A Makeover and A Freebie

So, don't faint, but I am actually blogging.  I'm not sure why I stopped blogging. Life has just gotten busy and time has gotten away from me.  I sent my youngest to college this past year and adjusting to that seemed to take up a lot of my time.  But I am back.

I have actually found time this summer to begin working on remaking some of my first products that I created. Hopefully, they will look better.  After looking through my TpT store, I was embarassed about how some of my products looked.  I had created them with Word instead of Powerpoint.  So I decided to recreate them in Powerpoint.  I have finished my first product makeover.  It is the featured product in my store and a freebie, so I thought I should begin with that one.

It is a graphing activity.  The students graph their favorite type of apple.  I realize that graphing isn't in the Common Core standards for kindergarten. However, my students take the MAP test from NWEA. I was surprised how many questions about graphing that there were on that test.  I don't believe in teaching to the test, but if I can have my students do some activities that help them to do better, I try to do that.  Besides, when they are graphing they are still counting with one-to-one correspondence, writing numbers and telling more than and less than.  All of those things are objectives that I am supposed to be teaching. So by using graphing in my classroom, I am getting a two-for-one deal.  (Kinda like shopping at Kohl's)

Here is the freebie if you would like to get it for your classroom:

Click here to get the freebie.

I hope you like it and can use it in your classroom.  Be sure to watch for my more updates to my product.

Thank you for stopping by my little blog.

Testing! Testing! Testing! and a Freebie

Good Morning from Chicago!

I don't live in Chicago, but I'm visiting my sister and picking up my youngest who has been spending her spring break in Chicago.

I found a little extra time this morning before we head out to brunch to cross off something that has been on my to-do list for awhile now.  I have been wanting to make a table to keep track of which common core standards my students have mastered in Math.  (I know, I know, this should have been done at the beginning of the year.  But I have this little problem called procrastination.)  Up until now I have been keeping track of where my students are with a file folder, their names and some velcro.  (I will share this idea later, after I get home and can take a picture of the file folder.)

Anyways, I thought that another teacher might be able to use this.  I made a table that lists the common core standard at the top and has a box under it for each student for you to write the date the student takes the pre test and the date the student passes the post test.

Here is the link for it on Google Drive:

Click here for the table.

Thank you for visiting my little blog this morning.  Have a great weekend!

Back From Chicago!

So, don't faint, but I'm actually blogging today.  I just returned home from presenting at the IL ASCD PreKindergarten & Kindergarten Conference.  During my presentation, I mentioned my blog.  I did warn the attendees that I haven't blogged in a very long time.  So instead of being totally embarrassed by my "not blogging", I thought I would blog about my presentation.

My presentation was about centers that I use in my classroom.  Some of the center ideas I have as freebies in my TPT store.  I'm going to list all of them here to make it a little easier for the nice teachers who attended my session.

My #10 idea is a measurement center.  Click here for a link to a worksheet for the students to record the number of snap cubes or colored tiles the object is.

My #17 idea is for a Making Words folder.  Click here to get the freebie file in my TPT store so you can make this.

My #20 idea is for making a door graph.  Click here for the freebie file to make the My Favorite Color door graph.  Click here to get the freebie to make a My Favorite Kind of Apple graph.

My #22 idea is for sorting erasers.  Click here to get the recording sheet.

My #30 idea is for making a lunch bag book.  Click here to get the directions for making one of these.

I hope this helps all of the wonderful and patient teachers who attended my session.  Thank you for all of your support.

1st Day of School Lesson Plan

Happy August!

When did that happen?  I can't believe that it is August already.  Technically, I'm still on summer vacation, but it seems to be whizzing by me.  I report back to school officially on August 18th, but I've already been in to my classroom organize some things.  My students don't come back until September 2nd.  Since I know some of you have already started back, and others are beginning soon, I decided now would be a great time to share my 1st day of school plans with you.

Anyone who has taught kindergarten knows that the first day of school is CRAZY!!!!  So this isn't an exact science, its kind of more like a wish list for what I want the first day to look like.

Here is my (hopeful) plan:

7:30 - 7:45  My students arrive.  I have pattern blocks with pictures at each table for my students to use to explore. This gives me time to talk to the parents and collect paperwork.

7:45 - 7:55  Announcements.  Saying the Pledge of Allegiance.  This year I purchased the Pledge of Allegiance poster from the KindergartenWorks TpT store.  I'm going to use it to teach the Pledge to my kindergartners.

