How to Create a Carousel Ad on Facebook {Tutorial}

Hey, friends!

Sooo...I'm so excited about this. Like - probably too excited about this. I think you will be too!

Today, I'm going to show you how to create a carousel ad for Facebook.

"What's a carousel ad for Facebook?", you may ask.

Well, my friends, it's a nifty little way to advertise a product, a blog post, or your website with rotating images. The best part?! This ad doesn't cost any more than a regular ad on Facebook does, AND you can have up to 5 clickable, rotating images in the ad.

{Did you get as excited as I did?!}

I first saw these about a month ago, and I just had to figure it out myself! So, I did. And here's how you can create a carousel ad for yourself.

Have you created your carousel ad yet? 

I hope you found this tutorial helpful! :)

My First Week of School, New Product, & Give Away!

Whew! What a week! I managed to survive make it through my first full week of school with my sweet kiddos! I was so excited to have this year's bunch! I have some sweet babies this year, and they are so tiny coming from second into third grade! So far, I have had wonderful manners, sweet hugs, and lots of smiles! I pray the year continues this way!

With that being said, I have been slacking on my blogging. I don't know how some of these ladies do it! Blogging, creating, selling, being a wife, being a mommy, being a teacher, sleeping, laundry, and still having some sanity left in their noggins!?!

I think most of these fabulous blogging women wear this under their normal clothes...I mean, I'm just saying! I think my Super Woman suit got lost in the wash somewhere....goodness gracious!

Today, however, I made it a priority to finish a Literacy Center that I started way back in July before the madness of the school year began.

So, here it is...Ice Cream "Topics". If you like what you see, click here to go check out the 13 page {FREE} preview download in my TpT store! I haven't introduced this Literacy Center to my students yet because we are just learning what Reader's Workshop is and how to use it, so we won't get into the what's or how's of Word Work & Literacy Centers at least for a few more weeks. However, I do have my cute little ice cream containers in my Word Work & Literacy Center area ready to go and I've had quite a few little third grade peepers checkin' this center out and asking, "Mrs. Flood, what's that for?!?!"

So, in honor of me finally finishing something I needed to finish a long time ago my wonderful first week back to school, the first TWO friends that:

1) Follow my TpT store

2) Follow my Blog

3) and...LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW get this LITERACY STATION for FREE!!! Woohoodles!!

AND...this product will be 50% off for tonight (8/19/2012) ONLY!!! 

Have a wonderful week with your babies (and if you aren't in school yet, please, just pretend you are for my sake!)

Until then, 

Back to School Product Premiere

Hi friends! I am about a day late (and since school has started up this past week, about $150 dollars short) getting on this band wagon! I had originally linked up to be a part of Christina Bainbridge's "Back to School Product Premiere" which is a fantastic idea! :) I love this because it's a great way to show case a product that you use in your classroom that you feel would be beneficial to other teachers. However, with school starting this past week, I didn't have time to get this post up yesterday...But, it's better late than never....So, here goes! :)

My "must have" product for the school year is my "Reader's Workshop Notebook: Labels & Directions {Using a Composition Notebook}"! With the back to school sale at TpT and TN this weekend, it's a great chance to pick you up a copy for close to nothin', honey boo boo child (have you seen the "honey-boo-boo-child" video on YouTube?!?...if not, you must...sorry....shiney object....). 

Anyways, I have always had a hard time implementing and using (consistently) a Reader's Workshop Notebook...so I believe I have found the solution! I have been using Reader's Workshop (The Daily 5 Framework-ish) in my classroom for about 2 years now, so when I created this file, I kept in mind the top 4 things that I wanted my kids to remember and use when working with this notebook. I find that there is a disconnect between HOW WE WANT THE KIDS TO MANAGE THE INFORMATION from the books that we read, and the skills we want them to remember, as well as the anchor charts I use every day. I want them to be able to utilize this notebook as study guide, a reference (EXAMPLE: "Hey, Bobby, do you remember what it means to make an inference? Remember when we read Tomie de Paola's book Pancakes for Breakfast?" "Oh, yeah, Mrs. Flood....we wrote it down in the section "Books we Read" in our Notebook..".), and a way to respond to their reading all wrapped up in one resource that they can refer back to and use on a daily basis (instead of making 14 different notebooks while the rest of them sat alone in a desk or on a shelf collected dust and listening to crickets...Anyone?!).

