On the Hunt for a New Laptop...and a {FREEBIE}!!

I swear I put twice as much work into my projects on this laptop than necessary!  That is why I am on the hunt for a new laptop.  If any one has any recommendations I would be grateful for your input.  I don't want to spend a ton of money, but I want a decent one that's going to last.  I have had this one for quite awhile, but it's not as fast as it used to be and the wireless driver went kapoot!

On another note, I finished up a few projects today because I took a sick day to go to the dr to find out what I did to my foot.  Backtracking a little....I signed up to do a half marathon last month and have been training since.  A sidenote--I have never ran more than 6 miles before my training.  So I had some pain in my foot the last time I ran 8 miles, about 10 days ago.  Ran 5 miles a couple days later and really started to feel the pain.  So now, 11 days later it seems I have a "possible" stress fracture in my foot and can't run for another 2 weeks.  Good times....so back to the projects...

We do Saxon Phonics at my school and use the spelling lists from the program.  So, I created a Fill in the Blank Sentence worksheet for each list.  If you do Saxon Phonics spelling and are interested, I have them for sale in a bundle for only $2.50.  Click on the picture to go to my store.

I also put together a fluency packet for my fluency station.  Time for something new.  I used my Dibels book and created 25 pages of nonsense word cards.  They will be printed/laminated/cut and put on o-rings.  Students will time themselves/partners for 1 minute and see how many words they can get done.  There is a tracking sheet as well. 

Our reading interventionist just shared a fluency activity that focused on reading/using punctuation.  So I made few of these as well.  Easy- abc's with punctuation, Medium-decodable words with punctuation, and Hard-nonsense words with punctuation.  I also saw somewhere on the glorius web about practicing fluency with different voices-princess, gorilla, leprechaun, etc.  I might try it whole group and see how it goes.  I can't wait to get these into the fluency station after teaching the new procedures!

And the best part...they're free!  Just click on any of the pictures.  I hope you find it useful!

One last thing....just recently finished/posted my Place Value packet.  I tried to keep it somewhat simple so it could be used any time of the year....especially later as a review.  Check it out by clicking the picture below!

Now, back to my other unfinished project since my foot is elevated and my kiddos are heading to bed.  Here's to hoping the laptop stays on....

Giveaway Extravaganza!

I believe I need more motivation to get on the blogging roll!  I feel like I am still new to the blogging world and have no real idea what I am doing.  So here is my thinking....more followers = more motivation to blog.  I love finding great ideas so I want to pay it forward.....

Tic Tac Toe and Roll, Say, Keep
(see previous post)

 Sooooo.....if you would like a {free} copy of my 2 jungle themed game boards that are meant to be used with any spelling list, vocabulary list, sight word list, or math facts, then start following my blog.  Leave me a comment that you are a new follower, as well as your email address and I will send it your way.  If you are a follower already leave your email as well and you can get one too! 

And.............If you mention my giveaway on your blog leave me a comment as to where I can find your post, as well as your email address.....I am giving away my new Hands on Sort, Tally and Graph packet (normally $3.50) that I just uploaded to TpT and Teachers Notebook.  This giveaway ends November 18 when my Thanksgiving Break begins!

Wait......it doesn't stop there!  While putting together and finalizing my Sort, Tally and Graph packet I had my 1st grade son help me out.  For the sorting activities we used some of their Halloween candy.  He thought it would be fun to count all of the pieces of candy.....so we did!  Which gave me an idea- I am giving away 3 copies of my Small Group Guided Reading Lesson Plan Templates to whoever (at least the first 3 people) can guess and/or come the closest to how many pieces we counted.  (Hint-there are a lot of tootsie rolls hidden in there!)

So leave me a comment with your guess (and email address so if you win I can let you know)!  Good luck!  You have 1 week!

Hands-on Ways to Practice Essential Skills

I have been working on several projects in my classroom..... so that is one explanation for me being MIA.  First project was getting math stations rolling....it only took me 9 weeks to figure out how to get them going in my room with limited time and resources....I only have 20 min/3 times per week.  Sheeeeesh! 
So I decided to do 6 stations with 3-4 kids/group: 
[1] Overhead Station~review of past units by using familiar materials and transparencies.  Students take turns at playing teacher while using the overhead to "teach" the rest of their group. 
[2] Games~review math skills with the games that were already taught whole group (from the math series + others I have added). 

[3] Time Me~Work on math fluency based on mClass testing.  Students time eachother on reading numbers 1-100, missing number (sets of 3 numbers with 1 number missing), and determining numbers that are greater (box with 2 numbers-chooses the largest number).  Then they try to beat their own time the next round.

[4] Hands-on Fun~use manipulatives that we have used/learned about in a free-time manne making patterns, designing pictures, building, etc.

[5] Math Facts~practice math facts in various ways: flashcards, wrap-ups, puzzles, power towers, tic tac toe, Roll Say Keep, and other games. 

[6] Pocket Chart~matching numbers to number words, matching vocab words to their definition or picture, memory game of double facts and their sums, doubles rap

Of course this will free me up to do some sort of math interventions with the lower kids, but also try to hit the higher kids with some enrichment.  Now that we are rolling I can't wait to see how they work....the kiddos seem excited so I am too!

Another project was coming up with some ways to practice some essential skills in a fun, but easy way.  So I made a jungle themed tic tac toe board to use for vocabulary practice, math fact practice, spelling practice and sight word practice.  I also made a jungle themed Roll, Say, Keep board to practice as well.  I just made 2 sets of the words and facts that I wanted my kiddos to practice, 1 for each game.  These are great for stations and small groups.  (I laminated some of the mats and they are slightly curled up in the picture....I will probably re-laminate after putting them on cardstock so they lay flat.)

Tic Tac Toe math facts

Tic Tac Toe vocab words/definitions

Roll, Say, Keep mat

Tic Tac Toe sight words
I put this one in a clear, plastic 8x10
stand up frame 

Vocabulary sheet

We are responsible for teaching our kiddos 20 "Big Dog" academic vocabulary words per year.  This is not an easy task to keep interesting and fun to learn, as well as to teach.  We use a vocabulary sheet/chart for weekly work.  So I decided to use the cards I made for the above mentioned games and put them on index cards.  I then put them on an o-ring to keep them together.  They can easily be flipped through to review, but also easy to take off the ring to practice matching or play memory.  The thought is for the kiddos to make their own set and add to as we learn more words.

 

So, as you can see.... I have been busy working.