Click here to get this packet.

7:55 - 8:15  Go over our classroom rules with the story and poster in Monster Fun! Teaching Manners and Expectations by Growing Kinders.  It is a freebie in her TpT store.

Click here to get this freebie.

8:15 - 8:30  Take a wiggle break.  Have the students sing some of our favorite songs, Dr. Jean's "McDonald's", "Five Little Monkeys", "Mother Gooney Bird", and the very favorite "Tooty-Ta".

8:30 - 8:45  Read a first day of school book.  My favorite is "The Kissing Hand".  Then discuss how each child felt on the first day of school.  (This is a great way to begin to get to know each child in the classroom.)

8:45 - 9:15  Explain to students how to use classroom tools (i.e. pencils, crayons, scissors, glue sticks).  Have students make First Day of School crowns. This is a freebie in My Heart Belongs in Kindergarten's store. 

Click here to get this freebie.

9:15 - 9:45  Snack time.  (I teach the students our rules for snack time and our song.  We sing the song before anyone can eat his/her snack.)

9:45 - 10:15  Discuss rules for in the hallway.  Before we walk in the hall we say, "Peanut butter lips, marshmallow toes, hands down to your side and follow your nose".  I learned this little saying from Jack Hartmann when I saw him at a conference in Chicago.  Then I take the students outside for recess.  When we get outside, I discuss the playground rules with them.  After that, they have time to play.

10:15 - 10:30  Get drinks of water and go back into the classroom.  Discuss rules for centers.  Divide the students into 4 groups for centers.

10:30 - 11:30  The centers that I do on the first day of school allow my students to explore some of the things in our classroom and interact with each other.  This center time also allows me to walk around the room and get to know my students by taking time to talk to each of them, one-on-one.

Centers - #1  Blocks  #2  Puzzles  #3  Legos  #4  Playdough

11:30 - 11:40  Get ready for lunch.

11:40 - 12:10  Lunch

12:10 - 12:40  Recess

12:40 - 1:00  Quiet Time (I play quiet music while my students put their heads down and rest.)

1:00 - 1:20  Calendar Time - Teach the students the "Days of the Week" and "Months of the Year" song.  Discuss what month it is.  Count to the date.  Place #1 on the hundreds chart, where we count the days we have been in school.

1:20 - 1:45  Read "Pete the Cat Rocking in my School Shoes".  Sing the song on the website.  Click here to go to the website.

1:45 - 2:15  Have students make a page for Pete the Cat Class Book.  There is a freebie from Stacia Seagroves that has this page.  It also has a student note you can print for the students to take home.

Click here to get the freebie.

2:15 - 2:30  Explain the procedure for a fire drill.  Go outside for a fire drill.

2:30 - 2:45  Explain the procedures for going home.

2:45 - 3:00  Get ready to go home.

3:00 - 3:10  Dismissal.  

Take a deep breath.  Go to the school secretary for reassurance that yes you will be able to get through the school year and that this class isn't any more immature than your class last year.  

Get ready to do it again tomorrow.

I hope this helps with some ideas for your 1st day of school.

Freebie Friday - July 18th

Happy Middle of Summer!

This summer is just flying by.  Of course, it didn't help that I didn't actually begin my summer until almost the end of June.

Today, I am linking up with Teaching Blog Addict for a Freebie Friday.



Click here to check out the other freebies. This freebie began when I decided to take a trip to Target with my husband earlier this week.  Of course, I had to stop at the Dollar Spot.  While there, I found a very cute spinner.  I don't know about your kiddos, but mine love spinners. So I bought it and decided to create a freebie to go along with it.
 

It is adorable, isn't it?

The freebie that I created uses shapes.  The students spin the spinner and find the color or the shape on the picture.  I am going to use this to practice shapes with my small groups at the beginning of the school year.

Click here to visit my TpT store and grab this freebie.

Thank you for taking time to visit my little blog.

Have a great weekend!

Where Did July Go?

This is so crazy!  Where did my July go?  I can't believe that August begins at the end of this week.  Luckily, I am spending the first few days of August visiting my sister in Chicago with my daughter, a friend (who teaches across the hall from me) and her son.  I will be sure to share pictures with you when we get back.

I linked up with the Teaching Heart Blog last week and I was chosen to be featured on her Facebook page this week.  I can't believe she chose my idea!

