Cara Carroll

Sight Words

Sight Word Fluency

I recently had the privilege of providing professional development for an amazing group of primary teachers. We discussed a lot of different strategies, best teaching practices, and activity ideas. Professional development days are always my favorite...especially when teachers are eager & excited to learn more in an effort to provide kids with every learning opportunity they possibly can. During this particular PD, we talked a lot about sight words. It always fascinates me how the expectations differ from school to school, district to district. At this particular campus, the teachers were using Fry Words as the basis for their … [Read more...] about Sight Word Fluency

5 Tips for Teaching Sight Words – How to Make Them Stick!

Today we're talking all about sight words.  Specifically, my top 5 effective tips for making sight words STICK!  So often we as teachers focus on assessing our student's sight word automaticity in isolation, but overlook the need to reinforce that same instant recall when identifying sight words in context.  We assume that easily reading sight words in context will be a by-product of focused instruction of words in isolation, right?! TRUTH:  I would always get so frustrated when my kids would recall words in isolation with NO problem, but when reading them in context...it was like crickets!  Complete and … [Read more...] about 5 Tips for Teaching Sight Words – How to Make Them Stick!

Valentine’s Day Freebies! – Blending & Sight Word Games

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and today I'm at home nursing a sick child.  There is nothing worse than not being able to help your baby feel better.  This just STINKS.  We could absolutely use the prayers.  Fevers scare the daylights out of me...especially when the Motrin/Tylenol combo doesn't do a thing to relieve them.  For those of you who will be at school tomorrow, here are a few activities you can implement for a little extra fun.  Of course, they'll work perfectly for the month of February as well so no need to put them away after all the Valentine excitement has died down! First up, Valentine Bingo. … [Read more...] about Valentine’s Day Freebies! – Blending & Sight Word Games

Sight Words & Freebies

It's Friday and you know what that means?!?!? Well, nothing really.  Except that it's Friday :)  I love Fridays.  Since I'll be headed to Dallas for the Get Your Teach on Conference on Sunday, I'll miss spending my 12 year wedding anniversary with Mr. Spouse.  SO we'll be celebrating tonight instead.  Yes...I think this might be my favorite Friday of the year so far :) Now let's get right down to it and talk about what we're really here for...SIGHT WORDS!!! I've talked about my Spelling Sticks in some of my conference sessions and frequently get asked if I have a copy to share.  These little sticks sit … [Read more...] about Sight Words & Freebies

Science of March FREEBIES!

Last week I popped in to tell y'all all about the books Abby and I are using for our Science of March resource.  We just released it yesterday!  WOO HOO!!!  Here's a little sample.. Rainbows/Color Science, Clouds, Weather in Spring, and Sun/Moon Stars.  That's a mouthful!  Here's the pacing calendar for those of you who asked... If you're interested in adding this to your science resources, just click on the pic.  Four weeks of detailed science lesson plans plus additional cross-curricular activities, too!  We always put our science resources on sale (20%) off for the first 24 hours, so you can … [Read more...] about Science of March FREEBIES!

Writing Interventions, Guided Reading, Behavior, & Vocabulary (with Freebies!)

Yesterday I had the privilege of talking to some of the most wonderful teachers in the world...my Texas teachers!!!  Okay, so I'm a little biased ;)   Honestly though...it was such a GREAT day in Austin.  SO much to cover!!  Writing interventions, guided reading, behavior management, and vocabulary!  This is how I typically feel after a day full of talking... Hahaha!!  I absolutely love it!  The exhaustion is most definitely worth it!   I promised my Texas teachers I'd pop-in today and leave a few goodies to download :)  If you attended my Writing Intervention session, you might remember me … [Read more...] about Writing Interventions, Guided Reading, Behavior, & Vocabulary (with Freebies!)

Sight Word Saturday!

Hey you guys!!  HAPPY SATURDAY!  If you've been reading along this week, then you know today's the LAST DAY of my little birthday SALE-A-BRATION! Today is my official birthday (WHOOP!!!) and I'm celebrating it at a wedding with the entire family in tow.  I specifically asked for nothing this year so that we could instead spend the weekend doing random acts of kindness.  I have one tiny little favor to ask of you.  Will you join us, too?!   Doesn't have to be anything big.  Just a simple random act of kindness :) Now let's get right down to it and talk about what we're really here for...SIGHT … [Read more...] about Sight Word Saturday!

