Fluttering By with Butterflies

Butterflies are beautiful creatures! I really enjoy seeing them flutter by in the Springtime! In honor of such a beauty of nature, below are some great links to Butterfly activities for the classroom, online games, and fun facts.

Also, thanks again so much for the support!! We have now officially hit 3,800 views on this blog!

• Butterflies and Vocabulary
• Butterfly Contraction Puzzles
• Butterflies & Bugs
• Butterfly Games
• Fun Butterfly Facts

Earthly Love

Earth Day is coming up next weekend. This is a "holiday" that should be focused on more often. EVERY day should be Earth Day, not just one day a year. Below are some great links that will help children learn about Earth Day and its significance.

• Earth Day Games
• Earth Day: Crafts & Activities
• Planet Pals
• Earth Day Freebie

PLAY BALL!

I am a HUGE baseball fan!! The 2012 MLB season is underway and I am so happy that it is!! Opening Day for my beloved KC Royals is this Friday and I am stoked!!

In honor of my "boys in blue" I am including a few sites below that allow for children (of all ages) to play baseball or baseball related games online. Enjoy!!






Mini-clip Baseball

Baseball Games

Baseball: Games of Kids

Typing Lessons and Fun

Most times,I try not to do any typing lessons for my Kindergarten and 1st Graders. I even limit how often I let my 2nd graders do them. It's not that I don't want them to learn how to type properly, it's merely that most times, the maturity and flexibility haven't quite developed enough yet.

However, I have used some of the typing games to at least help students learn where the keys are located on the keyboard.

Below are a few sites that include either lessons or games that are appropriate and fun for elementary students who are just beginning to learn how to type properly.

Fun to Type

Dance Mat Typing

Computer Circus

Keyboarding Games

Tutorials Zone

Big Brown Bear

A Fun Blog Game...

Marcia at Learning in Bliss has caught me in a game of tag. Since I have a 3 day weekend, I have decided to play. Will you?
The rules? Answer her questions, make up ten questions of my own, and tag ten more people.


Her 10 questions: 
1. What is your favorite holiday project for your classroom? I love having students reflect on what they are thankful for and why. I do this around Thanksgiving. I have had younger students do this via a paint type program on the computer and older kids are able to express it through writing via Microsoft Word, etc.
2. Which do you prefer reading/writing or math/science? I enjoyed reading/writing more as a student, but from the teacher standpoint, I always enjoy teaching Math/Science better. I think there are more fun things to do with those subjects and the grading/planning aren't usually quite as intense.
3. What is your favorite piece of technology for your classroom? For 3 years, I had a SmartBoard in my classroom. Oh, how I miss thee!
4. What was the last thing that happened in class that made you cry? It's been awhile since something has made me cry at work. However, I distinctly remember a parent of one of my well behaved students unexpectedly coming to me after school and getting irate because I had to punish the whole class for poor behavior. It was unexpected for sure.
5. Who is your favorite children's author? Oh my, there are just too many!!! Two of my more recent favorites would have to be Jamie Lee Curtis and Doreen Cronin. I love both of those ladies and their amazing imaginations!
6. What is last song you listened to on your iPod or radio? Wasted by Carrie Underwood
7. If you could go any where on a trip, where would you go? I have a 3 way tie:  New York City, Disney World, and Europe
8. Which do you prefer winter or summer?  ALWAYS Summer!!!
9. What is your most memorable teaching experience? I had a 5th grade student a few years back whose 5th grade year was her first ever in public school. She had been previously homeschooled. Due to certain family issues that arose, her dad was forced to put her and her sister in public school. My student came to me reading at a 2nd grade level and her Math knowledge wasn't much higher. Through lots of hard work, sweat, tears, and love (on both her part and many of us teachers'), she advanced enough in her skills in one school year to be able to advance to 6th grade. I adored that girl and loved her spirit for learning! 
10. Why did you decide to start your blog? I am at a new school this year and am teaching Elementary Computers. This is a position that I am passionate about, as I hold a Master's degree in Educational Technology. I decided that I had been sending lots of emails, etc. about all of the neat resources that I had been finding. I needed a new platform though for sharing. I am enjoying this blogging experience as well as the expansion of my use of social media! I want to share as many amazing educational resources as possible!! There are some pretty amazing teachers out there!