So I thought I would link up again this week and share another freebie.  This is a "hidden picture" game that my students love to play.  I print out pictures and laminate them and put magnetic tape on the back.  Then the students put them on the side of my metal cabinet.  One of the students takes a picture off of the cabinet.  The other students guess which one is missing.  My students love to play this game.  I have created a summer one for you to share with your students.

Click {here} to get your freebie.

I hope your students enjoy the hidden picture game.  Thank you for stopping by.

Stop The Summer! I Want To Get Off! (and a freebie)

I can't believe it is practically the end of July.  I only have a few weeks before I go back into my classroom to starting setting up.  At least I still have a short trip to Chicago to visit my sister to look forward to before starting back.

Enough complaining about how quickly summer is flying by!  I have a freebie to share with you.   I have a book that I got at the I Teach K! conference many years ago when it was in Chicago.  For each letter of the alphabet there is an animal or object for the students to create that begins with that letter.

This past school year, I had many students who were above level.  So we moved into learning the diagraphs.  I decided to create a printable that they could make for the "ch" diagraph.  I created a "ch" chick for them to make.

Here is a picture of it:

Click {here} to get your freebie.

I have linked up with Classroom Freebie for Manic Monday.

Thank you for stopping by,

A Popsicle Freebie

Happy Summer!  It seems that summer has arrived in southeast Michigan.  We are in for a heat wave this week after a bunch of rainy days.  I love a red popsicle to cool off on a hot day.  So I made a popsicle sight word reader for a student I am tutoring this summer.  I thought I would share it with all of you for a Manic Monday freebie.




Find the freebie below:

Click {here} to get the popsicle book freebie.

Stay cool and have a great week!

My First Freebie Friday of the Summer!

As I promised in my previous post, I am going to be posting more this summer.  For the first time, in a long time, I am tutoring this summer.  One of my little guys is doing a great job of sounding out words but he needs to practice sight words.  So I have made an ice cream matching game to help him practice his sight words.  

Click {here} to go to my TpT store and get my freebie.

Since I thought others might be tutoring this summer, I wanted to share this with you as a freebie.  I have linked up with Freebie Friday at Teaching Blog Addict with my freebie.  Please check it out!



Click {here} to go to Freebie Friday!
Have a terrific last weekend of June!

It is Friday and it is a Snow Day!

Happy Snow Day!

It is a snow day in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan!  I swear I didn't become a teacher because of snow days.  But I love feeling like a kid on snow mornings, watching the television to see if my school goes across before I get a phone call from our phone tree.  Usually, I see the name of our school scroll across before my phone call.  We have a very chatty close knit group of teachers, so sometimes we chat a little before calling the next person.  This is our second snow day this winter.

Since I have a little extra time today, I decided to create a freebie and link up with Teaching Blog Addicts Freebie Friday.




I created a strip booklet that uses color words, and the sight words here and is.  I don't know about your school, but at my school we have a copy count each month, so I create strip books for the students to read.  The booklet don't use as much paper, but my students are still able to get reading practice.  This one is about socks.  I am going to use it next week when we do our Dr. Seuss theme.  It goes with the "Fox in Socks" book.  Just click below to get the freebie.

Click {here} to download the freebie from Google Drive.

Thank you for stopping by on this snowy day!

My First Manic Monday Freebie of 2013

Happy Monday!

If you read my previous post, you know that I started back to school last Thursday.  Today was our first "real" day back, where we followed a normal schedule.  The kids seemed to be in shock at first, but they were soon back to normal.  I needed something for my measurement center this week.  So I made a center with some of my winter clip art.  I decided that it would be perfect to share with you for Manic Monday.

Click {here} to get to my Winter Measurement Center.

Tomorrow is my student teacher's first day.  Keep your fingers crossed for me that it goes well.  this is my 2nd time to have a student teacher.  My 1st one was wonderful.  I am hoping this time goes as well.  I will keep you posted on how it goes.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  Have a great week!

Returning to School on January 3rd

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Holiday!  I was very blessed this Christmas.  Besides spending quality time with my family, my husband surprised me with a new laptop for Christmas.  So,  I am typing this blog post on my new laptop.  My old laptop was at least 5 years old and "died" in October.  Since then,  I have been using my teenagers' laptops.  But sometimes they need their laptops for homework, so I'm not always able to get to use a computer.  I love my new laptop but it is taking me a little bit to get used to Windows 8.  You see, I'm not always good with change.  But, I'm making an effort (and trying not to bug my 18 year old with too many questions).

