Interactive Voting and Election Book- pin it to win it!

 I heard about this idea YEARS ago and can't seem to find something simplified enough my for first graders. This is an interactive book that walks the students through the election. They even form two different "parties" and hold their own candy elections. (You will need a small amount of candy for the taste tests.)

 I CANNOT wait to try this out but wanted to post it on TPT just in case any of you want to try it as well! 

Typically my favorite items on TPT are the items that have EVERYTHING that you need!  I always get super bummed when there is an amazing product but they are missing simple things that are needed.  So I tried to include everything that you need in this item!  It is made into a little booklet and there are simple taste test items that you need to set-up in advance.  :)  You just need a ballot box, 6 Dixie cups and candy!

Here is a peak:

Pin it to Win it!

Pin this post or direct to my TPT link to win this!  Just leave your email below!  (Hopefully I send it on time!)  :)

Have a great night!

Word Work

Here is a peak at what word work looks like during each week.

It starts with a pre-spelling test on Monday.

 Students use a dry erase marker to write each word.  I use to have students take home a paper version but I felt that it wasted paper each week.



Next, if students scored 100% of the words correct, they receive 2 small challenge lists.  1 goes home and the other is glued into their word work notebook.  If they received even 1 word wrong, they will receive 1 on level list to glue into their word work notebook.

These are determined by our reading series.  The above  level lists are about 3 units in advance and go into second grade words.



The notebooks are the cheap 17 cent notebooks during back to school season.  Students glue their new list in each week.

Students can choose how to practice their words by these choices.  This is now laminated and it hangs up on my wall. There are more choices like gel writing etc that haven't been introduced yet this year.

These are the sign language and keyboard sheets. 

Students practice using this way Monday-Wednesday.

If a student feels that they already know the words at some point in the week- they know to get a dictionary and choose 6 new challenge words and make their own list.

 

 

On Thursday I borrow our mobile lab and have my students login to www.spellingcity.com

 

If you have never used this website- check it out! It is free!  I have saved our individual spelling lists for the year. 

 The students simply click on the correct lesson for the week and the words are already there.

I have students click the test.  When they click the "say it" or "sentence" button it will read it and the student is to type in the word.  At the end it will grade the assessment.  I tell my students if they get all of the words correct that they can play games practicing next week's words.  If they miss any words- they can play games using the next week list.

 

There are some free games and pay games.  We just use the free games.  It takes the spelling words and puts them into games for you.  It is hard to believe that it is free!

 

Finally on Friday we take the spelling test.  All students put a book at their desk.  I read the "on level" spelling list first and students taking the challenge list will read their book.  Then everyone listens as I read 2 sentence dictation sentences.  Then the on level group reads their book as I read the challenge words.

The spelling words are graded at the top.  Students earn a "4" if they spell all of the challenge words correctly.  If a student takes a challenge assessment and misses some words- they earn a "3+."

 

The sentence dictation is graded on the back. 

 

 

Down the left contains our grade card headings.  The middle states what they need to do to earn a "3" which is like an "A."  Finally on the right- I circle what grade that they earned.

 

It is simple- same each week but is good practice for them.  :)

This month Hodge Podge!

I'm learning that I'm normally good for 1 post a month!  I still try to do more!  I feel like I work almost all awake hours and hardly take time to share with all of you what I am doing.  :(  January is right around the corner- perhaps I will try to make the goal of twice a month to blog!  lol hopefully I set a low enough goal!

Here are a few things that I have done new this month:
First up is my guided reading area:

This is the wall behind my reading table and is visible to the students.  A few years ago I had a full CAFE board.  I LOVED it but my district has teachers use Guided Reading so I haven't used it in 2 years.  I decided to make a simple adaptation.  Students have their post it note on their "goal" strategy.  We refer to it often and it actually is more of a reminder to myself to use the wall- not just have it up their to be cute.  :)  I bought these from Lakeshore and just jazzed them up with left over zebra border.

 
I also was getting sick of either A) handing out materials too many times during a lesson or B) expecting 6-7 year old students to keep their reading area clean and organized.  So I bought these green organizers 3 for a $1 at the Dollar Store. 

This is what is inside each organizer:
 

Here is how nice it looks from far away right after I completed a reading group.  The students totally did this- it was NOT staged!  :) 

Up next is a routine chart:

A little boy in my class cannot seem to get those routines down!  So I created a notebook for him to use!  It is working well so far!  His response to getting it was, "Wow!  This is cool!"  lol... first grade students are so easy to please!



Up next is one of the cute charts that I made thanks to Kim Adsit!

These are laminated and students are allowed to put sticky notes on them as one of the choices for read to someone (share with someone) time.




Also rounding out the next 2 weeks are some fun filled times!
-Next week is our assessment week so I'll be breaking it up with some fun with the Candy Corn Bandit!  If you haven't purchased this yet- DO IT!  It is so much fun!

-The week after is our 50th day of school!  I use a lot of materials from Cara Carroll's unit but I found a few FREE items as well. 

• http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/50th-Day-of-School-Activities-FREEBIE-351008
• This one is awesome!  I converted the PDF to Smart Notebook so I can just read it aloud from the projected screen. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/50th-Day-of-School-Book-and-Venn-Diagram-Worksheet-168962

-The week after are our parent/ teacher conferences!  Here is a link to some free conference forms:

• http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Conference-Forms-361693

I hope that I will blog again BEFORE the end of October but I thought that I'd better write a HUGE post now just in case that I don't find the time.  Do I know myself or what? 

