Popcorn Words

I like to have lots of different ways for my students to practice their sight words. Using this popcorn word idea lets me provide my students with a hands on approach to learning and also lets me use words that I know my students need.

As you can see it is a pretty easy idea. Simply purchase some foam sheets from the craft store and cut the pieces into a popcorn (more like a cloud) shape. Then use a sharpie to write the words on them. Using popcorn bags or popcorn cups make the activity more unique, but students enjoy using a simple little bag as well.

Another thing I like to do with these words is to put them in a 2 litter soda bottle with popcorn kernels. Students can then turn the bottle and try to find the popcorn words. They can make a list of the words they find and see who can find the most.

Anna Navarre's TpT Store

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

Bingo Games for a Rainy Day Rescue

It has been raining quite a bit lately and that makes things pretty crazy in the classroom. The students have energy to burn and can't go out to play. Well, I definitely like to find things to break up the day. Bingo games seem to be a perfect rainy day rescue. My students get excited about the game and yet remain seated and fairly calm as they listen for the next word.

When I first began teaching I found it difficult to find Bingo games that were both academic and had a class set of Bingo boards. I found a couple over the years, but they were kind of expensive and didn't really meet my needs. I ended up creating my own. 

I have made these Bingo games available on my TpT Store. Feel free to check them out if you too are in need of a rainy day rescue or if you just like to provide your students with a fun interactive activity.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phonics-Word-Bingo-Games-Set-of-3-605200

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/CVC-Word-Bingo-w-30-Boards-190918

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Long-Vowel-CVCe-Word-Bingo-w30-Boards-409529

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vowel-Team-Bingo-w30-Boards-193582

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Contraction-Bingo-w-30-Boards-217484

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Numbers-to-30-Bingo-Game-w30-Boards-275396

Cozy Christmas Gift Idea

If you are looking for an inexpensive gift idea that works for just about everyone, this is a good one. I have nine classroom helpers that I need gifts for this year, so it could easily be an expensive venture. This gift idea is one of my favorites. I buy a cozy little blanket, which this year I got at Walmart. Then I hit the 99¢ Store/Dollar Store. I usually just get a word search book and a bag of candy, but this year I'm also including hot chocolate. The total cost including the bag is about $7.00. 

While I'm out shopping I always like to pick a few extra sets just in case I need to come up with a last-minute gift for someone else. These also work well as a get-well gift. 

Last year I had to use a different idea because I had a parent in my classroom that I had already given one of these sets to. Instead of a cozy blanket set, I used a cozy scarf and mitten set, which I blogged about last year. That was also an inexpensive and nice gift. I've included the link for you. 

Holiday Gift Idea

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas!

Also, if you are looking for teaching resources, please feel free to visit my TPT Store. 

Mrs. Navarre's TPT Store

Holiday's in the Classroom

The three weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break tend to be a little crazy in the classroom. The kids start getting excited and things are just a little off. Since there never seems to be a way to get everyone back on track for those three weeks, I like to spend this time talking about different holidays. I focus on Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas. I share the history and traditions of each one with my students. They really seem to enjoy this.

I usually begin each unit by having students view four posters with pictures on them. There is one for food, one for traditions, one for history, and one for symbols. I place a poster at each table group and students discuss what they know and what they want to know. Then they rotate to another poster. 

The next thing I do is give a brief history of the holiday that we are focusing on. I first do this orally, maybe with a picture or two. Later I read books to provide more information or I show a video. 

As we go through each unit I usually do an art project or two. For Kwanzaa, we do a Kwanzaa flag and/or a Kwanzaa mat. During our Hanukkah unit, we paint a dreidel picture and sprinkle glitter on the symbols. For Christmas, the art project is usually some kind of wreath. I usually use tissue paper, but this year I tried tear art.

During the unit, I provide students with various worksheets and activities. My students love when we are discussing Hanukkah and they get to play the dreidel game and sing the dreidel song. When we are learning about Kwanzaa they enjoy playing a Kwanzaa symbol-matching game that I made. I use it as a center activity. It is a fun way to reinforce some of what students have learned about Kwanzaa.

This Kwanzaa Symbol Matching Game is a freebie that is available at my TpT Store.

Kwanzaa Symbol Matching Game

I also have a Hanukkah themed learning packet that you might be interested in checking out. 

