FREE PRINTABLE End of School Year Memory Books

School is winding down, and my students LOVE to sign memory books at the end of the school year. You can certainly buy memory books, but after a year of buying supplies, prizes, snacks, gifts, and all the other stuff that goes along with being a teacher, it's time to save your last few pennies to last you through the summer!

I scoured the internet and found some awesome FREE printable memory books!!

Memory Book for Any Grade

End of Year Memory Book

End of School Year Memory Book

This Year Rocked!

My School Year Memory Book

End of Year Memory Book (Writing Activity)

Cool Way to Scrapbook: [SmashBook]

The other day, I blogged here about my trip to Marshall's.  In addition to finding awesome Washi Tape Page Markers, I also found this SmashBook!!

This scrapbook comes all set to go in a binder, with the pages inside, preprinted backgrounds with pocket folders, too!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty busy lately, and just don't have time to get to the craft store, purchase all the fun papers and books to put everything together.  This comes complete in a package where you just get your stuff, design and glue!!! (The glue and pen even comes WITH the book!)

Run to the craft store and go grab your SMASHBOOK!

High Five for Friday: 9 Days!

Another week down! Summer break is almost here! Bring it on!!

A few highlights from my week:

1. Family Fun Day on Saturday. My sister hosted my mom's entire side of the family at her house on Saturday. My mom is one of five children and there are fourteen grandchildren (cousins) on that side. My gosh, it was so much fun! We decided that would be our first annual kick-off to summer party. We're making it a tradition! 

2. Yummy dinners made by my husband. Our weeks have been so hectic and we've been grabbing dinner out on some nights or making very quick, low-key, easy stuff. This week we tried to get back to making some normal meals. My husband made a fantastic spaghetti sauce-- mmm! So good!

3. Watching the Stanley Cup Finals. Poor Rangers! They fought really hard and played really well these past few games. Double over time? I mean, really?! We enjoyed watching these past few weeks, even though it was heart-wrenching.

4. Surviving bad hair days. This had to make the list. This past week has been killer in terms of rainy, muggy, humid weather and this always equals bad hair for me. I'd leave my house looking one way and show up to work looking like I'd been electrocuted. Gross!! Ready for nice weather!

5. Single digit countdown! Well, we're finally in single digit territory. 9 days! 9 days! 9 days! I have it plastered everywhere in my classroom.

We're linking up with Lauren Elizabeth and the ladies that host 5 on Friday! Click on over for more awesome stuff! 

High Five for Friday: 9 Days Left until SUMMER!

Today was one of those days...where I was thankful the weekend was upon us. I don't know what it is, but the home stretch to summer vacation is always the hardest to get through.  I feel like I'm wishing my life away when I always look toward the next long break, but I just can't help it!  We have 9...NINE!...days to go, and all of us, including the kids, can taste summer.  The weather is warm and humid, and summer is calling our name.  It's time for a break!  Nonetheless, this week was another great one, and I am happy to give you my run-down from the week!

1. Tom and Katrina got married!

There's nothing like a great wedding for good friends.  The particular place where the reception was held was one that I've been to many times.  The place doesn't disappoint and the company was even better.  We had a ball!  Congrats to the Newlyweds!

2. Having a Good Class

We have been working SO hard in school, and the kids have really proven over the past couple of weeks that they are ready to move up to fourth grade.  We've been having intense debates on topics that you wouldn't expect eight and nine year olds to have.  Imagine those kids discussing unequal pay between men and women.  It was pretty intense!

3. Getting my hair done!

Tonight I saw Desiree for my five-week hair touch up, and I added highlights!  I haven't had highlights in FOREVER and I absolutely love them!

4. Cracking up at Dawn's Post about LoveTeach

Oh. My. God.  This blogger is my favorite, too.  Every once and a while, I check in to see what this girl is up to, and man, her posts have cracked me up.  This week, I was hysterical laughing, on my couch, by myself, laughing at LoveTeach's latest posts.  Please.  Go read it now. :)

5.  I made it through my first week on the Whole30.

On Thursday, I cheated and hopped on the scale.  I shouldn't have.  It's a major rule in the program to wait it out until day 30.  I couldn't wait...I got on...and I am three pounds lighter so far.  I will admit.  I MISS SUGAR.  I apologize to anyone if I was grouchy this week...I did get a lot of my opinions and feelings out there...which I think was positive!!