So, here's how it goes (and these pictures are in the preview download at my TpT store, but I give more of an explanation here of how I use these, but of course, you can tweak them however you feel works best for your babies):

I hate to waste ANY usable space, so the first document you see here is a "Check for Understanding" guide. This is glued to the inside of the  front flap of the journal. Basically, this is a guide to help students respond to their reading if they ever say they don't have anything to write about. There is a section in the notebook where they respond to each book that they read. However, these writing prompts can be used any time in the classroom when they have to respond to what they've read. There are prompts for fiction and non-fiction books. 

This is the very first section of the notebook and this is the section that they will use the most. The next picture shows examples of how they are to respond to each book they read. Sometimes their response will be longer, but sometimes it will be shorter. I will model with them for the first month of school how to do this in small group pull outs, so it will be a while before they will get to this level (I teach 3rd grade, so if you teach 5th, you might only have to model once or twice). 

Here is an example of how they will respond to books they read. Of course, you can do this differently with them. Whatever works for you! That's the beauty of this file! :)

I love this section because I know this will be the section that will be the most beneficial to my kiddos. It's important that while we create Anchor Charts that the kids are part of the creation and I use their thinking and wording on the charts. I also want them to have a copy of the anchor chart to use for studying or to refer back to. Many times anchor charts get covered up (because lack of wall space) and we need to refer back to that chart. This way, the kids will have it with them all the time. Of course, their drawings will be in pencil. AND...I will stress to them when setting my expectations that it doesn't have to perfect and as long as they understand what they've drawn, that's all that matters. This section will definitely help fill a gap in my classroom!

Each time we read a book in class, this is a great way to reinforce the skill taught, and help the kids remember what the book was that we used for that skill. I had a light bulb moment the other day and decided to go ahead and make TEENY, TINY copies with the copy machine of the cover of the book (almost thumb nail size) to have the kids glue next to each entry that we put. I do this on anchor charts anyways, and it's a great way for them to make associations with skills and how to use them in literature if they can remember how they first learned the skill. 

This section is perfect for any independent work they do during "Read to Self" or if you have them respond to what they read. This section is very versatile, so really, it can be used for many different things.

Last, but not least, are all the elements of each Genre, for fiction and nonfiction, that they need to be familiar with. This is just a quick-reference-guide to help jog their little memory from time-to-time!

When you purchase this file, this is what you get:

This file contains the following:
- Explicit directions {with photograph examples of each step} as to how to set up the notebook
- Explicit examples {with photograph and written examples} of the content within each section of the notebook
- 4 Different Styles {1 Black/White Chevron Pattern for the kiddos to color themselves & YOU save on ink, 1 Grey/White Chevron Pattern for the kiddos to color themselves & YOU save on ink, 1 Black/White Stripe Pattern for the kiddos to color themselves & YOU save on ink, and 1 Rainbow Colored Pebble Style}
- Each style includes:
- Label for the Cover (_________'s Reader's Workshop Notebook)
* Label for "Section #1: Books I Love"
* Label for "Section #2: What I am Learning"
* Label for "Section #3: Books Our Class has Read"
* Label for "Section #4: Independent Reading Work"
- "Check for Understanding: Independent Writing Prompts for IR Book" front flap glue-on w/s
- "Genre Elements: Elements of Fiction & Nonfiction Literature" back flap glue-on w/s

I hope you find this resource useful and helpful in your reading class this year! I look forward to implementing this with my kids. However, the biggest thing I can stress is to *SET SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS* and *MODEL, MODEL, MODEL* how you want this to be used, kept, and managed in your classroom. Realize that in making an example copy to show your kiddos, that it will help you process how you want this implemented and used in your own classroom. Think each section through step-by-step (When will they use this in my room? How will they store this journal? Can they take it home? Can they use pencil only?) before implementing this in your room. Of course, all of those things are up to you, sweet teacher friend! :o)

Have a WONDERFUL school year! Let me know how you've chosen to implement this in your classroom!

Until then,

It's the MOST Wonderful Time of the YEAR...the Annual TpT Sale!

Thanks to Michelle from The 3AM Teacher for this super cute graphic!

