Choosing a Good Fit Book

This is my third year using the Daily 5 framework, and this is one of my favorite beginning of the year lessons. After I get all of their initial assessments done (and man, are there a TON!), we sit in a large circle and we talk about our shoes. It seems super funny to them that this is the reason I have called a group meeting, but they roll with it. 

We talk about how well our shoes fit us, how we go to the store and measure our foot to be sure it fits just right. Then, once we have our shoes, we are able to do so many great things! Run, jump, hop skip, etc. We also talk about how there are different shoes for different types of performance: running, tennis, basketball, baseball, and all the other sports. 

We demonstrate how my shoes do not fit a child's foot, how their shoes do not fit my foot, how my husband's hunting boots are way too big for me and are not a good fit for running around playing soccer, and even our principal's work shoes are not a good fit for me or the kids! Unless we had our own shoes chosen specifically for us, it was hard to do what we needed and wanted to do. To get the job done right, we needed our own shoes! 

This leads into a great conversation about how we just completed running records and now we know everyone's individual level and that when we look for books at school we will choose books for various purposes: interest, topic/research, and readability for independent reading practice. Like shoes, books also come in a variety of sizes. Some are thick, some are thin, some have no words, some have lots of words. Some books have big words, some books have smaller, easier to read words. 

I convey to the class that when we focus on choosing books that will help us become better readers, it is important that we find a good fit for each child (reading level). What is good for one person is not necessarily a good fit for someone else - and that's okay! We are all here to grow and learn together, but at our own pace. This really sets a positive tone for acceptance and tolerance for a wide range of reading abilities. We reference the shoe lesson throughout the year - especially when some readers get anxious for chapter books and they've got a bit of growing to do. I monitor my students' reading levels monthly so that they can continue to see their growth and be sure to move up levels if they are ready. 

If you haven't checked out the Daily 5 & CAFE books, you should give them a try! At the very least, a lesson like this will fit any classroom and your students will definitely be giggling!! 

Happy Reading! 

Incorporate Sensory Experiences into Academics

Aren't the Early Childhood years/grade levels cute and fun and MeSsY?! When I taught Kdg., Jr. K, and Preschool, I could easily incorporate a lot of sensory play into our daily schedule. Not only was it play, but I often found fun ways to integrate academics with sensory experiences. Now that I'm teaching first grade (which I love, love, love!!!), sensory items were really lacking in my room, and I missed it terribly. I felt like my first graders, just coming from Kindergarten, must be missing it, too! Although, my students last year were completely charming, and never seemed to notice, were completely happy with whatever activities I had available for them to choose, and were too kind to say....I still felt like I was not tending to everyone's needs/interests. As hard as we try, that crazy balance of making activities, tending to 20 (even 30) something personalities, interests, abilities, and learning styles gets tricky! We do the best with what we can at the time.

All year, I said to myself that summer "vacation" would be my time to think of (or pin) ideas to entangle sensory experiences with academics. While I would love an opportunity for a little sensory "play", there certainly isn't time for it....too much is at stake. But to keep learning fun, engaging, and knowing how important sensory is to children, I first needed to remind (justify) to myself why sensory activities are important to young learners, before I went all out and collected ideas and materials to make it all happen.

Photo Cred: GrowingAJeweledRose.com

Here's why I think it's important to integrate sensory experiences and academics amongst all the primary grades (and any grade level, really!):

• We all know that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which lead to the child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks. If we are differentiating instruction as we should, all tasks are complex to each child at some level. If it simply takes some sensory experiences to help this process, I can absolutely justify having a sand/water table in my classroom! 
• Sensory play supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills, and social interaction. We all know those little loves that need help with fine motor, and so many sensory experiences provide that practice. Integrate academics....2 birds, one stone. 
• This type of play aids in developing and enhancing memory. YES! Create those pathways and remember the content we are teaching. Will sensory activities aid students to concept mastery? I'm willing to roll the dice on that one. 
• Sensory play is great for calming an anxious or frustrated child. I don't know about your school, but we don't have school counselors anymore due to budget cuts. We have one counselor that visits 4 Elementary Schools, plus the Jr. High, I believe. While I try to tend to the whole child, individual counseling sessions with the teacher are not an easy feat. If a little time sifting some sand, or digging your hands into something squishy, messy, etc. helps calm a child---I'm all for it. I know I love an opportunity to kick back, put my toes in the sand! If I could bring my work to the beach everyday, I certainly would! 

Photo Cred:
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Baptist-Waynesboro-VA-Weekday-Preschool/308533869201006

Gosh....I used to have a water table filled with these letters for letter recognition, letter sequencing from A-Z, letter matching (upper/lower, upper/upper, lower/lower)....but HELLO?! Why not put our spelling lists next to the water table and allow them to fish for their spelling words?! This is the stuff that makes me remember how un-creative I am sometimes!! OK---this idea, definitely getting put into my 'word work' station this year. 

