Broken heart...Silent Heart

Anagrams on the SMART Boards {Freebie}

Hi Everyone!   I hope your week is off to a great start!    If you have a SMART Board or an I.W.B. that runs SMART Notebook,  check out my post about Anagrams on my sister site Technology Tailgate. This is my kiddos favorite center! You can also download this great little {freebie} there as well. 

Magic Money Pictures

Hi Friends! I've put together a great little packet to practice and review coins.  My kiddos love these mystery pictures,  the anticipation of what the picture will be is always so fun!  I use them in centers or for my "fast finishers."  You can download it free from my TpT{Here} or Google Docs {Here}.  Enjoy!

Currently

Happy December!  Where did this year go?  I'm feeling so blessed and fortunate as the end of 2012 approaches.  Thank you to all who check my blog out, and also to my fellow blogging friends who take the time to share their ideas.  I just love all the wonderful ideas and the expanded PLN that come from blogging!  The professional and personal growth and benefit to our students is truly priceless! 

Hope your December is off to a great start! 

Sharing, Caring and a Freebie!

Happy Sunday! How was your break?  I spent a lot of time organizing, sleeping, cleaning and there may have been catching up on grading some papers and other school to-do's, not that I had gotten behind or anything :).  Alas, I think I'm ready to get back to the kiddos and a fun week ahead!  I'm so excited about the holiday season.  I love every bit of the magic and the way it brings out the best in people and such great memories. 

To kick off the season of sharing and caring I will be gifting a $10 TpT Gift Certificate to one lucky winner.  It will be raffled off Monday night, in time to use before the awesome sale is over!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will also be gifting any item of your choice from my TpT store to the first 10 people to comment below with the item you would like and your email address.

And of course a little freebie for everyone!  This is a Christmas Noun Sort.  This will used be in my literacy centers this week.  

Don't forget to link up your best Holiday Crafts!  

I'm so excited to see them! 

Have a great week! 

Snowman Craft and a Linky Party

Hi Everyone!   Sleigh bells ring are you listening.... In the air there's a glistening...
Wow!  Christmas music is playing, holiday decorations are in sight!  I guess that means it's also time to start thinking about celebrating winter holidays in the classroom!  
I love making crafts this time of year, as I decorate the house and bring out my own childhood memories I am instantly reminded how special those little gifts and crafts that the children make in our classrooms are for their families. I love {reliving}  those memories and sharing them with my family and friends during this special season.  

My kiddos and I always love making these snowmen {and snowladies}.  It's always so cute to see how our snowfamily turns out!  Each snowchild is always so individual and truly represents each child's personality.  Each snowperson is so different, from the buttons to the gems- to the shapes of noses and the prescion in which they are are glued down.  Every child shines through

The supplies you will need are 

1 smooth 2 inch foam ball for each child (I usually buy in a 6-pack at Jo-Ann Fabrics)

1small clay pot for each child (craft store)

2-4 buttons or gems per child

1-2 black pipe cleaners per child

2 small soft fuzzy craft balls per child

1 sheet of orange felt for class to share 

1 black Sharpie

1 small bottle white tempera paint

1 winter remnant of fabric (approximately 1" x 6" for each child)

Begin by gluing (I use hot glue) a smooth foam ball to top of small clay pot.  It is best to write each child's name on the inside of their clay pot at this point.  I then invite students in small groups 3-5 to paint the entire outside of their snowman, while paint is wet you can sprinkle white glitter on top for added shimmer.  It is best to allow snowmen to dry overnight.  

The following day, invite children to choose their buttons or gems (these will be hot glued by an adult on the center front of he clay pot).  Then students will choose two "fuzzy" balls for their ear-muffs.  You will need to cut a short piece of the black pipe cleaner to serve as the the band for the ear muffs.  The teacher will need to hot glue the fuzzy ends to the pipe cleaner, so that it fits the snowman's head (see picture).  Students will then cut a "carrot" triangle shape nose out of the orange felt.  I love to hear exactly how each child would like the nose attached.  Some may request the nose to lay flat, while others request it to lay flat. Students will then use a Sharpie to draw dotted eyes and mouth. Finally student's will cut a piece of fabric to tie around their snowman's neck as a scarf to keep them warm.  The children then wrap and gift their snowman to their family for the holiday. 

I hope you enjoy our Snowfamily!  I am super excited to kick off the season with this Linky Party!   Happy Holidays to You!  

What is your favorite Winter Craft?? Join the Linky Party below!

Wonderland Linky Graphics from Dreamlike Magic 

Thankful and Gobble Gobble {FREEBIE}

I'm feeling thankful for great blogging and teaching friends!  Here's a little SMART Board game to practice Fry's first 50 words for our youngest learners. This can be played whole group or in a center.  I tend to use this activity for use with my RtI, guided reading groups or in a center for review.  My little ones just love activities on the SMART Board!   

I hope everyone has a delightful and relaxing Thanksgiving break!  How will you be spending your Thanksgiving vacation??  

Sound Sparkle {Freebie}

Hi Friends!  I've been enjoying my {extra} hour of Daylight Savings!  Building solid phonemic awareness skills is so important in creating that solid foundation for our students to be successful in reading and writing.  One of the phonemic awareness skills I work on with my kiddos throughout the year is the automaticity of our letter sounds.  It's about that time of year when I have to start spicing things up, so I've put together a lil 2-minute video Sound Sparkle.  In this video each letter for about 2-seconds, students will have to respond with the letter sound.  This is a great resource for RtI, reading groups, partnerships, whole group using a projector or IWB. A great alternative to traditional flashcards!   I'd love to hear your feedback! 

   

      

Click on any of the pictures above to download Sound Sparkle or {here}

Link up for November Currently 

Off to prep for conferences... 

What are your tips & tricks for Parent-Teacher Conferences???

Pumpkin Doubles Facts {Freebie}

My students will begin working on Doubles Facts this week.  This is always an exciting time for them as they feel so grown-up working with math facts as the older kids do.   I will be using this in my math center this week, it is also a great activity you can add to your math tubs or for students to play when finished with other class work.  

I have also included two different optional recording sheets. You can download Pumpkin Doubles by clicking on any of the images or {here}.

        

I found this cute YouTube video on Doubles Facts I will be showing my students this week.  

Animal Sorting Center

One of the apps my class has been using in centers the last couple weeks is 

We will use this app throughout the school year as we learn and research animals.  It is a great app to use to meet the Common Core expectations of using digital media, while also facilitating student research.  

Our focus/essential question of the week was "What makes pets special?" I always have an iPad center.  This week students used this app sort animals into "Good Pets" & "Not Good Pets."  The conversations were awesome as they could choose to complete the center by themselves or collaborate with a partner.  The initial screen looks like this... 

The paid version has 200 animals for the children to choose from.  The children can then touch which animals they would like more information on.  They can read facts about the animal, check out photos, listen to the animal and more.   

One of the reasons this activity was very successful was that all the learners in my room could achieve success and the activity app naturally differentiates information for all students.  My non-readers could simply copy the animal's name, which was identified by a picture.  They could also explore the photos and listen to the animals.  The readers and high achievers could read more information about the animal, learning their average height, weight, species, etc.   

This app is available in the iTunes store click here to view the lite (free) version. If you would like to view the paid version click here.

Don't have iPads?? You can complete this same activity using animal books or animal websites such as...

                          

I chose to have my students create their own T-Chart.  

I have created a T-Chart for those of you who prefer to have one already created.  Click on the picture of the T-Chart.