Treats for Our Sweets

Thanks for stopping by to pick up your treat! If you’re just joining in on the fun, make sure you click on the trick-or-treat bag above and start at Freebielicious, so you’re sure to get all of the freebies!I have a fun sight word game for your students to play in a small group. It's called Pick and Spell. Students choose a word. Then, they take turns picking letters. If the letter is in their word, they keep it. If not, they put it back in the pile. Play continues until all words have been spelled. I hope you enjoy it!

I'm sure you'll enjoy your next stop!

Writing Activities for Young Learners...with a freebie!

I love to keep my students actively engaged while they are learning. I'm not the kind of teacher who keeps her students sitting for long periods of time, completing busy work. I am constantly creating activities for them that involve moving around and collaboration. Recently, I updated my kindergarten and first grade writing forms. I added tons more activities and, even changed the name. Many of the activities keep the children moving around the room, finding words and making lists. They also draw pictures and write sentences. To learn more about what is included in this updated product, please click on the image below.

If you have already purchased Kindergarten and First Grade Writing Forms, 

go to your purchased products page and re-download.

Here is a freebie for you, to show you how much fun walking around the room and learning can be! I hope you enjoy it!

Writing Freebies

My students LOVE to write! In my classroom, I have this wonderful display called, I can write…

It looks like this:

I have since added 7 more posters.

My students love to choose an item from the menu to work on during station time or when they are done with their work. They can choose to...

*Write a story using any kind of paper they want. I always have a nice selection of stationary and story writing paper.

*Write a book using half or whole sheets of white construction paper for the inside and colored construction paper for the cover. My students add publishing labels when they are done.

*Write a note to someone using any of the cute notepads I have accumulated over the years.

*Write a letter to anyone using stationary.

*Write a recipe on a cute recipe card or on an index card.

*Write a list using any of the notepads or list writing paper I have.

*Write a card to anyone using any of the cards and envelopes I have. I always have plenty of seasonal, holiday, and thank you cards available.

*Write a poem.

*Write a sticker story. This is when they choose 3 stickers from the basket and place them on their paper. Then, they add details and write a story about their illustration.

*Write a scribble story. This is where they ask someone to make a scribble line on their paper using a black crayon or marker. Then, they make the scribble into a picture, add details, and write a story about it.

*Write a How To essay, using transition words.

*Write a book review using any of my book review templates.

*Write a comic strip using the comic strip template.

*Write an informative poster using large construction paper or card stock.

*Write out a word search using one of my differentiated templates.

*Write a postcard using real postcards or one of my postcard templates.

*Write an email (thanks, Hadar!). If students have access to a computer, they can write an email to a family member.

I love this display because there is always something fun and meaningful for the children to do. I never hear, "I'm done, what can I do now?"

If you would like more information about this display, just click on the link below.
Most of the menu items come with differentiated templates. Just keep a stock of them at your writing station and it is always ready to go!

Click here to see this item in my store. 

It's on sale through Sunday!

Just for reading this long post, here are two freebies that go with the pack! I hope you enjoy the sticker story and scribble story templates. I know my students love them! Just click on either image below and you will be taken to my teaching store. Click on download preview and you will find these two templates.

Scoot!

I'm sure you have all heard of the game Scoot, right? It's where the children scoot from desk to desk or seat to seat, answering questions. Truth be told, this game is nothing short of brilliant! Here are 6 reasons why I love this game:

1. The children don't realize they are being assessed.
2. The children don't realize they are doing work.
3. The children are actively learning as they stand and scoot around the room.
4. The children are doing some serious thinking (reading, responding, and making sure they write their answers in the correct boxes.)
5. There are so many skills you can reinforce by playing this game.
6. It's fun to say, "Start...Stop...Stand...Scoot...Sit...Start...etc."

Yesterday, my first graders played their first game of Scoot. I used my ABC Order game. 

They were so excited! Before the game actually began, we practiced scooting a few times. This is a must! We also practiced how to use the recording sheet. They did so well!

This is them scooting to a new seat.

