Polar Bear Power Point

I love teaching about polar bears and other polar animals. Recently I had a customer purchase a Penguin PowerPoint that I have in my TPT Store. She left a message saying that she liked it and wished that I had a Polar Bear PowerPoint as well. Her message prompted me to send her a reply as well as to write this blog. 

I haven’t created a Polar Bear PowerPoint, because I use one that I got several years ago from Polar Bears International. It is a great PowerPoint and is done so well that I didn't feel I could create anything better. It is still available. If you are teaching polar bears to primary students I highly recommend it. The Polar Bear International website is a good website and has many other resources as well.

There are a lot of resources to check out on the Polar Bear International website, but the PowerPoint that I like is under the (K-4) All About the Bears. It is a free downloadable PowerPoint file. Here is the link.

https://polarbearsinternational.org/education-center/presentations-materials/

Polar Bears International sometimes changes there website, but hopefully, you will be able to find this resource. 

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have.

Here are a couple of other resources that you may be interested in.

STEM Activity - Build a Polar Bear

Polar Bear Facts Game

Polar Themed Activities

You might also be interested in the penguin PowerPoint that I mentioned earlier. 

Penguin PowerPoint

Holiday Gift Ideas for Parent Helpers and Co-Workers

Christmas is the time of the year for giving and I love doing it, but it can get costly. I usually start off with wanting to get something for all of my parent helpers. Then of course I want something for all of my 1^st grade team. I can’t forget the office staff or our two wonderful custodians. And then there is the something special I need for my aide. Wow! That is a lot of people, but they all matter to me, so I want to give them a little something. Well, I did. Maybe you don’t want to go to quite the extreme that I did, but coming up with inexpensive ideas can still be a little difficult, so I thought I would share some of my favorites.

My usual favorite is what I call the cozy bundle. I used to have to catch the Black Friday sales in order to get a good deal on the throws, but now I can find them at Walmart for as low as $2.50. I take these little blanket throws and put them in a gift bag along with a word search book and a small bag of candy, which I usually get from the Dollar Store. I can do this gift for under $5.00. These cozy bundle gift bags also work as a great "get better" and "thinking of you" bags. 

This year I went a different route. I went with scarf and glove sets. It was actually pretty fun shopping for all of the different scarves. The prices of the scarves varied, but were as low as $3.00, again at Walmart. The gloves came in a set of two for $1.50, which I split up. While I went above $5.00 for most, it is a gift idea that could easily be purchased for less. Oh, and I purchased the gift boxes at the 99 Cent Store for a set of 3. I've already given out these sets to the staff and they really seemed to love them.

Please feel free to visit my TPT Teacher's Store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre

Poinsettia Calendar Gift Idea

I love the holiday season. I also love to have projects that my students can work on and give to theri families. My go-to art project is a Poinsettia vase but sometimes I have a student with a sibling that has been in my class a previous year, Of course, this means their families already have a vase. 

mThis takes me to option two. I stick with the poinsettia theme, but I do a calendar instead. It does take a little more work, but it is still a great project. This Poinsettia Calendar is an easy-to-make and inexpensive gift idea. You simply create the cover, laminate, add calendar pages, and bind it together. 

I've included step-by-step instructions as a Freebie in my TPT Store. You can check it out if you are interested. 

Pointsettia Calendar Gift Idea

Just in case you are interested, the Poinsettia vase idea is also a Freebie. I've included the link to that resource as well. 

Poinsettia Vase Gift Idea 

I hope that you enjoy these Christmas gift ideas. I also hope that you have a wonderful holiday season. 

Phonics Reading Phones

These Phonics Reading Phones are a great addition to your classroom. I like to use them during choice reading time or at my library center. The kids have fun using them. Mine were made years ago, so they are a little warn. It just goes to show that they definitely last the test of time.

The phones are pretty easy to make and way more affordable then the commercially sold products. Here is what you do:

- Purchase a long tube of 1" PVC tubing and cut it into  3 1/4" length  

  pieces.

- Purchase 1" PVC elbows (2 for each phone).

- Push the elbows on to each end of the PVC tubing piece.

- Decorate with colorful tape and stickers.

To use these phones students just hold the phone up to their ear and mouth and talk. They definitely need to be trained to speak in a regular voice or even a whisper, because at first they think they need to speak loudly.

                                                     

TPT Store 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre

Teacher's Notebook

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Common Core Unknown Number with Flower Petal

One of the Common Core math standards for first grade is determining the unknown number. It is a standard that is somewhat tricky for my first graders. Obviously those students with strong number sense get it, but it has been more difficult for the others.

