Sight Word Flashcard Freebie

I made these with the intention of using them for centers and/or rainbow words.  While I still intend to use them that way, I thought it was time for a freebie.  Please enjoy them and share how you used them.  Included are the first 100 Fry's sight words.

Halloween Math

We practiced our basic math facts this week with this cute subtraction worksheet from You Might Be a First Grader.  The link for the worksheet can be found here.

Bat Writing

Last week we worked on bats.  Here are some of the pictures of our writing activity.

Students were given numbered envolopes and asked to use what they know to make the words into a sentence.  We talked about how we knew that a sentence started with a capital letter and ended with a punctuation mark.  They used that knowledge to find the first and last word of the sentence.  Then thay used the words that were left and put them in the correct order.

Once they figured out what the sentence was supposed to be, they glued it down.

Then they wrote the sentence on the line.

To finish our bat writing activity, we made bats.

Our finished product!

Missing Letter Pack

This pack has five missing letter worksheets with different themes.  Some are uppercase and some are lowercase letters.  Once all the letters are introduced, I like to use this to see if students can fill in the missing letters.

Thanksgiving ABC Order

I made this ABC order activity I am going to do with the kids next month.  Check it out and let me know what you think.  I want to make some more for other themes.  Any ideas?  My kids love activities that involve cutting and gluing, and they need the fine motor practice, so when I can, I have them cut, color, or glue!!

Fact Families

This week we made this cute project that helped us understand fact families.

We started by cutting out the pieces and then glued the facts in the correct place.  This is how it turned out.

Then I got to thinking that I can use this with word families and other numbers.  So I made this.  This allows me to change the subject and I can customize it to my students' needs.

Project Updates

As promised, here are pictures of our ghost writing that we finished up this week.

I also wanted to show you some of the things I have been doing with the handwriting notebook that I made.  This is the result after the student worked with me.  I used a highlighter to help the student trace and fit the words in the proper spacing.  When I made the shapes, the student understood the spacing.

A little more practice with this student.  We circled our favorites.

In the next few weeks, I will be making monsters with the kids.  I found this idea on Pinterest and it was super easy to do.  The best part...

It can be used as a bookmark too!  How cute!?

Next week, we are talking about bats.  This is the project we are going to make when we are done with our writing activity.  It will hang with our ghosts in time for conferences!

Anchor Charts

In my classroom, I see a lot of different levels of students, and I have been busy making USEFUL anchor charts.  I make them with the students so that the students feel that there is a purpose to the activity.  They also know how to use the chart because they helped make it.

This one is still in the works, but we add to it as we learn a new rule.

This one we made by reading though some word problems and identifying clues that told us what operation to use.  Some of the kids still reference it, but most of them are starting to remember what clue words to look for.

This one is what I use for my lesson on comparing numbers.  I pulled it back out when we started working with bigger numbers and it clicked.  This is a Singapore Math idea.  I just put it into steps for the students to follow.

I also have a freebie to share.  I made this t-chart to help my younger kids identify letter and numbers, however, a teacher asked me about an activity for fact and opinion and I suggested making one of these too.  So, I decided to provide an editable version so that it can be used for any age.

Ghost Writing

So like I promised, here is an update for our ghosts.  The kids did such a good job!  We wrote out the steps in order to make the ghost.

Then we followed the steps.

We let the ghosts dry overnight and I took them off the base.  And this is what we got.

Today we added the eyes and hung them up to make the room look spooky!  Next week, we are making bats and they will be hung with the ghosts.  They will look so cool. 

You can see the bat activity for next week here.  I am going to cut out the sentences and have the students put them in order, glue them to the first page, and then write the sentences in correct order.  I will also take more pictures of the ghost writing when my kids finish their final copies.

Writing Ghosts

I guess I forgot to save the paper that goes along with this activity.  I will have to get it for you later.  Anyway, this is my project.  I was trying it out before I had the kids do it.  I will take pictures next week when we do it as a class.  The kids are going to make a ghost and then write about the steps.  We are working on transition words, so this is perfect for us.  The kids saw my sample and have been asking all week if they will get to make one.  They can't wait.  Wish me luck.

