Monday Meet Up With The Teaching Tribune

Just for fun, I am linking up with the teaching tribune for "Meet me Monday." This week the focus is to talk about things that you are thankful for! 

You probably did not know that I am half Puerto Rican and the entire half is in my hair!!! I am thankful for my flat iron because it has saved me from having to always wear my hair extra frizzy curly!!!!

I have admired this lady ever since I was 11 years old. That was the time I discovered her! Unfortunately, I missed all of her early career.  Happily, I have been able to get caught up through YouTube.  

This video makes me laugh!

  I realize that even mega-superstars have an awkward phase!!! 

   

Thank you to all the people who have posted Olivia videos. I could go on about my favorite singer, but covering a career that spans decades would take a lot of time.  Gratefully, Olivia has always inspired me and that takes me to number 3...

I love to karaoke livvy's old country and folk songs.  The ones that I missed in my childhood or missed because I did not exist!  I have had a karaoke machine in my life since I was 18.  I find singing is fun, stress relieving, and makes me feel like the superstar of the living room!  Thankfully, I never get flack for my hours of karaoke! My husband just retreats to the man cave.  He tells me I have a great singing voice, but does not enjoy my choice of songs.  He would surely never lie to me about my singing.

Return to the "Teaching Tribune" to read more great posts!

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins (K.CC.B.4)

I'm linking up with Deanna Jump's "Lets Talk About Books" linky!

This book was found at a used book store down in Long Beach.  It is great for reinforcing numbers 0-10, for introducing the concept of subtraction or one less.  It can also be used to teach animal sounds.  It would be perfect if you are doing an apple themed or farm unit!

The book begins with 10 apples on a tree. The tree progressively loses one apple as different animals eat one.  The farmer wants to have some apples saved for him.

 The pattern of the book continues down to zero...

...until they find another apple tree.

Here are some fall themed number flip books that I never got around to posting last year and would go well with this book... 

numbers 6-9 apple themed

numbers 2-5 fall themed

You get these free by clicking the link below.

Fall Number Review Flip Books

Kindergarten Writing Sight Word Booklet Freebie and something FUN!!

Okay fun first!!

This is a quick Easter project that is perfect for the Friday before the holiday.  It can be done in one period and taken home immediately. If you are looking for something quick and easy this is for you!

Chick Project

Bunny Project

For the past several months, my class has been working on writing sentences independently.  This was a progression as many came in knowing only how to write their name and others were not even able to form letters!!

In the very beginning, we simply worked on properly forming letters.  The next stage consisted of copying a sentence, followed by writing sentences from thinking maps. All the while, we worked on interactive writing to model some of the writing processes, such as use of finger spaces, capitals, punctuation and the return sweep etc.

My final step was to model writing a sentence independently.  We did this several times over a course of several weeks.  While I knew some students would have been able to do this task very easily, the majority needed more support.  My procedure involved taking a student suggested sentence and walking the class through my thinking. For example, if a student suggested, "I like to play outside," I would demonstrate that the first four words were on our sight word list and all was needed was to copy these.  The final word "outside" would need to be sounded out slowly and the sounds that were heard written down.  I did not necessarily spell these words correctly. I elicited answers from the children. I wanted to teach students that they would get closer to the correct spelling as they practiced and I wrote the conventional spelling underneath our attempt so they would be used to seeing this. 

The very first time we tried this independently, I had to stop children from copying each other.  So many were very hesitant to attempt this themselves.  Some how I managed to get most to try this independently, but it was not easy. I had to insist and did not accept a paper copied from a neighbor. I wanted each student to use their own mind and skills.  I also ran into some trouble as students could not remember how to spell the needed sight words. Several children wanted to take a walk over the pocket chart where these are kept. And of course, they all needed the same words!(They don't call them high frequency for nothing!)  It was then that I knew I needed to create a booklet containing their sight words. Individual books were really helpful as we learned through the vision and hearing screening that several students have vision problems and a word wall would not be ideal. Besides, who has the wall space? 

Students keep these booklets at their table and use them on writing days.

I am posting this here if you might be interested in using it. Click on the image to download. 

As we continued our writing over the course of the next few weeks, I found that some of the more able student were telling other students they were "doing it wrong." This when when I pulled out Heidi's developmental stages of writing and attached a copy to each child's work.  Each child could see that there are many ways to write nobody so can be "wrong." (This was also a great way for parents to see where their child was on the spectrum.) If you haven't grabbed this already, you should visit her site and snag a copy. 

