Category Archives: Uncategorized

Valentine Word Trees

Valentine’s Day is Coming Soon

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

Free for Followers

Freebie for Followers

 

How to get ready for Christmas without the STRESS!

I know…BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!

Folks..LIFE IS BUSY! Christmas time is BUSY!

Sorry to be the one to tell you that.

BUT…

30 days …from TODAY  (11.25.23)   4  SUNDAYS! 

 YES,  4 SUNDAYS…

Christmas will be here!

I  LOVE CHRISTMAS!

So??  

 How  to  get  ready??

PACE YOURSELF!

Think 

MARATHON…NOT  SPRINT!

 Where to start?

#1…..Make LISTS!

(I  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE   LISTS! )

List ALL ( YES ALL ) of the people you 

WOULD LIKE to give gifts to.

Now…

PUT A STAR next to the people you MUST give a gift to.

(I know that sounds weird..but..I would LOVE to give gifts to

EVERYONE…but…my bank account says I must prioritize).

It doesn’t mean I won’t give a gift…

just might be a “thoughtful”… not-as-costly gift.

Reality people!

If money grew on trees…

#2…..DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN DEBT FOR THE NEW YEAR!

 So…there is officially  1 more PAYCHECK until Christmas.

( Or figure out HOW many PAYCHECKS YOU have until DEC. 24 )

Take the number of gifts YOU MUST purchase 

and divide by EXTRA $$.

***If you have been SAVING for Christmas,  which you WILL DO for NEXT year,  add that too!

That tells you HOW many GIFTS you MUST purchase and the amount you have to spend.

That’s important because

 now you can begin looking for a gift

for the PERSON…not just a check-off on a list.

SLOW DOWN! Not ready to buy yet!

Now….start talking, texting, asking others…

#3…..DO YOUR RESEARCH PEOPLE!

ASK!!!!  

 What items do the people on your list WANT…NEED…LOVE?????

Add this to your LIST!

( If for kids…ASK THEIR PARENTS…sizes, likes, ages,etc )

Now…start looking…

online? Look for FREE shipping! 

(AMAZON PRIME ..I am speed dial!)

Friends & Family …FAR AWAY???  ( Sorry )

SHIP TO THEM!

Don’t ship to YOU & then pay to ship to them!

SHIP  DIRECTLY! FREE!

STOP!

YOU HAVE NOT MADE A BUDGET YET!

#4…..Figure out what you can spend…

AFTER PAYING YOUR BILLS & feeding your family.

They always come first…don’t forget to add them to your MUST list!

Your kids COME FIRST!

And NOT going into SEVERE debt!

Only charge what YOU can pay off the next month!

NO DEBT AFTER JANUARY!

OK..then..start listing whom you will purchase for.

After you purchase…keep the receipt! 

I write the name of the person I purchased it for on the back…

RETURNS?  Easy Peasy!

After you purchase…

or  it arrives from SANTA’S HELPER

 IN THE BROWN UPS TRUCK… 🙂

WRAP IT  AND   ATTACH  A  NAME  TAG!

( This is from a Santa’s Helper…who has forgotten and was wrapping WAY TOO LATE INTO CHRISTMAS EVE! )

After Thanksgiving..

#5…..I begin to look at my 

LIST of ” WANT to purchase for”

but NOT necessarily, 

 “Must Purchase For”

on my list!

 ( Yes I keep it in a little book in my purse! )

Now I have a better idea of “extras”…

Do I need to do “homemade”….giftcards…..”I thought of you- but have no $$ left” card? 

What kinds of gifts can you give for NO MONEY?

How about a picnic at the park?   A  TEA PARTY for kids?  A trip to the library to read books?  Take a young child to the ZOO???

Gifts of “ONE TO ONE” time…ARE THE BEST!  

And you can schedule them AFTER the holidays. 

The gift that keeps on giving!

Whatever fits YOU! 

RELAX!   

NO  GUILT!  

Christmas is NOT about who can GUILT YOU the MOST!

It’s about telling the people you care about..

THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU!

Enjoy the season.

Spend time with friends & family!

TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!

Make Memories!

And when JANUARY comes around..

SMILE!

(And maybe  a mani / pedi  for  yourself?)

But…remember…

Christmas is from the HEART..not the WALLET!

Have FUN!  

Elf on the Shelf… FAILURE!

Do OVER!

What do YOU do to get ready for CHRISTMAS????

