Updates All Around

Thanks to the wonderful ladies who set up the TPT Sellers Challenge earlier this month, I have been super busy revamping and refreshing many of my old products.  They gave me the motivation I needed to just get it done already!! 
I've also been busy trying to get into some sort of 'routine' with this whole health venture. Stay tuned.

The first product I updated was My ABC Book - Foldable Emergent Readers.

These are great for reinforcing letters and letter sounds while building self-confidence amongst your youngest readers. The text is repetitive, there are pictures to match each vocabulary word, and traceable text on every page.

I introduce each book as we work on each specific letter. We spend time participating in echo and shared reading.  The kiddos then head to their table groups to read, trace, and color their books.  As they finish, they pair up and buddy read or spend time at read-to-self. 

 The books remain in the students 'book luggage' for the next week until it is sent home to be read with family. 
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I also updated a sound-spelling product that I have renamed Building Words!

This little guy went from 32 to 80 pages!! I completely made over every single page of this product and provided three versions of each letter page for easy differentiating.  I provided a FREE sample in the 'Preview' section in my TPT store! Just click {{HERE}} to check it out!
 This packet was created when I was teaching first grade for the first time. I had several students who needed practice with sound-spelling and I wanted to provide them with an opportunity to be successful.  Even though there are harder words, the success comes when they sound them out phonetically! 

My students always ask me to help them spell out harder words and my response is always the same "sound out and write what you hear." How else are they suppose to learn? Trying is half the battle. 

When making over this product, I took into consideration several key factors that it was lacking. Differentiation, extension, and an alphabet line to provide for letter/letter sound support.  Through the years, my students have come into my classroom more prepared for multi-level style centers/worksheets and I wanted to provide them with just that. 

**Suggestions for use:  -staple or bind into a book for each student to use and work on independently {book cover provided below}
-print on cardstock (for durability), laminate each page, and bind together. students use expo markers to complete pages
-use pages in small group 
-used in a center rotation

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Now for #teacherskeepinitreal

Here it goes....the truth. Ugh! I have not started this health journey off well.  It's not that I'm not trying either. Don't get me wrong. It's just life. It's so busy and ever changing that getting into the routine of things is a little more challenging than expected. 
Let's see. I made my declaration of change SIX days ago and out of those six days I have only worked out twice. BUT here's where my mindset is changing. I'm proud of those 2 times. They were hard workouts and I pushed myself.
I will continue to increase how many workouts I do, as I can.

Eating is going better. 
Listen...if I could live off of chocolate chip cookies alone, I would. I seriously bake and eat dozens of cookies in a setting.  It's gross and it's a problem.
I'm happy to report that in the last 6 days, I have only consumed two cookies.
I can't even believe that! THAT is an accomplishment!! 

 I've been eating a lot of fruits/veggies and drinking a lot of infused water.  I like to drink a detox water. It's lemon, cucumber, and mint. Chop 'em up, let them sit in water overnight and enjoy! SO good! Warning: you pee a lot!!

A few recipes I've tried {click image for recipe}:

                                 

I'd love to try some more delicious recipes! If you've got a really good one, send it my way! :)

 

I can't believe it!

I can't believe the time has come to go back to work. Where did the time go?!

Summer NEVER went by this fast as a child, especially in high school.  I would get so bored ALL THE TIME! Now, there's not enough time in a day to get all the things I need to get done, done.  

It's funny how differently things are when you become an adult. :)

As you all already know {because I've complained several times} I can't get into my classroom yet, so I've been working on curriculum and classroom management items at home.

 The other day I posted about a wonderful sound/spelling packet {click picture above to snag your copy} that I use in my classroom.  After looking at it, I realized you needed options.  I have now updated it so that there is a colored version and a black line version! Woohoo!

 {example of black line pages}

I just posted this little packet last night:

My mother, thankfully, saved a lot of my stuff from when I was in elementary school.  One of the things that I found in my pile of goods was an alphabet book that I had created in my first grade class.  That got me thinking....what better way to get my kiddos engaged in reading while reviewing letter sounds and letter recognition, then to create alphabet books!!  So I came up with this:

These books are foldable and can be colored by your cuties!

I think I'm going to introduce these whole group, like I do with my decodable books, and then use them in my small groups as well. 

I'm also planning on having them generate more items that they can think of that begin {or end...for letter "x"} with the same sound.  Just as a whole group review type of mini-lesson! :)

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Aside from fun computer stuff, I have been tackling my Pinterest inspired and other projects!  Still putting some finishing touches to them but am excited to participate in my first "Made it Monday" post!  Stay Tuned!

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We still need 16 states to complete our Postcard Exchange!

Click HERE to become part of an awesome project! :)

 

Sound Spelling Extravaganza!!

I am dying to get into my classroom! I have seen so many fantastic ideas on everyone's blogs that it's making me CRAZY! 

I still can not get into my room until {at earliest} Monday.  Keep in mind I have a training Monday-Thursday next week that last until 4:30!!  We go back to school the following Monday.  Anyone wanna come to Tallahassee and help make my room pretty?! :)

Since I can't get into my room {and it's been raining like crazy} I have had plenty of time to finish my "creating to-do list!"

Next up is a Sound Spelling & Syllable Count packet

I used to use a much older version that I got from my interning teacher but the clipart was ....well....old and NOT cute! It also didn't have the syllable counting which I love to have my kiddos do {while also meeting the standards, of course}!  This packet includes a worksheet for each of the 26 letters of the alphabet.

Each page contains six words that the kiddos have to stretch out and spell phonetically.  Then, they get to clap out and record the syllables for each word.

 Last year I had my first graders complete the packet {the old version} independently.  This year I am going to do these worksheets as I introduce/review each letter of the alphabet.  I will also use them for small group practice.  For that I'm going to laminate a colored copy of each page and let the kids use them with a Expo marker.  You could also just put the page in a page protector and do it that way as well.  

 I'm so excited about the cuter and "more challenging" version!

I included the Common Core standards for Kindergarten and First Grade on each page.  Hopefully that will make it easier for you to check off who has mastered that skill and who needs more practice. :)

You can snag your own copy at my TPT Store or Teacher's Notebook store!

While I'm talking about my stores I want to thank each and everyone of you for your purchases and kind words.  You may remember a post I made months ago about our financial state.  We are still trying to get our heads above water but with these stores and with your help, we're slowly starting to see the end of the tunnel.  So THANK YOU! 

I've also linked up with Cheryl at Primary Graffiti.  She's hosting a Back to School Bash and guiding you to amazing products and freebies! Go check it out!

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UPDATE: I've also uploaded an EDITABLE version to my communication binders!!! Click above to head to my store to check them out!!!

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We still need 16 states for our Postcard Exchange to be complete.  If interested click HERE!  We NEED YOU!!!! :)