I'm a Top 50 Blog + Metacognition Freebie

Can you believe Thanksgiving has already come and gone?  I mean, December is right around the corner! Where is the year going?

 I can't believe it has been almost an entire month since my last blog post.  Sorry, for the hiatus...uh...again. Time is simply flying by. I'm making no promises to be back with any sense of regularity, because...well...we all know how that goes. Right?

Thanksgiving brought about a much needed break.  My stress level has been at an all time high this year.  I have happily spent my nine days off (yes - nine glorious days) relaxing to the fullest. I've been reading, watching movies, shopping the sales, and enjoying scrumptious foods.  All and all, it has been a pretty good week off. Stress free!

To top things off, I recieved a very exciting email.  Guess what?  My little ol' blog was named a Top 50 Elementary Teaching Blog by TeachersCertificationDegrees.com!  Whoo-hoo! I can hardly believe it. 

Here is what they wrote about my blog:

"When a new school year approaches, Texas teacher Amanda considers the arsenal of resources she has to get her through the first trying but exciting week: caffeine, chocolate, a valued team of colleagues and her school tote bag which her husband and high school sweetheart has playfully nicknamed the ‘bag of doom.’ On The Teaching Thief, this fourth-grade educator who confesses a love of borrowing ideas, pens a Fiction Friday feature in which she reviews her beloved children’s literature. She also divulges classroom management advice and ideas for introducing metacognition."

I love, love, LOVE that my bag of doom made the review!  Haha! 

It is such a big deal (to me) to make a list with so many amazing bloggers.  I mean... WOW! I feel very honored and will do my best to live up to this award. In fact, I have been jotting down blog post ideas while lounging on my couch watching TV for several days.  I've got some good stuff coming your way.  I promise.

Till then, I have a freebie for you.  Please let me know if you find it helpful.

Y'all already know about my obsession with Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor.  Well, every year I do the introductory lesson on metacogition with the reading salad.  It is a terrific way to introduce the idea of metacognition and gives kids a concrete model to understand such a big idea.  Conviently, Reading Resources has already created resources for this lesson. (For more info, click here.)

Afterwards, I used to keep my "salad bowl" in class to reference throughout the year.  Now, if you are like me, wall space and shelf space are limited in your room.  I needed something to serve as a reminder of the lesson that took up less space.  So, I created this simple metacognition poster to be displayed AFTER teaching the lesson. It serves as a visual reminder of the lesson and how important it is to think while you read. 

Click the image below to grab a free copy of this poster from my TN store.  I hope you find it as useful as I did.

Now, it is time to get back to my reading, TV watching, and general slothfulness. Hehe!

I hope you all enjoy the last of your Thanksgiving break.  Any thoughts on future blog posts, shoot them my way.  My list is growing with ideas, but what would you like to read? I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're Moving & Blogging Awards

Hi y'all! Big news! We closed on our house today, so we will be spending the weekend moving and getting settled.  I'm super excited about my new digs, but less excited about having no internet for a few days!  Ahhh!  How will I survive? I'm going to fall so far behind on all my blog reading.  Please feel free to hold off on any and all posting until Monday when the Time Warner people will have hopefully gotten me all set up. 

However, before I disconnect -

I wanted to send a MEGA HUGE thank you to some wonderful bloggers who have bestowed me with a few awards this week. I'm so incredibly honored to be noticed and considered. As we all know, the thing that makes blogging fun is knowing that people are out there reading our blogs, commenting, communicating, and swapping ideas.  Thank you to everyone who reads, follows, and comments.  I love hearing that little buzz on my phone that tells me I have a comment.  Awards are just the icing on the cake.

Thank you to Lana at For the Love of Teaching for nominating me for The One Lovely Blog Award, and April at The Idea Backpack and Aimee at Pencils, Books, and Dirty Looks for nominating me for The Versatile Blogger Award. I'm honored that you thought of me.

