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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

S'more Time for Learning! :)


MMM...S'mores!!
 I created this pack last year and my kiddos the past two years have loved the "On Fire" math fact game.  In fact, my son still talks about how it was his favorite! :)

S'more Fun with Math--First Grade and Fabulous
Click the image above to see it on TpT

.  OHH and I love to make my S'mores with Reese Cups.  OHH BOY!!  Now we're talking! Okay,okay--I need to stop talking about chocolate and Reese's because that's not what I'm here about today! I'm here to share my newest product and I'm LOVING it!!  I can't wait to share it with my kiddos---and apparently chocolate and sweets sure can excite me because I went and did it again!! :)

It's called S'more Time for Learning.  

It's a differentiated Math and Literacy Pack.

I thought I'd share the pack with a video preview... Basically because I'm lazy and I wouldn't have to type if I talked instead  because it helps you see the product as a whole! :)
I'm excited because I thought I finally did a video without having to stop, delete and try again---I always have interruptions, run out of time, flub my words, etc.  Then I told my husband how excited I was that I did it on the first go--and he said, "Didn't I hear you say poop?"  Crud!  I forgot that 10 seconds into it I deleted my first go.  Well---at least it didn't take me 5 attempts this time! :)
Anyway---moving on---Here's a peek into S'more Time for Learning! :)

Now keep in mind that this is designed for my own first grade class. Our students are always developing at different rates, but I'm so proud of the growth I have witnessed this year with my firsties. If you are interested in this pack, I'm giving away one here on my blog, and one on FB. Feel free to comment in both places and leave your email address. I will pick a winner at 9:00 pm EST on 5/1/14. I will announce the winners on FB, but will email the pack to the winner so don't feel like you have to have a FB account to win! :) BUT, if you feel you just HAVE TO HAVE IT...you can click the cover page below to check it out on TpT. :)

S'more Time for Learning--First Grade and Fabulous


 Have a HAPPY NIGHT! :)

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Bunny Time!

Okay, I admit it...I bribe my kids!  Please tell me I'm not the only one!
This week, due to it already being a crazy week with Spring break, AND then it snowed today.
Yes friends, SNOW, in Ohio in April after it was 86 Sunday.  
Whatever.....so all these little changes can make the kiddos a bit crazy, right?
SO I bribe them!  
This week I'm bribing them with a simple little craft.
We're on our telling time unit in Math.
We did a little bunny math story today.
My students wrote digital times for the analog clock and wrote about an activity that the bunny was doing during that time.  They had to illustrate them as well.  Their pictures were pretty cute!

Tomorrow, they will make this little craft.
Now, NOTE I'm not a crafty person.
Most of my crafts turn out looking like bears.
Just ask my friend Hadar (aka Miss Kindergarten)

But I am pretty fond of this little guy and I think that my kiddos will enjoy him.
I have the patterns if you'd like to use them.
You can click HERE to grab them.
I included two versions of a clock face. 
One with numbers, and one where students can record the numbers.  

I like my students to add details to their pictures. 
So they will use pink construction paper to add the bunny pads, ears and nose. 
The clock pattern will also be on pink paper.  

Then using a brad, jumbo paper clip and small paper clip, they will make the clock hands.
I hope they enjoy making this little guy.  I think he's pretty cute! :)

Enjoy! :)

 

 

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Sunday Share

Oh my!  It has been a while since I've used this little picture! :) 

Last year, I tried to blog every Sunday and share the great things my bloggy friends were doing, whether it was freebies or paid products.  Today, I'm going to showcase some of my own freebies.  A few that I did today, and some from the past as well.  I hope you enjoy!! :)

First up, Non-standard measurement. 
I thought this would be a quick fun review for morning work. I just LOVE the graphics! 

For a station activity this week, my students will be working on this.

This is a differentiated activity to review spellings of words. 

Some students will be working on vowel pairs and others will be working on CVCe words.

How to set up this activity:
 I bought some plastic eggs and numbered them 1-12.

Inside of each egg students will find a picture and jelly bean letters.

