Budding Blogger Showcase: Synonym Rolls & Antonym Moments

Don't forget to swing by the Back to School Freebies Week Page for Teacher's Clubhouse to pick up your freebie for today!!


Today's Freebie is perfect for teaching fact families!!  It is a Fact Family Butterfly that includes an activity page or the templates for creating the butterflies from construction paper as a craftivity!  Share the Freebies Link (http://www.teachersclubhouse.com/Back_to_School_Freebies_Week.htm) on your blog, Facebook page, or via email with all the teachers at your school to brighten up their day with a little FREEBIE!


Hi everyone!

Amanda, thank you so much for taking the time away from your incredible ideas and inspiration to feature new bloggers:) I am so excited to be featured today!

My name is Amber Olson (Amber O., or Ms. Olson if you're six!)
The name of my blog is Synonym Rolls & Antonym Moments. It is an homage to all the inspirational bloggers who vastly improved my teaching practice and helped me become a blogger myself! However, I'm a bit of a realist -I said realist, not pessimist!- so it has a bit of ME in the title, as well!
I don't have a button yet (help! I can't figure it out!) but here's the pic of my blog title:

I teach first grade in the Sunflower State of Kansas (go Jayhawks!), and have taught for 1 year:) This will be my second. I also student-taught in the building AT THE GRADE LEVEL that I teach (how blessed am I?), so I feel like I've been teaching longer than I actually have:)
I love to write, and I am super excited about all the Common Core Writing standards for first grade! However, my favorite subject to teach is math...how weird is that? I always HATED math as a student! Go fig:)
I have 2 boys (loves of my life). The oldest will be a 5th Grader (oh my...) and the youngest is starting his elementary career this fall as a Kindergartner (Niagara Falls, Frankie-angel). 
We have two pets, that I have been informed are also family and deserve attention: Baxter (a sweet terrier mix we found) and Lola (a calico Diva who found us).
Other than blogging, teaching and "mommy-ing" (not in that particular order...most of the time), I have no life! Ha! No, I have an uh-mazing extended family and we spend many a weekend playing card games, basking in fire pits, and enjoying each other's company. And my fabulous besties get me out of my (new!) house occasionally to enjoy fine dining, a glass of wine, and a musical or two:) We were all show choir gals!

Okay, I'm going to tackle a few of Amanda's tough questions:

What would we likely see if we popped into your classroom unannounced?
Hmmm...me working with a small group of students while other students were engaged in centers or Daily 5 activities. I rarely teach whole group, and when I do, they are mini-lessons or lecturettes. I really think the power of instruction is in the small group, but realize there has to be some time throughout the day for whole group. Of course, you would probably walk in during those brief moments of whole group time, and think I'm a liar (see, realist, NOT pessimist!). Hopefully, you would also see lots of smiles...I like to have {structured} fun!

What gets you through one of “those” days?
My faith. Probably a note from a friend or an envelope that says "Love, Jesus" (long story) that reminds me there is a BIG plan...and I'm a small part of it. And lots of Coffee from my Keurig.

What is one “can’t live without” teaching resource?
TpT. I do NOT know how there are still practicing teachers who have never heard of/used it!!!!

Give us a glimpse of your teaching style by sharing a brief summary of a favorite classroom activity/project.
I'm a hands-on girl, and some of my students' (from last year) favorite activities were Bats v Owls (learning about them---bats aren't birds? Whaaat??---making them, comparing/contrasting them, debating which is better!), Gingerbread math & literacy (did you know you can teach a first grader area & perimeter without using those terms and they can still explain what they are doing? LOVE math!) and "talking back to books" with sticky notes. They loved this!

What is one of your blogging goals for this year?
To take/post pics of students' activities, aka being engaged, aka learning. I was not good about this last year, and it is my bloggy-resolution. Oh, and make a TON more (useful!) freebies:)

This has been wonderfully fun...Amanda, you're the best!
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Thanks so much for participating in the Budding Bloggers Showcase, Amber!!  If you haven't visited Amber's blog, hop on over and become a follower now!

1 comment

  1. I love the freebies and ideas ! I also love the idea of showcasing new blogger, and would love to somehow be a part of something like this too. Check out my growing store and blog!
    Take a Walk on the Teaching Side

    My Teachers Pay Teachers Store

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing ideas! I love to read your comments. I like to reply back by email, so make sure you have that option enabled so we can chat! :)

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