Playing With Owl "Poop" {An Owl Pellet FREEBIE}

Happy Thursday folks!  Lindsay here . . .

 

Did y'all watch the baseball game last night??!!  It. Was. So. Good.

 

I mean, we aren't really "baseball people" at my house . . . we are more like "hey-its-the-World-Series-so-lets-order-a-pizza-and-cheer-for-someone" people . . . Football season?   Totally different story though.  Chargers fans ONLY. :)

 

The point being . . . even we appreciated what a great World Series that was!  Go Giants!! 

 

Well . . .  it has been awhile since I posted anything on the blog (okay a LONG while!) but tonight I am here with a fun fall FREEBIE to share!

 

I have been having so much fun this year doing a science notebook with my kiddos!  They are so cute and SO SERIOUS about being little scientists!  So far this year we have learned all about apples, what living things need to survive, the life cycle of a pumpkin, properties of objects an owls!!

 

Here is a quick peek at my Kindergarten Science Notebook {Fall Edition} - you can click on the image below to get more details in my TPT store:

 

 

Just last week I wrapped up my owl unit with my kinder kiddos . . .

 

(Confession: I had never taught owls before. Ever. Like, never ever EVER!!)

 

Kerri, on the other hand, is an owl NUT.  And she has always told me how much fun her kids have every year learning about owls and checking out their owl pellets . . .

 

Owl pellets?  As in, owl POOP??!!

 

Gross!

 

Of course, Kerri soon corrected me that, in fact, owls do NOT poop out pellets, but rather cough up (regurgitate, if you will) the pellets, which contain the hair and fur of their most recent meal. :)

 

Lovely.

 

In order to lead my kiddos in becoming "owl experts", I jumped onto Amazon and ordered some fabulous new owl books.  My favorite was this one by Gail Gibbons:

 

 

Next, my kiddos and I started reading and using our science notebooks to diagram and write about our owls! 

 

Their awesome step-draw owls are my favorite!!!  

 

 

 

We also took the information that we learned and created a tree map of owl facts as a group . . .

 

  

And then again in their science notebooks!

 

 

Our FINAL owl activity was digging in to owl pellets!  I debated whether it would be better to have my kiddos each have their own pellet to dissect with their big 6th grade buddy OR if it would just be easier to do one pellet together as a group.

 

As a was perusing the Scholastic Book catalog I stumbled across this: Owl Puke (book + pellet kit). 

 

 

 

Yes, I know. The name is SUPER scientific, right?? ;)

 

Looking back, I actually think that for my kinders it worked really great to do this activity whole group under the document camera and discuss it as we went along . . .  Here was our set-up:

 



 (Notice the cup of coffee - I can't tackle an owl puke activity without my caffeine people!!)

 

 
 

And here is what we found!! I wish that I would have taken a closer shot of the awesome skull that we found (in the middle of the black paper). It had some gnarly teeth!!! We had lots of fun zooming the document camera in on the bones so the kids could see all the details!

 



To get my kids even MORE excited about this activity (and to give them something to do as they watched the action unfold on the board in front of them), I created this recording sheet {click the image below to download}:

 

The format of this FREEBIE follows my science notebook, but you could totally do it as a stand-alone activity as well!

 

I talked with my students about WHAT might be inside our owl pellet, and that it was most likely either a bird or a rodent of some sort.  Each student made a prediction on their paper by circling the animal they thought we would find.

 

Next, we unwrapped the pellet (it TOTALLY looked like a tiny Chipotle burrito if you ask me!!) and we drew it in the box.

 

Finally, we counted our bones, identified what type of animal our owl had eaten, and determined whether or not our prediction was right. (It was a rodent . . . you were just dying to know, right??)

 

So that's it!  I think I'm an Official Owl Expert or something now.:)

 

Hope you can use this FREEBIE with your own class! 

 

Have a good night!

 

Lindsay

 



Frankenstein EVERYTHING (Lots of FREEBIES HERE)!!

Happy Sunday, Peeps!! Kerri here...

I cannot believe it is the end of October already? Where is the year going? Last week, I got a bee in my bonnet after seeing some fabulous Frankenstein art projects all over Pinterest, so I decided to make this week Frankenstein week in my classroom. We will be reading all sorts of Frankie books, doing some Frankie math, learning how to draw Frank and write about him, and making a really fun Frankenstein art project too. I have GOBS of Franken-fun to share with you...let's get started!!

Here is the art project we will be making this week...

              
And here are the dimensions, if you would like your kidlets to make him too. This is GHETTO style friends...I just took a picture of the dimensions my teaching buddy wrote while I measured each piece! The Frankensteins in this photo were my inspiration and came from Amy Lemon's blog Step into Second Grade ( LOVE!)...