When is it “officially” FALL?

 

It’s 100 degrees in NorCAL!

My A/C has been on for WEEKS!

I don’t like to sweat. 

My calendar says Fall ‘officially” begins on Monday, September 23?

WHAT? Why so far away?

I think FALL should begin TODAY!

WHEN is it “officially” FALL? 

I am ready for…  FALL!

When is it "Officially" Fall?

When is it “Officially” FALL?

 

I have been looking for FALL-themed resources

to help get my first-graders into the

FALL MODE!

I hope these help YOU too!

(Thank You PINTEREST!)

The Best of Fall Read Alouds

The Best of Fall Read Alouds

Fall themes?  YES! Many to choose from!

What do YOU teach in the FALL?

PUMPKIN EVERYTHING?

When is it "officially" FALL?

When is it “officially” FALL?

 

Need MORE  Fall inspiration?

🙂

Bring on FALL! We are READY!

How Do You Know When It’s Fall?

Fall, Apples, & Johnny Appleseed

And so my friends…as YOU can SEE…FALL is ALMOST here!

Enjoy the changing season! Have fun with your students, hug your family!

Now…where did I put thise leather boots?

Hmmm…I may have to clean out a 

closet or two! 

pumpkin spiced latte

pumpkin spiced latte

Pumpkin Spice LATTE is almost HERE!  WAHOO!!

HAPPY  Fall. ‘yall from NORCAL! 
1stgradefireworks

1stgradefireworks

 

 

$100 TPT Giftcard

Who wants a $100 TPT GIFTCARD? ME! ME! ME! YOU?

Are You BACK TO SCHOOL?

I AM! We started back in August. AUGUST? Really?

Yes. My first graders are still in SUMMER mode. ME TOO!

Summer Sun

But… we are BACK TO SCHOOL. 

Get up. Go to School. Come home. 

To HELP us get ready for this TRANSITION to WORK LIFE… 

COULD YOU  USE  A $100 TPT GIFT CARD?  Sure you can! 

Some AMAZING TPT Store owners want YOU

to have some shopping FUN!

All YOU have to do is fill in the RAFLLECOPTER! 

EASY- PEASY Lemon squeezy!

(Can YOU tell I am back at school… I CAN!)

$100 TPT Giftcard

$100 TPT Giftcard

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: 

Prize: $100 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card

Giveaway Organized by: Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher)

Co-hosts:   An Apple for the TeacherThe FroggyFactoryTheBeezyTeacher,  1stgradefireworksApril Pickett- Teach Travel ReadChocolate 4 TeachersMrs. Wennings ClasroomA Teacher and her CatIt’s a Teacher ThingThe Best Days with Julie SantelloThe Craft of TeachingMickey’s PlacePaula’s Primary ClassroomWalk With Me a SecondLeah Popinski – Sum Math Fun,  Homeschool Style-Katie RingResearch Based Teaching ToolsJackie CrewsSweetie’sThe Monkey MarketAngie S,  The First Grade Lunchbox, and Penley’s Pointe Educational Resources.

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter.  

The giveaway ends 9/13/23 and is open worldwide.

 Click HERE to ENTER

Rafflecopter

 

Are your students ready for CENTERS?

How to add games for independent centers!

We have been in school for 4 weeks. I know…we began JULY 31! I spend 3-4 weeks working on whole class routines & schedules. Then we spend a week or two working on centers ( without me actually taking reading groups) so I can monitor HOW they are doing during independent centers. AND THEN????

We begin INDEPENDENT CENTERS without the teacher!!!  WHAT???  Yes!! 

Release the KRACKEN!

Release the Kracken

Release the Kracken

And yes..we begin small group reading.

I used to call it GUIDED READING.

But I have added Guided Reading Skills & Strategies.

Sometimes, we work on words. Sometimes we work on skills. 

Sometimes we read. Sometimes we write. 

I use my assessments to guide my instruction. 

I know WHO needs WHAT.

So what are the other kids doing?

MUST DO’s & May Do’s.

And this week..enter their FAVORITE CENTER SO FAR!

( Yes…in their WHOLE LIFE…as they say!)

Here is the FUN game for centers!

And they are LEARNING!    WIN!  WIN!

 

 

SHORT VOWEL DOMINOES 

294 CARDS! WOWZA! 

294 domino cards for short vowel practice. Domino games can be differentiated by vowel sounds, picture cards, or word cards. Fun activities for student learning. Games help students stay engaged while practicing short vowel CVC word families.

