tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42655301385052428912012-03-03T17:24:39.425-05:00Finding a pathway to second grade...Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comBlogger1051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-61304338116880208822012-03-03T17:21:00.001-05:002012-03-03T17:24:39.435-05:00

Yesterday was "Community Read Aloud" when volunteers across the community go into schools and read to kids. My volunteer arrived for a nine o'clock read ten minutes early. I did not know her and wondered how it would go. Not everyone understands how to read to twenty kids and keep them all interested. Once the children were settled, she pulled out her first book, one I had never heard

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-38882506378415511122012-03-01T09:59:00.001-05:002012-03-01T10:03:22.587-05:00

My students have had a chance to use the ipads in guided reading groups for two days now. I have taught each of them how to swipe their way through screens, how to press lightly to select an icon, how to turn the sound up and down, how to exit out of a program and how to fold the book like cover back over the tool when through using it. Some of my students have been entrusted to connect the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-60788439659851047322012-02-25T07:03:00.001-05:002012-02-25T07:06:10.324-05:00

During this winter break, I have searched for appropriate educational apps for my first graders. We are lucky to pilot 5 ipads for the month of March and I want to have them ready to work with on Monday morning. Earlier this week I listed the first group of apps I downloaded. Here are a few more I plan on using with my class. Sid's Science Fair is an app that stars Sid the Science Kid and his

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-2036875273967675692012-02-19T06:52:00.000-05:002012-02-19T06:52:00.664-05:00

 Since  my class will have access to five Ipads for a month, I am in search of apps that will be educational, intuitive so I can give minimal support, and will still keep the kid's interest. They also need to be free or very cheap.I have pulled together a few for sight and spelling words, math, and one for doodling with a bit of writing. I am in search for a better writing program. Here they are.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-71713212102251056702012-02-18T17:17:00.001-05:002012-02-18T17:23:23.259-05:00

Great read for our project! Our school has been collecting items for the local animal shelter as a service learning project. Students have been sharing their pennies, laundry detergent, dog food, towels, etc. in an effort to support a worthwhile cause. My class decided to make doggie muffins as our contribution. Mrs. Paquette, who volunteers at the shelter, asked if we could make them wheat

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-60447631011738042092012-02-17T06:20:00.001-05:002012-02-25T07:05:35.663-05:00

 Yesterday our technology director brought me five ipads. Four of them are ipad1's and one is an ipad2. The ipad2 came with a dongle to attach to my lcd projector and is for the teacher to use. The other four are to be used by students as we pilot them in our first grade class.My students love computers and we make great use of a mishmash of four computers. There are two laptops (one Apple and

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-76137636229146145372012-02-15T11:24:00.000-05:002012-02-15T11:24:14.715-05:00

Yesterday was a whirlwind of events and activities. When the 100th day of school falls on Valentine's Day you know you will be exhausted by dinner. The kids read a poem with 100 words, estimated and counted more than 100 candy corns,and filled in a 100 number grid. For our valentine celebration, we shared cards and ate fruit kabobs for a healthy snack. Most of the students had never made their

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-90462517180989170562012-02-12T09:40:00.000-05:002012-02-12T09:40:14.813-05:00

March is on the way. If you have never "sliced" with the Two Writing Teachers for the month of March, do join in this year. Each day writers share small moments with their audience who in turn comment on the writing in a very positive way.Teachers, this gives you a chance to experience what you ask kids to do in the classroom daily. It is eye opening to struggle with a topic, work on it,

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-84527762233021727842012-02-11T06:43:00.001-05:002012-02-11T06:44:29.452-05:00

Science Wednesday involved magnets this week. Students put red and white paint in paper plates. Then they added a large paper clip to the paint. I provided a variety magnets to the students including magnetic wands, earth magnets, and magnets large and small. Students moved the magnets under the paper plate which attracted the paper clip. As they moved the magnet, the paper clip moved through the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-73672425017778206942012-02-05T17:59:00.001-05:002012-02-07T05:56:13.600-05:00

Author Craft...repeating words It is the dead of winter in Maine and snow stories are a staple in lower elementary classrooms. I have read multiple versions of "The Mitten". The students have compared multiple versions of the story and talked about the types of stories that lend themselves to storytelling. I have encouraged my young writers to try writing their own version of "The Mitten" and

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-35953341365340328842012-02-04T08:03:00.003-05:002012-02-04T08:29:32.047-05:00

In our school district, formal spelling instruction begins during the third ranking quarter for first graders. Each year, I give a pre-test of the first twenty "Sitton" words to all my students. I then give them the first five words they don't know as their spelling words to study. If students get all of the first twenty words correct, I give them words they are misspelling in their every day