Sight Word Mastery & Intervention

One of the most frequent questions I get is all about how I teach sight words and what I do for the kids who continue to struggle with retention and application.  That's a tough one, isn't it?!  Especially when kids aren't developmentally ready to retain and apply what they've learned....but that's a whole different post.  Today, let's talk about some classroom tested and effective strategies and activities that are both great for introducting & reinforcing sight words as well as activities that are great for intervention.  For my last couple of years in Kindergarten, my kids (as you know) would come to me at … [Read more...] about Sight Word Mastery & Intervention

Sight Words!!! (Assessment, Activities, Ideas, & FREEBIES!)

Hello friends!   I'm happy to say that after 5 weeks of traveling, I'm finally home and settled for a while!!  I absolutely love getting to meet so many amazing teachers all over the U.S.  It's definitely been the highlight of my year.  Just this past week I had the opportunity to travel to Wichita, KS and work with some of the sweetest, kindest Kindergarten teachers.  And let me tell y'all...they had some GREAT ideas!!!!   One of my sessions covered sight words...mainly quick and easy sight word centers and activities to implement into the classroom for immediate practice and review.  I usually get a … [Read more...] about Sight Words!!! (Assessment, Activities, Ideas, & FREEBIES!)

Snowman Fun, Freebies, and a Place Value Sneak Peek!

Happy New Year, friends!  2015....really?!?! Have you made any resolutions?  Me...notsomuch.  Of course, I always want to be a better version of who I was the year before, but resolutions never quite "stick" if you know what I mean.  Sure...I want to eat healthier.  Work out more.  Get more organized.  Keep the house clean.  Do the laundry...regularly ;)  Yes...I want all those things.  And to eat all the things and still be able to fit into my jeans.  But really...I just want to have a great year filled with lots of laughter and more memories than I can count. Instead of a … [Read more...] about Snowman Fun, Freebies, and a Place Value Sneak Peek!

Let’s Talk Word Walls

If you’re a teacher, there’s a good chance you’ve got a Word Wall in your room {either by desire or demand}.  9 times out of 10, the Word Wall you spent hours planning, setting up, & prepping is just a piece of wall décor.  Am I right or am I totally off base?!  Maybe I’m just speaking from experience.  Hopefully you know what I’m talking about!  I’ve always had a bit of an issue with my Word Walls.  They’re not conveniently located.  At all.  And really, that’s all my fault.  I could make it more accessible.  I would always start out the year with a BANG….like we all do.  I would … [Read more...] about Let’s Talk Word Walls

Sight Wordle – Simple Sight Word Center

Now that we've talked all about the Writing Center, let's move on over to one of my other favorites...the Sight Word Center.  Do you have a sight word center in your room?  I LOVE mine.  A special little center dedicated to nothing but sight words.   This center is filled with TONS of options for the kids.  Playdoh & letter stamps, sight word rings & cards, games, sight word books....the list goes on.  I try not to keep out the same choices any longer than 2-3 weeks because, again, the novelty wears off.  I'll always bring back activities at different times of the year, but I like to change it up … [Read more...] about Sight Wordle – Simple Sight Word Center

Ready, Aim, FIRE!

I don't know if I told y'all this already, but we're currently visiting family in Indiana.  It's shaping up to be quite the whirlwind trip. We always drive.  Every year.  And I love it.  I do.  I LOVE road trips.  SO much to see!  And y'all...'Merica is beautiful.  Anyway, our road trip driving up lasts 2 days.  It's a total of 18-19 hours for us to get here and we have to break it up into two days because, well, that's just a long time to be in the car...especially for my VERY busy little boys. We'll be here for a few more days before heading to Michigan.  While we're here in Indiana, … [Read more...] about Ready, Aim, FIRE!

There’s SNOW Time Like Winter!

Just stopping in for a quick minute tonight to share a few things that have been keeping us busy this week. Write the Room has been keeping us up on our feet and moving around.   This is my kids’ absolute FAVORITE activity so it’s no surprise that I have to change these out quite frequently.  These last couple of days my kids have been identifying word families and writing CVC words {from my January Write the Room packet}.    In our sight word center, the kids have been digging through the snow to find words.  Once they find a word they know, they count out the number of letters in the word and use the … [Read more...] about There’s SNOW Time Like Winter!

Mystery Words

This week was a chunk week review for us, so I made up a little activity that would get the kids thinking about word families & popcorn words.  I took a couple of lunch bags and filled them with letter tiles.  In one bag, I included the letters contained in all of our popcorn words {to date}.  In the other bag, I included all the vowels & word endings to the chunks we’ve learned thus far, plus a few additional letters.  The kids had to pick a bag and use the tiles inside to make words.  I told them to read the room if they had trouble figuring out what words to make. {We’ve got our chunk charts & popcorn … [Read more...] about Mystery Words

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