My point of this post is to make you laugh, like I did. We are all so serious with getting our kids off to their “back to school” first day of school. Or/and we are tirelessly working in our classrooms. If you find this post not funny, please send me pictures that are funny! Let’s laugh together now!
Yes, Dad’s backpacks do come in all sizes!
Someone does not spell well!
What the what? No Way! These are not on the school supply list – anywhere!
Yep, parents are celebrating…don’t deny it!
I just added Power Points for almost every letter of the alphabet. Some were made by me, some by other amazing teachers! I also added some word wall words that go along with every letter too. Just click on the pages at the top of my blog to access the files. More things you can download: sight words for Kindergarten, colors and shapes Power Points, very short poems, GT items, centers and Science fun!
Kindergarten welcome Power Point This is what I plan to show to my parents and students during “Meet the Teacher.” I am so excited and can’t wait to meet my new bunch of smiling kiddos!
So, what is “The Daily 5″? Authors, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser have created these five components to encourage daily reading in the classroom:
1. Read to Self- This is silent reading time. Last year, I began the first 15-20 minutes of the day with silent reading. The students used their book boxes to read. Every book in the box was on the students’ reading level, with nothing too hard or too easy. I allowed students to change books out every few weeks.
2. Read to Someone- This can be buddy reading or reading with a partner. I incorporate this step into my Reading Center, where there are usually 2-3 students at a time. I think that the more students read, the better readers that they will become, as a result.
3. Listen to Reading- I incorporated this into my daily read-alouds. Since I love reading and I love reading to children, I usually read about 2-3 books a day to students. I believe that when children hear more reading, they enjoy more reading.
4. Work on Writing- I this into my Writing Center, where I have pre-stapled books available for students to write and illustrate their own “little books.” Last year, this was the most popular station in my classroom! Writing develops reading skills too!
5. Word Work- I also make this a Center station. I change the activity every 1-2 weeks. This is where I include activities for the phonics skill, which I work on during Guided Reading groups. So, if the skill is -at words, th- words or beginning sounds-I place an activity about it here.
I am excited to use The Daily 5 again this year!
Here are the boxes-filled with books!
I absolutely love books! I always teach my students that books are like money-so treat them well. As a child, I always enjoyed reading as a hobby, but I developed a love for books because of my seventh grade teacher, Mrs. Dalyrymple. She was always bringing in a new book to read, that she had just bought at a second hand book store. I don’t even remember any of the books that she read, but I do remember her excitement and joy that came from reading a book aloud.
As a teacher and mom, I can’t help but do the same thing. Books excite me-especially when I find one for less than a dollar at the Goodwill store. I hope that I awaken a love for books and learning, within my students too!
Here are some of my favorite books, that I love to read at the start of a new school year!
This is my newest favorite. It is such a cute story about how the classroom of students made a gingerbread man and then went out to recess. When they came back-he was gone. Now, they must search the school to find him. Along the way, he is out searching and meets the staff a the school (the nurse, principal, librarian, coach). It also comes with a poster of the cute gingerbread man from the book, which has a black and white copy to reproduce for your kiddos!
I want to use props this year to let students help me act out the story (lunchbox, sandwich, mouse stuffed animal). I think it will be very interactive this way.
I like to think-aloud as I read this lovely story, and have the students help me compare the Kindergarten classroom in the story (full of animals) to our classroom.
This is the Reading Station. Each basket is sorted by theme based on the books that I own (fairy tales, Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Jan Brett, animals, insects, ABC and numbers. I also have animals and hats for role playing.
I traced some puzzle pieces (floor puzzle) to make this bulletin board. Once I get my student roster, I will be writing each child's name on each puzzle piece!
These cute ABC kids signs are from Lakeshore Learning store. I will be ticky-tacking the sight words under each letter, as I introduce them.
This is the Hitachi interactive whiteboard that I have for student use. Check out the cool laptop cart, to go along with it (complete with projector)!
This is the Guided Reading group table-where all the phonics magic of reading will happen!
I got these cute Center/Workstation labels from Teacher Heaven. I plan to assign 2 students per station, to minimize behavior problems.
My new easel arrived! It is magnetic. I plan to use it for my morning message that I write to the students each morning. The rules poster will be completed as a class together. Then each student will sign on the bottom.
My school bought these nice letter/sound tubs from Lakeshore Learning. They have cute little objects inside, for each letter. The tree you see was made out of a Pringles can, felt leaves that I cut out and glitter sticker letters that I got from Wal-Mart.
I ran out of shelves, so I placed my puzzle center under the Calendar area board. The students will be making the puzzles on the floor anyways!
I will be hanging student work here!
My big book station is tucked nicely on a shelf with the books laid flat.
