Happy New Year 2025

 Hi All!!  

I truly can't believe we are scrambling so close to 2025!!  Thank you to those who have sent quick messages about my New Year's Unit!!  Here is a shortened version of Happy New Year for 2025.  It does include the "Knock Your Socks Off activity for those who specifically asked for that!!

Happy New Year 2025--Click HERE!!!

Have the best new year ever!!

Love and Joy to all!

Nancy

Hi All!! So many asking for 2024 new year unit.  Here it is!  

Happy Happy Holidays!!!

:)

Nancy

happy new year 2024   Click this link, download

Happy New Year 2023!

 Hey Everyone!!!

Thank you so much for the reminders about putting out my Happy New Year unit for 2023!!  You are the best!  Life has gotten in the way the past year and I really can't believe it is almost December!!  Thank you for your patience!

Here's the new unit! :)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19iTx5ocpGu0LEIfBnC-1RfH_-qJW3h-a/view?usp=sharing

Click this link. Download and print!

Thanks everyone!!

Have the best holiday season ever and 

Happy New Year!!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Happy New Year 2022

 Hey Everyone!!

Had a couple minutes, and I've had several of you asking for an updated Happy New Year unit!  Here it is!!  Have fun, all! Click the link!

Happy New Year 2022

Love to all!

Nancy

Happy New Year 2021

 Hey Everyone!

Hope all are well!  If you need an updated version of my Happy New Year Unit, here's the link for the printable download.

Happy New Year 2021

The unit includes the "I'm going to Knock you Socks Off "activity along with about 50 pages of new year fun!

I'll be back soon with updates on what's been going on with me!  thank you to all those who reached out to check on me because of my lack of posting.  You all are the best!!!

Love to all!

Nancy

Happy New Year!!

Howdy Friends!!
  This time of year I get a ton of requests for an update to my Happy New Year Unit.  Well, surprise!! Here it is!  My goodness, time flies!!!

This unit is not only updated to reflect the year 2020, but includes a ton of activities for ELA and Math!  Hope you can use even a small part of it!  Click on the link below to grab your free printable copy!

CLICK HERE!!! HAPPY 2020!!

Love and JOY to all looking through the Window on Wonder!! WOW!!!

Nancy

My Wish and My Journey

Hello Everyone!!
I am in tears right now reading all the email I have received asking about my lack of posting.  Thank you for your concerns, care, and questions!  It has been a crazy long time since my last post, so your comments and email messages have lit a fire and put things back into perspective.  I have been so incredibly busy trying to manage all my passions...family, friends, school, curriculum, church, neighborhood, bookclub, Carson's Crusaders, and many more. I know you all have some of the same challenges. I finally took a step back and took a breath.

My Wish...
Our entire school just finished using the book, Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, as our read-aloud. 

Red is an oak tree on which the town’s people tie their wishes every May. The author writes this story from the perspective of that tree,

the tree named Red.

Red has seen every kind of wish possible.  Some of those wishes cause hearts to change and grow,

with Red’s positive attitude and help!

This lovely story is one of heartbreak, healing, 

acceptance, and friendship. 

Although parts of this story were a challenge for first graders to understand, the idea of finding joy in diversity, acceptance, and friendship nestled in their hearts, and oh, the discussions we had! If you have not had the opportunity to experience this delightful book, please go get it right now!

The Wishtree spurred me on to collect some of my thoughts, my wishes for my students, for teachers, for parents, and really for all.

I compiled the thoughts into a little printable mini poster unit for you.

I hope you will find some inspiration

 in some of this. 

My wish for you is that you will feel

 the blessings that every opportunity, whether it be in teaching, parenting, learning, or even just living, has to offer. 

My wish is that you find and choose

 JOY in your journey. 

Here are a couple of pics available in the unit!

If You Are Interested in this FREE printable unit, Joyfully, CLICK HERE!!

If you noticed from the title of this post, this second part is "My Journey."  I hope you have been able to tell that my journey in the field of education has been filled with creating meaningful, integrated lessons and learning opportunities for kids! I have shared so many of those lessons with you, and still have soooo many to share! More often than not lately,  I find myself dreaming of creating more and more lessons and resources, and not having the time to do that!  Sooooo, my plan is.... after 38 years as an educator... to retire from the classroom to spend more time on writing, publishing, and sharing.  I really can't believe it has been 38 years! What a journey it has been! I have been so incredibly blessed. 

In order to supplement a retiree's income, I have gone ahead and opened a TPT store (just a couple of things in it so far) and will soon open another store on another site, but please don't worry!!  I will absolutely continue this little blog with free stuff because you all have been a huge support for so many years. You don't know how much I appreciate all the kind notes, messages, e-mail, and even little surprise gifts of encouragement!  Thank you! Thank you!! I will still be here to support you in this truly amazing journey! So...Please stay tuned!!! 

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll talk to you soon!

Joyfully!

Nancy

firstgradewow@gmail.com

  

Snowmen at Night- Let's Play!