It's almost here! I feel like Santa might drop down my non-existent chimney any day now! :) 

This coming Sunday and Monday (August 12th-13th), Teachers Pay Teachers will be hosting it's Annual Back to School Sale! Shop 'til you drop, and don't forget to add the code BTS12 at check out for a total discount of 28% off! Click on the picture to link directly to my store!

First LINKY Party {Currently} & Newest Product!

I am SO excited to be a part of my FIRST Linky Party! I've been following blogs for quite some time, and I LOVE a good Linky! One of my favorites to follow is Farley's from Oh' Boy Fourth Grade! Take time to check out her cute little {mustache} lovin' self and great ideas!

So, here goes...my *first* linky {I feel like I'm a for real blogger girl, now!}:

B2S Must Haves:

1) I LOVE my Cricut! My husband got it for me last Christmas and I was SOO excited!! I love using my vinyl to cut out words as labels...FAV!

I get my vinyl from Expression Vinyl and shipping is so fast!

2) CUTE CLIP ART! Other than using clip art to jazz up my TpT & TN files, I also use it ALL YEAR LONG on gift tags, classroom newsletters, making CUTE desktop backgrounds, etc, etc!!

My Current TOP 3 Go-To Clip Art Sites:

1) Digi Web Studio {http://www.digiwebstudio.com/store/} Ummm...I don't know if I'm one of the last people in the world to jump on this wagon, but this site has TONS of Commercial Use clip art at great prices, NOT TO MENTION they are AH-dorable! LURVE them!

2) KPM Doodles {http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/kpmdoodles} PRECIOUS clip art at a great value! I am in LOVE with all of her graphics and can't stop buying them!!

3) Miss Talley's Shop: Small Town Clipart {http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/Ms.Talley} I LOVE her doodles and she has such GREAT borders and backgrounds!! She is just starting out, but the quality of her products are wonderful and I always look forward to visiting her shop!

3) New *FUN* Ink Pens! I LOVE a good ink pen {you just can not have too many...I mean, seriously!}

These are my favorite ink pens {and I've even gotten my husband using these pens, too!}, and I ask for them at Christmas and for my birthday....is that normal?!

If you'd like to experience my obsession, click on the picture. My favorite colors are purple, green, orange, & black.

So, now that I've expressed my sick obsession excitement over vinyl, clip art, and ink pens {I mean, if that doesn't sound like a teacher, I don't know what will}, I'm going to share my newest product.

I really needed something for my classroom to (A) fill a wall space with something that was cute, eye catching for the students, and matched my polka dot classroom and (B) reinforced the reading strategies that we hit really hard on in the beginning of the school year. I'd been dying to use my newest KPM Doodles clip art set {this one....see, I told you I can't stop buying from her store...}, so I thought, "What the hey!"

In this packet, there are 10 colorful strategy posters with a definition and visual representation of each strategy. The strategies included in this packet are: SCHEMA, MAKING CONNECTIONS, TEXT-TO-TEXT, TEXT-TO-SELF, TEXT-TO-WORLD, VISUALIZING, QUESTIONING, INFERRING, SYNTHESIZING, and SUMMARIZING.

The *first 2 people* to Follow my TpT store and comment below {don't forget to leave your email address} will receive this FO' FREE!! Also, for this weekend only {8/4-8/5} this product will be 50% off! WOOHOO!! CHECK IT OUT!

OH, and don't forget to check out Katie from Queen of the First Grade Jungle's blog tomorrow {8/5}! I will be guest blogging over there {and that's ANOTHER first for me!}.

Until then,

Tattle Tale: A True Story

Once upon a time a child decided to tell something to the teacher about another child. Some lovely school marm many, many moons ago decided to call this a tattle and a child that tells a tattle is sometimes labeled a "Tattle Tale". Many times the reports to the teacher are serious {reports of bullying, hateful words, or even physical aggression}, while other times, not so much {such as "He is breathing my air!", "She looked at me!", "My toe touched her pencil and then Johnny blinked at me!"...you know, SUPER important information like that!}. Because of nonsensical tattling, all teachers across the land wanted to pull their hair out one strand at a time lived happily ever after.

Quick Summary:
- Children will tell the teacher a lot of stuff. A LOT of stuff. About everything.
- Sometimes it's important, and then that information is called a report.
- Sometimes it's ridiculously hilarious the things they feel the need to tell you not so important, and that information is called a tattle.