AMEN to all of that, right?! Stay with me here....let's talk about this a little more then I have a little surprise for you for hanging in there with me. 

So, if you are like me, you are thinking 'Oh, right. Looks fun & there's research to back the importance of sensory experiences for children, but management of it could be a nightmare while I'm working with small groups'. True. It could easily get a little bananas out there----but with rules, expectations, and follow through....it will run smoothly just like everything else in your classroom. Treat this kind of learning as a privilege. There are certainly less desirable ways to learn concepts (ahem, worksheets upon worksheets). With firm guidelines, mutual trust and respect, it should all be just fine! 

I have both a turtle sandbox and a sand table in storage----it's not whether I will use one in my classroom this year, but a matter of WHICH one?! If you have any ideas to integrate sensory experiences with the first grade common core, please do share your ideas! 

In the meantime, I'm sharing with you two items from my TpT and TN shops FREE for a limited time. Blizzard Beach is a sand table math activity I used during math stations last year. My students loved it!!  We used it for two weeks in the winter and then they asked for it to be brought back out at the end of the year. I've recently added Sandbox Stations....and plan to make more sandbox stations as the year continues. Enjoy! 

Click photo to get SandBox Stations

Taking the 'Common' out of Common Core

The common core is everywhere! And in some States, it's not....anymore. For those of us that are still driven by the Common Core, posting those "I can" statements daily/weekly/permanently throughout our classrooms....how do you find ways to keep your classroom creative, fun, & hands-on, all while meeting those Common Core objectives?

Here's a few things that we've recently done in my classroom to keep our learning fun, fresh, and engaging! I thought I had a picture of this....but I can't seem to find it amongst the bazillion photos in my camera roll. So, imagine this.....a first grade classroom with a sand table? Yep--that's us! We often use it for math. Actually, it's not a sand table....but sand totes (the plastic rubbermaid ones). Since we live in Michigan where it still feels like the Arctic....we have laminated missing addend snowflakes buried in the sand. We call it Blizzard Beach. It's funny that none of my students found the mix of beach, summer, winter, & snow items all mixed together a bit odd----that's Michigan for ya! But it keeps sensory play in my classroom at the same time my students find missing addends. Using different totes for various levels of missing addend work keeps that station FUN & differentiated. I really need to grab a picture of that, but in the mean time, use your mental images, and look HERE.

Recently, it was the 120th day of school for my students. 1.NBT.1 says that students should count to 120 starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral. So that we did! Not that we haven't been working on it all year----but because we HAVE been working so hard, we chose the 120th day to celebrate it!

We decorated our entrance to our classroom....and just in case anyone questioned the hustle & bustle, the giggles galore, and the multiple times the firsties broke out in tune ("Red Solo Cup....I fill you up..")

 Go ahead, I'll wait while you sing along...

....but just in case anyone questioned our day, I went ahead and posted my 1.NBT.1 objective right on our sign! 

Students decorated their own T-shirts----some were tallied, BeJewled, covered in buttons, painted, and more! Not one shirt was the same!

 And here.....you'll understand why Toby Keith is considering letting us cover his Kids Bop version of Red Solo Cup (wink, wink). There were multiple structures built throughout the day with 120 Red Solo cups. Cooperative learning, planning, and creating....I loved listening to their conversations, compromises, ideas, and minds at work!

Here's one child enjoying 120's day to the fullest....crown, 120 apple jack necklace, 120 pom-pom shirt....what's not to love about 1.NBT.1?! 

1.NBT.1 also helped my students satisfy their tastebuds by counting out 12 groups of 10 snack items to contribute to a trail mix. See? The Common Core is Y-U-M-M-Y! 

(Click the photo of the smarties above to get your own 1st Grade 120 Day fun!)

At this point in the year, if you are like me, you are finding the Common Core just another 'chore'. And when something becomes a little too chore-like....it means we need to spice it up! What fun ways do you put the paper/pencils down in order to take the 'Common' out of Common Core? 

@MiTeacherGirl

Weekend DIY stuff...

Surely you've seen the crate seats posted all over Pinterest. 

So have I, and I finally got around to making some this past weekend!! 

These will be so great at school. Can't wait! 

AND---I found this great idea shown below on... 

Seriously, Marsha at A Differentiated Kdg. has so many great ideas and printables!! I'm sure you already follow her blog, but if you haven't....go check it out. You won't want to miss it! 

Recently, she had a post about listening center organization---and I am totally doing it! 

You can see her post HERE. 

