Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Realize You Need to Contextualize!





Sometimes we get so carried away with teaching the sight words that we forget to put them in context to build print sense with our little ones. I have used this "right out the gate" with my kids and I make a huge fuss about having turned them into readers the first week of school! I am a super drama queen so they walk out with this book and most of them are convinced that they have become scholars. I love 5 year olds. If I say it, it must be true... Now tell that to my family. On the last page they draw a self portrait. Cute, huh? I put dots below the text so they have some clue about where to put their "reading finger". I forgot to mention that we 'highlight the word "the" on each page with a yellow crayon. I will post a link later today. I am off to an ELD class! I am back and glad to be home so here is the link. Click here and enjoy this.


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37 comments:

  1. Mrs. Lee's KindergartenJuly 20, 2011 at 7:09 AM

    Sometimes the things that make the most difference are the easiest things to NOT think of! I will definitely be using the dots this year with my kiddos.

    Love the site,
    Carly Lee

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  2. CindyJuly 20, 2011 at 7:13 AM

    Fran,
    We do a book the first week of school as well. I think I like yours better! ;-) I LOVE the idea of the dots for their finger while they read!

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  3. jeanzdreamzJuly 20, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    Hi Fran, is this book a freebie, or is it in your Pete pack? I love that you put a dot under each word. That would be especially helpful for my K4's. Thanks for all of your ideas and inspiration! When are you going to do a presentation? Sign me up!

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  4. DianJuly 20, 2011 at 7:21 AM

    What a great idea! I would like to use this too. Are you sharing the link?
    Dian

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  5. CarolJuly 20, 2011 at 7:23 AM

    I love the look of this little book! "The" is the first sight word I will teach this year and I love the idea for at least the first word of giving them each a little book thay can "read." The dots are genius! Are you selling this as a printable?
    My school uses the dolch word list that matches up with activities at Carl's Corner Words of the week. The homework sheets we use from there are good, but the stories are way too hard for the beginning of the year. What you show here is more like what my kids need.

    Mrs. Cobb @ Mrs. Cobb's Kinder Sprouts

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  6. Fran KramerJuly 20, 2011 at 7:30 AM

    I will give you this one as a freebie so just wait til I get home tonight.
    I will post these on my TpT soon for a bunch of sight words. I love you guys. You are so full of great ideas and positive energy. The dots were my partner's idea because our kids are so young developmentally. They had no clue what to do with their finger!

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  7. Penny WaddinghamJuly 20, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    Fran, you are amazing. This is such a simple idea but it makes perfect sense. Thanks once again for the great idea.

    Penny

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  8. ToddJuly 20, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    Okay...how many times can I say LOVE on my postings?!? Mini-books are so perfect for my kidlet's little hands!! ~Tracy

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  9. MaryannJuly 20, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    Hi Fran!
    Another great idea that you are sharing! I love having the "dots" underneath the words to show one-to-one with the sight words. In my district we have 50 sight words that the K students are to master this year so anything is helpful!
    One question- where do you store all these wonderful ideas? The pocket charts and cards, etc. I feel that I have all these wonderful ideas but will be running out of room to store. Right now, I have ALOT of materials to get rid in my room this summer. After 32 years, I have to "declutter" and rid of "Stuff!" I am following Debbie Diller's guidelines!
    Many thanks,
    Maryann
    brennemm@carlisleschools.org

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  10. Ms. LopezJuly 20, 2011 at 9:32 AM

    Love the dot idea! BTW, I heard you got our former superintendent!

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  11. Nichole MadejaJuly 20, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    What a great idea! I cannot believe I never thought of putting dots below the words to show them where their pointer goes!! So simple! Thanks for all your tips!

    Nichole from
    Giggles and Gluesticks

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  12. MikiJuly 20, 2011 at 10:11 AM

    LOVE IT!!! Thanks for your amazing ideas!

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  13. patty thomasJuly 20, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    I have been teaching kindergarten for 38 years and I love all of your amazing ideas. You are FANTASTIC! Patty

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  14. patty thomasJuly 20, 2011 at 10:47 AM

    I have taught kindergarten for 38 years and I love all of your amazing ideas. I can't wait to go back to school. You are fantastic!

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  15. JessicaJuly 20, 2011 at 12:30 PM

    This is GREAT Fran! And what you said is so true! I'm so lucky to work with a great kindergarten team b/c they explained tome at the very beginning of the year how important it is to teach the kids how to use our sight words and vocabulary words in sentences. My kids were rockstars in "word use fluency" on Dibels! =) I LOVE your creations! Thanks again for sharing!

