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:

Resource Binders

I hope your school year is off to a GREAT start!  I am always just as nervous as my little first grade students the first week.  However, being a month in- I feel like I actually have a free minute to blog!  :)
 
I thought that I'd share something new that I am doing this year.  I am keeping a small set of 6 resource binders on my small reading group table.  Located inside are helpers that I might need for small group teaching.  My math groups are often larger than 6 kids so some kids just have to share.  :)

Guided Reading Resources:

Students in my groups aa-C always start with a whisper phone and chant this to "warm up" their brains.  :)  It gives me time to go check on my other students and gives them something to do as they wait for all students to make it to the table.  :)

My groups level D-G warm up with these charts:

Whole class we use the Phonics Dance.  However some students cannot chant them independently so for small group they chant these.  :)

Here is what I use to record the progress of my guided reading students each week:

The first day we meet I listen to a snippet of each student read.  If they have any miscues I write them in the box.  I also circle a number indicating their accuracy and fluency.  Later in the week I circle a number to indicate their level of comprehension.  I copy this on the back of each individual group's leveled plans.

 

Writing Resources:

 

 

 

These are materials that students might need during our small group writing lessons.

 

Students always bring their weekly pre-writing organizer to group:

 



This is what I use to record how they did during the week for writing:

I choose a skill of the week to focus on.  I circle a number for well the student applies that skill.  I also circle a number to grade a student on how well they read and answered questions during author's chair.

Math Resources:

The last two pages are used when our skill for the week is working on addition.  Students either use a dry erase marker or put small items in the circles.

This is how I record weekly observations and exit slip results.  My exit slips don't assess above level (a 4) skill so I have to rely on my observations.  At the end of the quarter students are given a separate assessment to determine if they know the above grade level skills.


I hope this gives you some ideas or you might be inspired to try out a resource binder that holds materials that you need to teach.  :)

I will be posting on TPT all of these items as a resource binder item soon!  :)  I also am almost finished with my guided reading levels aa-C file and my guided reading levels D-G files!  :)  Those have generic lesson plans, some of the items from above and a few other items.

Enjoy your weekend!  :)

Inspire and Guide

This is my 7th year of teaching.

When I first started teaching I wanted students to be eager to learn. I wanted to make learning fun.

During my second year of teaching I felt more comfortable with daily teaching. I no longer felt that "trying to keep my head above water" that most of us feel during our first year of teaching. This is the year that I joined PRoteacher forums and noticed a lot of threads about "power teaching." (Now called Whole brain Teaching.). I started implanting strategies and was amazed at how much better my management became.

During my third year of teaching I decided to use my intervention certification and use what I had learned to differentiate almost everything! I started guided math, differentiated spelling etc. This is the year that I also started using all 5 of the daily 5 rounds. My Reading buddy teacher introduced it to me during my first year of teaching.

During my 4th year of teaching, I started using the Bucket Fillers philosophy. I noticed a great improvement in student attitudes. I also started using the behavior clip chart system and loved the meaning behind it, "we all make mistakes-learn from them."

During my fifth year of teaching I started working more on challenging the higher level thinkers. This is still a work in progress! I also started creating more of my materials to make things "just right." This was also BY FAR my toughest year of teaching. By mid year I started looking for other non-teaching related jobs with benefits. Even though I left crying many days a week from school- I wouldn't change a thing about this year. I researched and learned/ created many different behavior strategies but I also learned that through the toughest shell of a kid is a very vulnerable and loving kid. One of my many challenges this year- during the end of the year class slideshow- crawled up on my lap- hugged me and sobbed about the next day being summer. Coming from a child who verbally abused me all year- it was one of the most touching moments that I will always cherish. It was an eye opener and reminder that this is the career where my heart is.

During my 6th year of teaching- (last year). I moved to a new district. I learned the value of being on the same page as my teammates. Being on the same page allows time to share resources and even help with copying!!!

This year even though the students haven't started- and only from 1 principal staff meeting- I have been inspired. Not inspired like the items listed above- but inspired to inspire my kids. I have a brand new principal this year and she is amazing! We share many of the same beliefs and philosophies. I have never been in such a inspiring meeting/ seminar/ conference before. Everything from using classroom management/ cooperative learning techniques to manage us (which is my idea for teaching a college class) to how she delivered all of the changes to the school were inspiring. So for my 7th year of teaching- I am going to inspire and guide my students.
Here is my first idea to achieve my goal:
-make a "I wonder wall"
This will be similar to my GOOGLE it poster. I am going to create a wall with individual subject posters like, "math", "reading", "science", "history", "writing", "other". Then I will keep post it notes nearby. Students will be allowed to write "I wonders.." And stick them on the wall. For example: "I wonder if a square or triangle would roll better?" Then on Fridays- I have set aside a cooperative learning block. I will choose one post-it note weekly and we will work in groups to figure it out. Some weeks I may need to borrow the mobile lab for students to complete a web quest or something.
This is my hope- and I HOPE that it will work!

My students start tomorrow and I am REALLY excited!!! I better go to bes and dream about June! :-)

Guided Math Charts and Work on Numbers

I have revamped my rotation charts and also my Work on Numbers materials.

You can download my charts plus some links to items that I use for FREE here.

I also finished up Work on Numbers task cards that I can use for one station instead of having to write it on the wall each day.  I love anything to make our very chaotic day a little more simple!

Here is a peak:

These cover skills from just writing digits, to number words, to tally marks, to making collections to measuring using objects.  They are simple tasks that you can just use dry erase boards or cheap notebooks to record your answer.  :)

Off to get ready! 

Today is my hubby and my 5th anniversary!  :)  It is hard to believe that we got married 5 years ago!  In some ways it seems like longer-lol but in other ways it just seems like yesterday.  :)  Regardless I am VERY lucky to have such a handsome, funny, good cook, handy, and hard working guy in my life!  :) 

Some days I feel like I hit the jack-pot.  :)

Happy weekend to you all!