TGIF "FREEBIES"...and Writer's Workshop:)

TGIF, TGIF, TGIF......Whew....what a week!!!!!  Can you tell that I am a little excited about the weekend????  Well, after last weekend's Cheer Competition with my daughter.....ALL WEEKEND.....3 days people.....I am READY for this two day relaxation:)  

The only thing planned besides the normal Saturday/Sunday routine is a quick Cheer Clinic in the morning and then I'm "good to go"!!!!

Okay.....on to the real reason for this post.....In Writer's Workshop today, I showed my Firsties a picture of penguins and I asked them to think about what the penguins were doing, talking about, what the weather was like, etc.  One student drew and wrote this piece.....

Which I chose to edit via the smart board with the whole group.  My students are used to their writings being used as a quick mini-lesson, so this student was NOT surprised when I put her writing up for everyone to see.  I praised the illustration and the use of the word "too"....which was used properly:)  The picture below shows the picture prompt that I gave them and the corrections made by the whole group for our mini-lesson!!!!!  What a GREAT way to motivate the other students to look for editing opportunities in their own work.

Okay.....on to the FREEBIE:)  I've been working on The CAT Man!! Unit for this week's centers and activities and here is a sampling of what I have done so far!  

Below is a closer image of the writing and word study activities that I have come up with!

Click here for the The CAT Man!!!! FREEBIE to enjoy in your classroom.  Don't forget to leave me a comment if you like the activities:)  I LOVE to read them all!!!! 

Come check me out at my new 1st GRADE ROCKS Facebook account!!!! 

A Little "HONEST ABE"....

Here are some pics of our "HONEST ABE" Word Craftivity!!!  

I used one piece of black construction paper, 1 piece of white construction paper, a glue stick and scissors.  Then made cuts like this.....

...and using chalk and a few crayons, they were able to make their "HONEST ABE" Words for the hallway.  Be "HONEST" and leave me a comment if you choose to use this idea for your "FIRSTIES"!!!:) I love reading them:) We LOVE celebrating President's Day!!!!

Wahoo!!!!....40 "1st Grade Rocks" Followers... and Counting:) **FREEBIE**

Yay!!! A shout out goes to Krista @ The Second Grade Superkids for being my "40 and Fabulous" Follower:!!!) Go check out her truly ADORABLE Blog!!! I can't wait to see who my "50 and Fantastic" Follower will be...and then, on and on, and on.....ahhhhh....can you tell that I'm excited???  Here's a **FREEBIE** to celebrate!!!!

Winter Weather Words Bank

Winter Weather Words Task Card

Winter Weather Words Product Sheet

Okay....back to blogging;)  We got to celebrate our journal writing by decorating our "Top Secret Personal BEESWAX" Journals today with more stickers.  The kids love these celebration days and it helps keep them motivated to continue with their wonderful writing!!!  Here is some pics of what a couple of them look like....so PROUD of my "Firsties" writing!!! They are getting there!

Also today, we got to watch the webcast in which Tim Tebow helped Pizza Hut and the Book It Program to motivate children to read:) He read Green Eggs And Ham by Dr. Seuss...so good and the "Firsties" LOVED it!!!

Here is the link.... if you want to try it out:)

All in all, it was a pretty good day!!! Got some things done....even though it was an Early Release Day!  I'm still trying to get over my cold...so I was thankful for half-a-day....even though I'll be making up some PD later on this Spring:(  Oh well, feeling a little better tonight after I made my yummy vegetable soup!!! I'll be posting the recipe on My "OLB" Blog soon...., so check it out when you can:)

Hope that everyone had a Wonderful Wednesday!!!!

A Little "Award" Tagging and Valentine's Day Surviving....

Honored, Excited, Elated, Ecstatic, Happy....you get the idea:)  Considering I've been slowly getting more followers to my humble little 1st grade blog....1st GRADE ROCKS, I can honestly say that the words listed above truly described my emotions when I received my 1st "Liebster Blog Award" from Jen at  Hooked on Teaching a couple of months ago!!!  Needless to say, yesterday, when I received the "Liebster Blog Award" again from 

Amy @

  The Crazy Adventures of a University Grad

 and Trish @ 

First Grade Frosting,

 I was Exuberant!!!!! 

Here is my AWESOME Award!!! X's 3!!!!!:)

I am posting the rules for the "Liebster Blog Award" and I hope that the blogs that I will be nominating will feel the same Excitement about being awarded as I did!!!

The "Liebster Blog Award" is for bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. 

Here's the award rules:

Thank the award presenter and post a link back to their blog.....CHECK!

Put the award on your blog.....CHECK!

Pick 5 blogs with less than 200 followers, let them know about the award, and encourage them to pass the award on!....CHECK!

