Ultimate "Middle Years" Back to School Giveaway/Blog Hop!

ARE YOU READY?  Krystal Mills, Lessons from the Middle, and I have teamed up for The Ultimate 

"Middle Years" 

Giveaway  
and Blog Hop! 
GOING BACK FULLY STASHED!

$300 worth of donations will be given away! 

You're going to love what we have put together for you!!! It's great to connect with such a great group of middle grade teachers and bloggers, gaining new ideas, activities, lessons, tips, etc.! After you see what all has been offered below, you'll find our Rafflecopter Giveaway widget to enter for your chance to win a collection of awesome resources for your new year! Below are the "OH SO SWEET AND GENEROUS" Teacher Bloggers who have helped make this such a spectacular giveaway!

  

$15 to Spend in Addie's TpT Store!

EVERY PRICED item in Elizabeth's 
Fun in Room 4B TpT Store for FREE! 

$5 Spree in Heidi's TpT Store

Kristen Bowers' 101 Writing Prompts for Fall!

$10 Shopping Spree in Madame Aiello's TpT Store!

SciPi's Halloween Fraction Riddles

Homophones: Lessons, Homework, Tests, Writing Shopping Spree in Andrea's TPT Store for $10
$15 Shopping Spree in Hojo's TPT Store

$10 shopping spree to TPT store Liz's Lessons


 $20 shopping spree in Tracee Orman's TPT Store

Adrianne's Integer Elevator Game

$10 Shopping Spree in Michelle's Making It Teacher's TPT Store

Loriana Romano, Elita Saulle, and Lisa Papa have donated
 "Your Essential Teacher Binder" 
Classroom Organization Kit (of choice)

Michelle's Dear Mr. Henshaw Comprehension Question Packet

Lacie's Data & Probability Scoot Game Jennifer's Survival of the Fittest Bear Hunt Game 1 Item of Choice from Joy's TpT store!

Any 3 Items from Lori's TPT store!

$15  Shopping Spree in Amy's TpT Store!

Your Choice: 1 Item from Science Penguin's Store!

Kim's Making Numbers-Warm Up Math Activity

E-Motive Teaching! Winner's Choice: 1 of Deborah's Free 

TED Talks Viewing Guides!

Kristine's Classroom Procedures to Teach!

25 Frames Clipart from Oxana's Store!! 

$10 Worth of Products from Teresa's TpT Store!

$15 Shopping Spree in Lauren's TN Store!

Pre-Teen School Friends Clip Art Set by The 3AM Teacher

$25 Shopping Spree to Innovative Connections' TpT Store!

$25 Shopping Spree to Lessons from the Middle's TpT Store!

____________________________________

Visit my Blog Buddy and ULTIMATE "MIDDLE YEARS" GIVEAWAY/BLOG HOP PARTNER at Lessons from the Middle! Let Krystal know you stopped by and entered this ultimate giveaway!! 

You will love her blog anyway, if you are not already familiar with it. Be sure to subscribe via email and networked blogs so you don't miss out on awesome posts regarding middle grade classroom ideas, tips, activities, lessons! You can bet she'll provide her readers/followers with valuable information to take to the classroom!

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AND THE WINNERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED!!!!
NOTE: THOSE HAVING COMPLETED BLOG HOP CHALLENGE NEED TO WATCH EMAIL INBOX OR SPAM BOX FOR YOUR VIRTUAL GOODIE BAG!!!!! THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS A SPECTACULAR EVENT!
Winners will be contacted via email! ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In addition to the giveaway, this is also a BLOG HOP!! Every blog you hop to will be featuring another fabulous middle grade blog! You'll have quite a list of "FAVS"  when you are done checking them out! Don't you love a good excuse to blog stalk?

For those eager to take on and complete the BLOG HOP CHALLENGE, we've put together a pretty cool stash of resources to give you--THANKS to the outstanding bloggers who have been SO gracious to donate to this event! I hope you are pumped. I am!! If you like incorporating new and exiting ideas and resources into your daily lessons, or just like to find out about other great teaching blogs, I challenge you!! 

