Fiction Friday: Chapter 8 {Graphic Novel Edition}

Happy Fiction Friday from the beach!  I’ve spent the week relaxing to the sound of the waves and feeling the sand between my toes. Pure bliss.

After reading Salem Hyde earlier this summer, I wanted to check out more of the graphic novels available to our elementary readers. The Bone and Amulet series have been favorites in my classroom for years, but I’m looking forward to growing and diversifying my graphic novel classroom collection. 

My first step was to hit the library, grab some books, and get reading.

Here is what I discovered…

El Deafo

by Cece Bell

I requested this graphic novel from the library after reading about it on Julie's Fiction Friday post on Math is Elementary and I'm so glad I picked it up! I devoured it in two sittings and enjoyed the humor, the heart, and the honesty of the story.

You can’t help but love little Miss CeCe Bell as she pulls you into her world of growing up deaf in the 70s.  She openly shares her childhood experiences in a way that helps readers understand the difficulties growing up deaf and being comfortable in your own shoes. 

I loved her imaginary superhero, El Deafo, who was there to set people straight about being deaf. So often (unfortunately) people would try to help CeCe, but it would come across as condescending and unkind. Because they didn’t know any different or understand, their slow speech or increased volume felt very patronizing.  You are filled with empathy, respect, and love for CeCe.  Thank you CeCe Bell for writing a novel that gives us all a peek into your beautiful world filled with your own superpowers! 

I can’t wait to add this book to my classroom library this year. It is an absolute must-have! No wonder it won a Newberry Honor Medal! I would recommend for grades 3 and up.    

Book Information:

• 248 pages
• Realistic Fiction
• 420 lexile
• Grade Level Equivalent - 3.4

The Great American Dustbowl

by Don Brown

This informational graphic novel made my list because it is one of the Texas Bluebonnet Nominees this year and it was excellent. Putting history in a graphic novel format is one of the best ways to help history come alive for kids, and this book did not disappoint. The book was filled with fascinating information and facts like when a dust storm blew in, the temperature would drop 50 degrees! What?!?

The bold and colorful illustrations clearly demonstrate the devastation and tragedy of the Great American Dustbowl and the will and endurance it took to survive on the plains. The novel captures the essence of the American spirit…to pull one’s self up by your bootstraps and keep on going. Loved it! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys American history and grades 4 and up.

Book Information:

• 80 page
• Informational
• 860 lexile level
• Grades 4 and up

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes

Edited by Kazu Kibuishi

The Mystery Boxes was a unique graphic novel because it is actually a collection of short stories in graphic novel format.  Each story is completely different but they all have a mystery box.  This would be a fun one to study closely and compare and contrast the stories. Not only are the illustrations vastly different, but the stories range from mystical to spooky to silly space pranks.  I enjoyed the diversity of each story and cruised through the book.  This graphic novel is a beautiful nod to the genre, showing us how a graphic novel can be so many different kinds of wonderful.

Book Information:

• 128 pages
• Fantasy/Science Fiction
• 370 lexile level
• Grades 4 and up

Bluffton: My Summers with Buster Keaton

by Matt Phelan

I choose to read Bluffton for the incredible watercolor illustrations alone. I totally judged a book by its cover, and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the story and the history behind the story.

Set in 1908, a troupe of vaudeville performers come to summer in Bluffton, Michigan.  Henry, the main protagonist of the story, lives a quiet life in a nearby town and becomes fascinated by the exciting life of the vaudeville performers he meets, especially Buster Keaton, a young boy about his age.  Buster has been a star since he was three and part of his family’s big act, “The Three Keatons,” where Buster is referred to as the human-mop. However, Buster clearly yearns for the quiet normal life Henry has. As the years pass and summers come and go, Bluffton becomes a place of freedom and escape from the ordinary for a few fleeting months.

The story then follows the boys to adulthood and although Harry’s character is fictional, Buster Keaton was real and he really did spend his summers in Bluffton. In the Author’s Note, it explains that Buster Keaton ended up going to Hollywood at the start of black and white movies and created some of the most innovative silent films of the age. His film The General made the American Film Institute’s 100 greatest American films list.

The illustrations in this book will mesmerize you, but the story will captivate you.  I couldn’t wait to close the book and google more on Buster Keaton, his fascinating story, and his legendary movies.

Book Information:

• 240 pages
• Historical Fiction
• 370 lexile level
• Grades 4 and up

Have you read any of these incredible books?  I had so much fun diving into a new genre this week and just exploring. What other graphic novels have you read and loved? What should I add to my library list? 