Like many of you, I return to school on January 3rd.  So I have had to plan for a day and a half of school with my kinders.  (At my school, the students only attend school until noon on Fridays.  Because we teach our own specials during the week, we use Friday afternoons for planning and professional development.)

Since it will be a very short week, I have planned some fun New Year's activities for the students to do.  I thought I would share some of the freebies that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers with all of you, in hopes that you can use them also.

First, I found a New Year's banner for my students to make on the Teaching with Love and Laughter blog.



Click here to see the blog post with the activity.
I am also going to have my students make New Year's necklaces by stringing noodles that have been dyed different colors on yarn and using the "favors" from this "Happy New Year Poem and Printables" freebie by Shelley Rolston.  Click here to find the freebie in her store.
Our New Year's fun won't be complete without hats.  I found this freebie to make headband hats with paper strips in Marta Almiron's Teachers Pay Teachers store.  Click here to get to her free download.
Besides making hats and necklaces, I am going to have a "New Year's Eve" party in the afternoon.  We are going to countdown from 10 to 1 and then jump on bubble wrap.  I think my little ones will love it.  Then we are going to have a small snack, popcorn and juice and play Bingo.
I hope these ideas will help you to make returning to school at the end of a week a little bit easier.
Happy New Year! to all of my friends and followers.

My First Freebielicious Freebie

Happy December!

Good Saturday morning everyone!  I hope your weekend is off to a great start.  I know mine is, I love creating freebies to share instead of cleaning my house.  This past week, I had a Gingerbread theme.  So I made this Memory Game for my students to play during Math centers.  I hope that your students like it also.

Click here to get my Gingerbread Memory Game.

I also linked up with Freebielicious Freebies on the First.  Visit them to get more freebies.

 

Thank you for taking time out of your busy weekend to visit me.

A Late Thanksgiving Idea and a Freebie

Happy Friday After Thanksgiving!

So what did you do today?  Eat leftovers, go shopping, put up Christmas decorations?  It is very cold and blustery here in southern Michigan.  And even though I don't want to admit it, I think I see some snow flurries outside.  Brrrrrr.....

I wanted to share something I did during my small group time with my students last week.  I didn't have my pictures downloaded until now to be able to share.

Who knew that students would love feathers so much?  I found the book, "When You Meet a Turkey" on Mrs. Meacham's Classroom Snapshot page.  The book talks about tickling a turkey and on the last page the turkey runs away.  I made a book for each student (or more accurately, my wonderful teacher's aide did).

Then when it came time for me to meet with my small groups, I called one group over at a time. I allowed each student to pick out a feather from a large box of  feathers (I have no idea how the box got into my classroom).  Then I took a piece of yarn and taped one side to the feather and the other side to the inside of the book.  Next, the students and I read the book together and the students used their feathers to point to the words in the book and to "tickle" their turkey.  They loved using the feathers to track print.  Now, some of my students were able to read the book, others could read a few of the words and still others were able to read it because of the repetitive text.  But it was exciting to see all of my students enjoying reading the book.  (Many of my students said, "Mrs. Lattea, can I really take the feather home?"  I love it when I can tell my students, "Yes, you can." and make them smile.)

Here is a picture of one of my students using his feather:

I have also decided to link up with Teaching Blog Addict for their freebie Friday:

My Freebie is a game that my students love to play.  We call it our hidden picture game.  The students play it during center time.  They put 8 to 10 pictures up on the magnetic board or felt board.  Then one student takes down a picture while the other students hide their eyes.  The other students take turns guessing what picture is gone.  The students who guesses correctly gets to hide a picture the next time.
Here is a link to my freebie:

Click here to visit my TPT store and download this game for free.

Enjoy your weekend!

I'm Thankful for My Followers

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I hope all of you are going to find time to spend with your family and friends this 4 day weekend.  I am so thankful for all of my followers.  So I decided to post a freebie for you.

Next week, I am going to have gingerbread theme for my centers.  One of the centers will include a hidden picture game.  My students love to play this game.  It is one of those centers where you just have to teach them what to do one time and they know exactly what to do when you have them play it.

Here is a picture of my students playing the game with Thanksgiving pictures:

One of the student is hiding a picture and the other one is guessing what picture it is.

This freebie has the game with a gingerbread theme.  I hope you are able to use it in the next few weeks.

Click here to download the freebie from my TPT store.

Thank you for visiting today.