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  16. tiffie10382July 20, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    I love this one! It makes so much sense. It made me ask myself--Why did I not think of this??? Every year I am wondering how I can help my students better understand concepts of print? Now thanks to you I am having an lightbulb moment. Thank you for your kindness!!

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  17. RebekahJuly 20, 2011 at 1:23 PM

    Fran, thank you for your hard work and inspiration! Will definitely be using the dots, too, on other take-home books.
    Rebekah

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  18. UnknownJuly 20, 2011 at 2:59 PM

    Perfecto! I love the "pointer dots." You are oh so cleaver and we all appreciate you!

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  19. Fran KramerJuly 20, 2011 at 3:59 PM

    Thank you all for the wonderful comments. I just got back from class and saw these great responses. I cannot make a template because I don't create anything in WORD. I find it way too frustrating and it does not allow me to manipulate graphics in an easy manner. Sorry. Word is not my friend- at all. LOL
    Fran

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  20. MeredithJuly 20, 2011 at 4:28 PM

    You've done it again! This idea is terrific. Now just to add a little more, how about a star below the star words...just a thought!

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  21. lauraJuly 20, 2011 at 4:38 PM

    thank you fran
    you keep outdoing yourself...
    laura h

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  22. AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    Thanks for another great download. My kids will love this book.

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  23. chloesmomJuly 20, 2011 at 6:28 PM

    Thanks again..........I will be watching for your packet on tpt.....

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  24. RachelleJuly 20, 2011 at 7:12 PM

    Fran....you've gone and done it again! LOVELY MY DEAR!
    -Rachelle
    whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com

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  25. KellyJuly 20, 2011 at 7:27 PM

    Also, where do you find your fonts?

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  26. PinglesJuly 20, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    Hi Fran, I see that Word is not your friend and I get it. But what do you create your creations in???
    Thanks,
    Pat I

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  27. TeacherMomJuly 20, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    How BRILLIANT to put the dots under the words. Love it, and will definitely (over)use it! Thanks so much for ALL you share. I (almost) can't wait for school to start, so I can use them all!

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  28. BarbaraJuly 20, 2011 at 11:02 PM

    I love the dot idea too.
    AND...I love that the "Teacher" in the book has glasses and looks like you..LOL Can't wait for more stories at TPT.
    B.

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  29. Julie TJuly 20, 2011 at 11:13 PM

    I was about to say the reading dots are brilliant! and then I read that the comment before mine said the same thing...lol. But they are brilliant! I've never seen them used before. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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  30. AmandaJuly 21, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    LOVE IT! Super simple and easy! I was so excited I had to try it out on my youngest. Here is a link to her first time "reading"!

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  31. Jennifer @ Simply KinderJuly 22, 2011 at 1:04 AM

    OMG... how did I miss this! LOVE it. You really do have the best stuff!
    Empowering Little Learners!

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  32. Jennifer @ Simply KinderJuly 22, 2011 at 1:04 AM

    I'm going to pin it and share it! =) FYI!

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  33. SheriJuly 22, 2011 at 11:30 AM

    Thanks so much! It's cute and I like it better than the one I do for the first week. I also love the dots!

    I remember my oldest daughter coming home after the first day of kindergarten and complaining because she hadn't learned to read yet! This will definitely solve that problem!!

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  34. Sheri ClineJuly 22, 2011 at 5:30 PM

    I used this today with some almost kinderkids. We did a welcome to kindergarten camp and your book was an absolute hit! I heard words like "this is easy" and "I'm reading!". The dots under the words instantly had all the kids tracking. Thanks so much for everything you make and post! :0)
    Sheri Cline

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  35. Jennifer RoanJuly 22, 2011 at 7:49 PM

    Fran, I love your "the" book. I was inspired to create a book for "an" and put it in my blog (I listed you as my inspiration in the footer). It's definitely not as cute as yours, but I wanted you to know that you inspire me to make creative, engaging materials for my incoming Kinders. Next year will be my first year in Kindergarten and I've already gotten so many great ideas from your blog. It's fabulous!

    If you'd like to see my blog, you can check me out at kindergardenscholars.blogspot.com

    Thanks!

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  36. MelissaSeptember 1, 2011 at 3:25 PM

    Fran the "the" book is great. I was wondering you do have anymore like this in your TPT store. I looked but maybe I looked over it.

    Thanks,
    Melissa

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  37. TawnyaSeptember 19, 2011 at 4:17 PM

    Thanks Fran! I love the dots too! I was thinking about the touching problem today when I was reading with my groups, they don't know what to do with their finger. I can't wait to get my hands on more of these!
    (p.s. I think there is a spelling error on the little book the teacher is holding - bulleying should be bullying) ;)

    Tawnya

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