Common Core Graphic Organizers {For the Smart Board}

Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted and I must say it has been quite crazy with anxious firsties, planing, OTES, SLO's, and Resident Educator.  I wanted to introduce my newest product [I must say this is the product I am most proud of!!]

With the Common Core, a lot of our old lessons and reading series do not completely align with the common core.  Some things may be easily left out, and with the transitions going on in today's world, it is hard to make sure we are hitting each standard hard while still following our schools' curriculum.   And this is why I created the product.. This product can be used for ANY reading series. At the beginning of the year, I recommend focusing only on a couple skills in the smart notebook file.  As you teach more skills, you can add and take away any skills you feel would be necessary.  All you have to do is reorder them!  My school district uses the Treasure's Reading series.  At the beginning of the year, the skills taught in the series is retell and main idea.  This is why I provided extra activities for these skills so that students don't get bored with the same slides the whole year.  I plan on creating worksheets that correlate with the pack.  You can find my smart notebook file at my Teacher's Pay Teacher's  Store.  Click the photo below to see my store :)

XOXO

TS

Peanut Butter and Jelly Vowel Team Posters

All I will say is that it has been a while! I have been super busy because I FINALLY got a more "permanent" job teaching first grade.  Last year while teaching reading intervention I made these awesome PB&J vowel team posters.  I explained to my second graders that some vowels go together like peanut butter and jelly.  I even played the "Peanut Butter and Jelly Time" you tube video for them to dance to.  I felt that this method to teaching vowel digraphs works! I would always display the poster of the week on my white board and then add it to the bulletin board. 

Enjoy!

My Sick Day and Yoga Take Home Book Lesson

Hello everyone!!

So today I stayed home from school.  I have been battling a horrible flu/cold symptoms for two days now! I drive an hour to get to work every day so the days have felt extra long and tiring.  This morning I realized that I would not be able to do it today because my symptoms are getting worse.  

Of course now that I am home I miss school!!! I was so excited to plan a lesson I found on readinga-z.com.  I found a book at level O where it shows you how to do different yoga poses.  I have been turning into a yoga junkie ever since my friend Nicole (a teacher friend) and I have been taking classes.  I cannot wait to do this lesson with my kids. After reading the nonfiction book, we will be able to actually practice the poses.  I plan on bringing in my yoga mat to build background knowledge.  

In order to download this take home book, you must subscribe to A-Z Reading.  It is $80 a year and totally worth it.  I revolve my guided reading groups around these books.  The lesson plans included tell you which phonics features to work on with each book.  They also provide worksheets, quizzes, discussion cards, and full lesson plans for each book.  You can also download the benchmark assessments to find out which level your students are at.  Check with your school to see if you can subscribe through them! If you are a reading intervention teacher, you will DEFINITELY want to purchase this!!

I am anxious to do something productive so I am reorganizing all of my college binders and watching Desperate Housewives on Netflix.  

I am interested what is going on in the elementary world today!! What are you all doing as I sit at home sick? :(

Polka Dot & Apple Theme Classroom

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Finally here it is!! My apple word wall that I am currently using in my classroom.  My classroom is a read and green apple/polka dot theme.  This word wall includes Fry's first 300 words.  I promise you it is of great quality!  Shown below are the letter cards and word cards.  Just print, laminate, cut, and oooo la la it is done!! I also provided a picture of my **FREEBIE** labels and pennant banner.  For my banner, I hung it above my word wall.  I used the Ellison machine in my building to spell out "apple words" and pasted each letter on a different triangle.  Then I bought some black and white polka dot ribbon, punched 1 hole on each top side of the triangle, and threaded it through.  

      

So what do you all think?

Here are my "acceptance apples" that I have hanging in my classroom near my library :)

Right now I am currently using polka dot labels for my classroom library.  I plan on switching the labels to my "homemade" labels that were shown above.  Just type in the category and print!! Easy as that.  I am using red and green polka dot ribbon to decorate each bin. I punched a hole on each top side of the label and used a ring to attach it to the buckets.  I bought the buckets at Dollar Tree :)

Synonym Rolls to Teach Synonyms

To teach synonyms I first made the synonym roll poster out of brown paper. Before laminating, draw the image on the paper. I laminated it before writing the synonyms so that I could reuse it with dry erase markers. After reviewing synonyms bring students to a spot where they can sit close to the poster as you read. I chose a Fancy Nancy book because of her comparison between "fancy" words and regular words. I had students raise their hands when they heard Nancy say a synonym. I would stop and write the words on the roll. For independent practice, I asked the kiddos to open their word work notebooks and divide a page into two sections. The first section was headed "word" and the second "synonym". They were then instructed to choose any book from the classroom library. They skimmed random pages looking for words that they could create synonyms for to write on the two columns.


Enjoy your delicious, yummy, tasty, and scrumptious "synonym" rolls!!!!!!

