My LOVE/HATE relationship

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Classroom Library

I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with my 
classroom library.

I LOVE BOOKS!

I Love my kiddos to LOVE books!

I Love the organization of a classroom library.

I HATE PUTTING BOOKS AWAY!

I HATE  A MESSY CLASSROOM LIBRARY.

And so…

What’s a teacher to do?

REDO IT AGAIN!

So, How many times do I have to do it…
before I LOVE it?? (Again )
 
Here is the BEFORE…

 




So, why? Oh, why?
Why mess with a GOOD thing?
( Can you hear the shame in my voice?)
BECAUSE.
Because I know what wonderful books are in the tubs.
BUT …  the kids DON’T!
They know their favorites.
They go to the same tub over & over.
I LOVE THAT.
BUT…
How do you know?
There might be a BOOK you would
LOVE BETTER!
They don’t search. 
They just go to what they know.
SO…
I am expanding their KNOWLEDGE BASE!

I have decided to TAKE AWAY THE TUBS!

WHAT????
I know…you with OCD will HATE ME!
WHY?
Because..it’s not MY library…it’s OURS!
I am going to dump EVERY book in a pile in the middle
of our carpet area.

AND WE WILL SORT!

Common core says NONFICTION is a PRIORITY!
My kids don’t even know WHAT Nonfiction books we have!
So…we shall sort!
Fiction…Nonfiction…author study…science…etc..etc..etc…
NOT ME!
Not my SUMMER! (again )
OURS…ALL OF US!
(Do not do this the day your admin
is observing YOU!)
This will take time…time well spent!

 

My thoughts are to have the kids
make labels…NOT ME!
And put them right ON THE SHELF!
YES…ON THE SHELF!
They take ownership, so they can put things away!
Not ME!

 

Others have persevered..
IT IS POSSIBLE!
WOW!
 A Classroom library that mimics a
PUBLIC LIBRARY!???
They will know HOW to USE a PUBLIC LIBARY!
Not “What tub is ——-  book in?”
Hmmmm…
Food for thought.
So…if you are thinking of
RAISING THE BAR
in YOUR classroom library…
LET THEM DO IT!
Close your eyes…
change your MINDSET…
and collaborate
 WITH YOUR STUDENTS!
They might surprise YOU!
Wendy
hatching eggs

Spring is Coming! WHAT? The eggs aren’t HATCHING!

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Spring.  Bunnies. Chicks. Eggs. Shamrocks. Sunshine. Rainbows.

Feel it? Smile. Spring is COMING!

As a first-grade teacher, I attempt ( repeat ATTEMPT),

to bring Spring to my students in a

HAPPY, POSITIVE way. 

And then there is REALITY!

h

Chickens hatched in an incubator. Photo of an incubator with eggs and a newborn chicken.

I tried. I followed the directions.  I GOOGLED it!

As I walked into the classroom on day 21 of incubation, I walked slowly to the incubator to see the newborn chicks…

Expecting to see 10-12 yellow fluffy baby chicks chirping for me –

SOMEHOW,  the incubator had been unplugged … 

ALL WEEKEND!   NO!

I couldn’t look. All was silent. No movement!

The kids were coming! 

What to do? What to do?

I covered the incubator with my RAIN JACKET

( Yes, it was raining ),

and told the kids the eggs were SLEEPING!

I was NOT ready to tell them!

We survived the day.

THEN WHAT?

I “cleaned out” the incubator. Went to my LOCAL Farm Supply Store.

AND PURCHASED 8 ( that’s ALL they had ) yellow fluffy baby chicks!

Did my students get to see them hatch? NO!

Did they get to watch the MOMENT? NO!

Were they excited to see and hear the baby chicks for a short time – one week was ALL I could do! 

YES!  They loved it!

Moral:  Be flexible. Mistakes happen.

And always have a PLAN B.

And if you are hatching eggs…

have your local Farm Supply Store

ON SPEED  dial.

BUT, Spring is COMING!

Let’s get ready!

Helping my kids in the classroom celebrate SPRING, we have LOTS of SPRING practice activities.

Spring Math Fact Families Booklets for Addition and Subtraction to 20

 Robby Rabbit Plants a Garden

Robby Rabbit Plants a Garden

 

Honey Bunny’s Easter Fun

Honey Bunny’s Easter Fun

 Animal Classifications

Have fun! Enjoy the SPRING!

We in NORCAL are digging out from rain, wind, snow, sleet, and hail…

But the SUN will come out! We will be WARM again!

