Personalized Chevron Monogram Freebie!

As a small "thank you" to those of you who come and take the time to check out my blog, I'd like to offer you a free personalized chevron patterned monogram like this:

I made myself and my team one for the cover of our CAFE Pensieve (our Conferring Notebooks)... I can choose the color of the chevron pattern (white & your choice),  the oval background, your monogram, and the black borders!  

Just leave a comment below of the colors you would like (chevron stripes - purple; inner oval - hot pink), your monogram (in order as it should appear on the monogram... for example, in the monogram above you would list it as LCS), and your email address that you would like your pdf sent to!  

Thanks again for visiting!  I hope you can find a good use for them.....  I think they would even be cute in a frame!!!

How Much Is Your Initial Worth?

We have moved from counting 1-120 to place value in Math.  One activity that we did today (which was a LOT of fun!) was to figure up how much our first initial was worth using base ten blocks!  We used this activity that I have posted in my TPT store.  I was very pleased with how well the students did with it!

The only thing that I wish I had noticed sooner was the grammar of the sentence frames when students use one long or one cube (1 ten are worth 10. <-- pet peeve).

Next time I do this activity, I use will the sentence frames as a reference, but will use the page without in case students use 1 long or 1 cube so we can sneak in integrate a mini-lesson on grammar during this activity!!!!  I also updated it in my TPT store.

I hope you like this idea and check it out for yourself!!!

God bless!!!

Sight Word Mega Pack!

The beginning of first grade is always full of assessment.... Finding out where my kiddos are and how to best move them forward....  As usual, we need lots of work on sight words, capitalization, and punctuation....  I wanted to come up with some activities where they could practice these skills without it being simply "busy-work".  I created a HUGE packet over the weekend that consists of 5 different parts: "Fix It and Draw It" at two different levels, "Letter Boxes", "Cut and Paste", and "Color by Sight Word".... I used the first 100 Fry Instant Sight Words in creating all of these activities.  For "Fix It and Draw It", students rewrite the sentences (each of which contains the sight word) with correct capitalization and punctuation and then illustrate the sentence to determine whether or not they comprehend the sight words!  For a challenge, I also included the same sentences in the same format, but the sentences must first be unscrambled before rewriting and illustrating them.

Easier Version

Challenging Version

The second set of activities are letter boxes which are perfect practice for visual learners... They can SEE the shapes of the words.  

The third set of activities are "Cut and Paste".  Students cut the letters out and paste the letters in the correct order - another great activity for kinesthetic and visual learners.  

The last set of activities is my FAVORITE set....  I created 10 different pictures, each containing 10 Fry words to look for and color based on the sight word....  Students LOVE these and it is wonderful practice recognizing and distinguishing between the different sight words!

You can purchase this entire Sight Word Mega Pack in my TPT store by clicking here:  

You can also simply purchase the Color by Sight Word pack as well!  

I am offering my Color by Sight Word packet as a giveaway.  

Become a new follower on my blog and comment below and I will draw one person on Friday, September 14th, at 3:00 to receive the Color by Sight Word packet FREE!!!!  ;)  

Good luck and thank you for visiting!!!!  ;) 

God Bless!

1st grade - NBT.1 & sight word activities

We are back in full swing at school and we have been hitting counting from 1-120 hard since we've been back - especially focusing on 100-120!  Some of my little guys and gals have done a great job with this and some of them have struggled with aspects of it....  I created several activities for us to use during our whole group math time and our math centers and placed them in this packet on TPT:

The activities in this packet have helped the students practice counting in different ways to help support them in building their number counting fluency!  You are able to differentiate your instruction depending on what each child may need!!!  

We have also started off working on our Fry Sight words! One of the first things I want to do at the beginning of the school year is to see where each of my students are.  We assess each student to see what words each child needs to work on.  Then, I create word rings for each child so they can work on those words at school and fluency folders so they can work on them at home.  We all know what research says about how important it is to know these words automatically... 

I am now offering my Fry Sight Word packets in my store on TPT.  It contains the first 300 Fry Instant Word Lists in a format that you can print, laminate, cut, and place on rings for students to practice! I make sure students can successfully recognize the word THREE times - and hole punch the word card each time along the bottom graphic - before removing it from their word rings.  I have a "star" hole punch, but any hole punch would be sufficient.  I have also included a letter to parents and a standard word list that I include in students' fluency folders that go home each evening.  There are three different styles right now:  

 Movie Stars, Pirates, & Monkeys!  

If there are other themes you would like to see, just comment below and I'll do my best to get them posted for you!!!  

I have many more ideas ready to blog about - stayed tuned for more!!!!!  God bless!!!

 

The first 3 people who link this post to their own blog will receive their choice of the "Cut & Paste Numbers 1-120" set or your choice of "Word Rings"...   Be sure to leave me your contact information so I can email you your packet!!!!  