So, you may ask, "How do you teach the kids the difference?". My district implements Responsive Classroom (RC) for management issues. RC has LOTS of great ideas that instill intrinsic motivation within students without having to give out prizes for every accomplishment, teaching students the value of hard work, and reinforcing positive behavior not as a manipulation to get what you want from the other students in your class, but to instill confidence in your sweet little learners as they make good choices daily in your classroom. Just like many other classroom management systems, it focuses on teaching behavior expectations, and revisiting these classroom expectations often. This is truly the {secret} to it all. Coming into a new district, learning this new way of management was very different than what I was used to before, but I have come to appreciate the value of this method.We also use the OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program at our school, where we focus on what bullying is, how to deal with bullies, ways to be assertive without being aggressive, and how to recognize the difference between someone that is bullying, or simply just not having a "nice moment". It's also so important for kids to recognize the value in reporting when bullying occurs to them or another student. In today's society, bullying must be taken seriously, but children need to recognize the difference between bullying and when a student makes a poor choice. Neither one of these behaviors is welcomed into my classroom, but if it is, then the students are equipped with understanding when it's important to tell me information about another student and why  it's important to do so.

I'm sure we've all seen this Pin from All Things Katie Marie:

I LOVED this poster and it's a great visual that lists explicit differences between a report and a tattle. This simple poster sets clear expectations for when to report and why. Because I loved it SO much, I decided to create my own version to post in my classroom:

I have this posted in 3 different areas of my classroom. This one happens to be over my pencil sharpener, where students will view this time and time again, along with the review of my daily verbal expectations of positive behavior.

I am looking forward to explicitly teaching these expectations to my students of when to report and when not to report. I implemented these rules at the end of the year last year, but I know it will be even more successful in correlation to implementation of RC and bullying curriculum.

I have this file in my TpT store for *FrEe*, baby! Click on the pictures above to download your poster for your classroom! :) I hope this helps cut down on unnecessary tattling and encourages students to reflect on an "occurrence" before they report information to you about another student!

Until then,

Trade Book Tuesday: Two Bad Ants

I am really  excited to introduce my Weekly Feature: Trade Book Tuesday! I can not tell you how many trade books I've hoarded collected over the years, but I just can not get enough of them! A GREAT trade book is priceless and when it's good, it's good! 

Click on the book to order from Amazon.com! 

The first book I think every teacher should have in their collection of Children's Literature is Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg. Have you read it? If you haven't, you need to. You {yes, you, the teacher} will get a good laugh at this quirky book with hilarious antics {ANTics...HA! Get it?! No pun intended!} of two naughty ants that stray from their colony into a giant mountain {...a house} full of swirling, brown whirlpools {...or coffee as you may know it} and giant, shiny crystals {those would be sugar crystals, SHUGAH!}. They have a shockingly not so good time in this fantastic story of adventure, drama, and cheeky humor!

This book is PERFECT for teaching Perspective/Point of View. I have used this book to teach this skill with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders and they ALL love this book! It's a great introduction to perspective and it truly lays a great foundation for understanding why we all have opinions or certain points of views on things based on age, life experiences, height, beliefs, etc, etc.

The illustrations are fantastic, and in classic Chris Van Allsburg style, the story {secretly} teaches a lesson that is sure to bring about great conversation with your little readers! It's a great way to reinforce those listening skills....Wait? Kids forget listening skills???

Naaahhhhhhh....

I have a great little packet you can check out at either one of my teacher stores that uses Two Bad Ants for this exact skill! The mini unit can be used to introduce or review point of view/perspective based on Common Core RL.3.6!

Simply click on any of these pictures to link to the packet! :)

Here's some examples of two of the activities from the packet! The "Personal Perspective" activity is so fun for the kiddos {and was for ME, too!}. It was so fun to find out everyone's point of view/perspective on different topics and most importantly, why! It was a great conversation piece and definitely a higher order thinking activity!

I hope you enjoy this book with your little friends as much as I do! Get ready for LOTS of Chris Van Allsburg trade books! I use them ALL the time!

**P.S. -- The first three people to COMMENT on this post, get this mini unit FO' FREE!!! Leave your email address and I'll send it to you tonight!! WOOHOO!!! Don't forget to Follow my TPT and TN stores, too!**

HAPPY READING!