tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32592988144157933992024-03-18T00:58:41.694-07:002nd the BestFile Folder games for grades K-3, including math, reading, writing, and more. My file folder games are great for workshops, small groups, and early finishers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-64740037249754732862013-07-31T21:10:00.000-07:002013-07-31T21:10:09.084-07:00Back To School Writing Center<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I
created this <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Writing-Center-803036" target="_blank">Back-to-School themed writing center</a> for my students to use
during Daily 5 Work on Writing, but it could be used in many different
ways. I wanted something I could set up at the start of the month and not have to change until the following month. I also made sure to include enough variety for students to still be interested throughout the month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The activities are all meant to be completed independently while covering the
three types of writing in the Common Core Standards (Narratives,
Opinion, and Explanatory). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As soon as I get back into my classroom next week I will post pics of the writing center set up and ready for use. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Check out the <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Writing-Center-803036" target="_blank">Back-To-School Writing Center at my TPT store</a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Writing-Center-803036" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5GxJKC-JPck/UfnYLgjsvwI/AAAAAAAAAks/ie-gSvdXWPg/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Writing-Center-803036" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDvarxBaHWw/UfnYSpo5kWI/AAAAAAAAAk0/DOA4A_2e8lE/s1600/Slide5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDvarxBaHWw/UfnYSpo5kWI/AAAAAAAAAk0/DOA4A_2e8lE/s320/Slide5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I copied the school buses on yellow paper, laminated and cut them out, and then added them to my Work On Writing board.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c_o_oBEXxMQ/UfnYVT8OnJI/AAAAAAAAAk8/vMgcCxBhi8E/s1600/Slide11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c_o_oBEXxMQ/UfnYVT8OnJI/AAAAAAAAAk8/vMgcCxBhi8E/s320/Slide11.JPG" width="320" /></a><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The packet includes two opinion writing quick writes. </span></td></tr>
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Check out my TPT shop to read more about this writing packet. </div>
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Stay Posted!! Halloween Themed Writing Center coming soon!!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-21625300938251696882011-09-12T21:11:00.000-07:002011-09-12T21:11:25.720-07:00Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Here is a quick around the room activity I made to use with my students tomorrow. I wrote up ten sentences and underlined one noun, one verb, and one adjective in each of them. I will laminate them and then hang them around the room for the students to find. They will pair up with their partner and search for the sentences, identifying the different parts of speech. My plan is to cut the recording sheet into the three strips, and work on one part of speech each day for the next three days. For example, tomorrow I might say "When reading the sentences around the room identify which underlined word in each sentence is the noun." </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hope you can use and enjoy this activity with your students...anything to get them out of their seats, right?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click on the picture below to download the activity.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZNjUyMDYzZDEtYTkwYS00MDg3LWExNWItNTg1NzE3Mzc2MWE2&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OGwmfOORkHY/Tm7WxFjzI1I/AAAAAAAAAiY/vFToopv5Alk/s320/Untitled.png" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7RGc3GpDhqU/Tm7W-t7Ao-I/AAAAAAAAAic/HQaYPV-3ZwA/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7RGc3GpDhqU/Tm7W-t7Ao-I/AAAAAAAAAic/HQaYPV-3ZwA/s1600/Picture+4.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-17534012893703227002011-08-07T14:26:00.000-07:002011-08-07T14:26:24.940-07:00Teaching with Picture Books<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click on the "Teaching with Picture Books" tab above to see how I will be using the book <u>Fred and Ted Go Camping</u> by Peter Eastman to teach antonyms to my second graders. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uUuqcpdvmSs/Tj8C0_xH5hI/AAAAAAAAAg4/9AOf_I61i-s/s1600/fred+and+ted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uUuqcpdvmSs/Tj8C0_xH5hI/AAAAAAAAAg4/9AOf_I61i-s/s1600/fred+and+ted.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-7834704416585924962011-08-07T00:25:00.000-07:002011-08-07T00:25:18.138-07:00New Blog Design and Button<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Thank you to my sister Becky over at <a href="http://www.mrsrojasteaches.blogspot.com/">Create-Teach-Share </a>I have a new design and button for my blog. I love it! </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">If you have my old button on your blog, please switch it to the new one. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I have also decided to change the structure of my blog a bit to make it easier to find what you are looking for. