Reading Assessment - Record Keeping

Reading assessments are one of the most important components in the beginning of the year in my room. It really helps me learn a lot about my students as readers and helps me create a plan to help them not only become better readers but enjoy it as well. Come on over to I Heart Teaching Elementary to read how I keep track.

Graphs Galore!

I created this activity to use this week during centers.  I'm using it to reinforce graphing concepts and skills.  It covers line plots, bar graphs, and pictographs.  Each graph can be printed and laminated, while the student pages (two per page) can be printed for students to record their answers on.

Click the picture below to download the center.

Dana @ 3rd Grade Gridiron

Counting Money Center

I created this activity to help my students practice counting money as well as making change less than $20.  I'm using it this week in my Math centers.  Click the picture below to get your copy.

Dana @ 3rd Grade Gridiron

Listening Center Freebie!

I just posted a Listening Center Freebie over at my blog. It's geared towards 3rd grade, so it has a little more "meat" to it.

Come check it out!


Happy Tuesday! ~Abby

Rdg/LA Activities - Sentences and Parts of Speech

I created this activity to help my kids practice types of sentences:  complete vs. incomplete.  The kids read the sentences and then sort them accordingly.  We needed to review this concept before we started discussing simple and compound sentences. 

Click the picture to download.



Here is an activity I created to help my students review parts of speech.  Nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs are reviewed in this activity. 

Click the picture to download:

Parts of Speech Book Hunt FREEBIE!

I created this activity to help my students review parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns).  I'm posting a center tomorrow evening that can be used with this activity.

Click the picture below to download the Book Hunt!

Enjoy!  Dana @ 3rd Grade Gridiron

I think introductions are in order...

If you know who said that, I like you already. If you don't, that's okay. You just need a little Albus Dumbledore in your life. :)

I am Abby from Third Grade Bookworm and I am super excited to become part of the team at Me and My (3rd Grade) Gang. I'll be back in a few days with a juicier post, but I wanted to pop in and say hello... at 4:45 am... on a Saturday night... when I can't sleep. :)


Come by and say hello! ~Abby

Get the Picture Vocabulary Card Freebie

Lonestar Learning has some great Get the Picture Vocabulary Cards. Hop on over to my blog to see how you can win a set.

~Denise

No More Chart Paper Chaos!

Have you made some charts this school year? What do you do with all your anchor charts when you're finished? Come over to I Heart Teaching Elementary and see how I keep all that chart paper chaos under control!

Descriptive Words/Writing Freebie!

I've been working with my kids, trying to get them use more flavorful and spicier words.  We want to kick "happy" and other boring words to the curb!

I have an activity from Scholastic called "Buckets of Fun" where the kids write 2-3 descriptive words relating to certain topics.  Well, my kids were coming up with 8-10 words for each topic!  It was pure madness trying to get everything to fit.  So I took the activity and make it where the kids had more room to write and weren't rescricted by 2-3 lines.  :)

Click the picture below to snag your own copy!

Enjoy!  Dana @ 3rd Grade Gridiron

Want to Be an Author on MMG?

MMG still has spots available to those of you wonderful teachers who would like to join our gang. We have no requirements regarding how often you post, it is completely up to you.  Feel free to ask questions, please use our Facebook page or put your questions in a post, we want this to be a place where you can go to find resources. We are really excited about all the wonderful teachers who are apart of MMG, y'all make this website what it is!

If you are interested in becoming an author please contact us at meanmygang@gmail.com .

Check It Out!! Daily 5 / Cafe Linky!!

Come on over in a hurry ladies!!

I'm having a Daily 5 / Cafe Linky!! You search out your favorite D5 go to blogs, posts, posters, lessons, pictures, ideas, etc. and come on over to my blog to link up!! I have some super cool resources already so this is a must see!! I can't wait to see all the cool ideas!

Favorite Teacher Linky Fun!

Do you have a teacher that made a major impact on who you are today and/or how you teach?  Come on over to my blog to link up your post about an important teacher in your life.


What do you remember about this teacher?  What parts of your teaching style come from them?  What a great way to tribute those who helped make us who we are!

Jennifer

Pinterest Progress!!

Hop on over and check out my Pinterest progress!! My awesome friend hooked me up with a new sassy bulletin board and I put together these cute letters for my library!

Type on over and check out the other projects

I'm dreaming of making/owning on Pinterest!!

A is for Assessment

Hi All,

I joined an Assessment Linky party. Come see some of the fun ways I assess my students and be sure to link up yourself.

~Denise

Writing FREEBIE!