My First TPT Product - First 300 Fry Word Rings

I am so excited!!!  I just posted my very first item on TeachersPayTeachers!!! I don't know where I would be without this site and I am excited to be a contributor!!!!  Check it out and get your own copy!!!!

Are you looking for an easy to manage your students' sight word knowledge?  The packet I just posted includes the first 300 Fry Instant Words in a format to print, laminate, and place on rings.  It also includes a letter to parents and words in a list format to place inside fluency folders that can be sent home each evening.  Students practice words at home and at school and as they are tested, you can "hole punch" the graphic at the bottom of each word card.  Once students have 3 holes punched, the card can be removed from the word ring!  I have a "star shaped" hole punch that I use, but any hole punch will suffice!

Check it out and let me know what you think!!!!

A few pics of my room....

I finally uploaded some pictures of my classroom to share.... I hope to get better at blogging more often than once a month during the school year....  "/   Thank you to those of you patient followers out there.... hehe... ;)

This is our "Rule Breaker" word wall....  I was trying to think of something other than the "jail theme" and I thought Mario would be memorable for the students!  The students LOVE looking for new words to put up on our Rule Breaker Wall!  Here is a .jpg file of the image (I use it on our spelling lists that may include rule breakers).

This is a poem I use EVERYDAY to help my babies differentiate between bs & ds.  "Do you touch the bat first or the doorknob first?"....  Usually that's all the prompting it takes to help them remember which way to correctly form their letter.  ;)

This is a picture of our drawing rubric, our coloring rubric, and our Brownie Points board...  Students receive a brownie for the tray every time we receive a compliment in the hallway or score a 4 in the cafeteria.  Once we get our tray filled, I will bring in REAL brownies for us to share!  =)

Here are our rotations for literacy and math centers and my classroom helpers.

Carpet area, calendar, SmartBoard, meeting area...  ;)

One of my favorite things to use in our classroom....  Quincy Questioner, Clara Clarifier, Sammy Summarizer, & Paula Predictor...  Our puppets help us remember to use those important comprehension strategies... I also have matching props that I wear during minilessons....  One day, I was dressed up as Quincy Questioner, with my black wig on, and a parent walked in... I don't know whether she was thrilled or terrified for her child!!!!  ;)

This is the best thing I have done in a long time... I love the fact that my behavior system is now positive instead of always focusing on misbehaviors....


And last but not least, a few pics of my Book Barn inspired by Reagan Tunstall!  =)

I hope you enjoyed your visit and I hope to share more in the near future!!!  ;)  

Nothing like an Award to get the blogging juices flowing!!! ;)

So, apparently, I am not as skilled at blogging and teaching as I am at blogging and sitting during the summertime....  ;)  I am in awe of some of you bloggers out there who seem to have something ready to share each and every day.  My goal is to have a good post with some freebies to offer by Wednesday....  *deep breath, you can do it Jennifer*

Yes, I have not been as faithful to the ol' blog as I should but this morning, my alarm clock goes off at 5:25... I grab my phone, check my email, and the first email I read is from Debbie at Sailing Through First saying she had given my humble blog the Versatile Blogger award!!!!  What a way to start my Monday morning!!!!  =)  Thank you Debbie ~ I really appreciate it a lot...

 

 

Now, for the rules associated with the award ...

RULE 1

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

Thank you again to:

Debbie, creator of Sailing Through First

Please make sure to visit her blog!

RULE 2

Share 7 things about yourself.

1. I am the mother of boy/girl twins who are eighth graders this year! I LOVE being the mom of twins...  They are two wonderful kiddos...

 

2. I love the Indianapolis Colts & the University of Kentucky men's basketball team.... 

3. In 2009, I received my National Board certification...  =) 

4. I've been married to my husband Michael for 17 years!!! 

5. I change my hair color about every 3 months....  hehehe.... 

6. We have a Yorkshire terrier named Barkley, a cat named Scottie, and a cocktiel named Kirky...  We also have two "outside dogs" named Rascal & Square (the twins named Square when they were 3 years old in preschool... they were fascinated with shapes, can you tell?)  ;)

7. I say "seriously" wayyy too much....  hence the name of my blog.....  ;)

RULE 3

Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs.

1. First Grade Blue Skies - love these pilgrims & elves...  ;)
2. The Polka Dot Patch - AdOrAbLe!
3. Life in First Grade
4. F is for First Grade
5. Buzzing Along in First Grade
6. Fabulous in First
7. Primary Perspective
8. First Grade Fabulous Fish
9. Reflections on Teaching, Learning, and Technology
10. 1st Grade Learning Stars
11. Teaching in High Heels
12. Sarah's First Grade Snippets
13. First Grade Frenzy
14. Literacy and Laughter
15. Rowdy in First Grade
    
    

Debbie, I told you.... I am paying it forward.....  ;)    Thank you again for thinking of me!!!