She is putting her Daily 5 listening to reading materials in a tote bag....the book(s), CD players, and pencils. Each bag is numbered 1-6, and includes these cute little tags she made for the Daily 5 Listening to Reading rules and expectations....

These are the bags I found ay Walmart. They were in a 3-pack for $6.00. Score! Pretty good deal, I thought. The picture doesn't show how bright the colors are, but they really are! 

You can download and print/laminate/cut the tags.

Stick them on a binder ring (or shower curtain hooks...because really, I happened to have a spare pack at home. Why the heck not use 'em?!)

And there ya have it....everything in one spot. Now I just have to remember to get some 3M hooks to stick to my wall for the totes to hang on. 

She also posted some leveled response sheets to go with the listening station stuff. 

And DONE! Didn't know I needed these bags until I saw it on Marsha's blog....and had to have it for obvious reasons! It took no time at all to get these bags ready. That's my kind of project! 

ABC Action & Musical Learners

I'm thinking about the beginning of the year, and starting right at the basics....well, just beyond singing the alphabet song! My Pre-K friends love to move around and use up as much space as they can. It's amazing how far they can stretch the block area, and inch their way around every possible point in my room. Luckily, I have the space! 

Here's a great ABC sequencing activity in which your little ones will need A LOT of space! These BIG circles can be put in order from A-Z, or a-z ---but tell them to "take it to the floor!". Work on the floor? YUP---it's right where they want to be...where everything is accessible, at their level, and they can crawl, walk, or scoot to grab their letters and put them in their place. 

This is activity is great for your visual / kinesthetic learner. But what about some of those other types of learners? You can set up the circles cake walk style----add some music---and voila! Your musical and auditory learners are intrigued as well. When the music stops...some or all of the children say the letter that they are standing on (or next to---if you don't want little shoes/feet all over your new game!). 

It may not always be easy to find an activity that focuses on a certain concept and includes a musical element for those who learn musically. That is the hardest learning style for me to incorporate into my classroom. I have no musical skill whatsoever---and it's definitely not MY learning style. But if you are stumped...here's at least one way (besides all those great music/movement Cd's) that you can incorporate letter/sound identification in your centers/stations: 

Find a xylophone & add letter stickers to it!  You can only fit so many letters on each xylophone...so you may want to pick up a few of them! (you could also use these for number recognition!)

Have a musical day!! 

ABC Baseball

Here's a really fun game you can play at the end of the year with your preschoolers, or any time of the year with older students (the big Kindergarteners!). When I taught Kindergarten, I used to play this game with one of my grade level teachers, and our classes loved the friendly competition, socialization, and added physical activity during the school day.

We all know that if there is a way to make a game out of learning, your students will buy into it---creating a highly engaged group of students with a high interest activity. All you need is the baseball letter match game (which is a complete set of upper and lowercase letters), a dry erase board & marker (or something to keep score), bases/home plate and an excited group of students!

ENTER FOR A GIVE-A-WAY ON MY TEACHER'S NOTEBOOK SHOP!

Starts May 31, 2012 and ENDS at midnight!

10 LUCKY WINNERS WILL RECEIVE THIS PRINTABLE----FREE!!!



Click Photo



So....once you have printed the baseballs, you will want to put a number (1, 2, or 3--to represent the value and what base they could run to) on the back BEFORE you laminate. It's up to you, but I put a 1 on easy letters, a 2 on more difficult letters, and a 3 on the letters that are typically most difficult for students to identify. Then, laminate & cut out.

Now, you are ready to take your students to the gym or outside for a game of ABC baseball! I found some great bases and a home plate at the Dollar Tree, but I've only seen them there twice in the Spring over the paste few years. You could always make your own, or borrow from your P.E. teacher!

Set up your bases and divide your class into 2 teams, or bring another class to play against you! You will not need any players in the field. Simply have your students sit on the baseline until it is their turn to "bat" (no bat needed, though!). The teacher is the pitcher! :)

Have your baseballs in hand, and call one student up to bat. They stand at home plate and you tell them if it's a single (1--1st base), a double (2--2nd base), or a triple hit (3---3rd base). Then, "pitch" the ball (show them the ball with the letter on it). If they identify it, they run to their designated base. Next batter, do it all again. Every time a player crosses home plate, make a tally mark for a run for your team.

The team with the most runs at the end is the winning team!!

Shake it up! How to vary the game depending on each child's needs. When you pitch you can:

* show only uppercase

* show only lowercase

* mix it: sometimes show a capital letter, sometimes show a lowercase letter 

* ask for letter sound

* ask for a word that starts with that letter

* ask for a word that ends with that letter

* only use the letters in the child's first name



I hope this game is a HOME RUN for your class!

Have FUN!