Determining the Unknown Number with Flower Petals is a set of worksheets that I created to help students begin to understand what they are looking for; what it means when there is a missing number; and how to figure out what number goes in the missing number spot. It has been very helpful to my students. The set includes three addition and three subtraction sheets, which isn’t a lot, but the student are able to carry this strategy over to other similar worksheets or problems I assign for their math journals.

The way the Unknown Number with Flower Petals worksheets work is that students draw flower petals (circles) around the unknown number box as they are counting up for addition or back for subtraction. Once they have the flower petals drawn they count the petals and then write that number in the missing number box. Students do need to be encouraged to draw neatly or they have difficulty being able to see/count the petals. I also like having them put a mark on each petal while they are counting in order to help them count more accurately.

As I’ve mentioned already, this strategy could be used with any unknown number worksheet, but I have made my Determining the Unknown Number with Flower Petals set available at my teacher’s store. Please feel free to check it out, or to view my other products if you are interested.

 Determining the Unknown Numbers with Flower Petals

Pie Pan Phonics

Pie Pan Phonics is a good center activity that provides students with decoding practice and helps to build fluency. Students use a 9" pie pan, a small ball, and the phonics wheels to read words as the ball goes around the pan. Pie Pan Phonics are available at both my TPT and Teacher's Notebook Stores. Please feel free to check them out if you are interested.
 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/CVC-Pie-Pan-Phonics-912152
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/CVCe-Pie-Pan-Phonics-912186
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ll-and-ck-Pie-Pan-Phonics-912206

Brain Break YouTube Videos

There are times in my classroom where it is plain to see that my students need a break. They really like it when I call a "Brain Break" and we put on one of our favorite videos. I have a YouTube account, which allows me to save a playlist for these videos. If you don't have one, I highly recommend it. Anyways, here are some links to the ones I use. There are a lot more to choose from, but I really try to watch and listen for what is appropriate for first grades.

                         Click on the links to view:                                                                

                                                          Mario
                                                   The Sid Shuffle
                                                Boom Chicka Boom
                                              Just Dance 2014 - Happy
                                                Happy - Music Video
                                              Just Dance - Dynamite
                              Just Dance Kids 2 - I am a Gummy Bear
                                   Halloween Song - Monster Shuffle


I know that some schools block YouTube. Ours does too, but it has been set up where staff can sign in and be allowed to access it that way. If this isn't an option for you then you could always try recording it.

Note; I have recently had to update this post, because previous videos are no longer available on YouTube. I am sorry if you run into this problem.

Reusable Worksheets with Sheet Protectors

If you have never used sheet protectors with white board markers in the classroom, I have to tell you it is a must, or at least it is in my 1st grade classroom. I'm not really a worksheet person anyways, but when I give worksheets I want them to really be worth the time. Using sheet protectors allows me to: 1) make fewer copies, and 2) reuse them over and over for additional practice. It is not to say that I never give paper and pencil worksheets, I just use sheet protectors whenever it makes more sense.

I especially love using sheet protectors to make reusable workbooks for a center activity. I put worksheets in sheet protectors and then I place them in a three pronged folder or staple them in a sheet of construction paper. Some of the books I have made have lasted several years. Here is a picture of some examples.

I use sheet protectors for math practice, assessment review, comprehension pages, sentence practice folders, writing organizers, Word Wall practice activities, and individual practice sheets. I have used sheet protectors for the past 13 years and I love them. There have been a couple of draw backs though. The first big one is that white board markers can be expensive when you are buying a whole class set, plus extras. Here is what I have done to work around this: 1) ask for parent donations; 2) purchase from the Dollar or 99 Cent Store; and 3) stock up at the beginning of the year during Back-to-School sales. I recommend ONLY using black white board markers. The other colors tend to stain. Also, make sure to train students on how to use the white board markers without destroying them (i.e., don't push too hard, don't lose the cap, cap up marker).

The other problem that I had, which wasn't much of a problem, just more time consuming, was changing out individual sheets. For example, this year I am using a CAT Facts math practice sheet, number writing, Black Bean Activities, and my Roll and Add game. Putting all those activities in sheet protector/changing them out can be a bit of a hassle. This year I had my students purchase reusable pockets from Lakeshore Teaching supply, plus I purchased 10 extra. This gave everyone their own pocket. These pockets are more kid friendly and students can change or switch papers on their own.

