Homosomething! And who ISN’T doing EDI these days?

Homonym, Homophone, Homograph.  Eeny meeny miny moe.  Whichever way you look at it, they all mean to mean something different, right?  Its just a little sumpin’ (that aligns to HM Theme 2 Week 3) but my kidlets LOVED it!!!

Now, onto bigger things…My district, as I’m sure your district might be, is delving into the world of EDI.  HARD this year.  We have our own little twist on it, and call it our own little name, but it is walks like a duck, and talks like a duck…then it must be EDI.  I created two different options for a classroom poster to display my Learning Objectives. 

1.  It’s cute
2.  It ensure it is seen by the “walk through committee”
3.  It’s cute

Here they are for you to use!  I simply uploaded mine to Costco Photo and printed it as a 20x30 poster!

Chat Soon - Kim

Doggie Treats

I have always loved Theme 1 Week 2 of Houghton Mifflin.  I blame it on my grandmother.  She was French, and had a family of 10 children.  Unrelated right?  Not to me, she spent nearly every waking moment providing for that family, and my favorite memories, were her kitchen preparations.  Man that woman could cook!  AND BAKE!  He hours in the kitchen were accompanied by her own tune, and I will always remember her singing "How much for that doggie in the window....the one with the waggily tail."  Both in English, and French.  Such an amazing woman she was.  So each and every year when Ten Dogs in the Window comes up, I smile all week, and think to myself, if she could raise 10 kids, I can do anything!

In honor of my sweet Grandmother, I created a few fun activities.  Perhaps I'll sing to my kiddos while we're doing them.  Then again, I don't want to hurt them!

Hope you enjoy!
Chat Soon! - Kim

i CAN"T read!!!

How many times a day do you other Firstie teachers hear this?  I don't remember hearing it nearly as much as I have this year in the last 8 days.  This group is wonderful, and smart, great printers, good rule followers, and eager to please.  Except when you put words in front of them.  They.  Shut.  Down.

I'm trying to get them to use their index clues on the page, and look at the beginning sound to at least make an attempt.  It looks like I'll be including a lot of labeling and identification activities into our Have To/Want To's during the start up of this year to build a little confidence!  Here's next weeks just for you!

Chat Soon - Kim

Apples = Back to School!

Are you back to school???  I.  AM.  Well physically, not quite mentally though!  I tell you, I thought I posted this at the end of last school year when I created it.  Then when we did it in class, it occurred to me that I hadn’t.  Maybe I was being logical and saving it to post at the time of year that it would be applicable.  Yes.  That is what I am going with.  I was long term planning, being the responsible teacher that I am!

So… Every year I bring in apples, Red Apples, Green Apples, and Yellow Apples, I chop ‘em up using one of those handy dandy apple slicers and give each student a slice of each apple.  They have a little taste test and pick their favorite.  We then watercolor an apple using ONLY that color, it’s our first introduction to using watercolors individually at our own desk, so we take it easy!

I had a Plain Jane graphing page, that I updated 2-3 years ago, just with cute graphics, but I decided it was time to take it up a notch and add some graphing interpretation to this activity also.  May I present to you Apples A-Peel To…

Use it as you wish.  You could adapt this in so many ways, have fun with it!

Chat Soon - Kim

Summer is almost over…Blegh!

I did it.  What I say I won’t do every summer.  What I strive to undo and overcome each and EVERY May.  I completely bypassed June with minimal focus on school work.  NOW…In my defense, I did take a very intense three week course in June to begin my Administration Credential/Masters.  And I did go the very next week after it ended, to rearrange furniture.  I have laminated.  And shopped from my couch on TPT.  Oh, AND, I did TRY to return to the classroom last week, however the janitors were preparing for carpet cleaning and tile waxing, so that WASN’T my fault.  Today I got the call.  My classroom is done and put back to order.  NO more EXCUSES.  Humph!

As much as I don’t WANT to think about returning to the classroom.  I am SO ready to be back on a routine {and have a break from my three sons, I love them, but hey, I love adult interaction too!}.  So once that call through, my mind started whirling about on the things I have on my list, what has been crossed off (4 little things), and what remains (does a To Do list really ever have an end).

