Giveaways, First of the Month Freebie, and 10% Off Sale!

Click here to enter between November 1st- November 8th 2017!

Two Giveaway Opportunities!

Big news, everyone! In addition to my First of the Month Freebies, Little Owl will host a Rafflecopter giveaway starting on the first of every month! You can enter to win any of my products from my Teachers Pay Teachers store, Little Owl's Teacher Treats. Simply follow the link, fill out the form, and you're entered to win! The raffle will be open for a week, and I'll select a winner on November 9th.

I'm also excited to be part of this $25 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card Giveaway organized by Kelly Maloy (An Apple for the Teacher) and co-hosted by: An Apple for the Teacher, Mrs Hansens Helpfuls, Teacher Gameroom, It's Kinder Time, Little Owl's Teacher Treats, and Samson's Shoppe.

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. Giveaway ends 11/6/2017 and is open worldwide.

First of the Month Freebie from Little Owl

This month's freebie is a math game from my Go Math! series. This zoo- themed math center reinforces subtraction concepts in a hands-on, engaging way.

Zoo Break: Taking Apart with Pictures

In addition to Zoo Break, here's what Little Owl has been up to for the past month!

Go Math Chapter 1 Games and Bundle

I'm so excited to share that I'm DONE with my Go Math! Chapter 1: Addition Concepts centers for first grade. The centers cover early addition concepts. Although these activities were specifically designed to support the Go Math! curriculum, they can be a useful addition to any math program! My first graders particularly love matching "switcharoo" facts with Find My Twin :)

Go Math! Chapter 1: Addition Concepts Bundle

Concepts include...

1) FREEBIE- Adding zero with Good Clues, Bad Clues:

2) Using pictures to add with Puzzling Pieces:

3) Adding in any order with Find My Twin:

4) Solving for missing addends and sums with The Case of the Missing Number:

5) Making 6, 7, 8, and 9 with Evidence Files:

Record sheets are also included for every activity!

________________

Winter is Around the Corner!

It may be November, but it's never too early to start thinking about winter holidays, amiright? I'm mildly obsessed with Helen Lester's Tacky the Penguin series, and I can't WAIT to try out my new Tacky the Penguin Reader's Theater Script this year!

Tacky the Penguin Reader's Theater Script

Tacky the Penguin Bundle

Between Tacky the Penguin, Mooseltoe, Holidays Around the World, and my love of all things elf... 

My Elf Lapbook Activity

Bundle: Elf-Themed Math Activities

Cookies from the North Pole: Making 10 Activities

Cookies from the North Pole: Making 10 Activities

Cookies from the North Pole: Making 10 Activities

Ernie's Cookies: Subtraction Activity

The Hungry Elf: Subtraction Activity

Looking to boost family involvement at your school? Want to take the stress out of planning a family night before the holidays? Consider hosting a Pajama Reading Night! Read all about it here, and check out my Host a Pajama Reading Night packet on TPT!

...I'll have my hands full this December and January... but that's just the way I like it! What are your plans for this holiday season? Let me know in the comments!

Happy teaching :)

Subscribe for One Email a Month from Little Owl

* indicates required

Email Address *

Holidays Around the World: A Trip with Mooseltoe!

It's December 1st, and that means it's time for a Holidays Around the World celebration in first grade! I'm using Rachelle Smith's Holidays Around the World unit to take my students on a trip a day to learn about traditions and customs from 8 different countries. Her unit was a huge hit last year, so I've been pumped to give it another go! We visited America to learn about Christmas traditions today, and will explore India, Israel, Mexico, Germany, France,  Greenland, and Italy before it's time for winter break. The unit actually includes 13 countries, but unfortunately, we just don't have the time to make use of all it has to offer! These are some pictures of last year's bulletin board:

Each country includes an accompanying craft or game. However, for Christmas in America, I put my own little spin on things: Mooseltoe by Margie Palatini! If you've never read this story, you've been missing out on a classic. Moose's Christmas preparations are perfectly perfect, until he realizes... he forgot the Christmas tree! Moose turns his "moosetache" into a perfectly perfect Christmas tree to save the day in this silly holiday story. Don't have a copy handy in your classroom or library? Check it out on YouTube and you'll discover it's worth a read!