Don't forget to link up and/or click through all the great links below and check out other awesome reads as we continue to celebrate children's literature (in all it's forms) this summer! :)

Happy Reading!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Student-Led Absent Work Forms {freebie}

Don’t you love when a student returns from being absent and asks, “Did I miss anything yesterday?”

It takes every ounce of will power for me not to say, “Nope, we wanted to learn, but we couldn’t go forward without you, so we waited. We sat around all day twiddling our thumbs and counting ceiling tiles. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss a thing.” Oh… the sarcasm the scrolls through my head. I'm often very thankful for my filter.

Of course, these are never the words that come out of my mouth. I just smile and give him the highlights of the day and designate a time later in the day to review the work that has been left on the desk.

But, this year… I’m doing things differently. We are going more student-led!

Thank goodness for Pinterest. I found lots of great examples of absent work forms to design my own. I wanted to keep it simple for 4^th graders.  And… Ta-da! It turned out like this…

My goal is to have one of my classroom jobs be in charge of work for absent students. I will have my kids briefly summarize what we did (just like they would write in their agendas) and list any assignments from the day on the sheet. Then, they will be in charge of collecting copies of all handouts throughout the day, paper clipping everything together, and returning all the papers to me at the end of the day.  The child in charge of collecting work will also be the go-to student the next day for any questions.  

Looking back on my class last year, I had several students who would have LOVED this job! They were super organized and great at making lists. This would have been such an empowering and important leadership role for them in our classroom. I can’t wait to see how it goes this year.

How do you handle work for absent kiddos?  I find it especially challenging when we work in our interactive notebooks. I’d love to hear your tips and suggestions.  

If you are interested in a copy of my absent student form, you can download it at my TPT store for FREE by clicking the image above or clicking here.  I hope it makes your life easier this upcoming year too. 

If you download it and find it helpful, please leave feedback.  It absolutely make my day! Suggestions and other great ideas for this or future freebies, let me know?  Thanks y'all!

Get to Know Me: Yes or No?!

Happy Sunday everyone!

So, what am I doing blogging late on a Sunday night? Well, I simply had to join the Assess Me linky party that Rachel from The Tattooed Teacher is hosting.  Blogger icebreakers with fun activities?  Love.

This week is a Yes or No format. Again, love. 

Here's a bit more about me.

#1) Everyone talks to themselves, right? It's totally normal... I hope. My dogs are usually there, so I like to pretend they are listening and often sympathizing.

#2) Not superstitious at all.

#3) The sound of cracking knuckles is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I cringe at the very thought.

#4) Surprising, I'm not hungry at the moment. That being said I did just chomp down three Lemon Oreos. Have you had them??  Oh boy...delicious!!

#5) I turned to TBS just in time to catch Crazy, Stupid. Love.  It has honestly become one of my favorite movies.  The more I watch it, the more I enjoy it. So well done and I often think to myself, "You're better than the Gap." LOL.

#6) No wisdom teeth now. Strangely enough, I only had two which made life so much simpler when it was time to get them pulled.

#7) Yes! I showered! AND... I took the time to blow my hair dry. This is a big deal in the summer.

#8) My last trip to Disney was in 1994. Crazy, huh?  I was 10 and it was a surprise trip from my parents.  Totally awesome, but I've heard it's changed a lot.  :)

#9) I wear glasses but not contacts. The thought of putting anything in my eye totally freaks me out. Have you ever seen the Friends episode where Rachel has to put eye drops in and Monica has to hold her down on the couch to do it. I'm Rachel in this situation for sure.

#10) I was born in Texas, moved to the Seattle area for high-school and college, and then moved back to the Texas five years ago. I'm happy to be back because I love the sun! However, I must confess I miss the mountains and the water. It is just so beautiful there...when it's not raining that is.

That's it for me. Do we have anything in common?  Go link up with The Tattooed Teacher and read about all the other awesome bloggers out there linking up too.

Have a great week!

Fiction Friday: Chapter 7

Oh my goodness, I am barley making it for Fiction Friday today. It has just been one of THOSE crazy days that I know you can all relate too. I'm just happy to be here blogging and taking a few minutes to tell you about the two books I read this week.

This week I read...