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">You will see two new tabs at the top. Under the tab "File Folder Games" you will find links to all the file folder games I have made and continue to make. Under the tab "Teaching with Picture Books", you will find stories and ideas I am using to teach reading, writing, and math mini lesson to my second graders. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I hope you find these resources to be helpful during this next school year. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I can't believe I'm going back to work on Monday...where did my summer go?</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnxRpYFD-H8/Tj49fRv9SkI/AAAAAAAAAgw/BIvnnOyz2M4/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnxRpYFD-H8/Tj49fRv9SkI/AAAAAAAAAgw/BIvnnOyz2M4/s1600/Picture+4.png" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-45069412071955512552011-07-28T11:32:00.000-07:002011-07-28T11:32:26.223-07:00First Day of School Activities<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'd love to hear what activities you do with your students on the first day of school. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Link up below with one of your favorite activities or share your plans for the whole day. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This year I created a small book for the first day/week of second grade. My students will write about themselves, the school, the classroom, and me (the teacher). I will use it to asses their writing. I also created an end of the year book (So Long Second Grade) with similar ideas. I will use that book at the end of the year to hopefully show them how much their writing has improved.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you would like to check out the two books click <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZZTU5NmIwNWQtNDQwZS00M2Y5LWIwNmUtMGM1NTQ1YzE2MDc2&hl=en_US">here</a> for the Welcome to Second Grade book and <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZNjM5Y2I2OWMtYjkzYy00OTU3LWJmNzgtZmY0YjZkNTAxMjFj&hl=en_US">here</a> for the So Long Second Grade book.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Megan </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><br />
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-24317421612729141472011-07-25T22:38:00.000-07:002011-07-25T22:38:15.163-07:00Letter Writing<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Letter writing is a big part of second grade. I decided this year I am going to have my students write letters and actually mail them...they get so excited when the get a response in the mail. I typed up a <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZMDIwNjk1YjktYmJhNS00ZjEwLWJlZWMtNGI3MGQ3MmYxMjU0&hl=en_US">little note</a> to the parents and asked them to share a few names and address of friends and family. I even asked for some donations of stamps, we'll see what I get. If they don't want to share addresses, I will just send the letters home and the parents can mail them. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I also keep a map up in my room all year and we mark different places that we read and learn about. I'm hoping we get a few letters from around the country and the world to help us with our geography. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">If there are any second grade teachers that would like to do pen-pals with us, please e-mail me or comment below and we can get in touch. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I'm located in Northern California.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Thanks,</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Megan</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-37083329874604925552011-07-18T22:02:00.000-07:002011-07-18T22:02:30.746-07:00Let's See your Writing Centers and Ideas<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> As I prepare to go back to school here in just 3 weeks...can't believe summer is almost over already...my summer to do list isn't even half way completed yet... I am really looking for some help and ideas for teaching writing.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> I teach 2nd grade and when it comes to teaching math and reading I'm pretty good to go, but I have always struggled with how best to teach writing. My district doesn't really have a set writing program...I have an old Step Up To Writing binder that was left behind by the last teacher, and I have just started reading through it today. I also read <u>No More I'm Done</u> by Jennifer Jacobson and really liked a lot that she had to offer. If you haven't read it yet, it's great. I find myself going through each year teaching random writing lessons and struggling to keep it all together. After reading <u>No More I'm Done,</u> now I struggle with the idea of letting the kids choose their topic or choosing one for them. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
I know you all have so many amazing ideas and I would love to hear them...or if you know of someone else who has a great idea please link it up below or leave a comment. I'm looking for ideas on how you teach writing as a whole, not just individual writing lessons, and I'd also love to see what some of your writing centers look like. My writing center is a work in progress, this will be my first year having one...I will post pics when I finish it next week.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Thanks,</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Megan </div><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Click on the preview of it below to download the game...enjoy!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZNzBlNjVlNGMtZTkzMS00ODM3LWEzM2YtZDBiZTZiYWI5ZTY0&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCVfFYqgICc/TiKF1rJbGEI/AAAAAAAAAeY/tbJGPAZqH7k/s320/fraction.