Tag Archives: Reading

I SEE PUMPKINS! Meet the “little ones”…

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I SEE PUMPKINS! Meet the “little ones”…

My hubby, AKA  Farmer Without a Farm, is growing pumpkins!
In our backyard.
On the fence.
Across the lawn.
In EVERY garden we own!
And FINALLY…Yes, I say FINALLY…

WE HAVE PUMPKINS!

2 to be exact!
Meet the “little ones”.
Clara the colorful…
She is turning ORANGE the fastest.
Sidewinder SAM.
He is growing SIDEWAYS ON my ladder!
Just like the “STEPS” he can take to grow!
HAHAHA
Pumpkin  HUMOR  
And this is Junior!
Junior is was growing in our garden at school.
I work at a TITLE 1 school…someone STOLE him!
RIP junior.
You would have made a great  PIE!  

To help my FIRSTIES get into the FALL  SPIRIT…

I have brought out the FALL GOODIES!
 Remember…it’s 95 degrees in NORCAL this week…
hard to feel FALLISH!

Fall BUNDLE

Falling for NOUNS ( Common Core Grade 1 )
and
FALL Fluency
BUNDLED TOGETHER to save $$
FALL  THEMATIC   UNIT
Includes:

Reading-
Reading Passage
Comprehension Printable
Reading Response Printables
Vocabulary Pocket Chart Cards
Poem ( And Cut a part printable )

Writing-
Spelling List Forms
Word Family Charts
HFW Lists
Journal Pages & Covers
Interactive Journal Pages
Flap Book Graphic Organizer

Assessments-
BPST printable
Fluency Assessment
HFW List

Grade 1 / 2

AND…
BRING ON ANYTHING  HALLOWEEN “ish”…
Fact  Families
Finally,
MORE TASK CARDS
These are  ADDITION ONLY!
Good starting PACKET
Fall ADDITION TASK CARDS
Now…If I could just get the PUMPKINS
to
CARVE THEMSELVES!
( I Hate the SLIME!)
Oh, well.
Stay COOL my FRIENDS!

Bring on FALL! We are READY!

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Have I mentioned…

I  LOVE  FALL!

OK…Many times.

I live in NORCAL.

We don’t have the  TRADITIONAL

4 seasons.

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE  4   ????

In NORCAL…

we have

Summer ( 90-100 degrees )

Fall   (  80-90 degrees)

Winter   (  foggy…  60-70 degrees…sometimes cooler )

Spring  ( 70-90 degrees )

It’s OK…I LOVE my HOMETOWN.

Sometimes.

OH…well…  

And so on.

SO now that it’s 80 degrees & FALL..

What’s UP in ROOM 3??

Fall Brings…

BRAG  TAGS!

We use Brag Tags on rings during the month.

They earn BRAG TAGS

for

 following classroom / school rules

AND

Lifeskills

At the end of each month…

They transfer their earned BRAG TAGS  from RINGS…

To string necklaces.

They get to wear their necklaces ALL DAY AT SCHOOL

and then

HOME!

( Parents are told at BTS night to

 REWARD their kids for necklaces

 at the end of the month!)  

Fall Brings…

English   Language   Arts

Word Work

Word  Sorts…NO GLUE!

Pick 3 crayons.

Color the words according to the KEY!

Write!

Back from 2 week vacation.

TEACHER…..CLEAN   YOUR   TABLE!

 I don’t have a teacher desk.           #bestdecisionever

Reading  ROCKERS!    #alternativeseating

Birthday  Books.

On each student’s birthday  ( or close  to ),

We make a class BIRTHDAY  BOOK!

We do these during  MUST DO TIME!

Independent work.

We have a “FRAME” style we use.

Everyone makes a page.

We STAPLE together and VOILA!

CLASS   BIRTHDAY  PRESENT!

We sing and dance as we PRESENT ( haha )  it to the birthday  student!

LAST..( whew..what a  week !)

Fall Brings…

GUIDED MATH

My  newest  &  favorite time of the day!

 We are doing

MATH  MUST  DO’s  &  MAY  Do’s

( Same format as ELA centers in the AM )

KEEP  YOUR  ROUTINES  THE  SAME!

We go the the MATH  Calendar  (  next to ELA  Calendar  )

after  lunch.

Math  Calendar

After  we go through the “math board”…

We NOW ( Quarter 2)  do MATH MUST DO’S.

(  Approx.  45   minutes  )

Must DO’s

#1    MATH    JOURNAL

Story  Problem  with  illustrations &  number  sentence.

