TeachersPayTeachers BIG SALE!

On your mark, get set, GO!

 

Who's loves a great sale?  I sure do and I know my shopping cart is sitting on go for checkout!  Here is a link to my TPT store and don't forget to add the promo code TPT3!  Are you ready, start shopping!


Also, don't forget if you are a follower of my store, I offer my products free for at least a day before they go on sale.  So remember, follow and enjoy!

Cultural Diversity Frozen Song "Let it Go"

Wow, all I can say is AMAZING!  Okay, I've done a little bit of research to figure out just who, what, where, this all took place.  My girls absolutely loved Frozen, they loved this MORE!

Alex Boye' is a notable singer and songwriter that is up and coming.  He is becoming quickly famous for adding an African Tribal twist to current popular pop music.  He has collaborated with Bruno Mars  and Lexi Walker (who is featured in this video).  He has several remakes of popular music that is current now.  His parents are from Nigeria, however, Alex was born and raised mostly in London, England.  This is pretty amazing because his parents are from the continent Africa, raised in London, and now lives and a citizen of the United States of America.  Anyone else seeing how our roots from Great Britain and Africa all merging to make the great Nation we live in today.  Am I being a little cheesy? 

I'm busy working on a connection activity for these videos... coming soon as a freebie!

This video is filmed in the Ice Castles in Midway Utah.  Ummmm, Ya, who knew?  I consider myself pretty knowledgable on most days.  Ha




I'm definitely going to work on a Smiles for Life theme with my fifth graders!  Love it!!

Best Writing Video Ever!

Here is my mini Tuesday fun!  Check out this amazing writing video...  Love it!



~ Tara

One Large Man- A New Perspective

Judge me on my grammar and I will cut you!
       Taking a short break from creating lessons I wandered into Southport.  One to just take in the waterfront view, two to pick up stupid stuff from Wally world.  Hair ties, bobby pins (thanks to Kayla wearing a cute do today), eye liner, blah, blah, blah..... On my way to see if they have size 4T khaki pants.  A large... no LARGE man comes straight my way!  Not large like big/fat, large like line-backer (football right???? Ha) LARGE! Not only did he come straight my way... at 10:29,59 but he hugged me!  All up in my bad attitude, I don't want to be at Walmart, up in MY SPACE HUGGED ME!  Then he looked straight at me and said 'Remember ME?'
         In a matter of milliseconds (not sure if that's possible) I said yes and said his name!  He was shocked I remembered his name.  I will say it is extremely hard to recognize some kids after they mature into adulthood when I knew them back, way back inthe day.  We laughed, smiled, and hugged some more.  This time I was in his personal space(not in a call the law kindof way).  The biggest, my whole heart kind of hug!  The kind of hug that makes salt water squeeze out of your eyes kind of HUG!
       As I checked out I was smiling like an idiot, straight up idiot!
       Driving home I came to this conclusion.  We are in each others' lives for brief moments of time.  I had the honor of teaching HIM, along with numerous others over the years.  My world of WALLS came down and I could for the very first time see how special every amazing teacher is to someone!  T-ball coaches, boy scouts, pre-school, private, day cares, in home care, foster parents, grandparents taking the role of parents, PARENTS, friends that coach us through rough tough and sour parts of our lives, battleship teachers, sunday school teachers, aquarium teachers, high school teachers, middle, coaches, band directors, mahjong (I really want to learn how to play), doulas, fitness coaches, nannies, tutors, job training, dive instructors, even MEAN people have a role to play in teaching us.  For a small moment of time I'm so happy with being a teacher.
        Remembering all the amazing kids that parents have allowed and trusted me with their child for an entire year or longer. And while the child is eager for the end of the day to come, each and every day, I will remember them.  I will etch in my mind a piece of them for years down the road. The sense of humor (or lack thereof), organizational skills (I still don't have that one down), smiles, giggles, endless talking, farting, sweet notes, sweet gestures, small little things that are so unique and individual to our personalities.  They are embeded in our minds.  Our paths may not cross for 10 or 20 years but a name will come to my mind because I will remember the awesome child they were that played an amazing role in my classroom community.  I will remember them and just maybe... they will remember me.
        Then I remembered something awesome I want to do tomorrow in history.... LOL.  My overactive brain took me away from my thoughts however my heart is still singing and my face is still smiling.

With a happy heart- Good night!