The Thing About Georgie 
by Lisa Graff

You may recognize Lisa Graff from some of her other books: Umbrella Summer, Double Dog Dare and Sophie Simon Solves Them All (which I blogged about here), but The Thing About Georgie was actually her first novel. The thing about this book is... it's all about Georgie and Georgie is dwarf. Knowing nothing about this book when I first picked it up, this grabbed my attention right away and I couldn't wait to get reading.

The novel follows Georgie through his 4th grade year and all the ups and downs that go along with it. His height is a recurring issue making school furniture uncomfortable, playing an instrument impossible and making payphones just out of reach.  Georgie does not like change and many things in his life get turned upside down throughout the novel.

Through the year (and the novel) Georgie learns to focus on his strengths, not his limitations.  His talents and gifts are exactly what makes him unique and special. And the thing about Georgie is... there's so much more than one thing!

Graff does an incredible job telling Georgie's story. He is such a real character in every way. There is an anonymous narrator who speaks directly to the reader throughout the novel. At first, these vignettes show how Georgie's height limits his abilities. As the novel progresses the vignettes change, highlighting things we can all do to things only Georgie can do.  His strengths, his talents, his gifts. The message from this beautiful book is clear...celebrate your skills and your gifts. They are one piece of a puzzle that makes you - you! The anonymous narrator actually turns out to be one of the characters in the story, but I won't tell you whom. You will just have to read the book to find out. :)

I would recommend this novel for third grade and up. It would make an excellent read aloud and spark great discussion on stereotypes, snap judgments, empathy, kindness, and accepting and celebrating the differences in others. Put this book on your shelf with Wonder, Rules, and El Deafo because this novel gives students an opportunity to truly walk in someone else's shoes.

Book Information:

• 220 pages
• Realistic Fiction
• Topics: Challenges/Friendship
• 770 lexile
• Grade Level Equivalent - 3.8

I also read..

because of mr. terupt

by Rob Buyea

I'm sure you guys have seen this book all over Instagram and blogs this summer, because it seems like everyone is reading it and I can see why. I finally jumped on board, and LOVED it! Seriously, every teacher needs to read this book. It reminds you why we teach.

I don't want to give too much away, but the the story is told from 7 different perspectives of 5th grade students in Mr. Terupt's class. The chapters are separated by month and each month (typically) includes at least one entry from the different students. The students each have their own character role to play (the impulsive one, the smart one, the quiet observer, etc.) and I guarantee you will read and see many of your own past students within these characters. Together they tell the story of their 5th grade class including everything from the girl drama to the projects they did in class, to their thoughts on each other and their teacher. Beautifully woven together, these 7 vastly different students tell the story of a teacher who inspired his students to be kind, to never give up, to hope, to be strong, to stand up for others, to stand up for yourself, and to forgive. You will laugh, you will  cry, and you will nod along as you see yourself and your students within these pages. As least I know I did.

Because of Mr. Terupt would be a great book to teach perspective and character change. If you read it aloud in upper elementary I suggest tracking the different characters as you go.  You could really zoom in on character change this way. You could also pull a single chapter and have really great guided reading materials. I was honestly so impressed with the book and enjoyed it so much, I just think you should all go out and read it. Then, of course, come back and tell me what you thought. :) I can't wait to get a hold of the sequel.

A great recommended read for grades 4-8.

Book Information:

• 268 pages
• Realistic Fiction
• 560 lexile level
• Grade Level Equivalent- 3.7

Has anyone read either of these books?  What did you think?  Have you read them aloud in your classroom or used them for book clubs or guided reading?  I'd love to know more.

Link up any day or any time you want to chit-chat about kids books...aka... the best books. Thank you for always linking back to me and sharing your new discoveries along the way. I can't wait to see what you are reading.

Happy Summer Reading!

An InLinkz Link-up

Computer Log-In & Password Solution

Do your students have tons of log-in and password combinations to remember?  Mine sure do.

The problem is that in an effort to simplify things within my district, all of their usernames and passwords are supposed to be the same, but they end up having small differences like the username sometimes HAS to be capitalized and sometimes not. Sometimes you include all of your numbers, and sometimes only the last 4. It's craziness!! And soooo frustrating for my kiddos to remember.  Who can blame them?!  I have trouble keeping it straight myself.

So, this year I decided to do something about it. Fingers crossed that it makes the first 15 minutes of every computer lab session just a little bit easier.

My students have a technology folder for the computer lab. This is where they keep writing drafts they are working on publishing and directions for computer lab activities. Everything goes in the folder. In year's past, I have simply written the most frequently used log-in and passwords inside the folder.

