Welcome to our "Ant"onym Farm!

Check out our "Ant"onym Farm! Last week we worked on synonyms and antonyms. I think my kids are FINALLY getting the play on words...
First we studied synonyms. I know you have all seen "Synonym" Rolls on pinterest... Here is our version:

I had to show you this one... Her word was pretty.. She said, "I am gorgeous today." lol- It is always the ones you least expect that say the darnedest things...

After studying synonyms, we learned about antonyms. This is a very hard concept for my EL. I think they understand the words don't mean the same thing.. but they don't understand opposite!

We made an antonym farm (see above). Here are a few of our ants:

These were my example ants!

These were so much fun! How are you teaching synonyms and antonyms?

Currently... only a few hours to a super sale!

I love currently. I missed it last month... I've been really really busy! 

Anyhoo, my kids are addicted to electronics! One is sitting across the room on the ipad (he is addicted to Wild Kratts- an app he bought with his tooth fairy money! lol). The other one is on the nook (at least she's reading... and btw she is reading Pete the Cat!)

As I am writing this the hubs just woke up from his so-called "cat nap".

Everything else is pretty self-explanatory... on to pet peeves:

My number one pet peeve is SNORING (check out what I was listening to during my Currently). My husband's snoring is getting worse. Some nights its not too bad but most of the time it drives me bonkers. Especially when we are in the living room and he could go get in bed, but he won't. Even our three year old says, "Daddy, stop snoring! It's annoying!!" lol

Boys do make annoying noises. My son is starting the noises too. His noises are mainly made to annoy his little sister... they seem to happen right about the time we're in the car! 

My school pet peeve is crowding. I'm sure you've experienced this at the beginning of the year... multiple children walking up to you to ask a question, soon your surrounded... the walls are closing in... ahhhh! I hate that... we have to break that behavior, and QUICK!

So, you might of heard of this big sale going on... tomorrow! 

I am also having 30% in my Teacher's Notebook store. I am sure there are some fab finds out there... I already have a few things in my wish list, bout to go add some more. 

While your shopping tomorrow, download this fun freebie:

Click the pic to go to my TPT store. 

My kids understood this concept (comparing numbers to 120) very quickly, but when I ask them to verbalize the equation, they are stumbling over their words. This little game can be played whole group or small group. Hopefully your kiddos will find it helpful too. 

Have a Super Sunday tomorrow! I can't wait to see your purchases. I'll share mine when I make my final selections!

Listening and a freebie

Source: sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net via Nailah on Pinterest

Sad yellow light. :(
I understand... I feel like this too... Sometimes! I am trying to fix this...at least at school!

Let me start off by saying:
1. I have amazingly behaved children this year.
2. I have a partial EL class.

Now, when it comes to rules- my kids are excellent listeners. They always do what I ask of them, they are generally kind to each other, and they aren't one of those classes that won't hush. (We have our days, but not as many as I have had in the past!)

As wonderful as they are, they do not listen to instructions during assignments. When we do a craftivity that is suppose to take 20-30 min. it always becomes at least 45 min. and at least 2 kids have completely ignored at least one direction. (As adorable as some of these crafts turn out, the whole point of completing them is listening!)

I will admit that my kids are getting better, but, at this stage in the game, I feel like they should really really be listening to me! I started actually taking a listening grade this semester. Maybe I need some parental back-up on this?

Each week we do at least one listening activity...and it is specifically for listening... nothing else...

The crazy part is the kids are excited about them. They ask me about them and when we are going to do them and what kind of listening it will be. It is a little bit strange. They aren't especially fun activities- me reading directions, them completing them on their paper (like color this, or put a square around that). I suppose the appeal lies in the fact that there isn't much critical thinking happening during this time. The kids that aren't doing too well during this time really just don't listen to me. The good thing about it is at parent/teacher conferences now I have data to back up my claims of not listening.

Anyway, I am looking for more activities I can do with listening to keep them more engaged or encourage following directions (maybe even get them to READ the directions!) I have been looking on TPT but seem to be finding lots of listening center recording sheets....

Thanks for listening :)  You made it to the end of my rant... wanna a freebie? I just posted this freebie on TPT for Groundhog's Day. A little graphing goodie...

Click the picture to download!

Enjoy!

In other news, I am halfway through with my Trig class!!! Yay!!!! I just have to take Calculus and then I will have my Masters! Woo hoo!

Have a great rest of the weekend!!