Remember, here Are The rules: * Post these rules * Answer the 10 questions that the tagger posted for you * Create 10 questions of your own to ask the people that you're about to tag * Tag 10 people and link them with your post (and let them know they've been tagged!)


Here are my ten Questions: 
1. What is your favorite educational game to use in the classroom?
2. What types of books do you like to read aloud to your class?
3. What is the funniest thing a student has said/done in your class?
4. What is your favorite non-blog, educational website?
5. Which do you prefer: Science or Social Studies?
6. What is your favorite sport to play or watch?
7. What is your favorite movie based on a children's book?
8. What is the best vacation that you have been on?
9. Which do you prefer, chocolate or vanilla?
10. What do you love most about blogging?


I am tagging: 


Simply Centers
Nyla's Crafty Teaching
I Love Ed Tech
Confessions of a 4th Grade Teacher
A Cupcake for the Teacher
Thoughts of a Cyber Hero
Simply the Classroom
Technology Rocks: Seriously!
Rockin' Teacher Materials
Minds in Bloom

TpT Freebies

I was browsing through the Freebies on TpT tonight and found a few that I thought were exceptionally neat! Enjoy!

Match, Spell, Win Game

Word Attack Skills Game

Go Fish for Irregular Plural Nouns

Angry Birds Geometry

Alphabet Name/Desk Tags

Stick in Your Head Math Poems and Songs

A Few Quick Freebies...

Classroom Freebies and Classroom Freebies Too have so many AMAZING and wonderful things!! It almost makes me wish sometimes I was a classroom teacher again instead of a Computer teacher. Don't get me wrong though, I love what I do!!!

Here are three cute freebies for you today:

All Things Computers

I am working on a review activity for my 3rd-5th Graders. It has caused me to revisit some sites that we've used this year in the computer lab, to help teach about various computer and technology concepts. Here are three really great resources below:

Computers for Kids

Webonauts

Technology for Grades 3-6

For more Great Links, check out my Live Binder site HERE!

Check out this Giveaway!!

Teaching Blog Addict is celebrating 1 year!! Check out and enter their giveaway: 

http://www.teachingblogaddict.com/2012/03/celebrating-tbas-1st-birthday-with.html

My 1st Award...and Passin' it Along to Others!

I am so excited to receive my first award for this blog!! Thanks so much to Susan Hardin at 3rd Grade Grapevine for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award. It truly means a lot, and it's inspiring me even more to continue blogging.  Go check out her blog! It's fantastic!

I now get the pleasure of awarding this award to 15 other well deserving recipients. I am still new at this blogging thing, but I am enjoying the ride!!

The rules for this award are to:

1. Link back to the blogger who gave you the award.
2. Pass the award on to 15 other lovely bloggers.
3. Follow the person who sent it to you.

The latest One Lovely Blogger Awards go to:

1. Ms. Wainwright at The Diary of a Not So Wimpy Teacher: She also has a great Facebook page as well. Check her out!
2. Mandy at Cooperative Learning 365: I love her resources!
3. Nyla at Nyla's Crafty Teaching: She has so many neat ideas and Twitters often.
4. The Wise Guys at Wise Guys Teaching Resources: Great ideas and products!
5. The Collaborators at Blog Hoppin': They really love their blogs! Thanks for all that you share with us all!
6. Shannon at Technology Rocks-Seriously: Check out her great online Easter activities!
7. The Clutter Free Classroom: This blog rocks at addressing some of the most common questions and struggles teachers face.
8. Hilary at Rockin' Teacher Materials: Check out her posts regarding Data Binders!
9. Mel at Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations: I love her creativity!
10. Mrs. P at The Polka Dot Owl: Great site with lots of Reading ideas!
11. Bailey at Foodie Patoodie: This is my non-Education blog recommendation. She has a great site with recipes that are kid friendly!
12. The Lesson Cloud: This is another great site full of ideas and resources! They are also on Twitter.
13. Sally at Elementary Matters: She has so many neat ideas and is passionate about what she does.
14. Teri at A Cupcake for the Teacher: This is a "Sweet" blog!
15. Charity at Teaching Blog Addict: She is outstanding! I admire how much time and knowledge goes into all of her sites!

Please check out all of these blogs! I also appreciate everyone who follows my blog, Facebook page, and Twitter! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!

-Jenifer