They LOVE THIS! They beg for more time! Get your WORK done so you can PLAY!

YES!  I love it when a plan works!

And so here we go!

Small groups for me..independent centers for them.

WIN! WIN!  All around. Check out the video!

Making A LIST and Checking it TWICE!

Making a LIST? WHY?

IS SANTA ON HIS WAY?

Is SANTA on his way? In JULY?

 

NO! I am checking MY list.

My  Back to School LIST!

And that list get LONGER, every DAY!

My Back to School is next week. 

In my district ( a modified traditional calendar) we start at the end of JULY! 

No tears for me…we are off the first two weeks of OCTOBER!  I LOVE FALL BREAK!

And so first, I make a list – A LONG LIST!

Thank You @createteachshare

Teacher To Do list @createteachshare

Teacher To Do list@createteachshare

 

Here is how my list begins…
  1. Clean teacher desk
  2. Clean students desks
  3. Number each workbook ( I put numbers on EVERYTHING!)
  4. Get student materials ( books, pencil holders -FILLED, & other things that stay IN THEIR DESKS) on their desks. We will go over them the first day.
  5. Number homework folders, Read at Home folders & books
  6. Tear out & runn of homework for the first two weeks.
  7. Clean out & check literacy & math centers.
  8. Purge ANYTHING I have not used in two years! YES!!!!  
  9. Find my teacher tools.
  10. Check technology… after updates…check technology. After call to district office…check technology AGAIN! Finally works! UGH! I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with technology!
  11. Schedule teacher PD meetings. ( 5 days before kids come..starting tomorrow!)
  12. Write Lesson plans for the FIRST WEEK! ( don’t go further…things WILL change.)
  13. Update list.
  14. Unpack the 10 boxes of NEW Science Curriculum. Inventory. Find missing pieces. Inventory again. Store? Stack in a corner.
  15. Add to my list:  Unpack science curriculum & go through it. Plan? 
  16. Make sure resources on the WALLS are for Back to School ( Not END of School). Update.
  17. Are class lists ready? I need to ADD names to numbers!
  18. Make a LIST ( alphbetically, of course) of students by first names. (WOW! I have an “extra” student on my list…boy will that mess up my alphabtical list.  TEACHERS: YOU GET THIS!)
  19. Don’t care that my alphabetical student names will be OUT OF ORDER! 🙂 Breather!
  20. Cross things OFF list. ( After you have added MORE) I know. It’s LONGER than when I started. It’s OK. Ths kids won’t know!
  21. GO HOME EARLY! Relax. Take a walk. Pour some wine. Hug your family. It’s a job. The kids will be there ready or not. THEY won’t care if I didn’t finish ALL of the ANCHOR CHARTS          I want to make. ADD that to my LIST! 
Classroom 2019

Classroom 2022 Making my LIST!

Focal Wall is on my list

Classroom of 2022. Making my LIST of things to do!

Making labels for files!

Classroom of 2022. Making my LIST of things to do!

Lesson Plans are on my list.

Classroom of 2022. Making my LIST of things to do!

Filing construction Paper in a crate is on my list.

Classroom of 2022. Making my LIST of things to do!

Sorting  Read at Home Books...on my list.

Classroom of 2022. Making my LIST of things to do!

 

Leveled readers in tubs. On my list!

Classroom of 2020. Making my LIST of things to do!

Get my Teaching table ready for small groups! ( Also my teacher desk..) READY? Check my list!

Classroom of 2020. Making my LIST of things to do!

My list is long.

BUT… The kids are coming to see YOU!  They will look around and SMILE AT YOU!

The smiling, happy teacher who gives giggles, grins, hugs, & high fives!

They want to know they are safe & happy. And so are YOU!

Finally, don’t forget…your list will come & go. Smile. Breathe.

And Love them!  That’s what we do.

I don’t need to add that to my list. It’s ALWAYS there! 

Happy Back to School. Enjoy it! 

Leave me a comment & let me know how it goes! 

Wendy     1stgradefireworks 

 

Small Group Reading

Getting Ready to READ in SMALL Groups

AKA… After I assess them, NOW what?

SMALL GROUPS!

small group table for reading

small group table for reading

We are back in school. I spent the first few days going over schedules, routines, set up, clean up, etc.

As the week went on, we got better.


