It's the most wonderful time of the (school) year!

I think I will start this with a random thought.. I am feeling just a tad bit random as per usual. You know that "Mama" commercial for the movie with the spooky girls? I am sure you do because I feel like it is on every 5 seconds. This is why I cover my ears and close my eyes whenever I watch T.V. or for that matter when my hubs watches T.V. It doesn't matter how distracted I may be with whatever I am doing. I hear that commercial and I freak. I just don't like it one tiny bit!!! I don't know how I ever watched these scary movies. I feel like back in high school that was all we went to see. Even then I buried by face in Josh's arm. That was before I knew he would be dealing with my fraidy cat ways for life! I can't wait until that dang movie finally comes out so they can stop showing the preview, ugh.

On a less random note I am starting to feel like my self again. I started creating again last week and I haven't needed an afternoon nap in a lil over a week now. That is sayin' a lot people, lemme tell ya! After the break it actually feels really nice to back to work and into the routine. Just because I am not crazy sleepy doesn't mean I am not crazy emotional though. I cry over ev-er-y-thing! Sometime I am not even sure why I'm crying. It's all a stage though I am thankful for each and every bit of it.

My two favorite times of the school year are September and right after Christmas break. I love all of the newness, and feeling of school, fall and meeting my sweet kids in September. After Christmas break there is just this sense of routine though that I feel more than any other time of the year. The kids are refreshed and ready to learn. I am refreshed and ready to teach my booty off! 

Now that my thirds have been introduced to the basics of multiplication we are moving on and adding the more complex pieces. This week we worked on what I like to call the CheeriO trick. Hopefully this will explain...

They think this trick is pretty darn cool. For extra practice and to free me up for small groups they practice with Cheerio Memory. 

This week we are going to learn more about the commutative property. I have included Triple Times War as a freebie just for you here... you know I can't blog without a freebie! I just love em! Click the picture to get yours. BTW I was going to use dice but when multiplying 3 numbers if the product gets to high on the first roll it creates quite the problem. The spinner keeps the product low enough on the first and second spin so that they can find the final product on the third spin. 

You can also get these and other ready to go centers in my Multiplication Centers and Activity Pack from TPT!

Soooo sleepy, but I have a FREEBIE!

I wondered for a while why I just could not find the energy to blog about everything we are doing at school. I mean I always think this is seriously cute, or this is amazing, wow my kids are really getting this I have to remember to share!! Well, for one I can't seem to remember to take pictures. I am barely making it through the day getting every little thing done that I had scheduled to do. When I walk those last little sweeties to the bus I was practically falling asleep at my desk. When I got home there was no way I was thinking about turning on the computer... no sirrreeee!

Well....

 I figured out just why my lids have felt so heavy lately!! Another baby Newport is on the way! We could not be more excited or feel more blessed. Conner is so happy that he is going to be a big brother, though he thinks that the baby is in his tummy too. 

I am sure that you can imagine that my mind is nothin but baby, baby, baby now! It has been hard to find the inspiration to take pictures and to share. I promise we have been learning all sorts a' stuff! 

My kids are rocking multiplication... we are learning about Northwest Native Americans... they are paragraphing like little geniuses and their art is fantabulous!! 

I'll ease myself back into all this slowly... Multiplication

Each time we teach a "trick" we talk about how skip counting can help. We also learn a song to go help us skip count. Musical Array-ngements is great! If you haven't heard these songs you must take a listen. Click the picture to take you to the link. I couldn't find any samples online so if I find the energy (ha-ha) I might have to have my kids sing a number or two for ya to share! 

Any-who after we learn the song we practice skip counting in our skip count book. We discuss patterns and what we notice. We then create flashcards for the trick. Kids have a set of flashcards for home and school. Each week they are tested and they add to their cards. This is going so well- I just hope it STICKS!!

Andddd because I feel so guilty for leaving you all for so long here is a freebie! Hope you can use this skip counting book! Click here to get yours!

Multiplication Centers

We have started multiplication and my thirds are so excited! I love how pumped they are!!

Here are the centers we have been working on....

You can get your center pack by clicking the picture above!

To teach multiplication I am using this book and it is FAB-O-LOUS! Kids learn their facts trick by trick... I send home flashcards for them to practice and they bring them back to school every day. It has a ton of practice and I have a parent volunteer come in to assess kids each week and give new flashcards!

As a firsty teacher last year I used this version to teach addition and subtraction facts and I'm telling ya it works!

Happy Sunday..... makin this one short and sweet!