So here we go.  I’m BAAAAACK!  Here’s a little activity to use at the beginning of the year to start teaching ABC and Ordinal Numbers…Start watching for the little things to pop up here and there!

Chat Soon - Kim

Easter CUTENESS discovered = MAJOR FREEBIE!

 

While on the hunt for great, different, digital art for my April Word Banks and Journal, I stumbled upon the wonderfully talented Colleen Bouchard of Lollipops and Unicorns on Etsy! 

I mean…even her banner makes me smile each and every time I visit now!

 

Thanks to her great Easter Art work I got COMPLETLEY and UTTERLY sidetracked from my monthly word bank project and created a Mini Unit that I am now sharing with you for FREE!

YUP…I got a LITTLE involved!  Just for you I have created a mixed addition activity page, an ABC order activity page, scrambled sentence cards and a recording sheet, four ordinal number sets and a recording sheet with added greater than less than, and lastly, correction sentence cards and recording sheet! 

If you grab it, please leave me a comment and let me know what you love and hate about it…it’s my first set and I would love your feedback!

Chat Soon – Kim!

Scramble the Rainbow!

Another wee lil leprechaun activity from me to you!

Chat Soon – Kim!

Caught Ya Peeking at my Pot O’ Gold!

It’s the age old debate in my First Grade group…Do they only need to IDENTIFY the coins, or COMBINE coins?  MONEY.

Munny, Munny, MUUUUNNNNNEYYY!  MONEY!

I struggle with this every year, and depending on the group, sometime my approach is this:

“If they can tell me what the coins are, AND how much they are worth, my job is done!”

And sometimes, in years such as this, when I have been blessed with “student’s that need a challenge”, AND a plethora of parent helpers my approach is this:

“Make em add everything in sight, it’s the most used real life skill they will ever use!”

Either way you look at it, I created these two little Pot ‘O Gold Money pages.  Even on great years, the simple lil identification page will fit great into independent centers, while the combining page will lend to those extra parent helper moments…WA. LA!

Coin Identification…

Coin Combining…

Thanks to Kirsten at KPMDoodles for the great Clip Art!

Chat Soon! - Kim

March Madness

Today I came to this conclusion…55 days of school left.  Oh My Word, how crazy is that, for us it comes down to 6 weeks until spring break, and then 6 weeks until summer break…YIPPPEEE!!!  My mind is in planning overload for the 2012-2013 school year.  My discovery of all the teaching blogs, and Teachers Paying Teachers has inspired me beyond inspiration, and tomorrow will give me the opportunity to start my “summer project pile”!  Yep people that’s right, have you heard of the TPT sale happening tomorrow?  So many great bloggers/creators are offering a 20% off sale, and TPT will be giving a 10% sale, giving us a sale of 28% off all their goods!!!  Check out the great sales, and don’t forget that promo code at the bottom!

So I too have been busy in preparation for the upcoming month…the kiddos loved their February word banks, and I was SO impressed with some of the sentences that they made up all on their own in the lil journals, that I decided to create a new set for March, and here it is for you:

And, after great inspiration from Cara Carroll at The First Grade Parade, I created a set of ABC order words.  We LOVE ABC ordering in my class, we do it weekly with our rainbow trace spelling cards, and having a smaller set to work with really makes my little’s feel completely successful on their own!

I hope to create some more little March fun for the kiddos, but I love to have all my ducks in a row pre-month entrance, and thought maybe some of you would too!

Chat Soon – Kim

How many SWEETHEARTS do you have?

SO… hubs says that I use the word “SO” too frequently, so I will be altering my openings.  Maybe, we’ll see.  So anyway…

February, such a sweet month.  Literally, sweets EVERYWHERE!  Really we may never get winter and I am doing everything I can to avoid those sweets that look me in the eye at every glance in preparation for my summer wardrobe, ugh! 

I personally can easily pass on those chalky lil conversations hearts, but how can you truly celebrate Valentine’s Day without have them?!  There is no doubt, that the kids, all kids, LOVE THEM!  What teacher wouldn't take advantage of their students love of cuteness and sweets and turn it into a love of statistics and graphing?  Logical connection right? Well to a teacher, OF COURSE!  So, yes I know everyone probably has one of these lil graphs laying around somewhere, but I always like to “cute it up”, much more applicable than Oakdale’s “cowboy up” for the teaching profession!  Happy Hearts and Cupids and all that cuteness!