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Megan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-81490960071618574052011-07-16T22:15:00.000-07:002011-07-16T22:15:07.030-07:00100th Day Activity<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">TBA is celebrating their 100th day in the blogger world with a linky party full of great 100th day activities! Click <a href="http://www.teachingblogaddict.com/2011/04/ceelebrating-100-days-of-tba-how-do-you.html">here</a> to join!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here is an activity I did with my class this past year and they loved it! I got the idea from a blog or Proteacher...The idea is not my own, but I did create it in my own way. If this book is your idea please tell me so I can give you credit. Anyways, Its a little book called "I Wish I Had 100..." The students write and illustrate about different things they would want to have 100 of, and then on the last page they write about something they would never want 100 of. We started the book in the morning filling in their ideas and then they worked on the illustrations throughout the day as they finished their other work...a few of my students actually drew 100 of the different items in their book...at the end of the day they loved getting to read their books to the class...more ideas to come when we get closer to the 100th day of school...I can't think that far ahead when it's still summer.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just wondering...do any of you have your class bring in collections of 100 items? I remember doing it when I was younger and I loved it. Gathering the items with my mom and bringing it to school, I just don't remember what we did with them when we got to school....haha...I'd love to do it with my students if I could come up with some meaningful activities...please post a comment and share what you do or any ideas you have.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ok, click on the large 100 to download the book! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZOWJmZDFhMmMtYmU2NC00MjIyLTgyOTUtNjNlZTY1YTE2ZjFl&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rsS0mcDec4k/TiJutcE4M2I/AAAAAAAAAeU/PBIWwhbl-pY/s320/100.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thanks,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Megan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-37439199901864471312011-07-16T00:58:00.000-07:002011-07-16T00:58:13.322-07:00Same Sound Task Cards<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">In the first few weeks of school, I spend a lot of time reviewing the phonics skills my students learned in first grade. I've noticed in years past that the students often remember the basics, but forget the details...like knowing that there is more than one spelling for long vowel and other special vowel words. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> They usually just need a little reminder to get the juices flowing.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I love using task cards in my class. I have used them as a whole group "scoot" activity, for partners, and individual work. The best part about task cards is that I can get a quick assessment of my students abilities on any given topic.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b><u>How to use Task Cards</u></b>:</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">1. <b><i>Whole Group Scoot</i></b>: Each student gets one card. Depending on the concept, I give them a minute or two to answer the question. Then I say scoot and they move to the next number and work on that problem(This does take a little practice). The students love any chance to move around. One year I had a problem with lice, so I sometimes have the students stay in their seat and just "Pass" the cards. At the end I collect all the cards and then go over them one by one whole group. Students correct with a pen or marker and then I can see what they know.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">2. <i><b>Partner Scoot</b></i>: Same as above, I just have the students work with partners. I do this when I don't have 25 cards or when a concept is difficult (usually math concepts).</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">3. <i><b>Individual</b></i>: I put a sticker on the back of the card where the answer is, and the students use clothes pins to choose an answer, by placing the clip on the answer they think is correct. Then they flip over their cards and self-check their answers by seeing if the clothes pin lines up with the sticker. I usually do this once we have already used the set of cards whole group.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> I usually print two sets of cards. One for whole group/partner scoot and one for individual practice. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Here are some <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZNmJiNDA1NTktODFlNy00NWU0LWFiNjUtMjRlNDQ1YmY5ZWEx&hl=en_US">"<u><b>same sound task cards"</b></u></a> I just created...please let me know if you find any mistakes...its almost 1am and I have been up with my little guy since 6 this morning. I usually number them, but forgot, so I will just write numbers on them before I laminate them. I also suggest printing task cards on cardstock for durability. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZNmJiNDA1NTktODFlNy00NWU0LWFiNjUtMjRlNDQ1YmY5ZWEx&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HYIWmMOaGFc/TiFDPaVeH3I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/RDm6eqaJLm4/s200/jss_back2school_apple.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Click the apple to download the task cards. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Off to bed I go....can't believe I almost have 100 followers...I may just have to do a little giveaway soon!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-Megan</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-83123649634318297492011-07-13T21:30:00.000-07:002011-07-13T21:30:28.965-07:00Daily Schedule<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joining the linky party over at <a href="http://simply2ndresources.blogspot.com/2011/07/daily-schedule-linky-party.html">Simple 2nd Resources</a>...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My schedule is always very busy...We have a very short day and a lot to cram in...I teach second grade.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is my Daily Schedule (I am a major planner...every minute of every day always has to be planned ahead.)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">8:10 - Final Bell</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">8:20-9:20 - Writing Workshop</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Mini Lesson (writing skills/strategies, etc.)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Quiet Ten (everyone writes including me)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Writing Time: editing, writing, publishing</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">9:20 - 9:35 - RECESS</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">9:40-10:00 - Board Math</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">10:00 - 10:10 - Math Fact Lessons or math review game/activity</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">10:10 - 11:10 - Math Workshop</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Three twenty minute rotations</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Work With Teacher...lesson</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Game/Activity (reviewing yesterdays new concept)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Worksheet Practice - review of skills</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">11: 10 - 12:00 LUNCH</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">12:10 - 12:45 - Theme, ELA Skills, etc.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">12:45 - 1:45 Daily 5</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1:45 - 2:05 - Go over hw, pack up, read aloud</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I thought I would also share my lesson plan template...I have always used a lesson plan book, but it has never kept me organized...I always end up with little notes written everywhere and papers in piles between the pages...In May, I decided to try a template on my laptop (since I bring it to school every day anyways to use with my Smartboard). I loved it...I've already got all my blank templates saved on my comp for this year so I can start planning ahead as needed. If you would like to see or use the template click on the image of it below. I'd be willing to share it with anyone, just e-mail me.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZZmZlMzBhMDUtZTM3OS00NmI2LTk3OGEtMWFlNWIyOTlhNGUw&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c7NxQYsFGSs/Th5v6PCM1fI/AAAAAAAAAeM/V1DC4qqJcC8/s320/august.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-82285775960084747102011-07-06T18:21:00.000-07:002011-07-09T10:24:23.194-07:00If You Were A Plus Sign...and linky party<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am sharing a new math project I created today and would love for you to use it. If you have a blog of your own please join the link party and share a math activity you do using literature...Please mention and link my blog to the post. If you don't have a blog please leave a comment sharing your ideas...Thanks and Enjoy!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of my goals this year is to incorporate more reading and activities into my math instruction. One of the first math skills we start with in second grade is addition. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I just love reading the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=if+you+were+a+plus+sign+book&x=0&y=0"><u>If You Were A Plus Sign</u></a> written by Trisha Speed Shaskan. Each page in the book starts with "If you were a plus sign...", and then goes on to explain one of the key features of the plus sign in an addition problem, such as you would make a sum or you would help put things together, etc.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My plan with the book is to read and discuss it with my class when we start reviewing addition the first week of school. Then revisiting it a few days later when we go over adding doubles. I created blank pages with each of the key features Trisha talks about. My students will create their own rewritten version of the story using addition doubles facts to come up with a word problem and number sentence to go with each plus sign feature. My plan is to have students work in partners or groups to create their rewritten story. The packet includes a cover page, 6 plus sign feature pages, and a back page for students to write all the doubles facts. Click on the picture below to download it. I will also let each set of partners/group choose which doubles fact they will use on their page. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">(ok for some reason I can't get pics to upload so click <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZOTZmOTVjMzItYTNiNC00Njk0LWI0MjEtYzQ5YWE5NjUzYTlm&hl=en_US">here</a> to download the packet...and I will try to figure it out soon.) </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don't worry if you have never read the book or don't have a copy of it...you students can still create a class book of their own. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now it's your turn to share....Please join the linky party and mention my blog!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As always, if you have any questions or suggestions feel free to leave a comment.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">-Megan </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-19707958219194818092011-07-05T20:25:00.000-07:002011-07-05T20:25:03.496-07:00Word Work in My Class<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Daily Word Work Activities:</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Monday - Word Work 4 Times Each (click on the picture to download the activity)</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZZjg4Zjk3YTEtZTA0Yy00ODA0LWE3M2YtZDMzM2VlNzFjMjhm&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikpAX6zy5iA/ThPTaeWjNTI/AAAAAAAAAdk/kRWJiXUf-3k/s320/4+times+each.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Tuesday - Word Work Sentences (one of the teachers at my school gave me this great idea!) (click on the picture to download the activity)</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tP48kJYlY3k/ThPThRL78lI/AAAAAAAAAds/IkIaeE5Mc9E/s1600/word+work+sentences.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tP48kJYlY3k/ThPThRL78lI/AAAAAAAAAds/IkIaeE5Mc9E/s320/word+work+sentences.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Wednesday - Friday - Spelling Games (I have been working all summer to make spelling practice games) </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Here is an example of one of my games, I will post more soon!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikpAX6zy5iA/ThPTaeWjNTI/AAAAAAAAAdk/kRWJiXUf-3k/s1600/4+times+each.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZMTIwOTc0ZDMtYTdlNS00ZjE2LThkMzYtNGQ3ZjI4NDVlMzU2&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aPlOTSjN730/ThPTeW62_FI/AAAAAAAAAdo/WdsMYXY8YwU/s320/Untitled.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">(click on the picture to download the activity) </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Keep Reading to learn more about how my class is structured and assessed during spelling time.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I use Daily 5 as a guide for structuring my reading workshop. One of the daily choices for students is Word Work, where the students work independently to practice the weekly spelling words, vocabulary, or high frequency words...whatever it is you choose to use in your class. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Our district uses Open Court for ELA instruction, so I use the spelling words that go with that program...I will also be having my students work with high frequency words that they still struggle with. I will assess all the students and then each student will use their own misspelled words to create a list of weekly words. To read more about how I will be assessing my students individualy on high frequency words, check out <a href="http://blogs.scholastic.com/top_teaching/2010/10/my-november-top-ten-list-word-study-in-action.html">Beth Newingham's</a> Scholastic Blog...she is amazing! This is my first year using the high frequency word assessments and student generated lists, and I am really excited about it.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">So, every week my students will have 10 spelling words, plus the next five words from their own high frequency word lists...I am really hoping to have a parent volunteer come in on Fridays to assess each student on their 5 high frequency words, I am not sure how I will make it work without parent help...I will not be giving spelling tests on the weekly word list. I hope this makes sense, if you have any questions or suggestion please feel free to share them!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">- Megan</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-41506220558983213312011-07-05T08:32:00.000-07:002011-07-05T08:32:04.029-07:00Favorite Fonts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YX34vJBVfh8/ThMuEMwO0rI/AAAAAAAAAdg/whsqt9k1oms/s1600/fav+fonts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YX34vJBVfh8/ThMuEMwO0rI/AAAAAAAAAdg/whsqt9k1oms/s320/fav+fonts.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I love fun fonts! I just had to join the linky party over at </span><a href="http://finallyinfirst.blogspot.com/2011/07/favorite-fonts-linky-party.html" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Finally In First</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">. Here are just a few of my favorites...I had trouble just picking a few. Now...I'm off to check out the other blogs linked up and ready to download new fonts...hope I find some good free ones.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- Megan</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-65999376434687497532011-07-05T08:18:00.000-07:002011-07-05T08:18:38.461-07:00Look What I Made!<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am doing a little western/farm/cowboy theme in my class this year. Nothing over the top, I just wanted a theme to use for my newsletter, AR board, Library, etc. I couldn't find any nameplates I liked, but I found an adorable digital scrapbook set at <a href="http://designerdigitals.com/">DesignerDigitals.com</a>. The <a href="http://www.designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/supplies/advanced_search_result.php/keywords/cowboy/sort/3a/page/2">western</a> set I got was designed by Mindy Terasawa, and is so adorable. I can see this theme getting a bit carried away, but I am going to try and have a little self control. I am just having so much fun with it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZMWM1MThkM2UtNDVkNy00NGJlLWExMjctMDhiZmE5OTViNGFl&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5xhr8uCgyDU/ThMpCK3rUwI/AAAAAAAAAdY/5-_9_ROIj50/s320/nameplates.