Our Writing AKS in 3rd calls for us to write personal narratives and fantasy narratives.  Personal narratives - easy.  The kids just discuss experiences they've had, telling their own stories.  But when I first saw fantasy narratives, I was taken back.  But after a little thinking, I pulled out the book Peter Pan.  The kids in Peter Pan could definitely be real, but the adventure they go on is a complete fantasy.  We discussed how the kids flew (not in a plane) to Neverland.  The kids didn't have parents or rules in Neverland.  My students were able to make several connections because of this!  Here's a graphic organizer I gave them to get their thoughts out and organized.  It's yours...for free! 

I'm off to the lake for the weekend with the hubby and some friends.  I'm excited to have a little get-away and R&R.  :)  Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!  See y'all Monday!

My Renovated Rocking Chair!

I recently finished painting a $20 rocking chair I found at the thift store. I am so excited to have a rocking chair for my library area. Although it didn't turn out exactly how I imagined, I still thinks it's cute and it adds a pop of color to my class. Thoughts?

Head on over to my blog to see all of the super cute rocking chairs that inspired me!

Science Textbook Scavenger Hunt

Looking for an activity to introduce your Science textbook for the year? Come over to I Heart Teaching Elementary to check out my scavenger hunt!

Breakfast Anyone?!

How do you know if your students want breakfast each morning?  I'm not a fan of hugging a clipboard for 30 minutes each morning and greeting each student with "Good morning, _______ !  Do you want breakfast?"  That's just not my style.  I've always used the following method:

Students come in, unpack, and then "move their name" if they want breakfast. 

My old school had two breakfast choices, but my new school only has one (unless a student has a medical/religious reason to eat something different).  By 8:40-8:45 each morning, I look at the names and can quickly take note of who wants breakfast.  Then I send the checklist off with my two breakfast helpers and viola!  A less stressful breakfast!  :) 

Click the collage to snag the cards I use. 

Here's a pic of how I use them.

Enjoy!

Interview Outfits

Hey Gang!!

I'm excited to say...I have an interview!!

That means I need your help...what should I wear?!?  Click on over to Teaching in Heels and help a girl out!

Giveaway!

Hey teachers....

head on over to my blog to learn how you can own one of these precious aprons!

Freebies Galore!

Ladybug from Ladybug's Teacher Files has gone on vacation and she lined up some super sassy bloggers to be guests while she is away. Each day a new guest will post a freebie that they use regularly in their classrooms. I am honored to be included among such a rockin' group of ladies!! Type on over and take a look!!

I hope you enjoy!! Don't forget to stop by and say HI!!!

Julie

Big Changes Thanks to YOU!

Hold on to your stickers GANG!  Me and My Gang is going through more fun changes.  We have been so thrilled with the amount of emails coming in with suggestions about how to better imporve Me and My Gang.  We have decided to make some upgrades to the site.  First, we are working on a Home Page that will be a great opening act to all of your amazing blogs.  Each grade will have their own page with their own followers.  Blog Master Mckenna is working on individual grade level buttons.  Keep your suggestions coming we want this site to be more than one you visit...we want it to feel like home!

Do keep in mind that it is just The Teamies and Blog Master Mckenna making all of the changes and upgrades.  We are working as quickly as possible and we appreciate all of your patience while we build this fantastic resource!

Hi from Teaching in Heels

Hi Gang!!
I'm MJ from Teaching in Heels.I'm so excited to be a new author for the Me & My Gang 3rd Grade Blog!!
I've been teaching for 2 years, but have a lot of experience in different grades, including Pre-K, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th!  I have found so many amazing teacher blogs and love to share the ideas I find, projects I create, and of course my shopping obsessions too!
Each Tuesday I host a link up, Teacher Tuesday.  Head over to my blog to check it out!

Talk to you all soon!

MJ

So excited to be here!

Hello.  I am Jennifer from Lifelong Learning.  This will be my 24th year teaching, but I have only been blogging since June.

I don't remember the last time I entered a new school year so energized and excited to get started.  The number of resources and ideas I have gotten from my time blogging is overwhelming.  I am excited to be part of the team here at Me and My Third Grade Gang!  It will be a great school year!

Attention Gang Authors!

Hey ALL!  The Teamies have been working late into the night with Secret Weapon Mckenna to update Me and My Gang.  We have decided to change our email system to allow us to  better navigate for you... our authors!

To help us in the process we need all of of our current authors to help us by sending us an email to our new email account www.meanmygang@gmail.com.  In the subject area please spell out your grade level.  This will filter the emails into grade levels for us. In the future...please ALWAYS include your grade level ONLY in the subject.  Example: First Grade

In your email please send us your html button code again.  Just for us to double check and make sure we have not missed anyone.   If you do not have a button just send your blog address.  (Mckenna at www.project3designs.blogspot.com would love to help you with your button.)  It is our hope to have all of the buttons added to the correct pages of Me and My Gang by the end of the week.