#2    Math  Paper

A  Workbook Page FROM  YESTERDAY ( review )

#3    MATH   TUB  (center)  with a PARTNER

I do the whole class MATH lesson  BEFORE  centers.

SOMETIMES we do the workbook page together…sometimes they do.

Depends on the Lesson.  We  have a district curriculum to follow.

( Approx.  time    45  minutes  )

What  am I doing?

GUIDED   MATH   GROUPS!

I meet with 2-3  kids at a time.

We work on a STRATEGY.

NO  worksheets!

They need  to have independent  strategies to do ON THEIR OWN!

I  can’t  take the assessments  FOR THEM!

So…

Here is what’s UP  in room 3 in the FALL?

Need  supplements for ELA  or MATH?

Brag Tags

Balanced Literacy

Check out my store for GOODIES!

1stgradefireworks

Those CRAZY Word Walls!

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WORD  WALLS

I can honestly say, in my 27 years in first grade,

I have “redone” my word wall…

probably 26 times!

My dilemma is always the same…

How to put them on the wall so kids can

access them ( at ANY reading level!)?

At first, I thought “A..B..C” order.

Then, I thought “by curriculum unit..week 1..week 2, etc”.

Next, I thought ” phonics sounds ..short a..short e…etc”.

Last, I thought “they don’t even LOOK at IT!”

and so…

I WAS  FRUSTRATED!

What to do?  What to do?

ASK  THE  KIDS!!!

 

So what do THEY want?

What will THEY use?

What do THEY want it to look like?

And they TOLD ME!!

They helped me “SOLVE” our Word Wall “PROBLEM”!

WHAT? You want ME to help SOLVE our WORD WALL PROBLEM???

My Word Wall 

Now our word wall has sight words we use for 6 weeks

( 1 unit of our curriculum).

 

These words will be in our stories 

AND 

on our TESTS!

 

We study them EVERY day ( at Morning Meeting ) 

AND

we play I SPY with the words wall DAILY!

The kids practice with each other, too!

Partner Practice…yippee!

We use our chromebooks, write on our desks with whiteboard markers, flash cards to take home, and we play LOTS of word games!

 

My WORD WALL focus’ on sight words.

I teach vocabulary words, but those go on our focus wall for weekly connections. 

This year…I am adding personal word walls to their writer’s workshop folders. 

 

They will add words THEY need to use in THEIR writing.

 This was last year when we did WAY TOO many 

words at one time!

 

Now…LESS  IS MORE

Word Wall by ABC order

Large Word Wall by ABC order

Sight Word games from the Word Wall

Lots of games to practice our “words”.

I have some games and products

 to help with WORD WALLS.

Check them out!

So to Conclude…

When putting up word walls, fewer WORDS at one time is BEST!

Teach to MASTERY!  Review!  Practice!  Be consistent!

PINTEREST HAS A MULTITUDE of resources to help.

I found these:

         Especially Education  

       All Students Can Shine

    A Sunny Day in First Grade

222  SIGHT  WORDS from 1stgradefireworks

Here are MORE ways to help your students learn to READ

I hope this helps your students become BETTER readers and writers!

Leave me a comment. How are things going? Anything I can do to help? 

Wendy   1stgradefireworks

 

How to Prepare for a Successful Reading Workshop in First Grade

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Reading Workshop

“Creating a Community of Readers”

via…LUCY  CAULKINS!

This is my newest FAVORITE thing!

I LOVE Lucy Caulkin’s

READING, WRITING,

&

COMPREHENSION LESSONS

If you get a chance to hear her, see her, and/or youtube her…

DO IT!

When I teach reading, I don’t want my students to stop and ask for help.

I want them to have skills to be independent readers.

I want them to be problem-solvers.

So, I am…

How to create a community of readers

 How?

What do you do BEFORE reading?

Frontload any vocabulary that may change thinking, distort comprehension, or unfamiliar to them.

Take a picture walk. Cover the words.

Make them use the visual cues in the story.

Have them make predictions PRIOR to reading.

After reading, check their predictions.

When you finish reading, do something!

 I LOVE this!

After reading..then what? DO SOMETHING!

Reread it for NEW information. Retell it to yourself or a friend. We use our 3 fingers retell. I love this part…DIGEST IT! Just as a good meal…when you are finished, appreciate it. Think about it.

 ENJOY IT!

Read MORE!

 You are NEVER done!

When you finish…read more! My kiddos love to stack ALL of their books on the left..as

they finish reading a book…place it in a pile on their right. Keep reading! Their goal is to

read more every day! STAMINA! Reading MATS are used to make goals.

