Showing posts with label elementary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elementary. Show all posts

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Cyber Sale 2016

It's time for the big Cyber Sale! Teachers Pay Teacher will have their sale on Monday and Tuesday the 28th and 29th of November. Use code CYBER16 to save 28% off my store. I will keep my store on sale an extra day to catch those of you who forgot about it or may have just been too busy. Wednesday, the code won't work but you will still get 20% off and this includes BUNDLES! Come shop with me HERE


740 × 400

Check out some of my fantastic deals below! Remember everything is on sale including bundles!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings! Keep on smiling!


Monday, May 2, 2016

Teacher Appreciation Sale!!!!!!

This is the last sitewide sale until Back to School, which may be after many of you have gone back so be sure to shop for beginning of the year materials as well. Perfect time to stock up on those bundles like my Kindergarten Math Interactive Student Notebooks, Clip It Phonics, Grammar Task Cards, Write The Room Beginning Sounds, Beginning Sounds Task Cards Bundle, Word Boxes, Primary Math Task Cards, and more!

Click on the banner to check out my store and use the code CELEBRATE to save a total of 28% off on May 3rd and 4th in my store. I will leave my store on sale on May 5th, but you will only get 20% off as the code won't work.


As requested I have made some phonics games including my brand new Ocean Animals Silent Letters that includes a fun game board with word cards, the game BUMP, and a Write The Room Activity. Check it out by clicking on the picture.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ocean-Animals-Silent-Letters-2532002

Your students may also like my fun Vowel Pairs Cupcake Puzzles

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vowel-Pairs-Puzzles-2515247

Check out the linky party below to see some other things in my store and from some other sellers. Sellers you may link your store and up to 4 products!



An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings! Keep on smiling!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Whole Brain Teaching Book Club

Has anyone heard of Whole Brain Teaching?  I absolutely love it and it is something I would love to try if I get my dream job, unless of course the school is against the idea.  It is so engaging, that I believe it will work with the most difficult children and they will be having fun while learning.  It cuts down on a lot of pointless worksheets.  There is a fun attention getter, gestures, etc.  I could go on and on.

I am joining the Book Club for Whole Brain Teaching that they are having.  It is under way now, but you are not too late to join.  Order the book from Amazon.  I would love it if you ordered it through my affiliate link by clicking on the picture.


If you want the Kindle version click HERE!

Once you have the book and you are ready to begin Whole Brain Teaching head over to the Whole Brain Teaching Book Club and join us by going HERE.

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!


Sunday, December 23, 2012

Make Learning Part of Your Child’s Holiday Cooking Experience

Today, I have a guest blogger, Kellie from StudyDog.  She wrote an excellent article for me using cooking as a learning tool for your children.  Be sure to click on the hyperlink and give Kellie and StudyDog some love! 

 

Make Learning Part of Your Child’s Holiday Cooking


It’s no secret that many kids love to help out in the kitchen and with the holiday cooking season at its peak, now is an ideal time to get some extra help from your children. While they are helping out, cooking also presents opportunities to sneak in lessons in reading, math and science.

Photo Credit: Eric Delcroix

“Cooking creates a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with your children and may also help them keep up with some of their academic skills during the holiday break with a variety of school subjects being used,” said Deme Clainos, a spokesman for StudyDog, an interactive reading program geared toward elementary students. “The recipes you make together may even become part of your regular holiday traditions in the years to come.”

Before you start cooking, take time to read through the list of ingredients and instructions together. For those just learning to read, spend time letting kids sound out new words and have them repeat the word a few times. Challenge more advanced readers by having them spell different words from the recipe.

The recipe might include some new words and technical terms your children may have not heard before. As you proceed, answer their questions and help them gain even stronger reading comprehension as they see the new vocabulary words in action. Some new terms might include glaze, fold, zest and whisk.

Photo Credit: qwrrty Foter
Keep kids engaged in the process by assigning tasks that you know they can handle like measuring, stirring, mixing and seasoning. Have helpers stand on chairs or stools so they can see what you are doing. Ask and answer lots of questions about the process and ingredients.

Cooking also offers opportunities to build math, science and problem-solving skills. From counting the different ingredients, to more advanced math skills like division, multiplication and fractions, mathematics can be integrated into your child’s cooking experience at a level kids are comfortable with. Science comes into play when answering questions about how different ingredients like yeast or baking soda affect the final product.

