Common Core Standards Checklists

I have spent the last couple of days making standards checklists for the new Common Core Standards. I am really concerned about making sure I teach of the standards since our reading and math series are not solely designed around the common core standards. I want to make sure I keep track of when I teach each standard so I can quickly and easily make adjustments if I need to.

 I have created checklist packets for kindergarten, first and second grade. Each ELA and MATH standard has been specifically color coded for easy use. (If you have my ELA and Math vocabulary cards for second grade, the color coding matches the standards checklist). Next to each standard there are boxes where you can document when you teach the standard, as well as when you assess the standard. I am going to keep mine with my lesson plans so I can have it handy. But it would also work great in a data binder if you use that as well. Here is an example of what one of the pages for the ELA Foundational Skills standard looks like for second grade:
I am super excited to use this in my classroom this year during my planning time. It will help me to see which standards may need to be taught more or less depending on the group of kiddos I get each year. I like visuals and I think this will help me "see" the map of teaching the Common Core standards better. 

To get a copy for your classroom just click on your grade level below.
Kindergarten

First Grade
Second Grade
If you are an upper grade teacher and are interested in these checklists, just email me and let me know.
Happy planning!

Also, if you haven't already entered my 100+ follower giveaway, you still have time! Stop by for the chance to win some awesome prizes from several incredible bloggers. Good Luck!



Back from Hawaii Vacay and Ready to Work

I have been on the beautiful island of Kauai for the last 2 weeks with my hubby and kiddos! It was an amazing trip and super relaxing. One day we all went on a muddy ATV adventure. We got to see some amazing sites that you can only see on this ATV joy ride. My husband found every mud hole on the road to make sure it looked like we actually rolled in the mud! The boys thought it was the most exciting thing ever!

We had some spectacular views and the most beautiful scenery to have dinner outside each night.


This is one of the MANY waterfalls we saw while there!

So now that I am back to reality, I need to really sit down and list out everything I need to do to get my room ready. I have 2 weeks before my little darlings arrive for their first day of school. I feel like I have been "working" all summer, but I feel like it is crunch time now! Are you guys feeling the same way, yet? As I get into my room and make things look "right" I will post some pictures so you can see the transformation. 

Don't forget, you still have time to enter my 100+ follower giveaway! I have teamed up with some amazing bloggers and we are giving away some awesome prizes. Make sure to check it out and enter today!




100 Follower Giveaway

I am so excited to be hosting my very first giveaway in celebration of reaching 100+ followers! I have been so fortunate on this journey to be inspired and connected with so many other teachers around the country and even the world. So, to show my appreciation I am having an awesome giveaway! I have some incredible blogging friends that have been so generous to help me out with this giveaway. Please make sure to check out their amazing blogs! There will be 8 lucky winners! Good luck everyone!



1. From me, 1 winner will choose any 3 items items from my TpT store.

                                                Grab My Button
2. Kelly Teach
                                              Behind the Camera and Dreaming
Kelly is giving away an item of their choice from her TpT store to one winner.

3. Sparkles, Smiles and Student Teaching



Amber is giving away her Static Electricity Stations to one winner.


                                                   static electricity station, science, elementary, school, teaching
4. Bedford, Love and Teaching




Bedford, Love, and Teaching
Vera is giving away an item of their choice from her TpT store to one winner!

5. Learning Is Something To Treasure
Lisa is giving away an item of their choice from her TpT store to one winner!

6. Tales From Room 112
TalesFromRoom112                Cover Page.JPG
Erin is giving away her polka dotted classroom themed set to one lucky winner!

7. Fun in 1st Grade




Dana is giving away an item of their choice from her TpT store to one winner!

8. The Idea Backpack
                idea backpack gift certificate-brightconvepts4teachersgiveaway.jpg
April is giving one lucky winner a $10 gift certificate to her TpT store!


a Rafflecopter giveaway




First Day Jitters Linky


I can't wait to link up with Ashley at Fierce in Fourth for her first ever blog hop about First Day Jitters.
                                      
I will be starting my 14th year of teaching and each morning on the first day of school my husband laughs at me because I spend most of the morning dry heaving in the bathroom from all of my nerves. He thinks I am crazy (partially true) and always says, "How many years have you been doing this?" He's right. My mind knows he is right. But my body goes in a different direction!

Here are 3 things I am jittery about:
1. Half of the students coming into second grade will be from new schools this year. I teach at a magnet school and we open up another class in second grade, so we accept a lot of students from outside of our school. This can be good and bad. I have found that many students don't come prepared and haven't been "trained" to have high expectations for themselves. There is a learning curve. I am hoping I am pleasantly surprised.
2.Am I prepared??? I have been preparing since April actually. But, I always feel like I could be more prepared. I have my first two weeks of school xeroxed, outlined and prepped but it still does not put my mind at ease.
3. Will I connect with my class? Will we get along? Will they learn what I teach them? Will I make a positive impact on their education? their lives?

I hope you will link up too and share your first day jitters as well. We all have them...now we know we are not alone!

Christmas in July Sale Continued

Since TpT was down for most of the day, I am continuing my Christmas in July sale until tomorrow night. I also decided to put some of my Back To School items on sale, not just seasonal items because we are all trying to get ready for Back to School and need all the resources possible. Thanks for stopping by and happy shopping everyone!

       


Christmas In July SALE!

                   
Christmas in July? Why not? When it is hot and sticky outside, it is sometimes nice to think cold. The button below will take you to my store where all my seasonal items will be 20% off for 1 day only. July 25th is the  day! Go ahead and grab some holiday cheer!

