My Blog's New Life and A Storytelling Sample

It has been a long time since I have posted.  Keeping up with my new baby, school, and work proved to be a huge challenge.  As I embark on my PDP journey I would like to share my triumphs and challenges as I endeavor to bring new technology and practices into my classroom.  This blog will become a place to share tools, tips, and tricks that I learn along the way.

I am hoping that this page will someday be a resource to look back on not only for myself but for others.  The plan will be to not only look inside what I am doing in my classroom but to have tutorials on how to use some of these tools and make them work in classrooms all over.  

Here's to new challenges, new friends, and finding my place in an ever-changing world of teaching.

In my classroom we are doing a 6 week study on telling a story.  The main focus is on Fairy Tales, as they are familiar and have great sequencing possibilities.  It is simple for Kinders to see the beginning, middle, and end of a story and tell their own version.  One of their choices for retelling is using two great apps on the iPad's we have in our classroom.    

So on to my first tool that I have been using with my students.  I introduced my students to Felt Board this past week and they absolutely love it!  It does cost $2.99 but it has been so worth it!  We started with retelling The 3 Little Pigs together as a class.  When it was time for centers, they jumped right in to make their own stories!

After they created their picture they saved it to the camera roll and moved on to the next App, Educreations. The App is completely free (you do have to create an account) and is simple enough for even my Kinders to use.  I had introduced Educreations a few weeks ago so they were all familiar with how to use it.  They chose their picture from the camera roll and were able to record their story. 

Here is a sample of how it turned out!

Have fun trying it out with your students!

A Return to Past Adventures

So I will be moving back to kindergarten this year.  First Grade really felt like it fit but I loved Kinders once upon a time.  I think I will again too.  There is just something about the looks they give you with those huge smiles and big hugs.  I can't help it.  They are just to sweet to not love.

So to get ready for my new adventure into the past I am creating a theme for my room this year.  We will be "Wild About Kindergarten" and jungle pictures and decorations will adorn the walls and tables.  I have never done the whole theme thing so I have had fun trying to coordinate everything.  Thank heavens for a friend from last year who handed down all her jungle decor or I would have gone overboard in the spending department.

I am even going as far to make those adorable milk-crate seats from Pinterest that I have been eyeing up all summer. The directions can be found here! I found zebra print in black and purple!  I am a little excited about that.  I will take pictures this weekend and share.  I really hope they turn out the way I want them too.

So now that I have all the fun stuff taken care of I can begin all the paperwork for the beginning of the year... there always seems to be more.  Enjoy your last few weeks of summer!  I know I will.

A Words Their Way Update

I have seriously been lacking in my blogging skills this year. I think I took on to much for awhile there and needed to better organize my life. Way back I had posted about our journey into the Words their Way Program (WTW). Here is the update on my thoughts of the program.. Goal 1: Spelling/Phonics program. WTW fits into this category. Every week we work on the students list of words and how those words are put together. The timing works well with Daily 5 and allows time to work with each small group on their individualized lists. I spend a few minutes each day working with smaller groups and then release them into their specified activities. Goal 2: Students will incorporate their spelling into their reading and writing. Although it doesn't look like a traditional phonics program the students learn what they need to become better readers and incorporate those skills into their writing. It is a little tougher to see the progress in some as they still struggle with the weekly lists. Most students are beginning to see the correlation and it is February. I am hoping next year it doesn't take as long as it won't be their first year of the program. It builds each year and last year's kindergarten didn't have WTW. I have decided that I will absolutely try this program for at least one more year. Hopefully next years students will have more to build from as the kindergarten curriculum has been rebuilt some and the students will be better prepared for 1st grade on a variety of levels. I would love to hear some more on what some of you like/dislike about WTW. We are still in the evaluation process and feel it will take at least 2 years to make a fully informed decision.

A Hodgepodge of Info

Sorry I  have once again been missing.  My own class has been keeping me so busy.  We have had spirit week, grandparents day, and conferences.  I feel like I finally have time to breathe.  I haven’t even had a chance to check in at all my favorite blogs that I follow!

So here is what has been going on in my Fabulous Class…

We are finishing up our Daily 5 introduction period.  Which means I now get to start working with those small groups of readers.  I have so many different levels that I  have yet to figure out how I am meeting all their needs.  My co-grade level teacher and I are creating a book club packet for our higher level readers.  We are so excited to start this!  We have a few students that already read at a 2nd – 3rd grade level.