Chat Soon - Kim

As Promised…

Here is February’s Lil Journal that I will be having the kiddos write sentences in from the February Word Bank Card.  Print these and cut in half, to make your own journal!  Stuff as many writing pages as you want into it!

Chat Soon - Kim

Can it be??? Is that 100 I see???

100 days brings such anticipation.  Hallelujah, only 75 days left until the glory of summer?  But my oh my so much to accomplish in those 100 days!  Why there is still telling time and 2 digits with and without regrouping…I mean all these things have been touched upon, and dealt with whole class, but to get them doing it all on their own?  Oh my, I have my work cut out for me!  I mean look at all these projects that will be joining my room next month, once I get through the scissor time!

That awesomeness you are looking at is part Doodle Bugs Teaching, and part Mwah!  I got inspired from Teacher Bits and Bobs to do a little monthly writing book.  The word bank you see in the above picture is right here for the taking, You.  Are.  Welcome!

Oh the cuteness of the clips art is enough to brighten this mini storm!  Thanks to kmpdoodles and dazzle clip art!  I forgot the journal cover and pages that I made for the kiddos to do their writing in, so visit again on Monday, and I’ll have it up for you!

As I mentioned in the beginning, things are CR-A-ZEE, but I must still do some kind of celebrating in the classroom for 100 days!  If not else than to reiterate the word “celebrate” from The Sleeping Pig!

These Cool Kids are here show the kids that finishing off the 11-12 School Year will be a skate!

Chat Soon - Kim

High Frequency Words…

It appears as if those Houghton Mifflin resources were a big hit to all, so glad that you are enjoying them as much as I enjoy creating them to share with you!

My grade level team has revamped how we test High Frequency Words over and over again!  It just seems as if we cant find a good balance between taking too much time from the classroom to test weekly, and not holding the student’s accountable enough by letting too much time pass!

This year I created “progress reports” to be used at the end of every other Theme!  This way no matter what way we test, weekly or at the close of each trimester, we have a way to give the parents a little glimpse of how their kiddo’s are doing in a more formal manner, more frequently!  I highlight those words that they kiddos do not know, write their percentage next to their name and circle happy if they met my district’s requirement for mastery, and sad if not!  Enjoy!

Chat Soon - Kim

For all my Houghton Mifflin Friends…

Have I mentioned before that my district has had the same reading curriculum for the ENTIRETY of my 9 year teaching career?!?  Oh I have?  Ooops…

Inspiration hunting I went, and man oh man I have found it!  You MUST visit Abby over at The Inspired Apple.  While on one of my stalking, uh I mean visiting,  stops by her blog I stumbled upon her Long and Short Vowel packs that can be purchased at her TPT store.  In each of these packs she has a word hunt page where the kiddos get to use their magic wand (highlighter) to find the designated words!

So…with her permission I have created a very similar doc with the use of PHONOGRAMS!  I love the Houghton Mifflin I Love Reading Books, but hate the double sided copying.  These little docs allow me to print on the printer and only on one side!

Without further adieu…May I present to you Triple Clusters Word Hunt, which goes with HM Theme 4 Week 3!

And…SH/TH/WH Word Hunt, which goes with HM Theme 5 Week 1!

Chat Soon – Kim

Let’s talk Turkey…

So, again I am trying something new this year!  I have done Mr. Turkey Goes for a Walk in many different ways.  First I did him as a 6 page flip book, then I did him as a multi-page full book with a turkey to cut out and glue on each illustrated page.  This year, with our normal Veteran’s Day, a full week of minimum days for conferences, and extra long Thanksgiving break due to a Furlough Day being attached, I feel as if my November is being robbed of me.  I love Mr. Turkey, but couldn’t give it the time I usually do. 

Alas, I created something new.  My first labeling activity!  I have been inspired by Mrs. Carroll over www.thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com and all of her GOODNESS!!!  I must admit, I kind of like this cuteness on my cabinets this year!

The story gives the kiddos a bit of freedom as they get to choose where three of the words go within the story!  Go ahead…make your own…

Thanks so much to DJ Inkers for Mr. Turkey himself, and Kevin and Amanda for the ADORABLE fonts!!!