This year, I'm upgrading to this...

Front

Back

What do you think?  It's super simple, but I didn't want anything too complicated that required more than just making a copy, lol.   

I plan on having students write their log-in information on this sheet at the beginning of the year and keep it in a sheet protector in their technology folders. This way (hopefully) we will have all our log-ins and passwords right at our fingertips each time we go to the computer lab. I'm hoping this simple solution will help my 4th graders and myself maintain our sanity in the computer lab, because it can get craaaazy! :)

What do you do to help your students remember all their passwords and log-ins?  What tips do you have to make life in the computer lab just a wee bit easier?

Happy teaching!!

Fiction Friday: Chapter 6 {Picture Book Edition}

Welcome back to another wonderful Fiction Friday, where celebrating children's literature never gets old. This week I focused on reading pictures books, because you are just NEVER too old for pictures books! That's why my 4th grade classroom still has bins of 'em.

As part of my self-directed Bluebonnet Award reading challenge this summer, I discovered some awesome picture books that I can't wait to share with you and my students this upcoming year.

This week I read...

Emily's Blue Period

written by Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Lisa Brown

In the story, Emily wants to be an artist and like Picasso is going through a bit of a blue period herself. Her father has moved out and her life is just as mixed up as one of Picasso's cubist paintings. Through the medium of collage, Emily finds away to put herself back together and redefines her definition of home.

 

Told with plenty of humor, honesty, and sincerity, Emily's Blue Period captures the ups and downs of a family going through a separation, while leaving the reader with plenty of hope for brighter days to come. It's the perfect book to quietly hand to a student in need, so they know they are not alone.

The illustrations were created using pencil and watercolor and some digital collage. Beautiful book.

 Rutherford B., Who Was He?

written by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by John Hendrix

This is actually a book of poems about all 44 Presidents of the United States through Barack Obama and it's fantastic! Each page is filled with vibrant illustrations and short poems about each president. The poems are humorous and factual, highlighting the successes and failures throughout our country's history. As an adult, I was captivated from the first page.  I enjoyed how the poems captured the time period of each president and the feeling of the country during their presidential terms. 

Included in the back of the book are short presidential biographies and famous quotes from each president as well as a timeline. It's extremely well done and would make a fun gift for any American History buff regardless of age!

The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus

written by Jane Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

This one won a Caldecott Honor and The Robert F. Sibert Medal and it is obvious why! This captivating page-turner follows the life of Peter Roget. Beginning with his childhood, the story chronicles how making lists of words to remember lessons, became lists of many many things that allowed Peter to find just the right word to describe... well... anything and everything and how he eventually ended up a popular published author.

Impeccably researched and articulately delivered this is a must have book for your literary non-fiction library. The illustrations are phenomenal. You could spend hours pouring over pages and discover something new with each fresh look.  According to the illustrator's note in the back, the Latin lists used in the illustrations are straight out of Roget's notebooks. So cool! And, the other lists use only words that were published in the 1852 thesaurus. The illustrations appear to be a mix of collage, watercolor, and sketch beautifully woven together into a work of art.

This would be a wonderful book to tie in with your vocabulary and word study. Students could easily do a word scavenger hunt within the book to create or add to their own list of wonderful words. So many possibilities! I think I may have to renew this one and play around with a few ideas.  :)

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom

written by Angela Johnson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis

After reading a recommendation by Julie at Math is Elementary, I checked out All Different Now from the library and I was not disappointed. Told from the perspective a young slave girl the book goes through the day the General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas announcing the news that the Civil War was over and the slaves were free. To write so simply and so beautifully is a gift. Johnson does an incredible job capturing the mood and the history of this important day!

The illustrations are watercolor and they are spectacular. You may recognize the illustrator, E.B. Lewis' work from Coming on Home Soon. This would be a great book to add to your list of books you use for teaching reading strategies, specifically questioning, inferring, and synthesizing. It would also serve as a great mentor text for writing. Thank you Julie for this great recommendation!!  That's why I love Fiction Friday!! To see why I was so eager to read this book, click here.

Have you discovered any new and wonderful picture books or chapter books this summer?!?  Please share! I love to talk books. Link up to Fiction Friday any time to add to our growing collection of fantastic children's literature. 

Happy Reading!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Favorite Shows to Watch While Working

Hey y'all!

I'm a little late to the party, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to talk about my favorite TV shows and The Third Grade Nest is having the perfect linky.

