Spreading Kindness With The Jelly Donut Difference

I am always on the lookout for books that teach children about kindness and ways they can make a difference in the lives of others.  Author Maria Dismondy's books are some of my favorites to use in the classroom.  Her books teach important character building lessons and are perfect for my Kindergarten students.  

Maria's newest book, The Jelly Donut Difference, is a story about generosity and kindness.  The story of twins, Dexter and Leah, and their neighbor Ms. Mavis is an example of how the smallest gesture can make a big difference. It is a story of traditions, family, and thinking of others.  Maria provides an awesome reader's guide with resources for using this book in the classroom!

Want to know how to make a difference in someone else's life?  Just ask a Kindergartener!  The book sparked a discussion about the ways we can show kindness toward others. 

As teachers, it's important for us to continue to have these important conversations with our students.  They are our future and reminding them that they each have the power to make a difference in the world with even the smallest act, will help to ensure that the world is a better place for all of us.

Ready to add this book to your classroom library?  You can find it here on Amazon.  Or better yet, enter the giveaway below to win a copy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post contains affiliate links for Amazon.  By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase, at no extra cost to you.  This helps to support the blog so I can keep it up and running and share ideas with you.  The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.

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Fall Math & Literacy Centers

Hooray! September is here.  I absolutely LOVE fall (and not just because I'm a fall baby).  There are so many fun themes this time of year...apples, seasons, pumpkins, just to name a few.  I love to incorporate our themes into all parts of our day.  My Fall Math & Literacy Centers do just that!

Here are a few of the activities that are included:

Apple Pickin' Rhymes

Fall Letter Match Up

Gobblin' Up Shapes

Apple Seed Count & Match

There are 10 activities in all, 5 for math and 5 for language arts.  Other skills covered in this resource are color words, ordering uppercase and lowercase letters, sentence building with sight words, non-standard measurement, numbers 0-20, and matching number to quantity to 10.  You can see the complete unit by clicking here!

How would you like to win a copy, just in time for fall!?!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

I've linked up with my friends Jennifer and Sara for Winner Wednesday!

All you have to do is enter the rafflecopter below!  Then head over to A Dab of Glue will Do or Sara J Creations to see some of the other fabulous products you can enter to win this month.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Winner Wednesday: Back to School Kindergarten Printables

It's time for Winner Wednesday and I'm linking up with my friends Sara and Jennifer over at Sara J Creations & A Dab of Glue Will Do.  You have the chance to win some great products just by hopping through all of the participating blogs!

This month you have the chance to win one of my newest products:

Kindergarten Printables: Beginning of the Year Edition

This unit includes 40 pages of activities!  These ink friendly, black and white printables are great for the beginning of the year for your Kindergarten students.  They can be used for morning work, independent practice, to assess students' skills at the beginning of the year, or for intervention or review.  All pages are print and go for easy prep.  

What's included:

Activities for the first day and first week

Cutting practice pages

Glue practice pages

Language Arts

Math

and MORE!

Would you like to win a copy to use in your classroom?  Enter the rafflecopter below!

A winner has been selected!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to head over to check out the other awesome giveaways!

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Winner Wednesday - Baseball Literacy Activities

Today I'm linking up with my friends Jennifer and Sara for Winner Wednesday!  You have a chance to win some great products just by hopping through all of the participating blogs.  What a deal!

Up for grabs today is my Baseball Literacy Activities unit!  I love to end the school year with a baseball theme.  It keeps both my students and me engaged in learning at what can be a crazy time of year.  This unit includes 4 different center activities and 2 additional printables, all around a baseball theme.

Here are a few of the activities included:

Would you like to win a copy?  Just enter the rafflecopter below!  A winner will be announced tomorrow (Thursday).   

CONGRATULATIONS, Jasmine N.!  Check your email!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to head over to A Dab of Glue Will Do or Sara J Creations to enter the other fantastic giveaways!

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Snow Science: Giveaway & A Sale!

Teaching about the seasons in Northern California is a bit of a challenge!  Our leaves don't really change into vibrant colors in the fall, we don't get cold enough for snow, and we loving call summer weather "June Gloom."  Ha!  Luckily, the snow is just a few short hours away and most of my students have experienced it at least once or twice.  But for those who haven't, and even for those who have, I love to bring the elements into the classroom.  The best way to do this is through hands on science investigations!  

So why not bring a little snow into the classroom this winter?!

This unit includes 5 hands on science activities and differentiated journal pages for each one!  All you need is to add a few household items and you're good to go!

There are half-sheet and full-sheet page options.

Here are the activities that are included:

How'd you like to win a copy!?!  Enter the rafflecopter below!

Congratulations Deborah!  Check your email!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't want to wait for the giveaway?  Snow Science is 20% off December 31st - January 2nd!

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Haunted Halloween Hop!

Welcome the the Haunted Halloween Hop!  A big thanks to my friend Sarah at Sarah's First Grade Snippets for sending you over!  I hope you picked up Sarah's secret word on your way.  If this is your first stop, then you're in for a real Halloween Treat!

Some of your favorite TpT sellers have gotten together to make your Fall a little bit easier to plan with the Haunted Halloween Hop!

You can score ALL of these goodies!

 

Here's what you need to do:

1. Visit each blog on the loop for directions to snag the Secret Word.

Make sure to follow each seller - we'll be checking before we sent out prize packs!

2. Write down each seller's Secret Word on the Cheat Sheet!

3. Submit all of the secret words on the Google Form 

{and wait for the prize pack to be emailed to you!}
**Please note: because some sellers have secret words waiting for you on their TpT banner, you will need to visit their store using a computer, not a mobile device!!**

Ready to get started?

From me, you can score Pumpkin Science!

