How cute is this little number? I put it together for the "I Teach K" conference I swore I was not attending this year. Why? I thought I needed to relax this summer and catch my breath but the bloggers I love convinced me to join them and I am so grateful they did. I cannot wait to hug old friends and make a million new ones. Now that I signed up I know it was the best thing to do for 4 days in the summer. Blogland is coming and so am I. We are having a huge meet-up thanks to Rachelle Gunderson from What the Teacher Wants. I love that girl!
This conference is such a great opportunity to learn more about the Common Core and 21st century learning. I had a blast last year and want to see all the kindergarten teachers from all over this country come together because of their passion for this grade level. Debbie Clement is opening up the conference with her amazing music and I look forward to seeing her! I hope I get to meet this wonderful lady. The list of presenters is fantastic and our very own blogging gurus are all over this program. Move over people, the teacher bloggers are making a difference. Deanna Jump, Kim Adsit, Kathy Griffin, Lori Elliot, Deedee Wills, Kathleen Pedersen, are just some of the great speakers I can look forward to. So once again I will see ya in Vegas... Woohoo! Are you coming? Find me... now go register.
Here are the pages for this book.
Are you kidding me. I just finished on Friday and my teacher friends told me that summer school is starting in our district immediately. They wanted "Camp Common Core" for their youngest learners. Honestly, I just put everything away and now they are gearing up for a summer program. This packet was created for students who have completed their kindergarten year and is 82 pages of cut, paste, and color activities. It can all be run from your printer. It focuses on Foundational Skills and Math. Are you a home schooling mom? Want to see what are kids are expected to do? This packet is available in both stores. Check it out! Click on the store you like. Now go enjoy your summer.
Teach Like a Pirate is such a great read and it is all about teaching with passion. Hello, kindergarten teachers have been doing this forever. We could write this book. It is about student engagement, letting loose, wearing costumes, and bringing your personal passions into the classroom. Yup we have no problem wearing costumes, being drama queens, and doing the unpredictable. Read it and just enjoy validation of all that you hold dear to your heart as a primary teacher. I am loving it! The others are in my stack and I will report on them later. Promise.
Here are the books that I have been reading since early June. If you are really trying to wrap your head around the core standards I recommend the first book for a quick and easy reference that you can keep on your school desk at all times. It charts the standards in reasonable chunks and shows you what it looks like in kindergarten, first and second grade. It is very teacher friendly and I am a huge fan of easy! This is a winner: Common Core Standards.
Text Complexity is a lot more academic but if you are a "smartie pants" and need to understand this crucial topic to be a CC expert buy it. You will hear this term constantly so you might want to understand what all the hoopla is about. I swear it is an easy and informative book that is clear as mud... just kidding!
The Common Core: I have not even opened the cover but many people are suggesting this one so I am on the bandwagon cause I am afraid of missing the common core train. It deals with the reading strategies for teaching Common Core and I say "bring it on..." Do we ever do anything for more than a few years? Just sayin'
Now here is what I really need to know. What mindless trash can I read to give myself a brain break? I better bust out some beach books or I will never consider this a vacation!
What are you reading that I should be reading too? My list is growing...
I was walking through my favorite kindergarten classrooms on Thursday and the students could not wait to show me their "Writing In My Kindergarten Shoes" journal they were finally taking home! They were so excited about this. My teaching friend loved this packet I created and once a month she would have them writing about something they were learning in their Pete Journal. These were so special to the children that they did their best drawing and writing and took so much pride in the results. Each month the teacher added the new page to the previous ones she had under paper clips on her writing wall. There were times where she consulted the class about what they should write and draw. The children felt like authentic authors on a very simple level. This was such an easy way to collect samples of their progress throughout the year. I was blown away by their growth and they loved the seasonal Pete images that made writing so much.
But the teacher took it one step further. I left a space for their picture which she was anxious to add to the cover. However, she had each student hold the stuffed animal in their arms and the results were precious! They were thrilled to have their picture taken with such a celebrity and we loved their enthusiasm. What is it about this character that fills a five year old with such happiness?
If you want this for your class in the fall I have it in my Teachers Notebook store. Just click on the photo and it will take you right their. Shopping with a simple click... easy!
I just finished this packet and might be too late to the party. It took me a long time to create these 80+ pages and align each one to a common core standard that kindergarten children should continue to review during the summer. No summer slide on my watch! These pages do not require a colored printer and I tried to keep the supplies needed to a minimum. So summer is just starting and I hope this is something you can use either in a summer program or at home with your own young student. These pages include both math and literacy activities that are high interest and engaging. Puzzles and many cut and paste activities are included.