Every month Hailey hosts a Top Ten Favorites Linky Party. Such a fun idea! This month is all about your favorite TV shows to watch while you create, blog, grade, and lesson plan.

I love TV. I really do. It's an addiction and I'll be the first to admit I have a problem. I have a DVR, an Amazon Prime Account, Netflix streaming, and HBO Now.  See.. I told you. I have a problem.

Soooo... it was really hard to limit to just 10 shows, but here's my list....

You can see I totally cheated and put Arrow & The Flash together but I figured since one is a spin-off it counts, right? Lots of comedies made my list, because they are just some of my favorites and so quotable! Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg of TV I love.  I feel certain I have left one of my absolute favorites off the list, but these were the first 10 that came to mind.

Oh no!! I'm just now realizing I forgot Sherlock.  I love Sherlock. I love Benedict Cumberbatch. How did that happen?!? I clearly do not have a mind palace.  Who else out there chomping at the bit for next season?!? I'm hearing January 2016 to start filming. I may just need to start from the beginning... again.

What are some of your favorite shows to watch and work to?

Happy Watching & Working!!

  

Don't forget to check out my Back to School Essential Linky Party to see what teachers (myself included) are naming as their absolutely essential back to school items. Share your must-haves in the comments section and link up to join the up! 

What I'm Laminating Wednesday

Happy Wednesday everyone! I have been a busy lil' racoon this week... creating, printing, laminating, and more laminating. I'm so excited about all the awesome things I have already created for my classroom.

First up... Bluebonnet Book QR Code Book Trailer Posters

I got the idea from a Scholastic article who got the idea from Jessica at Dandelions and Dragonflies. Jessica's awesome book nook was featured in Scholastic Instructor Magazine and for obvious reasons. It's amazing! My favorite part was the QR code posters as book recommendations. 

I "stole" her idea and created QR Codes for all the upcoming Bluebonnet Award Nominees. I know my students are going to love scanning the codes to watch the trailer and find just the right book. I'm hoping to get 100% voting participation this year in my classroom. If you are a fellow Texas teacher, click here to download a copy of these QR posters for your classroom too.

After that... Mastery Club

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am about this whole program from Mrs. Renz.  Mastery Club is a differentiated independent study challenge program for your classroom that basically runs itself. I love the variety of learning objectives included.  There is truly something for every child and every interest level. I am so excited to get this up and running in my classroom this year. Click here to snag your own copy from Mrs. Renz. One of the things I love about her product is that you can customize it your classroom. Great purchase!!

Then... Patriotic Kaboom!!

Kaboom was my class' favorite multiplication game last year. Click here to read all about using Kaboom and playing it in my classroom.

I love how my game cards turned out. To save ink, I printed in B&W and just used red paper. The red really pops and it is still easy for my students to read. I know my kiddos will love the updated version of this game. 

And...Birthday Balloons

Last year was the first time I pre-made all my birthday gifts during the summer and I can't believe I waited so long to do it! It made my year so much easier and my kids thought they were really cute. My pencils haven't arrived from Really Good Stuff yet, but I have printed and laminated my birthday balloons to create the next batch for my birthday bucket. These super cute b-day balloons came from Where the Wild Things Learn.

Finally...Polka-Dot Classroom Job Labels

Aren't they cute?  Not sure I will need all the jobs, but I wanted to keep my options open and I like having the flexibility of changing out jobs when something isn't working or something else is needed. 

Angela from The Cornerstone has a great post on classroom jobs that I found very helpful and recommend for new and seasoned teachers alike.  I like her idea of having some jobs that are indefinite jobs and others that follow a very simple rotation. In years past I have had students apply for a job, but it made it very time consuming for me to change job roles throughout the year. With some indefinite jobs, I have the flexibility to have some students stick with one job or leadership role that really suits them (and me) and everyone else can rotate through the others weekly.

You can grab a copy of these polka-dot classroom job labels for free from my TPT store by clicking here. If you download, please please don't forget to leave feedback! It means the world. Seriously. :)

As you can see, I still have some cutting to do, but it feels sooo good to have a few back to school things out of the way. Now I just need more laminating sheets...

What have you been laminating lately?!?

Sunday Scoop 3-2-1

Today I'm linking up with The Teaching Trio for the Sunday Scoop.  I love the whole idea of this linky and the 3-2-1 format. Fun!

So, here's what's shaking this Sunday...