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-8302349777936584122012-02-03T06:16:00.000-05:002012-02-03T06:16:02.702-05:00

Follow our Maine black bear, Lugnut, as she raises her newborn cubs.http://www.wildliferesearchfoundation.org/wild-black-bear-den-camera/

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-17590663242911470862012-02-02T17:43:00.000-05:002012-02-02T17:43:08.009-05:00

Guess my solid My students continue to study about matter (solids, liquids, and gases) and are doing remarkably well understanding the difference. Today we played a "solid" game. Each student was given a paper bag and told to move around the room and choose five solid objects to place in the paper bag. The objects needed to be small enough to fit comfortably in the bag. Once everyone had done

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-53992450022725586232012-01-28T07:34:00.001-05:002012-01-28T07:42:27.617-05:00

What's for Lunch? Our bird feeder has been host to a pair of chickadees for several weeks now. The kids have been delighted each time they hear that familiar "Chick-a-dee-dee-dee".One Saturday, as I worked in my classroom, I heard a thud, followed by a loud scratching noise. I looked toward the windows and was surprised to see see a gray squirrel scaling the windows, laterally attempting to

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-22485479124504118302012-01-26T05:35:00.000-05:002012-01-26T05:35:43.869-05:00

We have started studying about matter. Our study is focused on solids, liquids, gases and how they change. There is no better time to teach this unit than in the middle of a Maine winter. Snow is our primary source. The kids love it and are engaged the minute we scoop up our first cup. The kids and I went outside to get a cup of snow. We leveled it off at the top and they marked the outside of

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-12395018895583755562012-01-24T06:03:00.000-05:002012-01-24T06:03:39.597-05:00

Think about a teacher in your school who works very hard and would love to receive a technology grant. Nominate them and then vote every day for that teacher. I did...if that teacher won, it sure would be a surprise!http://www.worthavegroup.com/giveaway/

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-46872497430555895902012-01-21T09:05:00.000-05:002012-01-21T10:56:25.363-05:00

 Video Explanation for teachers and kids Here is a fun activity for kids to play sharing one computer screen. Go to the Everyday Math Etools. Once you click on the site, you will get a screen that looks like this... Click on e-tools and then dice...Drag two sets of dice onto the screen like this...Click on the pen tool at the bottom and draw a horizontal line between the sets of dice like

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-43885368146857281962012-01-21T06:20:00.002-05:002012-01-21T08:04:40.998-05:00

 AmaryllisEach year I wait for the Christmas boxed Amaryllis to go on sale and then grab one for my classroom. My students are learning to measure and this bulb flower grows very quickly. This year the price...$4.98!I love this project because it gives the kids a chance to watch a pressed piece of planting medium grow just by  adding  water. We get to talk about the roots, bulb, shoots, leaves,

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-48234321269356966802012-01-15T10:41:00.001-05:002012-01-15T10:44:11.817-05:00

In January, instead of making easily broken resolutions, I examine my quality of life. I ask myself what is working well and what can be better. How can I improve this wonderful life I am living? How can I assist others attempting to improve their lives? The bird feeder is one way I can continue to live a good life and introduce the power of the bird feeder to others (my students). My husband and

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-81249437494496067592012-01-12T06:27:00.001-05:002012-01-12T06:29:05.239-05:00

IPEVO Document Camera Earlier in the year, I wrote about my 69 dollar IPEVO document camera. This has been one of the cheapest and most valuable technology tools I have ever purchased for my classroom.This little camera attaches to my computer and with the help of an LCD projector and projects whatever I point it toward. I no longer demonstrate using an overhead projector. I no longer have to

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-88290597293622056962012-01-07T14:28:00.000-05:002012-01-07T14:28:15.749-05:00

Have you ever taken your children to Home Depot on Saturday morning? Today after finding a new bird feeder, I stood in line at the check out and watched the kids young and old crowd around a makeshift workshop. They were reading directions, and working with their parents and the Home Depot staff to build banks. They were laughing, pounding with hammers, smoothing with sandpaper, and painting.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-54925734742904411392012-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:002012-01-04T06:00:57.160-05:00

 I decluttered over vacation to give the illusion our classroom is bigger. It worked...the kids oohed and aah-ed when they entered yesterday. To make room, I had to get rid of a large rolling cart which is magnetic on one end. The magnetized end was where I posted our math tub assignments. I have been searching for another surface to display the tub numbers with the kid's photos and cannot find