If you want to make this, it is very easy.  There are different ways to make it, but I tried to make it as easy as possible because my students are going to be making it.  I used a two-liter bottle for the body and hot glued a foam ball on top to shape the head.  Then I laid cheese cloth over the figure.  You can add arms if you want with wire, but I didn't think that was a good idea with my students.  Then I took starch and a sponge paint brush and painted the starch onto the cheese cloth.  I let that dry overnight and then carefully pulled the cheese cloth off the base.  Then I added googly eyes and clipped a paper clip through the top.  I will be hanging these from the ceiling, but I wanted to get a picture for you before I did that.  If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

Halloween Math Game

Here is what we have been playing during math time in my room.  The kids practice their math facts and then open the pumpkin to check their answer.

I like it because I can work with other students while they are working on their facts.  They like it because they can check the answers without asking me.

Another thing I have been doing to help spiral certain skills is the number of the day.  You can check that out here.

Fall Break

We are on Fall Break this week, but I have a few pictures of their sentence writing from last week.  We discussed what Fall was and things we like about Fall.  We outlined the sentences.  Then we did a rough draft.  Here are pictures of our final copies.  I am so happy with how they came out.  They look like leaves are falling from the wall in our room.

Oh how impressed I was with my kids!  I guess my other pictures will not load.  Sorry.  I will have to try again another time.

Classroom Pictures

I know I have been promising pictures for a while, but better late than never right?  They are not in any special order.  I have taken a lot of time with my room and have changed it several times and probably will several more times.

Each classroom has a phone.  This is where I keep mine becuase it is where the phone jack is.  Also in this area is a bucket labled "Work Folders."  This is where I have my students keep any unfinished work.  This keeps it in one place and it is always there when they have time to finish.  Next to that area, I have my little table and chair for the listening center.  Instead of spending a lot of money on books on CD, I simply recorded myself reading them and put it on CD.  I have since changed out the stuff on the little table.  Makes a great center activity area.

Many people have heard of the "Clip It" system and I made mine to fit my classroom theme.  Can you guess what my theme is!?  I also made a form that I use to record at the end of the day what color each student earned.  I have some behavior issues and this allows me to show parents that some days are better than others.

This is just the inside of my classroom door.  Again, frog!  I also work on using manners, so I have my "Good Manners" poster up as a reminder.



When I first started, I didn't know what or how to write my expectations.  I narrowed it down to three and I am very happy with it.  They are general, but they work with my kids.

I LOVE this wall and the kids do too!  Each kid has a frog with their name on it.  Each frog has a ring of index cards.  On the index cards are sight words, CVC words, and CVCe words (depending on what skill that child is on).  They are responsible for the words on the ring.  I  have them come in and get their rings to study for about five minutes and then I quiz them.    When they get the word correct, they get a plus in the upper right corner of the card.  When they get five plus', they get to take the word off the ring.  The students get so excited when the words come off the ring.  It comes with built in motivation.  I was thinking of doing this with math facts too! 

Above the "Hoppin' Words," I have sentence starters and the alphabet for help on different activities we do.  I also have rings of a program called "Drops in the Bucket."  I copied the pages on to cardstock and laminated them.  Then I cut apart each section to allow students to focus on one skill at a time.  I give them dry erase markers to write their answers.



 

This is my space.  I have been debating about turning my desk, but I have not gotten that far yet.  The other thing I love, but you cannot see is that when students come up to my desk, there is a stop sign on the floor so that students know and respect my space.  And of course the frog carpet!

This is "Mr. Frog."  He loves to sit in the classroom library.  He is a great listener.  The kids talk to him when they are upset.  They also enjoy reading stories to him.

This is my math area.  I recently changed it and so far I am happy with it.  In the corner we have two student computers.

This is a close up of one of the shelves on the bookshelf in the math area.  These are activities that I made.  I bought containers from the dollar store and went at it.  I love it because I put all the materials for the activity int he container and I can just pull it out when students are doing centers and games.



This is my classroom library area.  Again, this is something I recently changed as well.  I used to have another bookshelf in this area, but I wanted to open up the space a little more.

 Close up of the library.  I have books sorted by AR levels.

This is where my students keep their classroom money.  They earn money by completing homework and making good choices. They can also earn money by getting a perfect spelling test.  Students can lose money for poor choices or not completing their homework. At the end of the week, they can choose to either save their money or buy something from the price list.  Notice the frogs!

Here is where I moved the bookself that used to be in the classroom library.  Also another view of my clip system.

I also took pictures of our Fall sentences we worked on this week, but I will save that for another post.  Happy Fall!