Smile, hug those you care about, and remember…

KEEP YOUR FARM SUPPLY STORE ON SPEED DIAL!  HAHAHA

Happy Spring.   

More fun for you:

Spring Cleaning

Spring Word Trees

Focus on Writing

 Wendy

 

I Needed a KICK IN THE PANTS!

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I can tell it’s SPRING…

I’m getting

LAZY!

But I have FINALLY, updated one of my

MOST Valued PRODUCTS!

BOOK CLUBS

HURRAY!

Now…I work 3 jobs…

I get up at 5:00 AM and go to bed at 9:00 PM.

I think I deserve some DOWN time!

BUT…

Then…I..get…really….complacent…

procrastinate…LAZY!

So every once in a while,

I need someone to give me a little

PUSH    SHOVE

KICK IN THE  PANTS!

Time to git ‘er DONE

This has been one of those weeks!

So…

I have a packet I made that I use in my classroom

A  LOT!

If any of you already have this…

DO NOT FEAR!

Help is on its way!

Now,

MY KIDS LOVE THIS!

The packet is full of independent activities, comprehension questions, word work, etc

ALL related to the BOOK OF THEIR CHOICE!

I can use it with ANY book.

My independent readers can read a book

 and as a GROUP

( can we say COLLABORATE )

they can DISCUSS & complete the pack TOGETHER!

Now I don’t use it daily…maybe once every two weeks or so.

It takes them awhile &

I really want them to “get into it”.

Lots of rewards, positive notes, specials when completed.

It’s a GOOD THING!

BUT…

It’s OLD. Really OLD.

It was in need of “A LIFT” ( in all the right places ).

Sounds like me! 🙂 

I DID IT!

I GOT ‘ER DONE!

And here she is.

ALL gussied up and purdy!

She has grown from 14 pages to 44!

She is ALL GROWED UP NOW!

I added a booklet style because

PAPER & INK ARE

AT A PREMIUM!

So now…less paper… less ink… more productive teacher & students!

My Little LOVE…

Book Club

 is available

at my TPT store

1stgradefireworks

You will  LOVE this!

Wendy

Guess What? PIGS DO FLY!

Guess WHAT? Pigs DO FLY!

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PIGS DO FLY!

Pig flying

SPRING CLEANING

OK…I admit it…I HATE to CLEAN!

Spring Cleaning Purging is NOT FUN!

It is a chore!

But, the Christmas dust bunnies 

are MULTIPLYING!

 Just in time for EASTER!

After my 3rd cup of coffee, this AM,

I decided to get to work!

Hubby at work for the day..so

I made a deal with myself …

NO SHOWER until DONE CLEANING!

(I LOVE MY SHOWERS!)

So, what’s a girl to do?

GET CLEANING!

I CRANKED UP THE COUNTRY MUSIC…

LOUD…

REALLY LOUD!

Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw

 

Luke Bryant
Luke Bryan

 

Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney

I WAS LISTENING, SINGING,

 & DANCING to the music!

Thank GOD, no one could SEE me!

Anyways…

I CLEANED…AND Cleaned…

and cleaned….and cleaned.

More SPRING CLEANING

I even cleaned out my earring tree!

Didn’t know I had SO many that

only had 1 earring! GOODBYE!

Closets, bookshelves, drawers, 

took BLANKETS to the LAUNDROMAT…

“SPRING Clean” THEM TOO!

My house smells like PINE-SOL!

If I didn’t know any better…

I’d swear I was NESTING!

NO WAY LADIES…

This GMA is TOO OLD for that! 

Then…shower..AAAHHHHH!

SPRING CLEANING & BAKING?

No…I am NOT ill.

So then I decided that because the EB…

Easter Bunny
Happy EASTER

 

EASTER BUNNY

is on HIS way …I could help him!

My family LOVES

Reeses EGGS!

Reeses peanutbutter chocolate eggs
Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs

 

(WHO doesn’t?)

But…I AM CHEAP! 

I know…really cheap!

So today I decided to MAKE them!

You heard that right! MAKE THEM…ME!???

For the girl who doesn’t cook, 

they turned out pretty good!

homemade chocolate eggs

 

homemade chocolate eggs

 

homemade chocolate eggs

Here are MY Reese’s  Eggs!

They are ready for Easter Baskets!

So, my friends…

Guess what?  

Pigs DO Fly!

pig flying

Happy  Weekend!