The rules for these award are as follows:

1.  Thank the blogger who nominated you.

2.  Include a link to their site.

3.  Include the award image in your post.

4.  Give 7 random facts about yourself

Okay, seven quick facts about myself...this shouldn't be hard, and yet... I'm having such a hard time coming up with something.  Hmmm...I'm just going to type the first seven things that pop into my mind.

Ready, set, go!

1) I love Starbucks.  It is practically my life force.
2) I have a corgi.  I'm obsessed with him and pretty much think he hangs the moon. Click here to see some totally cute pictures!
3) I own five, yes five, pairs of Toms shoes and have already picked out a few more to add to my collection.
4) I think chocolate chip cookies taste better as dough. 
5) I like to dip my french fries directly into my milkshake. (Clearly, I enjoy sugar!)
6) I married the boy I dated in high school. Isn't that cute?
7) I've been to Africa (Tanzania to be exact) but I've never been to Europe.

Those were some random thoughts. Moving on...

Finally, Heather over at Peacocks and Penguins started a new award and honored me with the One Clever Education Blog Award. Thank you, thank you!  I'm thrilled to be thrown in with the other bloggers you nominated.  As they say on the Oscars, to be among my fellow nominees is truly an honor. :)

The rules for this award are:

1. Thank the presenter and link back to their blog

2. Stick the award on your blog post

3. Award the blog to 5 other bloggers. 

4. Make sure you check out the other recipients! This is an acknowledgement of good blogging, and should be treated as such!

So, without further ado... here are 5 Blogs I never miss because I find their blog content entertaining, informative, and all around rad!  Thanks for being so awesome ladies!

Sarah's First Grade Snippets

Fabulous writing ideas for little ones and adaptable for upper grades.

Ms. Fultz's Corner

Lots of great organization ideas here!

Soaring Through Second Grade

Fab ideas and fun to read.  Plus, she has a corgi, so that is an obvious bonus.


Teaching Maddeness

She is total guru on reading. Great resource!

Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies

Lots of helpful tips for just about anything.  She also started We Read, We Blog, We Teach for the upcoming book study on Daily 5 and CAFE for upper grades.  Come join the conversation.

Can I give Heather back the award she developed?  Does anyone know the protocol on that? Hmm... why not?!?  She broke the rules, so now I'm going to follow suit.  I am naming 6 blogs and I'm giving the award back to her too.  We are such rebels. :)

#6 Peacocks and Penguins Now, if you haven't been to Heather's blog, you simply must check it out.  She's hilarious and has some great things in her TPT store, especially involving owls.   

So, there we have it.  Six more blogs to add to your reading list if you don't already follow.  I promise you won't be disappointed.
 

Enjoy the weekend folks.

Don't forget that you can still link up with Fiction Friday anytime.  

I love reading all the book reviews and discovering new reads.  

Excuse the formatting issues above.  Blogger and I were not getting along tonight and I finally gave up.  You just can't win them all, right?

Celebrate Good Times and 200 Followers!

It's time to celebrate... I've hit 200 followers!! This is so exciting and such an honor.  Thanks to everyone out there who reads my blog and comments.  I really do love reading the comments...BEST part!

Well, I'm pretty sure that the last ten or so followers found me because of some other wonderful blogs. The following blogs nominated little ole me for the Liebster Award.  Thank you, thank you!

Third Grade in the First State
Fabulous in Fourth
Think Share Teach
First Class with Mrs. Mac

Here are the rules: This award is for new blog, and its goal is to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers. If you earn the award, you must:

• copy and paste the award on your blog.
• thank the giver and link back to them
• choose YOUR five top picks and leave a comment on their blogs letting them know
• hope your followers will share the love with them.

Here are my Top 5 picks:
Fun in Fourth Grade!
iDream iPlan iTeach
Jasztalville
Life is Better Messy Anyway
Oceans of Teaching Ideas

P.S.  Look for a giveaway soon to celebrate the big 2-0-0!

Sunshine Beats Stress

Hi everyone! How are you?  It's been awhile.

