Five for Fraturday, Student Motivation, HUGE Giveaway Shout-Out!!

 I survived my first week back (barely!).  My voice is so hoarse and I am writing this post Friday night after drinking a full cup of coffee in order to attempt to stay awake:)  Did I mention the ibuprofen I took to alleviate some of the pain in my legs and feet from standing on a concrete floor ALL DAY long?  It has been five years since I taught 6th grade and now that we are departmentalizing in 4th, I forgot how many times I really do have to keep repeating rules, expectations, classroom procedures, etc.  when you are departmentalized.   Boy, do I sound like a whiner or what?!?  Haha!  I know you can relate though! :)

Update:  I didn't finish the post Friday night.  So, now it is Five for Fraturday!   

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to share some random highlights of my week. :)

 We enjoyed our last day off of the summer at a local amusement park for little kids.  I think this picture is so funny because my daughter is a little dare devil and my son is very cautious.
This picture matches their personalities perfectly!

We had our Open House on Wednesday night.  This was the night before the first day with students.  I really like this date because I am able to meet the students before the first day, they can see the classroom and it helps a little with their anxiety, and parents don't try to ask "how their child is doing" at open house!
Open house is also "done" and checked off for the year.

 These are two little gifts I found links to online and printed out for the 4th grade students.    The apple saying with graphic was a freebie from the super talented Run Miss Nelson's Got the Camera!  It says "An apple for the teacher is really nothing new except when you remember that parents are teachers too!"  The glowing about 4th grade slip is a freebie from the fabulous Courtney at Polka Dot Lesson Plans!

Thursday was the first day of school for us.  Lilly is in 1st grade and Charlie will do a little "preK" at his daycare three times a week.  I am in 4th grade...again!! lol

I was shocked on the first day of school that so many of my 4th graders brought back these "100 Things to do over the Summer Instead of TV/Video Games" papers from their end of the year bucket gifts!!  If they completed 25 items, they were told to bring them back at the beginning of the year for a treat.  I received these 8 on Thursday and then 3 more on Friday!  I let them choose a prize from my dollar bin (locker mirrors, cell phone bling, flarp, light up bounce balls, etc.).

Since this proved to be great motivation for my students to try some new things over the summer, I am linking this up with my BBB, Joanne at Head Over Heels for Teaching for her Sparking Student Motivation Saturdays.  Bookmark this idea for your end of the year student gifts!  Also, be sure to check out all the other ideas linked up for sparking student motivation!

I read "First Day Jitters" to all three ELA classes on Thursday and used some pages from the amazing First Day Jitters packet by my friends at Collaboration Cuties!!  It is jammed packed with tons of activities to accompany this famous first day read aloud.  This is a must have for your file (add it to your wish list for next year since most of us are finally over our first day:).  It is a great first day book to start conversations and have the class open up.

Have you entered the AMAZING Favorite Things Giveaway by Ideas by Jivey?!?  

Jivey is just an awesome person, teacher, and blogger!!!

She recently reached 1000 Followers!!!

Wow!! The giveaway is HUGE I tell ya!!!

Sorry, for all the !!! I am just super excited for her! :)

There are Five (yes FIVE!) rafflecopters and this is a sampling of the prizes up for grabs:

Products from ten of her Best Blogging Buddies (including me! :) :)

Clipart, papers, etc. from seven of her favorite designers

Four of Jivey's Mentor texts 

Jeff Anderson's latest book

Three winners will win all FOUR of Jivey's Mentor Sentence Units

Pink Pencil Sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies

Have a great weekend everyone!  I will be resting up after the exhausting first week back! :)