Science Fair is #1

About two years ago Creative Teaching Press asked me to start a blog to post some of my ideas. 

That was way out of my comfort zone, but I agreed.

I was given these suggestions:

 Keep it short and sweet.

 Use pictures. Remember a picture is worth a thousand words!

Post often and be personable. Try to create some followers.

I have had a little trouble keeping it short.
I have posted hundred of pictures

and I have managed to create a few followers.

After a month or two I learned how to go inside the blog and check on web visits and other interesting stuff.

Last week I went over 200,000 web visits...that's not bad since I expected an all time high of 13!

I also learned how to track the countries besides the US that were checking in:
Canada
Russia
Australia
India
Mexico
Philliphines
and Puerto Rico
(I actually got to meet some of these gals at a recent conference.
It was like connecting with old friends.)

The Internet is amazing.
The world is so much smaller.

There is also a way to check the most visited blogs.

The #1 blog for all time is Science Fair
which was first posted on January 31, 2011.
It has had over 10,000 single hits.
That is twice as many as the #2 post.
People must need a little help with Science Fairs.

Scroll back through the old post and let me know if you have a favorite.

Many of the pictures are pinned on Pinterest.

This is the most re-pinned of my pictures.

Who would have imagined!

It's a bell on a hook!

Next time I will let you know the #2 most visited post.

Thanks for tuning in.

It has been a fun ride.

Tree

Have you noticed how many classrooms have trees?

Apples...trees...I guess they go together with school. 

This picture is from Learning is an Adventure 

from Debra White's classroom.

 http://www.whiteclassroom.com/

Check out my post from

August1, 2011.

There are more pictures of her classroom.

Debra's tree is painted on the wall.  

If you don't want anything that permanent 

you might want to take a look at 

CTP's Apple Tree bulletin board.

CTP 4042

www.creativeteaching.com

I used the tree in a science class all year long.

We start in August when it is really sizzling here.

I bought two copies of a great book...

The Reasons for Seasons 

by Gail Gibbons. 

I love her non-fiction books. 

I cut the books apart so that I could show both sides of the pages.

I posted on the bulletin board, the pages about summer.

I really should have bought another book and put it in the 

science center so that the kids could read the entire book in order.

In September I added the basket

 from the bulletin board set.

HARVEST  TIME

I put the apples on the tree and 

in the basket.

In autumn I changed the border to leaves 

and changed the green leaves to colored leaves of fall.

FANTASTIC FALL

I added the pages for autumn from The Reasons for Seasons.


In winter I removed all the leaves and
put snowflakes in the air and on the ground.
WONDERFUL WINTER

I added the winter pages of the book to the bottom of the tree.

In spring, I went back to the beginning with the green leaves.

I added a spring border and a few flowers 

around the pages from the book. 

SENSATIONAL SPRING

There you have one very versatile bulletin board.

Do the work once and you have the basics for the entire year.

Be sure to use fade less background paper 

so the bulletin board will look fresh all year!

My Daily 5

Interesting.....


I was on Barnes and Noble's website this morning
looking for a new Nook book.
I checked the list of Top 100 books from Barnes and Noble.
Right there between the Shades of Grey books
and the Hunger Games books, 
sitting at the #12 spot was 
THE DAILY FIVE!

I knew that many teachers were using the 
Daily 5 in their classrooms but this must mean that
lots of other teachers are considering the program.


The Daily CAFE and the Daily 5 were conceived by

two real life sisters, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. 

Visit their website http://www.the2sisters.com/

for more information.

Here are a couple of boards that I made for 

tracking Daily 5.

These are made on magnetic boards. 

The kids are assigned numbers.

I put the numbers on the small circles 

and added small magnets to the back of each.

The numbers can be easily moved to show 

what each child is working on that day.

The choices are:

Read to Self

Read to Someone

Listen to Reading

Word Work

Work on Writing

The two boards were made with products from 
the new Black and White designer collection and
the  Dots on Turquoise collection.
Visit www.creativeteaching.com 
to view all the new products. 

I love a good workbook

This is my friend Bergen.

He will be in kindergarten in the fall.

Last week his mother posted this picture on Facebook

with the caption:

He loves a good workbook....

I just happen to know about a few good workbooks.

Since he is such a good friend I paid a visit to Bergen.

I took him the Stick Kids workbooks for kindergarten.

That should keep him busy and in love for a while.

Introducing Stick Kids Workbooks!

The new Stick Kids Workbooks are perfect for grades PreK through 3.
 Whether you are at home or on the go, these Stick Kids Workbooks 
are perfect for summer skill practice.
 Each Workbook includes a variety of games, puzzles and activities!

Tracking chart and stickers in every book!

www.creativeteaching.com

If your kids are like Bergen

and love a good workbook,

you might want to check these out!!!

Happy 4th!

Happy Fourth of July!

I found this little pop of red, white, and blue 

on Pinterest.

Check out our pins there.
http://pinterest.com/source/tommiestools.blogspot.com/