As I have already mentioned, I love using sheet protectors. I recommend that you try them if you have never used them before. You don' have to start big, just try it with a small group and see how it works for you.

Descriptive Language Games

I have found that once my students are feeling comfortable with writing simple sentences, that it is a process to have them begin adding more detail to these sentences. They can usually write more, but these extra sentences are still usually pretty basic. I of course give direct instruction on what adjectives are and how to use them in their writing, but it is still difficult for them to begin using these words in their writing. I usually have to ask them to go back and underline these words in red, or to add some of these words. 

I think the main issue is that students don't purposely speak with adjectives, and are definitely not aware if and when they are using them. I created a couple games to help with this language development and awareness. Student play the Dog Describing Game and the Bear Describing Game to verbally practice building sentences using descriptive language. It is a fun way for them to practice and to be more aware of the use of adjectives. Please feel free to visit my TPT Store if you are interested in checking out these products.   

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dog-Describing-Game-745583

 

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bear-Describing-Game-745560

Black Bean Math Activities

I love activities that provide students with a hands-on approach to learning. I especially like it when I find an activity that I can do whole class, with everyone involved and everyone learning. I have found that I can do that with Black Beans Math Activities. I provide students with a container of beans and have them do various counting, making ten, place value, and addition activities. Placing the activities in sheet protectors or a reusable pocket, allows for repetative use of the activity and practice. 

I have created a packet that includes 10 activity ideas, supporting activity sheets, and instructions for using black beans in the classroom. Please feel free to check it out at my TPT Store or at my Teacher's Notebook Shop if you are interested.

                                                        TPT Store

       http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Black-Bean-Math-Activities-864005

                                                              or

                                             Teacher's Notebook Shop

       http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/black-bean-math-activities

Pencil Dispenser

Sometimes I don't know if things are working well because of the students I have or if I've actually found a better system. The pencil dispenser is one of those things. I originally saw the idea on Pinterest, in which they used a metal straw dispenser, but that was more than I was willing to spend. I ended up ordering a plastic straw dispenser from Amazon. There were quite a few people who had purchased this product and complained that it was damaged when they received it. Mine came well packaged, so I didn't run into that problem.

At the beginning of the year, three weeks ago, I gave every student a big eraser and wrote their name on it. I purchased them from the Dollar Store. They came in a package of 6 for $1.00. I think this has really helped to make the pencil dispenser idea work well, the pencils that get put back in the dispenser are still in pretty good shape.

I don't allow pencil sharpening during class time, because it is too distracting, and of course once one person needs to do it, they all need to do it. If a student needs a new pencil they quickly and quietly get up, go to the back counter, put their broken pencil in the "Please Sharpen" can, and get a new pencil from the dispenser. Quickly getting a pencil has been a big problem in the past. Students would stand at the pencil can and look through every pencil in order to find the best one. With the pencil dispenser they turn the knob and get whatever comes out. I love it!!!! Now, it could just be I have a good class this year, I've only had a couple chewed up pencils, but if this continues to work it will be worth the money. It actually already has been, because just getting through the first few weeks, teaching rules and procedures, can be tough.

Please feel free to visit my TPT Store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre

or my Teachers Notebook Store

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/anavarre

Learning Puzzles

Sometimes I forget about resources that I have in my classroom, so it is fun to come across things that I haven't used in awhile. Learning Puzzles are one of those things. They are puzzles that I use at the beginning of the year to help students learn sight words. They really could be used for many things, such as letters, numbers, math problems, vocabulary, etc.  They are a good way to have students practice skills that they are working on and it is also a good visual and fine motor skill activity.

These Learning Puzzles are super easy to create. I purchased thin foam sheets from Michael's Craft Store and then I cut out various shape pieces. After that I wrote words on the cut out pieces. Students read the words and then place it where it belongs. Very easy, and students love using these puzzles. 

   

Please feel free to visit my TPT Store or Teachers Notebook Shop to view K-2 resources.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre

or

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/anavarre

Writing Response Chart

This was my first week back at school, lots of new faces and some familiar ones too. It was a good week. Some students came in of course missing mommy and daddy, but all came in ready and excited to learn. I love this, because it gets me excited.

One of the activities that I enjoyed the most this week was a writing activity that we did for our Writing Response Chart. We had already did our Back to School Interview and graphed students ages, so to have students write a response to the question "How old are you?" was perfect. I explained to students that even though we had discussed our age in class with each other, I wanted a writing that would tell parents how old the students in our class were (parents were coming that evening for Back to School Night). I loved it when a student said, "But our parents already know how old we are." I explained that it was not their parents they were writing for, it was the other parents that didn't know them, this was a good way to provide a purpose for their writing.