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-84358087540001205202012-01-03T06:15:00.002-05:002012-01-04T06:15:50.010-05:00

Today we all return to school after a wonderful holiday break. It is so important to hit the road running in January. I always find this to be a time of great outcomes. Students are rested, the teacher is rejuvenated, and everyone is ready to learn.Our science topic for the next couple weeks is day and night. We will study about the earth, moon, and sun. We will learn about the relationship

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-3603520135682535082011-12-28T06:18:00.001-05:002011-12-28T06:41:24.324-05:00

First read of vacation...Rumors of Water If you love to write and/or love to teach children about the writing process, this book may be for you. It is a short read but packed with author advice about writing. The author's style and creativity is as eye opening as her words.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-83724649073839129282011-12-15T08:35:00.002-05:002011-12-15T08:38:48.152-05:00

Each year before Christmas, some magic descends upon my school. The public donates white elephant type items they no longer use. Boxes of goodies, wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows are dropped off at our front entry. Our Chief Elf, Kim, picks up the goodies and spends hours sorting them into categories (gifts for mom, dad, siblings). Then over the course of two days every K-5 student in Bath

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-75517021900255164612011-12-10T05:38:00.000-05:002011-12-10T05:38:31.361-05:00

I found this very easy set of directions for coffee filter snowflakes. I don't want to lose it for future art/science projects. Here it is for safe keeping:) Coffee Filter SnowflakesThank you , Britta.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-53792890963670141152011-12-08T06:03:00.005-05:002011-12-08T06:29:28.701-05:00

This time of year, my students begin to practice math facts 0-10 for speed and accuracy. I use several websites for math fact practice but for the past three years, my first graders have loved Shut the Box the most. Shut the Box is a very old pub game from the 13th century. The object of the game is to turn down all tiles 1-9. If you accomplish this task, you get to "shut the box". Each year my

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-26619108705242685482011-11-29T18:02:00.001-05:002011-11-30T05:34:19.781-05:00

 This month, I will be modeling how to write directions for specific tasks (procedural writing). Then the kids will attempt to write their own directions. I want to make this writing as authentic as possible so I came up with two scenarios. Today we started an art project (hand reindeer). After each step of the project, we stopped, sketched what we just did and then wrote very short sentences

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-32791998508395419462011-11-17T11:12:00.000-05:002011-11-17T11:12:20.228-05:00

Each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, my kids study about animal habitat for winter. It gives us a chance to study a season through the lens of animals. Usually we read books, watch videos, and do a few worksheets to go along with this mini-unit of study. This year, I decided to switch it up a bit. We already had a seasonal apple tree bulletin board up with leaves and apples the kids had

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-35808439050811087182011-11-11T07:54:00.001-05:002011-11-11T07:55:46.332-05:00

First grade social studies is always interesting and somewhat daunting to teach. Many of the skills are abstract. Turning them into something the kids can see, hear, touch, taste and smell (connecting to science) seems the best way to go. Our students are supposed to learn about goods and services and supply and demand. I have picked this time of year to emphasize this unit of study because

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-69372503137720157892011-11-08T05:37:00.002-05:002011-11-12T05:47:10.160-05:00

Friday is a day off from school, Veteran's Day. Although my first graders cannot understand the complexities of war, many of them have parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents who have served our country in one of the branches of the military. We will take time this week, to honor those who serve and to learn a bit more about this career choice. Students have taken home stars for families to

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-38499143349715158682011-11-07T18:39:00.001-05:002011-11-07T18:41:17.386-05:00

While reading another blog, I learned of a book called, The End of Molasses Classes. It looked like an interesting read so I downloaded it onto my Nook. Although I don't agree with everything I am reading, this book is definitely worth reading. It is written by a former public school teacher who now teaches at and runs a private school in Georgia. His message: don't give up on the kids and push

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-71876239173760034422011-11-06T07:47:00.000-05:002011-11-06T07:47:42.535-05:00

This morning, I was updating my web page. I was searching for number grid activities. I happened upon the EveryDay Math web site which I have visited many times before. Much to my surprise, there was an interactive demo page. I immediately tried it out. It is not as intuitive as I would like but the tools match the program which is great for consistency.Click on the backgrounds to get calendar,

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-61567801273317363572011-11-05T06:49:00.000-04:002011-11-05T06:49:55.117-04:00

We we did it. We smashed colored bottles inside a canvas bag. The kids used a mallet to do the smashing. I placed some of the broken glass in plastic peanut jars. The kids added the sand, salt, and water. I sealed the jars and we placed them in a dish tub on their sides. The kids are tilting the tub to the left and right. The peanut jars gently roll replicating the ebb and flow of the sea. We