If YOU need more Easter Goodies…

1stgradefireworks logo picture
https://1stgradefireworks.net
You Quack Me up
You Quack Me Up! ELA & MATH Centers for first grade 4th quarter!
Robby Rabbit's Garden... a complete plant unit reading, writing, math for SPRING!
Robby Rabbit’s Garden… a complete plant unit reading, writing, math for SPRING!
Spring Word Trees for Reading Fluency UPDATED with Easy-prep extensions.
Spring Word Trees for Reading Fluency UPDATED with Easy-prep extensions.
Balanced Literacy
What is a BALANCED LITERACY Classroom? This resource will show YOU!

For MORE EASTER GOODIES…CLICK HERE!

Here is a SPRING FREEBIE for following 1stgradefireworks

CLICK HERE!

Chicken Dance! FREEBIE! Check it out at 1stgradefireworks!
Chicken Dance! FREEBIE! Check it out at 1stgradefireworks!
It's time to get the gardens started. You might get your hands DIRTY!

Get YOUR Hands DIRTY in the GARDEN!

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GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY IN THE GARDEN!

The SUN is SHINING!
The birds are “chirping”.
My chickens are laying EGGS!
It’s almost SPRINGTIME folks!

It’s time to plant the garden!

We gotta get ready!
So …how?
What do I do first? Then? Next?
( Sound familiar? )
We in NORCAL are ready to…
GET OUR HANDS DIRTY!

We have 3 raised gardens…

Grapes growing on the white fence.

The garden behind the white fence.

And an extra large garden.

The windmill for looks, in the garden.

The windmill in our garden.

 Yes…We have our own windmill.
( NO..it does NOT pump water…BUT IT LOOKS SO COOL!)

A twelve-foot sunflower grew in our garden.

Our twelve-foot sunflower in the garden!

Last year… 12 ft. tall SUNFLOWERS!

The garden has vegetables growing.

Our garden has tomatoes, onions, corn, and peppers.

Corn, tomatoes, garlic, onions, tomatillos, cilantro, peppers,
green beans, squash, pumpkins, grapes

Our garden has sunflowers beginning to grow.

The sunflowers are beginning to grow in the garden.

In the beginning…(sunflowers)

The little kids love the garden worms.

Our granddaughters found worms in the garden.

And our helpers…
Our granddaughters  &  grandson   LOVE DIRT!
Best friends with WORMS!
(Put your coffee grounds into your garden…worms LOVE THEM!)

The black chicken helps in the garden.

The black chicken is in the coop.

The white chicken likes the garden.

The white chicken likes to eat the vegetables from the garden.

We also have 2 chickens…
Snow white (Black..I know…SNOW WHITE has BLACK HAIR)
and Rapunzel (  She used to have yellow feathers..)
Granddaughters named them…
Thank You, Disney!
We also live in the suburbs…NO FARM!
We just grow what we use & use what we grow!
So Valentine’s DAY is usually the “day”.
START YOUR SEEDS!

Plant your garden!

HUH?
How? Where?
HUH?
We use seed starter kits.
( Lowes, Home Depot, etc)

Seed starters help us get the plants for the garden.

We start the seeds for the garden in small starter kits.

We put one seed in each “pot”, water daily,
and keep in the sun…
INDOORS!
(Usually on MY kitchen table for a while). 🙁
As the seeds sprout…we move them into a small greenhouse outside for acclimation.

The greenhouse helps get out garden plants started.

A small hothouse helps the small plants grow.

As the seeds gain height and leaves…
We plant them in the gardens.
We try to plant/ sprout / acclimate/ plant in the gardens
at different times.
That way we always have produce ripening.
I also have herbs:
cilantro, parsley, basil, rosemary, chives, mint
growing year round.
This year we are trying something new.
( In addition to what we already have..)

We can plant our vegetables in the straw bales.

Straw bales for the new garden.

Straw Bale Gardening!
Researching it now.
Looks promising!
(I think I may propose this one at school too).
Great for growing plants in a small space!
A NEW garden!
OK..then what?
We have ALL of this summer produce!

What do we do with it?

(You can only eat so much…so fast!)
Well…
Hubby cans!
(Yes…HE  CANS!)
* This year SANTA brought him a new pressure canner!
Happy hubby…Happy  wife! 🙂

We can our produce from the garden.

After we harvest, we can to preserve our produce.

Peaches…yummy!

We made tomato sauce.

We made sauce from the garden tomatoes.

Salsa, spaghetti sauce, tomatoes.
ALL kept in storage for WINTER!
And me?
I dehydrate…I dehydrate WELL!

Dehydrated garden vegetables.

We dehydrate the garden vegetables.

Our garden produce is preserved.

Preserving fruits and vegetables.

I Love my dehydrator!
My new LOVE is
PERSIMMONS!