Spelling Center

Do you have a spelling center in your classroom? In Pre-K, I have an ABC Center---same thing, but leveled for my LITTLE friends and based on the alphabetic principle. I'm not sure how many upper elementary classrooms have a spelling center, but I sure would hope so! BIG kids like to move around and learn, too! Get your students out from behind those desks/tables and interacting with a peer, moving letters around, AND working on weekly spelling lists! Your kinesthetic/visual learners will be grateful!

This center can be a permanent station in your room, interchangeable with a cookie sheet, oil drip pan as a magnetic work space, on the side of a file cabinet, or in a little box that can be pulled off a shelf and taken to a comfy spot on the floor, etc. I made a spelling center for a fourth grade teacher last year, and was later told how much the students LOVED IT!

Here's some pics of how you can easily create an ABC Center activity or fun and cute spelling center, in which students can be social, free to move letters around and play with them, produce a product (recording sheet of their words that they made), and work on weekly spelling lists.

Here's the recording form that students can use to write the words that they have spelled! 

Younger students can practice spelling basic CVC words that they might be familiar with: mom, dad, cat, dog. They can also spell their friends' names. 

I have vocabulary cards in pocket charts in my ABC Center for such words so students can copy and re-create with magnetic letters. I'm sure you do, too! This activity is the same concept, but with different visuals---change it up! With your older students, replace simple CVC words or names of classmates with vocabulary or spelling lists! 

Here, I've put this activity/station on a oil drip pan. You could use space on your wall, back of a bookshelf, cookie sheet----or anywhere, really! I love magnetic items compared to velcro. :) 

Here, only a few of the letters are shown---but with this activity you will get a large selection of uppercase, lowercase, and lots of vowels in order to spell a variety of words. 

Look! One of my preschool students has spelled "car"! Too cute!

I hope you can find this activity useful---and if you do not yet have an ABC or spelling center in your classroom---grab and oil pan and lots of magnetic stuff---it's an easy way to get started! You can build up from there!! Want it? Click HERE (or--see below for ways to get it FREE!)

**If you are a current follower, or a new follower, invite a friend to join/follow my blog, and you BOTH get this activity FREE! Just comment/E-mail me to let me know who you are and who you invited (or who invited you!).

Thank you for stopping by!! I'd love to hear about some upper elementary spelling centers/stations if there are any out there!! :)

On the Right Track with Numbers!

Ever since Christmas, I've been watching my 5 year old twins play their new Leap Pad tablets. They LOVE them! They come in handy in the car on long trips, or when a little down time is needed. We definitely monitor the amount of screen time that our kids have (and really, mine would rather dig in the dirt than sit in front of the TV most of the time anyway!). 

However, when they do play their Leap Pad tablets, I can't help but notice how drawn they are to the math apps on there (K-2 level apps). More than that, the concepts they are working on are strikingly amazing for typical 5 year olds. They start basic, but every level they reach, opens the door for more challenges. Specifically, my daughter LOVES the cooking/baking game. Today, I heard the game say "slice the bread into three thirds".....Fractions?! Really. I thought I was going to have to help out....but NOPE! She did it on her own lickety split! 

Another game that they adore is a number sense game----there are different scenes (space, etc.) in which random numbers are floating and they have to pull them down and put them in order smallest to largest. When they first got this game nearly five months ago, that concept was REALLY hard for them. Now, they totally get it and are quite quick with it. Amazing! 

Don't worry---I'm getting to the point here. 

Anywhoooooo----the point of this is not to dote about my cute little loves, but rather how quickly they acquired the skills (as most kids do) with a TECHY device! Technology sells---and kids buy into educational concepts through fun, flashy technology. Oh, how I wish I was about to give away a Leap Frog Tablet---but alas, I'm not. 

I wish, I wish, I wish I could click my heels together three times and have such devices for the students in my classroom. Since I don't, I had to think of an activity that I could change up the levels (differentiate) for my students, while still building number sense. There are many activities to do this (and store bought ones are expensive)----so for now, here's what I've come up with.

This activity can be used in a variety of ways, and would fit in well with your little ones who love trains, or within a transportation unit, or just because! Take a look....

This is not a good picture, but you can get the idea of how to print the pages and laminate them end to end form engine to caboose.

Using a visual timer (ie: sand timer), students will race to beat the clock to arrange the numbers in a variety of ways:

By 1's... (or 5's, or 10's)... 

By 2's/Evens or Odds...

Or by ordering random numbers smallest to largest. 

You will get numbers 1-100 with this game---so it's completely flexible for you to give your students the numbers they need based on readiness/skill!

 Print a few train track mats for a small group or for your math workstation boxes, have pairs of students work together, or use for independent practice. 

Like this game? Please let me know in a comment!

Have a bunch of Leap Pad tablets to donate to my classroom?! I'll take 'em! LOL 

Click HERE for this game!