Red Ribbon Week Freebie!

Hope everyone is having a great Red Ribbon Week! Sorry for the late post!! Over the years, we have had a hard time making Red Ribbon Week meaningful to our young kiddos without going too far in depth.

Our AWESOME Counselor scheduled some great days! Below are just a few!! The kids love dressing up, but we also want them to know why they are dressing up!

Hats Off  to being Drug Free

Team Up against Drugs

Sock It to Drugs

We looked and looked for an appropriate reader, but couldn't find anything we really liked, so we made our own.

It does not have illustrations because we wanted our kids to help out with this Create--A--Book project.

Click the image below to check out our rhyming non-fiction reader that will help your young kiddos understand Red Ribbon Week and Drug Awareness. It is a FREEBIE!! YAY!!!

This book has the words at the top and allows for your students to help make this story more meaningful by adding the illustrations. 

How do you use this book?
Print a class book.
Read the words to the kids.
Ask what is missing (illustrations).
Cut apart the pages of the book.
Have students add illustrations to the pages that match the words.
If you have more than 12 students, make multiple copies of the last page and have students who did not get to illustrate fill in missing words and illustrations. 
Laminate the book.

St. Patrick's Day STEM Lesson

St. Patrick's Day is almost here, so we thought why not turn one of our FUN activities into a STEM lesson! Our county  has put a HUGE emphasis on creating lessons that meet the STEM requirements.  (Lessons that integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).  We have even seen STEAM lessons that add the ARTS to that list of requirements.

SOOO...we have been looking at some of our science lessons that we have been tweaking over the years, and many of them fit 3 of the STEM requirements.  All we needed to do was add a component here or there and we had a TON of STEM lessons on our hands.

So here's our St. Patrick's Day plan.  We always have the kiddos work with a partner to create a Leprechaun Trap.  We either set the traps the night before St. Patrick's Day or we set them after the little guy has come and done some mischief in our room.  Since St. Patrick's Day is on a Monday this year, we plan on setting them once we see he has crashed our room.

So...the plan!

Step 1:  The kiddos will work with a partner to plan, design, and build their Leprechaun Trap using classroom materials.  (This covers the ENGINEERING portion.)  They will record their plan on the sheet below.

Step 2:  We will evaluate each other's traps and talk about what we think may or may not work.  We will use terms such as longer, shorter, heavier, lighter, materials used, 5 senses (will he smell the gold candy coins you left for him...).  This will support the ENGINEERING portion and add in the MATH and SCIENCE portions as well.

Step 3:  We will take pictures of our traps.  (This is the 1st part of the TECHNOLOGY portion.)

Step 4:  We will wait!  Will we catch a Leprechaun?

Step 5:  We will check the traps the following day.  Were some of them sprung?  Did we catch a Leprechaun?  We will discuss our traps and talk about why we think they DID or DID not work.

Step 6:  We will choose 1 or 2 trap photographs to put into an Activboard flipchart.  We will then make notes on the photo of design changes we could make that may have made the trap more effective.  (This will really hit the TECHNOLOGY part right on the money and we will revisit ALL the other components too.)

Here's the Trap Design sheet we will be using!

You can find the trap design sheet and other St. Patrick's Day goodies in our 

St. Patrick's Day Galore: Photo Booth, Games, and More! pack!

And if you need a FUN game for St. Patrick's Day, 

you might want to grab our FREE CCVC Leprechaun Leap Game!

We hope you have a great weekend and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Compose/Decompose Numbers and Place Value

Hi!! We are back!!Wow! We have been missing for a while!!! Crazy times are just beginning!! We can't believe how fast the year is flying!!

Assessment time again for us!! How do you assess Composing/Decomposing Numbers and Understanding Place Value??? Our Kiddos have been playing an awesome game from Envision Math Centers! They are having a blast. You could play it even if you don't have Envision Math.

What do you need??
Each group needs
A 100 chart
2 sets of Number tiles/cards 1-9 in a baggy
Base 10 blocks

How do you play??
Students take turns pulling out 2 number tiles (students can put either tile first unless it is a 0) For example, if a child pulls a "4" and a "1" out of the bag then he/she can work on the number 41 or 14.
Student places the numbers above the 100 chart
Student points to the number on the number chart
Student builds (compose/decompose) that number with the base 10 blocks (using units of 10s and 1s)
Students play until all tiles are gone from the bag.

While we are continuously observing students playing this game and working on place value in other ways, we still love having some documentation as proof that the kiddos really did or did not meet this standard.

So we made these. What do you think?? Grab them if you want.

Interactive Sight Word Flap Book, Reader, and More! Part 1

We have just finished posting a FREEBIE that we hope you will love as much as we do!