Words their Way is going well.  Most of my class is doing short vowels but I have a group of 5 that are working on diagraphs.  Those spelling lists for diagraphs are really hard but the parents are studying at home and most of the students are doing really well.  Each week they get to do speller’s choice activities for their homework.  They choose 3 of the activities and turn in the paper on Friday.  It shows me who is studying at home and gives me insight if they don’t do well on their test.

Last week we started our first Author Study project, Kevin Henkes.  The students will learn about the author and his books for the rest of the month as well as do a take-home project with their families.  The plan is to do an author a month during our Daily 5 reading block.  I can’t wait to see how they turn out.

My fabulous parents bought me a Flip Camera off my teacher wish list!  I have been busy recording my students and posting their videos to our classroom blog.  The parents and students love going to the site and checking it out.

Sorry for the long post with no pictures!  I hope you are all doing well in your own classrooms and remembering to not sweat the small stuff.  ( I have to remind myself of that everyday!)

After our First Week of Words Their Way

Well my fabulous students just finished their first week of our Words Their Way program.  Most of my students did a fantastic job.  Their test was comprised of the following:  Studied pattern words, New pattern words, and high frequency words.  Even on the words they spelled wrong they got the pattern right.  That gives me hope that this program might be beneficial and worth the effort.  As I start creating word work activities for Daily 5 to go along with WTW I will post them on here so everyone can see.

On another note this week has made me feel like a fabulous, well-appreciated teacher.  Our Home and School asked us to fill out wish lists on www.teacherwishlist.com.  This is great since as a parochial school teacher I cannot utilize Donor’s Choose.  My parents have gotten me almost everything on it!  I had some great items such as; beanbag chairs, Flip video camera, printer, clipboards, and twistable crayons.  I have never had a class spoil me as much as this group.  One of the dads is even building me a custom shelf to house my Daily 5 bins.  I can’t wait to see it.

Last but not least… a little pep for tomorrow.  My 9 month old finally gets to wear her cheerleader outfit and cheer….

GO PACK GO!

Words Their Way

This week First Grade is starting Words Their Way.

Our lower grades have adopted this program to replace the traditional spelling program.  The idea is that students are given a spelling inventory and given list specific to where there are in the spelling and writing scheme.  Most of my students tested in the short vowel or diagraphs range.  To keep it simple this year we are only starting with two groups.  The trick is that students will not move on until they pass their list (2 or less wrong).  So in theory we could have as many lists as we do students within a few weeks (I am praying that doesn’t happen.)

This along with Daily 5 has been a lot of work to set up this year.  We are using a model by Beth Newingham for guidance as we move forward.  Students will have various stations throughout the week that they will have to complete based on their spelling list.  It involved doing word sorts and word games to not only memorize those words but understand how they are built so that students learn spelling skills which will be great when coming up with unfamiliar words. 

Each student has their own word study folder that they use throughout the week to keep their word sorts in as well as any response sheets or worksheets they have completed throughout the week.  They will also be given a copy of the word sort to take home as well as a traditional spelling list. 

Here are some photo's of our Word Study Folder:

The front of the folder	that envelope will hold their word sort	words they miss on their test so they can be tested later

As for High Frequency Words.  We took an inventory of that using Fry’s List as well.  Students will go in order on the list and add 5 words they missed on the test each week to add to their spelling test. 

We are really trying to make learning effective for each student but I am already getting a little scared of how this could all turn out.  I could end up with way more work than I ever imagined but if my students gain fabulous spelling skills I think it would be worth it!

If any of you use Words Their Way and having any advice please comment!

Sorry I have been MIA...

So sorry I have been missing. Work has been absolutely crazy! I am working on finding a balence between work and home especially now that my son is in his first year of middle school football!

So here is whats been happening in my First Grade Class. My 19 wonderful students are doing great at the Daily 5! They are finally excited about building stamina and working towards becoming better readers.

This week I will be sending home our first weekly reading log. My studnets are expected to read for 15 minutes every night. I feel this is the most important homework they can have. Now, don't get me wrong.. I do send home other homework as needed. I am just moving towards sending home projects for the students instead of weekly worksheet packets.

Here is a sample of our weekly reading log:

Fabulous First Grade Weekly Reading Log

(it looked better on my computer)

We have also been busy at work using our I WONDER statements... Here is my students board where they share their post-its with their I WONDER Statements:



(I was running low on bulletin board space. I hope to pretty it up soon!)

I am also sending out my first Scholastic Book Club letters of the year! Our class goal is $275 which would get my class 5000 bonus points! Thats alot of books. I will hopefully post more about that this week.

I hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day Weekend!