Hanukkah Learning Packet

I hope that I have given you some ideas for teaching holidays in the classroom. It is a fun time of the year and I think that teaching students about different holidays is a nice way to enjoy the season with them.

Anna Navarre's TpT Store 

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

Photo Album Word Books

I was going through some of my things and came across my photo album word books. I've had them for years, but I hadn't made them available to my students yet this year. Since I pulled them out my students have been using them on a daily basis, which reminded me of how much I like them. I like watching them use these books to play teacher. 

I made these books several years ago for my grandchildren. It was a good way for my family to review words with my granddaughter and then later with my grandson. Sometimes they would add their own words or words would get changed around to meet their reading/school needs, but it was always a good tool to have. 

I got the photo albums at the Dollar Store, but like I said, it was a while ago. You may not be able to find the exact books, but anything will do. After I purchased the books I used different color index cards and stuck word labels on them. The words that I used corresponded to the Word Club words that I use in my classroom, but you could use any words that you feel your students need. Overall these photo album word books are a good resource to have in the classroom. They are pretty easy, inexpensive, and worth the time to make them. 

Please feel free to visit my Teacher's Stores 

TpT Store

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

or Teacher's Notebook Shop

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

Tortilla Teepee Art

Ok, there are so many fun activities for this time of the year. I can't keep up! I've done this activity since I first started teaching 14 years ago. I don't know where the idea came from, but I know that my students have always enjoyed doing it. It is a perfect activity for this time of the year.

Before I do this activity, I read a book that helps students learn about Native Americans. It focuses on the different types of houses that they used to live in. It might be kind of hard to find this book since I got it many years ago. The book is called, The Very First Americans, by Cara Ashrose. I'm sure that you can find another book that will work just as well if you can't find this one. 

The directions for making the Tortilla Teepee are very easy. I've included them here for you to look at, but I've also included them as a free resource for you. 

Tortilla Teepee

1. Give students a paper plate and have them write their names on it.

2. Give students half a tortilla.

3. Have them use symbols to design their teepee with markers. Simple designs work best!

4. Form the half tortilla into a cone, overlapping slightly and leaving a little opening at the top, about a ½ inch.

5. Secure the overlap with a toothpick.

6. Give students 3 pretzels and have them dip the ends in frosting. Then have them insert the pretzels into the top opening. 

I've made the directions and the student page with the American Indian symbols page available for you in PDF form. Students use this page to design their teepees. There is also a paper pattern if you would rather not use tortillas.

Here is the link to the Teepee Art Freebie

PDF Teepee Art Freebie

I hope that you enjoy this resource. 

You can also watch this YouTube video if you want to see how it is done.

Tortilla Teepee YouTube Video

Another fun activity you might want to try is my STEM Activity - Build a Native American House. 

You can visit my TPT Store to view this product. 

STEM Activity - Build a Native American House

 

Cup Sorts

Looking for a quick and easy center activity? Well, cup sorts seem to fit the bill. My cups sorts have been pretty popular, so I thought I would share a list of the some that I have available at my TpT Store. 




Long Ago and Today Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Long-Ago-and-Today-Cup-Sort-954452

Sentence or Not a Sentence Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sentence-or-Not-a-Sentence-Cup-Sort-1002500

Weather Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Weather-Cup-Sort-1224010

Sh, Ch, Th and Wh Digraph Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sh-Ch-Th-and-Wh-Digraph-Cup-Sort-957501

Addition to 10 Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Addition-to-10-Cup-Sort-986201

Animal Habitat Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Habitat-Cup-Sort-986183

CVC Phonics Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/CVC-Phonics-Cup-Sort-954478

CVCe Phonics Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/CVCe-Phonics-Cup-Sort-954522

Insect Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Insect-Cup-Sort-1182718

s, es, ing, ed, Inflectional Ending Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/s-es-ing-ed-Inflectional-Ending-Cup-Sort-958455

Syllable Cup Sort
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Syllable-Cup-Sort-1088806

The cup sort is a very simple sorting activity in which students take turns selecting a card, reading it, and then deciding which cup it should be sorted into. They can also talk with other students and explain the reason for their decision. Please feel free to check them out if you are interested.

Anna Navarre's TpT Store

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

Cheer and Spell

It can be difficult to get kids excited about spelling. Most times they find it redundant, because usually they are just writing a word over and over again. This Cheer and Spell activity is a good way to get kids motivated and moving as they practice their spelling words.


