Graphics Factory Giveaway!!

August is right around the corner and I spent the entire day yesterday (except when I stopped to watch my two little ones in a play at Theatre Camp and take them out to dinner) from 7:30AM-9:30PM in my classroom working. I don't even think I made a dent in it!!
So, this morning I decided to check my emails and I had a great offer from Graphics Factory for a 2 year membership for $39.95 and a free companion membership for a friend. Well, of course I thought of all my bloggie friends first!!
So I will be giving away this awesome membership to one lucky follower on my first day of school, August 17th!!! The giveaway will end at 8:00 PM. Hopefully I won't be too exhausted to get on and post a winner. Here are all the ways you can get entries:
1. Leave a comment on here telling me the date of your first day back.
2. Become a follower of Life's a Teach!! and leave a comment telling me you follow.
3. "Like" my Life's a Teach!! facebook page and leave a comment here telling me you did it.
4. TWO ENTRIES-Go to my Life's a Teach TPT page, download a freebie and leave me some feedback. Then come back here and tell me you did! (don't forget to do it twice!!)
5. Follow my Life's a Teach!! TPT page and leave a comment telling me you follow.

Thanks! and Good Luck!!

Book Basket Labels Part 2

Hey all! Hope you are having a great Tuesday night. I have recently revised my Book Basket Labels. My Lexile Level Labels set has some added levels (plus a blank one) and my Theme Labels set has quite a few more options. I have different sized baskets so I have my labels formatted in different sizes. Hopefully, I will have my baskets completed by Thursday so I can post some pics for ya! If you want to download the new sets, head on over to my TPT store! By the way- I still do not have any feedback. If you like my FREEBIES, please consider leaving me some:)

Help me help my students!!

Okay, I will admit it! I am being totally selfish with this post! I am asking EVERYONE to take 10 seconds out of your day and head over to the Teachers Helping Teachers FB page, click like and then tell them Melissa Currin referred you! They are going to feature The Donor's Choose Project of the person with the most referrals on their group's giving page. This is my first project and I have a long way to go to get it funded! Thanks!!!

Staples Deals Time!

I took a look at next week's ad and I am excited because I have been waiting for 2-pocket folders to be 1 Penny!! I can't wait to get 25 (or 50!) next week! The bad news is that is the only item for 1 cent next week (and don't forget you have to spend a minimum of $5.00). The good news is there are still some pretty sweet deals!
Here's what you can get:

• Zebra Z-grip pack of 7 pens for FREE (after rebate!) This will help me reach my $5.00 minimum purchase when I buy my 25 folders!!



• Ream of paper $.50 (after rebate!)



• 2 pack of black Sharpies $.25 (limit 2)



• 4GB flashdrive $5.99

There is also a coupon for $5.00 off a $25 purchase! Pretty sweet!

Head on over to Staples and don't forget to tell them Life's a Teach!! sent ya!!

Post-its here, Post-its there, Post-its EVERYWHERE!

I love post-its! I use them all the time at school and at home! I love to personalize my post-its by running them through the printer. If you haven't printed your own post-its yet, here are a few tools to get you started. But, be warned....you will get addicted!!

Directions for printing post-its!

Example Primary Edit Check-list Post-its

Example Exit Slip Post-its

Shoeless Joe Jackson, NOT!!

Head on over to Just Another Day in First Grade for a wonderful and FREE unit on shoes! Hurry though...you have to snag it by Monday.

Something has been buggin' me lately...

I love bugs! Bug clipart that is!! I purchased a darling set of buggy clipart from Scrappin' Doodles and just had to do something fun with it...so I made a math and literacy center that I think you will love. It is going to be FREE until 10:50 to all of my followers, so act quick! If you like it, please leave me a little feedback love! I don't have any yet and am dying to get a pat on the back:)

STAPLES 1 CENT DEALS

Next Sunday through Wednesday Staples has 3 great penny deals going on. Normally the limit is 2 of each product per customer, but teachers get 25 of each product by showing their teacher identification!! There is a $5.00 minimum purchase required, but I am sure we all will have NO problem meeting that! Here's what you can get:

• Sharpie 2 pack yellow highlighters



• 8 pack of #2 yellow pencils



• pack of 3x5 index cards

You can bet I will be there on Sunday morning grabbing mine!!

Check out next week's ad here!!

Giveaway Winner!

We have a WINNER!!!

