Monday, October 15, 2012

State Testing and a Freebie!

So we have been completing our state tests for three weeks now.  Okay, not EVERYONE has been testing for three weeks, each grade level has completed their test over the period of a week.  Fifth grade was first, then fourth grade and finally third grade this week.  It has been CHAOS people!  The first two weeks meant that I had to relocate to other locations around the school with my kiddos so my roomie could test her students in our room.  Sounds simple right?  Mmmm yeah, not so much when every other special education teacher, reading specialist and other various interventionists have to do the same thing!  We didn't thrive...but we survived!  Now it's my turn to test one of my students in our room and the poor kiddo has just been in tears because it's the reading portion of the assessment and he's currently reading on a first grade level (he's in third grade).  I felt so,so bad!  He wanted help so badly but my hands were tied...absolutely no help or the test is invalid.  Ohhh and did I tell you the very humorous (perhaps more like ironic), name of our state tests?  They are called the NECAPs!  Yeah like you've been hit in the kneecap and are now incapacitated!  Does anyone at the state level EVER put any thought into the names of these tests?  I'm so happy that we will be finishing up the reading portion tomorrow and moving on to the first math section which my kiddo should do okay with {fingers crossed}.

With all this testing I have missed seeing some of my students.  Boo!  So I am trying to squeeze in as much as possible when I do have them (okay I ALWAYS try to squeeze in WAY to much)!  I have been working in a little labeling practice for my firsties because they need it for the language and reading skills that it provides (not to mention cutting and gluing practice).  I have started to make my own labeling sheets and have one to share with  you today!  Just click on the picture below to download this from Google docs.   I hope your kids enjoy it!
I'll be back soon {hopefully} to review this Fall unit from Kimberly at Funky First Grade Fun.

Check out the fantastic giveaways Tessa is having at her blog by clicking on her button!
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

October Currently & What's In The Works

It is October 3rd and that means that it is time to link up with Farley at 
Oh' boy fourth grade
for the October Currently!  Yahoo!  I {big puffy heart} LOVE Currently!
Product Details
I love the Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman and so do the kids.  It has repetitive text and is so catchy!  We do lots of retelling activities with this book and the students love it.  Check it out...I KNOW you'll love it too!
I know I've been a bad blogger lately but my year has gotten off to such a rough start!  Seriously I have been in TEARS and people I (usually) LOVE my job!  I truly have my work cut out for me this year!  I have students in first, third and fourth grades.  That's a BIG age span!  AND they have a VERY wide range of needs (speech and language disabled, learning disabled, developmentally delayed, vision impaired, multiple handicaps, etc.)!  We are down a special education teacher, a speech and language pathologist and a COTA so we can no longer co-teach like we used to!  It makes me SO sad!  Right now I'm just trying to keep my head above water...but I have a LOT of creations in the works so I hope you'll stay with me!

And there are LOADS of giveaways going on right now!  Go check these out!
Sara is giving away a $25.00 gift certificate to Hobby Lobby in celebration of her birthday!
Amy is having an amazing 100 followers giveaway with a $25.00 Ann Taylor gift card and lots of units up for grabs courtesy of some fabulous bloggers! 


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