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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Anchor Charts

I am slightly obsessed with anchor charts this year. I have seen so many creative ones out there that inspired me to give it a try. Well I love creating them with the kiddos and I love how they use them. I usually start the title and description on the chart but then add the rest after teaching and using sticky notes. I just make them a little easier to read after class.
The first three are the ones I finally finished today. We have been talking and using them with the sticky notes, although not as effective because they have to get out of their seats to see them. The character and setting chart I made especially for 1 student who somehow really struggled with setting after many many lessons and discussions. But as of yesterday I am happy to say he has it!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Hooray for 100 Day!!!

Wednesday was our 100th day of school. Out of my 12 years of celebrating 100 day, I believe this was the best one yet! There were no breakdowns or whining about the activities...not even from the kids!! We started the day out by finishing up our 100 word hunt then switched classes for craft/activity time. They got to play games, go on a hunt, and sort M&Ms in the other rooms. When they got back to me we did our 100 day snack while working on a picture of what they will look like when they are 100. They turned out so cute! (Thanks to Deanna Jump's activity packet. We added the writing the next day.) If you want a copy of the writing handout, click HERE.  After lunch and recess we shared our 100 day collection, did 100 math facts, then counted how many times we could clap, say our abc's, and hop in 100 seconds. That was probably my favorite because it was HiLaRiOuS!!! After another recess break we ended the day with another craft-100 designs. These turned out cute so I copied them to put into a class book. What a great day! All of these activities can be found in my FREEBIE at TpT.
100 year old display
Working on 100 year old picture
Sorting/counting 100 crayons


100 dots on her fingernails for her 100 collection
Showing off 100 3-d design (the 1 pops out)


Sharing 100 collections
Hopping for 100 seconds


100 design

Saturday, January 14, 2012

My Favorite 100 Day Activities {FREEBIE}

January 24th was supposed to be our 100th day, but since we used a Snow Day on Friday, it will be the 25th.  So it's time to get stuff out and start planning!  As I took out my *ginormous* folder,  I knew it was time to go through it and take some stuff out.  That folder was started back in 2001, my first year of teaching, and I have been adding to it ever since--not taking anything out.  Included were ideas from everywhere-magazines, books, websites, teachers, etc.  Every year I go through the folder and choose what I am going to use and I spend a lot of time doing this because I reread the various papers, although I tend to choose the same activities.  So I decided to change it up and get organized!  {*ORGANIZED* is kinda my word this year...at home and at school.}  We'll see how long it lasts....but anyways...I perused the internet and all my papers and books for my favorite 100 Day Activities and put them altogether in one spot...in one document....and online!  I updated, tweaked, cleaned up and added to the activities.  I made simple directions to follow and added some visuals, as well as changed up some formatting and fonts.  And now I am passing it on to you...for FREE!  Just click on the picture below!  Enjoy! 
**On a side note....These ideas are not my own, just my organiziation and wording so I didn't feel right about making money off of a bunch of ideas that everyone already uses. I hope you can find it useful.  If you do, please leave me a comment!  Also, join my little blogging family to keep up with classroom happenings and my FREEBIES. 

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Intervention Kit {FREEBIES}!!!

As promised, I am here to give a little more info, as well as some changes I have made to my intervention kit mentioned in an earlier post.  If you missed that post...you can see it HERE.  As you can see in the picture to the left I was keeping notes in that little green notebook.  Well, that has changed.  In each student's folder is a bit more comprehensive sheet containing testing info.  Also, there is an individualized note taking sheet for any interventions that they get.  In the front of my kit are my notes of what students need what interventions so I can group as needed. 
Here is what I am doing...
* As soon as I see a need for an intervention in a one on one setting or in a small group, I make a note of it on my monthly planning sheet.
* When I meet with those students I work with them and take notes on their progress (or lack of) on their individual intervention notes sheet.
*All of these notes are kept in student files in my intervention kit.  This makes it easy for other teachers/aids/helpers to pick up where I left off.
*In the student folders I also keep flashcards of sight words or math facts that that student may need extra practice on.
*Sometimes I throw in papers that just need correcting-in a one on one fashion.
*With some tweaks, this kit is keeping me organized and accountable.
**An added bonus is that it is portable!!  I can take it to the computer lab or the library to work with students!

Here are your {FREEBIES}!!!  (Just click on the caption!)

Individual Student Intervention Notes

Monthly Intervention Planning




Oral Reading Observation Checklist




Student Info sheet
 



  



**UPDATED- I just uploaded these documents to TpT in a Zip file.  Click on any caption or HERE!!

I would love to hear whether or not this was helpful!

If you {LOVE} freebies, check out my TpT store for more or become a member of my blogging family because there will be more to come....

Thanks!!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Liebster Blog Award!

I was honored by receiving the Liebster Blog Award from Miss J at Smiles, Crayons and Endless Stories.  Thank you so much!  Maybe I can add to my little group of followers!
So, the purpose of this award is to highlight new bloggers with less than 200 followers.

Here are the rules:

 1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
 2. Thank the giver and link back to them.
 3. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here is the hard part....top 5 picks!  Most blogs I follow have a ginormous following so I am going to go hunting...

**Lesson Plans and Lattes
**First Grade Found Me
**New adventures in First Grade
**Mrs. Smith's 1st Grade Class
**First Grade Funtastic

Hopefully they too will get some more followers as well!

I know I need the motivation to blog more but I just seem to enjoy reading everyone else's blogs more!  Their lives and classroom happenings just seem much more interesting than mine!

Well, I planned on expanding and sharing more about my intervention kit posted earlier on, but that blog hunting made me exhausted!  So hopefully, I can do that tomorrow!