Christmas Door Idea

I had my mom make this door bulletin for me last year.  It turned out so cute! How do you decorate your classroom?  Comment  to this post and I'll choose someone to win my Christmas Literacy Centers tomorrow.

Christmas Literacy Activities Link

Primary Writing Center Freebie!

Ok.. I found a wonderful little jewel when I taught Kindergarten last year.  Well actually several little jewels.  They are found on Caitlin Clabby's TPT site.  She has some amazing stuff.

I used these in my writing center all year last year.  I just added to it all year! You will love it!
Caitlin Clabby's Freebie #1

Caitlin Clabby's Freebie #2

TPT Sale!

Just stop by to say that I have a sale going on in my TPT store starting Monday, December 1st.  Check out some of my products!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Heart-Of-Kinder

Here are some pictures of some of my products.

  

Multiplication Stations!

Ok, so I am teaching 4th grade now and I have been continuously searching for meaningful math centers/stations.  I am about to start a huge multiplication unit, so I have been on the hunt for some engaging stuff.  As I was checking Deedee Wills' kindergarten blog(Yes even though I am in Fourth Grade, I check her blog...it's amazing!) it dawned on me.... I could use her Intervention: Super Speed to the Rescue packet for multiplication practice.  So I have done one below and its super easy to do.  Deedee's file comes editable.  So you can go in and make whatever you needed.  I have made one below that has Multiplication by 2 and 3.  I will make more for multiplication through 12.  I am also going to do this for division as well.  This packet of Deedee's is so versatile.  I used it last year when I taught Kindergarten to teach letters, numbers, and sight words.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! Here is the link to her packet.  You will love I promise.! Oh by the way I am going to use my lovely Scotch laminator and laminate these wonderful little things! Well that's all for now! Happy Weekend!

A New Beginning!

I have so much that I need to blog about.  First, I have moved to a new school in my hometown! I am loving my new school. It is right by my house.  I could literally walk to school if I wanted to.  Any way I am teaching 4th grade now.  I am the Math and Science teacher.  Our third and fourth grades are departmentalized.  This is the first time that I have taught this grade plus being a departmentalized teacher.  I love it.  I have some great kiddos.  I will be working on changing my blog name.  I am thinking of generalizing my blog into a K-4 resource sight since I will have taught all by the end of this year.  I will be back later to show classroom pictures and my first week of school plans.

Summer Beginning Sound Freebie!

Wow! It's been a long time since I've blogged.  In late April, I started have major headaches that would automatically go away when laying down.  After many doctors visits, MRI's, and being bed rest for a month(that is tough with a 1 and 2 year old), I was finally told that I had a leak in my spinal chord which was causing the headaches.  I had a total of three blood patch procedures and I am fixed(Praise the Lord!).  Now I am back, and for that I am having a sale at my TPT Store.  Everything is 20% off! Also I have a beginning sound freebie for you.  Its something that I will be working on this summer.  I will have the full package finished by July.  It will have activities for each letter of the alphabet that can be used in small or whole groups.  Enjoy your summer! I know I am!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Beginning-Sound-Freebie-1272908

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Our year is winding down fast.  I have been helping 5th grade test this week.  Ugh!  Anyway, I am in the middle of my Insect unit.  Today, we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.  We worked on sequencing the caterpillar's meals Monday through Friday.  Here is a picture of what I threw together.  Note: I will be working on a Literacy unit this summer that will have a revamped version of this activity in it. So.... tada!

Classroom pics and a Sale!

Hi friends! Its been a while since I have blogged.  Wow, this year is flying by.  State testing is around the corner and our elementary hall is buzzing.  Even though I don't test in Kinder, I still feel the anxiety that the kids and teachers are feeling.  Well on a different note, my students are working hard on short vowels.  We are about to start long vowels.  I have already been teaching some blends and diagraphs.  They are loving it.  I use Deedee Wills' Word Explorer for my phonics and sight words.  It is perfect!  Here is a link: Word Explorer by Deedee Wills. 

Here is my behavior chart.  It is Deedee's as well. You can download your own when you become a fan of her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MrsWillsKindergarten
Everyone starts on green each day.  They get two warning before they move down each time.  However they can also move to Amazing.  When they move to Amazing they can pick a prize out of the prize box. 






Here are my math station boxes.  I meet with my math small groups the last hour of the day and the other students work on these boxes.  They do 2 a day.  The labels came from Deedee Wills' TPT store.  Its a freebie! 

Below is my student work pocket chart.  Each pocket has a child's name on it.  The students know that when they complete their station work or seat work that they are to put it in their "pocket".  It makes my life much easier.  Before I go, I am also having a sale at my TPT store this weekend.  Check it out! Have a wonderful week!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Heart-Of-Kinder

 

St. Patricks Day Sale!

Ok so I was hoping to post my lesson plans for this week, but life with two wonderful babies has spoken.  Hopefully I will be back next week with them.  Anyway, for those of you still needing Math and Literacy centers for spring, this is your lucky day!  I am putting all of my products on sale until Monday night(3-17-14).  They will be 20% off!  Stock up on the savings!  Enjoy!

More Dr. Seuss and Misc!

Ok so this is day 18 of snow days(all together).  This has been one crazy school year.  Anyway, I had this week planned for Dr. Seuss activities.  I'll have to make up for it now!  We have missed so much school that I haven't been able to spend very much time on my Content Area activities.  So now for the Dr. Seuss talk.  My wonderful mother made my door for me! Take a look.  She is amazing!

