Spelling Freebie!

In first grade this year we are creating our own spelling lists. I will be creating some materials on TPT to go along with each list. Next week we are starting with "short a." Every week there will be 10 spelling words. Included on our spelling lists will be some of the Dolch sight words from the primer-1st grade lists. Our first grade team feels that it is important for the students to not only recognize and read the sight words, but to also spell them!

Today I am including a page from our first spelling list!

 Click HERE to download!

Stay tuned for the "Short A Activities Pack" at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!

Yours in Learning,

Back to Bloggin'

So, it has been FOREVER since I have posted. The main reason being…I felt that nobody was visiting my blog! Then I decided, why not give it another try!? So here goes! Another school year has started and the excitement, stress and every other type of emotion begins! I started out with a list of 19 students and by the second day of school I had 25 first graders! Whew! Luckily my room was set up and ready to go, and I was feeling as organized as I possibly could. Plus, I was really excited to get back into a routine after our Chicago "summer."

Here is a picture of my most favorite part of my classroom. My library! I finally feel like I have it just the way I want it. It is kid-friendly and all of my books are either leveled by Fountas and Pinnell, or by category. I have book labels at my Teachers Pay Teachers store for FREE!

Here is a picture of my class room library:

Grab my book bin and book labels !

Book Labels

Feel free to leave me a comment when you visit my blog! I would love to hear what's going on in your classrooms or anything you'd like to see at my Teachers Pay Teachers store! Hope you are all having a fun start to your school year!

Yours in Learning,

Work on Writing and Word Work Center Activities

We are reviewing contractions, so I made up some puzzles for the kids to put together at our word work station. I am going to try these out next week and see how it goes! I made 50 puzzles, but will probably only put out half, in order not to overwhelm them :). We are also talking about staying on topic when writing at our "Work on Writing" station, so I made a Topics and Details cut and paste activity. To extend it, I had students write another sentence for each topic on the back. Also, if you like my "Unscramble the Sentences" writing center, see below for the new one for "I'm a Caterpillar." Have a great week!

Click {here}for Unscramble the Sentences

Click {here}for the Contraction Puzzles

Click {here}for "It's All in the Details"

Catching Up and a FREEBIE!

Happy MLK Day!
I am writing today to catch you all up on some things I have created the past week or so. I started the Daily 5 reading model before the winter break and now we are in full swing! I have to say that I LOVE my literacy block now and so do the kids. It has really allowed the students to take full ownership over their reading and writing instruction. I also enjoy the 15-20 minute mini lessons between station changes and working with small groups and individual students more frequently. If you are doing the Daily 5 and have any tips to share I would love to hear them!

Below are some of the new things I've posted to TPT. There is also a freebie for those of you implementing the Daily 5. It is not available on my TPT store, only through this blog. Enjoy!

Click {HERE} for "and sometimes y"

Click {HERE} for this word sort! It also includes a worksheet.

Click {HERE} to get this Daily 5 Freebie!

Compound Words

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had an enjoyable winter break. After getting back into the swing of things, I have created a few things that I have uploaded onto my TeachersPayTeachers store. Here is one of the word work center activities I created! Click {HERE} to check it out on TPT!

Unscramble the Sentences

Here is my latest unscramble the sentences for the S.F. Reading Street unit 2.5 (Life in the Forest). Check it out {here}

Winter Break Countdown!

I always think that I am going to have so much time to get things done when we have our holiday breaks. I should know by now that it's wishful thinking! Thanksgiving break came and went, but I managed to create a fun new countdown for the upcoming winter break! There is a Christmas countdown too. I haven't decided which one I am going to use with my class this year. What do you think? The first person to respond with their answer and email will get it free! (I don't even know if anybody reads these...but I guess I will find out!) Find this cute countdown {HERE}!