This unit includes journal pages for 5 different pumpkin activities to engage your little scientists!

Head on over and "follow" me in my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking on the green star!  Don't forget to write down my Secret Word while you're there.
Remember to view my store from a computer so you can see my banner!!

Now, head on over to Learning with Mrs. Leeby to see the amazing goody she's sharing!

**This amazing hop ends on Sunday, October 25th!**

Happy Halloween!

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Miss Johnston's Journey Bloggiversary & GIVEAWAY!

My fabulous blog designer and friend Lindsey at Miss Johnston's Journey, is celebrating her 2nd Bloggiversary!  

There are over 50 products up for grabs, $125 in gift cards, happy mail and some FREEBIES, too!  Included in one of the prize packs is my
Color Me Happy unit!

This giveaway runs from July 23rd - 30th.

Click here or Lindsey's blog button below to enter!

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Camp GoNoodle!

Have you heard the news?
The most amazing thing is happening THIS Monday, June 29th!

For those of us with children of our own, summer is anything but care-free.  The daily battle begins within the first few days.  It can be exhausting trying to keep our little ones entertained while attempting to cross things off that summer To Do list or just taking a moment to relax.

But the answer is here!

Camp GoNoodle

Camp GoNoodle is a free online program for kids to stay active and be creative this summer! If you already know and love GoNoodle for the classroom, you’ll love Camp GoNoodle -- a summer extension of the GoNoodle experience kids love at school.

If this is your first time hearing of GoNoodle -- Camp GoNoodle is a great introduction that you can do with your whole family!

How it works...

1)  Head to camp! Each Monday starting June 29, a new set of five adventures will appear at campgonoodle.com.

2)  Go on adventures! Each adventure uses GoNoodle.com’s active videos and games for inspiration, and challenges kids to use their imaginations, get moving, and be outside. Picture building your own DIY jetpack, creating an obstacle course race, or making sushi with things you already have at home.

3)  Sing along! Each week includes two brand new camp songs to inspire creativity and movement.

4)  Connect with fellow campers! Share your adventures using the #campgonoodle hashtag to join the camp community. Each week, Campers of the Week are recognized as all-stars and earn exclusive Camp GoNoodle prizes.

5)  Earn badges! Complete each week of adventure by printing the weekly badge to hang up, loud and proud.   There will be 4 weeks of camp...each having a different theme! 

All you need for camp is...

Is your family ready for an adventure?

Registering is simple.

Head to campgonoodle.com beginning Monday, June 29th!

Teachers: If you already have a GoNoodle teacher/classroom account, but want to participate at home with your own family, you will need to sign up to receive Camp GoNoodle emails here: http://gndle.me/1IdCN2F

This is important because Camp emails are only being sent to parent accounts. We know lots of teachers use their school accounts at home -- completely fine, we just need to make sure we get them in the Camp email list!

Holly from Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connections is kicking off Camp GoNoodle with a linky party!

Share your summer loves and spread the word about Camp GoNoodle!

Here are some of my favorites:

 Now it's your turn to link up!

Fill in your favorites with the image below.

And share about the linky and Camp GoNoodle on social media!

And as a Blogger Bonus, GoNoodle will be doing a (random number generator) drawing on Saturday, July 4th to choose one lucky 'linker' to win some fantastic Camp GoNoodle swag!

Click below to grab the code to add the full linky to your post!

get the InLinkz code

Now link up with Holly below!

An InLinkz Link-up

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500 Instagram Followers Giveaway!

When I started this blogging journey in March, I set a few goals for myself.  I never imagined I'd reach one of them so soon!  I woke up to find I had reached 500 followers on Instagram!  5-0-0!  Holy moly! {insert happy dance!}

So to celebrate all of YOU, I'm having a little giveaway!

How would you like a little TPT spending money???

I'm giving away a $10 gift certificate to our favorite site for all things teacher!

Just enter the rafflecopter below!

Congratulations, Lori!  I've sent you an email!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Reading Game Review and a Giveaway!

A few months ago, some of my bloggy friends attended the EdExpo in Atlanta.  They all came back raving about many of the new products they were able to preview.  One of the items on their Top 10 list was The Reading Game.  You can imagine my excitement when I was contacted by the company, asking me if I’d like to try it out in my own classroom.  I couldn’t wait to check out what everyone had been talking about!

I am always looking for ways to engage my Kindergarteners with learning sight words and becoming fluent readers.  The Reading Game does just that!  It’s great for pairs of students, small groups, or one on one with the teacher or parent tutor.

There are 6 books in the complete game.  Each book has a set of cards that introduces 30 words, 5 new words at a time.  We worked with the first book in the series, Skunk.

The game begins with a memory card game to work on the first 5 words (10 cards).

Once the student has mastered the first 2 sets, there is a picture flashcard to practice sentences containing the new words.

After the student has mastered the 30 words in the set, there is a matching book to read that reinforces those 30 words.   My kinders feel so proud that they are able to read these books because they have just learned all of the words they need through playing games! 

After your students have completed all six sets and books, they will have mastered 180 new words!

Each book in the series contains words from the previous levels, which is great for reinforcement and practice.  And the game meets so many Common Core Standards!

The game is great for beginning readers but also for struggling readers.  The books are engaging and funny and not dull like some emergent readers can be.

You can find out more about this system on The Reading Game’s website.  It can also be purchased here on Amazon.  But wait!  If you order books through Scholastic Book Club, you can also get The Reading Game with your points!  It is available here in the Scholastic Classroom Bonus Catalog.

The great people at The Reading Game have offered me a copy as a giveaway to one of my wonderful followers!  If you’d like to win a copy, please enter using the rafflecopter below!

Congratulations, Jennifer K!  Please check your email!

a Rafflecopter giveaway * I received this product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

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