~ Tara

Uncle Drew 1, 2, &3

Here we Go!  I'm so excited to take a little amount of time to post youtube videos on my blog.  There are several benefits I can see to using this method.  (You know a list is coming!  LOL)

1.  You can show this in class without other videos popping up at the end.  Just make sure you select no pop up selections after the video.
2.  Students can view this after school, at home, in a safe environment, again... they don't have to scroll through 'other stuff' to get to the video you posted.
3.  You can always find the video you wanted to show... always!  Because it's on your blog!  Wah- lah!  Can't wait to post more motivational videos.

My Brother and Sister in law introduced me to these awesome videos put out there by Pepsi.  Gotta love some NBA Players!  Your kiddos will love this media trickery.  I feel a writing prompt coming up viewing these videos.... Hmmmmm.

~ Tara

How to add a HYPERLINK to your TPT Description

Snow, snow go away, come again..... NEVER!  I live in FREAKING North Carolina, on the coast!  Minutes from the BEACH!  I don't want fluffy white snow.  I want soft, crunchy, hot, scorching sand, salt water and SUN! 

Okay, I will admit it was fun to enjoy my two girls excitement about making snow angels, sledding (in laundry baskets and boogie boards) down an otherwise dangerous hill. 

 This one makes me think of the fabulous movie FROZEN!  Do you want to build a snowman?

That would be my fabulous husband, who gets the father of the year award.  I get the photographer/ mother award.  Hahaha  No seriously, I guess I can handle a snow day or two.  But we have been out of school all week, and I can't help but think we are going to have to make this all up on WARM DAYS.  Oiiii.

HYPERLINK TUTORIAL FOR TPT OR BLOG

I'm sure there are several tutorials out there.  Apparently, it takes me a while to find the right one when I need to learn something.  So I spend countless minutes searching until, oh joy, finally what I was searching for. 

Here's how to create a hyperlink in your TPT file! 

What you will need:

1.  The title of the item you wish to link to in your store.
2.  Copy and paste the web address to that item

Next, open a new window and travel to this amazing blog: Gordon's Blog.
He has this handy, dandy hyperlink generator.  Fascinating I know.

Okay-

Paste the URL or web address to your store item in the URL box.
Then, type the title of your store item. (this is the pretty blue words that will ultimately send your beloved shopper to your other item)
Press the submit button!

And wah-lahhhhhh!

Copy and paste that long-butt code into your TPT description and you have a handy-dandy hyperlink that will take them to some other fabulous item in your store in a hink-pink click. 

F to the Y to the Izzy Izzy EYE!  You can also do this to insert a hyperlink for your blog when you leave sweet comments to other bloggers.


~ Tara

Snow Day GO AWAY! FLASH FREEBIE

Another snow day and another tomorrow.  Of course the safety of our children is so important, but I'm going stir crazy.  At least today we had the opportunity to sled a little.  Now granted it was on boogie boards and in laundry baskets.  But nonetheless, we went sledding. 

Here is a flash freebie you can get for the next week.  It's an ecosystem total review.  You can print the notes pages or you can print the student pages for them to fill in as they learn.  Such flexibility.  I would love to hear your positive feedback on this product.  Many times I put stuff out there and it takes about 200 downloads before I hear anything.  I guess that's the life of teachers pay teachers.  I'm sorry I haven't looked into a drop box to load this document.  If you follow my tpt store I usually offer great (wink, wink) discounts when I first post items. 

Also, I tried to come up with a creative name for this set of study sheets.  T.O.P.P  Test Opportunity Prep & Pass!!!!!   I know I want my kids to have a comprehensive study guide before big tests and could never find anything.  So ultimately I would write or type my own study guide.  Please let me know how you like this product or how I can make it better.  Thanks.

You can click on the pictures or use this link.

Stay warm and safe. Is it too early to start a summer countdown?

~ Tara

New Computer Desktop- I'm Lovin IT!

So I absolutely loved this beautiful picture on pinterest of a chevron background with beautiful pin boards for the desktop icons. Well, I went to actually go to the website (that's funny, because all I do is pin things.)  Ha, don't judge me, you probably do it too.  I mean you didn't think I actually looked up all 3,500 pins I have did ya?   LOL
 

 
This is my before picture of my school computer!  Horrible I know!  I just find or make great stuff and save to my desktop and file later.... or not!)
 