We are also in the process of reworking the pages to better help our Teamies.  You will only be able to FOLLOW Me and My Gang on the 2nd grade page.  Please head there and make sure that you have done that so you don't miss any updates.  If you have followed any of the other K, 1, or 3rd MMG pages you will need to Follow the 2nd grade page.

Thanks so much for HANGING with us through this process.  We are so amazed with the response that we just want to make sure MMG is the best it can be for all of you:)

Feel free to contact us if you have questions. 

Monica will be the contact person for K-1 and Stephie will be the contact person for 2-3. 

License Plate Glyph

Hi blog friends! I'm Marlene from I Heart Teaching Elementary. I am excited to be joining Me and My Gang as part of the Third Grade Lounge. I love collaborating with other teachers and finding new ideas to use in my classroom. This will be my 9th year teaching and I've been in third for all of it. I really enjoy this age and can't imagine teaching any other grade.

For my first post, I'd like to share an activity I will be doing on Tuesday which is the first day of school. One of the activities I will be doing is a license plate glyph. I start off by reading the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.

 It's a great book that teaches about not caring what others think and loving your name even if it's a little different. After I read it aloud and discuss the theme, the kids complete the license plate glyph. I got the glyph from Education World.  After they are all finished, we share them and I put them up on display. The license plate is in word so that it is able to be changed. So I provided the link to education world. Here is an example of the info you can include on yours.

                                                             Name Glyph Key

                                                        License Plate Template

The OC Blog: Brand new look, same awesome resources!

Have you seen The OC Blog's spiffy new look?!  Click below to check it out!

Animal Clipart

I posted an animal number chart in my place value post and have had questions about where I got it.
Aren't they adorable?  You can get them separately like above too.

Go to Clkr.com. That's where you will find them. Enjoy.

~Denise

Hi Everyone!

I so excited to be a part of this 3rd grade gang!  I cannot wait to share and learn from other amazing 3rd grade teachers!  My own blog is Ashleigh's Education Journey, and I just started it around February, but I really didn't get into it until the spring.  This will be my 9th year teaching, with four years in 4th and the past five year in 3rd.  I teach in a Title 1 school of about 600 kids, and there are five 3rd grade classes.  For the past 2 years, I have team taught with another teacher who teaches reading, writing, and language arts, and I teach math, social studies, and science.  I wasn't so sure about it at first, but I've really enjoyed teaming (probably because my partner is awesome)!  When I'm not working on school stuff, I am probably hanging out with my husband of 8 years or playing with my 2 year old daughter.

For my first official post, I wanted to share something that I've been working on lately.  I'm really big on teaching problem solving strategies in my classroom, because I feel that many students lack the strategies needed for problem solving.  I always incorporate problem solving into each of my units rather than teaching it as an isolated unit, but I always start the year teaching strategies.  I used to teach 7, but I've narrowed it down to my favorite 4.  I had some old posters that I used to hang up and then I would add key words and example problems around the posters (sort of like a math focus wall).  The summer I decided that they were looking a little dated, so I've made new ones.

Problem Solving Posters Link

If you're looking for a particular theme, you can leave me a comment on my blog, and I'll see what I can do!  I'm a huge clip art collector, and I love using it!

Place Value Windows

Are you looking for a quick and easy place value idea?  Pop on over to my blog and see how I make place value windows. It's simple and so very practical.  See you there.

~Denise

Hello and Welcome!

Hi everybody!  It's Dana from 3rd Grade Gridiron.  Welcome to Me and My Third Grade Gang!  Being a part of this great blog is an amazing opportunity!  It is absolutely incredible how teacher blogs offer fabulous resources and ideas as well as support each other.  I'm more than thrilled to be a part of that collaboration.

A little background info about me: 
- I live/work about 20 minutes outside of Atlanta. 
- This is my 8th year teaching (I taught 1st grade for six years; this is my second year teaching 3rd grade)
- I started blogging a little less than a year ago (besides the children, blogging has renewed my love and passion for teaching; the collaboration and support from other bloggers is unbelievable!)
- I'm an organization freak!  Everything must in the correct binder, basket, or drawer.  And not to mention everything is labeled.  My friends call it OCD.  I guess I'm ok with that.  :)

To help get us started, I want to share a back-to-school activity I created.  A coworker shared something similar with me this past week, but my kids wanted more!  You can download them by clicking on the pics. 

Enjoy!