Students will name the picture, and unscramble the jelly beans to spell their picture card.
Then they will record their answer onto the recording sheet. 

I found this cute little basket at Party City for $1 and I'm keeping our eggs in them.
I purchased different color baskets to assist me in differentiation as well.
Easter Freebies--First Grade and  Fabulous

You can click on the image above to download any of the freebies that were just shown. 


This week we will also be reading The Easter Ribbit.  I just think this story is SOOO CUTE!

Click above to read about the story.   


 
Last year, I made a few activities to go with this story.  
You can click the image below to check it out. 
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Easter-Ribbit-Literacy-Activities-229412

If you're looking for another station activity to review parts of speech, 
you may want to check this out.  Students will sort between nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Egg-cellent-Sorting-616148

Last year I also posted some video links for Peter Rabbit.
You can click HERE to see an old blog post.

Check back tomorrow if interested in seeing the updated version of my bunny clock craft! :)
 
 

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

More with -ar

So today, I let my kiddos practice -ar word families with the spinner game I shared yesterday.  I think it may have been a winner.  My fast finishers then choose two words to use in sentences on the back.   I *THINK*  we are finally getting the hang of this capital and period thing.  It only took all year!  Ya know, it's been a rough year.  We all experience classes like that, but, now that the end is approaching and I'm seeing their growth.  WOW!  I'm so proud of my kiddos.   They've shown me so much this year and have worked so hard to get where they are at.  I ALMOST think I will miss them during the summer ;)  Okay, I will miss them when summer comes.  

So, as I was saying, we did the spinner activity.  You can see it HERE. I wanted them to practice the words independently, and review them with parents again tonight.  I told them that we were going to put them to use as a game tomorrow.  They smiled.  Yes, those ornery smiles get me every time...and I get all excited to see their excitement.  I think....I hope....I have made learning to read for them fun this year.  I want them to enjoy it.  When  you have students that struggle, it's always important to continue encouraging them.  Sometimes you are their only cheerleader.  You are the one to help make the difference in many of their lives!!  

Soo---without further ado---I present to you another freebie!!  Here's a 4-in-a-row game. 
 I hope you and your students enjoy!  
Click on the image for your copy! :)

-ar Freebie partner game by First Grade and Fabulous

Thank you to the lovely graphics from Melonheadz KG and The Bubbly Blonde!

Monday, April 7, 2014

-AR Goes the Pirate! (A Freebie)

I've always liked the Bossy R---ar and or (I can skip er, ir, and ur---those are hard!).  
The kids like being a pirate as they practice the -ar chunk.    
They like listening to Heidi's class sing.

They like the phonics dance!
(Though we say "stick your head in a jelly jar--it's silly, we like that!)

We like the -ar song on Between the Lions.

To add to our excitement tomorrow, I'm going to have my students work on this little activity.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3D5Bsh09DJKQ0dEX3RJV2ZrRXc/edit?usp=sharing

They will use a paperclip to create a spinner.
*Note, I have also found that small binder clips are WONDERFUL for spinner games. 
Then they will find a word that is within that word family, read it and color it.
What a fun little way to get them reading and practicing the -ar sound!
I'm so excited to share it with them tomorrow--and you right now!! 
Just click the image above!! :)


**Check back tomorrow because if time allows for me to create an -ar station for small group/partners, there will be another freebie for you!!





Sunday, April 6, 2014

Spring is in the air!!!

I can hear the birds.  I can feel the breeze and the warm sun.  I can almost smell the grass that will soon need to be cut.  Spring has arrived and I am LOVING it.  Most of you know that I'm a Busy Beatrice with soccer, softball, 4H, volunteering when I can, baking, and not to mention I'm a mom/teacher.  Can someone please tell me what I was thinking volunteering my hubby and I to coach soccer too?? EGADS!  Then poor hubby is coaching softball as well.  I'm thinking we need a little vacation in the camper soon.....mmm S'mores are calling my name!  As a matter of fact, we went out to enjoy the country yesterday and it was very much needed!  It's time to get all my end of the year work prepped so I can begin enjoying my family on the weekend.   But then I thought---you all that have been with me ALSO need a break.  SOOO---I'm thinking that maybe you need to have a few ready to go freebies to make your life less hectic too.  I mean friends, we ARE close to summer break....but who's counting (uhm, me...37 WOOT WOOT!)

