Summer Bucket List Linky Party

9 days until summer vacation starts! WooHoo!!! I'm linking up with a bunch of other teachers to create my bucket list for this summer. Thanks to pinterest and my fave blog friends, I have alot to do!

This summer I want to make:

"Guide to My Life" organization binder

Complete and total organization binder

Cool painted bottles

For my classroom I want to copy:

writing center organization

PVC Pipe Pocket Chart

I want to visit:

Horseshoe Bay Bermuda

and make my yearly pilgrimage.....

Most importantly, I want to add a bunch of units to my TPT store!

TPT

Summer Bucket List Linky Party

 

Summer Sight Words

We are down to just 10 days of school and boy are things getting exciting here! On Friday, we had Field Day. The highlight of my afternoon was playing this game:

Who doesn't love the parachute?!

Today, we are totally immersed in our beach theme. So, I created an " I Have, Who Has" game to play with the kids. It's contains summer themed sight words, many of which we learned during the year. It's super easy to play and the kids loved it!

Summer Sight Words I Have, Who Has Game

Head on over to my teachers pay teachers store to pick up this freebie to use in your class! If you don't belong to teachers pay teachers, follow this link and sign up. It's absolutely free!

Join Teachers Pay Teachers!!!

Have a great afternoon everyone!



Almost summer...

This weekend was all about getting the house ready for some summer fun. Since we've pretty much gotten a handle on the inside of the house, now it's time to venture outside and do a little sprucing up!

Take a look at what we're working with...

Plus, I need to reorganize our garage. 

About 80% of the stuff in here is for school in one way or another. I even have an extra easel and extra large rug in case I ever have a large classroom again (maybe this fall...fingers crossed!).

Needless to say, between all this, making my blog look pretty, AND creating units to add to my TPT store, I'm going to be one busy chick this summer. Oh and did I mention I'm writing the curriculum for our new reading program as well?!

Stick around because I'll try to add posts about our progress as we go. I'll also be adding some projects for school to help get ready for the fall and some neat DIY projects for the house. Thanks for following my blog so far...I promise there is a ton more to come!

P.S. If you haven't already done so, join this site so you are automatically updated. I have a few giveaways lined up, but you have to follow to enter!

12 days and counting...

This week seems like it's been going on forever, but today was a really fun day.

Today was Day 12 of our countdown to the last day. First, I got a special delivery from my bf....

This was seriously a lifesaver!



 Then we counted down...10...9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1...POP!  It's Wii Day!!! We hooked up the Wii, popped in Just Dance 2 and started goovin'!

IT WAS AWESOME!!!!

Now I heading home to rest up. We have Field Day tomorrow. Have a great afternoon everyone!

Love those weekly readers...

Good afternoon friends!
     We are down to 13 days of school and boy is it getting interesting! At least we get to pop a balloon in a little bit. We are going to use sidewalk chalk...shhhh! It's a surprise!

I thought I'd take the time today to share an idea that I've used for a few years now, but I just posted on TPT. Throughout the years I've made a collection of Weekly Readers, Scholastic News, and Time for Kids magazines. The kiddos love doing these activities. but I'm always looking for ways to get more bang for my buck. I took my collection down to Lakeshore and laminated all of them. I them placed them in a clear plastic file folder.

The kids love selecting magazines from the folder during Literacy Centers. I try to keep them in line with the theme we are doing in class or school. Afterwards, they complete one of the Weekly Reader Reports. I usually introduce one report a week to the class. Once they have learned them all, I give them free choice of the report they would like to complete. This is definitely a great center the kids love and always ask me to put out...even during free time!

 

If you want to grab a copy of the weekly reader reports, head on over to my TPT store!!!

Weekly Reader Reports

Guided Math Questions

Good Morning Everyone! Today, I have some free time in the morning (which never happens!) and thought I would share an item that we have been using the last few months.

Everyday in Guided Reading, I use Guided Reading Prompts which help facilitate the reading lessons. This have been invaluable. I don't think I could teach Guided Reading without them.  Then I noticed that there was not the same level of questioning going on in Math. Thus, I created the Guided Math Questions. These questions work exactly like the ones for reading. As we are in a small group math lesson, the students pull a craft stick from the container. They then answer the question that is on the stick. Many of the questions are based off of the essential questions that we wrote into our curriculum....it ties in perfectly!

Feel free to snag a copy of these questions from TPT so you can make your own! Don't forget to add feedback so you can earn TPT credits!!!

Guided Math Questions

Down by the shore....

15 more days of school!  That's it.

I'm super excited there are only a few days of school left. I can't wait to be on vacation. But since I do have to come to school the next 15 days, I figured....let's make up some super fun summer activities!

The first activity I created goes hand in hand with our school's Sand & Surf theme. It also covers a key concept in firsts grade, r controlled vowels (specifically o).

I created a poem and then illustrated it. I laminated the pages and bound them into a book which I read aloud as a introduction. The kids loved it. When I read it the second time, they used their recording sheets to write all the /or/ words they heard. Afterwards, they played the Shore Sort Game. There are 2 versions included in the packet. We played the "fishing" game since I found an adorable fishing pole at Dollar Tree. I just had to use it!

Finally, the kids selected one of 2 writing prompts when they visited the writing center. They especially loved illustrating and sharing their adventures with the class. For homework, each student will take turns bringing the storybook home and sharing it with their families via the "Take Home Bag." I've also thrown a stuffed shark, sand pail, and shovel (Dollar Tree) in the bag to give them something fun to play with as they read.

Head on over to my TPT store to pick up a copy of this cute unit!

At the Shore Learning /or/ by the sea shore

If you download the unit, please leave a comment and don't forget to add feedback so you earn TPT credits!