My Newsletter

I really enjoy looking at other people's ideas, so I thought I would post my newsletter.  I include any important dates and information, what we are studying, homework information, spelling/vocabulary list, and my email address.  You are welcome to use my format.  It was a template from Microsoft Office I believe.

My Newsletter  <--------Click to see and download

For some reason, google docs doesn't seem to hold the formatting.  When it downloads it should look similar to the screenshot above.

Daily 5 Free Resources

As I was introduced to the Daily 5 this year, I have totally embraced it.  Teaching is fun again and I see my students progressing even further than they have ever been before when I taught by direct instruction, Reading First, or REA.  While I was surfing Pinterest for ideas, I came across this wonderful webpage with tons of resources that are completely FREE for the daily 5.

Teachers' D5 Share and Swap Stop  <-------Click here for free stuff!!!!!

These are two of my babies this year reading to someone (although not correctly but this was the first day) but granted, they were reading independently before October!

Here are two of my other babies reading with a partner correctly on the same day!  I'm so proud of them and the progress they are making.  I love the Daily 5!

Sight Word Jenga!

Though they're used frequently in print, sight words can be confusing for new readers because they don't often sound they way that they appear. But recognizing sight words is an important part of learning to read successfully.

Looking for a fun way to expose your first-grader to more sight words? Here's an activity that puts a new twist on a classic game to help your child's reading skills by creating wooden word blocks and playing Sight Word Jenga!

What You Need:

• Blank wooden rectangular blocks, available at toy stores or teacher supply stores
• Permanent marker
• Lists of sight words and vocabulary (Use this kindergarten sight word list or first grade sight word list)

What You Do:

1. Use the permanent marker to write one word on each of the blank blocks. Sight words (like "the", "always", "anything", and "every") are great to use. You can use the sight word list above, or use words and vocabulary from your child's spelling lists or favorite books.
2. Stack the blocks up into a tower.
3. Players will take turns. On each turn, a player will pull out one wooden block from the tower. If the tower does not fall, the player must then use the word written on the block in a sentence.
4. The objective of the game is to pull out as many word blocks as possible without knocking the tower over. The first person to make the tower fall loses that game.

Money poem

I enjoyed the Money Poem my partner had, but I didn't not have it, so I created it!  It has the poem on the money fronts and it's available free at TPT.  Just go to my store!

Teacherslmf's store

Voices Chart

I have seen Debbie Diller's voices chart all over Pinterest.  I created a version similar to another I saw on Blogger. I have uploaded my copy for free at TPT.

Free Voices Chart

This was my inspiration.  I didn't include the Noise-O-Meter Title, I am using positive classroom management this year, and the noise to me has negative connotations.  Plus, I want my students to make a positive choice.