Mrs. Cobb's Kinder Sprouts: giveaways to share

Showing posts with label giveaways to share. Show all posts

Hot Dot Pens (giveaway!!) and Literacy WorkStations in Kindergarten

Labels: giveaways to share, literacy centers - Saturday, September 14, 2013

Hello, friends! It has been a busy, busy first month of Kindergarten. Although much time was spent on testing, I am still happy with how everything is going. I have a sweet class! Thank God! One big part of our work in the last week was getting Literacy Stations rolling. I spend a couple weeks modeling the stations, then a couple weeks letting the kids practice independently while I supervise and coach. Then, I will begin pulling guided reading groups! Today, I made posters for most of the stations I use, and the good behaviors I have seen in the last week.

These show my kids this year, and to protect their privacy I am leaving the picture and file I made as private as possible. I assure you though...they are precious!! I wrote "I can" summaries of directions with each picture and placed each in a sheet protector AKA cheapo lamination. These will be taped near each station as visual reminders.

One station that the kids really like is the Word Work Station. I currently have HeidiSongs Jenga ABC houses and Hot Dot Pens at that station.

Build a Jenga Block Alphabet House! Freebie from HeidiSongs

I was graciously sent the Hot Dot Pens by Educational Insights to test them out with the many old Hot Dot Cards I inherited with my classroom. They have been in use for 3 weeks now and the batteries are going strong. The kids love the dog and cat characters and the happy noises. The pens also buzz when the child has correctly answered a few questions in the row - and that little buzz is a good incentive to get the answers right! The only downside is that my kids hold the pens around the animal's collar where volume control is at, so they keep changing the volume! That's ok though really, because even at maximum volume the pens are pretty quiet and do not disturb nearby workstations at all!

I am currently using Letter (cap to lowercase) Matching and Rhyming Cards, but as the year goes on I will just by swapping out the cards in this center. I love that although the content will change, the way this activity works never will. In my opinion, these Hot Dot Pens make a great center that is self-checking and easy to differentiate!

Now, don't you want to win a pair of Hot Dot Jr. Pens?!? Enter my giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb

Giveaways Week of 7/29

Labels: giveaways to share - Monday, July 29, 2013

Here are all the giveaways I have entered this week: (ok...just one so far...)

Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb

Giveaways Week of 7/22 and the Two Week Countdown

Labels: back to school, giveaways to share - Monday, July 22, 2013

Hello all! After a buy last couple of weeks of visiting family, starting my last graduate school class (yay!!!), and moving my grandpa into assisted living, I am back!

Two things for you today:

1. It's my two-week countdown to the end of summer! I will be busy busy busy the next two weeks preparing my classroom and I plan to share my endeavors with you. :) 2. I am contributing a goodie for my friend Desiree's 2nd Blogiversary Giveaway! Check out the details at the end of this post!

Two Week Countdown

I have a short two weeks of summer left! Two! So, I am finally slowing down the pinning and surfing for ideas, and springing into action on my t-do list. Today, I was going to get started moving furniture back in place in my classroom but, alas, the floors were about to be waxed in the main hallway so I only had enough time to unload a few boxes of stuff and pick up all my back to school files and stuff.

First up on my to-do list from that pile is cleaning off permanent marker written names off various little items like the cupcakes I decorate my door with and the clip-on name tags for the first few days (I know I got those from someone...can't remember who!). I'll also take stock of my supplies for transportation necklaces - these are a MUST in Kindergarten to me. I can see a a glance from these how a child gets home. You can get them at teacher supply stores, and then I 10 mil laminate them for durability. They take them off for the school day and then wear them home and back to school.

I also need to label these pencil pouches that I am using with this cool idea you really should check out HERE! I bought a case of pouches on Amazon. They seem sturdy and durable and the price was a little over $1 per pouch.

Then I will go through this pile and write my first week of school lesson plans. Joy! :)

Finally, there is shopping to be done, but I am really trying not to bust my budget. I will be eyeballing sales for the following items, so if you see a great deal let me know!!

binder pocket dividers for homework binders

stretchy cloth book covers. Surely those will be $1 each sometime in the next 3 weeks right??