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I made these nameplates..I love them even though they will use up all my ink to print...oh well! If you want a set of your own, click on the picture and download them at Google Docs. I'm so excited to use them!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZODBmZDg4ZWMtNTZhNS00ZDdhLTg0NzMtNzNmNjU0ZWQzYzA0&hl=en_US"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tw5h-fRQxCo/ThMpErAeCyI/AAAAAAAAAdc/xnMgdOSDL0g/s320/welcome+tags.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Every year my school does a back to school BBQ the night before school starts. The kids get to find out who their new teacher will be and see their classroom. This year I'm going to have a little welcome gift on each students desk...just some pencils, erasers, etc....so I made these cute tags to tie to each gift. I hope my students love them as much as I do. Check them out at Google Docs.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-Megan </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-30072512520406311462011-07-02T01:28:00.000-07:002011-07-02T01:28:45.738-07:00Grade 2.0 with Mrs.Adcock Giveaway<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Head on over to Grade 2.0 with <a href="http://thejoyoffirstgrade.blogspot.com/2011/06/grade-20s-first-give-away.html?showComment=1309595119185#c9021201387772440724">Mrs. Adcock</a> and help her celebrate 100 followers. She is giving away a gift card to Target. What teacher doesn't love Target!?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Happy 4th of July!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm off to spend the weekend with my family!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-65794611567695112602011-07-02T01:08:00.000-07:002011-07-02T01:09:40.066-07:00First Day Supplies<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Mrs. Kincaid is hosting a <a href="http://mrskincaid.blogspot.com/2011/07/managing-first-day-supplies-linky-party.html">linky party</a>, come join! She is looking for ideas to help organize the supplies students bring in the first day of school.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcDojvBUy90/Tg7RkO9bccI/AAAAAAAAAcc/r9ORZk_tQDU/s1600/Picture9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> At my school we send home a supply "wish list" with each student at the end of the year. For example, myself and the other second grade teachers wrote a letter and created a list of items we would like each student to bring in. Our list went home with the first graders (who will be in our classes next year). In our letter we wrote that all supplies being donated were going to be "community" supplies and shared within the class. Even though my students have desks and their own supply boxes (if they bring one from home) I store supplies in a tub in the middle of the cluster of desks. Any supplies I give to students go in the tub and are shared. If they bring in supplies for themselves they keep them in their desks or backpacks.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> One of the best ways I have found to organize all other things is with numbers. Instead of writing students names on things, I put a number and assign each student a number. At our school we have a lot of families that come and go throughout the year. When students leave and new ones come I don't have to get new supplies or classroom materials, I just give them a number. I make a set of 25 of everything so I am always prepared for a new student to arrive. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrskincaid.blogspot.com/2011/07/managing-first-day-supplies-linky-party.html"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcDojvBUy90/Tg7RkO9bccI/AAAAAAAAAcc/r9ORZk_tQDU/s1600/Picture9.png" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-69675106207437659402011-06-23T00:29:00.000-07:002011-07-02T00:33:13.383-07:00Alternate Endings<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">One of the standards of second grade is creating alternate endings for stories. I've been trying to come up with many different and of course fun ways to work on this skill with my students. An idea that came to me today was to let them start by predicting endings. I plan on reading a book aloud and stopping before the end...then as a class discussing/predicting what we think will happen. Each student will then write an ending (How they think the story will end). We will share the ideas and then I will finish reading the story and we will discuss correct predictions, realistic predictions, and how things in the story would have had to change for some of the predictions to be true.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Another idea I had was reading a whole book to the class, discussing the ending and then giving my students a "What If...?" question and having them write an ending to the story. For example, after reading a Magic Tree House Book, I may ask them, "How would the story have been different if Jack or Annie had been alone?" You could also make simple changes in the story and discuss their differences. For example, "What would have changed if the story took place on an island rather than a snowy mountain?"</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I created a simple writing page with a picture spot and lines for my students to use when we are working on alternate endings. Download it by clicking the link below. Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by!</span></div><br />