Cooking also teaches kids how to work as a team, and communicate and share with each other.

Photo Credit: Matthew Oliphant
There are a number of books available that teach children about cooking and include several kid-friendly recipes. Some are even dedicated to teaching math and science lessons as you cook. A few recommendations include “The Kid’s Cookbook: A Great Book for Kids Who Love to Cook!” by Abigail Johnson Dodge, “Eat Your Math Homework: Recipes for Hungry Minds,” by Ann McCallum, “Betty Crocker’s Kids Cook!” and “Science Experiments You Can Eat,” by Vicki Cobb.

What recipes do you plan to make with your children this holiday season? 

During December StudyDog is offering a special $10 discount for a one-year subscription. For more information, visit https://www.studydog.com/parents/decemberoffer/. Use the promo code SDL1L65.

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Class and Team Building Activities

Do you need ideas for class and team building activities?  If so you came to the right place, I have some ideas for you that you may or not have seen before.



1. The first one I've read about online, but I don't recall the name of it.  I will call it a tangled web.  Take a ball of yarn and have your whole class get into a circle.  Start by saying something about yourself that nobody in the class knows.  Then holding the end of the yard throw the ball of yarn to a student.  They name something that nobody in the class knows and holds the end nearest the ball of yarn and throws the yarn to another student.  Each student shares something that nobody knows about them and throws it to a different student.  You then have a web of yarn.  Each student then one at a time takes their hand off the piece of yarn they are holding and they will see how the tangled web starts to fall, which demonstrates team work.

2. Never Have I Ever - Students sit in a circle and put all 10 fingers out and on the floor.  One students starts and says something they have never done.  For example  Never Have I Ever played on a football team.  Everyone who has played on a football team would fold one finger.  The ones with fingers left when time is up are the winners.

3. Compliment Game - Each student has a piece of paper on his or her desk.  They walk around from desk to desk and write down something nice about that person and sign their name.  The child then has a nice keepsake to take home.  It is best if you can steer children away from just saying you're nice or you're pretty.

4. Jigsaw - If you want something academic try Jigsaw.  This is a popular one that most everyone probably already knows, but have you tried it in your classroom?  I think it is perfect especially for 3rd and up and I did use it in the 5th grade short term that I had last year as well as during subbing.  If your students do not sit in groups, put your students in groups.  Then number them off (try to give each student in each group a differnet number).  Have all the 1's go to 1 area, 2's another area, 3's, and so forth.  4 in a group seems to work best.  Each group has to read and summarize part of a topic that you are learning about in class in Science or Social Studies or Nonfiction reading.  Then they go back to their seat and the 1's start by telling their group what they learned, then the 2's, 3's, and so forth.  You can hold them accountable by having each person in the group write down something they learned about each topic.


Those of you have that have viewed my blog earlier in the year or have read my All About Me page know that I am a huge reality tv fan.  The Amazing Race is a show that pairs of people have to work together.  An awesome website that I stumbled upon called UpLift Events.  They had a great Amazing Race event in October of 2012.  You can view the video by clicking on the hyperlink for UpLift Events and see what else they have to offer with team building!

What do you do in your class for team and class building activities?  Share in the comments!

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings!  Keep on smiling!


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Turning In Work

In a previous post, I talked about my favorite way to turn in work by using Laura Candler's organizational paper drop system.  Today, I thought I'd share another option that I found interesting while subbing at two different schools in Kindergarten and in 3rd grade.

Give each student a file folder and let them decorate it. 

 Put their name on it with permanent marker.  Either have your students put them in a stack between their desks if you have them in groups or on the corner of their desk.  When work is completed the student puts the work in the folder.  At the end of the day have them put their folder on the corner of their desk so you can easily collect it after they go home or have a student collect the work for you.

I see advantages and disadvantages to using this system.

The advantages are:

  • Students don't have to leave their seat.  This stops any problems that could occur between two or more students turning in work at the same time.
  • There is no waiting on another person to put a paper in the bin or manila envelope (paper drop system) so it saves time.
  • You'd put the papers in the gradebook probably one student at a time instead of by subject instead of the whole class by subject, which makes handing back the papers quicker and takes less time on your part because they are already grouped by student.
  • You know who has no name on the paper because you pull it out of the folder of who it belongs too!
The disadvantages:
  •  It would probably take longer putting grades in the gradebook due to going student by student for each subject instead of doing the whole class by subject.
  • You can not tell instantly who has not done their assignment until you have put their grades in the gradebook.
  • Little ones need to move so letting them turn it in somewhere would give them this opportunity instead of just putting it in their desk.
I am interested in knowing how you have your students turn in work.  Let me know in the comment section!

