Happy day after Thanksgiving! Are you suffering from a turkey hangover like I am?! I don't understand the words "moderation" or "restraint". Needless to say, I'm all about the leggings today :) Since December is quickly approaching...4 more days, what?!?!..I thought I'd revisit an old post all about our classroom elf. Here's a freebie for you and I hope you're able to use it in your classroom this holiday season!!! Click on the picture below to read all about how we celebrated with the elf in our classroom. ... Read More
Reading Comprehension
How's reading coming along this school year? By now I'm sure you're in full swing with guided reading. I recently went to both Indiana and Tennessee for the SDE Kinergarten and 1st grade conferences. I had the opportunity to talk a lot about guided reading (a hot topic!!) and reading comprehension in several of my sessions. If you're looking for some great guided reading phonics activities for teacher table, check out this resource full of tried and true activities I used in the classroom and read about how I used them HERE. If you already have this resource, be on the lookout for Volume 2!!! ... Read More
Getting Ready for Thanksgiving
How many of y'all are in scramble mode right now?! Scrambling to get things planned and prepped for your Thanksgiving festivities...and I don't mean your homebound celebrations. I thought I'd throwback to some old things I've done in my classroom for Thanksgiving and share a couple of new things with you as well. If you're still not done planning and prepping, maybe these ideas will help! First up, here are my favorite Thanksgiving books! Before I throwback, here's a little something new for this year. I created this supplemental math & literacy resource full of printables and writing craftivities to get you ... Read More
Veteran’s Day (& Freebies,too!)
If you're anything like me, you are always looking for more ideas and resources to add to your ever growing collection. I do this for EVERYTHING. Constantly looking for new ideas...more resources...and more time. If anybody can tell me where I can find more time, I'd really appreciate it ;) That to be said, I want to share with you a few ideas to help you get ready for Veterans Day {next week...ALREADY!!!! Gah!!!} I absolutely LOVE teaching my kids about veterans and the sacrifices they make for our freedom. At my old school, veterans related to the students were invited to an assembly and ... Read More
Stoplight Sounds (Freebie!)
So, I was in Wal Mart the other day (I promise this isn't the start of a bad joke ;)) I was grabbing a few things from the travel section and found these great little containers. 97 cents a piece. Of course, there was no way I'd use them for travel purposes, but I knew they'd make a GREAT activity for the classroom! I picked up a red, yellow, and green because I knew I wanted to do something with a stoplight theme. They had orange and blue containers as well. As I was driving home it dawned on me. STOPLIGHT SOUNDS!!!! I could use the lids to segment sounds ...beginning (green)/ middle (yellow)/ end ... Read More
Reading & Writing Simple Sentences
Hey y'all! I've been hard at work and busy planning and prepping a few presentations for several upcoming conferences (hence the radio silence). I'm heading to Indiana, Tennessee, and NOLA in November and I can't wait!!! In the meantime, I wanted to share a few things I'll be discussing in a few of those sessions...particularly guided reading. Today I wanted to take a break from all that planning and prepping (I have a sick one here at home!!!) and talk a little bit about reading simple sentences. First, look at this face. This is not the face of a sick child, is it?! Bless. He's got a case of ... Read More
FrankenFun!
Now that we're in October it's time to focus on all things seasonal. Or is that just me?! ;) I wanted to re-post something I shared last year in case you might be able to use some of these ideas soon! If you're anything like me when it comes to planning, it helps to look at the "big picture" and start planning and prepping materials in advance. These skip counting "hats" were a favorite last year!!! The kids have the option to skip count by 5's or 10's and the hats are super easy to prep. My boys loved them! via FrankenFUN Math Activities & Printables These are some of my most favorite monster ... Read More
CVC Word Work Activities
Hello all! HAPPY WEDNESDAY! There's been a bit of radio silence here since our family arrived last week. We only get to see them 3 times a year, so when they come to visit I lock up the laptop so I won't be tempted to work and I can give all my undivided attention to my favorite people : ) Since they left, we've been trying to clean up from the mess the contractors left when the FINISHED...yes, FINISHED...our bathroom! Praise Jesus, halleluia!!! 5 long months later and we have a bathroom again!! In the last couple of weeks, I've received about 4-5 different emails asking me about introducing CVC ... Read More
Better than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
Yes, my friends. Better than Cinnabon. And that's a bold statement coming from someone who would bathe in their cinnamon gooey-goodness if I could. This is, hands down, the easiest recipe from prep to table. And the tastiest, too. I'm sure this recipe also has a very high caloric intake, so if you're opposed to meal that will make your pants fit a little tighter, abandon reading now. My motto is "everything in moderation". It's just a shame I didn't exercise that kind of restraint when digging in ;) ... Read More
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
If you love banana bread, you MUST try this version!!!! It's definitely the best....and the easiest...I've attempted. I'm not a fan of a banana bread with nuts and this recipe calls for NONE. Yay. And it makes a TON. 6 loaves to be exact. This recipe is not only delicious, but perfect for gift giving, too!!! Anyway you slice it, this bread is DELICIOUS!!! Recipe via House of Smiths ... Read More