Dr. Seuss ABC

 

I read the book Dr Seuss' ABC 's.  to my kids.  We reviewed beginning sounds of each letter.  I each student do letter page(some did more than 1).  They loved it!

I am also working on posting my lesson plans each week(or at least a sneak peak).  Here are a few things that my students will be working on:

 

Deedee Wills' March Poetry Notebooks

Last week we worked on "Your Body" from Deedee's unit.  The kids had so much fun and were VERY engaged. 

 

I will also be introducing my

Spring Literacy and Math centers

Here are some pics:

 

I am going to try to be back next week with a "Peak at my Week" post as well as my spring planning ideas and activities. 

TPT Sale!

Stop by my TPT store to grab my products on sale!

Dr .Seuss snacks!

I am so excited about Dr. Seuss week. Here are some snacks I am planning on having...

 

Ideas from:http://www.pinterest.com/pin/126523070755926606/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/436919601321396995/

What are you planning for Dr. Seuss week? Leave a comment below! Have a super spectacular week!

Deedee Wills All Sorts of Sorts Giveaway!

I am so happy to say that I will be hosting a giveaway of one of Deedee Wills' wonderful products.  Her "All Sorts of Sorts" packet.  It is absolutely amazing! It includes sorts for Initial consonant, short/long vowel, diagraph, blend sounds.  It also includes ending sounds and diagraphs as well as medial sound sorts.  The sorts are in color as well as black and white for students.  Here are a couple of pictures of my students using the sorts. 

Here are a couple of my small group student notebooks.  This group needed extra practice with beginning sounds.  We sorted the pictures together several times and then they sorted on their own.

 

There are so many options for these sorts.  I also picked 5 initial sounds and put the sorts in my pocket chart center.  I just wanted to review some initial sounds before we dove into cvc words.  I use these sorts every week.  Thank you Deedee!

Now for the GIVEAWAY.  You can own this wonderful packet too. 

 All you have to do is:

Follow my blog:Heart of Kinder (A Kindergarten Blog)( via Blogger, Bloglovin, or email)

Follow me on Facebook:

Here is a link to Deedee's packet on TPT!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Literacy and Math Centers!

I wanted to take a moment and blog about my Spring Math and Literacy Centers pack.  There are alot of activities within this pack.   I loved using this pack in my Kindergarten classroom last year.  I have included several CVC Elkonin boxes that work great for small group.  There is a short vowel sort that could be used whole group, then used as a literacy center.  My kiddos LOVED "Write the Room" last year.  I have included a sight word "Write the Room" in this pack as well.  Here is a list of all of the activities included:

Click here to view on tpt!

A Little Laugh....

So I am on my way to school this morning and I look down at my cup holder.  This is what I see...

I laughed! This is the life of a mommy of an 18 month old and a 7 month old.  I LOVE my babies and my husband of course!  Happy Friday!

 

 

Ok so here is one of my math centers.  You can purchase it along with other math and literacy centers from my Snowy Friends Unit.  In this center, students put the numbers in order from 1-20, then complete the recording sheet.

Math center #2 from my Snowy Friends unit.  Students match the number to the corresponding ten frame. 

Math center #3: Shapes-Students trace the shapes to create a picture.  This student just started when I took the picture.  You will need white paper, shapes, pencils/crayons, and a creative mind!



Now for Math Journals... About three times a week my students add a word problem to their math journal.  I normally do this on the floor and I sit down on the floor with them.. We sit in a big circle. They know to sit on their journals until we are through with the fluency portion of my math lesson.  I already have these cut out and I use my glue sponge to glue with(if you don't know what a glue sponge is, see my post about that here. Students work at their own pace to complete the word problem.  They know not to blurt answer out, but to write their thoughts on paper (we have practiced this alot!). This word problem along with other can also be found in my Snowy Friends Unit.  (NOTE: I spend a lot of time talking with my students about how they can write down their thoughts at the beginning of the year.)

Now on a different note:

Here are some pictures showing what my kids do in the mornings.  Before they complete activities below, they do their morning work for the day.  

Magnetic Letters: Students have a Ziploc bag(I use slidders) of magnetic letters.  They put the letters in order from a-z.  They love this!

Then they read from their Familiar Reading bag(another Ziploc bag).  They contain books that we have made or books they have read in Guided Reading. 

Snowy Friends Unit(Winter themed math and literacy centers) -click to view this on TpT!!!

 

Oops

Well not sure why not all of my last post didn't show up.  I'll be back tomorrow to explain pictures and repost.  Sorry!

Math centers and Morning activities

Ok so here are some of my math centers.  I have 12 boxes that contain a math center.  Here are just a few.  My littles work on two of these a day.  I am working with small groups of students while they work on these boxes.  My boxes have a number on them. I got this idea from Mrs. Wills Kindergarten. You can find her link here.

Fun with Shapes Math Center-Students just create a picture and trace the shape.  All you need is white paper, shapes, crayons or pencils, and a creative little mind!



This is from my Snowy Friends Unit.  Students match the ten frames to the corresponding number.



Another center from my Snowy Friends Unit.  Students put #'s 1-20 in order, then complete this page.

 

 

 

Here are a couple of my students' math journals.  This is one that we did today.  You can find these word problems in my Snowy Friends Unit here.

 

 

Now... How do my mornings go??? When my students arrive, they turn in their communication folder and get started on their morning work.  After completing morning work, they put their letters in ABC order.  When they complete that...depending on time, they get out their "Ziploc" bags.  They contain familiar reading materials.  How do you start your day?