This activity works best with at least a couple of people. Everyone loves the excitement of a crowd.




One person calls out a word and then the kids spell it out. There is a motion for each letter of the alphabet. If a "tall" letter is called, which is a letter that touches the top line when written on paper, then the kids put their hands up in the air and say that letter.




If  a short letter is called which is a letter that touches the middle paper line, then kids put their hands on their hips when saying this letter.



If the letter goes below the bottom paper line then kids bend over and touch their toes as they say this letter. After they have completed the word they clap their hands and say the word.

Please feel free to visit my TpT Store or my Teacher's Notebook Shop. 

Anna Navarre TpT Store

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

Teacher's Notebook Shop

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

Gobble, Gobble Turkey Art

I'm really trying to share some of my favorite seasonal activities as I do them in the classroom. This turkey art project is one that is at the top of my list. Getting the project ready is a bit of work because all of the turkey pieces need to be cut. It helps if you can recruit a parent helper. But, if you really want kids to be creative you could just give them pieces of paper and let them create their own turkey figure.

Materials needed:

- brown, tan, red, yellow, orange, and black construction paper
- markers
- aluminum foil
- coffee filters
- masking tape
- spray bottle
- glue
- hole punch

Steps for Turkey Art:
1. Prep all the turkey pieces and put complete sets in individual bags for students (see the bottom of this page for a picture of the turkey pieces). You will want to prep sheets of aluminum foil and attach a piece of masking tape to each one. You will also need to get the spray bottles ready.

2. Supply students with foil, markers, and a coffee filter. Have them write their name on the masking tape with a pencil before they get started. Have students flatten the coffee filter. Then have them find the center of the coffee filter and use different colors to make triangles. Instruct students not to use black. This color overpowers the other colors and can ruin their project. Have them completely color in each triangle.

3. Have students continue around the coffee filter until it is completely colored with bright vibrant colors. I use this vocabulary because some students just try to color in the triangles lightly leaving lots of white showing.

4. Once the coffee filter is completely colored in it is time to spray the filter. Have students lightly spray all around the filter making sure that all spots are sprayed, but not soaked.

5. Set the filter out to dry. It usually takes overnight for them to dry, so this basically becomes a two-day project. It works out though because it is really two different art activities.

6. On the second day, after the filters are dry, attach the masking tape with students' names on them to one side of the turkey feathers. Pass out the bag of turkey pieces and have students assemble their turkeys. Then have them glue the turkey onto the feathers. After the turkeys are completely finished I glue them onto another sheet of paper. I usually do this myself allowing the turkeys to dry a bit first and remembering to write names on the back of the paper. If you don't want to bother with it you could just have your students do it themselves.

I'm sorry that I couldn't provide an actual pattern for this project, but it is pretty simple. Really the only thing you need to watch for is that you make it proportionate to the feathers (filter art).

I hope that you enjoy this project. As I already mentioned, this is one of my seasonal favorites. I think I like it so much because of the vibrant colors and because it seems kind of like a science experiment as colors get sprayed and my students observe what happens.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Please feel free to visit my teacher's store. 

TpT Store 

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

AR Book Finder

Do you use AR in your classroom? Well, even if you don't the AR Book Finder website is still a very helpful website, because either way it is good to know the book level that a child is reading at and providing them with books at that level. AR Book Finder is a very easy to use website. From the home page you just click on either student, parent, teacher, or librarian. Click submit and it will take you to the next page. Enter the title of the book in question and hit "go." It will give you a list of books with that title. Look for the book you want. If it is an AR book it will tell you the book level, points, and AR number.

I use AR in my first grade classroom and rely on it as a resource for differentiating. All my AR books are leveled and have the AR number written in them. It took a lot of parent help initially, but it was worth it. My students are able to log on way faster using the number vs typing in the title.

Here is the link to AR Book Finder

http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx

You may also feel free to visit my teacher's store if you would like.

Anna Navarre's TpT Store 

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

Storyline Online

I was just going through some of my old favorite websites and came across the Storyline Online link. It is a great website for young readers. Well, actually I love it too, so I guess it is a great website for just about anyone. There are lots of popular books and they are read by various actors. Check it out, I know you will love it too. It looks like the stories are linked to YouTube, so if you can't get YouTube in the classroom then you might want to check out the question and answer page. They explain what to do to access this website in the classroom.

