Head on over to Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives to check out all the entries in her It's a Spring Thing Linky Party! Help her celebrate the success of her first linky party!

I know I just finished the Winter Math Work Stations Linky Party, but I’ve decided to go ahead and get a jump start on February station ideas for Math and Literacy. Maybe this will give everyone enough time to get things added, as well as, time to get things printed and assembled for February. I’ve added a freebie tonight, just to kick it off. Click on the picture below to download a copy of the chart and self-check sheet.


Click on the picture below to take you to a Google Doc filled with lots of great ideas from amazing bloggers.

While watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Joplin) last night, I kept thinking how blessed I am and how lucky our family was that we were not affected by the devastating tornado that ripped through Joplin on May 22, 2011. I live in Southwest Missouri and I remember not being able to get in touch with a friend who lives in Joplin and feeling scared for her and her family. I also remember crying for days for people while feeling so completely helpless. The stories of loss were beyond heartbreaking.


I was thrilled last night when I read that Erica from Joplin had reached out to Deedee Wills to ask bloggers to send some of their items to help lift the spirits of other Joplin teachers. What a wonderful thing she is doing for her co-workers and what a blessing it is that Deedee continued the generosity by offering the same opportunity to other teachers. I hope that you will all feel compelled to email Erica with something that you might find beneficial to Joplin teachers. I'm sure it will be appreciated. If you do, be sure to link up to Deedee's blog by clicking on the picture above.

I've tried to make good use of my time today, so I've been searching high and low for some fun winter math work stations and I thought I'd share all the freebies I've found. If you have created something for sale or for free that fits this category, please feel free to fill in the form below to be added to the Google Doc.

Click on the picture below to take you to a Google Spreadsheet with links to 40+ winter math work stations.

If you have a blog that has less than 150 followers, link up below. :) I'd love to find out about you and I'm sure others would like to find you, too!

Also, just in case you don't have enough blogs to read over Christmas break, here are a few more that I found that I thought they could use some more fabulous followers. I tried to find blogs with less than 150 followers. :)

I took a much needed break and spent lots of quality time with my family over Thanksgiving break. However, that means I didn't spend time creating anything fabulous yet for Christmas. So, since I haven't been creative, I want to at least share some of the fun freebies that others have been generous enough to post. :)  I encourage you to please join my Christmas Freebies Linky Party and link up to your amazing freebies or others that you've found!


Santa's Sleigh Drop Subtraction Activities by From the Pond

Jingle, Jingle and Teddy Bear Patterns from The Resource(ful) Room

Christmas Math Centers by Kindergarten Katy

Lots of great Christmas learning plans at 1 + 1 + 1 = 1

Plus, check out all the free Christmas things to download at Teachers Pay Teachers.

I am so excited that it is almost fall! I love all the seasons for their very own special reasons, but fall is my definitely my favorite! I love the colors, the smells, the cool crisp air, the clothes, the decorations, the pumpkin patch field trip, bonfires, raking leaves, chili, s'mores and everything else that makes fall so wonderful!



Next week we will begin a two-week unit on apples and Johnny Appleseed. I have been searching for lots of new ideas to add to some of the ideas I've used in the past. I hope that you will like some of these links, too. I’m just wishing I had more time!
I haven’t linked to everything apple, just mainly what I think I might like to use.

Be sure to checkout the following link to search for great free/inexpensive downloadable apple printables from Scholastic.  Use code: 10THANKS for $10 worth of ebooks/printables. Expires 9/20/11
Scholastic Search: Apples

Letter Recognition

• Letter Aa Apple Worksheet
• Apples Up on Top Letter Recognition
• Apple Tree Capital and Lowercase Letter Matching
• Apple Tree Letter Assessment
• Fill in the Missing Letters

Emergent Readers

• Counting Apples Emergent Reader (color words)
• Five Apples Up on Top Emergent Reader (subtraction/one less)

Shared Reading

• Apple Poem, Apple Poem Student Version
• Apple Songs/Poems
• Apples, Apples Song/Bookmark
• Apple Songs and Poems 
• A-P-P-L-E Song (Fun for pocket charts!) 

Math

• Apple Math Booklet (I love this!) 
• Count the Apples Worksheet
• How Many Apples Worksheet
• Apple Baskets
• Apple Sequencing 1-5
• Apple Symmetry/Patterning Bracelet
• Apple Identify and Stamp Activity
• Apple Patterning with Pom Poms
• Apple Basket Count
• Apple Sets 1-12
• Fill in the Missing Numbers 

Science

• Apple Life Cycle Cards
• Life Cycle of an Apple Tree 
• Parts of an Apple Labeling Sheet 

Activities for Individuals or Small Groups

• Apple Quilt Block Puzzle use with this worksheet if you need an accountability page
• Apple 3-Column Graph
• Apple Bean Bags and Game Idea
• Roll & Color Apple Tree
• Apple Play Dough Mat
• Apple Grid Work Activity
• Pocket Chart Apples and Character Cards (goes with Ten Red Apples) 
• Apple Patterning and Apple Tree Number Match 

Question of the Day: Apples

• Do you like red apples? Green? Yellow?
• Have you ever swallowed an apple seed?
• Have you ever eaten a caramel apple?
• Have you ever seen an apple tree?
• Have you ever picked an apple from a tree?
• Have you ever peeled an apple?
• Do you like your apples peeled or with the skin left on?
• Have you ever made applesauce? Pie? Apple butter?

YouTube Videos

• Life Cycle of An Apple Tree
• 5 Red Apples
• I Love Apples
• I Love Apples (apple varieties)

Lots of Other Ideas
KinderKorner
Apples Theme Unit by ABC Teach
Apple Pickin' Time at The Virtual Vine

Be sure to add a link to your blog with your ideas about Apples & Johnny Appleseed to the linky party below.