Word Wall Anybody? *Freebie*

Do you ever think about the words you use to name things as a teacher and what it might sound like to others?!?  I just got a giggle out of my "title" for this blog post.  Word Wall...what you talkin' about Willis? 

Graffiti? 

Nah...just that wonderful wall most teacher deem sacred for those high frequency words kiddos encounter day in and day out.  "You better know those words or Mrs. W. will never, ever do another somersault in class ever, ever again!"

My word wall needed an overhaul.  I mean, I DO refer to that thing every single day...multiple times a day.  "Isn't that a word wall word?  Shouldn't it be spelled correctly?" "Don't you stretch that word wall word out you just know it...in a SNAP" "Do you see this wall? {Picture over exaggerated points, hugs, googly eyes} it's full of some supertastic words".  All that fuss about this wall, but it really doesn't look like much.  I still had the old headers up there that somebody made for me...hmmm....10 years ago?!?  Let's just say they've seen better days.

So I put my newly honed talents to work and created some new ones.  Do you want to know what I like about them?  They are black and white.  I did that on purpose.  Well thought out.  Actually woke up in the middle of the night the other night and wrote it down on my to-do list next to my bed.

I thought they would look really good backed with either a color or with more black {sort of like my environmental print concept}.  My room is so colorful and eclectic - I'm not much of a theme person, so I thought using black and white for those really important items that stay up year-round might help them stand out more. 

If your word wall is need of some sprucing up you can pick up this pack that has three different font choices, two different frame choices and larger headers that spell out "Word Wall".  The larger headers can either match the smaller ones or you can choose this adorable one...

Edited: I added word wall headers for each letter with this same frame!!! Can you say CUTE!?!

There's also a bonus page included that I just know your kids will love...Spell It, Smell It!

I know you're loading your carts just waiting for that big back to school sale you know is just around the corner over at TpT.  Mine is F-U-L-L!!!!

Awww...shucks, I'll just toss out a little freebie...I'm loving my Spell It, Smell It and I just know you will too.  Just be sure to pick up some Scentos to make it complete!!!!  Don't know what I'm talking about?

Click the picture to download!

What's something new you're planning for this next school year?  New decor?  New program? Daily 5? Cafe?  Isn't it awesome how we can reinvent ourselves and our classrooms each year!?!?

Hugs!

Friday Freebie...and More!!

Happy Friday!

We had a half day today. We did some School Improvement and a little grade level planning.  We're gearing up for the Common Core.  I'm still a little like, "huh?" about this whole Common Core deal, but I'm sure it will come together.  I'm so happy I have all of you to help me out!!!

I got my hair did today too.  My hairdresser probably thought I divorced her.  We've been together for about 14 years.  She spiffed me up for my first teaching interview, my wedding and two babies.  I came real close to looking for somebody a little closer to home but I just couldn't do it.  We've been together too long and I can't leave her.  I needed that cut something awful.  That's the one thing that falls off my plate when I'm feeling crazy busy.  I love a fresh cut though.

I'm sure those of you who are still teaching are spending some time reviewing different concepts.  We've been having fun reviewing word wall words.  Here are a few ideas.  Some I do whole group, with partners and as independent Word Work centers in Daily 5. 

In the pack you'll find:

Rivet - Partners
Wordo - Whole Group.  Students choose any nine words from the word wall.  Teacher calls out random words.  When a student gets three in a row they yell out "WORDO".  In order to win, student must be able to read each word they've covered.  Play several times and have kids switch boards.
Word Search - Daily 5 Work on Words.  Students choose word search to fill in.  Once they've filled it in, they place in a designated basket for others to take during Daily 5 to find the words they've hidden.

I also send home this word wall template each trimester and then again at the end of the school year. I attach one to our class website at the end of each trimester for the kids to download and print off for at-home practice.  I'm attaching it as a Word document so you can add your words.  If the font is funky you can always change it to one of yours or make sure you have "Doodle Tipsy" and "Wish You Were Taller".

I found this template somewhere on the internet years ago and tweaked it - if it's yours let me know and THANKS!!!!

Have you entered my giveaway {HERE}? Learning Resources is going to give one of you a Luna Interactive Projection Camera for FREE!!!!!  You've got to take a minute to enter. You've just gotta! Winner will be chosen sometime Sunday evening!!!!

I know you've all been super busy, boy do I know it, but I have got to tell you that we've been listening to the ABC songs that Have Fun Teaching is giving away for bloggers who blog about them and at a discount for others, and my kids CANNOT get enough of them. Right now we're reviewing the vowels, but just for fun will listen to the others.  I can't wait to start my year off with them next year!!!!



Looking forward to a gorgeous Michigan weekend...hope you have a good one too!

Word Wall Word *Freebie*

Hi.

Wow, what a day!  Took some orchestrating but with the help of a dear friend and a wonderful Granny it all worked out just fine.  Two things you need to know:

1. Hub's surgery went very well - the pain in his leg {nerve} is GONE! 
2. Fourth graders do A LOT of HARD work at school which equates to a MOUNTAIN of homework to catch up on after missing three days of school...{we climbed. we conquered.}

I slept maybe two winks last night...

So this will be short.

I do a weekly newsletter. In that newsletter I put the following week's word wall words.  I usually put a blurb in there about how important it is to practice the word wall words nightly {Because it is}.  How if you recognize the words quickly - you'll read more fluently {Because you will}, and fluent readers more easily comprehend what they read {Yup}. 

I felt like I should provide something specific for the parents to do at home with these high frequency words - while it might seem obvious to us teachers what could be done to build automaticity, isn't necessarily obvious to our accountant, doctor, or mortician parents. 