Have a wonderful week! 

To those Central Ohio teachers- Happy COTA day on Friday!  :)

P.S.  I JUST remembered that I totally forgot in my madness of writing math lesson plans from scratch and making all of the smart board files... that I FORGOT to send out free stuff from my last post.  I am REALLY sorry!  I am going to do that RIGHT now!

My Writing Words Resource- pin it to win it!

This is a writing resource that uses my district's K-1 sight word list.

My students each have a copy that they keep in their writing workshop folders.

As I introduce the weekly focus sight words- I have my students highlight them in their book.  These become the sight words that I expect them to spell correctly during writing because they can look them up.

You can highlight them in any way but I have my students highlight the words this way:
*If it is a word that they can sound out like "at"= green
*If it is a word that has a rule (silent e) or chunk (cAR)= yellow
*If it is an irregular word (of)= pink

Here is a peak:

There are also blanks so that other words can be added.

Here are my rules for adding words:
1.  First make sure that it isn't in the book.
2.  Get a scrap piece of paper (I call it a Try-It sheet) and try to write the word.
3.  Put up a teacher edit card and wait for me to check the word.
4.  When I check the word I make sure to point out the great sounds that they heard.  Then I write the correct spelling on the scrap piece.
5.  The student then transfers the correct spelling on a blank line in the book.

You can pick up your own copy here.




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Also- if you pin this blog post or direct to my TPT link and tell me about it in the comments- I will email this to you for free until next Monday.  :)  Don't forget to comment your email below as well!  :)

FREE Behavior Accountability Charts

Recently I have been getting emails about receiving a copy of these forms that I made a couple years ago.  I decided to put them on TPT because I couldn't keep up with the requests and even think that I inadvertently missed emailing some people!  :(

Click here to download the editable version for TPT.

Click here to download the FREE PDF from TPT.

Here is a peak:

 This chart is used for students that are working on a particular goal.  I have used this for students that are working on shouting out, students that are working on keeping their hands to themselves etc.  You write the goal at the top and then immediately after each heading written on the left- you will circle the smiley face depending on how many warnings that they needed for the goal.

After all morning routines are completed students will go talk to their accountability buddy (another teacher, custodian, secretary, older student, lunch worker etc.) about their behavior.  The buddy is trained to praise the student intrinsically or with a small piece of candy if they receive all smiley faces.  They are trained to ask, "What happened during ____?"  If the student receives a frown.  Then they will ask, "What can you do tomorrow to move it to a smiley face?"

The student repeats this process at the end of the day as well.

 
This chart is an overall behavior chart.  The behavior key reflects if they made mostly good choices, some good choices or a few good choices.  This is more generic and can be used with a child that doesn't have as severe behavior problems.  Usually using this chart can correct some of the behavior quickly. 

The student still checks in with an accountability buddy just like mentioned above.

These are optional for any students that might want to track a trend- they can graph the amount of smiley faces that they earn each day. 

So- go ahead and download it if you might be able to use it for a kiddo this year!  :)

Classroom Banking and TPT store sale tomorrow-Thursday! :)

Last year was the first year that I had any students who had math skills good enough to be my weekly bank tellers for my classroom economy. 

I decided to take it a step further this year and I held "interviews" on Friday for bank positions.  I allowed students to tell me what job they were applying for.  I called them up one at a time and asked scenario questions and, "Why do you think you would be good at ___?"  At the end I shook all of theirs hands and said, "I'll be in contact.  Thanks for coming in." 
lol it was completely cheesy but the kids LOVED it!  :)

Students will receive a job offer letter tomorrow in their school mailbox.  I even have an abundance of business sized envelopes and will stuff the letter in there!

I'm printing them off and signing it to make it seem more official! 

Here are the positions.  I didn't add my student's last names so I could show it here.  :)

 Manager/ Assistant:  Make sure all employees do their job
Line Manager: Makes sure that no one cuts in line
Bank Tellers: Count up and pay money
Assistants: get the next patron and make sure they have proper documents (behavior calendars)
Security: Makes sure that no one takes extra money and they greet the patrons.

*There are many of each position because they might have to "go on break" to get paid.  Bank tellers get paid last.

 

Managers give specific directions/ jobs to the cleaning crew.

Cleaning crew: wipes down tables, organizes library, sweeps the floor, organizes shared table supplies, helps organize student drawers etc.



Here is the bank sign that we will display:

Finally here is the bank teller "cheat sheet":

My dad is a CPA-  I hope that I made him proud with the title of this poster! 

My goal was to make this as real as possible!  :)  If the cleaning crew finishes early- they will just "go on break" and do a quiet choice.  :)

I'm excited to see if it works! 


Also- THANK YOU to all of the encouraging and sweet comments below!  It always makes my day!  :)  This is why I need to blog more!  Positive reinforcement works!

Have a great week!  :)

Complete Guided Reading Lesson Plans aa-C

I got my masters in reading a few years ago.  I loved it because I love researching.  (lol- sad but true!) I've used my research to develop reading lesson plans.  I recently updated this to make it a more complete unit.  Except for the books- there is everything that you need to teach levels aa-C.

Here is a peak of Guided Reading levels aa-C: