The One About the Fabulous Freebies

Life sure has gotten busy around here..

• Little Miss K being a few months shy of her second birthday (!?)
• third grade
• making sense of PARCC
• a RETELL course
• meetings about meetings and meetings to prep for meetings 

Just this past month I have been lucky enough to win a few fabulous items like Pawsitively Teaching's New Year's Traditions, Inspired Owl's Corner's  Multiplication and Division Grab and Go cards, Comprehension Connection's Polar Bear Close Reading activity, and Fancy in Fourth's Figurative Language product. 

While I haven't been creating a lot in the recent past, I have been searching TPT and my favorite blogs and discovered more fabulous teachers and bloggers through Instagram and Facebook.  It truly is amazing the power of social media in spreading fabulousness.

Follow me on Instagram at @thirdgradecupcakes for more frequent updates about happenings in Room 16, fabulous products and goodies (mostly free) that I've uncovered and can't wait to share.

Here are just a few...

A conference folder cover from Lucky Little Learners.

A word detective freebie from The Organized Classroom.
 
An Instagram template from Fun's Not Just for Elementary that we used in our study of the tundra.

MLK freebies

A MLK word search freebie from Pawsitively Teaching. 

MLK Mini Bundle from Jillian Starr.

MLK Mentor Sentence from Ideas by Jivey.

MLK Mini Unit from 3rd Grade Gridiron.

 
MLK Literature Unit and Craftivity from Third and Goal.

A MLK flip book from Fun in First.

Math Freebies

A measurement interactive journal sample also from Lucky Little Learners.

Addition Regrouping Error Analysis from Teaching with a Mountain View.

Multiplication Printables from Amy Lemons at Step into Second Grade.

Snowman Bump from Games 4 Learning.

Elapsed Time task cards from Creativity to the Core. 

Telling Time task cards from Laura Candler.

5 Math Games Every Classroom Needs to Play from The Applicious Teacher.

Fraction Fans from Monica Parsons.

Flower Graphing Smart Board game from Flapjack Educational Resources. 

 

 
Writing, Grammar, and Spelling Freebies

Differentiated Spelling Menu from The Organized Classroom Blog. 

Winter Fix It from Second Grade Stories. 

 

 
A Personal Dictionary from Natalie Snyders 

Winter Print and Go Freebie (4th grade) from Kristine Nannini.

An Interactive Notebook Informational Writing sample from the Reading and Writing Redhead.

An opinion writing activity called "That's Amore" from Sarah Plum.

Parts of Speech practice pages and quizzes from Raki's Rad Resources.

Science Freebies

A penguin freebie pack from First Grade Blue Skies.

Arctic Animal Crowns from Teacher Treasure Hunter.

All About Penguins from The Teacher Wife.

Penguin Measuring Station from Live Love Laugh Kindergarten.

Reading Freebies

Florida Close Reading sample from Creativity to the Core.

Higher Order Thinking question cards from Positively Learning.
 
Drawing Conclusions Riddles from Stephanie McConnell.


I hope you can find one or two or ten of these helpful!

Show Us What You Bought: A Peek into my TPT Shopping Bag and Fabulous Freebies I've Found

Like many other bloggers and TPT shoppers out there, I build my wish list over many weeks and months. I was eager to carry over some of those Wish List items into my shopping cart last night. But only after checking out what others bought first!

Be it hair products, makeup, a dress, or an athletic tank, if I eye it and love it, I'll likely ask where you snagged it! 

So after much wish listing, blog hopping, and soul searching (kidding!) I made my purchases!

(Click on the images to see the item in the TPT shops.) 

I'm so excited to create Hope King's vintage label classroom organizer. I'm looking forward to following her adventure this year and the elementary shenanigans that are sure to follow!

A Common Core standard that I have been struggling to find appropriate resources for is shades of meaning, but struggle no more! I came across this great literacy activity from Jen Jones at Hello Literacy, and I am thrilled to print, prep, and use in Room 16!

 

Another gem from Jen Jones at Hello Literacy is this Picture of the Day activity that focuses on describing and inferring key details. I love the possibilities that this product offers.

Another product I bought that I am super excited about for Guided Reading and the Daily 5 is Hashtag #fluency. With a very active classroom Twitter account (@MrsMacksGrade3), a class blog, and 5 iPad minis, we sure are a class of digital natives! This 21st century product is also from Jen at Hello Literacy. 

I have always been a fan of Kristen at Ladybug Teacher Files and she did it again! She knew I was ready for change in our classroom library, and she sure delivered!

 

Mandy Neal from Teaching with Simplicity created this cute, clever, and technology-inspired back-to-school activity I know my kiddos will love!

 

To add to my ever-growing collection of QR code activities, I purchased a few more QR Critter packs from the creatively talented Stephanie from 3rd Grade Thoughts. (I already have her summer bundle and couldn't resist these two!)

As I continue to build my classroom library of mentor texts (huge library sale next month!), I am always in search of engaging activities to accompany them. Ding! Ding! Ding! I found it! Ideas by Jivey created a huge compilation of Better Than Basal: Reading and Writing Units for 40 popular Mentor Texts including First Day Jitters,  Enemy Pie, My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, Fireflies!, The Man Who Walked Between The Towers, Stellaluna, and How Many Days to America? just to name a few! I am thrilled to have purchased this product to add to my files.

So what was the hold up in blogging about my purchases?

I've been busy shopping vintage and antique shops with my sister...

wrapping up another season of summer camp...

celebrating 4 amazing years of wedded bliss with my best friend in the whole world...

 

a girls' day at Newport Vineyards...

the Luke Bryan concert Sunday...

 

prepping for a wedding I am baking for this weekend...

and spending precious time with this jellybean!

...and snagging a few fabulous freebies I suggest you check out...

Hall Pass signs from Jameson at Lessons with Coffee

Sterilite 5 Drawer labels in Coral and Mint from Come to the Carpet

an Instagram bulletin board template from 3rd Grade Thoughts that is free now, but may not be a forever freebie

Welcome Back Smart Little Cookie tags from Inspire Me ASAP

 

 

a Close Reading/Text Dependent September freebie from 24/7 teacher

The Daily 5 Classroom Pack from The Learning Reef

End of the Day Jar Questions to spark conversation and build community in the classroom from Aimee V at Pencils, Books, and Dirty Looks.

What a week it's been-- and it's only Tuesday!

Five for Friday {on Sunday}

The first week back, an almost-four-month-old who has decided 8 hours of sleep at night is plenty, a batch of bachelorette cookies, a bachelorette party, a late night, and a very early morning are just a few reasons why I'm tardy for this party...

But hey, better late than never!

{one}

My fancy Saturday night was spent organizing bulletin board letters into an old cd case. I needed a reason to re-purpose the case--there were cds in there I forgot I had!

{two}

Mr. Lovie's aunt and uncle invited us down to their house for dinner Sunday night--Uncle Mark was cooking in his new smoker. Boy was it delicious! Tried a Lime-a-Rita with dinner--I'll likely stick with my simple-but-classy Budlight longneck but I'm glad I tried it!

{three}

I finally tackled a marker and crayon organizer first seen on Creekside Teacher Tales. Click on the first image below to go to the directions and printable.

 

{four}

Wednesday marked the first day back for kiddos. Is there a sweeter way to start the year than with a note like this?

I don't think so.

 {five}

I love any reason or excuse to gift or craft. If I can do both--even better! Here are two back-to-school goodies for some of the fabulous teachers and paraprofessionals I work with.

 

Click here for the calculations tag.

 

Here you'll find the link to the chocolate and caffeine tag courtesy of the ladies at My Sister's Suitcase. 

And here's how we're all feeling as we get back into the swing of things...