Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Wisdom for Wednesday-Words I Speak

Welcome to this week's:



I saw this quote and loved it.  If I were to have every word that I thought, spoke or even typed wrote on my hand where everyone could see, would I be proud to show off my hand or would I have some cleaning up to do?  Unfortunately, I will have to admit that I know that I wouldn't always be proud to show off my hand.  My words and thought have failed many times and words can never be taken back.  God and myself are the only ones that have heard my thoughts that I have created in my mind.  But I have the responsibility to use my words wisely and think before I speak so that I could be proud of what may be written on my hand. 

Have a great week!


Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Wisdom for Wednesday - Thankful

For this week's Wisdom for Wednesday, I just want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and share these free printable thankful cards I stumbled on! They are so cute and perfect for displaying reminders to have a thankful heart this time of year (and always?). :-)


From the Good Enough blog.


Saturday, November 18, 2017

Super Easy (and CHEAP) Sight Word Practice System

Hello! Hello!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I've seen on social media that some of you lucky teachers have already started Thanksgiving break! I have Monday and Tuesday left, but I simply can't believe we are already to this point in the year. I don't know why this year seems to be flying to me--maybe my new position?

Anyway, I said awhile back that I'd be sharing my sight word system...so let's get to it!

Who wants some sight word practice you can start today? And most likely without spending any of your own money?

That was me several years ago raising my hand!

Disclaimer: This is not an original idea. I saw it somewhere and have adapted it to fit my needs. If you know who might have “invented” it, please share in the comments.

So let me introduce you to what I call The Power of 3. The name comes from the fact that your students will be earning a series of 3 colored dots 3 times for 3 different types of exposure to the word. 

Now that is a mouthful, but I promise I’ll explain!

Materials:
Index Cards (what teacher doesn’t have them?)
Colored Markers (again, you already have them!)
Binder Rings (1” works well—you might have to buy them)
Sight Word List (your choice, I have used Dolch, Fry, or even the one from my curriculum)

Step 1:

First, you will want to make copies of the sight word list for each of the kids that you are working with. When I taught in the classroom, I did not do this with all of my students—just those that needed the extra practice. As a Title I teacher, I am doing it with almost all my kiddos.

Ask your student to read the list of words as quickly as possible. On your copy, mark each word that is not automatic (longer than 3 seconds). Now for those index cards. Make an index card for each of the words your student missed. ***Important note: I wouldn’t make more than 10 cards per student at a time. You really want intense focus on a small group of words at a time. You will be adding other cards as they move from ring to ring.***


Each student needs 3 rings, labeled READ, WRITE, and SPELL. All of the words start on the READ ring. I keep all this in a plastic bag, like so:


Step 2:

Determine how often you will work with your student. Daily would be awesome, but realistically I try to do it 3 times a week.

Show your student the cards on the READ ring. If they read the word correctly within 3 seconds, use a marker to give them a colored dot at the bottom of the card. You will use the same color each time you work with the READ ring.


Yes, I've been known to add pictures if we are really struggling to master a word!
Once a student earns 3 dots (3 successful reads of the word), you will move that card to the WRITE ring.

Each time you work with your kiddo, continue flashing the READ cards. Add words as more cards are moved to the WRITE ring.

Step 3:

For the WRITE ring, you will ask your kiddo to spell the word. I let my students do this on the table with Dry-Erase markers which is always a favorite! 


If they are successful spelling the word with no help, use a different colored marker to give them a dot.


When students have 3 dots of that color (total dots should be 6 now), you will move the card to the SPELL ring.

Each time you work with your kiddo, continue working on the WRITE cards.

Step 4:

For the SPELL ring, students are asked to spell the word out loud to you. This is a more difficult skill because they can no longer “see” it and make a change if it doesn’t look right (as when they were writing it). However, usually by the time the cards have reached this ring my students are very familiar with the word and it doesn’t take long to once again earn 3 colored dots.


When students have 3 dots of that color (total dots should be 9 now), you will move the card off the ring. I like to keep these in the baggie and every once in awhile, we review reading them. My students enjoy seeing that completed stack get bigger and bigger!



That’s it! Simple, easy, CHEAP sight words practice that your kiddos will enjoy.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving! 



Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Wisdom for Wednesday-Easy Life

Welcome to this week's:




Isn't that so true.  In fact, God said that we would encounter difficulties in this world.  I personally don't like going through trials and difficulties in this world (not sure that anyone does for that matter).  There could be a problem if we didn't have any difficulties though.  If our lives were easy, it may mask our need for God.  Therefore, when I am faced with these difficult times, I am trying to be aware that I am where God has placed me and I need to cry out to him, allow him to fight for me and know that he is working on my behalf during these times in my life.  

Have a great day!


Sunday, November 12, 2017

Pathways to Reading and Kim Sutton Doubles Facts

We have continued with our pathways to reading (I love this program!) and the kids were so excited to start our spelling this week.  This is the first week of spelling and they couldn't wait to take their first test on Friday!  I'm excited to say that they all did a great job on the test.  


Taking our first pathways to reading spelling test!

Practicing the wild river with the vowel town sounds in pathways to reading. 

In math, we practiced our doubles facts and the kids were getting really good at them by the end of the week.  We listened to this doubles rap every day (it got stuck in my head and I think that is all I heard all week long LOL).



Practicing our doubles with Kim Sutton's random cd practice


Hope you have a great week!




Sunday, November 5, 2017

Fall Party, Extra Fun Thing, & Rhyming Game

Last week was a busy week especially with having our Fall Party on Tuesday.  We were busy all week and the kids were very excited for the Fall Party.

1.  We don't dress up at our school for Halloween, but we do have a Fall Party at the end of the day for the kids.  The parents brought in a lot of treats, goodies and games for the kids.



2.  Extra Fun Thing-For our extra fun thing, my co-teacher found this cool science experiment on erupting pumpkins.  The kids thought this was the best and they had so much fun with it.  It is very easy to do and didn't take a lot to set it up.




3.  I Have Who Has Rhyming Game-the kids were getting good at playing this game from our TPT store that you can pick up for free.  By the end of practicing the game, they were really good at rhyming!!  There is also a game that we have with pictures, but we used the one with just the words.


Have a great week!



Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Wisdom for Wednesday-Circumstances

Welcome to this week's:






I don't know about you but sometimes I have circumstances in my life that I spend time wishing that those circumstances weren't in my life.  Instead, I need to try and not waste my time and energy on wishing for a different set of circumstances.  I should be accepting the day as it comes and trust that God is with me during these circumstances and that he has a purpose for all of it!