Now, it’s time to introduce content. I need them to start working so I can ASSESS.
ASSESS for WHAT?

Assess for READING!

First grade is ALL ABOUT READING!

Small groups are leveled so I can reach each student at their level and help them become

BETTER, INDEPENDENT READERS!

HOW? How do I know?

ASSESSMENTS!

Assessments drive your instruction.

DATA. What DO they know? What DON’T they know?

All of this data becomes the source of my instruction.

If I have a concept that a LOT of them don’t know…. whole class lesson!
RETEACH THE WHOLE CLASS!

BUT, if only a FEW are missing a skill or strategy…SMALL GROUPS!
Reteach it during small groups.

OK. HOW?

How to Group students for SMALL GROUP reading. 1stgradefireworks

How to Group Students for SMALL GROUP reading. 1stgradefireworks

Assessments drive your instruction for small groups!

Assessments drive your instruction for small groups!

I use MULTIPLE ASSESSMENTS.
Curriculum, DRA, Running Records, BPST, Core Phonics Survey,

Letter sounds/names, blending, segmenting, sight words, etc.

PLEASE… DO NOT sit a child down and assess for more than 15 minutes!

Better to assess over DAYS than HOURS!

You want to know what they truly know.

I put ALL of my data on a spreadsheet,

I like to see ALL of it together.

THEN WHAT?

Look for patterns.

Do they know letter names & sounds?

6 kids are “inconsistent”? GROUP THEM FOR practice!

Small intervention group with letters, whiteboards, & pictures.

Your first small group is ready to go!

Missing sight words?
BAM! Small groups for sight word practice, reading with the teacher, writing sight words in sentences, and more sight word practice.

Fluency? Do they “robot read”?
Another strategy small group! Fluency practice. I read. You read. We read. I read. YOU read. WE read.
They need to hear YOU for fluency & intonation practice.

Here are some “helpers” for small groups that I found on PINTEREST!

Effective Grouping for Small Group Instruction - Learning with Mrs. Langley

Effective Grouping for Small Group Instruction – Learning with Mrs. Langley

 

How to Use Small Group WarmUPs with MissDeCarbo.com

How to Use Small Group WarmUPs with MissDeCarbo.com

 

What is a BALANCED LITERACY CLASSROOM? 1stgradefireworks

What is a BALANCED LITERACY CLASSROOM? 1stgradefireworks

Check out BALANCED LITERACY HERE!

So. 

  1. Assessments
  2. Decipher your data. (Look for patterns).
  3. Make your small groups.
  4. RETEACH
  5. Practice
  6. Reassess
  7. Regroup students ( keep groups fluid).
  8. Again. And again, And again!  
  9. Watch them GROW!  
  10.  SMILE. You are great! 🙂

If you need more help…

check out these posts for MORE information: 

Balanced Literacy

Book Clubs- Reading

Writing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do You teach NONSENSE words?

I’ll admit it! ( Head hanging down).

I DID NOT TEACH NONSENSE WORDS!

UGH! BAD TEACHER!

WAIT! Let me tell you why!

I teach first grade. My students speak 6 different languages this year. They are JUST learning to read!

I thought NONSENSE Words were…NONSENSE!

I THOUGHT I was helping them by NOT CONFUSING THEM!

I admit it.

I WAS WRONG!

They need to experience PHONICS all around them!

They need to understand the phonemic sounds of ENGLISH!

Thank You, Della Larsen.

It’s NOT CRAZY! It’s good. It’s HELPFUL!

As I am re-thinking my BALANCED LITERACY instruction,

I will NOW be adding phonics fluency using real and nonsense words to my lessons.

A short “BURST” of phonics, multiple times during my day, will help my students become

PHONICS MASTERS!

My newest change of “TEACHER MINDSET” is …NONSENSE WORDS!

OK… I’m IN!

Here is my newest product to HELP my kiddos with NONSENSE WORDS!

EARLY PREVIEW for YOU! 🙂

Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency.
Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency.

Tpt Link HERE!

Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency. Great for EL's and EO's.
Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency. Great for EL’s and EO’s.
Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency. Fluency Practice and Sorting .
Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency. Fluency Practice and Sorting .
Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency. Fluency Practice and Sorting .
Real or Nonsense Words? How to help your students with phonics fluency. Fluency Practice and Sorting .
Real or NONSENSE? Helping your readers with BOTH!
Real or NONSENSE? Helping your readers with BOTH!