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-51336109408288499902011-10-28T20:04:00.000-04:002011-10-28T20:04:09.609-04:00

I read a lovely story to my class this week about sea glass. A grandmother takes her granddaughter to visit the island home she grew up in.While walking the beach the grandmother finds a piece of red sea glass. It triggers a memory from her childhood which she shares with her granddaughter. My students where totally engrossed by this story. I had a piece of sea glass for each of them after the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-81655298401639999152011-10-28T04:14:00.001-04:002011-10-28T04:16:51.022-04:00

I am finishing up parent-teacher conferences today. All my parents have scheduled and kept or rescheduled a conference. I think that says a lot about my class. Parents who take an interest in their child's education, are telling their children it is important to learn.I certainly have an enthusiastic group of learners and they love Science Wednesday. For those educators who shy away from science

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-2109779784133847342011-10-25T06:27:00.001-04:002011-10-25T06:28:07.879-04:00

It is that time of year when pumpkins adorn our doorsteps. The kids are excited about Halloween. Blend the two and have your own fun with pumpkin science and math. My class is examining a small pumpkin in our science area. They are filling out a worksheet with predictions about this little gourd. On Wednesday we will examine it as a class and then weigh, measure, and cut it open. We will read the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-2120349571195130282011-10-24T19:11:00.000-04:002011-10-24T19:11:41.160-04:00

Today my class went to the computer lab. Here is what they accomplished in less than an hour.turned on the computers and logged into the network found and double clicked on Firefox Used bookmarks to find my webpage Clicked on Wikis Signed into Wikis using their own user name and password Found two pieces of mail I sent them  Responded to my questions and sent the responses Returned to the wiki

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-75703924085978352682011-10-22T08:54:00.001-04:002011-10-22T08:57:22.056-04:00

Early in September, it was apparent, my class needed some type of visual behavior cues. I set up a system on my whiteboard with three goals (bubble space, inside voices, following directions). When children violated an expectation they were warned. A second violation required them to go to the board and place their name in the appropriate expectation. At the end of each day the each child would

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-30759854741785777132011-10-21T07:53:00.001-04:002011-10-22T07:00:01.251-04:00

I don't like to do bulletin boards. It is all about time and perhaps a lack of talent too! Each year, I try to think of what I can put up on my boards that will serve our classroom for the whole year. Some are easier than others like the calendar board. It grows as we learn new math skills and it is useful right up to the last day of school.For the past three years I have had a bulletin board

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-22494244753203418072011-10-19T06:00:00.008-04:002011-10-19T06:15:37.285-04:00

Do you have an LCD projector in your classroom? If so, do you use it? LCD projectors (liquid crystal display) are a wonderful addition to any classroom. Let's face it, our kids are visual...they are used to screens and screens get their attention. Use that to your advantage and incorporate this machine into your daily teaching.You don't need to use it all the time but once you start you will find

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-61109660930179791712011-10-18T17:10:00.001-04:002011-10-18T17:13:40.039-04:00

Have you tried a wiki with your class yet? It takes a little prep time to get your site up and running and make all the kid's user names and password but the rewards are numerous.On Monday we had an abbreviated lab time due to a scheduling snafu. In 30 minutes I was able to get my kids to Wikispaces, log in using their own user names and passwords, and actually poke around the wiki I set up. They

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-43831712678847910482011-10-15T18:04:00.000-04:002011-10-15T18:04:45.208-04:00

Today I went to an area teacher supply store to stock up on classroom materials. This is no ordinary store. Donations are accepted from stores, companies large and small, schools, and citizens anxious to recycle instead of throw away. Suppliers donate paper, pens, pencils, markers, scrap material, tape, books, etc. You never know what you will find but there is always something worth picking up.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-24317474005162564152011-10-13T06:15:00.003-04:002011-10-13T06:25:53.101-04:00

Well we did it. We baked and the kids loved it! I broke the class into three groups. One group put together a recipe booklet, one group worked on sequencing apple trees through the season and one group baked with me. The kids were wonderful, cooperative, and responsible. The results...apple crescents for snack. Seventeen of nineteen gobbled them up. The recipes will go home now so children can

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-53148056049485727252011-10-12T06:29:00.002-04:002011-11-11T07:09:04.088-05:00

Whether in your curriculum or not, public service is just something we need to teach kids. Currently, our first grade team is preparing to contribute to a local food drive for a depleted food bank. We have made a bulletin board display across from the entry to attract the attention of all of our visitors. Fliers are ready to be sent home with the children. Teachers are planning on adding the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-24107458121545405772011-10-11T17:36:00.002-04:002011-10-11T18:14:01.819-04:00

I love to cook with my kids. At times it can get a little out of control when trying to cook with nineteen but if I am organized, set up stations, and rotate the kids through each station, it usually goes quite well. That is my plan for tomorrow.We went to the apple orchard last week and are following-up with some apple activities. This cooking project lends itself to temporal words such as

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-86727190603479241712011-10-05T17:27:00.001-04:002011-10-05T17:30:19.343-04:00

Tomorrow,we are going on a field trip to the apple orchard. I wanted to do a science lesson that would tie in with the field trip but not give away the experiences the kids will have. Here is what we did. I created a worksheet of four apple leaves. I copied them onto yellow copy paper. Then I modeled for the kids how to first color over the yellow with a light green explaining that is the color

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-67274682444269837662011-10-05T06:07:00.001-04:002011-10-05T06:08:12.042-04:00

We are now four week's into writing workshop and I am so happy to say, my students are using picture books as mentor texts! I have been purposefully selecting books to share that lend themselves as structure mentors to kids. I have been talking up how I can use the text, add my own words and have a book others will want to read. I have modeled how I can change the book, The Trolley Ride into my

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-79328797108101112742011-10-04T20:07:00.000-04:002011-10-04T20:07:22.862-04:00

While surfing through the many blogs I follow, I came upon a reference to ESGI. It peeked my interest and I clicked on the link and headed over to their website. ESGI is a web-based assessment system for teachers to use in the classroom. Currently, they are offering a 60 day free trial. I signed up and decided to give it a try.I am using this assessment system with students who struggle with

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-15607181744200009742011-10-03T18:40:00.000-04:002011-10-03T18:40:28.447-04:00

Today, my students went to the lab to try out Raz-Kids for the second time this year. I wanted to make sure they understood how to use it, before setting it up in the classroom as a workstation. Raz-Kids is a great resources to support reading in the classroom. The teacher assigns each student a personalized page of books to read on their level. Then the student can choose to listen to a book,

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-89070688216604373072011-10-02T15:38:00.001-04:002011-10-02T15:39:46.762-04:00

Here is an activity combining a social studies field trip with reading and math. I love it when I can hit multiple areas with one activity! To support a unit of study on consumers and producers, we are going to an apple orchard. I am trying to get some mileage out of this field trip by incorporating some reading and math! Here is a catchy chant I pulled from the web a while back (don't know where

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-64589091761797089972011-09-29T18:59:00.000-04:002011-09-29T18:59:54.659-04:00

This year, I have an active, large class in a very small classroom. The kids remind me of "Jiffy Pop". The kernels just keep popping one after the other. I have tried several behavior incentives/consequences to no avail. Approximately one third of the class has difficulty with voice control, following directions, body space, or a combination of all three. Here is what we are trying for the next

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-17746497210081036362011-09-28T06:46:00.001-04:002011-09-29T03:55:38.939-04:00

 Today's science lesson is also math related. Reading thermometers is part of our math program and I thought it would be fun for the kids to get to play with thermometers and make some discoveries on their own. We will use some mini-thermometers (which are mercury free). Students will use their sense of sight and touch to describe the tools. Then they will put them in a variety of places and

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-20888778518432963082011-09-25T17:08:00.000-04:002011-09-25T17:08:35.386-04:00

Rolling for 50 is a game to help students familiarize themselves with a number grid. The math book has a grid for the students to use but it is very small and they have difficulty navigating the grid with their tokens. I have increased the size of the grid and added the dice and their values at the bottom of the game board. When my students play this game, the winner must land on 50 with the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-15427043910680315242011-09-25T08:27:00.002-04:002011-09-25T16:20:41.009-04:00

Our math program introduces the children's game, Rock, Paper, Scissors. I have decided to add this game to my math workstation tubs. I wanted there to be some accountability for the work, so I have created a recording sheet. The students stand back to back and say, "Rock, paper, Scissors". Each turns around displaying one of those words with a hand signal (fist for rock, flat hand for paper,

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-11088030086665497822011-09-24T06:12:00.001-04:002011-09-25T05:46:35.068-04:00