Blog Hop Challenge Form 

Below are all blogs in the blog hop! Now, get to hopping!!

It's That Time...

SALE TIME! Quick, Quick post to let you know I've put every item, digital and used hard good, in my store on sale all day March 28th and 29th!! 

I've posted several test prep teaching tools you would certainly find useful, as well as some new freebies! 22 Freebies in all! Become a follower because I have many more freebies in the making, as I am a contributor to Classroom Freebies Too! Obviously, I'll be creating many new free downloads, especially as the summer nears! Have a great rest of the week! It's downhill from here--Wonderful Wednesday!

See a few freebies right here:

Hope to see you in my TpT store!!!

P.S. What types of classroom items do you look for most often? 

If you have an idea for a freebie you'd like to see posted, leave it in a comment below! I would love for you to share your ideas!

Innovative TpT Seller You Should Get to Know...

Mary Lirette of  

Mrs. Lirettes’s Learning Detectives!

What grade level(s) and/or subject(s) are you currently teaching? What grade levels have you taught prior to this year?        

Currently, I am teaching 2nd grade- previously taught kindergarten and first…

If currently in the classroom, how long have you been teaching? If not still in classroom, how long did you teach?                 

This is my 6th year!

When did you join Teachers Pay Teachers as a Seller? What made you decide to become a seller?

I joined Tpt at the end of November 2011.  I have always enjoyed sharing my creations with others.  Many of my colleagues and friends recommended that I make my creations available to everyone on Tpt.  I finally caved in and joined. I have had such a wonderful experience with it so far!

One piece of advice you can give to a beginning teacher & one piece for a veteran teacher:

Regardless of where you are in your teaching career, it is important not to get discouraged when things do not go as planned in your classroom.  It happens to all of us.  Our job is not easy.  It is so important to be flexible with your teaching because you never know what is going to happen!

Something unique about you both as a teacher and outside of the classroom:

In the classroom, I am that highly energetic teacher that looks quite silly most of the time.  I sing, dance, dress up, make up jingles to remember things, stand on chairs, etc.- whatever it takes to get my students interested and engaged!

Outside of the classroom, I am the complete opposite!  I am calm and reserved.  I much prefer to stay home and read a good book or watch a movie than go out for a night on the town.

TpT Store Link:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mary-Lirette

Blog: http://mrsliretteslearningdetectives.blogspot.com

If you like, please leave a link to one of your best selling products here:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/American-Government-Local-State-National

What other bio information would you like to share?

I am a southern girl from Tennessee. I am happily married to the love of my life and am the proud mother of a two-year-old daughter named Gracie.  I love spending time with my family and my two cats, Hercules and Xena.  Also, I love to get my hands on a good book!  I dabble in organic gardening, and spend most of my spare time these days surfing the internet, stalking blogs and Pinterest for creative ideas to incorporate into my classroom!

Are there any other sites you’d like posted for others to access?

Mrs. Lirette’s Learning Detectives:  http://mrsliretteslearningdetectives.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/mrsliretteslearningdetectives

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MrsLirette  @MrsLirette

Networked Blogs: http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/mrs-lirettes-learning-detectives

TpT: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mary-Lirette

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/marylirette/

________________________________________________________

Thank you, Mary Lirette, for participating!

If you are interested in others getting to know more about you, feel free to fill out the google doc under my heading/tabs or here: Innovative TpT Seller to Get to Know

Regards,

Have You Gotten or Granted Permission to Pin?

Laura Candler of Corkboard Connections and Teaching Resources has started a great link up for bloggers to grant followers/visitors permission to pin from their blog! Great Idea, Laura! 
If you are a blogger, please read her post about this!  You can also link up on her blog post and grab her code for "Permission to Pin" to add to your blog!

