26 January 2017

Do you Sub Tub?


Hey friends! It's Erin, making a rare appearance on the blog today! Between raising my four kiddos, and teaching kindergarten, I don't have a lot of spare time to blog these days. But our new unit was just too good not to share. My kindergarten team each spent some time this fall making a new sub tubs. The thought was that if we each made one, we could then share, and we'd each have 5 sub tubs ready to go! These can be so incredibly helpful for those days when you wake up and have a sick kiddo, or you are sick yourself, and you just don't want to plan for a sub. At the end of the year, we thought we'd have some fun sub tub days, doing the activities that we didn't use throughout the year. So, I just had to share with you how we set it up. The sub tub is set up so that with absolutely no planning, any sub can come in and find anything they need for the day. We use only materials that we already have in our classroom (alphabet stamps, pattern blocks, etc.) for our lessons. We also make sure our sub tub is stocked with the following things:
*Student list
*Daily Schedule
*Weekly Schedule
*Students to Note
*School Map
*Bus List

All of these things can be found in the class info section of our Sub Tubs. But, before I get a head of myself... 

First, I like this tub to organize my materials. It's a perfect size for a days worth of activities. They are under $6 each at Walmart, or you can get 6 of them for $30.


I get hanging folders for each subject to hold all of my activities.

 

 

The files are organized in the sequence of how I teach my day, just to keep it simple for any sub. Then each activity is in it's own folder. For instance, 4 reading station and 4 math station activities are included. I also include each of the direction pages in page protectors for easy use. 


Here is an example of one of the lessons included. My sub tub does include all the actual books, but QR codes for each are included with the Sub Tub.

 

Does this sound like something that will make your life easier? (Psst... I promise it will!) Head on over to our TPT store to check it out our Space Day Sub Tub!  It will be on sale through the weekend. 


If you'd like to check out our First Grade Sub Kit, make sure to check it out as well. It will be on sale too!


And if you made it all the way to the end of our post, here's a quick freebie for you. This Space Listening center is included in our Space Day Sub Tub, but you can get it here for free!


Happy Sub Tubbing!


22 January 2017

New products, updates, and a freebie!


Happy Sunday!  Hope you have all had a great weekend!  Just wanted to share a bit about one of our newest products in our store, some updated products, and a new freebie!

Our syllable sets can be found {HERE}.  These work great for literacy stations, whole group, small group, or individual practice. I love incorporating poly spots at my syllable stations.  These are a great tool to use for counting syllables in words. My first graders use the poly spots to hop/jump to while saying a word.  They place the poly spots in a row on the floor near the station, pick a word, and then hop it!  For example, if the word was pencil, they would say pen as they land on the first spot, and cil as they land on the second spot.   Clapping is also an option, but this is by far their favorite! These sets are sold individually, or you can buy all 10 at a discount! Each set contains:

*Small Picture/word cards in Color & B&W: These cards can be used for sorting.

*Small sorting mats

*Large Picture/word cards in Color & B&W: These cards can be used for sorting. 

*Large sorting mats

*Headers: These could be cut and could be used for sorting picture cards on a table, the floor, or used on an anchor chart. 

*Syllable count worksheet in Color & B&W: 
This worksheet could be used after sorting the picture/word cards or used without the sorting cards. Students count and mark the syllables.

*Cut and glue picture cards in color & B&W and sorting mat worksheet: Students can cut and glue the picture cards into the correct columns on the sorting mat.

Here is a picture of the large picture cards and large sorting mats:

And here's a picture of the small picture cards and small sorting mats:
Here's one of the worksheets included with each set.  After sorting the cards, my first graders mark the correct number of syllables.  Here's an example:


 Another option is to cut and glue.  These worksheets are also included in each set.


We've also update two of our products!  Our Planets, Stars, and Space...Oh My! has been updated with new fonts and 20 new pages.  Please re-download if you have already purchased so you can receive the new updates!  You can check it out {HERE}!

Our Presidents Day Mini Unit has also been updated with new fonts and a few new pages added to the booklet in this mini unit.  Just click {HERE} to download this freebie!

Last week our sound focus was long i (i_e).  I created a short i long i word sort to do with my first graders in their small reading groups.  There are several printing options in this freebie, and a recording sheet.  You can find this sort {HERE}.


Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'll be back in a few days with new station ideas!  
Have a great week!

08 January 2017

Happy January!

Happy January!  Hope your year is off to a great start!
After a very LONG winter break (we've had so many two hour delays and snow days in December and January, I've lost track of the total!) I am finally going back to a full week this next week, and I can't wait for some consistency!
Just stopping by to share a quick little freebie that I made for my first graders this week!  Long i (i_e) is our sound focus of the week, and this will be one of the choices my students have during our intervention time.
Just click on the picture below if you'd like to grab a copy!


I also just finished up this entire set.  I like to incorporate these into my literacy stations during my reading block.  Look for a post next week about how I use these!  If you'd like to check them out, just click the picture below.  You can find the individual sets {HERE}.



If you're following my stations that I incorporate into my reading block,
here's what we're my students are doing next week:


*Spelling Space: Word Search focusing on long i (this is from my reading program), Write it! focusing on our story words for the week which can be found {HERE}  If you'd like to check out the Dolch Set you can go {HERE}, and Word Whiz that are from Learning Resources.  You can check them out {HERE}.

*Sand Writing: My kiddos use craft sticks and write their weekly words in sand.  I bought my sand from Lakeshore, a local teacher store.  It can be found {HERE}.  I put the sand in plastic supply boxes which make it easy for clean up.  I also put a plastic table cloth on the table :)

*Dice Drive: Five in a Row Dolch Phrases from First Grade Factory which can be found {HERE} and roll a word which can be found {HERE}.

*White Boards:
 Kids write spelling words from weekly word list, then write their own words.

*Read and Write the Room: Winter Words from this set {HERE}

*Word Way: Nonsense Word 4 in a Row that can be found {HERE} and word blocks for making sentences.

*Write the Room:  Christmas Write-the-Room which can be found {HERE} and Read and Write the Room: North Pole & Gingerbread words that can be found {HERE}

*Syllable Station: January syllable set that can be found {HERE}.

*Artist's Alley:  Snowman freebie from Funky Fresh Firsties.  The freebie can be found {HERE}.

Click {HERE} if you'd like to see the first week and some info about my station work!
Click {HERE}for other station ideas!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!

Have a wonderful week!