About ten years ago I won a subscription to Brainpop at a conference. I began to use it in my classroom to enhance my social studies and science curriculum. For those of you who have not tried Brainpop or Brainpop Junior, they are  collections of short videos on a wide variety of topics across the curriculum (made for kids). Brainpop is for children ages 8-12 and Brainpop Junior is for the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-47753194537975119272011-09-23T06:24:00.000-04:002011-09-23T06:24:40.655-04:00

Each Wednesday our students start school an hour late so teachers can have professional development time. Because the teaching day is one hour short, I stray from the normal routine and spend about forty-five minutes on science. I try to make sure the kids have a "science"experience and not a science lecture. Real time science is what inspires kids to be scientists. Once we hatched our monarch,

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-56648833840601118612011-09-22T06:24:00.000-04:002011-09-22T06:24:50.086-04:00

Yesterday, after waiting fourteen long days, our monarch butterfly left its safe chrysalis and made an appearance in our classroom. I have helped kids hatch monarch butterflies for over twenty years and it still seems like a miracle to me. The kids could hardly contain themselves. We waited patiently for the butterfly to exercise its wings and show us it was ready to be set free. Unfortunately

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-13300769238485525742011-09-18T07:36:00.001-04:002011-09-18T07:38:32.598-04:00

Overhead projectors have been part of my teaching for the past thirty-two years. Last year, I set my overhead projector aside and began using a document camera. If you have not used one, find one and try it out! The prices for document cameras can be staggering especially during tough economic times. There are alternatives well worth investigating.I already had an LCD projector available to me.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-30435253622277633742011-09-16T04:37:00.000-04:002011-09-16T04:37:11.261-04:00

We are completing our second week of school. My first graders love everything technology related and I capitalize on that as much as possible. We have four computers set up in our classroom for student use, I use an LCD projector and a document camera for demonstrations, and we go to the computer lab once each week for whole group instruction. People often ask me what I do with the kids in

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-30373059826995541602011-09-10T07:28:00.000-04:002011-09-10T07:28:59.285-04:00

It has been a long first four days and I have not posted once! The kids and I are beginning to settle in. Here is what we did yesterday with our Virtual Dice. I introduced a die/penny game. I used my LCD projector and my document camera to demonstrate how to play the game. I split the screen so a Virtual die was showing on one side and the document camera was focused on twenty pennies. My special

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-6525873067909570082011-08-31T11:12:00.001-04:002011-08-31T11:15:53.712-04:00

Virtual Dice How many ways can use this web site? I get giddy just thinking about it. Here are some of my thoughts... subitizing (recognizing how many dots) 1 more and 1 less addition subtraction multiple addends probability graphing tens and ones Have any more ideas? Let me know.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-58613392417053081032011-08-30T10:39:00.000-04:002011-08-30T10:39:30.522-04:00

The math program my school system adopted, assumes first grade children can begin learning combinations to ten right out of the gate. My experience tells me that students with lots of number experiences do begin to learn combinations to ten quite quickly. However, I have many students, with less number experiences, who need to work on combinations of five first. Ten is overwhelming. I have

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-11381235697163339272011-08-27T08:08:00.001-04:002011-08-27T08:09:31.674-04:00

Many of you probably have sight word dice. I often use them as a literacy work station. The kids love rolling the dice and highlighting sight words as the roll and read them.Here is a twist to that activity. Go to the following web site: http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2literacy.html#worddiceEnter whatever words you want the students to work on. You can choose whether to work with one die or two.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-52123829654654166262011-08-26T07:42:00.000-04:002011-08-26T07:42:01.793-04:00

Getting parents on the phone or by email can be challenging. Here is a quick and easy way to notify parents through text messaging right from your computer. The beauty of this, is parents sign up to get your texts and no one needs to trade phone numbers, only a common code. Remind 101 is a three step sign-up process and it is free. It was created for teachers. Follow the directions and then join

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-43390322490141879312011-08-25T08:14:00.002-04:002011-08-25T09:57:58.440-04:00

When the tsunami hit Indonesia seven years ago, we were on Christmas break. I quickly searched and put together a unit on tsunamis for my fourth and fifth grade reading students. They loved it and wanted to know so much about the weather phenomenon. Now there is an east coast hurricane bearing down. Here in Maine we seldom get more than a tropical storm and even those are rare. I think it is time

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-91098124194259735372011-08-24T07:25:00.000-04:002011-08-24T07:25:24.459-04:00

My first graders will begin writer's workshop with a mini-study of the senses. I want them to be aware of their surroundings through their eyes, nose, mouth, fingers, and ears. Once we have practiced using one of our senses at school throughout the day (hearing) and brainstormed words to describe that sense, I will ask the children to do some homework. Our first homework assignment will be...What

