TPT freebie

So I'm a TPT slacker... yep my name is Karen and I am a slacker. All year I make things to use with my kids and then I don't make time to gussy them up and put them on TPT. Since we have been on an epic 3 week road trip I have had LOTS of time to gussy. I have a could of game editions that I have been working on.

The first is BAM. Different people call it different things (pop, bang, slap, etc). I call it BAM ('cause I'm an Emeril fan and I LOVE teaching my kids to say BAM when they see the BAM cards. I have seen this game with lost of extra card types, like loose a turn. My BAM game is super simple... BAM cards and content cards.

How do we play BAM?

The first player pulls a card from the container (I use icing containers -thank you Deedee Wills!). They show the card to the other players. This step is VITAL because there is always a student who doesn't know what the card says and tried to fake out the other players. Teaching my littles this step really stops all the "he cheated" kind of things from happening. If the child can name the content (letter, sound, word, number,...) then they keep the card. If they can not name the content on the card then the card goes back into the container and the next player takes their turn. If a child gets the BAM card, they have to put all their cards back into the container and the next player takes a turn. The game continues until all cards have been played.

So far I have 1 set up at TPT and it's free (for now). This is a back to school alphabet set. The first "edition" to the BAM series will be alphabet recognition.  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/BAM-Alphabet-Editions-Back-to-School-1939781

The second set of games that I am working on are "Just add dice" games. I LOVE using dice in my room!! The kids love using dice. These are all games that we play all year, and again they can be used for just about ANY content. These aren't quite yet gussy enough to hit TPT but I am working on them.

Both of these sets of games are things that I use all stinkin' year, the content changes but the rules stay the same. Talk about getting the bang for your buck! Teach it once, and they play all year.

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Dental Heath Month

Yes yes I know that it is WAY early to be thinking about dental health month, but Colgate is GIVING teachers kits!! Last year I missed out (read that as totally didn't think about signing up!) and that is not going to happen as second time. And since I love you all I want to make sure all our littles get to be part of this program. So what is the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program?

Colgate sends a kit full of teaching materials to help the littles know how to take care of their teeth. Then the icing on the cake, so to speak, is that each child gets a new toothbrush! I LOVE this program and missed it so much last February. Now that you want to be part of the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program head over to the website by clicking HERE.

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Dearest Target...

My dearest Target,

all these wonderful ladies in teacher blog land are finding great surprises in your dollar spot. Why am I not? I am ready for you to have bins full of wonderful and inspiring items, not the one or twos that I have dug through and found. Please take the time to think of me and fill your bins!

Thank you,
Karen

No my target isn't full to the gills with teacher stuff in the dollar spot and I'm not happy about that!! I did find a few things when I was there last.  Here is what I did find:
* photo cards that have traffic signs on them- environmental print and then on a ring in construction when we talk about transportation.
* number set puzzles and upper lower puzzles.
* the cutest community helper cards EVER!
* foam shapes (left them out of the picture but they will be in math centers)
* and green egss and ham- how is it that I have all his other movies and not this one? Problem solved.

I've also been printing, cutting and getting ready all the wonderful shares I've been seeing!! The kids are done with helping ;)
Oh, I ran by Knowledge tree just to see what was new and I found a super cute set of monkeys by creative teaching press and a chicka chicka tree by carson dellosa... ok it's not really a chicka chicka tree but it's going to be my chicka tree!! (Don't have the money to build the one of my dreams so this one will have to do).

I also got in my buckets from Really Good Stuff. I am going to use them for my classroom library. Since one wall in my room is painted a bright sea blue (aqua?) I got pink and green buckets. I am so excited about them getting here!! This is what I ordered:  the large pink and green ones. The blue of my wall looks like the blue in the photo. I am going to make labels for them this week. I am thinking about re- labeling all my library books. (don't tell my daughter- she will scream!) I can't wait to get the labels done. I'll share them here incase anyone else is interested in them.

I have a blog give away planned if I can get to 25 followers I'll give the details on how you can win. (hints: dollar spot, route 44) I've also got some more Math station ideas to share... just need a better way to get pictures on the internet.

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