Happy Fall

Hi Everybody! I'm back! It feels so good to be back in the blogging world! I took a much needed break, and am back and ready to blog! I sure have been busy with back to school stuff, and having a teenager in Driver's Ed along with her busy dance schedule, doesn't really leave this mom with a lot of spare time! I hope you all had a wonderful summer! My family and I spent a lot of time outdoors. Here we are on a hiking trip in Bend, OR. We just LOVE Bend, OR!

I have a few things/sites I've found that I wanted to share with you all :) 

I know it's way past back to school, but I finally found the perfect book bins for my IKEA shelves in my classroom library! I looked everywhere all summer for ones that would fit perfectly, would be able to hold my tall or awkward sized books, and were a good price. These are perfect!

I found them at Walmart.com and they came in a 12 pack. After purchasing 2 sets I realized that I might want to have a few extra on hand, just in case they break. So I stopped by my local Home Depot and bought 2 more! I was also able to fine a few small sized ones for my mini leveled readers. I love the way they look and so far they are holding up nicely. 

 Here's the link if you'd like to check them out: 

Sterilite Medium Ultra Plastic Storage Bins

Another thing I was looking for this summer was a YouTube Channel that had letter/sound videos. Our reading program no longer supports the online version that we used last year and I was so sad :(. I use the videos to show our sound of the week. Well, after doing some searching on YouTube, I found Jack Hartmann's Kids Music Channel! It was just what I was looking for! My kids LOVE his videos, especially the sight word videos. If you haven's seen his videos, you've got to check him out!

Here's one of his sight word videos:

I also LOVE ViewPure which is a site that I show all YouTube videos in. I just copy and paste the link and I can display YouTube videos in my classroom without ads or comments!

Here's a link to ViewPure: ViewPure.

Another site that I'd like to share with you all I've been incorporating a lot of nonsense word activities in my small reading groups lately. At a meeting recently, I was given a nonsense word fluency intervention planning sheet with links to quite a few freebies. I found the sheet online and was able to click and check out the wonderful free resources. If you teach nonsense words and are looking for some new items, definitely check out this blog post from Make, Take & Teach. This is where you will find the planning sheet: 

What’s all the Nonsense about Teaching Nonsense Words?

Here's a new product that I've recently added to my store:

Here are a few worksheets that are included in this set:

This is my first of many worksheet sets that I will be adding to my store. I use these in my small reading groups. Instead of copying a worksheet for each student, I use Reusable Write and Wipe Pockets. These HERE are my absolute favorite! My kids also love writing on them with dry erase pens.  This set and my future sets all contain a variety of worksheets. You can check them out HERE, or click the picture above!

Finally, here are a few freebies that I wanted to also share. We learned about the five senses a few weeks ago and I created some popcorn freebies. 

After learning about our senses we described popcorn using our five senses. 

I used these headings on my whiteboard:

I made these smaller quarter sheet sized ones to be used on an anchor chart.

My kids each got a worksheet and 1 piece of popped popcorn. I purposely did not give them a bowl full yet, because I wanted them to focus on their descriptions and writing first :) Here's what their worksheet looked like:

I began by listing their words on the white board. Then they would choose words for their worksheets. Finally, after they wrote how popcorn tastes, they each received a bowl of popcorn. They had a blast! 

The second day I read this cute book that I checked out through my local library:

Then we came up with a list of toppings that would be good on popcorn. The kids had so much fun thinking of toppings they'd like. After we created a list, they completed this writing piece and added their toppings to the picture.

Here's a popcorn mini book I created as well:

You can find all of these freebies by clicking the titles below!

White Board/Anchor Chart Headings

Popcorn Writing

Popcorn Five Senses Mini Book

Thank you so much for stopping by! 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Happy June!

Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend!  I got to have some much needed family time with cousins and was able to squeeze in some yard work!  I also was able to finish this little insect theme worksheet set!  

I have two weeks left with my first graders and next week is filled with a few insect activities.  I will beginning the week by talking about insects and then spend a day focusing on ladybugs and bees.   I'll share with you a few of the things I'm incorporating into my lessons this week!

I just found this book and absolutely LOVE it!  Its a perfect book to introduce insects and it even rhymes like the traditional Dr. Seuss books!  Super cute!

Here's a little freebie I created.  I'll include into a math lesson or math station. 

Just click the picture if you'd like to download!

This insect theme worksheet set that I finally finished will be incorporated throughout my week.  These worksheets will be choices during math/literacy stations, used during my intervention time, and also available for students who finish lessons early and would like something other to do than write or read.  Below is a sample of what's inside.  You can click on any of the pictures below to check this product out! 

    

  

     

     

Here are two books that I always make sure to read throughout 

the day that we talk and learn about bees.  

Here is an anchor chart that I made last year.  It's all laminated a ready to go this year!

This is an example from Sweet Kindergarten.

This freebie has many great resources that I use.  My kids write down facts using the honeycomb page and we also use the anatomy of a bee worksheet.

