Digraphs, Diphthongs, and Freebies OH MY!

Happy Sunday!  Hope you are all enjoying your weekend and to those of you that are already on summer vacation, ENJOY!  I hope you find some much needed time to relax!
  My first graders and I have a few more weeks due to several snow days.  We still have lots to do and  I have several fun themed activities planned for my first graders!
This last week my first graders went to the zoo for our annual zoo field trip.  SO MUCH FUN!  We had absolutely perfect weather (which for the last several years has been not spectacular) 70+ degrees and was filled with lots of zoo themed activities.  See below for several ideas I incorporated into my stations and a few zoo themed math freebies :).
A few weeks ago we ended our digraph and diphthong sound focus.  I created a set and finally added it to our store.  If you'd like to check it out you can go {HERE} or click any of the pictures below! Here are some items included in this set:


This set includes:

 48 SMALL PICTURE/WORD CARDS : These cards can be used for sorting.
Small Sorting Cards


 SORTING MATS & RECORDING SHEETS: These sorting mats can be used for sorting the small sorting cards above.  After sorting, students can record words on recording sheets.
Sorting Mat

Recording Sheet 
24 RHYME CARDS (MATCHING GAME): These cards can be used for a matching game. Players begin by placing face down. First player flips two cards over. If they rhyme, the player keeps both cards. If they do not rhyme, flip the player flips both cards over and it’s the next player’s turn. Winner is the player with the most cards.
Rhyme Cards (matching game)


 I HAVE WHO HAS CARDS: 30 cards are included in this set.  These cards contain pictures  and words.  If playing with less than 30 players, you could give players additional cards.  
I Have Who Has Cards

48 LARGE PICTURE/WORD CARDS: These cards could be used in several different ways. 
Here are two ideas:
*For matching, cut them apart so the words are separate and match the words with the pictures. These cards fit nicely in a pocket chart.
*To play a matching game, distribute word cards evenly between players. Place picture cards face down. First player flips over a picture card. If he/she has the matching word, he/she picks up the card. If not a match, flip card over and it’s the next player’s turn. First player with all of their matches complete is the winner.
Large Picture/Word Cards
Here's an ew oo word search I have included during my intervention time. 
 Just click the picture below for your copy!


And here are a few of the zoo activities I incorporated last week.  Just click on the pics for links!
Since these last few weeks in math have been a review of what we've been doing all year, I made some review worksheets that focused on double digit addition and subtraction.  I also created some place value review.  You can find this entire freebie {HERE}!




Several versions of this worksheet are included.

We've been doing a lot of opinion writing pieces this month.  I wanted to share a freebie that I created to go with an opinion writing piece my first graders did a few weeks ago.  After reading Hey Little Ant we created two anchor charts.  One listed reasons why the boy SHOULD squish the and and the other listed reasons why the boy SHOULD NOT squish the ant.  Then my kiddos completed their own opinion writing and made a picture.  If you'd like the writing template along with pages for drawings, just click {HERE} or on the picture below!



I also included several zoo themed stations this last week!
 If you're following my stations that I incorporate into my reading block, here's what we started last week, and will finish up in a few days!  This is our last set of stations for the school year.  Several stations this week are zoo themed.


*Sand Station: Kinetic sand and sand tools.

*Social Studies: My students create their own zoo map which can be found in our Zoo Map Pack that can be found {HERE}.

*ABC Station:  Zoo Keeper Line Up ABC Order.  This freebie can be found in this set {HERE}.

*Publishing Place: Five Little Monkeys book which can be found in this freebie set {HERE}.

*Artist Alley:  My kiddos first write a giraffe poem following a template that I created.  Then they make a giraffe craftivity that can be found {HERE}.  

*Pocket Chart Place:   Kindness sort that can be found {HERE}.  May pocket cart cards that can be found {HERE}. Animal movement sort from {HERE}.
And a number sort that can be found {HERE}.

*Word Way:  Write It! An activity using Dolch words.  This set can be found {HERE}.

*Read a Write the Room: Write the Walls.  This template can be found {HERE}.  I give my kiddos clipboards and my special pens to use as they write the room!

                                
Need more station ideas?  Just click on the links below!

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!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!

Click {HERE} for other station ideas!


Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your weekend!












Yay For May!

Happy May!  I just love this month!  Our weather here in Oregon starts to dry out a little and we FINALLY see more sunshine YAY!  This week I finished up my May Show and Tell Apron Cards.  These work great in Show and Tell Aprons, but also work nicely in pocket charts, or at a table!
  I print the vertical cards and my kiddos match the pictures to the words use these at our pocket chart station.  This works great for vocabulary development.  My kids also enjoy organizing the cards in ABC order.  If you'd like to check these out, just click on the picture below!  February-May are all finished and I'm currently working on a June set.  September-January will also be added throughout the summer months :)  


Here's a little worksheet I will be incorporating into my intervention activities this week.  It includes some of the words used in my May Show and Tell Apron set.  If you'd like a copy of this freebie, just click below!  


Opinion writing has been a BIG focus these last several weeks in my classroom.  There are so many great stories to incorporate while teaching opinion writing.  One story I LOVE to use is I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff.  I created a format for my first graders to use as support while writing their opinions.  On the first line is where my kids write should or should not, based on their opinion.  Then they give their two reasons to support their opinion, and finally restate why they strongly feel Alex should or should not have an pet iguana.  Also included in this little freebie are half sheets with an iguana picture.  There are several different options :)  My kiddos each chose a picture and drew something different around or near the iguana.  Their writing pieces along with their picture, are displayed in our school hallway.    Pictures will be added soon!  If you'd like your a copy of this freebie, click below!
 If you're following my stations that I incorporate into my reading block, here's what we started last week, and will finish up in a few days!

*Listening Station: iPod shuffles- What's in the Sky?, The Cow That Laid an Egg,  & Down Comes the Rain

*Exploration Station: Magnetic wands and various small objects that are magnetic and non magnetic.  My kids sort them and draw about which objects will attract and which will not attract to the magnetic wand.



*Stamp Station: *Stamp a Word- Write it Stamp it can be found {HERE}.  I  place sight word cards at this station that my students can write or stamp, or they use the word wall.  

*ABC Station:  Word puzzle pieces very similar to these HERE, but I found mine at Walmart last summer.  Also at this station are spring/earth day ABC order worksheets that can be found {HERE}.

*Publishing Place: Frog is Hungry book which can be found at Reading A-Z .  I print the book in a wordless version and my kiddos make up their own text to the story.  So much fun!

*Artist Alley:  Fingerprint dandelions.  I got the idea from this post {HERE}.  

*Write the Room:   Read and Write the Room: April words that can be found {HERE}

*Word Way:  Oi Oy Secret Code Words and Spin a Word that can be found in this pack {HERE} 

*Fine Motor: Line Art.  I create a master page that looks like the anchor chart found {HERE} and my kids great pictures using different line styles.  Lacing cards are at this station as well.  

                                
Need more station ideas?  Just click on the links below!


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!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!
Click {HERE} for other station ideas!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week!