Crazy Pinning, Formal Observation, Teacher's Notebook, and Number of the Day

I've been pinning like crazy today! I'm looking for some pinspiration for my formal observation. I want to do a reading lesson, but I don't want to use our basal! I'm sick of it, and it's not very exciting at all.  My kids have way more fun and are engaged so much more when I teach outside the box {literally and figuratively!!}! I'm thinking about visualizing, writing about what they were visualizing, and how authors use adjectives to help their readers visualize. I don't know though... I'll probably change my mind 5 times from now 'till my pre-observation conference. If you have any great ideas for Second Grade, or book ideas, please let me know!

Last year I did a really great inference lesson, so this year I'd like to do something else. My observation this year is with my new Principal, so I'd like to impress him. Who doesn't want to impress? :-) I'm a little nervous though... even after 12 years of teaching!

Our district uses Marzano's teacher evaluations. The observations are so in depth that it's so hard to "cover" all of the things that they're looking for. I'm just going to teach the way I know best, and hopefully that's what he's looking for.

Speaking of evaluations and observations, observing veteran teachers other than simple walk throughs is a pretty new concept for our district. In the past we were able to complete a growth plan or do an action research project and they counted that for our evaluation. When we were new, we were observed two times a year, and that was that. Now, new teachers have two formal observations, and at least two informal observations and veteran teachers have at least two informal observations and one formal. I completely understand the reasoning behind it, but it's pretty stressful. Especially when you don't know when your informal is coming! How are things in your district? Same ole, same ole, or have things drastically changed in the last few years like in ours? We'd love to hear about it, and how you're adjusting.

Did you know that it's free to sign up with Teacher's Notebook now? We found out last week, and decided to take the Teacher's Notebook plunge! We're in the process of adding our products and we will be selling them for the same price as our TPT products. If you prefer to shop on Teacher's Notebook, please check out our TN shop and follow us.

On another note, I've been busy like a bee working on my Second Grade Number of the Day Packs... so far I've put four of them up on TPT. I have four more to go for second grade and then I'm going to start working on third grade. If there is a theme that you'd like for your class, please send me an email. I'd love to work on it for you!! =)









Have an awesome Saturday night!! My little girl, Makenzie is over her Nana and Granddad's house for the weekend, so my hubby and I are heading out tonight! It's been a while!!
-Jackie-

Number of the Day, a Freebie, and a Fabulous Giveaway!

Hi Friends!!

This year for math I decided I wanted to do something in addition to my regular old calendar routine. I saw some great ideas for number of the day. There are quite a few fabulous number of the day booklets and morning work out there on TPT. The biggest issue I have is my lack of copy paper and limit on copies that we have at our school. I was definitely not going to Kinko's either, so I decided to make my own number of the day white board set. It's pretty budget, and I made it before I had a grasp on how to make cute products.  My kids adore it though! They enjoy doing their number of the day work in their own number of the day journals. It's fantastic!                                                                    

                                                                                          OLD WAY-->

Well, it was fantastic until I started doing a little more research into Common Core math standards. Holy moly! There's a lot that goes into those standards!! I knew they were more rigorous than the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards which we're required to use until next year, but I didn't expect that much difference! What I LOVE about CCSS is the depth at which is expected within each standard. I also love that there are not as many standards as we have now, so you have the time to be able to go that much in depth. 

With my new found knowledge for the math CCSS {in 2nd grade}, I had a much better grasp on what a number of the day the Common Core way SHOULD contain. Alas my Second Grade Number of the Day Display pack was born. It covers ten different CCSS and it includes everything you'll need to make an interactive number of the day board. There are so many potential combinations of problems and skills, students will be challenged all 180 days of school. As an added bonus, there are also 10 extra pages of problems specifically geared toward challenging those high achievers in your class.

 Right now I just have one 2nd grade pack completed in Pink Zebra {which I've printed and laminated for my own classroom}, but I am also going to make packs in seven other different classroom styles. These styles below are the styles my colleagues in my school have in their classrooms.  If there is a style that you'd like and it's not pictured, I would be thrilled to work with you to design one that works for your classroom style!! Please email me if you'd like! 

My plan is to also make these packs for each grade level k-5! It might take some time, but my goal is to make them by the end of the school year, so they're ready for Summer planning. Please take this freebie {click on the pic below} and use it with your kids. It covers CCSS 2.OA.A.1. I hope you enjoy!! Let me know what you think!! 

Our friend Aimee at Pencils, Books, and Dirty Looks is having an AMAZING 400 follower giveaway!! We are so thrilled and so honored to be a part of this giveaway! We're giving the winner 2 items from our TPT store. You MUST check it out, there are lots of great prizes and products to be won!! Our Little Birdy Blog Designs is also part of it too and we're giving the lucky winner the "Birdy Package"!! =) 

Happy Monday!! It's Bachelor time!! I can't wait to read Kristin's {A Teeny Tiny Teacher} Talk About it Tuesday blog post tomorrow!! Check it out last week's post... she's a hoot!! =) 

-Jackie-