Students were told that they would need to introduce themselves and tell their age in their writing. They were provided with two framed sentences that they were to complete.
1. My name is ______ .
2. I am _____ years old.
As an extension for higher leveled students or anyone who wanted, I asked them to write a couple sentences about some of their favorite things.

After students completed their writing they placed it in the two pocket charts that I got during the summer at Target for $1.00. All 27 of my students are assigned a number, so they placed their card where there number is written. I had originally planned on having them place their card in front of the number, but as some of them started placing it behind, I decided I liked that better.

Anyways, it was a fun activity. It allowed me to see what students could do; support writing mechanics, provid support for struggling students, and challeng my higher level students. Pretty good, for $2.00, some index cards (donated by parents), and a sentence strip.

                                       I hope that you like this idea. Like I said I really enjoyed it.

Feel free to visit my TPT Store for K-2 teaching resources.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre

Classroom AR Leveled Library

Initially, I was just going to post a picture and a quick description of my classroom library, but after thinking about it, I realized it needed a little more. In the end, I ended up with 10 pages, which show how I set up my library, a list of Accelerated Reader (AR) levels, colored stars, and the website I use for finding AR levels.

The AR levels provide a good way for leveling your library, even if you don’t use the AR program. The 10 pages were a bit much to post here, so I’ve made the packet available for free at my teacher’s stores. Please feel free to check it out if you are interested.

TPT Store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-AR-Leveled-Library-805773

or

Teacher's Notebook

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/classroom-ar-leveled-library

"Bonk" Phonics Games

I've recently created a series of "Bonk" Phonics Games. There are six different games: CVC, CVCe, Vowel Team, Ending Blends, ll & ck Endings, and Contractions. This is a fun game with lots of laughs. My family and I play it with my grandson all the time and we all love it. 

"Bonk" is a fun way to have students practice reading words and building fluency, while really enjoying themselves.  It is easy to prep and makes for a great center activity. Please feel free to visit my teachers store to check out these "Bonk" products. 

TPT Store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre

or

Teacher's Notebook

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/anavarre

  

                                                  

Animal Nonfiction Comprehension Pages

I teach animal habitats in my classroom throughout the year. I like to use nonfiction comprehension pages to help students learn about the different animals and their habitats. I use these worksheets whole class, since some of the words and concepts are a little difficult for my first grade students. We read the passages together, stopping to do partner shares as we complete each paragraph. After we have read through the passage, we read the question together. Then I have students find the answer, highlight it, and then write it in. I use my document camera to model finding the answer, mainly for struggling students, but also so the rest of the class can make sure they have the correct answer as well. My students love using the animal comprehension pages. After they have finished the page I have them turn it over and do a 5 minute quick write. It is neat to see how confident they are about what they have learned.

I have made my Animal Nonfiction Comprehension Packet available at my teacher's store. The set includes 18 animal pages from the rainforest, ocean, polar, and desert habitats. Please feel free to check it out if you are interested.

TPT Store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Nonfiction-Comprehension-Pages-787910

 or

Teacher's Notebook Shop

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/animal-nonfiction-comprehension-pages

It's Back to School Time

The school year is almost ready to start. It is funny how teachers say, “I’m going back to school.” Instead of “I’m going back to work.” It makes sense though, right? Well, I don’t actually go back until mid-August, but I've of course been thinking about it. I know how important it is to start the year off right, making sure students are clear about rules and expectations. I would say getting a good grip on this from the start is key to having a successful school year. Sure, we have to go back and revisit rules and expectations, especially after a long weekend or holiday break, but laying that foundation in the beginning is so important. 

I use several resources to teach students about rules, but I have a new one that I actually just posted in my Teacher’s Store. It is a resource called, It's Nice to Be Back at School - School Rule Book. This is a "bee" themed book that helps students to think about school rules and what their behavior should look like. It also includes posters that reinforce student learning.

Students use the 11-page booklet to learn a school rule and then draw a picture to show what that looks like. Focusing on a couple of rules a day, and then revisiting them again the next day before focusing on other rules is super helpful. I also like students to keep these booklets in a folder for a while rather than take them home right away. This way I can have students take their booklets out and we can review rules again as needed. 