We will also be reading LOTS of Frankie books this week. Here are a few of my favorites that I ordered from Amazon to read this week, but I'm sure they're in your school library too...

       

We are busy at work creating our Super Sentences for the month of October. If you didn't already download these at the beginning of the month, click here to get your own October Word Mats...
and make sure to check out my yearlong pack by clicking the picture below. Your kids will become Super writers by using this pack, I promise you!

In addition to my Spooktacular Math and Literacy centers, which we will also be doing this week...

I have lots of fun writing activities planned for my firsties, including this fun little Word of the Week sentence scrambler, which you can download for FREE through Google Docs (click the pic)...

My kids do these Word of the Week sentence scramblers EVERY WEEK in centers and they LOVE them! If you are interested in checking out the year long pack, which is print and go, click the picture below...

I also made a bubble map and 2 different story writing papers for good old Frankie, which you can also download via Google Docs for FREE by clicking the image below...

I also found this AWESOME website called Art for Kids! that has a step-draw Frankenstein!! Click the picture below to go to his website. It is AMAZING!! There are literally HUNDREDS of videos and step draw printables teaching kids to draw all sorts of cool stuff!

Finally, if you're looking for a poem for your kids to learn/practice their perfect printing by copying. here is a link for a very cool Frankie poem sung to the tune of Oh my Darling...
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/in_the_graveyard_song.htm


Alrighty Peeps!! That's all I got tonight for ya! Hope you LOVE all the Frankenstein freebies! I cannot wait to do them all with my kidlets this week!!

XOXO Kerri B

Stitch Fix #5 BABY!!!

Good Evening, Bits and Bobbers!! Kerri here...

The best day of the month arrived last week, when I came home to my beloved teal and brown box sitting on my doorstep. Stitch Fix day had arrived!! Don't know what Stitch Fix is?? Here's the lowdown in 3 easy steps...

1. Create your Style profile online-easy and fun
2. Get 5 hand picked items sent to your house in the fabulous teal and brown box.
3. Keep what you like. Send the rest back in the pre-paid shipping envelope.

That's it. So easy and fun right?? If you keep at least one item of clothing (or accessory, they'll send you those too!), all you pay for is that item. If you send them all back, you simply pay a $20 styling fee. I have NEVER sent all my items back. I always have had great luck with this service. :)

Here is my style card that was included in the box. I was sooo excited with the items that Jessica sent me this month...they were all right up my alley, especially that fabulous dress. SWOON!

And here are all of the gorgeous clothes after I took them out of the box. Aren't the colors gorgeous?? So perfect for Fall!

Okay, here is each item hanging up. I'll let you know what my first impressions were before I tried it on, and then we can commence with the awkward front yard photos taken by my teenage daughter (She just LOVES taking pictures of her dear old mom-NOT!)

So weird!

Item #1-the Polly Abstract Chevron Tie-Waist Tunic by 41 Hawthorn. $48

I was SOOOO stoked when I saw this piece, because my mom got a similar one in her box that was purple and blue, but with wider chevron, and I LOVED it on her! YAY for me getting one of my own!!!

It was a TOTAL winner!! OMG! I love everything about it! I paired it with some black leggings from Target (HOLLA!) and my new Sam Edelman flats that I got at Nordstrom Rack for a very good price (this is exactly what I told my husband, and he rolled his eyes at me). LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And I kept it, of course!

Isn't it just delicious???

Item #2-the Perrie 3/4 Sleeve Paisley Dress by Renee C. $48

I was oh so excited about this dress. It is simply SCREAMING Kerri B. The colors, the print, the style-all perfect for me. I was so excited to try it on...

And then I did try it on, and it was big fat N.O. Waa waa waa waa!! The waist was just all wrong, and it made me feel weird, like I was painting a big neon sign right around my baby bump (from my children that I had 15 and 12 years ago. Ugh, whatever.).  And it made me look wider than I am, and it was too short.

 Poo and double poo, I tell you. I tried it with leggings, a belt, but to no avail. It was just.not.happening, people. DARNIT! Sent back reluctantly....

Item #3-The Moni Stud Detalied 3/4 Sleeve Blouse by Pomelo. $58

These are ALL OVER Pinterest and they seem to be sending them to all of us Stitch Fixers. I was ECSTATIC to finally get one of my own. And the color was soooo purty!!

It did not disappoint either, let me tell you. This was absolutely THE BOMB to wear. Sooo comfy and cute. I especially loved the stud details. Of course I kept it! And I want another one next time, Stitch Fix peeps!! Pretty please??? :)

Item #4-the Reece Embroidered Button-Up Blouse by Skies are Blue. $54

When I first took this out, I was like, "Hmmmm" Is it brown? It is green? It seems kinda wrinkly and see through. However, I really liked the embroidered detail on the shoulders and the fabric was super soft so maybe it would be a winner???