I have been out of the bloggy world for far too long. I'm embarrassed that I completely missed the month of November. It has been a tough couple of weeks at school.  I have been so overwhelmed, stressed and anxious about the progress of my students, benchmark scores, RTI paperwork, ISP paperwork, and of course the impending STAAR test. For awhile there, I was falling apart.

I regained some composure and have found some better ways to handle my stress.  One way is to read the comments from you all.  Thank you so much for not giving up on my blog.  In fact, even in my absence another amazing fellow blogger nominated me for the Sunshine Award.  I needed some sunshine, so I HUGE thank you to Tina over at Quench Your First. Please go check out her incredible blog.

The Sunshine Award rules are...
1. Thank the person who gave this award and write a post about it.
2. Answer the following questions below.
3. And pass the award to 10~12 fabulous bloggers, link their blogs and let them know you awarded them.

* Favorite Color?  blue
* Favorite Animal?  dogs

* Favorite Number? 3

* Favorite Drink? I love coffee. I drink a tall white chocolate americano with a dash of cream. Delish!

* Facebook or Twitter? Facebook

* Your Passion? Lately, I have been obsessed with puzzles. (I have found this is another good way to destress.)

* Giving or Getting Presents?  I love giving, especially when I have found the perfect gift.

* Favorite day? Saturday
* Favorite flowers? Gerber Daisies

Here are 12 more blogs I have chosen to pass this award on to:

Beg, Borrow, Steal

Create-Teach-Share

Go Fourth! With Mrs. Owens

iDream. iPlan, iTeach

Jasztalville

Life is Better Messy Anyway

Oceans of Teaching Ideas

Once Upon A Teaching Blog

One Extra Degree

Rambling About Reading

Third Grade Meanderings

What the Teacher Wants!

Pay it Forward...More Blogging Awards!

A HUGE thank you to Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for bestowing the honor of...

on myself and my little blog.  That was the perfect way to end my week. Thank you! Thank you! I am so honored and will do my very best to live up to the award.  If you haven't explored all the wonderful ideas at 4th Grade Frolics, make sure you stop by her blog. She's fantastic!

Now, that I have been honored with this award, here are the next steps:

1) Link back to those that nominated you and thank them (Check!)

2) Share 7 things about yourself (Check!)

3) Pass the award on to 15 other blogs that you know and love (Check!)

Okay, here are 7 tidbits about me.

1. This is my 5th year of teaching.
2. I love to read. I mostly read children's novels with a few New York Times bestsellers sprinkled in throughout the year, but my favorite guilty pleasure reads are the Sookie Stackhouse novels.
3. I am a dog person to the very core.  So much so, that I will not read books where the dog dies. I just can't do it.
4. I was a barista for 6 years and miss it.  It was so much fun!
5. I taught group fitness classes while in college (step, spin, etc.).
6. I have a full fledged addiction to colored pens and markers.
7. I enjoy cooking but hate going to the grocery store.  This is often quite the conundrum.

Finally, here is my list of 15 blogs that I love and have inspired me:

Create●Teach●Share 

Go Fourth! With Mrs. Owens 

iDream.iPlan.iTeach 

Jasztalville: Where Inquiry and Creativity Rules 

Life in 4B... 

Life is Better Messy Anyway! 

Oh' Boy 4th Grade  

Once Upon A Teaching Blog  

One Extra Degree  

Quench Your First  

Simply 2nd Resources 

Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes  

The Third Wheel  

Third Grade Bookworm  

Third Grade Meanderings  

My Top 10 Awards

I'm so honored to have been nominated for a Top 10 Teaching Blog award by two fellow outstanding bloggers:  Rebecca from Create-Teach-Share, Victoria from Jasztalville, and Amanda from The Kindergarten Chick. Please click on the buttons below to check out their terrific, amazing, and inspiring blogs.

 Thank you ladies for supporting my blog!
Now, to celebrate a few more amazing teaching blogs out there. Just click the link to find out why I stalk these people so closely.  :)  Teach-A-Roo