There are nine posters that I use with the book. I post them in a location that is easily visible to students. This serves as a good reminder of what they have been learning. Students like playing teacher, so having one student use a pointer stick and point to the rules as students chant them is a fun way to review the rules. 

If you are interested in this resource you can purchase it from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. You can also check out other resources that I have available for teaching classroom rules.

Clickable Links:

It's Nice to Be Back at School

Back to School - Follow the Rules Bundle

What to Do When Someone Bugs You

Classroom rules are definitely important for overall behavior in the classroom, but students also need to learn how to follow rules during an activity. I like to start the year off with a "Getting to Know You" activity. It is a resource that I use to help students begin to feel comfortable with each other, while at the same time teaching and reinforcing behavior that is expected during fun and engaging activities. I definitely want to avoid the "class gone wild" look. 

The activity I choose is played in a way that is similar to "Stop the Music," but it is done with my set of Back to School Getting to Know You Cards. Students move around the classroom to music and when the music stops they stop and ask a partner the questions on the card. I like this activity because I do a lot of partner shares and if students don't begin to feel comfortable with each other right away and learn some ground rules then it makes it more difficult later.   

As the music plays, I make sure to slow students down if they are running: I redirect them to someone new if they keep going to the same person; I remind them that they need to be on task; I also remind them of any other class rules that are needed. If students are not following the rules then I tap them out. They learn to understand that being "tapped out" means that they are removed from the activity for one round to think about expected behavior. 

There are only two pages in the packet with four cards to a page. You can use both cards or just one card can be used. Basically, students are being asked the same questions as they move from partner to partner. This format works well for struggling readers because they already know what the card says. It also works well for shy students because they already know what they are going to be asked.

This packet is a super good deal for only $1.00. The cards are in color as seen in the picture, but you could print them in grayscale if you wanted. 

The cards are available at my TPT Store.

Back to School Getting to Know You Cards

There are lots of resources and ideas for teaching students rules and also getting to know you activities, but I thought I would share my bit. The message is not really what resources you use, but rather that you be prepared and set yourself up for an amazing school year. Good luck to you all. 

Classroom Word Wall

I like having a classroom word wall that matches the theme of our school reading program. Since this year our theme is outer space, I needed to create a new word wall. I think it is very helpful to have a word wall in the classroom. It is a resource that my students have always used. I actually put my word wall up at the beginning of the year with all of the words at once so that the words are available for my first graders right away. Because I don't put the words up one at a time, it is especially important that students become familiar with which words are there right away. At the beginning of the year I like to use the word wall as a center in which student use the words to play word games. I also like to make reading the words on the word wall part of our morning routine.

Last year, I used the Sports Theme Word Wall. I liked using the same format for my Space Word Wall, because it made replacing the letters and words very easy. If you don't get to use a color printer at work then printing the cards might be a concern. Money saving tip: order your ink online! I buy my ink off of ebay and pay somewhere around $15 for a set of 14 (prices vary). Once I use the cartridges I recycle them at Staples for $2 each in rewards money. You do the math. Yep, I actually make money, which can only be spent at Staples, but that doesn't seem to be a problem for me. One catch to the Staples reward is that you had to have spent $30 on ink in the last 180 days in order to get the $2 on your recyled ink cartridge.

My word walls are available at my TPT Store if you are interested in checking them out.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sports-Theme-Word-Wall-Words-279134

 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Space-Theme-Word-Wall-Words-708902

Character Traits in Literature

I have found that teaching my first graders character traits in relation to literature can be a bit challenging. The response I usually get from them when I ask them to describe a character is something along the lines of “good, nice, happy, and sad.” I guess they don’t really have enough life experience to come up with much more, but since these kinds of questions are part of our reading assessment I need to provide them with some ideas for an appropriate response.

I found a resource that I thought was very helpful, so I thought I would pass it on. It is these posters by Genia Connell, which I love. I also love her simple way of defining character traits. Genia has a whole lesson laid out for teaching character traits, but it is intended for 3^rd–5^th graders and probably more than my first graders are ready for.  

Here is the link to download the posters for free. You can also check out Gina's article "Teaching Character Traits in Reader's Workshop."

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2012/11/teaching-character-traits-readers-workshop

While I love the posters I needed more examples of character traits for my students, so I created a Power Point. It is student friendly and intended to help primary aged students develop a better understanding of what a character trait is. If you are interested in checking it out you can visit my TPT Store or my Teacher's Notebook Shop.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/What-are-Character-Traits-in-Literature-Power-Point-731404

or

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/what-are-character-traits-in-literature-power-point