So, I am granting permission for you to pin my images I've posted on Innovative Connections, as well as my blog button/link, etc. I am not speaking for the images of guest bloggers or "Get to Know This TpT Teacher-Author."  Please feel free to also pin from my TPT STORE. Please follow my Pinterest boards and repin anything you like to your own boards!


Regards,

Get to Know This TpT Teacher-Author...

Steve Gipson at Mr. G’s Creative Classroom!

What grade level(s) and/or subject(s) are you currently teaching? What grade levels have you taught prior to this year?   9-12; I have taught grade 6-12!

If currently in the classroom, how long have you been teaching? If not still in classroom, how long did you teach?   7 Years

When did you join Teachers Pay Teachers as a Seller? What made you decide to become a seller?     I joined TPT as a seller about 16 months ago. Since I started teaching, I have always created a lot of classroom materials myself. They were just sitting around on a hard drive somewhere, collecting dust. TPT seemed like a great way to share and maybe make a few bucks. I have always believed that we teachers needed to connect with each other more, and stop reinventing the wheel over and over. TPT helps us share, perfect, and refine our classroom materials. I also love that it allows us to circumvent the big publishing companies and put money directly into the pockets of our colleagues!

One piece of advice you can give to a beginning teacher & one piece for a veteran teacher:     

My first year semester of teaching was extremely difficult. I was trying to teach to the test, and do everything I had learned in the credential program. The students hated me, and I wasn't having any fun. So I just threw all that out the window and started teaching what I was interested in. I still adapted lessons to fit the standards (or, more accurately, I adapted the standards so they would fit my lessons.) I also started incorporating more multimedia and digital learning into the classroom environment, which was fin for me and the students. The transformations I made were a success. The students responded positively and I started having fun. I can remember my mentor teacher remarking on the change. “Steve, the students like you now!” she exclaimed. So the piece of advice to get out of all that: relax, be yourself, and remember you have to save your sanity before you can save your students!

For a veteran teacher, I would say two things: embrace technology and always work to refine and improve your practice!

Something unique about you both as a teacher and outside of the classroom:

I don't own a car. Most days, I ride a bike to work. If it is raining, I take a light-rail train.

TpT Store Link: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Mr-G-Show

Blog: http://creativeclassroomresources.blogspot.com/

One of your best selling product links :  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Figurative-Language-Independent-Practice-Worksheets-Bundle

Are there any other sites you’d like posted for others to access?

Twitter: @themrgshow

Facebook: Currently Updating...

50% Off During Super-Bowl Half-Time!!

Yep! Quick post to let you know that a lot of TpT Store will have a handful of products 50% off during Super Bowl  half-time!!
I've already set mine; I probably would forget to do it tomorrow!            
Regards,

P.S. Just for fun, I made a QR Code for my store! Leave me a comment if you would try it and see if it works! I'd love to know how many people use the scan app for QR Codes on their phones!

Get to Know This TpT Teacher-Author...

Lori Wolfe of Fun to Teach

What grade level(s) and/or subject(s) are you currently teaching? What grade levels have you taught prior to this year?           

Currently I am teaching k-5 English Language Development (ELD)!
Bilingual 1-4, Bilingual Title I, ESL

If currently in the classroom, how long have you been teaching? If not still in classroom, how long did you teach?            

 14 years

When did you join Teachers Pay Teachers as a Seller? What made you decide to become a seller?

I joined TPT as a seller a few years ago (can't remember the exact year) to dabble in the emerging e-commerce world.  I had a product that I had been selling in hard copy and TPT gave me the opportunity to try out the web!

One piece of advice you can give to a beginning teacher & one piece for a veteran teacher:

My biggest piece of advice for a beginning teacher is to get your classroom management down.  Find a teacher you admire and whose room runs the way you would want yours to run.  Then, study her every move, and ask tons of questions.  Modify it to fit you, and when you hear yourself say, "The kids weren't doing what they were supposed to today," stand back and look for the flaws in your routine or procedures for the day.  Modify until things run smoothly. 