                  

Hop on over to Blog Hopper to check out the sales from some other fabulous bloggers as well.

                                

ELA Common Core Vocabulary Cards


I have spent the better part of 3 weeks working on creating ELA Common Core Vocabulary Cards for my second grade classroom. I am so excited because I have finally completed them and able to share them with all of you. My goal this summer was to get as much common core prepping done as I could.  I think I have only made a dent in it though. It's definitely a work in progress. I am really proud of these vocabulary cards. I think they are super kid friendly and easy to use. I have taken the 6 strands and color coded each one. Each vocabulary card is color coded to match the strand. They also each have a definition, picture and/or example to go with the vocabulary word.

There are over 120 vocabulary cards in this packet, 6 strands posters, as well as a summary sheet of all the words included. I hope you are able to use these colorful vocabulary cards in your classroom as well. They will be on SALE in my TN store for the next 24 hours to help each of you get your common core planning underway. Enjoy!


Monday Made It AND Planning a Giveaway


                                      

I think I should have researched the DOs and DON'Ts of this project before I began. I saw these cute clipboards all over Pinterest. I read a couple blogs where people had said how easy they were to make, so I decided to make my own. I must say-YUCK! What a fiasco! What I thought was a cute, simple, easy project turned out to be my own nightmare. I was so excited to a make them. I went to Target and bought new clipboards. I went to Michael's to pick out cute scrapbook paper (5 for $1), spray adhesive glue and spray Modge Podge. I also wanted to decorate the front AND back of each clipboard. I figured you see the back more than the front anyway because the front usually has papers covering it. Right away, I found out that my 12x12 paper was a bit short for the clipboard (annoying). So I decided to add pieces to the top. I used spray glue to adhere it to the clipboard and no matter how much I used, the corners lifted. I was gluing and re-gluing without much luck. I sprayed it with Modge Podge hoping that would seal it better-WRONG! At this point, I was so frustrated, I wasn't sure I wanted to attempt the back side. Come to find out, the back side was easier to complete than the front because there is no clip to get in the way. My mom was helping me with this project and suggested we use regular Modge Podge instead of spray. Ok. At this point I'll try anything. When we used the regular Modge Podge, it started to ripple the paper. AWESOME! (hint of sarcasm here). Then I sprayed them with clear acrylic so they would not be tacky. Here are the finished products, front and back views.


They look cute. I'll use them. But I am not in love with them because they are not perfect or at least near perfect and they were a lot of work to make. I would love to hear any words of wisdom from any of you that have had success with this project. I would love to make more but I just don't think it's worth it at this point. Sorry for my diatribe, but I guess not every Monday Made It has to be a success story, although that would be nice.  On to my next project....



My next project which I am SUPER excited about is my 100 Follower Giveaway! I turned on my computer yesterday and was school-girl giddy when I saw that I had over 100 followers. So, I am going to plan a thank you giveaway to all you amazing blogging friends out there. I am going to be giving away some of the items in my store. I also have a couple projects I am working on that I would like to have up before the giveaway starts. If any of you are interested in donating items to my giveaway I would LOVE it! Please email me at brightconcepts4teachers@gmail.com or leave a comment after this post letting me know.  Thanks so much everyone! Have an amazing Monday!


Newbie Blogger Blog Hop


I love this idea! So, I have decided to link up with Janice at Grade Three is the Place for Me. New bloggers blog hopping to one another's blogs to see what is new in Blogland- What a great idea! It has been an amazing adventure for me these last few months since I started my blog. I enjoy the connection with other teachers, the inspirational ideas and the sounding board we create for one another. 

1. What state do you live in?
I live in Southern California.

2.Your Current Teaching Position
I currently teach 2nd grade at a K-12 Title 1 Magnet School. 

3.Your Teaching Experience
I have taught for 14 years. My first teaching assignment was in 4th grade for 1 year. Then I switched schools and taught 1st grade for 11 years. This past year, I switched to 2nd grade and I couldn't be happier!

4.When You Started Blogging
I started blogging in May. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but I wanted to try and explore. I am still exploring and learning everyday. It has been a wonderful experience so far!

5. Share a Blogging Tip/Blogging Resource
One thing that has helped me stay organized is to keep a blogging calendar. It can be weekly or monthly-whatever works best for you. It helps me to keep my ideas straight so I don't forget what I want to write about or projects I want to complete.


Monday Made It-Clips and a FREEBIE

                           

This past week I had many projects that were "in the works". I had ideas. I had started making some of my ideas. And I had NOT completed many of my ideas. However, I did get one complete. It's these cute little guys.

I started off with plain wooden clothespins. My dad helped me spray paint some of them black and some of them white. Then I took a paint pen and added dots to them. 


I wanted to make them cuter. So I used some scrap booking paper I had and cut out a flower pattern. Then I glued them to the top of the clothespin. I am going to add a magnet strip to the back so they can be used on the whiteboard or file cabinets in my room.


I am also going to use these clothespins for my classroom behavior clip chart and to display anonymous work. Instead of the flowers, I made blue polka dot circles with numbers in the center. Each student will have their own number in class. This will allow me to use the clips year after year without making new ones because their names were on it. 

If you like this idea for your classroom, just click on the picture above to grab your FREEBIE copy to download. I have included the numbers 1-36 to accommodate all class sizes. Enjoy!

Also, for today only I am having a sale at my TN and TpT stores in celebration of my birthday. Everything is 20% off today only! Enjoy shopping everyone!