This first pack is for the sight word COME!  Our littles are having SUCH a hard time remembering this word for some reason.  And I swear, this word is in EVERY stinkin' book that we use to test them on fluency and comprehension.  And if they don't know it....boom!!!  It doesn't matter how well they do on everything else...this one word kills them.

So we were really thinking of ways we can spend more time on a sight word to really help it STICK.  But you know our littles...it's got to keep their attention, be engaging, and FUN!

So we came up with 3 activities that really give the kiddos time to explore the new word and to manipulative it in a TON of ways.  We think these activities are fun and they keep the kiddos focused.

Here's the first activity we included... Sight Word Flap Books

Click either image to grab the pack for FREE in our TpT store!

Each flap book is copied front to back.  Students cut along the dashed lines and they are able to lift the flaps for some sight word FUN!  You can see by the examples exactly what the kiddos will be doing.  Each flap book works on several standards such as handwriting, word identification, reading, tracking left to right, writing, and more.

We are thinking that we will create individual packs for each sight word.  Then if your kiddos are having a hard time with any particular word, you can get the pack that works on that word.

If these work well for folks, we will bundle ALL of the sets and sell the set at a BIG discount.

Please tell us what you think of this pack. Can you see it working for your kiddos?  Is there a standard/skill you would like to see included?  We would LOVE any feedback you can give us!

We hope you enjoy the freebie!  We'll post about the other 2 parts over the next couple of days!

50 FREE Holiday Activities!

Oh my goodness...say WHAT???!?!?!  

Too good to be true you say!  Well not this time!!!  

50 sellers from Teachers Pay Teachers have joined together to give away 1 awesome winter/Christmas product EACH to... EVERYONE! 

The Holiday EBooks are downloadable files that have 50 goodies all in one place... no searching for hours to hit the jackpot!  

This is just a small way for all of us to say "Thank you" to all of our awesome followers and fellow teachers.  We hope you will each find some super goodies just in time for the holidays!

        

There are 2 books that will probably be just perfect for most of our followers!  Krissy from "Mrs. Miner's Monkey Business" volunteered to compile the Pre-K-K book and Hilary Lewis volunteered to compile the 1st-2nd grade book.  Be sure to check BOTH of them out, because there are tons of items from each book that will work great in K, 1, or 2!

We hope you love them as much as we do!  We've already snagged a few goodies for ourselves! :)

If you are interested in the 3rd-6th grade EBook or the 7th-12th grade Ebook just click the links and you can check those out too!

Cyber Sale - Buy 3, Get 1 FREE!

I am a coupon-a-holic!  I LOVE to make our money s-t-r-e-t-c-h as FAR as it can go.  Can I get an "AMEN!"

If you are a kindred soul...then THIS will be music to your wallet ears!

TPT's HUGE CYBER SALE continues through tomorrow Tuesday December 3rd!

We are offering 20% off ALL of our products in our store...and we mean ALL of them...even bundles that are already marked at a 20% savings off the individual packs!

Enter code CYBER at checkout and you'll save another 10% off the sale prices courtesy of TPT!

That's a TOTAL of 28% off ALL products and you end up saving about 40% on our bundles!  

We hope this saves you extra cash for some holiday shopping!

AND...for EVERY 3 products you purchase from right now until the sale ends tomorrow (December 3rd at midnight), you can choose ANY product priced $5 or less for FREE!  Oh yeah!!!

Simply email us at foglem@bellsouth.net after making your purchases.  Be sure to include the name you purchased under (your TPT username), your email address, and the item/s you would like as your FREE choice ($5 or less).  That's it!  Easy, right!

Here are some items that may be perfect for the holidays, every day, or seasonal fun...

SAVE A TON!!! (40+%)

    


SAVE A LOT! (28%) 

              

GRAB IT FOR FREE!

Here's hoping you have a blessed 
Christmas season!  

Free, 28%, or 40%...You choose! It's Cyber Sale Time Baby!

TPT is throwing a HUGE "Cyber Monday PLUS Bonus Tuesday" SALE this  Monday and Tuesday - December 2nd and 3rd!

We are offering 20% off ALL of our products in our store...and we mean ALL of them...even bundles that are already marked at a 20+% savings off the individual packs!

Enter code CYBER at checkout and you'll save another 10% off the sale prices courtesy of TPT!

That's a TOTAL of 28% off ALL products and you end up saving about 40%+ on our bundles!  

Here are some items that may be perfect for the holidays, every day, and seasonal fun...

SAVE A TON!!! (40+%)

    


SAVE A LOT! (28%) 

              

GRAB IT FOR FREE!