Book Basket Labels

Hey Bloggers! I recently posted about my quest to Lexile level all of my books in my classroom library. Well, I have made it through one rubbermaid bin! So, I took a break and made some new labels for all of my baskets. I made a set for lexile levels and a set for my "themed" baskets. If you would like to grab your free copies head on over to my TPT store. If you like them I would love to get some feedback on TPT!! Thanks and enjoy!

Calling all Pirate Lovers & Sports Fans!!

Ahoy me mateys!! I have to tell you about this fabulous find at Michaels!! If you are sporting the pirate theme in your class this fall check this out!! You can get this fabulous decal set for the low price of $4.99! They are on clearance so you better hurry! This is a very large set that is made to decorate a bedroom from Me and My Big Ideas. You will love it! I snatched 5 up for the 2nd grade teachers at my old school. They are sooooo excited!!

For those of you doing a sports theme they have an adorable baseball set! I grabbed one for myself.....at $4.99, I should have grabbed two!!

Don't forget to check out my giveaway post! My 100 follower giveaway ends Thursday at midnight!!

Get 2 more entries in my 100 Followers Giveaway!!

Here's your chance to get TWO more entries in my giveaway!! Put my blog on your blog roll and you get 2 additional entries!! Don't forget to go to my Giveaway Post and comment so I know you have added my blog. Make sure you comment TWICE for two entries!! Thanks for following!
Melissa

Duh, WINNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, it is Friday night and I just returned from an indoor soccer game (I scored a goal and we won!!). So in keeping with the high I am on, I have decided to have my 100 followers giveaway!! I really can't wait any longer.

The winner of my first giveaway will get this beautiful Marie Osmond ID case stuffed with a $10.00 gift card from Target. Who couldn't use ten big ones to spend in the dollar spot right now? I know I just blew $50.00 today at Staples and Michael's (by the way they have a 20% off coupon good through Saturday!!).

So here is how you can win:

1. Comment to this post- 1 entry
   





2. Become a follower of Life's a Teach!! - 1 entry
   





3. Blog about my giveaway!- 1 entry
   





4. Like my Life's a Teach!! Facebook page- 1 entry
   





5. Follow my TPT store - 1 entry
   





6. Grab my button and post it on your blog. - 1 entry

Don't forget to post one comment for every entry for a total of 6 entries! I will announce the winner next Friday so make sure you come back and check to see if you are the lucky one!

Happy Blogging!!!!

To Lexile or not to Lexile!

So, I have been knee deep in books for the past few days! I have every book I own and I am tackling the task of Lexile Leveling each and every one of them!! I thought I had this licked a few years ago when I went ahead and found the Reading Counts level for each of them!!

So, now that I am right in the middle of all this, I am wondering-

How do you organize your books in your classroom?

I have always had them by RC levels with a few baskets of series, authors, etc. I am leaning towards using Lexile Levels as my main baskets (thank you ELA Common Core Standards!) and then keeping my special baskets and adding non-fiction in the mix.

What do you think? I would love to hear from all you blogtastic teachers out there!!! And, hey by the way, while you are here go ahead and click on that little followers tab so I can have my first giveaway!!

Melissa

I need 10 more followers!

Emergency EXIT here!!

Formative assessment is such an important part of my daily classroom instruction. As teachers we naturally gauge where our students are through observation, anecdotal notes, etc. Then we use this data to differentiate within our groups. I like to use exit slips as part of my formative assessment. It is important to change it up and use lots of variety to keep our students engaged. If you'd like some easy to use EXIT slips check out my TPT store.

Freedom Freebie Time!!

Whew! I am exhausted after a week at the beach and then all the Independence Day festivities that have been going on. I am enjoying a little time here at my computer to wind down! Here is another freebie for all my blogging friends! These are great to print on cardstock and put on a binder ring. Then you can house them in your writing center or make a set for all of your kiddos! I hope you enjoy!! Don't forget to follow me! I am so close to 100 and ready for a giveaway!!!!!

Melissa

Let Freedom Ring!!

I am so thrilled that I had such a huge response to my Fables pack!! If you didn't get your freebie- here's your chance to snag it on sale! I am offering 25% off of everything in my TPT store today and tomorrow in honor of my WONDERFUL country's birthday!!! I am so proud to be an American and even prouder to be an AMERICAN TEACHER!!!!


Click on the picture below to get the direct link to my store. And if you grabbed my Fables unit I promise- there is more to come!!!! Happy blogging!







Melissa