Halloween Units and a Giveaway!

Need some new resources for Halloween?  Check out 3 of my TPT products by clicking the pictures!

Now for a giveaway!  I am lucky enough to be giving away another FABULOUS pencil sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies!  I have told you all how amazing these things are.  Six of my colleagues placed an order Friday!  (I do have to say that I am very jealous because they are now available in pink!!!)  

If you order a pink one in October, $1 will be donated to cancer charities.  Check out Classroom Friendly Supplies by clicking on the picture below.

Here is the Rafflecopter so you can win your own!  FYI: You must like Classroom Friendly Supplies on FB to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!
Meredith

Answers to your Daily 5 Questions

I received several questions about my Daily 3 post.  Here are the answers!

First of all:  READ THE BOOK!!!!  Like I mentioned in the previous post, I have read, reread and read it again!  I do not feel you can be successful in Daily 5 without reading and fully understanding it.

Mini Lessons
Each mini lesson is about 10-15 minutes long.

Mini Lesson #1 is phonics and phonemic awareness.   We start with morning message where I include phonics, grammar and conventions.  Then we do a quick phonemic awareness activity.

Mini Lesson #2 is our reading skill.  (Last week it was setting.  This week it is nonfiction.)  This is usually my longest mini lesson, about 15 minutes.

Mini Lesson #3 is a reading strategy lesson.  (I am using CAFE.)  This is 10 minutes max!

After each rotation, we do a quick debrief about what worked, what did not work, and I see if they have any questions or need clarification on something.  This is only about 1 minute while they are putting supplies away and regrouping on the carpet.

Mini Lesson #4 is a writing mini lesson followed by time for students to write.  I conference with individual students as needed.  

Rotations
I use the bookmarks I made.  I put them on TPT for free.  Click the picture if you want to grab them.

Each rotation is only 15 minutes.  I think this is long enough for my group at this point in the school year!   Even if we could make it longer, our schedule doesn't really allow for it.

Small Groups
I am working with small groups during each rotation as opposed to individual conferencing.  To make sure I am not pulling kids from the same activity each day, I alternate what activity I pull them from.  For example, on Monday I work with groups who are supposed to be at Read To Self.  Then Tuesday, I work with groups who are supposed to be at Read To Someone.  If our teacher table activity is up before the 15 minutes, they go to where they are supposed to be.
I only have 5 students at each activity so this keeps my group number small at teacher table.  This also helps me make sure I see each student each day.  (Something I was never able to accomplish when I did traditional centers!)  It also works logistically if I need to work with individual students for assessments, make up something they missed, etc.
The downside to this is that I have a mixed ability group with me at the teacher table.  It has been okay so far, but see that this could be more difficult as their reading progresses.  I am still thinking out how to make this work!  

I LOVE seeing how Daily 5 is working in everyones classrooms!  And I REALLY love hearing that I am not the only one who can't make it Daily 5!

Meredith

Daily 5

We are in full Daily 5 mode...kind of!  I have read, reread, and read the book again, yet I can only seem to get in 3 rotations.  I guess I should have titled this post Daily 3.  But since Daily 3 is going so well, I am okay with it!

Here is a peek at my reading lesson plans for the week so you can see how it works in my classroom.  We have a 2 hour ELA block.  (Because of ESE push in and since my team does flexible grouping, we really have to stick to the master schedule.)

Friday is Apple Investigation Day where the first grade classes visit each first grade teacher for an apple activity, so it is different.

Mini Lesson 2's are from Kim Adsit's unit.  My team saw her at the Common Core Academy in Chicago this summer.  We have been using her units this year and they are FABULOUS!!!  We purchased all 9 units!  Click {HERE} if you are interested.  I highly recommend them!

I also do writing whole group.  I am not ready for them to be writing on their own quite yet!

Here are some pictures of our Daily 3 in action!

Read To Self

Read To Self

Word Work

Word Work

Read To Someone

 I have decided for logistics reasons, I cannot just let the kids choose where to go.  (Did you hear me, I said for logistics reasons, not because I am a teacher and cannot give up the control.  Lol!)   I made these bookmarks.  When we start Daily 3, each student picks a bookmark and that is the rotation they follow for the day.  They choose a new bookmark each day, so they will most likely have a different rotation order the next day....see it is not teacher directed!

So, are YOU able to do 5 rotations?  If yes, PLEASE tell me how you fit it all in!
Meredith

Open House

Today was a Teacher Professional Development Day.....I have no comment and will move on!

We had Open House Thursday evening.   Here are a few pictures of some of our activities we had displayed.