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<div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZZTI3ODQwOWQtMjA1Zi00ZGM4LWE0YmMtYTQzZDA2NjlhZTky&hl=en_US"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Alternate Endings! </span></a></div><br />
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<center> </center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-77925481917061544542011-06-23T00:10:00.000-07:002011-06-23T08:24:33.216-07:00Famous Americans<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">This year I will be doing a unit on Famous Americans with my second graders. Everyday I will do a read aloud about a different American, both past and present. A few times a week we will write a class paragraph about the person we are reading about. We will use the "Famous Americans" notes page to keep track of what makes or made each person important in our country. We will then turn the notes into the paragraph. I made a notes page and final draft page that you can download by clicking the link below. My plan is to enlarge both pages and make them into a poster, that I can laminate and reuse each time we write a paragraph, and then make individual copies of the worksheets for each student. At the end of the unit the students will have a whole book of information about the Famous Americans that they can add to their book boxes. The final draft paper is star shaped, so the students can cut them out and also create a cover for their final book. There is also a spot for a small picture of the person on the final draft page. Students can draw them in or you can print up copies for them.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZNDFkYmIwNWYtZGUwYS00NWNmLWFlYTQtOWI3NmRiYmU4MGI1&hl=en_US">Famous Americans</a> </span></span></i><br />
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<center><a href="http://www.teachingblogaddict.com/2011/04/tba-summer-workshops.html"><img border="0" src="http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff507/msk1ell/Blog%20buttons/TBALinkyWorkshops.png" /></a></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-1358284072900406932011-06-13T10:14:00.000-07:002011-06-13T10:20:08.499-07:00Share what you do...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I know giving the kids a random list of words each week, isn't the best way to teach them spelling, but I have yet to come up with anything better. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In our district we are supposed to use Open Court spelling words, but I don't love what they have to offer. I have heard a lot about Words Their Way, I purchased it on Amazon, and reading it is on my summer "To DO" list. I would love to hear what you do in your classroom to teach spelling. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Leave a comment or if you have a blog post about it add the link below.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thanks, Megan </span></div><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=withloveandaffection&postid=13Jun2011a&meme=3179"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-53389624760291895152011-06-05T15:25:00.000-07:002011-06-05T15:25:45.938-07:00Odd and Even<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When chatting with a friend earlier today about math workshop and the millions of things we want to do to prepare the activities before next school year starts, she mentioned an activity about sorting numbers into even or odd. It was just the idea I needed...reviewing even and odd numbers is one of the first lessons I will be teaching the first week of school and I had yet to come up with an activity for my students. I made this file folder game using my new back to school graphics from Just So Scrappy Too. There graphics are so cute, check them out <a href="http://www.justsoscrappytoo.com/">here.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click on the picture below to download the game.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZZWEyZjZiMzgtZGQwOS00ZGM5LThlODctZTVjMTJkMmQ0ZTE5&hl=en_US&authkey=COCog-gK"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODIKnxQkwMg/TewBspFEwPI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/8XxRf2qOOTc/s320/jss_back2school_paste+jar.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thanks for visiting, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Megan</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-92148828702401226662011-05-31T21:48:00.000-07:002011-05-31T21:48:25.910-07:00Measuring Around the Room<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Here is another quick activity I made while driving to the campgrounds...Measuring Around the Room. I'm still trying to figure out how to post the image from Google docs, but for now just click on the plant below to check out the worksheet.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZOWNkZWM4NGQtNTk3OS00ZmM0LThkMGMtMDRiMDQzOGU3OTZm&hl=en_US&authkey=CKu7z5EO"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N-UryDR_SJI/TeXEHlLd6vI/AAAAAAAAAcM/BaZsk1BndAs/s320/dino3.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-38353105886060353152011-05-31T21:36:00.000-07:002011-06-01T20:34:30.922-07:00Sight Word Spelling Practice<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">* The link on the palm tree should be fixed now, please let me know if it isn't working again. Thanks! *<br />