Chat Soon – Kim

Conferences. Duh…Duh…Dun…

This year I am trying something new.  Well really I am trying MANY things new, but currently I am referring to how I will go about handling conferences (gasp, how is it really that time already?).  I usually present the parents with their child’s report card and possibly one other activity unless there is an academic concern, at which point, I of course, have every possible paper completed to present to the parents. 

This year, I have kept a selection of activities for each child, and have saved some introductions to challenging programs for my high achievers to be presented during conferences.  The way I began my approach to this was to simply gathering all the “goods” and “shove” them into a folded piece of construction paper.  BORING!!!

It’s amazing what a crisp, clean sheet of white paper with fun print can add to a sheet of folded construction paper.

I came up with this ‘lil guy.  We discussed each topic and I chatted about their choice; easy breezy (EASY, duh), a thinking activity (something that has to be worked at, but can still be accomplished), or hard work (work that is super hard, even with practice).  The kiddo’s circled their thoughts on each subject, and colored each one of those pictures.  Then we discussed the questions and wrote down one of the four topics on each of the dotted lines!

Four simple little staples locked this baby in place on the front of my BORING, sheet of folded construction paper and made it personable and CUTE!!!

Chat soon - Kim

Independent Learning Center Activities

It seems as though I am constantly searching for a few activities to have on hand for centers/stations that can be completed independently (after a little teaching) for those “parent no show”, “Oops!  I forgot to make that copy”, “What do you mean this is too hard?” moments.  I recently stumbled upon this concept from a neighbors son’s bring home work.

I refer to it as “One More One Less”.  Best Kid Part = Playing with Dice.  Best Teacher Part = Numbers to 100 Assessment!  I have included three different levels of this activity to use gradually through the year, or as you see fit with your ever challenging wide spread ability levels!  Simply Print, Cut at the 4.25” mark on the paper cutter, and follow directions at the top of each different leveled activity!

Now…an all time favorite of the students, and mine because I love to give my students activities that fool them into thinking they are having al fun and no learning is “Stamp a Word”.  I have always incorporated this into my classroom, but not in the most organized fashion, more like a “scrap idea”, well literally a scrap idea as it was always done on scrap paper, until now:

Yes, I know I’m using trees, yes I know I’m wasting ink…however, the kids for some reason are more productive, accomplishing more stamping, and now have to write the word they stamp, connecting that hand/eye coordination as they copy!  Oh, and I’ll admit that I am a bit OCD (just a little) and appreciate the appearance of pretty print on crisp, clean white paper, far more than stamped haphazardness on icky recycled paper!  Anyway, here it is in action…

Chat Soon - Kim

Who doesn’t like to eat in class???

How many of you have seen these chewy cuties lying around this fall?

I’ve been able to get mine at Target for the last two years.  Last year I made a simple half sheet with a graph on it, it was cute, what with its Dazzle Graphics and all, but more Preschool-ish than First Grade.  This year I decided to “cute” it up a bit, and create two choices for ability levels.  I have a Kinder Kiddo myself, and I always like to help out those K Teachers.  Well at least I think I am helping by providing fruit snacks and an activity for it, but come to think of it, they may look at it as ANOTHER task on the To Do List.  (Note to Self: ASK said teacher before arriving with time consuming activity!)

Anyway, back to chewy cuties, take your pick from the two activities below, complete the sentences,

or circle your answer!

Pumpkins: no not the amazingly addicting candy corn type

Please forgive me, as I did not know I myself would be blogging a few weeks ago, I do not remember who shared the link to this wonderful Pumpkin Life Cycle activity from AtoZ Teacher.

I mean…how cute!  You may not see the great possibilities here.  The wonderful blogger that I stumbled upon sequenced these on a sentence strip.  I am dedicating myself to “attempt” to get more writing in this year.  We started with letter printing and formation, and have graduated to weekly cloze sentences that fit within our story of the week, or the theme of the moment.  So, I created this to go along with the above cuteness.

Here’s a lil’ sampling of the two together…

There it is…my first posted activity, inspired by all you other fantastic blogging teachers on the web, tweaked for my own sweet students.