 And it was a TOTAL WINNER! Once I put it on and paired it with my beloved leather flip flops and jeans, it was just fabulous! SOOO darn comfy and cute, and I love how the sleeves could roll up. OHMAGERD....I AM KEEPING IT! 

Item #5-the Shaye Crochet Detail Short Sleeve Blouse by Ezra. When I first saw it, I thought, "Again with the lace, like I'm a grandma or something??" 

And it seemed WAYYY too boxy, but the color was pretty, so maybe it would be nice on??? 

And then I noticed there was a bizarre stain on the front in the shape of a T. Can you see it on the left hand side?? I emailed Stitch Fix and told them about it, and they were so nice, they offered me 15% off the cost to help cover the cost of dry cleaning it to get out the stain. Isn't that awesome?

Unfortunately, after I tried it on, it was just too big and boxy on me, so I had to send this one back too. No worries though, cause I didn't LOVE it like I loved the other ones.

So, there you have it. Another VERY successful Stitch Fix box. I kept 3 out of the 5 items, wore all 3 to school last week, and pretty much felt like a fashion model every day whilst teaching my Firsties. I can't wait to see what they send me next! 

You can sign up for a Fix every month, every 2-3 weeks, or just once to see what it's like, so there is no pressure or subscription required. I LOVE IT even more!

 If you want to try it out and you click this link, I will get a little referral credit, which helps me bring all of these riveting Stitch Fix posts to you. And, it forces my teenage daughter to have to take pictures of me each month, which brings me great joy, and her great angst. WIN WIN WIN!!!

See ya soon, Peeps!! 
XOXO Kerri B

A few of my favorite things...Oprah style (well, almost)!

Good morning, Bits and Bobbers! Kerri here...

Well, yesterday was 10,000 degrees again her in So. Cal. UGH!! I am OVER it. While the rest of you are wearing boots, and sweaters, and sipping lattes under the beautiful Fall trees, I am sitting here SWEATING profusely, SNEEZING like mad cause of the Santa Ana winds, and running my AC all day long. GROSS.
To top it off, yesterday was my big girl's 15th birthday and she had to run in a cross country meet up in Palos Verdes. In 90 degree heat. Up a GINORMOUS hill. On her birthday. Ugh...

Poor baby! But guess what?? She got a medal, y'all!! What a nice birthday present for her! :)

I am here to share with you pretty much NOTHING educational today. I thought that instead, I would share with you a few of my favorite things, ya know, Oprah style. Except, you don't all win a brand new iPhone 6 at the end. Wah wah wah! Sorry Peeps! :)

Over the past month, I have stumbled across some items whilst, ahem, online shopping, scrolling through Facebook, perusing Instagram, etc. You know, being TOTALLY productive and using my free time to the best of it's advantage! Heh heh heh... 
So I thought I would share them with you!

Number 1-The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak (from The Office). I first saw this on Facebook from my friend and fellow Blog Hopper Kelley Dolling (hey girl!!!) and I was literally laughing OUT LOUD. Check out this video...



Funny, right?? Won't your children's just crack themselves up listening to you read it?? OF COURSE they will!
I hopped right over to Amazon and ordered myself up one in about 2 seconds flat, and will be reading it to my Firsties tomorrow! Click on the link below to check it out on Amazon. It's only $10.86!


                                                      

Number 2-Some of you may know that I have an OBSESSION with lipstick. I absolutely MUST wear it while I am teaching. There are no exceptions to this rule. I call lipstick my "source of power" since I am a teaching Super Hero (HELLO!), and all Super Heroes have sources of power, right??
Well, this past summer, my brother's girlfriend (who I ADORE and why won't the kid just marry her already??? SHEESH!!!) introduced me to Jane Iredale makeup, and I was HOOKED. It is called the skincare makeup because it is a mineral makeup that is TOTALLY natural and meant to enhance your skin WITHOUT clogging your pores. I LOVE IT and I have noticed that my face looks so much better since I have started using it!
Jane Iredale sells a lip and cheek stain product that is AMAZING..it LITERALLY stains your lips to the perfect shade of pink whilst keeping them moist and feeling GLORIOUS. Mine just arrived yesterday and I love it. When I don't have time to do the whole lipstick routine, I can swipe this on and make my pale lips have a little color! WIN WIN!!
Here's a 30 second video about it and just a note, the lip stain will pigment each person's lips differently (my lips were stained a much lighter shade on pink than the girl's in the video) ...