3 Things I HAVE to Do:

1. I love my corgis, but good grief do they shed! Ugh! In the battle between me and dog fur I am loosing...badly. 
2. Why does it seem that you wake up one day and your hair just looks terrible.  It sneaks up on you. Everything is fine until that fatal morning.  Well, my friends, we are there.  It is time.
3. Summer time for teachers means scheduling (and attending) all those necessary appointments. Better now than during the school year, but I have giving up my pool time for a teeth cleaning. Sometimes being a responsible adult is lame. :)

2 Things I HOPE to Do:

1. I'm working on a few new products for my store that I'm really excited about wrapping up. Stay tuned for some wild math task cards & a super fun summer activity!
2.  Summer for me is usually about reading by the pool... everyday. I haven't gotten there as much as I would like this summer, so I'm looking forward to clocking a few leisurely afternoons in the sun.

 1 Thing I'm HAPPY to Do:

It's Tonight!! Woohoo!!

What are y'all up to?!?  Hop on over to The Teaching Trio to see what other bloggers are up to this week and join the fun.  

 

Also, don't forget to check out my Back to School Essentials linky party to see what teachers all over the globe are buying for B2S. Please link up & share your own back to school must-haves!! 

  

Back to School Essentials {A Linky Party}

Is it too early in the summer to start talking about back to school shopping? Because... I've already started the shopping.

Like many all teachers,  I stock up on back to school goodies for my classroom during the summer. Luckily, over the years I have become more disciplined with what and how much I buy.

I remember my first few years, I purchased every composition notebook I laid eyes on from June through August. No... seriously... EVERY SINGLE ONE! I had no will power! I just knew I had to have enough and apparently I never had enough. After storing ALL my leftover notebooks, notebook paper, and unused packages of pens (because I seriously bought that much!) I finally learned what was essential and what was fun! (Basically... wants verses needs)

Now I have gotten pretty good at buying what I like to call my essentials. These are the things I purchase each summer to replenish the diminished stock or replace the old.  It's just part of the summer time routine... every year... without fail!

These have become my Back to School Essentials!

 #1 IKEA Book Boxes

I love these things! They last all year and the kids enjoy taking them home at the end of the year. It's quick and easy. I have nothing to store over the summer or clean out. Simple. I like that. And, if you don't live near an IKEA like me, then you can just order from Amazon! 

#2 Really Good Stuff Calendar

Best. Calendar. Ever. 

I will never go back to anything else. It's double sided, so you can choose which one you like the best - the colorful primary or the more sophisticated intermediate (shown above).

#3 Multicultural Construction Paper

 

This paper is great for all those back to school portraits at the beginning of the year. 

I usually purchase 2-3 packages at the beginning of the year.
**Update** You can order this construction paper from Amazon or from Classroom Direct.

#4 Eraser Tops

My students just love having an excuse to cross things out on their papers, but not when I have a stock pile of these bad boys on hand! The best erasers I've found are from Classroom Direct. They come in a box of 144 erasers for under $5 and they are really high quality. They actually erase. I hand them out like candy.

#5 Mr. Sketch Markers

Oh, the childhood memories! 

I buy a new box every year even if my old ones are still in working condition. 

I just love 'em.

#6 Post-it Notes

Because...honestly... can you ever have enough?

#7 Ticonderoga Pencils & Pilot V5 Pens

It's the only pencil I will use. I really am a total pencil snob. 

Also, a bit of a pen snob. What can I say? I like what I like. :)

#8 Books!!

This is probably my biggest expense, but I spread it out over the summer to make it more palatable.  Every summer I read and blog about the upcoming Bluebonnet Books and Battle Books through Fiction Friday.  I always purchase the books so that 1) my kids will have access to a classroom copy all year and 2) if I LOVE the book then I have a copy myself. Hehe. It's what I like to call a win-win!

And... That's it! Those are my essentials. Those are my no questions asked HAVE to be purchased items. Of course, there is still plenty of impulse purchasing throughout the summer. I still can't go through the school supply section without getting something. And who can resist perusing the school supply ads on Sunday to hunt down the best deals?  Not me. :)

What is in your list of essentials?  What do you purchase EVERY single summer without fail for the upcoming year? Share your must-haves below or link up with your own blog post.

I can't wait to hear from everyone. I have a feeling that I may be adding to my list, but that works for me. I'm also a little worried I left something obvious off the list, lol. Let me know!

If you link up, please make sure to include the Linky Party button and link back to my blog.  Thanks so much! 

Happy (early) Back to School shopping!

An InLinkz Link-up