Our goals are to read MORE!

Use your eyes to read…not your fingers.

 We want kids to quit using their fingers to read.

Good readers use their EYES!

“SCOOP” up words (phrases) with your eyes. When reading, put 3-4 words together

and read the phrases! GREAT time to teach prepositions & prepositional phrases!

Always reread text

 Always, always…reread!

You will see more, read more, and understand more when you reread a story. Read it to a partner, a

parent, a friend. The same book can sound new when you are reading it the second or third time!

Lucy Caulkins Thank You

A HUGE THANK YOU to Lucy Caulkins!

So there you are…

GET  READING!

Remember…

When in doubt…

ALWAYS make it

BALANCED  LITERACY

For more early literacy reading and writing resources

Check out

 1stgradefireworks

Book Clubs Reading Groups

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Reading Groups? 

 LOVE THEM!

BUT….
My High Kiddos 
don’t want to meet with me
 as often as my others…
so, enter

BOOK CLUBS

 

 



We have grouped our BOOK CLUB kids into groups of six.

 Each has the same book.
They have worked with the packet with me first during guided reading.
Model, model, model. 
Then …
RELEASE THE KRACKEN!



 I mean …release the firsties!

 

Book Clubs work as a team 
to help each other read the story,

 have a “LITERATURE” discussion ( the hard part),
 and then they complete the packet TOGETHER.

 

 



 Do they copy…yeah ( get over it) .
They ARE Learning from each other.
 I have heard the BEST discussions ever 
( and I wasn’t involved in it!).

 They really CAN do it.
They enjoy the new packet.
 I give them a “reward certificate” 
& 
LUNCH with the teacher 
when the TEAM completes their packets
 AND 
 give a 
GROUP ORAL REPORT 
on their book!

They want MORE!
 ( I try to switch the Book CLub groups , depending on the book level).
It takes them about 1-2 weeks to complete it.

 We have a “core” reading series 
we HAVE TO DO are highly, most decidedly will, are

encouraged to do, first.

 SO… Book Club is their UA (small group) time.

So here it is!  Check it out! Good for ANY story or book.

BOOK  CLUB

 

 

 

Tips & Tricks

 

  • When students are independent readers, begin BOOK CLUBS
  • Hold students accountable
  • “Chunk” their work time ( I have them work for 15-20 minutes)
  • If needed…choose a LEADER to begin the discussions.
  • All club members need the same book.
  • Have booklets ready ahead of time. When they finish one…start another!

 

Check out these resources to help with reading & writing in YOUR classroom!

If you like it..PIN IT!

Book Clubs for Reading Comprehension!

DO you Garden? A little or a LOT?

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What does YOUR garden look like?

 Do YOU garden?

My hubby is a gardener.

I mean HE LOVES TO GARDEN!

We have raised garden beds.

A few of them.

And we have PRODUCE!

One week’s harvest!


Check out these posts for more about MY 

FARMER – Without – A- Farm!

Get Your Hands Dirty!

Secret of Life

Meet the “Little Ones”

I need to APOLOGIZE…

Me?  Not “love” to garden.

I “like” to garden.

I love to HARVEST.

I love to eat.

I don’t like to WEED.

I don’t like to sweat.

Fingers dirty?  It’s OK.  

As long as I can WASH THEM…SOON!

Love my new GLOVES!

Amazon.


So we plan our garden.

We grow seeds on our kitchen table.

We start them indoors, 

so we can move them

OUTDOORS!


He reads OLD FARMERS ALMANAC.


As a teacher, 

I want MY students 

to learn to grow their own food.

I want my students to LOVE to garden!
We planted a GARDEN!

We will plant tomatoes, pumpkins, Swiss chard, 

& lettuce in our raised garden.


The garden flowers will go on either side of the planter.


Now to help you in the classroom…

Sunflower Seeds

Robby Rabbit’s Garden

Check out my

Learn  All about Plants

Pinterest  Board.

 

Robby Rabbit’s Garden. Complete CCSS Grade One unit for Reading, Writing, and Math.

Planting and Learning About a Garden.

How do YOU garden?

Do You teach NONSENSE words? YOU SHOULD!

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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.

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. 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!

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

SPRING Word Trees with EXTENSIONS

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Spring Word Trees for Reading Fluency UPDATED with Easy-prep extensions
.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spring-Word-TreesFluency-Practice-3646980

Spring is a time for renewal. A time for growth!