And, here's a link to the product:

                                           
Third, here is one more sparkly, pretty thing that I am sort of obsessed with. Have you all heard of Silpada? Silpada is a Sterling Silver jewelry company and they make the most beautiful jewelry!! I was lucky enough to have a wonderful mom in my class last year that sold Silpada and believe you me, I ordered a BUNCH of things from her!
One of my favoritest items that I just actually ordered from her is this sterling silver ring in the perfect shade of blue...

Isn't it SOOOO pretty?? And, you can stack it with other rings or wear it alone. I just LOVE the color!

Here is the link to her website so you can see it closer up and if you decide to order yourself one, reference KB so she knows I sent you :)...

https://mysilpada.com/shop/product/northern-lights-ring-R2280?rep=rebekah.noblett&localeCode=en_US

Number 4- (last one, I promise!) Have you all heard of Tart Cherry Concentrate? I found about it when I was up in Seattle this summer. Tart cherries are one of the best antioxidant fruits around, and have SOOO many health benefits, including anti-inflammatory benefits, anti-cancer properties, and are a natural source of melatonin! 
My mom started drinking it every night and her knee pain is completely gone. True Story! My husband and I also drink it every night and we are both sleeping better. We call it our Magical Cherry juice. :) 
Here's a little video on the health benefits of Tart Cherry juice...

Cool, right??
We mix our concentrate with water and keep a big jug of it in the fridge. Every night, we'll have about 6 oz. of it before we go to bed. It really is fabulous people, and it tastes yummy too!
Here is the link (Amazon, of course! My favorite online shopping experience EVER!)...

                                                 

Well,  these are a few of my favorite things right now! A little makeup, something healthy, a little bling, and of course, something for your classroom! :)

I'll be back this week with some classroom goodness (I promise!), and guess what it due to arrive on Monday???? My latest Stitch Fix box!! Oh, happy day!!

XOXO Kerri B

A Bum link, a WINNER, and have you heard of Boogie Boards????

Good afternoon, Bits and Bobbers! Kerri here...

So this weekend, Lindsay and I participated in a very cool Fall Facebook hop and offered our Facebook fans 2 very cool Fall freebies! Unfortunately, many of our FB fans could not access those freebies on Sunday, due to overwhelming traffic on Dropbox. POO!!!

Apparently, Dropbox limits the number of views/downloads that can be done in a certain amount of time? Who knew and how annoying, right??

Anyways, Here is the link again for those of you who are interested, and if it stops working again, we are soooo sorry, but there is nothing we can do on our end, and let's all blame Dropbox, okay?? :) 
Click below for the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5gv0ei2nbo53z58/Teacher%20Bits%20and%20Bobs%20Fall%20Freebie.pdf?dl=0


In other news (Stitch Fix news...the very best kind!!!), we have a winner! Drum roll please.....

Aubrie Wilson, you have won a $20 Stitch Fix gift card!! WOOHOO!!!!

I will be emailing you your gift card code tonight, girl!! Go and get your stitch fix on!

And psssst....guess what??? My next box is due to arrive next Tuesday, October 7th!! 
OHMAGAWD!!!!

I am friggin'excited!!

Okay, so let's get down to the real reason I am posting tonight, to tell you all about the magical contraption that I just discovered called a Boogie Board. NOOO, not a boogie board that one would use in the ocean. Ewwww. I hate the beach.

This is the best invention maybe since Stitch Fix! I am dead serious.

Check it out...

This little baby is an 8.5 inch LCD magical writing board that has a built in battery (that will last for like 6,000 hours or something crazy like that) and a stylus that writes on the black screen. I about died when I saw one of the kids at my school using it, and I knew my kids would FLIP OUT if they got to use one. There is a little button that erases the screen and they can write over and over on it. No more nasty dry erase boards and pens that dry out or refuse to wipe off. This thing is MAGIC, I tell you! And they are super sturdy, perfect for little grubby hands.

And, guess what? My kids FLIPPED out with excitement, just like I predicted!!!

Here are some pics of them using the boogie boards in lit. centers...

As you can see, they come in all kinds of colors. 
Pink! Blue! Camo! GREEN!

Every time my kidlets come over to our reading table, they BEG me to use our Boogie Boards. In fact, today we did an activity that did not require my kids to use them and they were M.A.D. at me. I love it!!!

Here is what it looks like in the box. Oh so magical...

Amazon sells these for around $25. Here are some links so you can see the different colors. And, if you have Amazon PRIME (totally worth it, BTW, but soooo dangerous!), you can get your in like 2 days! SCORE!!!

Here are some pics of all the fun colors you can order...

Here is the link so you can check them out on Amazon (this link will show you all the colors)...

                                                                    
Check them out and let me know what you think!!
XOXO Kerri B