Just Right Books

One of the most important parts of Reading Workshop is getting "just right" books into the hands of the kiddos! At my school, we use Fountas & Pinnell to find the independent and instructional levels of each child.

At the beginning of the school year, the kids learn a lot about what good fit books should be like for them to read. Once assessments are finished, it is great to give them a "shopping list" to steer them in the right direction towards those good fit books.

At the Reading Workshop training that I have been attending throughout this school year, they suggest allowing students to pick a couple of easy, several just right, and a couple of challenge books to keep in their book box throughout the week.

To help the kids keep track, I tape a current shopping list on the inside of their book boxes. This helps them remember  what to shop for each week.

Click here to get the book shopping list template!

Polar Bears Galore

We have been reading and learning about polar bears this month and many of our center activities have been polar bear themed. It was only fitting that we made polar bears last Friday.

This project was super easy and fast. The firsties were so excited to put them up on their lockers.

For the project, I copied the Polar Bear template on white card stock. I copied the Scarf & Hat template on different colors of construction paper for the kids to pick from.


Here was my example for the kids:

Here are some of the kiddos' examples:

Polar Bear Template

Hat & Scarf Template

Waddling Into Winter...

Before winter break, we made a penguin project that was quick, easy, and fun. I like to make bulletin board displays for the hallway that I can leave up for a long time. Seasonal is the best way to go!

Looking around Pinterest, I came across this classroom door that I thought was super cute. I had penguin tracers from teaching kindergarten last year. Making penguins was a great way to end a Friday afternoon with my kiddos. They love doing projects!

Although the red background was not ideal, I didn't feel like switching it out. Oh well! For the snow, I bought a roll of quilt batting that could easily cutout and staple up on the board. The snowflakes and letters were all made using a die cut machine. I printed the students' names on lablels in a cute font. Super simple!

Get Penguin Template

How-to Books

My class just began working on how-to books today. First, I modeled making an authority list of things I know how to do. Then the kids brainstormed their own ideas with their writing partners. I actually learned a lot about my kids as I listened in on their conversations. I had no idea that one of my students had experience feeding horses and another knows how to snorkel. Interesting stuff!

After the kids had a chance to talk it out with their partner, they went off to write their own authority lists. I used the "Top Ten" list paper from Daily 5 for their authority lists.

We will look at many examples of how-to books and the kids will pick one topic to write about. We haven't gotten there yet, but I wanted to share the how-to book paper that we will be using in case anyone else out their is working on the same things right now!

On the front cover, the students draw  and label pictures of the materials needed to complete there how-to. On the next page, the students draw a sketch of each step of their how-to in the picture box, number the step in the little box, and write a description of their how-to in order. Revisiting transition words is a must-do for this writing project!

Click on the link below to grab this paper:

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How-to Paper

Be a Place Value Super Hero Bundle!

I just finished a fun bundle of place value activities. I can't wait to use them in my own classroom!


In the bundle, you will get:

* Place Value Mat with Tens & Ones
* Place Value Mat with Ones, Tens, & Hundreds
* Place Value Memory with:
{Number cards 1-100}
{Base 10 Cards 1-100}
* 7 pages of Place Value Cut & Paste
* 4 Pages of Which is Bigger?
* 4 Pages of How Many Tens & Ones?
* Make 10 Game
* 4 Pages of Addition Story Problems with Ten
Frames













Check out my TPT store to grab so you can have a classroom full of Place Value Super Heroes!

Place Value Super Heroes Bundle

Math Mats Pack!

I just finished making a pack of math mats, which is only $1 on my TPT store! You'll find all the mats needed to make hands-on learning in your classroom possible. In the pack you'll find:

* 2 Hundreds Charts: {1-100} and {1-120}

* 2 Place Value Mats: {Tens & Ones} and {Hundreds, Tens, & Ones}

* Blank Ten Frames for Numbers to 10

* Blank Ten Frames for Numbers to 20

* 2 Part-Part- Whole Mats

* Blank Fact Family Triangle 

Grab the Math Mats Pack!

Red & Aqua Borders Freebie

Ever since my wedding (almost 5 years ago), aqua & red has been a favorite color combo of mine. 

(Ah, wedding...let me reminisce for a moment.)

Anyways, I have touches of red & aqua in my home and lots of aqua in my classroom! So it's only fitting that I would create something with aqua & red.

Here's a little freebie for you:

Aqua & Red Borders

Head to my TPT store to grab this freebie. And thanks for letting me share a few old wedding pictures. :) Have a great weekend everyone!

Aqua & Red Borders Freebie on TPT