Finally…helping Readers is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO!

So, I will add READING REAL & NONSENSE WORDS to my literacy repertoire!

How about YOU?

Let me know how it goes!

Wendy

You QUACK me UP! Math and Literacy Centers.

The Fourth Quarter Classroom – HELP is Here!

AKA… What to use to keep some working, while reteaching to others! 🙂

SUMMER is finally around the corner!

Assessments, report cards, cleaning, paperwork, etc…

Third quarter done! YIPPEE!!

Though I really DO love this time of the year.

Kiddos are making TREMENDOUS progress!

Sniff…sniff…PROUD TEACHER!

So NOW we WORK!

Now we have the 4th Quarter DASH

            Almost SUMMER!

Catch everyone up to grade-level standards

before they go to second grade!

And to HELP…I need it!

Some of my kiddos will work on YOU QUACK ME UP!

 

While I am WORKING with small groups, reteaching concepts they DIDN’T quite get.

DATA tells me that.

Right?

Say this with a SMILE…

“YOU QUACK ME UP!” 

to be taken to my TPT store!

You Quack Me up
You Quack Me Up! 


ELA & MATH Centers for first grade 4th quarter!

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade table of contents

ELA: rhymes, Read the Room, Sight Word Games,Grammar

MATH:  3 digit addition, Place Value, Guess My Number

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade rhyme game

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade word work

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade story vocabulary

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade prefixes

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade task cards

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade Sight Word Game

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade 3 digit addition

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade Place Value

You Quack Me Up ELA & Math for First grade number game

My kiddos LOVE LOVE LOVE this!

So much fun going on in Room 3!

Ready for Summer?

More? 

Here you go…

And NOW for the almost SUMMER FREEBIE!

Click HERE

FREEBIE HFW GAME

This GMA wants some

GIGGLE  TIME! 

baby laughing

cowgirl sisters

smiling boy in John Deere Tshirt

little girl princess

 And so…

HERE  WE  GO! 🙂

Happy Summer and let the Fun begin!

Check out 1stgradefireworks 

for MORE goodies!

Have a great Summer and Check back
for new Back to School Goodies! 

                                                                 Wendy

 

How Calendar Time Starts MY Day!

My favorite CALENDAR,,,Krista @ Creative Clips Paper
My favorite CALENDAR,,,Krista @ Creative Clips Paper

Calendar Time. I’m NOT sure WHO needs it more..

ME?   or my students?  

Coffee?

Restroom Time?

RECESS????

NO!

CALENDAR  TIME!

I Love Calendar Time.

I Love reading through the MONTH.

What’s happening THIS week

Next Week.

All month!

It keeps my “getting older” brain…

FOCUSED!

It helps my kiddos stay on top of events for this week and this month.

This week we are discussing:

CALENDAR TIME

and

MORNING  MEETINGS!

classroom calendar
My classroom calendar wall

My calendar is next to my focus board.

This is where we begin our

morning meeting.

After vocabulary discussions, calendar,

 days of the week ,months of the year, HFW cards..

I get to do a READ  ALOUD!

Working on reading strategies!

All of this in about 15-20 minutes!

Whew!

Classroom calendar
first grade calendar…How to start the day!

My calendar is in PLACE VALUE numbers!

I got it HERE.

I also have MELONHEADZ Holiday cards.

LOVE THEM TOO!

I try to “release” the CALENDAR instruction to my students as the year progresses.

By the end of the year, THEY lead the calendar time.

But, I still get to do the READ ALOUD!

I LOVE IT!

Just a quick shout out to

Krista@Creative Clips Papers Collection

Creative Clips Paper Products
teacher paper calendar

This is MY Calendar!

I use it every DAY!

My Preps, meetings, Notes, appointments, etc.

AND  I  GET  TO  USE  MY  FLAIR  PENS!  🙂

One PAD lasts 2 years!  

I LOVE MINE! 

I do MATH Calendar after lunch.

Math wall, focus wall, math calendar wall

We go back to number of days in school, place value, etc.

This begins my REVIEW of math concepts BEFORE we begin anything new!

We count to 120 by 5’s & 10’s ..2’s to 50 at the end of the year.

This is my FAVORITE!

monkey math, first grade math

It ALL begins with Calendar TIME.

Check it out on PINTEREST and TPT!

How do YOU do CALENDAR?

Wendy