Have a wonderful, restful weekend! 

[Washi Tape Obsession]: Page Markers!!

Oh. My. Goodness.  Washi Tape Page Markers.  I'm in LOVE!! Today I was strolling through Marshall's (it's right across the street from my school...so dangerous!) and I came across these Washi Tape Rolls that had page markers on them!!! I think this idea is absolutely incredible.  

I went to town on my latest issue of Real Simple, and marked up things I loved.  

How incredible is this tape for newly engaged brides as they scour their stack of bridal magazines?

What about if you're planning to remodel a room in your house and you're looking for ideas?

Maybe you want to leave hints to your hubby to start shopping for your birthday or Christmas?

Whatever the case, these Washi Tape Rolls were a complete find...and I think you need to hit up your closest craft store and get yourself some!!!

Common Core Lesson Tracker

I had a ball discovering so many great blogs on Scholastic's Top Teaching site. Scholastic has 10 fabulous teacher bloggers that share really amazing ideas that are taking place in each of their classrooms. In the past, I kept up with a few favorites regularly, but this year, I was so wrapped up in learning the new curriculum modules from New York State, that I barely had time to look into anything else.

After finding a super cute Summer Bucket List activity through 3rd grade teacher, Genia Connell's blog, I decided to poke around some more. I was happily surprised to come across these Common Core Math & ELA Lesson Plan organizers. I know what you're thinking... we don't need another organizer to help us plow through the Common Core standards! I know- there are so many resources to help us break down each standard and align our curriculum and lessons to them, but this one incorporates a great checklist AND they're editable! Adjust them to meet your likes and needs! Click here for grades K-5!
Click here for grades 6-8!

I really, really love that these checklists come with columns to show when these standards were introduced, practiced, practiced some more, and then assessed. 

Genia explained that these tracking sheets helped her in various ways:

• Since I began using these tracking sheets, I feel like I am getting a much better handle on what the standards are and how they all fit together with my curriculum.
• I’m paying closer attention to make sure adequate practice time is being provided. If an assessment shows there are students who are still not proficient, then I know I need to provide additional support for that standard.
• My teaching has become more focused and efficient. I look over the organizer while planning lessons and look for ways to add in ideas from several different strands and learning modalities to my weekly lessons.
• These sheets can be a tool to include with any artifacts you may need to provide for your teacher evaluation. They are an easy way to demonstrate you have a purposeful and thoughtful process in place to help your students meet all the required standards.

I hope these are helpful to you in some way! :-)

In the Classroom: Summer Bucket Lists!

I've been a follower of the Scholastic Teacher Blogs for a while now. I loved following Beth Newingham and Angela Bunyi a few years ago. Amanda and I found Beth Newingham's website before she started blogging for Scholastic. I embedded the link to her classroom website because the resources she provides are just amazing. We were in awe of her then and I still am! How does she do it all?! Both Beth and Angela are rockstar teachers. Make sure you click over to their blogs/websites for some incredible inspiration.

I was perusing the internet today for new ideas for summer reading and writing activities. I have some great stuff to share with you, but wanted to share this adorable activity first: Summer Bucket Lists.

I found this through the Scholastic Teacher Blogs, specifically from Genia Connell, who teaches 3rd grade. It seems as if many of the teacher bloggers have wrapped up their year on the Scholastic blogs, but be sure to click over there. You'll find great ideas that you can tuck away for next year!

Even though I teach 6th grade, I fell in love with the cute assignment and will find a way to incorporate this into my Summer Reading & Writing Unit next week. I love how adorable the decorated buckets are! So cute!! Genia offers printables for a bucket template and the Summer Bucket List. Click here for both! 

Genia had her students add personal and academic goals that they would complete before the end of the summer. Some of their academic goals were: 

• Read the classic book, Charlotte’s Web
• Read a chapter book without pictures
• Learn all my nines in multiplication
• Read for an hour straight because I have never done that before

And some of their personal goals (so cute!) were:

• Make a lemonade stand
• Learn how to ride a skateboard
• Eat a cannoli and a lobster tail
• Sleep outside in a tent
• Donate my hair
• Ride a non-kiddie roller coaster at Cedar Point
• Save my money to buy an iPad

I'm so excited to incorporate this into my plans next week. We could use a break from writing paragraphs and essays! Let me know if you've tried this in your classroom before or if you plan on trying it this year!