I traveled through some fairy tales and found...

Hello Everyone!
We are wrapping up our two week long Reading/Social Studies integrated unit on fairy/folk tales.  We have read so many different Cinderella stories from all over the world, compared, retold, mapped, learned about different cultures, and so much more!  Today we brainstormed some of the different things we found in fairy tales and responded through writing an acrostic and a hands on visual connection.  I love how hard the kids worked on these and the amazing connections they made!! Way to go, kiddos!!

This reader's response activity is included in my Cinderella unit. 
 You can get your activities and patterns HERE!!! Bibbity Bobbity Boo! :) Click! (free!)

Stay tuned for some fun reader's theater clips!!
We are having a ball in first grade!!
Thanks for stopping by for a peek!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Short Vowel Shenanigans

Hello Everyone!!
We are working hard this week on reading and writing short vowel words with accuracy, but somebody came and stole all the vowels!! What???? Then they came and mixed up all the letters!!  Huh?  What's going on?  Such shenanigans!! 
This little packet will have the kids trying to fix all the silliness! Here are a few pics!

Have fun with this packet!!

For your free 15 page packet of shenanigans, click HERE!! :)

Short and sweet tonight!  20 parent conferences in the next 3 days! Can't wait to brag on my little cuties!!

 

Retelling With a "Tell Me Tower"

Hello Everyone!
Story retelling is an effective way to improve children's reading comprehension. For our kiddos who are just starting to develop their reading skills, this practice can be extremely helpful.
Studies on story recall have found that extended use of the technique of story retelling leads to large improvements in story comprehension, making inferences, and understanding of story structure. Rather than having children answer specific questions about story details, story retelling requires children to focus on the bigger picture of the story and allows me to see how well a child understands the story as a whole.
 The goal should be to encourage students to think critically about the story and to improve their comprehension and vocabulary by having them tell their thoughts. As children become more comfortable with retelling stories, their language and listening skills will improve.
I have previously posted about using a retelling rope to aid in the retelling of stories. This year I introduced a "Tell Me Tower."  In the middle of our fairy tale unit, it was a great fit!
I reviewed the important story elements and introduced some little icons to help them remember the elements.  The kids made "Tell Me Towers" from paper towel tubes, construction paper and the icons.  Then they got together with a friend and told each other about a story they had read, or heard.  In this case, it was Cinderella. Some of the kids used the little puppets to also aid in the retelling.
Here are a couple of pics.

 For your own set of "Tell Me Tower" icons, click HERE! :)
(They are part of my Cinderella Unit!)
The kids will keep their "Tell Me Towers" in their book baskets to use consistently with each book they read!
Hope you can use this!  Let me know!!
Until then!
Have a great weekend!
Joyfully!
Nancy  

Marvelous Magnets

Hello Everyone,
Just a quick post today!  Taking my son suit shopping.  Yes, it's interview time!!  He will soon graduate with a double major, computer science and software engineering!  Believe me when I say he has helped me out of some technical situations more times than I can count!!  
Anyway, I know some of you (my teacher friends) will be teaching about magnets soon.  We will hit our little unit next week.  I put together a little mini unit with a final activity where the kids are combining what they know about force and motion with what they just learned about magnets. I also tried to fit in a hint of spelling!! Here's a preview!

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Inspired by AIMS science!

Hope you're "attracted" to this unit! :) If so, click HERE for your free printable unit!

Okay!  Off to spend some quality and probably quantity time with my baby!!

Stay tuned!  I want to share our "Tell Me Towers" with you!! Remember our retelling ropes?  I put a new fun twist on them!!

Till then!

Have a great weekend!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Pumpkin Munchin

Hello Everyone!
This week we are working hard on comparing numbers. This is an important skill as it helps kids develop number sense and build number relationships. We  use a ton of counters, base-ten blocks, number lines, hundred charts, and place value charts to help with the understand of how numbers are ordered. We talk about the fact that in math, an inequality is a statement about the relative size or order of two objects, numbers, or values. This week I introduced the three basic symbols used in inequalities: greater than (>), less than (<), and equal to (=).  We, of course, had to break out the shower curtain for a life sized work mat!  I used this same idea last year, but for some reason couldn't find the mat and had to remake it! 
The kids each got a paper plate with a single digit on it.  We took turns placing our plates on the work mat. Then the kids had to figure out the symbol ("Pumpkin Muncher") to use to make a true number sentence. We checked it with base ten blocks and wrote it on mini whiteboards as well.  
The next day, the kids got to make their own muncher using popsicle sticks. 

For a couple of the printables, click HERE!   

OKEE DOKEE!  Gotta run! Report cards are calling, along with a gazillion assessment reports and conferences to get ready for! Busy time of year! But I love it!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

What's Your Seed Story?

Hello Everyone!
We are working hard during our writer's workshop. Our current focus is writing "small moment" stories.  If you have read any of Lucy Calkins' books, she encourages kids to write about small moments from their lives.  First graders tend to write about very broad topics and just skim the surface of those ideas.  In our classroom we call those "Pumpkin Stories." Great and wonderful, but not many details.  We are now working on zooming in on some of those wonderful memories and picking out one little seed.  Those seeds (small moment memories from our lives) are pretty important and interesting too! Learning how to pick out that seed can be tricky for our littles!  I put together  a little unit to help me help them.  I hope it will help you as well!
Here are a few pics from the unit and from out workings so far.

Pumpkin or seed?

Sorting ideas with a friend!

 Of course I had to bring in the real thing!!! :)

Brainstorming!

I think I want to write about that jar of spaghetti sauce!! :) 

The kids will now work on adding details to their seed stories---because even those seeds are special and important!

If you would like a free printable packet to help with small moment "seed" stories, click HERE!!

14 pages! :)

Writing can be so much fun.  Showing kids how their own small seeds can make great stories is amazing!!  I can't wait for tomorrow!!

Til next time, have a wonderful evening! Keep saving those seeds for writing ideas!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Falling For Force and Motion

Hello Everyone!
Next week we will begin a science unit on force and motion. We will investigate how things move and what changes can occur.  I put together a quick little unit to help support the things we already do. I wanted something to spark the kids curiosity and scientific thinking.  I love the activities included in the AIMS science curriculum, but wanted to put a little fall twist on them.  So...Here are a couple of pics from the unit.

If you need a few things to go along with your force and motion unit
Roll on over and CLICK HERE!! :)

Hope you're having a great weekend.  Til next time, thanks for stopping by!!

Joyfully!
Nancy