Pete the Cat Template for Rhyming Craftivity

We'll get back to Pete in a minute, but first I want to let you know about these events over at Teacher's Notebook. First, head over to read my teaching tip article...

Click to go the Teaching Tip page!

Back to Pete...

I know I am a bit slow creating something for Pete. Everyone posted items for him last year!

I am going to try to get a ahead of the game! I just visited the Harper Collins Children's website and discovered that many more adventures for Pete are on the way! I can't wait to see what I can do with these...

This book seems like it will be perfect for the beginning of the school year.

My activity is based on the first book, Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes!

I thought I would create an activity that would review colors and introduce rhyming together.  Also, I wanted it to be something that I could hang up to decorate the room.  

My class last year loved Pete!  Many purchased the "I can read" versions of his stories to read by the end of the year.  I hope this project creates a new generation of Pete lovers that are motivated to read! Click the image to get your copy!

Rhyming Bridge Thinking Map Freebie

I have created another couple of Educreations lessons.  These are rhyming lessons to use with my rhyming bridge map.

 The second Educreations lesson is here if you would like to use it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This bridge map has been a work in progress for a while.  The first time it did not line up at all.  After several tries, I believe I have remedied this problem. Unfortunately, there was no place for the "RF" (relating factor) in the revised version. Perhaps students can write these on the back or it can written as a heading for a wall display.

Bridge Thinking Map Template

(print a copy, cut apart on the dotted lines, glue the two pieces together to create one long bridge map.)

Rhyming Pictures

_________________________________________________

If you're like me and unable to attend any fancy conferences this summer, don't fret!  I have been getting professional development free from the comfort of my couch by using the following resources from Whole brain Teaching.

 Check it out because I think it could be helpful to you!

                                                                                                               

Syllables with Mr. Syllabot Freebie

Here is a short video demonstrating how to teach syllables using my Mr. Syllabot resources available at my TPT or TN stores. 


Here is a Syllabot Freebie to try.
Click the images to download each of the two parts.

Full project includes templates for the student Mr. Syllabot, 4 pages of sorting cards, large size sample cards to create Mr. Syllabot anchor chart.

End of the School Year and June Randomness

1)  Today is my one year bloggerversery.  My first post ever featured this picture of Ton Jones from "Auction Hunters."  How did I get this?  He came to our school site last school year  and participated in a RC car show for the kids.  He was so sweet he stuck around after the show and met all the children. He even signed autographs for the 6th graders who were absolutely starstruck!!!


2)  My husband insists on doing the Soda Trick every year to entertain the children in my class. Unfortunately, it only lasts a few seconds. We recorded it this time, so the children can relive it as often as they would like!

3)  I cant say enough about the floating and sinking experiments done at the end of the year!  I actually tricked those little ones into learning when they were quite finished with learning!  I began with a group modeling activity and taught the word "hypothesis."  We used the following recording sheet to keep track. 

This picture shows a student's drawing of the item and his hypothesis before the object is tested.  (Can you see the picture of the bear?)

The plastic bear was placed into the water and it floated.

Hypothesis Recording Sheets

You can also return to the previous post to collect this free reader. It  accompanied these lessons! Click the image to return to the previous post.

4)  Having a class pet is a must!  I have a hermit crab that I kept in the classroom this year.  Despite the opinion that hermit crabs make boring pets, I found him to be rather active during the day.  He is a climber and was often seen on top of various objects in the tank.  Many visitors stopped to marvel at him, as well as the children.  As I said, he is a very busy creature.  I recommend getting one of these for  your classroom.  He is very easy to take care of, never became a burden or an extra chore.  

5) Father's day is just around the corner and my son and I plan to make this project from Smart-Bottom Enterprises for the special man in our lives. Check it out!

Floating and Sinking Emergent Reader Booklet Freebie

I was very disappointed that sinking and floating experiments were not included as any part of the next generation science standards.  I love doing this each year with my class and modeling the scientific method. It is simple, affordable, and fun!! 

At any rate, I managed to squeeze this in during the last week of school.  My class was done with intense lessons. They were ready for something different.  They were ready for some hands-on experimentation. And I was able to tie it into reading!!!

I have some nonfiction floating and sinking big books that we read together as a class, like the one below.

In addition, this emergent reader booklet integrates the floating and sinking theme into reading!! And it also your freebie today!!

Click the image below to grab a copy!!

I would also like to share this gem!  I was not able to share it with my class, because it is only available on YouTube and I could not access it through the district server.   However, I played it at home for my second grade son and he was glued to his seat! It is an interactive video. Give it a try on your computer!! (It doesn't work on the iPad.)

Plant Needs Thinking Map

1) By student request, I am embedding this beloved video... 

2) I loved how these Mother's Day bouquets turned out!!   Again, instructions here! 

 3) Plants, Plants, Plants!!  This book comes from Enchanted Learning.

Look at how these pinto beans grew!!

4) This freebie goes with our plant study.

Click the link below for your copy.

Thinking Map for Plant Needs

If you hadn't noticed, I really like things that go together.  When I created this thinking map, I used this video as my inspiration.   

5) Pajama Day!!

AM group

PM group

Digraph Accordion Books and Other Freebies

These are my newest Educreations lessons.  Educreations is a free App for the I Pad so you can download your own and create your own lessons.  Feel free to use these, but be warned there is no editing feature so I could not edit out my gawkiness.     

I used these with my own class and they seemed to enjoy them anyway!

**************************************************************************

I decided it was time to teach my class digraphs when a Words Their Way Spelling Inventory revealed that most students would benefit from instruction in this area.  

So I went back and created more disposable letters for making "sh" and "ch" words.

Students have to cut these out quickly.  I tell them that this is not an art project!!   Here is a tip:  Don't have them throw away scraps until the end of the activity.  They may end up accidentally throwing away letters!!  

I alternate white paper with colored paper so that letters don't get confused with a neighbors.  When I  am out of colored paper, I might put a yellow marker line across the top of alternating papers for the same purpose. 

 Click on the image below to download your copy.

Click on the image below to download your copy.

Finally, my students are working on making these accordion style books for each of these digraphs.

Click each link to download a copy of these. 

Sorry about all the different downloads, but it is easier for me to make my files separate.

Accordion Books

"sh" pictures and words

"ch" pictures and words