Heidi's Writing Rubric

Enjoy watching your class learn to express themselves through their writing.  

Word Problems in Kindergarten

  Happy Spring! 

My class and I have been taking on a more challenging form of word problem for subtraction.  Not only do we use the "some went away" format, but we are also studying missing part word problems. 

One of the presenters of the January Common Core conference, mentioned that we may fall short if we only teach kids subtraction in the manner where something goes away.  With the new testing for common core on the horizon, we know students will be required to solve more math word problems.  It's not just computation anymore!!

So I stepped up our game plan!
 Watch this video of the children solving these word problems!
Don't see it...click here to see it on SchoolTube.

I was delighted to discover that if I used number frames, almost all the children could be successful in solving these types of problems. I was also exciting to hear the language of the word problems being used in the explanations!!!

Click here if you would like to try this yourself with an Earth Day themed math reader.
Recycling Word Problem Reader

Fiction and Nonfiction Sort (Five for Fri.)

I worked with guided reading groups on this skill.  We reviewed the differences between nonfiction and fiction. Then we sorted our reading books under each heading.  These were very quickly handwritten on whiteboards. But I have since made nicer posters to laminate and use for future groups.  Keep on reading!

Click each image for a copy.

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Had to say goodbye to this display this week to make room for new projects... Sad to see it go.  I really like the way it turned out.

I'll also have to take down these adorable writing assignments about the presidents as well.

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Trying desperately to get students to learn these words fluently. We played this bean bag game to trick them into studying!  We said each word we were trying to hit and pointed to the word many times. Then I  changed  up the game by allowing students throw the bean bag to the word of their choice- under the condition that they read it to me.

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I did the same activity twice this week. I gave students manipulatives and put addition or subtraction on the board.  I want these children to become proficient with the two skills.  The first time it did not go so well.  I used linking cubes. Then I came back the next day with this.

After reading the book and listening to the CD. We were all really excited to try addition and subtraction again using groovy buttons! The motivation and success was tremendous!! I could not believe the difference!!

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I am sure you are hitting word families hard and heavy!! My class really enjoys making the words with the cut out letters.

I am posting " ig" cut out letters here if you would like to use it.

The week of St. Patrick's Day we will working on "ug."

So we will be making another headband out of this:

Yours for the taking...

"ug" headband

Easy Peasy February Activities!

I thought I would do a quick post to share some of the activities I am planning (or have done) this month! All be these activities can be done with little or no prep! 

First, here is a the Valentine bag we are making! You can do these in no time!!! I did not use special paper.  This is just regular copy paper with red hearts from a craft punch.  The bag is a giant size lunch bag from Walmart to fit more goodies! I made the students do their own cutting and gluing. I used rounded templates to give them ease with cutting. (The picture shows my sample, but the students did a good job using scissors!)

Valentine Bag Head and Body 

and you will also need these....

Valentine Bag Bear Paws

 We are studying word families and we wanted to have a headband for Valentine's Day, so this is what I came up with!

Get it here: "ip" word family.

Save this one for next year.  I was not planning to share this. It just went so well for me, I wanted to add it.  I did this on the fly!! Hey, I forgot all about Groundhog's Day with it being on a weekend!! I just used regular copy paper again. Students did the coloring and cutting.  Luckily, I have paper plates and craft sticks handy. I quickly folded and cut out the hole in the bottom of the paper plates.  I also assisted with the glue on the sticks.

I got the idea for this creation from here, but I did not see any templates for it, so I made my own to use. Maybe, you will want to try this yourself.

Groundhog Day Project

Punctuation Sort (free) K.L.2b

I created this punctuation sort to get students thinking about end marks and get them to become more aware of each type.  My hope is that this will transfer into their writing and they will be thinking about what is needed when they create sentences. Many students are not remembering to add any end punctuation.  

Punctuation Sort

Directions:  Students cut on the broken line and glue the top strip on the top of an envelope.  Then they cut the individual pieces out to sort.  When they are done sorting, they can store the individual pieces inside the envelope.

********If this is the first time you have used envelopes like this in class, you will need to tell your students not to lick them shut!!!*****

Here is a small booklet to reinforce punctuation.

Punctuation Booklet

This is a link to my video that matches this booklet.

Punctuation Song