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!


Sunday, September 2, 2012

Spelling and Sight Word Cheers and Chants

Why not make sight word learning fun for your students?  I have created some wonderful cards that will help get your students moving!  Some of the cards are for sitting and others are for standing up.  Some can be used for either.  There are even a few cards that students will need a partner!  These can also be used to learn spelling words so the cards will work for all Elementary grade levels!

How about some fun examples:

- My second graders I previously taught absolutely loved Movie Star Kisses.  The students start with their hand at their mouth and blow kisses for each letter like a movie star winning an award!

- Volcano: Students start out at a whisper and get louder with each letter.  Then explode when you say the word at the end.

- Hand Jive: Pair your students up.  Children clap hands together for consonants and lap clap for vowels.  They put their hands in the air at the end as you say the word.

- Motorcycle: Hang on to the pretend handle bars and do wheelies for each letter.

- Back Tracer - Students stand up and form a circle.  Trace the letter of the back of the person in front of you.

You can find many more fun chants and cheers including Batter Up, Hula, Surfin' and Spellin', Frog Jumps, Yo-Yo, Chicken, and Ketchup.

Click on the pictures to check them out in my store.  Download the preview for some free cards!




I would love to hear any ideas that you have for using sight words and spelling words that allow your students to move!  Share below in the comments!

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!


Monday, August 27, 2012

How Full Is Your Bucket?

In a previous blog post I shared with you the book and song for "Have You Filled A Bucket Today."  Click the picture to head to that post!

I recently ordered a book that goes with that one called "How Full Is Your Bucket?" for kids.  This book is by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer.  This is my personal opinion of the book, nobody asked me to review it.


This story is about a boy named Felix who realizes what he does and says either fills his and others buckets or dips his bucket and others.  By the end of the story he realizes it is best to fill others buckets because in return he will be happy and his own bucket will get filled. 

In the beginning of the story he is building with blocks when in walks his sister who wants to help.  He is mean to her and won't let her and calls her names.  In return she knocks the blocks over.  His Grandpa helps him realize that he dipped into his sisters invisible bucket and explains to him that he has a bucket too.  You'll have to check out the book with great real life examples to find out what else happens!

I think this is a great book for any Elementary age children!  Great for discussions on doing the right thing and being kind to others.  Click the picture to check it out on Amazon!

Do you have this book?  How do you use in in the classroom?

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings!  Keep on smiling!  By doing so you'll be a bucket filler!




Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Cards For Kids!

Hi everyone!!!  Today, I want to feature an incredible 6th grader and what she is doing to help children and the elderly!  She did not ask me to do this, it was entirely my idea.  :-)  I found out about her and what she has been doing a little over a year ago.  Her name is Emersyn and she is about to start 6th grade!



Emersyn LOVES to make people smile, especially children!  She always has something uplifting to say or does something amazing for someone.  She started her facebook page Cards for Smiles after watching her favorite show Ellen on TV!  Emersyn loves to find children who are sick or not doing very well and make them Smile Cards!  She loves crafts so she uses all kinds of neat things to make her cards!  She asks the people on her FB page to help make smiles for the kids too that she picks each week!




Emersyn has also made Valentines for the elderly in nursing homes!  Last Christmas, she collected over 1,000 pairs of Silly Socks (socks with colors, designs, etc.).  Her mom buys some of the socks, but she also got many of them as donations.  Emersyn and her mom then sent them to St. Judes and made over 1,000 children smile from receiving the socks!  Emersyn says she got this idea when she was in the hospital and was given a pair of colorful socks!  She said it put a big smile on her face so she knew it would put a smile on other children's faces.




Emersyn's latest endeavor has been to send out tons of toothbrushes to the less fortunate children and school supplies for Whitney Elementary.  She has gotten many people to make donations so she and her mom can send them out and make so many children smile!



I have never met in person this wonderful child, but we both have one big thing in common!  Both Emeryson and I love to see children smile!!!  I think it is amazing that we have such an great role model who is only in 6th grade and doing all of this for other children.  Reading her Facebook page every night puts a huge smile on my face because of all the good she is doing for other children.