Now....onto my 5 Blog pics:)

Jessica @ Glitzy In First Grade

Today In First Grade

The Bubblegum Tree

Littlest Scholars

Michele @ New Adventures in First Grade

These are AWESOME blogs that you really need to go and check out!!!!

Now, onto a little VALENTINE DAY pics:)  Even though I pretty much have NO voice due to a NASTY cold that had me out last Friday....(and I'm STILL sick with:( )....we had a pretty great day!!! 

PS....I started my day at 5 AM baking these beauties.....

We used them to decorate our very own Valentine Cupcakes during a math activity :) I have to say that my handy, dandy, cute as a bug in a rug cupcake carrier which my Honey "Valentine" bought me last year was a BIG  HUGE hit!!!

Here are a few ways that we celebrated....

We did the Morning Calendar using the smart board and thinking of ways that we could make our Growing Number Day of 110!!!! Here's a pic of their thinking....

Here are a couple of pics of our Interactive Writing Lesson summarizing the book The Day It Rained Hearts.

This is a pic from a Word Study Literacy Station activity that I posted last week!!! Reading the Room with Valentine glasses! They LOVE this for some reason...??? "Firsties":) 

Here are some pics of our cupcake decorating....

I hope that your Valentine's Day was VICTORIOUS....just think, we don't have to worry about it again for another 364 more days:)  I {Puffy HEART} this fact!!!

"Several....What I'm Loving Wednesday's"

So TRUE!!!!! You just DON'T know!!!!!!

Found this jewel for my Dad:)  He'll LOVE it....one of his brother's BIG hits:)

"HAT Day" and sweet friends at school:)

Don't forget to Link Up to Little Daisy May!!!!

What are you loving????

"Love" Linky Party & Valentine's FREEBIE!!

Happy Sunday y'all!!!!  What a "SUPER" day!!! Haha...go Giants!!!!

Okay...so I am joining Funky First Grade Fun's Linky Party!!!

Here is a list of what I LOVE!!!!

 Why don't you consider linking up so we can all read about what you love!  You can either use the document below and add your responses or just type your answers into your own post. 

Can't wait to hear about what you "LOVE"!!!

Don't forget to link up!!! 

In addition, here is a Valentine's Day Center Packet that I am placing in my TpT store as a "FREEBIE"!!!! It has several Word Study activities and some Writing activities!!! Enjoy:)

Come check it out here...TpT!!!

I've Been Cliparting.....:)

 So MUCH FUN!!!!! I'm having a great time learning and being creative:) Check out my clipart in the making.... 

My FAVE!!!

Shy one!

Yummy!

Fast Delivery!

Fave with more color:)

I'm just learning, but it is SO much fun:)  I hope that you find use for these free graphics:) Feel free to use them for your classroom needs!!! Happy Valentine's Day......Enjoy Blogger friends!!!!

Groundhog's Day With the "Firsties"....

So, I survived another Groundhog's Day!!! I have to admit.....I do like this day:)  I like keeping up with "Punxsutawney Phil" every year!!! I got up early to watch it on the news....then once I got to school, I pulled it up to show the Firsties!!! Go HERE to check it out!

We did some Groundhog activities today....a BIG shout out goes to Christie at First Grade Fever for this adorable Groundhog's Day book that my kids REALLY loved today:)  .....GREAT review on our daily timeline also:) 

Then, we read an adorable Groundhog's Day book, Wake Up, Groundhog!!!

They REALLY liked this book!!! So cute:)

We also made use of an old Groundhog Puppet Pattern from a Teacher Created Book that I've had for years....except, this year, I wanted to do something different with it, so I used a NEW, handy little app that I purchased for my iPhone called Turbo Scan!!!  I LOVE this app....used it many times just this week!!!  Once I scanned the Groundhog Pattern, I was able to add Math Facts to it for a more "productive" tool besides working on fine motor skills with coloring and cutting:)  ***Disclaimer...I am not circulating this document...I just used it for my own class!!!  I also made a Math Mat Working Table to go along with it so that my Firsties could show their work.....it also joined the two pieces of the Groundhog Puppet together:)  They looked a little like this.....

Then.....we read another REALLY cute book.....I like that it brought in a little bit of TEXAS with the Armadillo:) The book is titled....Substitute Groundhog!

We played some fun online Groundhog Games that a fabulous blog called Technology Rocks. Seriously. blogged about:)  Thanks for that!!!

We also did a cute writing activity with a template pattern and writing prediction page from First Grade Blue Skies!!!!  Thanks for the great ideas and activities!!!

and a little closer look....

Okay....sorry for the length of this post....but to end it....DON'T laugh my little "crafty" blogger, clipart guru's!!!  I'm learning...OKAY?????  Here is my 1st little product....not much to look at, but I think he's cute:)

Mr. Groundhog by 1stgraderocks.blogspot.com!!!

Leave me a comment if you can.....I would love to hear how your Groundhog Day went!!!