Fall Math Stories.  The leaves are from the Dollar Store.  (200 in a pack for $1, and they are stickers.  Can't beat that!  I am going to go ahead and buy some for next year.)  My super creative teammate cut out the trees for ALL of the first graders!  Freehand.  I don't know how she does it!

For my intervention group, we counted out 10 stickers to use.  The more advanced group just grabbed a handful and wrote their own math story.

Not educational, but super cute!  These are pretty sun catchers (on a sunny day, unlike the monsoon weather today).  We (the teachers) traced an apple on wax paper.  Then the students used watered down glue to "paint" their apple and add squares of tissue paper.  Next I laminated them and cut them out.   The kids cannot wait to make pumpkins, or maybe Frankensteins, next month!  If you are interested in more detailed directions, let me know and I will share!

11 Ways to Make 10
Honestly, these are trees and apples we had left over from family trees we used to do.  We just wanted to get them out of our fall bins!  However, I think they turned out great!  I just wish I had more room to display them!  One of my teammate's mom is a retired teacher.  She came in and sponge painted the trees with the kids.

Here is a closer look!

Family Glyph Houses

The white door has a picture and name of the student inside.   The families have to use the glyph key to figure out which house is their child's house before they "open" the door to check!

I have a brag to leave you with....Daily 5 is still going great!  I wish I would have done this years ago.   We are going to attempt our first "real rotations" tomorrow.  However, I have to admit.....it is going to be Daily 3 in my classroom.  That is what I can see working in my classroom at this time.  This is mainly due to time constraints.  Maybe I can tweak something later in the year, but this is what I am going to start with.  I will let you know how it goes!

Meredith

Classroom Craft

Tomorrow is the 20th day of school.  I can't believe how this year is flying by.  I ADORE my class.  They are LOVELY.  I won't even complain that I am full at 18, while my teammates are at 14, 15 or 16.  Mine are THAT lovely!  (I have not been able to say that in a few years, so please forgive me for going on and on!)

Now to the reason for this post....Reading Comprehension!
My class always seems to struggle with going back to find the answers when answering comprehension questions.   They just don't want to make the effort.  This year, I wanted to make going back to find the answers fun, so.....We are using Prove It Wands to prove our answers.   I whipped these up this summer.  (Some are just fly swatters, princess wands, etc.  I made the others.)

These are used with big books and instruction.

This is a dowel rod wrapped in duct tape.  I hot glued the wooden monkey to the top.  

These are used by each student when they are reading (during whole group or independently).

I spray painted popsicle sticks and hot glued a sparkly foam star to the top.  Sorry it is not a great picture.  They are bright and colorful in real life!  

SO easy and the kiddos love them so far!  They can be used for so many things.   I can ask the kids who the main character is and with a glance I can see who is pointing to the main character.  (Quick formative assessment without a paper and pencil or a "conference" with each student!)  They can also be used to help students track print or as a spacer between words when writing.

We will eventually move from the wands to using sticky flags/notes to prove our answers but these are a great first step.  When their newness wears off, the sticky notes will be something new and exciting!
If you want to see some other Classroom Craft ideas, check out the linky sponsored by Jo-Ann Fabrics below!

Meredith

2 weeks down!

I sure needed that 3 day weekend.  I have a LOVELY group of 18 firsties this year, but Back to School Teacher Tired is a REAL thing, people!  Here are a few pics from our first 10 days.

The frame we used this year.  I think it is much cuter than the poster we have used in the past!

 The next few pages are from my Back to School unit.  Click the picture if you are interested in purchasing it!

Day 10!  With a special delivery from Zero the Hero!

Inside the box was a letter, cape, treat, balloon, his special helper.

More blogging soon.  Time to get in the last little bit of relaxation!

Meredith

I am ready....I think!

Here are a few pics of my classroom.  
I think I am ready for my new firsties on Monday.  I only met 11 of my 18 on Friday at Meet the Teacher.  (I was a little disappointed in the low number, but I did have about 20 former students come back to visit, so that made up for it!  Some of them are in high school....Yikes!)
My family was in town visiting this week.  I put them ALL to work!  Hanging things, laminating, cutting, stuffing folders, running to buy more folders.  You name it, I asked them to do it.  They even made a trip to IKEA with me today for more stools!

From the front of the room

From the back of the room

Computer Area

My book area....the only shelving in my room. Wish it was hidden, but it is pretty organized right now!

Science Board...my dad made this anchor chart for me!  (Idea from Pinterest, of course!)

Teaching Area

Teacher Table

Don't forget about the TPT Back to School Sale that starts tomorrow!