UPDATE 7/23/13 My wonderful friend Leigh spotted book covers at Target for me! There are small ones for 69 cents but I opted to get the Jumbo book covers for $1 - and was able to get 6 each of blue, green, red, and black for my color coded tables! I am SO HAPPY. You can find them in with the school supplies. I will post tomorrow about what I am using these for. :)

a new laminator. Mine quit heating up. Recommendations on a new one that will live longer than two years, anyone??

clothespins. 'cause I love clipcharts. I think I may try dying them pretty colors, too.

Giveaways Week of 7/22

I am a contributor for Desiree's 2nd Blogiversary Giveaway! Go check out all the great prizes and enter to win. I am contributing a $10 Target card because I LOVE Target and the back-to-school stuff in the dollar spot. Maybe one day I'll have a TPT store to give items from, but for now it's gift cards to my favorite store. Good luck! Just click either image to go enter.

This next giveaway makes me hungry! I have never eaten at Chipotle, maybe I'll win a giftcard to go try it??

Win a tote bag or $10 for TPT from Down the Learning Road

Enter to win a book about GLUE from Pocket Full of Kinders- it's a giveaway on her Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/ShunaP1/app_228910107186452

And finally...you could win a new blog design!

Win a classroom theme pack:

Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb

Giveaways week of August 3rd -10th

Labels: giveaways to share - Friday, August 3, 2012

Anyone interested in a new recorder for your classroom?? This is the first I have seen of this recorder and it looks incredibly versatile. The blogger who is giving it away includes great idea for using it in your classroom, too. Definitely worth taking a minute to enter to win! http://www.teachingmaddeness.com/2012/07/hearall-assessment-recorder-giveaway.html

On a side note, I am so excited that I have won a $10 MPM School Supplies gift card! I got it from Learning is Something to Treasure: http://learningissomethingtotreasure.blogspot.com/2012/08/its-fabulous-blogger-friday-winners-of.html Suggestions on what to buy? I briefly looked and am thinking about these items:

One Minute Sand Timer for Games

24 pack of stickers

Since I LOVE turtles, This 36 count notepad would be just lovely!
Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb

Giveaways Happening Now: July 23- 29th, Anniversary!

Labels: about me, giveaways to share - Monday, July 23, 2012

Here are the current giveaways that have caught my eye: How cute is the Nautical Breeze Lime/ Turquiose Classic Bracelet made by Angela Moore?!? Brought to you by Little Treasures, go enter to win it by clicking on it!

200 Follower giveaway- a ton of great prizes!

Mrs. Barrow is giving away TPT and Teacher's Notebook gift certificates!

Lisa has reached 650 followers and had giftcards up for grabs!

Teaching Heart has a week of giveaways coming up! Do you follow her blog?How about her facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/teachingheart

I have a poster giveaway you should enter! Not too many entries yet, you have a good chance of winning:

And last, My TPT gift card giveaway! Sorry I don't have a cute picture for it, but in a soon to come post I will be sharing my game plan for calendar time this coming up year. I am taking ideas on my Calendar Dilemma post - share a tip and then return and post on the next Calendar post, and you could win a $10 TPT gift certificate! Do it now - CLICK HERE!
In other news, today I am celebrating my 5th wedding anniversary! Waiting on my handsome husband to get home, we are going to drive around town to all our favorite places and relive some wonderful memories! Here are some of my very favorite wedding pictures. If you live in the Atlanta area and ever need amazing photography, check out My Life Photo! She was my high school art teacher, and the art room was where I caught Matt's eye. :)

We got married in the front yard of his Dad's house. Instead of a guestbook, guests hung their comments on that line across the porch.

Then for the reception, we had a pool party!

Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb

Giveaways happening now- July 15-21

Labels: giveaways to share - Sunday, July 15, 2012

Would you like a cute burlap sign for your classroom, but NOT have to make it yourself?? I do! Enter Rowdy in Room 300's giveaway to have her make one for you!

The Hands on Teacher is celebrating reaching 300 followers with a beautiful giveaway!

A new blog called Simply Kinder is having a TPT launch party giveaway:

Don't forget my little giveaway! All you have to do is check out my calendar dilemma post and leave a comment, then when I do my follow-up post of what I decide to do about that part of the day, comment again. Easy! I don't know how soon I will decide what to do, still seeking advice! Help!

Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb

Sharing Giveaways!

Labels: giveaways to share - Tuesday, July 10, 2012

BRAND NEW Today! -

Sharing a Humongous Giveaway - http://wildaboutteaching10.blogspot.com/2012/07/500-follower-giveaway.html?spref=bl 500 Follower Giveaway copy

Go check it out - good luck!
Here is another one:
EduKate and Inspire

http://edukateandinspire.blogspot.com/2012/07/100-follower-giveaway.html
Aaaannnnddddd! Holy Cow iPad giveaway! Click Here!
Also, read the post preceding this one about calendar - I am doing a little giveaway too!
Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb

Calendar Dilemma, Upcoming Giveaway!

Labels: giveaways to share, math - Monday, July 9, 2012

Kindergarten Calendar with Common Core?? Help! (Oh, and there is a giveaway coming out of this dilemma...)

In the coming school year, my state is adopting the Common Core standards - woohoo! I am very excited to be teaching the same standards so many others across the country are! A perk of that is that you can help me - because I bet some of you are or were confused, too! Haha!
As a Kindergarten teacher, "calendar time" is a part of each day. I have been teaching for two years now and am still trying to figure out the best way to use that time.

Things I KNOW I want:

Now that I don't have to get the kids to name the months, days of the week, and seasons - my goal for calendar time will be to review an assortment of math standards, in relation to the calendar, current events, etc. I'd like to focus on number sense, especially since we will do Number Talks

right after Calendar. These are awesome and perfectly outlined for you. I am so thankful my district did PD on this book. I have actually considered not even calling it calendar time - and rename it something like "Number Talk" after the book (I'm so creative - lol!)I'd also like to have graphing every day - both weather and a fun different question every week -I got questions from Kelly's Kindergarten! Another idea I like is a clothesline to do number lines, patterning, or whatever the class needs some practice with. That could be used during other parts of the math block too.

Under Consideration...Calendar Books!

I have tried calendar notebooks, too. Mine were based on the free stuff Shari Sloane has here: Calendar Book (she has a bundle for sale then individual pages if you scroll on down). I actually wrote a DonorsChoose project to get a class set of nice, durable binders for the kids to use - they held up great and were a good, firm writing surface. I did have a few kids who were so clumsy they would rip pages out, but this time around I am splurging on white construction paper to copy the pages on. Maybe that will help. ______________________________________________________________
On a side note - I have a donors choose project up right now for a new carpet-

I need an upgrade for the sake of classroom management! Carpets are really dang expensive though! So if you're feeling generous and supportive...keep me in mind.______________________________________________________________
There are a couple TPT calendar book products I have on my wishlist too -

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Daily-Calendar-Bundle

This is from Growing Kinders - being so new I think it would help me meet my goal of doing lots of common core math, the only issue is that I would have to make a LOT of copies or do dry erase which...no. Not happening.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Student-Calendar-Notebook

This is from Kim Adsit in collaboration with Shari Sloane. Kim's Websites: http://www.adsit.net/default.php?Submit=Photo_Gallery&Menu=Math&SubMenu=Calendar, http://kindergals.blogspot.com/It seems to be like what I used from Shari before, with more info on implementing! Could be good - but is it $20 good?? Ahh!
I just can't decide without looking at them in their entirety which one I would like. :(

There are just so many possibilities - but I want to develop something very structured and well planned. That is why the calendar books are so appealing. I am just limited on how many copies I have at school- really really limited! Another toss-up - do it all on the interactive board, or all on my bulletin board - or mix?? What should I include as the year goes along? What are you going to do next year??

If you have suggestions - let me know! When I get this figured out, there will be a big reveal post of what I decide to do. :) I will give one lucky reader who both
1. gives me tips on this post and,2. then sticks around to comment on the next post on this topic too...

a $10 TPT gift certificate to buy whatever has been residing on your wishlist!!

I'll do the drawing from the next post of what I finally decide to do, and if I pull your name on that, I will come back to this post and make sure you were awesome and gave me some pointers here! So make sure you comment here, now, before I make up my mind and post what I decide to do! I LOVE comments!
Thanks for visiting my blog!
-Mrs. Cobb