This freebie has a fun bee craftivity that I just LOVE!

Two of my favorite read alouds on our ladybug day are these two below: 

I use anchor chart that I found on Pinterest HERE .  

After completing a ladybug fact web about ladybugs, my kids have an option of completing  ladybug life cycle worksheet that is in the freebie below.

Or they have the option of completing a life cycle wheel like the one below.  The one pictured below is just like the one I have.  The masters are from  Teacher Created Resources Thematic Ladybug Unit which can be found {HERE}.   I found THIS FREEBIE on teachers pay teachers which is so super cute and very similar!  I'll definitely be using this one next year!

I hope you all have a fantastic week & thanks for stopping by!

And the winner is...

Thank you everyone who participated!  I LOVED reading your comments!  Some things I enjoy most about summer break are spending time with my family, sleeping in, and catching up on my magazine subscriptions!  Our winner is Sara C!  Check your email Sara!

 Check back here in a few days for some new insect themed worksheets and of course a new freebie! 

Thank you all again!

It's Sale Time!

Happy Monday!  Teachers Pay Teachers is having a Teacher Appreciation Sale that begins May 8th and runs through May 9th, and I've got a $10 gift card that I'd LOVE to give to one of our followers!  

This giveaway runs now
until 6:00 am Wednesday, May 9th PST.

Since it's getting closer to summer vacation,  just comment below with your favorite thing to do while on summer break.  That's all you have to do to enter the giveaway!

Check back here Wednesday, May 9th and I will announce the winner!  

Now more about the sale!  The Teacher Appreciation Sale begins on May 8th! You can save up to 25% off.  All you have to do is enter their promo code THANKYOU18 during checkout!
You can check out our store {HERE}! 

Friday Freebies and More!

Happy spring and happy Friday!  I'm currently on spring break and really enjoying the time to relax with my family!  Life has been busy, especially with an almost 15 year old.  I thought life was busy when she was younger, but it seems to get busier as she gets older and has an even busier school and social life!  

It's been a while since I've last blogged and I have lots to share with you.  

I just love these extra worksheet sets.  They are perfect for extra practice in math, and I use them a lot during my intervention time.  During intervention my kiddos are either reading with me individually, or working independently.  You can check this set out {HERE}! 

You can check out all themed sets {HERE}!

If you'd like a preview of what's inside this set,  here is a little spring addition/subtraction freebie.  Just click the picture below to download! 

Last week The Moon was our reading theme.  Our main story in our core reading program was Kitten's First Full Moon.  Our small group reading books were nonfiction books about the moon.  We completed lots of moon activities throughout the week and read several fiction and nonfiction moon books.  If your looking for a great moon phase activity, I found a lunar cycle wheel that on TpT.   I modified it a bit and  my kiddos couldn't wait to take their wheels home and look at the night sky!  You can find it {HERE}!  My kiddos also each made models of the earth and Moon's orbit. With my support, and completing these in two steps, they turned out great!  Most importantly, my first graders have a great tool to help them understand the earth and moon's orbit.  You can find this awesome freebie {HERE}!

Below are a few freebies I made.  The moon facts booklet was a choice activity that I incorporated into my intervention time.  My kiddos could write their own facts that they learned about the moon, or write facts from two of the moon anchor charts that were hanging on our classroom.   I also created a moon themed math worksheet.  My class needed a little extra practice and review on adding tens, so I created this worksheet for extra practice.  You can check out both of these freebies by clicking on the pictures below.

  

Here are just a few of the books that my class loved listening to during our moon week.  Night Cat isn't really about the moon, but it was about a cat at night and there is a full moon.  It was a perfect book to read after reading Kitten's First Full Moon in our core reading program.  If You Decide To Go To The Moon was a FABULOUS book!  My first graders were so captivated by this story and enjoyed every page! The Moon by Thomas K. Adamson was a perfect nonfiction book, with simple text and simple facts for young readers. 

    

I'm sure most of you have already celebrated your 100th day of school, but here are some freebies for you to tuck away until next year :) We celebrated our 100th day of school during the third week in February.  Here's a 100 word booklet and a subtracting from 100 worksheet that my kiddos completed on our 100th day!  The 6 page booklet has 100 spaces for words and took a few days to complete.  My kids found words around the room and wrote them in their booklets.  I used this booklet as a choice activity during our intervention time.  The math worksheet was a great review during our math time.  Click on either picture below for both downloads!

     

 Also during the third week of February our first graders attended a presentation about our flag.  Local members from our VFW came and presented about our flag and each first grader went home with their own flag and flag stand.  This was the perfect week to learn about American Symbols. I checked out several books from the library which my kids and I could read from during the week.  I also made this cute anchor chart that I found {HERE}.  If you'd like pictures with labels to create your own chart, or to display in a pocket chart, just click one of the pictures below.  You can also download a flag facts worksheet as well.  Both freebies are included in one download.  

       

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a great end to your week!