Here's hoping you have a blessed 
Christmas season!  

Thanks to Krista Wallden for the adorable Cyber Sale Button!

Why is it important to know Why?

Back in the day when we were in elementary school, we never, ever discussed "Why" we were learning things?

We often questioned our teacher, "Why are we doing this?"
Then we would comment, "This is not important! We will never, ever use this skill when we get big!".
The teacher would respond to our questions and comments with , "Just do it because I said so!!"

Well friends...

Welcome to the days where kids get lots of motivation and excitement from learning "Why" they are learning about things!!

Every standard we introduce or work on during the day.... Ok not every standard, but lots of standards during the day, we discuss why it's important for our kiddos to be leaning that standard.

We promise it is painless and quick!
Just tell your kiddos or following an activity, ask your kiddos the standard.
Then, give your kiddos 1 minute to discuss with a friend "Why" it's important to learn that standard.
Then discuss the kids responses as a class. It is amazing the ideas and reasons the kids come up with.

We did model some in the beginning, but here's what our kiddos say...

Teacher-What standard are we working on when we do our lunch graph?
Kiddos- Data Collection
Teacher- Why is collecting lunch data important?
Kiddos- So the ladies will know how much to cook, So you can remember what you chose for lunch, etc...

Teacher- What standard are we working on when we practice letters, sounds, and sight words?
Kiddos- Reading
Teacher- Why is it important to learn how to read?
Kiddos- So we can read to our mom/dad/baby sister/brother. So we can teach our friends to read. So we can get smarter. So we can get a job when we grow up. So we can read signs!

Teacher- What standard are we working at when we do Daily 4 math (math with a teacher, math with a friend, math with a teacher, math by yourself)<
kiddos- Numbers, counting, patterns, more/fewer
Teacher- why should we learn about number and counting??
Kiddos- So we can count how many toys we have. So we can count how many vegetables we get to eat. So we can know how many DOJO points we earned. So we can count to see if we have enough candy to share. So we can count and see who got more snack.

The examples are endless!!
So what can we do with all of this WHY stuff???

It is amazing the students responses change and evolve each time we discuss WHY! It's awesome! Just by answering and discussing WHY, the kiddos get more excited about learning.

Why not let our kiddos reflect on what they are learning and why it's important?  This will also help your kiddos' parents know what's going on in the classroom.

Here's the thing, Jake, my 5th grader and I have the same conversation everyday! This conversations has been going on every single day since prek.

Here is how our conversation goes!
Me- How was your day?
Jake- Fine/ Good/ Ok
Me- What did you learn/ do?
Jake- Nothin.

Seriously! Please tell me you moms and dads out there have similar conversations! I know I try to delve deeper and get more, but it's like pulling teeth!!
Really! He is in school 6 and 1/2 hours! He had to have learned or have done something!!

Well friends, this lengthy blog post (if you have made it this far) is about to send your classroom parents into Parent Heaven! Yes, they will know at least 1 thing their kids learned during the week!

Check out this weekly reflection! Just give it for morning work or as a ticket out the door before recess or whenever you want, but really GIVE IT! Click any image to grab our weekly reflection pages.

The parents will thank you! Not to mention, you have proof of some HOT (higher order thinking) things going on in your room!!

Let us know if you use a reflection form with your kiddos! We would love to see and hear what you do to help your kinders with "self efficacy."

"1st Day in K" sign!

Well---we have been underway for 16 days!  Oh---my---goodness!  Time is already flying by.

We've been kinda swamped these 1st few weeks so we are just getting around to posting some of our 1st day things.  I know most of you guys have started back, but we still wanted to share our version of the SUPER CUTE "1st Day in K" signs we have seen on Pinterest.

I found this AWESOME (already painted gem of a find) orange frame at a local vintage treasures store. Then I headed to the greatest place on earth for crafting...where else....HOOOOOBBBBYYY LOOOBBBBBBBY!  I LOVE that place!  Truly---LOVE!

I bought the wooden letters for something like $1.49 each for the smalls and $2.49 for the biggies.  I have to say I am usually much more of a penny pincher to spend that much on a dang wooden letter collection, but I knew I would use the frame for years AND I could share it with my K friends!

Then Christie (most awesome assistant in the world!) took the letters home for "homework" (as her hubs likes to say) and painted those puppies this awesome neon blue color.

Then a dab of hot glue here and there...and VOILA!!!  SO---STINKIN'---CUTE!

The kiddos looked so adorable!

This is the original pin we saw that caught our eye.  This super cute version is over at First Grade Schoolbox!

Well that's our quickie post for tonight!  Sleep well!