After my students got their passports stamped and we took off for America, we settled in to read our story (I should note that I teach at an American school in Japan, so flying to the States was actually a pretty big deal for us;)). We discussed the story elements and completed this graphic organizer together:

The kids just about lost it when I showed them the Mooseltoe craft that they would be creating after they finished the graphic organizer. You would've thought I'd told them Santa himself would be stopping by for lunch.

It's been a looong time since they've worked so quietly and efficiently on a craft activity! It might have helped that Ernie the Elf arrived in our classroom this morning...

(The P.S. says, "I'll be telling Santa all about our adventures." Then there's a P.P.S., "Sorry for the sloppy handwriting. These markers are too fat for my little elf hands.") :)

It took about 30 minutes for everyone to finish assembling Moose. Then, the REAL fun started. I put out trays of sequins, bows, stickers, ribbon, and tinsel, and the kids went to town decorating Moose for Christmas. Thank goodness for dollar stores (again, I live in Japan, so our dollar stores are really 100 yen stores:))!

Cups with a small amount of Elmer's Glue helped to minimize the mess

I went a little nuts at the dollar store!

I must say, I think Moose looks "perfectly perfect" on this year's new Holidays Around the World bulletin board! If you agree, you can snag this activity for free from my Teachers Pay Teachers store, Little Owl's Teacher Treats. Feedback would be much appreciated... and if you create your own Moose in your classroom, use #mooseltoe or #littleowlsteachertreats on Instagram so I can check them out! Would love to see Moose in action! 

Beautiful map courtesy of Rachelle Smith's Holidays Around the World unit (and my school's poster printer).

This kiddo insisted that upside-down antlers and googly eyes made it "look like a real moose." 

Happy Holidays and happy crafting, everyone :)

Erika

My First Post!

Hello there! My name's Erika, and I'm a first grade teacher living right outside of Tokyo, Japan. Although I'm in the Land of the Rising Sun, I work at a US school and all of my students are American. I came here with a two year contract, planning to put in some time and head back home with a little teaching experience and a lot of travel stories... and 5+ years later, I'm still here! I fell in love with all that Japan has to offer, but even more, I fell in love with the job. My first graders keep me constantly challenged. I learn just as much from them as they do from me! 

I would be happy to stay in my classroom and continue exploring Japan for many years to come, but an officer and a gentleman came along and swept me off my feet. Kevin and I recently got engaged and due to his career, we'll be leaving Japan next year to return Stateside. I always knew it would take something big to make me leave my firsties... and any guy who will dress up as a banana for you is probably a keeper :)

I also teach English to Japanese elementary school students part- time, and Kevin stepped up to help me out with a Halloween event that we held a few weeks ago. As 6'4" American banana, he was basically a celebrity! My eggplant costume was a hit, too. His quote of the night, "Now I know how Lady Gaga feels. She wears weird outfits and everyone wants to take her picture." He didn't seem to mind hamming for the camera too much!

Speaking of my engagement, my students' reactions cracked me up:

"I have some big news, everyone. I'm going to get married!" *Shows ring*

Silence and blank stares, then...

"Aren't you already married?"

Gotta love six year olds. After a few days the news started to sink in and I overheard students talking about it here and there. "Can you believe she's getting married?" and "I can't wait for her wedding!" Then the following week, a little sweetie came bounding into the classroom in the morning, big smile on her face, and presented me with a ring... in her words, "to match your other one."

Aaaand I fell that much more in love with my job! First graders bring joy to my heart. They are so open, trusting, and ready to engage in learning in a way that is almost infectious. I love the growth that you see at this age; at the beginning of every new school year, I'm always shocked by how much they still seem like kindergarteners, needing you to guide them through every step of the journey! I don't know what I'll do when it's time to leave Japan to start my next adventure... but for now, I'm happy to be giving my heart to my kiddos. 

Thank you for stopping by to check out my blog! I'm planning to post weekly updates about my classroom and all of the madness that goes along with being an elementary school teacher. In the meantime, I'll be getting ready to welcome Ernie the Elf, our classroom elf who visits every December! Some of my kiddos still need that extra practice with ways to make 10, so I just put together this holiday puzzle center that I'm planning to include in my winter holiday centers. Check it out in my TPT store, Little Owl's Teacher Treats! Maybe I should try making it through Thanksgiving first...

Thank you for visiting!

Instagram: @LittleOwlsTeacherTreats