Hello Everyone!!

Happy Holidays, all!! I hope your's were all you wanted, needed, and more!!  I was able to spend so much quality time with my family, it was all I needed to rejuvenate after a very busy fall semester. 2019 is going to be a wonder-filled year as we welcome a new member to our family!  My son finally proposed to his long time girlfriend and she said, "YES!' We are so excited!!  We love her already and considered her a part of the family years ago, but now it's going to be official!  

There are also some exciting professional things going on in my life, too,  so stay tuned for that news! :) 

I get a ton of e-mail about the fact that my units include a lot of games and fun stuff.  I KNOW!!  I truly believe that kids are so much more engaged in their learning when they are "playing!"  It's a wonderful thing!  Six year olds are not wired to sit still at a desk and just listen to the teacher and fill out worksheets.  (Adults aren't either, for that matter!) Of course there has to be some "sit still and listen," but not exclusively, by any means!
 As I was thinking about this last week, I inspired to create this ultra mini unit using the book, Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner.  It's one of my favorite books to read in January. I usually just read and discuss, maybe do a quick response, but this year I wanted to add a bit more. So here you go! Let's PLAY! :) I especially can't wait to do the potato print snowmen with the kids!!

Gotta love some Mr. Rogers!!

All directions to create this are included in the unit!

If you are interested in a little "playing around,"
CLICK HERE FOR THE UNIT!

Well, my winter break is just about over, so I guess I better go knock some "to do's" off my list!!  Here's wishing you a wonder-filled and playful week back!  Thanks for stopping by this little "Window on Wonder!"
Joyfully!
Nancy

Questions? Problems?
firstgradewow@gmail,com

Happy Holidays, Christmas Crunch, and New Year!!

Hello Everyone!!
Gahhhhhhh!!  I hate how long it has been since my last post!  I don't have to tell you, though, how busy this time of year is!  We, of course have had a ton going on at school, but we also have had some wonderful things going on personally.  My oldest son has finally popped the question to his loooooong time girlfriend!!!  We couldn't be filled with more joy!  Jordan and Jenny who live up in Cleveland, Ohio, and are in the broadcast arena, are so great with and for each other.  So incredibly blessed!!  
Amid the family time, the celebrations, and the travel, I was able to put together a couple of new things for the holidays, a Christmas Crunch activity, and an Ultra mini New Year Unit.  Thank you to those who e-mailed as asked for the updated version from last year.
First, the Cap'n Crunch Christmas Crunch mini, mini unit includes a math review and a cr word work activity. 

If you want a little sweet, crunchy fun added to your last week before break, grab a box of Christmas Crunch (I got mine at Target) and print off the unit.

You can get this little cutie HERE!! CLICK!!

Next, I have an ultra mini new year unit for you!!  Finally! Sorry it has taken me so long!

Here's the link to the MINI MINI unit! CLICK HERE!!

That's it for now!  I have got to get started on my gifts for my kiddos! Time is running out!! 

If I don't get back to posting before Christmas, I hope you know how much I appreciate your sticking with me, being patient with me, and supporting this little blog. I want to thank you for what you do for kids! The world is a better place because you care about kids!  Have a wonderful holiday season and a most blessed 

New Year!!

Joyfully!

Nancy 

Kindness and Santa's Sack of CK Words

Hello Everyone!
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving break.   We had so much lovely family time filled with cooking, laughing, playing games, reminiscing, getting Christmas stuff up, shopping, and showing kindness in so many ways.  I am truly a little sad to see it winding down, the last of the feast gobbled up, and family going home.

Over the week off I did have some time to think back to the teachers who have made the greatest impact on my life.  All the ones who came to mind are the ones who were kind. Showing kindness helps to establish trust and rapport, which in my case opened the door to learning. Even discipline was more effective when administered with kindness. I have tried to show that to my own children as they grew, and I strive to show that same kindness to my students.  Some days are harder than others.  Days when I'm not as organized as I should be, when the kids just aren't getting "it," or when the interruptions keeeeeeep coming (You know those days!). I am absolutely going to work my very hardest to be the example of kindness I know I can be.  
Speaking of kindness, my kids learned all about the kindness of both the Pilgrims and the Native Americans during the first few years of life in the New World.  Here are a few pics of our celebration of that kindness.

Getting Ready For The Feast!

A Cornucopia of Fun For Dessert!

YUM!!

I love their words so much! 

My first act of kindness after this break is to share a quick little unit with you!  "Santa's Sack of -CK Words"  is a quick, fun little intro and practice of when to use ck at the ends of words. We are tackling that tricky spelling rule this week.  Here's what I came up with!

If you have that spelling rule coming up in the next few weeks, you can get this little mini unit...

HERE!!! Just CLICK!

I hope your week back is filled with much kindness!

Till next time...thank you for stopping by this little window on wonder! 

Joyfully!

Nancy

firstgradewow@gmail.com