In our classroom, the “seeds” we have planted ALL year long, are NOW GROWING!

And they are GROWING FAST!

All of the letter sounds, phonics lessons, sight words, guided reading, etc, etc ,etc are NOW

taking root!

So NOW WHAT? How to make it STICK?

First and foremost, Practice. Practice. Practice!

There is NO MAGIC! ( SORRY to tell you that!)

For student’s to internalize learning and to become independent readers.

They must read. And read A LOT!

These sight word fluency pages will help YOUR students practice the reading skills and strategies YOU have taught, with fun and engaging content.

Easy Prep Spring Word Trees help students with sight words, fluency, and grammar.

Students show their greatest growth patterns in the SPRING!

And TEACHERS…REJOICE!

Teachers doing HAPPY DANCE

Student’s have the “AH HA” moments…

Students also cheer! The

“LIGHBULB” goes on!

The student “lightbulb” goes on!

To help with the SPRING FLING…

I have added a new component to MY Guided Reading for Spring.

Spring Word Trees UPDATED with EXTENSIONS!

Spring word Trees for Fluency Practice. Now with Extensions
Spring Word Trees for reading fluency. Updated with extensions.
Spring Word Trees for reading fluency. Whole page or booklet style.Updated with extensions.
Spring Word Trees for reading fluency. Whole page or booklet style.New Scrambled sentences extensions.
Spring Word Trees for reading fluency. Whole page or booklet style.UPDATED with new Scrambled sentences extensions.

Now my students can read, practice sentence structure with words, AND WRITE!

ALL in one easy-prep page!

HAPPY DANCE!

2020 is a New Decade | We get a “Balanced Literacy” DO-OVER – Week 3: Guided Reading

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And a FREE Balanced Literacy Resource to get you STARTED!

2019 is the Year of BALANCED LITERACY!

But wait! THIS IS 2020!

Did I miss it???  NO!

2020 is a new decade!

And because 2020 was sooooooo  bad, we get another Do-Over!

We get a BALANCED LITERACY  “do-Over”!

Ready to UPDATE your literacy block? 

Balanced Literacy: Here is your NEW YEAR PLAN!

This 8-week series will focus on the components of a complete BALANCED LITERACY program. We will focus on clear and concise definitions. Definitions that educators can discuss in collaborations. A “common language” where we can learn from each other and with each other.

The 8 components we will focus on are:

  1. Read Alouds
  2. Shared Reading
  3. Guided Reading
  4. Independent Reading
  5. Modeled / Interactive Writing
  6. Shared Writing
  7. Guided Writing / Writer’s Workshop
  8. Word Work

Each week we will focus on one area of Balanced Literacy and share experiences,  teacher tips, and resources to support and expand our Balanced Literacy repertoire.

BALANCED LITERACY

This week:   Guided  Reading.

Week 1:  We discussed Read Alouds.

Week 2: We discussed   Shared Reading.

This week we jump into GUIDED READING.

Let’s talk to the EXPERTS about Guided Reading.

Gay Su Pinnell and Irene Fountas  Video by: Kemberly Meriwether

Guided reading is subject to many interpretations, but Burkins & Croft (2010) identify these common elements:

  • Working with small groups
  • Matching student reading ability to text levels
  • Giving everyone in the group the same text
  • Introducing the text
  • Listening to individuals read
  • Prompting students to integrate their reading processes
  • Engaging students in conversations about the text

The goal is to help students develop strategies to apply independently. Work focuses on processes integral to reading proficiently, such as cross-checking print and meaning information, rather than on learning a particular book’s word meanings. (For example, a student might see an illustration and say “dog” when the text says puppy, but after noticing the beginning /p/ in puppy, correct the mistake.) During guided reading, teachers monitor student reading processes and check that texts are within students’ grasps, allowing students to assemble their newly acquired skills into a smooth, integrated reading system (Clay, p.17)

READ WRITE THINK

Guided Reading Table

What does a guided reading lesson look like?

It varies based on reading level, but here’s a general structure for a 15-20 minute lesson.

  • Students re-read familiar texts for several minutes. This is a great way to promote fluency!
  • For just a minute or so, the students practice previously learned sight words.
  • The teacher introduces the text.
  • The students read the text out loud or silently while the teacher coaches. They do not take turns reading; instead, each child reads the text in its entirety.
  • The teacher leads a discussion of the text.
  • The teacher makes 1-2 teaching points.
  • If time allows, students do a few minutes of word work or guided writing.

