Guess my Word

Grab it here!

Here's a little game we have been playing lately!  We have 5 or 6 sight words to learn every week.  So to review these we play Guess my Word!  I put it under the projector.  I write in the blanks as I go through it.  Students write what their guess is as we go down the line on their marker boards.  Many of them can figure it out before the we get to the end of the sheet. I hope to turn this in to a game they can play in pairs during workstations.  FUN! Fun!

Festive Freebie!

Here is a little freebie to get you in the holiday spirit!  Assessments are coming up and it's cold outside.  So here's a fun way to practice during inside recess. Kids will be busy and working the whole time!!  Get it here on TPT!

Have a fun day!  Stay warm!

CoMmAs WrItInG cEnTeR

This is a fun new writing center to help students practice putting commas in a series and putting commas in a date.  My kids needed some extra practice so I made this.   I am going to put the cards around the room and have the students use clipboards as they write the sentences by the matching pictures. I even added a answer key for student to self check or as an easy reference for you to check it quickly. Grab it on TPT now!

Long Vowels and a Spelling Station!

Well, I've been busy just not blogging.  I've just been so busy this year.  I'm learning a new school, new grade, new curriculum.  I feel like I have meetings, meetings, meetings.  On top of meetings, I have an after school program, L2 that I run twice a week.  CRAZY!
Well, we are beginning long vowels this week.  So today I showed my kids the super e song on youtube.  THEY LOVED IT!!  If you teach CVCe words show this video!  It's super cute and the kids love it.

I just finished up my Long Vowel Centers 
In this packet there are 3 real/nonsense word sort.  These are for long a, i, o. These are great for a pocket chart.

 

There are four books like this one. Students make a flip book to change the short vowel word to a long vowel word. They glue the new word under the flap and write the new word. 

There are 13 puzzles like this.  I added velcro to the back of mine and students velcroed them to the mat to create puzzles.  The students LOVE this activity. 

This is the word-picture sort.  The students match the words to the pictures and then sort the nonsense words by vowel.  There is a recording sheet to complete with this activity. 

I have also made linking cards. I cut these and laminate them. Then hole punch both sides of the cards.  I then use the plastic links to have the students link them together to make words. 

WORD BUILDING FUN

Enjoy!  I promise I will be back to blogging more!  

Things I love!

Sorry, it's been awhile since I have blogged!  I have been so busy getting used to the new school and new district.  Just when I think I have things figured out, I find out something else that I am missing.  Now to start report cards.  It's so different than my old school!!!

With guided reading being a big part of our afternoon I needed to stay on track with my time!  I need to make sure that I am watching the clock; which I am not the best at.  So this summer I got a new Time Tracker from SmileMakers!  I LOVE IT!! It is so helpful; not only to me but to the kids.  They can see when we are almost over with guided reading groups.  They don't need to ask.  The colors on the Time Tracker helps the students see how much time we still have!  I HIGHLY recommend this product!  I has been a much needed addition to my classroom.  I'm not sure how I ever taught without it.  Head on over to SMILEMAKERS  to get yours today!  You will love it! 

Well, I have been making things to supplement the 1st Grade McGraw Hill Wonders Curriculum.  I just made this cute SWAT game for Unit 2.  I have a games workstation.  They have been playing BANG!  I thought I'd change it up a little bit.  The kids use pick a card and read it.  If they know it they keep it.  If they don't it goes back in pile.  If they pick a SWAT card all their cards go back in the pile.  I also have a shower curtain keyboard so I might pull that out and let them spell with that.  Depends on how quiet they can be.  It's hard to play some of those games during workstations.  They get a little uncontrollable!!  SWAT!

I also took all the Essential Questions from the Curriculum and made them fancy!  I got tired of writing them out every week on sentence strips.  They are in my TPT store. If you would like to grab a copy just click on the picture.

 

 

SWAT

Writing FREEBIE and my new magnetic words center! LOVE it!

By request.. my writing poster.  We use a program with Lucy Calkins mixed in and I like to use this poster with the kids.  Download it here for FREE!  I print one for each kid and put it in their writing folder for use during the school year.
                                                    Click on the picture to get yours now!

  One more fun thing to share.  I have seen this large magnetic center on Pinterest a couple of times and wanted to make it but didn't have room for it. I found a large wall with nothing on it and went to Wal-Mart.  I got a large automotive drip pan and some heavy duty velco.  And $20 later I had the magnetic center of my dreams.  I seriously LOVE it! The kids do so much better.  They are fumbling around with little magnets in a box and the clean up is quick and easy!  If you have the room it's worth it! 

This works perfect with my Magnets Wonders words center! 

If you use 1st grade wonders try it out.  It's a years worth of magnet centers!

Click on picture to head to my TPT store and grab your copy!

 

 

 

WHEW! I'm exhausted!

This was our first full week!  I'm not sure who is more tired me or the kids.  It was exhausting.  At home my oldest cut this arm and had to get four stitches, my dog got sick and had to go to vet, and my Kindergartener daughter fell on a clipboard and hurt her chest!  My kids are full or DANGER!  GEEZ!  I think I need to lock them in the house for awhile.  Lol

Well, back to school.  So I got Workstations up and running this week.  I put them in groups of four or five and did four rounds.  The first day, Wednesday, was a little shaky but by Friday they were starting to get the hang of reading the work board and understanding how things roll.  I'm glad we have one more week for me to walk around and keep things moving.  There are some times the kids just need a little motivation to keep going the whole time.
The highlight of work stations was the word wall words stations.  Smelly markers, gel pens to write with will make any kid happy!  I have a big window by the word wall so I got some window markers.  I let the kids write the words on the window after writing them on the paper. THEY LOVED IT!!  By far a fav!  If you have a window I highly recommend it.  Easy Peasy! and the love it!
Here's a pic of a cutie writing.