Blah, blah, blah... short story shorter.  It had me going here, downloading this and that (back of my mind is some hacker is going to steal all my information) purchase this, blah, blah, OH WAIT!
 
Learning how to do all the teacherspayteachers previews, pictures, and creative files.  I remembered I could take a powerpoint slide and save as a jpeg and wa...lah!  Change my desktop to fabulous!  So here's how I changed my school and home desktops to look. 
 
 
Well, here is my school desktop after.

 Much better.  Here's the scary part.  My home desktop is even worse. My excuse is because my extra job of making teacher materials keeps me from overthinking things, depression, and worry.  It puts me in a creative mood and allows me to be productive instead of CRAZY!  I'm so serious.  I get a lot of positive feedback and feel like I'm doing some good in this crazy world.  Especially the crazy world of teaching!  Ha.... right?!?!
So, drumroll please....

So, thank you for being so patient reading all this, here are the steps to creating a great digital background from a pc person.  ( I can't wait to switch to mac, but honestly I'm scared)

First create a powerpoint slide with the background you want. 
Insert digital frames where you like.
Insert text boxes to label your frames or not (preference).
Save file as ppt (just incase you need to make changes)
Save file as jpeg.
Go to your computer preferences and change the background of your display.
Super!  You have a new background to help organize your life.
 Have a super safe snowy week!  I'm so ready for summer!!!!

Let me know if you would be interest in a couple designs for free on TPT!

~ Tara

FOCUS..... FONTS!

Good Evening YOU amazing teachers out there!

This is how focused I am.  I am supposed to be working on lesson plans, laundry, workshop materials......something.... anything other than PLAYING.  But here I am working on a new FONT.  What?!?! You heard that correctly!  Here is my sweet Little Ladybug Alice Font!  One of my besties at work loves, adores, cherishes, ladybugs!  Recently she has went through a more than difficult time.  I haven't been able to stop thinking about her, therefore, pooffff.... a new font was created. 

I love my friend dearly.  If you have ever known someone close to you that has gone through a difficult time, you know the only thing you want to do (relieve them of the pain and hurt) you just can't.  You can't say any of the right words, do the right things..... all you can do is just be there and pray.  Pray it will go by fast, heal with sweet memories, and be able to enjoy life again... one day. One day at a time. 

Here is the font and the link to my store.  I have been inspired by so many amazing teachers, I hope this might inspire you to create something cute and thoughtful for your kiddos.  I would love to hear about what you make!

Here is the link:

Enjoy, I would love to hear your positive feedback.  And please always let me know if I have majorly screwed up anywhere!  Goodnight youz guyz!!!!
~ Tara

So Nervous! and other Random Babbeling Stuff....

I am working on putting together my first workshop.  Oh, crap!  What did I sign up for.  Ahhhh!!! Also, I am one of those people that it takes me quite a while to get focused on my computer.  There are so many things to distract someone out there.  However, I took a nap today.  So I have already painted my nails, and not just any paint!  I did the 30 minute whole gel nail system so they will stay on for two weeks.  Ooooiiiiii, am I going to get focused tonight? 

On the other hand, I love all the great feedback on my new font!  Yay! However, I'm worrying about the two or three 3.5 ratings on free items.  Seriously, if it's free and you don't like it or it's not perfect, why down rate the item.  I'm just saying.... but I can't let go of (I really need to) the 3 out of 128 perfect scores on my TPT products.  I know a 3.5 is not horrible, but come on people it's free!  Okay, that rant is over.

Back to the workshop.... (I'm a little unfocused, ya think?)

There are a few things I know for sure when I do this mini workshop.  I know the kinds of workshops I love to attend.  I love when I'm treated like a professional.  You know a fun welcome, coffee and fruit (new year, everyone's going to be on healthy goals). If they don't like what they get at least they will get a good cup of joe! Ha

Not speaking down to the teachers about what social studies integrated with language arts, but asking about what they already implement, brainstorm new ideas and leave (hopefully) feeling rejuvenated with new ideas and perspectives.

Another thing I love about a great workshop is when you leave with something you can take directly back and use in the classroom.  I plan on having a 30 minute make and take so teachers can directly implement (or not) the skills in the classroom.

Make the conversation truly common core.  Provide an idea and allow the teachers to create instruction, lessons, and activities directly on the spot!  Not just use an hour and a half, but make it part of their planning they can take right back to the kids. 

I would love to hear what your idea of a great hour and half workshop should offer!!!!

~ Tara