Orange persimmons from the garden.

Persimmons can be preserved.

I can’t wait to dehydrate them this fall.
Persimmons to snack on…ALL YEAR LONG!
YUMMY!
And ALL from the gardens!
According to 2018

2018 US Farmer's Almanac

The 2018 US Farmer’s Almanac

IT’S  TIME  TO  PLANT!

According to FARMER folklore,
The farmer’s timetable for planting is:
“When you can put your bare behind on the soil
& it is WARM…
time to plant!”
I haven’t actually tried that…
I  think I will wait for a little more SUN and make a good GUESS!
It’s almost time!
Get your gardens ready..it’s time to
GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY!  🙂

The farmer and his wife.

The farmer and his wife.

If you are looking for a fun gardening unit for your CLASSROOM…
*click on the FREE PREVIEW..:)

Robby Rabbit's Garden

Robby Rabbit’s Garden

Click  HERE to see the new packet.

 

Check out some more  GARDEN fun from 1stgradefireworks:
To see the SUNFLOWER UNIT
click  HERE

Teach your students about seeds with SUNFLOWER SEEDS A Plant Unit

Sunflower Seeds plant unit

Write On Journal Pages

How to HELP kids…WRITE! Freebie,too!

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Writing

Writing in First grade.
 
Common Core Standards DEFINE 
what writing will LOOK like in Grade one.
 
 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3
Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

 WOW! 
 A lot for firsties who are learning
 to read AND write.

We “JUMP” in!  🙂

We start with

NARRATIVE WRITING.

 

Much easier to write about yourself, than others.

My kiddos are just beginning to understand LANGUAGE.

Sytnax…grammar…structure…????

A LOT FOR A 7 year old!

HOW?  HOW?  HOW?
Breathe…

 We TALK… A LOT!  

We share our ideas.  
We draw. We draw some more.
 We chart ideas. 
We sound out words ( the best we can ). 

student work, writing paper

 

 

 


 We share. We edit. 
We write more. 
And we FIX IT!
Is it perfect?  NO!

Is it OK?

YES!

Writing is a process. 
It takes TIME!
And practice.
 And MORE practice!

I want my kiddos to WANT to write.
Not for ME…for themselves!

The LOVE of writing is a GIFT!

 Give them a GIFT!

 

 

Need HELP with resources, ideas, & planning?

Here are some helpful ideas:



 

My kiddos use these writing pages
 to SUPPORT their writing.
 
for Language / Spelling Support.
 
To help YOU get started…
 
 
for YOU! 
 
Give them a GIFT! 
Wendy
McBlarney TIME Time to the hour and half Hour

The “WEE” Little Ones are a’WATCHIN … What time is it?

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What TIME is it?

It’s McBLARNEY TIME!

 
‘Tis the month of MARCH!
 
The “WEE LITTLE ONES”..
are a’watchin..
 
 
 
(Like my Gealic?) HAHA
 

What TIME is it?

 
ALREADY?
 
BTW…
 
There are 294 days 

…until CHRISTMAS! 
Just wanted to  FREAK YOU OUT!!!!!

What TIME is it?

It’s ONLY  MARCH!
Whew!
 
As an “official” IRISH LASS.
 
 Well… kinda…married a McCarty…
 
IRISH TO THE MAX!
 
And…I carry Scottish/Irish genes.
 
So I AM an “IRISH  LASS” !
 
One of my fav. poems..I know it’s a song!
 
I love the lyrics!
 
 
 
The chorus…
 
When Irish eyes are smiling, 
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring. 
In the lilt of Irish laughter 
You can hear the angels sing. 
When Irish hearts are happy, 
All the world seems bright and gay. 
And when Irish eyes are smiling, 
Sure, they steal your heart away.
 
 
Awwww…
 
Makes me heart HAPPY!
 
I have been to the “EMERALD ISLE”.
 
I have “KISSED THE BLARNEY STONE”

…kinda gross.
 
( Story another time )
 
What TIME is it?
It’s McBlarney TIME!
 I want to share some “Blarney”
 
with YOU!
 
 
 
 
 
 
And
 
 
 
 
Celebrate the WEARIN OF THE GREEN
 
on St.Paddy’s DAY!
 
 
Go n-éirí an bothar leat
 
 
(May your journey be successful)
 
* Don’t forget to wear YOUR GREEN
 
on St. Patrick’s Day
 
…don’t want to get PINCHED! 
 
Wendy
 

 

Valentine Word Trees

Valentine’s Day is Coming Soon

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Valentine’s Day is coming SOON!