Emersyn and I would both love it if you too would hop on over to Emersyn's Facebook page and hit the like button!  Follow her journey and if you can make a donation (currently school supplies or even $5 for her to go get them) or make a card to make a child smile!  Maybe you can get your school or your class on board to help out Emersyn!  Your class could easily make Smile Cards!  Once I get a job that will be something I want to do for sure!  Tell her Hoppin' Hopkins sent you over!  Click this link:  Cards For Kids

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings!  Keep on smiling!


Friday, February 17, 2012

Positive Friday - Week of February 13th, 2012

Wow, where do I start with this week!  I would say that one of my positives this week is also a little sad.


Today, I am finishing a month long sub job in a 3rd/4th grade class.  I had such a wonderful time with the students.  It was nice to teach children who are very much independent.  We played a lot of fun games that I got from some of my blogging buddies.  You can check out Denise from Sunny Days in Second Grade's free bump game here: Love Bug Bump and Dana from 3rd Grade Gridiron's great fraction centers here: Fraction Frenzy Centers and Activities.  Dana's center games cost $7, but are well worth it!  These students showed me that it can be fun to teach older children and gave me the experience of teaching 2 grade levels in one class.  I will miss them a lot.  I look forward to my other subbing adventures until I can land myself my dream job!

The other huge positive is that I hit over 4,000 views on my blog this week!  That was nearly 1,000 views in just one week.  I am so thankful to anyone who has come and viewed my blog.  These two blog posts were the ones that really drove my views this week: Laura Candler's Paper Drop System (thanks Laura for the amazing idea that has worked so well for me!) and Saint Patrick's Day Task Cards.  Please take a look at them.

I would appreciate any comments.  Just click the reply button and tell me what you loved best about this week.  It just takes a minute and it will let everyone be able to read even more positives.

Brian :-)

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Saint Patrick's Day Task Cards

First off, I want to thank all my loyal followers, fans, friends, family, and anyone else who stops by to view my teaching website.  I can't believe that I'm over 3,300 views already.  That is simply amazing as I just started the website on Dec. 28th.  I sure didn't expect it to do this well.

I have put out three freebies so far.  Hopefully, you have grabbed them all as I have had loads of views and downloads on each of them!

I have now made my first ever paid product that you can purchase on at my store on Teachers Pay Teachers by going here: Saint Patrick's Day Task Cards - $2.50

If you enjoyed my All About Rabbit Task Cards you will my St. Patrick's Day Task Cards.  These are great for pre and post assessment and also for your early finishers.  We all have students who finish their work early and many of us have gifted students.  Put them all on a ring and let your students quiz themselves!  These also might be fun if you are a parent with a child at home who gets bored, but loves to learn new things.



I hope you will take a look at it and plan ahead for Saint Patrick's Day!

As always come say hi on FB: Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings Facebook page

Brian :-)

Sunday, January 22, 2012

February Behavior Freebie

My January Penguin Freebie is flying off the shelves so I thought I'd make one for February!  This one has two different sayings on them.  One of the sayings is intentionally misspelled as it is supposed to be a fun behavior note!  If you don't like that one check out the note which is also without the black background.

Graphics by Trina Clark at http://digiscrapkits.com Borders by http://traceeorman.com

Check out the Penguin Freebie to see how I use these in my own classroom!  January Penguin Freebie



I would appreciate a rating and comment if you decide to download it so I know what you like about it or what I can do to make it better.  Would you like me to continue to make these each month or ditch the idea?  Also please follow my TPT store so you are one of the first to check out the new products!

Click here to download at my TPT store February Behavior Freebie.

Don't forget to also hop on over to my facebook fan page  Facebook Fan Page.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

I'm Here!


Have you ever felt alone?  How many students have you seen left alone on the playground because perhaps they are a little different than others or maybe they are just very shy?  “I’m Here” is written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds and tells a story of a boy who is different than others.  This boy is left alone to play by himself until one day he zips off on a paper airplane he made as he shouts "I'm Here."  You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens!


This is a book that I personally believe belongs in every school and every public library.  It will touch many children’s and adult’s hearts.  Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream that we would all be treated equally and this book helps set that tone! 

I have not been paid or asked to do this book review, it simply is a book that I love and believe others will enjoy as well!  If you are interested in the book you can get 10% off by going to FableVision Learning for "I'm Here."  Enter code: AMBHOPK at checkout.  This code is good on any products!

The link also has an awesome video toward the bottom of the page that will tell you more about this amazing book.
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