Reading- The School/Home Connection

Hello Everyone!
I have had many second grade teachers contact me about our home reading log and parent/child questions to accompany reading. Reading at home is a huge component in reading success.  I have shared our first grade log before, but I went ahead and added a second grade component to this little packet. We require our first graders to read at least ten minutes every evening. I included a note to parents about second graders reading twenty minutes.  Take a peek!

If you would like your own free printable reading pack click HERE!!! :)

Thanks for stopping by for a peek!!  
If you are one of my students, grab a book!  Grab a book NOW!! :)

Joyfully!
Nancy

If I Can Think It...

Hello Everyone!
My summer has been off to a busy start. Lots of Professional Development, lots of curriculum writing and integrating for the district, campus retreat...and that was just this week!  Our district does an amazing job of providing so many opportunities for us to grow as educators.  One book study many of us chose to do is using the book "...And with a Light Touch" by Carol Avery. (readily available on Amazon)

  I have just started the book but am thrilled already with the validation I am feeling.  The author portrays a classroom where a responsive environment provides some exciting growth in students' reading and writing.  Starting with what interests each kiddo and growing from there makes so much sense! That is how our district encourages teachers to teach writing. From that writing comes reading. I couldn't help but to pause and recreate my little mini poster.  I've posted this before with a different design, but melonheadz graphics are becoming some of my favs, so I knew I had to use some of her cute kidlets.

This little poster reminds me and the kids that we can all be writers and readers!!

If you want a free printable, simply click HERE!! :)

Well, off to do some more reading!!  Happy Days!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

  

Think Outside the Box- a Second Shipment!

Hello Everyone!
One of my favorite morning warm ups is our Think Outside the Box Thursday.  I think it has become one of my kids' favorite as well. And I've had parents say they love them too!!  I have posted about this before, but I want to share my second shipment of this packet.  If you are one of my kids or parents reading this, go ahead... print off the new ones and keep your creative juices flowing all summer! Before I share the link for the down load, I want to share one of my favs from the year. We did this one during our popsicle unit.  
If you aren't familiar with them, The kids are given a simple line drawing. They are to create something new out of it. I tell the kids that I want them to think of something no one else will think of. Well, this little guy did!! 

He turned his page sideways and turned it into a guy with a cold blowing his nose!!  Loved it!!

My new pack has 40 different activities for the kids to do.

An example of one of the pages

For the Second Shipment of Think Outside the Box, click HERE!!

For my first set, click HERE!!

Let me know if you have used some of the first pack and how the kids did with them!

Til next time, thanks for stopping by to take a peek!  Have a great week!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Ahhhhhhhhh.........

Hello Sweet Friends!
Phew! Ahhhhhh!  Wow!  Sniff!  Another year with first graders is over.  I do have to tell you that this past week was so bittersweet for me.  It is no secret that teachers take their students and carry them in their hearts.  Some people say that they love teaching because there is a beginning and and end every year. I find it hard to accept the "end."  Each of these littles will have a spot in my heart for who knows how long.  Some of them forever!! Lots of tears while saying goodbye...No! Not goodbye...See you later!! :)

The last couple of weeks of school have been busy with a fun popsicle unit.  I shared the unit already, but I added some fun components, so you may want to download again. 
The unit included a simile activity that I decided to create a craft connection as a publishing component. Here are a few pics.

After brainstorming some fun popsicle similes, the kids turned them into poems by writing some of them on paint chip samples. They added a popsicle stick and tah dah!! A sweet, colorful way to publish! 

The last week of our popsicle unit brought some fun ways to practice some math and personal finance. (Yes personal finance is one of our objectives! ) We created a little popsicle shop and had the kids earn money for doing things during the week.  They collected coins in little bags and set goals for what they wanted to buy at the end of the week.  The kids had opportunity to trade coins in. When they got 5 pennies, they traded for a nickel, etc.  
On Friday they were able to "buy" the popsicle of their choice if they had enough money. 
We also made some fun little "Soda Jerk" hats. Too cute! 
Here are a few pics.

Directions for soda jerk hats are included in the unit update.

Waiting to purchase a yummy popsicle!

For a new and improved version of my popsicle unit, click HERE!!! :)

Oh my! I am going to miss these kiddos!!!  
So stay tuned for more first grade fun because I'm not ready to let them go!! 
Joyfully!
Nancy

All Of Our Noses Are Here!

Hello Everyone!
We have 8 days left in the school year.  As I work on my End Of Year DVD for my sweeties, I can't help but realize that so many pictures I've captured this year are of my kids reading...noses in books!! I strive to incorporate as much "nose time" as I can throughout our learning day.  "Nose time" does not include teacher directed activities, reader's response activities, or worksheets! It includes kids with books in hands and noses in books! :) 60-90 minutes!  Research tells us that there is no substitute for real reading if we want our kids to grow as readers, writers, thinkers, talkers, and communicators!
 I also noticed that those noses were in lots of different comfortable places.  When you think about your own reading, you read best when you are comfortable. Right??? I love to snuggle up with a book in my oversized leather chair. (Or on a beach towel with my toes in the sand!) It is amazing how you can drift away with a book when you are comfortable!! I let my kids sit anywhere when reading independently. They do get creative!!
Today I'm sharing a couple of mini posters to help motivate you and your kids to have lots of "Nose Time!"

Click HERE for your 6 page unit of mini posters!

Reading in the tub!!!  Rub-a-dub-dub!

We love to read outside!!

 Any way you like it!!

Even under your desk!

Find your cozy spot and get your nose in a book!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Oklahoma, you are in our hearts!

Popsicle Pizzazz!

Hello Everyone!
Wow! What a week!  I am so sorry I haven't posted in a while.  We had a huge musical production on Thursday evening which included a cast of our 100+ first graders. Each one had either a dancing or speaking part along with singing 5 songs.  It was spectacular! The support we had while working on this memorable event was amazing, and having an audience of over 400 guests (standing room only) was thrilling!! I will post some pics soon!! 
Right now I would love to share a fun, cool crosscurricular unit that can take you right into summer. It's all based on popsicles.  Here are a few pics from the 60 page free unit!

Table of Contents

Craft Connection

Five, Six Pick Up Sticks!

Strategy Game

Play a game called Popsicle Scramble!

4 poems with readers response opportunities

A set of 23 thinking challenge cards with a popsicle stick theme
to get your free 62 page downloadable printable of this cool unit, click HERE

I am so looking forward to the next 3 weeks with my little sweeties.  They have learned so much and have had a little fun along the way!!  Stay tuned for more updates!! Thanks for stopping by our little window on wonder!!
Joyfully!
Nancy