Here are two girls working hard, but not realizing they are working!

Here is our victory cheer! They were so proud of themselves for succeeding at their first game of scoot. After this picture, they collectively asked me when we can play again!

If you are interested in getting more information about my many different scoot games, just click on the cute image below. Your students will be happy you did! Also, please let me know of any scoot games you would like for me to make in the future. Leave your email because if I make it, I'll send it to you for FREE!

Daily Language Review

Hey, everyone! Do you know Kristin, otherwise known as 

A Teeny Tiny Teacher?

Kristin really needs no introduction, as I'm certain you all know her already and follow her teaching blog. She is the one who always leaves us ROFL! Her witty repartee is second to none. Anyway, my first grade class is using and enjoying one of her products and I just wanted to share some pictures with you. I love Kristin's Daily Language Arts Skills Review. 

It contains 34 weeks of printables to review and reinforce language arts skills. Some of the skills included are beginning and ending sounds, short and long vowels, vowel teams, contractions, compound words, and so much more! You can use these sheets as morning work, homework, or review. I love how each page consists of two half-sheets, which saves paper and copies. The skills build upon each other throughout the year, and, are written in a familiar format. This way, the children are able to complete the sheets independently, and, with a high degree of success.

Here are some pictures I took of my students completing a page and showing off their great work!

Don't they look happy and proud?

If you are looking for a daily language review for your students, look no further! Thanks, Kristin, for this wonderful product!

Happy Thanksgiving Sale!

I know that Thanksgiving is still a month away, but, it is never too early to start planning! If you would like to start planning early, too, then you may want to check out my Thanksgiving activities for first and second graders.

It contains the following activities:

Sentence Sort 

(Telling, Asking, and Exclamation)

ABC Order

Parts of Speech Sort 

(Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives)

Thank you Letter

Thanksgiving Story Templates

 (Picture Cards are Included)

Thanksgiving Shopping List 

(Picture Cards are Included)

I'm Thankful For…Top 10 List

Thanksgiving Word Unscramble

 (Answer Key Included)

3-2-1- Reading Strategy 

(3 Versions)

Thanksgiving Essay Planning Sheets 

(Tree Map, Web, Stationary)

I also have Thanksgiving activities for Kindergartners.

It contains the following activities:

Scrambled Sentences 

(Recording Sheet Included)

Write About Thanksgiving

Beginning Sounds Worksheet

Rhyming Game 

(Recording Sheet Included)

Writing a List

Thank you Letter

Beginning Sounds Board Game

I also have a Thanksgiving Scrambled Sentences Activity.

Just click on the images above for more information.
For today only, the above items are on SALE!!

Bat Essays and Silly Pumpkins

This week, my first graders worked on their first published piece. They brainstormed, planned, wrote, revised, and edited essays about bats. They came out fantastic! They all stood 6 feet tall today, as they put the final touches on their pieces. They also thoroughly enjoyed making bats to go with their essays. Here are some pictures of their essays. If you right click on each picture and open them in a new window, they won't look so blurry.

The bats are a cute freebie from Teri, over at A Cupcake for the Teacher. You can find it here.

Another fun project we did this week, was make the silly pumpkins I blogged about here. As soon as I saw the cute picture on Doodle Bugs blog, it was a no brainer that I would have my students make them. I dare anyone to walk by my bulletin board without chuckling. The display isn't done yet, as I still have more to be made.

Feebielicious Giveaway!

Greetings friends! We are SO EXCITED to surpass 1,000 followers on Freebielicious. All of the FANTASTIC Freebielicious authors have teamed up for a giveaway like no other. We will pick three winners, one from each category. Giveaway ends Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. EST. GOOD LUCK and no matter what, EVERYONE WINS at Freebielicious!! 

*YOU MUST COMMENT ON FREEBIELICIOUS BLOG TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY!! MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TOO. 
GOOD LUCK!

Check out these awesome donations!

Good Luck!

Now, HEAD OVER TO Freebielicious to enter. DO NOT ENTER HERE. YOU MUST ENTER ON THE FL BLOG! :)