Something unique about you both as a teacher and outside of the classroom:

I started my career as a 1/2 bilingual classroom teacher.  I didn't realize until much later that I started with one of the hardest teaching assignments.  The benefit was that everything since has felt easier!

Each summer for the past 8 years, a friend and I have traveled to different Spanish speaking countries to spend a few weeks at language school to unwind from the school year and work on our Spanish.

TpT Store Link:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Fun-To-Teach

Blog: http://esleld.blogspot.com/

If you like, please leave a link to one of your best selling products here:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Irregular-Past-Tense-Verb-Game-Grammar-and-Vocabulary-Unit-Plan

Are there any other sites you’d like posted for others to access?

http://www.facebook.com/FunToTeach

twitter@esleld.com

www.esleld.com

Recommending a Visit to Sunny Days!!

Awesome Resources-Sunny Days TpT Store

50 Printables for Early Finishers & Enrichment

A few words from Sunny Days' Product Description:

Never again hear a student say, “I’m done, what do I do now?” 

            Fifty printables for enrichment and early finishers. 

Critical & creative thinking activities for a wide range and ability of students grades 1-4. 

You may even find activities that correlate with whole class units of study as activities cover all subject areas.

AND...This Awesome Super Bowl Packet!

          

Visit Sunny Days in Second Grade Blog Too!

Great for Grades 2-5 & Homeschoolers!

A few words from her product desciption:

Are you ready for some football?
This activity pack includes a combination of nine high interest printables,

 centers and home activities revolving around the big game!
Download the preview to see each activity:
Football Jersey Glyph
Design a Super Bowl Ticket
Two research printables
Superfan tri-fold game watch guide
3 page word work activity
Football themed Roll-A-Sentence activity
Math problem solving printable
Football compound printable

Find these products and other super resources at 

Sunny Days TpT Store!!

Get to Know This TpT Teacher-Author...

Mary Baur from The Artistry of Education 

What grade level(s) and/or subject(s) are you currently teaching? What grade levels have you taught prior to this year

             This year I teach a 5/6 split; previously I have taught every grade K-6

If currently in the classroom, how long have you been teaching? If not still in classroom, how long did you teach?           

            21 Years

When did you join Teachers Pay Teachers as a Seller? What made you decide to become a seller?    

I am a writer as well as a teacher.  I am looking for ways to share my writing.  Teachers Pay Teachers is a good community.

One piece of advice you can give to a beginning teacher & one piece for a veteran teacher:     

            I would advise a beginning teacher that it is okay to ask for help.  I would encourage veteran teachers to find ways to keep themselves healthy and creative. 

Tell something unique about you, both inside and outside of the classroom.

            I have my principal certificate, but I knew before I finished the program that I needed to stay in the classroom.

            I spent six years in the U.S. Army Reserves.

TpT Store Link:  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mary-Bauer

Blog:    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mary-Bauer

One of your best selling product links:    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sun-and-Shadows-Observations

           

Are there any other sites you’d like posted for others to access?

         My Facebook Page:

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-Bauers-Teaching-Resources/284993711519732

Liz's Lessons: Liz's Lessons New Years 2012 Giveaway! $20 Target ...

Check out Liz's Blog and Enter her New Year Giveaway!! 

By entering this Giveaway you will have the chance to win one of two great prizes! 

 1st prize winner will receive a $20 Target Gift Card!

 2nd prize winner will receive their choice of $12 in FREE products from her TPT Store!

Check it out a link to her blog post and a little info from her below!!

Regards,

Ann Marie

Liz's Lessons: Liz's Lessons New Years 2012 Giveaway! $20 Target ...: I had an amazing year in 2011 selling teaching products on TpT, and blogging about education! I have learned about so many great blogs and new teaching resources. As a way to say thank you to all of my followers, I have decided to have a New Years  2012 GIVEAWAY!