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Back from our first family vacation...We went camping with my family...It was so much fun, but so cold.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Six more days of school!!! Not that I'm counting or anything. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Anyways, while driving to the campsite (4 hour drive) the baby slept and my husband drove so I got out my computer and made a fun little sight word game. I'm starting a new sight word spelling program next year and my students will practice weekly spelling words and sight words each week during Word Work in Daily 5. This game is just a simple and fun practice when they finish the daily "must do" assignment. If you are interested in assessing your students on the spelling of sight words and helping each student keep track of their progress check out Beth Newingham's site on scholastic by clicking </span><a href="http://blogs.scholastic.com/top_teaching/2010/10/my-november-top-ten-list-word-study-in-action.html" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">here</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">. She is AMAZING!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you would like to download my sight word game click on the tree below. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I know it showed up as three pages, it's only two pages, one is blank. Cut out the game and glue it in a file folder or on a piece of construction paper and laminate for durability. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZMjU2MGYxYjEtOTZiYS00M2YzLWE3YmMtNjdlYzYxYjJmYWU4&hl=en_US&authkey=CL7KxtgO"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aHUYv3G7C_M/TeXAQgjvQGI/AAAAAAAAAcI/HVIv2vIHvbI/s320/dino5.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aHUYv3G7C_M/TeXAQgjvQGI/AAAAAAAAAcI/HVIv2vIHvbI/s1600/dino5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-5483336150282464732011-05-21T09:36:00.000-07:002011-05-21T09:36:57.377-07:00Plural Noun Pack!<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Oh my what a week...Only 12 more school days left!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I know this year isn't even over yet, but I am already thinking about next year. The last few months I have been experimenting with both a math and writing workshop, and I LOVE it! I will post more about them later. I already do Daily 5 during my reading block.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I feel that teaching using a workshop style (small groups) gives me the chance to work closer with my students. I went back and forth with the idea for months. I kept asking myself, is it better to just do whole group instruction where I am teaching longer, or shorter small groups instructions? After much thought I decided I would try workshop because I do think that the smaller more concentrated groups will be more beneficial than whole group instruction that drags on and the kids stop listening anyways. So far it's been going great in my class. The only problem I am running into is that I don't have enough stuff to keep the other kids busy with meaningful work. So hence the blog...I figure if I am making all these things anyways I might as well share them. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Anyways...now that my baby boy is feeling much better I have got him back sleeping in his bed and have time to create. This week I worked on a Plural Noun Pack...This pack has lots of fun goodies from whole class games to worksheets and independent practice games. Check it out at TPT. With this pack I even made my first set of task cards...I am a task card addict! </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Plural Pack includes: Task cards, I have...Who has...?, worksheets, plural ending sort, file folder game, and a memory/concentration game. The packet is 18 pages plus a cover sheet sharing ideas on how to set up and use activities in your class. Click on the top robot to check out the plural pack at TPT.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I also made some classroom posters with the plural ending rules. Click on the robot below to check them out for FREE!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7hwPLDYV5GZYTY1MmZjYjMtZTM5NS00ZDNmLTg4YTgtZGVlOGFlN2Y2YzZl&hl=en_US&authkey=CNzph6oC"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UxnHFUwKsSo/TdfBC7Vu5kI/AAAAAAAAAcE/uwz75sFL8aQ/s200/space_robot_4.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259298814415793399.post-7622331592680678382011-05-16T09:48:00.000-07:002011-05-16T09:48:57.412-07:00Arrrr! Me Treasure!<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">I'm home today with my poor little baby boy who is sick...he has an ear infection, pink eye, and a terrible cough. I guess one plus to me working and him being in daycare is that he will have a strong immune system by the time he gets to kindergarten. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> I was in mommy mode all weekend so I didn't have a chance to post anything new. He is napping now and I actually have a pretty clean house thank you to my wonderful husband who scrubbed the den and kitchen yesterday while I took care of the baby. He even rented a carpet cleaner and cleaned all the carpet. I am not sure what got into him, but I like it!!!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Anyways...as the school year comes to an end I am noticing a few of my second graders are still struggling with counting coins. So I've been working on a few games for them to do during math workshop. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Click on the pirate below to download the game.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> ARRR! Me Treasure! A Coin Counting Game. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Thanks, Megan </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">P.S. I am working on putting all my pirate theme ideas into one document so keep an eye out for it...I will post it on here (for free) as soon as it's done!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
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