Here are some Valentine’s resources to help your day run smoothly and be exciting!

Keep reading for a Fun FREEBIE

Free for Followers

Freebie for Followers

ARE YOU READY?

Here are a few of the “KINDNESS” Products

you can find at 1stgradefireworks.

 

Can YOU Make 10? Making 10 Math Strategy Booklets
Can YOU Make 10? Making 10 Math Strategy Booklets

Can You Make 10? Making 10 Math Strategy Booklets

Be Mine - Place Value Game
Be Mine – Place Value Game

 

Be Mine – Place Value Game

Valentine Themed.
Place Value Cards ( 54 Cards in ALL) for sorting.
Includes:
Sorting Header cards
Place value cards
( Expanded notation, base ten, ten frames, number words, numeral, ten & ones)

Sweet Treats Math facts for Grade 1
Sweet Treats Math facts for Grade 1

Sweet Treats Math for Grade 1

Math Practice for Grade 1
Includes:
Place Value
Printables
Sorting Cards
Missing Addends
Cards
Centers

More February “TREATS” from 1stgradefireworks 

Follow ME on IG, FB, & Pinterest

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For MORE fun ideas:

Getting Ready for January

Calendars

FUN FREEBIE

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Heart Words – AKA – Words you NEED to know by HEART

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What are “heart” words?

Why do I NEED them?

How do I use them?

HELP!!!

Heart Words

    Heart Words 

UFLI Heart Words

UFLI Heart Words 2

Heart Words are Sight Words students NEED to know by HEART!

Here are the

120   UFLI 

Irregular Sight Words 

for students to PRACTICE!

Word Cards are printed

onto HEARTS 

for small group, large group,

and
independent practice!

Have students practice :

letter identification, phonemes, blending, segmenting, rhyming, sight word mastery, writing, beginning and ending sounds.

Cards can be used for a variety of literacy lessons.

Print, laminate, and let kids enjoy!

Have fun, while mastering

120 Sight Words. For the WIN!

Heart Words will help students be readers “From the Heart”!

Heart Words

Words you NEED to know by HEART

Check them out HERE!

This word list came from UFLI – Irregular Sight Words.

If you have ANY questions, email me:  1stgradefireworks@gmail.com

Wendy

 

It’s National PUZZLE Day! Do YOU play GAMES??

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GAMES and Puzzles!

 

Today is NATIONAL PUZZLE DAY!

Wahoo!
Fun times with friends.
 
Do  YOU play games and puzzles in YOUR classroom?
I  HOPE  SO!
 
What better way to practice academic skills & strategies?
The BEST way to learn social skills of sharing, taking turns, winning, and losing.
AND..most importantly…

IT BUILDS YOUR CLASSROOM COMMUNITY!

Keep reading for a FUN FREEBIE

Free for Followers

Freebie for Followers

Checker

Checkers

Board Games for kids

Boars Games for kids

Chutes & Ladders Board Game

Chutes & Ladders Board Game

Candy Land Board Game

Candy Land Board Game

I also have the children make their OWN games.
We play the “matching” game… A LOT!
 
Use spelling words, vocabulary words, math facts…whatever!
I give 1/2 the class 1 sheet of colored paper.
I give the other half  
1 sheet of colored paper, too 
BUT a different color!
 
We fold it into 8 rectangles.
EVERYONE writes the same words on their paper.
THEN…cut the cards apart!
 
When we are ready…find a partner
 WITH   DIFFERENT COLORED PAPER!
 
Turn over all of the cards. 
Pick one of YOURS,
 then choose one of your partners!
 
With different colored papers
…no mistaking whose is whose.
 
When game “time” ( set a timer ) is done
..pick up YOUR cards!
No mixing them up!
Take the cards HOME & PRACTICE!
Here WE ARE at WORK:

Kids in classroom playing learning games

Kids in the classroom playing learning games

Partner students in classroom playing learning games

Partner students in the classroom playing learning games

Kids in classroom playing learning games

Kids in the classroom playing learning games

I hope you play games and do puzzles!
Have FUN!
 
Here are some MORE blog posts about
CLASSROOM  GAMES!
 
PLAY ON
 
 
 
Here are some games 
for YOUR classroom:
 

CVC Scoot Game

CVC Scoot Game

Who Am I Flapbook Game

Who Am I Flapbook Game

What's a SMORT? A SMART Sort!

What’s a SMORT? A SMART Sort!

Shelves of Board Games

Shelves of Board Games

Check out my 
Pinterest board
for MORE fun GAMES!
 
 
FUN  FREEBIE

Free for Followers

Freebie for Followers

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