Thursday, December 21, 2017

Merry Christmas!

Hello! Hello!

Kristi and I are both officially on our Christmas break. We are actually getting together for lunch tomorrow, along with another one of our favorite teacher friends. It is sure to be a good time. We haven't seen each other in what seems like forever!

Before we unplug for the break (which means a little bloggy break as well so we can focus on spending time with our families and friends), we wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas!

Pinned from here.
A friend recommended a podcast to me and I just listened to a WONDERFUL episode about the true meaning of Christmas. You can check it out here. If something goes wrong, you can find the podcast by searching for Huikala Baptist Church, Pastor Anthony King. The message is entitled "Hope in The Name of Jesus - Savior, Christ, and Lord."

We can all use a little HOPE in our lives, can't we? :-)

Merry Christmas!


Sunday, December 17, 2017

Christmas Program and Cocoa on the Curb!

We had our Christmas Program and the kids did a great job!  Our music teacher is outstanding and always puts on the greatest programs!  

On Friday, we had family groups.  We meet with family groups about once a month.  Each teacher has a student from all grades K-6 in their group and we do activities together.  This time, our music teacher led us in Christmas Carols.  I recorded the kids singing during one of the songs.  It is amazing how well they can sing together as a whole school when they haven't practiced all together.  

It was a fun time!



We also did hot cocoa on the curb.  Our principal came up with the idea of having all the teachers help serve hot cocoa to the parents as they dropped their kids off at school.  This was a Merry Christmas to them from us all.  It was a great way to start the morning out by serving and giving to others during the Holiday season.  What a fun week!


Hope you have a great week!  We have 2 more days until we start our Christmas Break?  How much longer for you?

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Wisdom for Wednesday-God Whispers



What an amazing thought.  God whispers because he is close to us.  He is always by us all the time, in the good times, in the valley and in the storms.  There is no need for him to shout because he is right by us where we can hear him speak in his little whisper.  The only thing I need to do is remember this and listen to what he has to say!  What a comforting thought!

Thanks for joining for another week of:

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Body Venture

Our school just had Body Venture come this year and it was really neat!  The kids were so excited about it and couldn't stop talking about what they had learned during the time they were there.  Body Venture gave each student a book about what they had learned and all of the kids opened it up right away and were looking at it.  I could hardly get them to put it down.  LOL!  






If your school ever gets the opportunity to have Body Venture, I would definitely recommend it!

Have a great week!




Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Wisdom for Wednesday - Be Strong and Courageous

Happy Wednesday! The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas always seems to fly by--even as the Title I teacher. I love seeing the Christmas things popping up around my building! 

I find I'm feeling some of the same feelings I had as a classroom teacher. I'm starting to worry that some of my kiddos are not progressing as much as I'd hoped. Others are making great strides, but there is always that sense of...fear. 

Am I doing enough? 
What more could I try?

That sense of fear is something that can creep up into all sorts of life's situations (as I'll share shortly), and it inspired this week's Wisdom post.


These last few weeks, the Lord has been prompting me to begin writing another Bible study. I have to admit to you that I have been putting it off. There is just something completely overwhelming about staring at that empty page in my word processing document.

As I sat down the other day and actually started typing what ended up being a letter to my "readers," the Lord began to show me what was at the root of my hesitation.

Fear.

Doubts.

Even as I typed them--in essence admitting my fear and doubts about my ability to write a Bible study*--He began to reassure me.

*You may be thinking, "But you already wrote one!" Can I just tell you that it still scares me to death?

First with His Word. He reminded me of Joshua. He too was afraid of failing, but the Lord continued to reassure him over and over again. Multiple times, God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. 

Then with His people. In one week, I received so many reassuring messages from people who had no idea the struggle I was having! Random people! People I didn't even know were doing my first study just happened to message me and let me know how the Lord was using it in their lives. I have no doubt that it was God at work, prompting them to contact me to give me the encouragement I needed. Prompting me to be strong and courageous!

And now, I want to prompt you. Whatever the Lord has called you to do (teaching kiddos to read? :-)), be strong and courageous! :-)



Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9

Oh, and about that first study, I'm having a Christmas special when you order directly from me. Check it out here (and enter the giveaway)!


Sunday, December 3, 2017

Nonstandard Measurement and Santa Letters

Last week, we worked on nonstandard measurement and the kids were really excited because when they were done measuring, they got to eat what they measured with. 

1.  We started out by using marshmallows to do some measurement.

2.  We moved on to measuring with cubes and goldfish crackers.



For our extra fun thing last week, the kids wrote Santa letters.  They were so excited about writing their letters and many of them asked that we made sure that Santa got their letters.  :-)




Have a great weekend!






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!