Falling Into Reading

Falling into Reading! 

So to encourage my Kindergarten Kiddos into reading more, we are trying to fill our Autumn tree full of Reading leaves.  How?  By writing the name of each book we read on a leaf and attaching to the tree.  Our goal is to get the tree full by Thanksgiving break!  We have a great start!  I will keep you all posted on our progress!

(Don't a have a tree?  Make your own bulletin board tree!)

UPDATE!  Our tree is getting full!  This is what it looks like as of Mid-October!
Way to READ!!!

   

Apple Unit

I love this unit...learning about apples and getting to eat them!  What could be better?

We kicked off this unit with each student getting their own apple to observe!

We answered questions about our apple and then we drew the way the outside of our apples looked!

We also drew the way the inside of our apples looked.  And while examining the inside of our apple, we counted seeds.  This part can get a bit messy, but what fun are you having if you are not getting "down and dirty", right?!?!?

Then we graphed how many seeds we found!

How cute are these fingerprint apple trees?!?!?  A little keepsake for Mom and Dad too!

 We learned about the life cycle of an apple.

And we learned how our apple tree will look different in each of the Four Seasons!

 (Using the smartboard!)

What we learned about apples!

 Our favorite things about apples!

To download this unit, click on the picture below.

Great Tip!!!!

So, you know the posters and bulletins boards and file folders and everything else that you laminate or cover with contact paper to ensure that it lasts longer?????  Did you know that you can write on these with permanent marker and then later take that marker off quite easily???  I did NOT know this, and for years have been using dry erase markers on these types of materials.  But we all know that dry erase marker does not withstand constant usage.  Well, a friend of mine recently shared with me that if you write on lamination or plastic coverings with permanent marker, you can later go over it with dry erase marker and it will wipe right off!  TRUE STORY!!!!  I purchased some old bulletin boards from this same friend and she had written on some of them in permanent marker.  

I went over it with dry erase and it came right off - permanent marker that had been there for over a year!  If you don't believe me...try it on the back of one of your bulletin boards!  You will be hooked!

Parent/Teacher Conference Freebie

So, it's my first year in Kindergarten and with Parent/Teacher Conferences coming up, I needed some sort of guide to get me through the week.  So I created this Conference Sheet.  I loved it!  I hope you can find it useful too!

To Download this Freebie, click on the picture below!  Enjoy!  

Farm Unit

We completed our Farm Unit today and what fun we had doing it!  We made our Farm Books and read them together.   Then the kiddos took them home and read them to their parents!

After we learned about the type of animals you would find on a farm, we graphed our favorite ones!

Then the kiddos learned which crops grow on trees, which grow above ground, and which crops grow underground!

 Then we made our Farm Glyphs!

 

To download this unit, click on the picture below!

   

Sight Words (Monster Words)

I needed a fun way to practice our sight words in Kindergarten.  So we call them Monster Words and we feed them to the Monster after we get each word right.  I send the bags home and the kids add Monster Words to their bags all year long.

And just another quick organization tip...I have all my sight words cut out and ready to go at the beginning of the year.  I organize the words in zip lock bags by Alphabetical Order so they are easy to find.

To download ready to use monster words click on the picture below. (Preschool - 3rd Grade)

 

 To download sight word printables for practice click on the picture below. (Preschool - 3rd Grade)

 

Small Reading Groups Organization

I struggled for a short time with how to organize my Reading Groups so that it was both teacher and student friendly.  So I ordered magnets from VistaPrint (they were a free pack of 100 that I designed myself as a special they were running.  I believe they run specials often so if you are interested, keep checking their site.) and put the magnets on my white board.  (Any magnet board would work!)  This allows me to change and adjust as necessary in a neat and organized way.

Colors Unit

Boy did we learn about colors in this classroom!  We read a colors book that we made ourselves, we practiced our color words, and we painted, painted, and painted some more!  Check out some of the fun things we created!

To download this unit, click on the picture below!

Getting My New Classroom Ready

My first year in Kindergarten...is it possible to be so excited and so stressed at the same time?!?!?!?  The first step...getting the room ready.  I am a freak when it comes to things looking neat and colorful.  So, when I couldn't find anything I really liked for a certain area of the room, I created it myself! 
First...my Word Wall.

I am super happy with the way this turned out!  Click on the picture below.

How about a warm WELCOME for our new Kindergarten class!

And our very important Class Rules!

The Kiddos are always interested in What's For Lunch!  Plus an easy way to track Milk Choices!

And why not have a colorful schedule to get the day started right!

Recycling poster for my paper recycling bin!  Enjoy this Free Download!