Flash cards are part of this kit and can be cut up and placed on your key chain to practice wherever you go during your summer travels. The theme is "Camping" and these pages will make learning fun while you are playing in the sun. Click here to purchase this packet at my TpT store.
If by chance you are still at school with your kiddos then you can purchase this to send home with your students. The directions are simple and parents will know exactly what to do. Have a happy summer!
Fran
Summer is approaching and we are winding down for the year. I don't think anyone wants another sweet treat at this point so look what I put together for my teachers! I bought the water bottles from Walmart and the energy packets. My teachers rocked out the Common Core units of study we created this year and I love them for working so hard and doing such an amazing job. I just wanted to show a little appreciation for all their hard work and give them the energy to finish out the week. Here is a simple idea you might like to adapt for your students or teachers during the hot days ahead.
The year is coming to a close in my district and I have been busy rolling out our spring units that now reflect the Common Core. Many schools are having end of the year celebrations and parents are visiting classrooms to admire all the work their children have proudly created over the year. Now you are wondering how the year slammed by so fast (or not). The paperwork has gotten out of control and the kids were ready for the summer right after spring break.. right? This is a tough time for teachers and anything that brings your life under control is embraced with enthusiasm. I decided to try out something new. This is not your standard memory book because my students would struggle with all that independent writing and I would have to do all of it directed,during small group instruction. OMG another job. So how is this different?
I took some of the highlights of our CCSS journey this year and created a student book that kindergarteners can complete on their own! Okay I lied. Many kids will be able to pull that off and then we have a few... Yup read that again to be sure. It is a reflection of the skills they have acquired and can also serve as an assessment tool for specific skills. You can pick and choose the activities you want them to work on. Does that sound useful? Wait, there is more! In addition, this is an emergent reader that they can share with their families, once you have gone through it together! It has dots under the text for tracking and is somewhat repetitive. I love the idea that they are essentially creating a Common Core journal of their year long understandings and can share this portfolio at home. The prep for this is minimal because I am afraid to contribute to the insanity at this time of year. I've got your back! I am off to work but will put this up in my store later. What traditions do you have for your little learners? Grab a tissue and share!
I just posted this in my TpT store for you to purchase. It's only $5.00. I hope you love this product as much as I do.
Fran
I work in an elementary school where I am rolling out the Common Core K-5. This has been a real challenge for me this year but I have been told by my upper grade teachers that older kids are just bigger and they still love cute worksheets and anything that allows them to draw. Who knew? I decided that they needed a "pick-me-up" after the state testing and made them a special newspaper for Mother's Day. This was such a huge hit across the grades that I am bringing in a similar activity for Father's Day. I wish I had taken pictures of their completed work because they were spectacular. I forced my principal to stop working ( he was crazy busy) to look at them and he started reading them. Kids really expressed their feelings and gave you a window into their lives that was so touching. One child wrote that he loved his mom because she kept him safe and another child talked about his mom always telling him to do his best on the hard tests he had to take at school. Another child wrote that her mom loves to spend time with her and they dance together while she gets dinner ready. Students often have lives where they are faced with poverty and poor living conditions but they can always write about their love for their parents. It made me stop and realize that we offer them a safe haven and bring stability to their lives. If you would like this feel free to click here to download. Leave a comment and tell me any great ideas you have for this holiday. Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Mother's Day!
It is time to take a break from the race to the end of the year and have your students make a special card for their moms. I think this is a keeper because the kids get to make a special cut and paste card, a little strip book goes under the cupcake honoring all the things their mom does for them, and they get to write the word "me" on each one. Quick and easy-peasy. I bet it gets them a hug and a kiss from a happy parent! Mission accomplished. You can grab it right here but please leave a comment and head for the TpT sale.
I know when I go on Pinterest or cruise around on other blogs I often see a brace map that is adorable and is presented as an art project that is a cut and paste activity. I love how beautifully these turn out and appreciate all the skills that go into creating them. However, (deep breath) now that we are on the Common Core train our thinking has shifted a bit and our students are being asked to think like "scientists" and to draw the parts of a plant themselves (visual imprinting) which is a way for a young students to record their understandings and build knowledge. This can be done in large or small group settings and allows children to label each part with an appropriate word, building academic vocabulary. When doing this you want to encourage children to make the parts to match the "whole" plant on the left side. I talking about putting the pieces of a puzzle together to make the entire picture. Are you on board for this?
Cards can be used to guide student thinking and can help them learn to label these parts more easily. I love making these and using them in my Morning Message, in a pocket chart, on a word wall, or as part of a literacy station. I will post these later as a freebie in my TpT store. Leave a comment if you would like these plant materials for your classroom. Click on any picture to take you to my freebies. Leave a comment if you can and become a follower!