Storyline Online

http://www.storylineonline.net/

Anna Navarre's TpT Store 

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

Math Puzzles

I was going through some of my center activities and came across my math puzzles. I haven't used them yet this year and had kind of forgot about them, so I was glad to find them. These are supper easy and inexpensive to make. I made a set several years ago and they have passed the test of time.

The foam figures were purchased at Michael's Arts and Crafts store. I made a group set with a couple extra and then wrote addition and subtraction problems on them. I should have taken a picture of them at that point. The puzzles are more challenging then they look. I can attest to that, since I just assembled 4 of them for the picture. After I wrote the problems on the figures I cut them apart into about 6-8 pieces. Once each puzzle was cut apart I stored them in a zip-loc bag.

It is fun to watch students work together to assemble the puzzles. They practice the math problems as they are doing this, because of how the puzzle is cut. They need to make sure that the math equations are correct. They can't just put pieces together because they think they fit.

                     Please feel free to visit my teacher's store to view my products.
                                                         
                                               Anna Navarre's TpT store
                        http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre
                                                               
                                            or Teacher's Notebook Shop
                            http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/anavarre

Halloween Reading Chain

Remember those chains you used to make during Christmas time each year? Well, I decided to use that idea, but with a bit of a Halloween twist. I decided to create an orange and black chain that I could use to provide my students with some phonics practice. Here is what I did.

First, I had a classroom volunteer cut a bunch of orange and black strips of paper. Then I gave each student two strips. I had them use a black crayon to write words on the orange strips and a white crayon to write on the black strips. The words I had them use were the words from the "ll" word families that we were working on in class. After each student finished writing their two words I stapled the chain together.

Once the chain was done I placed it in our reading area. This allowed students to easily access the chain and practice on their own. I also tried snaking it through tables having students read part of the chain and then keep moving it on. This was fun, but the chain kept getting pulled apart, so probably not such a good idea.

I hope that you like this idea. It was really pretty easy and didn't take much time. The best part about this is that it continues to provide my students with practice time long after completing our phonics lesson.

Another way to use this reading chain is to have students add a link to the chain every time they read a book. It is amazing to see how much students want to read just so that they can add to the chain. 

Please feel free to visit my TpT Store 

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

Marshmallow Cubes

I'm sure you have done this activity before, but I thought I would post it for anyone who hasn't, or just as a reminder. Usually I use white marshmallows, and sometimes the big ones, but this time I decided to try these fruity flavored marshmallows. It was a good decision. It added fruity fun to this activity.

We have been working on plane and solid shapes, so my class was already familiar with them before doing this activity. While the 3D solid shapes that can actually be made is very limited, it is still a good activity for students to discover this fact. It is also a good way for them to look at and think  about the attributes of the shapes they could make.

I bought 4 bags of marshmallows and 4 boxes of toothpicks for a class size of 26. This was plenty, and I even had some left over. I pre-baggied the marshmallows for students to use. This was helpful, but not necessary. This activity was actually one of my math inquiry activities, so I only had one group doing this at a time. Students anticipated the day it would be their turn. One thing I did to help with this was on the first day I gave all students a few marshmallows to eat.

At the end of the activity I had students bag up their toothpicks, marshmallows and paper towel piece. I had them take everything home, so that they could discuss this activity with their parents. They really enjoyed this activity and I enjoyed watching them being creative.

Please feel free to visit my TpT Store

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

or My Teacher's Notebook Shop

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

Spider Web Art Project

This Spider web art project was quick and easy. My students really enjoyed it. The spider webs were done on black paper. We used white paint and a few marbles. Students each had a chance to roll the marbles around in a small tub to make their web. I wrote their name on the back of their paper with a white crayon.

Making the spiders for the webs was done as a whole group project. I had pre-cut two pieces of paper for each student. One piece was a 5"x 6" piece of paper, which was for the head/chest and the abdomen. The other piece was a 2 1/2"x 4" piece of paper, which was for the legs. 

I also had pattern pieces made up for students to use to trace the spider parts. I had 15 head pattern pieces and 15 abdomen pattern pieces for my class of 26. I also had them labeled, so students could make sure they were tracing the correct parts. The students shared the pieces as they traced the parts they needed. 

After students cut apart the body pieces, they glued them together. Then they cut 8 strips for the spider's legs. We glued the spider legs onto the abdomen, which isn't where they go, but we went with it anyways. One student did try to make his more anatomically correct, which was cute too, but a little squished. Students also drew eyes on the spider and some students even used scrap paper or drew the spinneret.