The Measured Mom

Scholastic has 4 Tips for Guided Reading Success:

  1. Establish Routines. Routines for The Lesson format ( this helps with TIME constraints ), routines for when Guided reading happens, AND routines for what the OTHER students are doing while the teacher is teaching at the table.

2. Make SMART  text choices. The text should provide multiple opportunities for students to apply strategies and skills you have identified for the group.

3.  Dive into INSTRUCTION. Before, during & after reading.

3.  Assess and Be Flexible.   Your groups should be fluid and should change as your students’ instructional needs change. That’s where informal and formal assessments come in handy.

Scholastic.com

Conversations in Literacy

Kindergarten Chaos

 

Guided Reading STRESS?

Learning Lessons  With Amy Labrasciano

These literacy posts may help in YOUR Balanced Literacy journey.

Balanced Literacy

Read At Home

Flexible Seating

Read Alouds

Reading at Home

These Guided Reading resource books for TEACHERS may be helpful for YOUR reading.

Amazon

 

Reading Strategies (Amazon) 

So…Leave me a comment… What does GUIDED READING look like in YOUR classroom?

FREEBIE…Sight Word Game! Who doesn’t LOVE a GAME???

2019 is the Year of BALANCED LITERACY!

Here you go!

 

 

What does READ AT HOME really look like?

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I am a BLOG STALKER!
I admit it.
 
I am ALWAYS trying to find the BEST, FASTEST, & EASIEST ways
to make my classroom run smoother & more effective while being 
academically successful.
I want my students to continue to practice their reading & writing skills and strategies 
AT HOME!

BUT..What does Read at HOME really look like?

 
Aren’t we ALL?
 
So each year I try to “change” a few things for the better.
NO THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER!
 
(  For YOU youngin’s…  Don’t get rid of the good stuff while trying NEW stuff! )
 
So here is something “NEW” ( or New to ME )  that I am doing this year!
 
I am NOT ( Ugh…),
NOT  
choosing the Student’s TAKE HOME BOOKS each week.
( Let it go! Let it go!)
 
I LET THEM!
The power is in the CHOICE. 

I thought if I chose reading books that were ON their reading level

THEY would MAGICALLY fall in LOVE with READING!

NOT!
I have RAH ( Read AT Home ) envelopes…
Purchased at REALLY GREAT STUFF
BUT ANY envelope will do!
 
Each WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY they bring their RAH folder back.
I have them choose 2 books…YES…2 books to put in their folder.
( I place a pile 20 or so, of books at each level …
 
*disclaimer…right now I have 5 Guided Reading groups..I group their 
PILES of books by the Guided Reading group level…
 

So they really are taking home books at THEIR reading level.

Just a little teacher “nudge” in the right direction!

 
They choose two books, put them in their envelopes, and put them in their cubbies.
They keep them for 2 nights..hence bringing them back WED. & FRI. 
We change them for two NEW books … and here we go again!
 

Some nights I add a READING RESPONSE page to their homework.

USE ONE OF YOUR RAH BOOKS!

( Your choice!)

 
You can get my READING RESPONSE Packet HERE  
Some nights I have them do a page or two from my
BOOK CLUBS
Book Reports.
Accountability?
I do have a paper…lined…for parents to sign each night.
DO ALL OF THEM SIGN IT?
 NO!
If YOU take a horse to water…Can you FORCE it to drink it?
NO!
Let it go! Let it go!
So then what?
If you have a parent who won’t support reading at home…
 READ, READ, READ at school.
 
YOU may be the ONLY adult who reads with “THAT CHILD”..
We ALL have “that child”.
 
Don’t fight it!
Don’t PUNISH the child.
IF he/she could read it BY THEMSELVES…..THEY WOULD!
 
They can’t.
So
Let it go! Let it go!
BUT…
I do REWARD those who make the continued effort to read at home
EVERY NIGHT!
 
When they bring their envelopes back, I check the paper.
IF the parent HAS NOT SIGNED…I highlight in RED that date.
 
At the end of the MONTH,
I give a reward (and a SPECIAL BRAG TAG ) to those who have read
EVERY NIGHT!
 
I know…NOT fair for “that child”
Fair is NOT Always EQUAL!
 
I want my kiddos who 
DO THE WORK
to know…
I NOTICE!
 
And so my friends…
I keep stalking.
 
LOTS of great ideas out there in 
BLOGGY LAND.
 
And PINTEREST  LAND.
 
AND  INSTAGRAM LAND.
 
If you need some ideas..
 
Check out MY PINTEREST BOARDS.
 
 
 
Happy  Reading my Friends!