 

Another favorite is the word work.  I had the kids making words by rolling dice with beginning letters in one dice and the ending chunks in the other.  Then charting them as real or nonsense word.

We got these nice sheet protectors.  It makes sliding papers in a breeze.  The school just gave each of us 20! What a nice gift!  I'm loving them.  No more wasting papers and no more laminating!!

 

Another fun station, I recently made. 

Magnetic words.  I made a sheet for every unit that we do this year.  It'll be so easy to change out.  Just change the copy and get to work.  Students build the words with magnets and then color them to match.  You just have to watch out for the sneaky kid who looks at the letters and just colors them without making the words.  Caught one doing that today!  He had to make them all and show me before coloring!!  Don't think that will happen again. If you use 1st grade Wonders here is the link you can grab your pack and have an easy center for the whole year! 

 

We have been talking about rules and in social studies we were comparing rules from 1860 to rules now.  The kids thought it was funny that kids had to wear long sleeve clothes and have their ankles covered at all times. 

Anyway we came up with our own rules.  So since we are the Coyotes our Principal always says that we HOWL for success. I thought it'd be fun to come up with an acroymn for HOWL to come up with our rules.  The kids did surprisingly well. They came up with some good rules.  Check out our poster!  I'm pretty proud!  Fun times!

 

 

Workstation posters

This year I am doing Debbie Diller Literacy Workstations.  So in line with my zebra theme I created my own posters.  I made large ones to go around the room where the stations are and small ones for my pocket chart.  Here's a few pictures of them! Head over to TPT to grab yours today.  

 

 

Happy 1st day in 1st grade!

Well, it's here!  The day I've been waiting for all summer!  The first day of school!  My first day as a 1st grade teacher!  It was fun!  Busy but fun! I even ate lunch on the run.
So the highlight definitely was Magic playdoh!  I have done magic playdoh for years in Kindergarten.  I wasn't going to do it this year but really wanted to after meeting my kids at open house. We saved it till the end of the day.  The kids LOVED it!  Here is the poem I attached to the baggie.  I found this poem off another blog but couldn't get it to print so I typed it up again.  Here it is if you want to use it. magic playdoh poem

Fun, fun, fun!! 
We also read the book First Day Jitters by Julie Danneburg
Then we completed our first class book.  We made Faces and Feelings on the 1st day of 1st grade. I was impressed with their illustrations.  So much different than the first day of Kindergarten!!  That's for sure!  Here is the link to the book pages.  Faces and Feelings on the 1st day of 1st grade!

My first 1st grade creation!

Well, here it is.  My first item created for my first grade classroom.  I took all of our first grade high frequency words and make word work sheet for each week.  Students trace the word, write, stamp and then glue. Easy peasy.  Simple and easy for kids to do every week as the words change.  I also created a sheet so you can change the words every week.  It's editable if you open it with power point.  Click on picture to take you to my TPT store.

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!

Click on the cupcake to head over to my store!

Yup, it's that day that comes once a year!  MY BIRTHDAY!  I love birthdays!  I am treating myself to a girls day.  My bestie and I are going shopping, to lunch and getting a massage I'm so excited!! 
So what's in it for you! I freebie and a sale!!  YAY!  Seems like a great gift! 
Well, have fun and enjoy the sale it'll only last two days! 

Spin to win Freebie- practice the words mom and dad with this freebie.  Students just take a paperclip and hold it with a pencil in the middle of the circle.  Students flick it and wherever it stops they write that word in a column.  Whichever column gets to the top first wins.  The first time students just trace the word.  I also included a blank spin to win so you can make your own game with two words you are practicing!  Students love it!  Laminate it and play over and over.

Click on picture for your freebie!

Kindergarten Conference 2013

I'm here in KEARNEY!!  I'm having a great time at the Kindergarten Conference.  After being asked to present the past three years, I finally made it work this year.  My first time presenting outside of my district.  I think I pasted.  I went a little fast and need to learn to pace myself a little better but overall I feel that it went well.
For those of you that couldn't join in the fun.  I will post my handouts and power point.  I presented on Guided Math.  I newfound love of mine. Much of what I know I learn from the book Guided Math by Laney Sammons. Click on the picture of get your copy from Amazon.

 I love how the kids are so independent and I can reach them all at their level.  Is it the best way to DIFFERENTIATE math!!  We do this so well with guided reading and not so well with math. 

 

Click on the picture to get to my handouts! 

 

We did a short little make and take with my number ladders.  It is in the end of the handouts!  Print these on cardstock and make for the whole class. These are super cute, easy to make,  and really helps kids get a firm grasp on addition and subtraction.

 

 

 

And here is the power point.  I tried to put pictures of some brain boxes and games that I use in my classroom. If you have questions let me know.

Click on the picture to take you to my power point! 

Hope you learn something! 

Enjoy!