I love that each spider was unique. My students were all very proud of their work, which I of course displayed in the classroom. 

If you haven't read my Spider Diagram blog post, you might want to check it out. I have a huge spider diagram that I use to help students learn about spiders. 

Spider Diagram Blog Post

Spider Diagram

We are learning about spiders this week. One thing I like to do is bring out my big classroom spider diagram. Students go crazy when they walk into the classroom and see it. They immediately know what we are going to be learning about.

I made this spider years ago. I'm glad that it has lasted so long. It was pretty easy to make and worth the time. I thought I'd share the idea with you in case you were looking for a fun idea for your spider unit.

As I mentioned, the spider is super easy to make. You start with a large piece of paper the size you want your spider to be. Then you use black paper to cut out the body pieces. I used two large oval shapes for the abdomen and the head and chest area. I used eight long strips of paper for the legs. I also used two thinner strips of paper for the fangs and two small pieces for the spinnerets.

Once you assemble the spider and glue it onto the paper. You can add some eyes, which are just small circles of red paper. Along with the spider, you can make word cards for each part of the body.

This spider is such a good visual. Students definitely learn the parts of the spider. They really enjoy using the spider to show what they have learned.

While teaching your spider unit, here are a couple of resources that you may be interested in. Feel free to visit my TPT Store to learn more. 

Spider Reader

STEM Spider Activity

Apple Art Project

It's apple time! My class is having fun learning about apples. We of course are learning lots of apple facts. We also did our apple tasting and used our five senses to come up with descriptive words for our writing. One other thing we did was this apple art project. I thought I would share it with you. I have actually been doing this project for years. I'm sure I got the idea from my kinder friends when I first started teaching, but it has been so long that I'm not quite sure who gave it to me. Anyways, I like it enough to keep using it year after year.

Here is what I did. I had all of the pieces of paper ready in advance and then passed them out while the students were at recess. This worked really well. When the students came I read a book about apples before we started the activity. Then I had them go to their seat and get out scissors, crayons, and a glue stick.

As we did this art project together we discussed each piece of the apple. I first had students take a tan piece of paper and tear the edges, rather than cut them, to make the apple core. Students glued that piece on. Then we did the apple skin. I had students trim all 4 corners off of both pieces and glue them on. The next thing we did was tear a small piece of brown paper for the stem. I had students lift the top part of the apple to glue the stem under the skin. Then I had students draw the seeds.

Our final step was the labeling of the apple parts. I had students take one piece of yellow paper, fold it in half, and then fold it in half again. They were able to open it up and see the lines to cut the paper into equal parts. We then labeled the apple together, again discussing the parts as we went.

It is a pretty simple project, but it provides students with a hands-on approach to learning apple parts. I hope that this motivates you to try it. Here is a list of pieces of paper with an approximate size that each student will need for this project.
- 1 sheet of green paper (6"x9")
- 1 piece of tan paper (3"x4")
- 1 small brown paper (2"x2")
- 1 piece of yellow paper (2"x4")
- 2 pieces of red paper (2"x3")

You might be interested in this Apples, Apples, Apples product that I have available at my TPT Store. It includes a poem, an activity page with the stages of an apple, and a reader. 

Apples, Apples, Apples

You might also be interested in the apple story video that I have made available on YouTube. It is an adapted version of the Little Red House with No Doors and No Windows and a Star Inside. Click the link to view it!

The Little Red House

Have fun teaching about apples. This is such a wonderful way to encourage student learning. 

Science Experiment Day

It is kind of funny to teach science in first grade. Parents and even students don't really understand that learning about things like plants, animal habitats, and weather, is actually our science. They seem to think of science as more hands-on experiments. I guess in a lot of ways, so do I, or at least that is the kind of science I enjoy. I like the investigative type of science. The kind that allows for predictions (a hypothesis) and then the testing of those predictions.

I think that this kind of investigative learning and thinking is important and fun. One way I get more of this in our classroom is through a Science Experiment Day. It is a day full of hands-on investigations, thinking, discussion and recording. Students truly feel like scientist. I just wish I had the lab coats to go with it. Ok, now I've got to go get lab coats. Anyways, I love it.