Acceptance Apples

Here is a sneak peak of my new bulletin board and very cute brand new word wall that is coming out shortly! It is green and red polka dot/apple themed. I can't wait to finish decorating my new classroom and post pictures. Here is a project I am doing with my students to teach the theme acceptance. I will post more as soon as the classroom is complete!!!'

Liebster Award!!

The Liebster Award! Wow, I can't believe it! I have been nominated THREE TIMES! This is so great. I have been nominated by Little Second Grade Somebodies, For the Love of First and 2 Brainy Apples.
   

You should check out their blogs!!!  I actually had to research what the award was on her blog. People who are nominated for the award must have less then 200 followers. It helps to recognize great blogs that are still trying to get their name out there. I am so happy that I was nominated!! So the rules are listed below.  Since I was nominated three times, I will be answering all 22 questions instead of 11.

Here are the rules:
1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.
3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.
4. Choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them in your post.
5. You cannot “tag back” the other blog, but leave a comment on this post with the URL of your Liebster post so I can learn more about you & see who you nominate.

So here goes: 11 random things
1. I am actually a new teacher. This is my first year teaching and am holding a reading intervention position.
2. I recently joined a gym and love taking yoga on Saturday mornings with my teacher and college friend, Nicole.
3. I am dating someone who I absolutely adore. He is my high school sweetheart.
4. My favorite subject to teach is Language Arts and it absolutely thrills me. I love teaching other subjects also, but there is just something about Reading and Writing that amaze me.
5. As a child, I loved Art. I took many Art classes for fun.
6. I do love to decorate! and I am a constant pinner on Pinterest...
7. I am girly. And I spend too much money on clothes..
8. I am trying to build a classroom library..Any ideas where to get discounted books?
9. One of my goals is to help kids gain confidence. I want to be someone who encourages that.
10. I still am in contact with my teachers from Grant Elementary. I think they had a huge influence on who I am today and I admire them dearly. I visit them all the time.
11. Last but not least, I am very passionate and put a lot of effort into everything I do!!

Questions from Second Grade Somebodies
1. Is education the only career you've had? If not what else have you done? Yes, education is the only career I have had.
2. Have you or anyone in your family ever served in the military? If so, what branch? My Grandpa. I am not sure, I would need to ask.
3. What type of school district do you work in? (urban, suburban, rural) Suburban
4. Do you have a favorite celebrity? If so, who? Audrey Hepburn because she was a great actress and also did a lot to help people in her older years.
5. Are you a reader? What genre? To be honest, being a recent college graduate I was spending most of my time reading books to study for my classes. Mainly education books. Now that I am finished and getting settled with my new job, I want to become a person who reads for enjoyment. During college I was working almost 30 hours, doing my field work, and taking classes. It is rough to have extra time!
6. What is your favorite movie? The Notebook, I know..so typical.
7. What is the highest degree you hold? Bachelors with Reading Endorsement
8. What do you consider the most memorable event in your life? I would say probably memories from school as a child. And memories with my grandparents.
9. What is your favorite food? I love pizza! I know...silly. But I am not a picky eater. I love all foods.
10. Do you have pets? Sadly, no. But I want to get a wiener dog.
11. Do you intend to "Black Friday"? I never have. I want to someday.

Questions from 2 Brainy Apples

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? 

I would have to say my hometown, where I live now.  There is no place like where you grew up.

2. Name a favorite childhood TV show.

I would have to say Arthur.

3. If you could do any other job, what would you do?

I like styling hair..but I don't know if I would actually do that.

4. Where is your dream vacation spot?

Europe

5. What is your favorite food/dessert and drink?

I answered this one above ^^^

6. What is your fondest memory?

Probably school and my family

7. What is your secret talent?

Organization

8. What is your favorite current TV show or movie?

I love Mad Men, Desperate Housewives, and I started watching Nashville.

9. What do you want to do when you retire?

Not for a long time! I am 22.

10. What is the most impulsive thing you have ever done?

Hmm..

11. What do you do for fun for yourself?

Relax with my handsome boyfriend.

Here are my questions:
1. What grade do you teach?
2. What are your hobbies?
3. What advice would you give to a first year teacher?
4. Do you have a teachers pay teachers store? If so, what is your favorite product?
5. When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?
6. What TV series do you like?
7. What is something a student did to make you laugh?
8. What do you do for fun on the weekends?
9. Why did you decide to start a blog?
10. What is your favorite blog to check up on?
11. What is something on your gift wish list?

Blogs I am nominating:

1. Terry's Teaching Tidbits

2. First Grade Smiles

3. 2nd Grade Glance

4. Out of This World Literacy

5. Creation Castle

6. The Happy Teacher

7. Mindful Rambles

8. Surfing to Success

9.1st Grade Curtis

10. Easy Teaching Tools

11.K and C Love First Grade

<3 Anna