So without further ado.....

My kiddos have been a little rowdy during our workstation/center time lately, so I'm hoping that these will be a quieter activity.  There are 3 versions of a Spring Reader inside this download.  One is a read and write.  One is a cut/paste, and the last is a simple predictable reader.  
Differentiated Readers
 If you are interested in checking out the readers, please click the image above to be redirected to TpT for your FREEBIE! :) 



My kiddos are still struggling with capitalization and punctuation on their own.  Why is it they ALWAYS remember when I prompt and can chime in unison, but on their own...they forget.  So we are going to work on some of our Sentence Puzzles---with a Spring Theme! :)

Sentence Building with Puzzles
You can click the image above to grab a freebie.

If you like these activities, please check out some of my Spring Centers and Games. 
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hop-Into-Spring-Easy-Prep-Literacy-Centers-651293

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bring-on-Spring-Differentiated-Literacy-Centers-for-Your-Little-Learners-1187717
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Toad-ally-Spring-1177217
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hop-Into-Spring-Easy-Prep-Math-Games-642324
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hop-Into-Spring-Printable-Pack-664094

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hippity-Hoppity-Easy-Prep-Centers-for-Math-and-Litearacy-223028



Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Phonics Woes---and a freebie

Are you as ready for summer vacation as I am?  I'm ready for Disney, the beach, warm weather, camping---heck, I'd be happy for just a LONG NAP! :)  This has been one wild ride this school year, and frankly, I'm pooped. 

We keep pushing and pushing kids and some just aren't there yet.  I don't get it.  We are told to differentiate our instruction (I said told, because I was never taught to do that technically) and yet all of our students take the same  test in the end. 

With my kiddos, and our teacher evaluation tool, we are using Star Report.  Does it show growth?  I hope----is the test based off of what I'm teaching my kiddos, no.  I'll just get off my little soap box for now---I mean I may be deemed an ineffective teacher at the end of this school year due to growth reports, but I'm going to teach what my kiddos need to make them successful.  

..with that said, some of my kiddos still need help with long vowel/silent e.  This group of kids have come a long way from pre-primers with no one-on-one correspondence to reading level 8-9 books.  I'm very proud of them as many don't have support at home.  This is my kiddos rockin' it on their own!!!    So I want to make everything we do as fun for them to make them keep rockin it out.  
Here's a new game I am going to introduce to them tomorrow. 
 (I saw a similar idea months back, but have never introduced it to my class.)

 This game is to review silent e words, but they have to race against the rabbit. 

Students will get a game board. Word cards, and cut-up rabbit image cards will be put in a pile.  Students will select a card on their turn, and read the card.  If the card is on their game board, they put it on top of the matching word. If not, it gets returned to the pile.  If they draw an image card, they put it on top of the matching image.  The object is to get their game board filled before the rabbit image is complete.  

Other stations my angels are working on this week are in this pack---
BRING ON SPRING
Bring on Spring


They've really enjoyed the Read and Cover game.  

Other things we are enjoying lately:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Toad-ally-Spring-1177217
We are continuing to increase our number sense.  

OHHH And we have BEEN LOVING our Riddles.  These have been used for reading groups too--we've worked on hunking and chunking our unknown words.  So many of my students want to give up when they don't know the word, but they are LOVING this. (I have to admit, I am too!)


Okay if you've made it this far, I want to share the Race the Rabbit game. Directions are included in the FREE download.  You can grab a copy by clicking on the image below. I also know that not everyone has firsties struggling with silent e, so I did add two editable pages so you can add your own words (phonics based, or sight---or EVEN math facts!) :)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3D5Bsh09DJKRjRIblF2V0t0dlk/edit?usp=sharing
 
You can grab an an editable version by clicking the underlined words.
All you need to do is add text boxes and type in your words! :)




Have a super week! :)

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