I have this Science Experiment Day product available at my TpT Store if you are 

interested in checking it out. 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-Experiment-Day-1245181

Character Trait Posters

I've put together some posters to help my students understand character traits. It is pretty tricky to get first graders to think of a character as more than "good" or "nice." I use some other resources that are helpful, but I needed a way to focus on each different character trait more specifically, so I created my Character Trait Posters. The set of posters doesn't cover all character traits, but it has 20 that I think help students begin to understand what character traits are and then leads to discussion of more traits.

After putting together this poster set, I printed the out the posters and laminated them. My students like to play teacher with them. While I love having the posters, I also wanted a different way to introduce them to my class. I did this by including an audio and posting it to YouTube. I've included the link to both the posters and to YouTube.

Feel free to check out the Character Trait Poster video at this YouTube link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfEtPHTWEKA&list=UUY5DiWYDOU7armTlBtAHX7g

or the Character Trait Posters at my TpT Store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Trait-Posters-1448780

Mini Word Wall and Practice Activities

I created a new classroom Superhero Word Wall this year to go with our school theme. I think word walls are so important to support beginning writers. I know that  a lot of teachers put a few words up at a time, but I like for students to have the full benefit of this resource right from the beginning. I'm not saying that either way is right or wrong, it is just my personal preference.

One problem that I found with my word wall and everyone else's too, is that it is sometimes hard for students to really see. This limits the use of this great resource. This year I decided to create a Mini Word Wall that goes with my classroom word wall. Initially, I thought that with students having these on their desk we could just review the words, which would allow students to use the classroom word wall more effectively. After the first days of school, and as we began our writing, I was amazed. My students immediately started using these Mini Word Walls. They were questioning where to find a word and definitely felt more confident about their writing.  Once I gave them the idea of highlighting the words that they wanted to remember, that opened up a whole new world. Students began communicating with others as to the word they highlighted or how someone could find a word that they needed.

Shortly after finding how effective these Mini Word Walls were I decided that I needed some practice activities to help students become more familiar with all of the words that are listed, rather than just the word they happen to need at that moment. I created this set. It has four different practice activities. I like putting them in sheet protectors and allowing students to reuse the sheets over and over again using whiteboard markers.

I still  have a classroom word wall, I'm not giving that up, but it is fun to see how students are using this Mini Word Wall resource. I actually think that because of the Mini Word Walls students are using the classroom word wall more effectively as well.

I do have the Mini Word Wall and Practice Activities available at my teacher's store if you want to check it out. I also have the classroom word wall that goes with it.

Mini Word Wall and Practice Activities

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mini-Word-Wall-Practice-Activities-1447751

Superhero Theme Word Wall

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Superhero-Theme-Word-Wall-1275089

Starfall Classroom Resources

If you are looking for good classroom resources, these Starfall books are great. I began using these resources shortly after I began teaching 14 years ago. At the time I was teaching kindergarten. These journals are perfect for this grade level. The books have larger lines and a place for a picture. I teach first grade now and have continued to use these journals. They are still great for the beginning of the year and for quick writes. One of my teacher friends, who is retired now, used to use these journals as a memory book. She would take a picture of a special activity and then have students write about it.

There are two different levels of the Reading and Writing journal. The first level is really more of a phonics workbook. I love using these book for independent seat work. I especially love this first one. Students who have a pretty good beginning  foundation of phonics can use this without much support, or a lot of times can get support from another student. Most of my students don't get to the level II book, not because it is too hard, but more because of time. Those students who get to the second book are those students who are truly ready for it, which is perfect. It isn't necessarily harder, but it does focus more on writing to a prompt, and it is just better for students to be ready for it.

When I first began using these resources I think they were free or practically free. They are still fairly inexpensive considering their value. The current price for the journal varies depending on how many you buy, but it is 1-19 for $1.00 each and 20+ for $0.79 each. The workbooks are 1-19 $1.95 each and 20+ for $1.00 each. One thing to be careful of is to make sure you order the correct font. There are a couple to choose from.

The Starfall website is always changing and has lots of resources, so even if you don't like the books you still might want to check it out. Here is the link to the order form http://order.starfall.org/k/shop2/index.html .This is the link to the Starfall download center where you could actually download or view pages that are from the book http://www.starfall.com/n/N-info/download.htm . Here is the link to the actual Starfall website http://www.starfall.com/ . I hope that you enjoy these resources as much as I do!

If you are interested in viewing other teacher resources, I'd love to have you visit my teacher's store http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre .