I Heard You Kindergarten Teachers! :)

Hello Everyone!
This post is for the sweet kindergarten teachers who left comments and e-mailed me about our reading log.  Earlier I shared our reading log for first and second grade.  I heard you, K's!  I have now included a reading log, parent letter and school/ home connection questions for K!

For your free updated Reading School/Home pack, click here!! :)

Hope this helps!!  I appreciate Kindergarten teachers!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

JOY

Hello Everyone,
Joy.  It is such a simple and small word. But those of you who know me know that this word is one that I want to surround myself with.  I believe that when you do experience true joy, you know it!  I have this word displayed no less than ten times in my house in one form or another.  I also have it displayed in my classroom. My students all know that Joy is my favorite word and what we strive for!
When I think of my classroom and the kids with whom I work alongside, I want there to be an abundance of joy.  Joy is everywhere and all around us. I want to have a smile on my face and on my kids' faces because of a joy-filled classroom. It should never get so busy, so stress-filled, so crazy that you can't see the joy around you. I want to give my kids the joy of learning new things.
On the last day of school, my sweet friend, who also happened to be my room mom, gave me a book I will treasure always.  Thank you L!!!

Every page is a statement about the wonder of joy.  

It got me thinking about what education has to do with joy and lo and behold Albert Einstein said it best! 

 "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."

So....I, of course, had to create some little mini posters with this quote on them.  4 different designs!

 I'm going to print out the bandanna one for my classroom.  If you would like some...You can joyfully click here! Yes! They're free! :)

Here's to finding your joy!

Thanks for stopping by and peeking in on mine!

Have a great weekend!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Eat Your Words Pack

Hello Everyone!
I have had so many requests for a single document that includes all my "Eat Your Words" word work printables.  So I finally had a chance this morning to combine all the pieces into one.  If you are not familiar with them...One fun, easy, yummy way to practice word chunks is by incorporating some kind of edible manipulative. By adding this element, kids practice writing and then zero in on the specific chunk by overlaying with an edible.  Each edible actually has the chunk in it that kids are working on. Kids will recognize and associate the edible word from environmental print!  Lots of connections going on!!  And then, of course, they get to EAT! ( I do have to be careful of any allergies or dietary restriction my kiddos have!) 
In this little packet you will get about 30 pages of "Eat Your Words" word work printables.  I've included 2 "random" chunk printables using Alphabits cereal and Cheez-It crackers. Sometimes you will be working on a chunk that has no clear edible choices. 
Here's a peek:

For your free "Eat Your Words" pack click here!! :)

Hope this helps your word work time!!  

As always, thanks for stopping by for a peek into our world of wonder!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Reading/Writing Roving Conferences

Hello Everyone!
Yes, I am still around.  I have not started my summer yet.  I've been working hard with a small group of amazing ladies to integrate our social studies and reading curricula.  This kind of integration is right up my alley, so I had to say yes when approached about doing this for our district.  We have about 5 more days of work before we will be ready to share. Lots of work, but fun and I think, rewarding!
 I am also working on a district sponsored facebook book study. I think I mentioned last time that we are reading "...And With a Light Touch" by Carol Avery.  Great resource for teachers of K-1 reading and writing.  In her book she devotes some time talking about little mini conferences for both reading and writing, and trying to conference with every kiddo every day. I am going to strive to do that this coming year.  But knowing that I am the worst when it comes to documentation, I knew I needed a quick form to show with whom I've conferred and just a place to show observations. Here's what I created based on my reading.

These short sheets are meant to be a quick documentation of observations from a roving conference, just check or highlight.They are not meant to take the place of guided reading anecdotes or records.

For a very quick conference observation sheet, move quick and click here! :)

Let me know if you can use these, or if you would like to see them in a different form.

As always, thanks for stopping by!  

Joyfully!

Nancy

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