boxes come in packs of 10 and all I did was use a sharpie to number them. I keep them right next to my turn in basket, so when students finish and  turn their work in they can grab a brain box and head back to their desk.  I made an answer document and I copy it double sided so they finish 8 brain boxes before turning the paper in.  Click on the picture to grab the answer sheet.

  I try to make the brain box activities educational, yet fun and I am telling you they can’t get enough of them.  I just finished uploading my October Brain Boxes on TpT and I am working on the November ones.  Hop on over and check them out!
I am off to clean my kitchen and hopefully settle down to watch Project Runway!  Yea for it being Friday tomorrow!