I decided to steal borrow what my own son's first grade teacher has us do nightly with their weekly words  It's specific, it's quick and it's effective. No worries, being the nice teacher that she is, she told me to use anything she sends home and often times sends me an electronic copy...isn't she the sweetest? {Click on the pictures below to grab a pdf copy}

No Dates

An example of one with dates.

When you look at it in Google Docs it doesn't look very cute - but when you actually download it - the fonts are cuter!! {Of course, who could make something without cute fonts?!?}

If you like it, but want to be able to tweak it yourself, let me know and I can always send you an editable copy...I tweaked mine, so I understand it you want/need to tweak one for yourself!

It's almost Chai Tea Friday girlies!!!!!!!!!

Holly



Last Chance to Enter *Giveaway* and Another Freebie!!!!

Happy Black Friday!!!

I wonder how many of you girls were crazy and went out braving the stores on this crazy shopping day?!  You might call me nuts, but I do not like shopping on a Wednesday or a Thursday or a Monday at 2:00 in the afternoon, when everybody else is working...no, I actually HATE shopping.  Honestly, the crowds of Black Friday shopping would send me over the edge.  Hubby did go out for an hour after his 4:30 wake up call for physical therapy - he scored a nativity set for the lawn, a shop vac, and some electric screw driver dealie all at Lowe's.  He was on Amazon off and on today for their Lightning Deals and got us a new phone system and a t.v. for our bedroom.  I know the deals are hard to pass up - but I really like it better when my eye doesn't twitch.

Can I just tell you that I have checked my phone or the computer umpteen million times to see who has entered the giveaway?!?  I did play some ping pong in between...but I really need to get a life outside of this giveaway...but it's all so darn exciting!!!!!!!!!

I did make this winter word wall memory game that you might like...

The pictures are just for the "cuteness factor" ~ you only match the words!

If you haven't entered the giveaway you can click {HERE}.  9:00 pm {Eastern Standard Time} is fast approaching and the winner will be announced tomorrow...

I'm the ping pong champion {when playing against my 6 year old}...time for another match...

Mind Reader ~ Freebie ~ Meeting Update

Hi Girlies,

This is my 13th year teaching. This is probably going to date me - but do you remember Patricia Cunningham?  {Four Blocks}.  Is she still around?  Crazy to think that something hot can fizzle out...can you imagine that happening with Reader's or Writer's Workshop?  You know what they say - teaching is like a pendulum - what once was hot may vanish into thin air but be guaranteed to see it again...new name, new packaging, but it WILL come back.

So, I pulled out and dusted off some of my Patricia Cunningham stuff {okay, truth be told, I opened one of my cabinets and things started falling out all over the place and one of those items was my Four Blocks book}...if any of my "been around the block" teacher friends remember good 'ol Patty, you'll maybe remember playing "Mind Reader".  Often times I'll play this game using white boards.  Here's how it works - after each clue they should write a word from the word wall next to that number:

1. Clue number one is always "It's on the word wall"
2. Gives a little more information but doesn't give it away, like: "It has three letters in it"
3. Again, more information but it's not yet obvious, maybe: "It has one low letter and two short letters"
4. You guessed it, narrow it down a bit more: "My word is found under the letter Y"
5. This one gives it away: "My word fits in this sentence: I like __________"  {you}

If I'm playing it with white boards, before they erase the words I have them say it, spell it, say it, erase it for each word {even if they wrote the same word more than once}.  Sometimes I like to play it on paper so they can take the words home with them.  At first, my kiddies get confused and when they hear the second clue they go back and erase what they wrote next to number one.  Don't do this...just move on and write a new guess {or you can stick with the same word if the clue fits} next to number two.

Click on the picture to grab it!

On a side note - today's meeting gave me a huge knot in my stomach.  Holy Toledo....yesterday I mentioned that my district lays off teachers every year.  Granted, we tend to bring most of them back, doesn't make being laid off any easier because, honestly, you aren't guaranteed a call-back that next school year.  Lay offs in the past were based solely on teacher seniority - again, I'm not sure how I feel about that; considering, {unfortunately} there are a few rotten apples out there who are left unscathed.  Under this new legislation teachers can be laid off if they are deemed "ineffective".  Makes sense...honestly, I can completely agree with that.  BUT - there's SO. MUCH. GRAY. {Even after the lawyer explained everything} That's why I feel so uneasy.  In my heart of hearts I think know I have nothing to worry about...but I have a principal who is fair and just and who is also very near retirement.  It's the future that I worry about. 

So, I have to just take a deep breath and do the best job that I can each and every day.  I really can't do much more than that...

{And there's always that coffee shop}...

More Halloween Goodness

Hi Gals,

Are you hanging in there? I know a lot of you are busy doing report cards and conferences...'tis the season...That will be me in a couple of weeks.  Right now, assessments are the monkey on my back.  Assessments are never my favorite thing in the world but I *really* hate them at the beginning of the year.  Seriously, how do you keep 24 some odd first graders "busy"...oy. 

So, being the procrastinator that I am {I really should be thinking about those assessments - which ones I'm doing when, how I'm going to squeeze them into my day...} I made this little game for my upcoming Learning Stations.  I'm so jealous of those of you who teach themes and do centers. The way our curriculum works {it's all so canned} I don't have the liberty of creating the fun stuff.  Learning Stations day is my favorite day of the week {not counting chai tea and jeans Friday's}.  I run four different stations/centers each lasting 15 minutes.  I have two parents come in to help out and the kids have SUCH a blast and I do too!

This game is a great way to practice those high frequency words...just print the words, laminate and cut.  I place them on the floor in the hallway and use a large die for the kids to roll.  The kiddos are the "pawns" and move themselves around the "game board" reading the words, or doing what the candy corn tells them to do.  Fun stuff!

Click HERE to download