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-47786200392576383832011-08-21T08:38:00.002-04:002011-08-28T06:34:50.891-04:00

The Reading A-Z website gives great directions for folding their books. I like how sturdy the books are once they are put together. I often write my own books for the kids. Early on, I struggled to figure out how make and print them so I could fold them like the Reading A-Z books. Using Microsoft Word, I finally figured it out. Here are the directions... Set your paper up in landscape Then go

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-86778808151138860332011-08-20T16:59:00.001-04:002011-08-20T17:05:30.968-04:00

I love finding new blogs with great ideas. Here is one I have never tried before but will certainly be trying this fall. Click my link on head over to Housing a Forest. There are directions with photos on how to use dice and paint to stamp math facts. Combining math and art sounds like lots of fun to me.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-44125152545517060442011-08-19T07:02:00.000-04:002011-08-19T07:02:26.524-04:00

Do you use Wordle in your classroom? It is a great way to create a poster with important information and so much more...This year I have been thinking about how to incorporate Wordle into my first grade curriculum. I have decided to use it when featuring a "Friend of the Week". Once we learn all we can we can about our friend, we will create a Wordle poster describing that friend. The poster

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-20477477802294873622011-08-15T07:43:00.000-04:002011-08-15T07:43:31.852-04:00

I like to get our class schedule up and running the first week of school. There are many starts and stops during the first few weeks but the schedule stays in place and the duration gets lengthened as the kids can handle it. I have decided to make up some math work stations (Debbie Diller) involving pattern for our "work station time". The reason I chose pattern is because kindergarten students

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-90984036012106540172011-08-12T19:00:00.002-04:002011-08-13T07:23:44.019-04:00

While reading blogs, I found one about HWOT (Teaching Resources). They have launched an interactive site to use with a whiteboard or with your LCD projector. I signed up for the free fourteen day trial period and played around with it a bit. It is very easy to use. There are demonstrations for each upper and lower case letter as well as the numbers. You have choices of working within the shaded

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-84130161707816174442011-08-10T06:12:00.000-04:002011-08-10T06:12:50.513-04:00

Do you suffer from a lack of bulletin boards in your classroom. Are your bulletin boards accessible to your students? This is a real problem in my classroom. The room is small and there is a lack of accessible wall space. To combat this issue, I have started making portable bulletin boards. I purchased Styrofoam display boards at our local office supply store. They come in a variety of colors

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-69835426847430572432011-08-09T07:11:00.001-04:002011-08-09T07:14:17.041-04:00

My First Grade WikiDo you use a wiki with your classroom students? Last year I gave it a shot. I was amazed how quickly my students learned to navigate the pages. A wiki is an interactive web page of sorts. The teacher can post, students can respond, and materials for teaching can be uploaded. I am beginning the process of uploading videos, web pages, audio, etc. for each science and social

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-64956488910965449292011-08-08T06:28:00.000-04:002011-08-08T06:28:16.372-04:00

I don't have very much wall space in my classroom but I do have two metal doors, a metal heat exchanger, a magnetic chalkboard, and two metal cabinets. Magnets are the way I display many items. Recently, I discovered magnetic inkjet sheets.  They are a bit expensive (2.00-2.50 each) but well worth the money. The entire sheet is magnet on one side and glossy white on the other. I have made my

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-64341626339380896432011-08-06T06:01:00.001-04:002011-08-06T06:03:15.828-04:00

Earlier this week I ordered Debbie Diller's, Math Work Stations after reading references to the book on many blogs I follow. It arrived yesterday, I am having a hard time putting it down. I was trained in, Math Their Way in the eighties. I loved that program coupled with a math workbook also purchased by my district. The workbook kept us moving and focused on all math concepts but the Math Their

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-85253925725918005132011-08-05T05:58:00.000-04:002011-08-05T05:58:08.490-04:00

Teacher blogs are wonderful! I have regular blogs I visit often and those blogs point me to other blogs. Yesterday I stumbled upon a blog post about spelling (The Organized Classroom Blog). The teacher had compiled a whole booklet of spelling activities by teachers responding to her request to share spelling ideas. Several of those teachers mentioned Spelling City. Naturally I Googled it and

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-10964859880017182542011-08-04T17:17:00.002-04:002011-08-05T05:56:40.572-04:00

Great little tip from Teacher Tipster. "b: bat before the ball" and d: doorknob before the door". I took that idea and went to a web site called Writing Repeater. I followed Teacher Tipster's lead and made b and d using his words. The beauty about Writing Repeater is the kids can watch the movie you make over and over again. Then they can make their own b/d movie. I recorded my work in Jing.Watch

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-24295131691402303442011-08-01T17:10:00.003-04:002011-08-02T08:37:27.078-04:00

I was reading some first grade blogs this afternoon and stumbled upon this game on Jenny's blog. I was a bit confused by the directions but I liked the general idea so I made my own game board and directions for play.*Print out a game board for each student.*Have each student write the letters of their first name in the spaces on the game board.*Then have the students fill in the rest of the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-18927815375428939502011-07-31T07:58:00.003-04:002011-07-31T08:04:43.472-04:00

Here is a sight word game similar to some of those number games we use in Everyday Math. I have made a sample recording sheet and will attach a web site with a die pattern to make your own word dice. You can also purchase word dice at many teacher supply stores. I got mine at Really Good Stuff. I plan on using this game as a literacy center early in the year. First we will review Kindergarten

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-88080439773834089042011-07-28T07:25:00.001-04:002011-07-29T06:45:07.858-04:00

I am checking out a new website. It is called, Study Ladder. It says it is free for schools. Study Ladder is a skills based interactive web site. Students work on teacher assigned hierarchical activities at school.  Children can access three activities per day from home as well. If they want more access from home, then there is a charge for parents ( a yearly subscription is 88 dollars).Once a

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-56599474095118537342011-07-26T08:58:00.000-04:002011-07-26T08:58:00.610-04:00

Our school personnel (Pre-K-2) have been working on three guiding principles for staff and students to acknowledge. Teachers, educational technicians, and administrators have collaborated to create language which will guide us to a more positive school climate. Our words are purposefully broad to encompass many needs. Be Kind Be Responsible Be Safe I have made up several posters promoting our

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-52843586651875549072011-07-24T07:14:00.001-04:002011-07-24T07:19:19.196-04:00

Do you belong to the blog, Two Writing Teachers? If not, you need to check it out. It is a tremendous resource. Stacey and Ruth are now authors of a book, conduct workshops, and continue to teach. They put a lot of time and effort into their blog keeping it up and connecting teachers from all over the world. This morning, the topic is "Say, Sketch, Write". Once I read this piece, I quickly made

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-52077149912126142782011-07-22T16:21:00.001-04:002011-07-23T05:36:52.615-04:00

Last year I was moved to a room without a bathroom. My students have to go down the hall to use the restroom. I like to give them the freedom to make decisions and one of the decisions everyone needs to make is when to use the restroom.The issue is, I only want one boy and one girl out of the room at a time whenever possible. Last year, I asked them to just give me a signal that they were leaving

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-86209898005629495042011-07-22T06:56:00.000-04:002011-07-22T06:56:50.830-04:00

I am always on the lookout for math activities that get the kids moving. On Mrs. Saylor's Log several days ago, a math game was posted Mrs. Saylor's Log.I took that game, renamed it and made new cards for +0 and +1 to use for the beginning of the year. There are many ways to vary the game depending on what you want from your students. Cards get distributed around the room for the students to find

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-4344000954375852122011-07-20T07:24:00.001-04:002011-07-24T07:17:16.593-04:00

This morning I am concentrating on getting some of the songs, chants, and poems I routinely use throughout the year onto letter sized posters. We have a small classroom and there is not enough room for chart paper sized reading materials. By making these small I can adhere them around the room with magnets, pushpins, and staples without taking up too much space but still allowing my students to

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-82445186628329587282011-07-19T05:55:00.000-04:002011-07-19T05:55:45.849-04:00

  A teacher on my team(thank you, Kathy) shared this great item from Really Good Stuff. We use Everyday Math in my school which focuses on a lot of number line work. This is a magnetic number line with arrows and arcs which show the progress of the frog hopping as you add, subtract, or count by 1's, 2's, 5's, or 10's. The demonstration line is large enough for the whole class to see as it is

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-9026497110373068252011-07-16T08:30:00.001-04:002011-07-19T07:01:40.937-04:00

I have spent most of my time on reading and writing activities of late but have been following some blog posts about math as well. Those math related blogs have reminded me I need to fine tune some of my math instruction.One thing my students struggle with is describing a number. Years ago when I taught "Math Their Way" we used to focus deeply on number. The math program I use now does some of

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-13636786403808447002011-07-15T08:54:00.001-04:002011-07-15T09:06:28.408-04:00

I was reading the following blog: Saylors Log and saw a cute activity with ABC cards. She had taken the cards and turned them into a photo story asking the students to fill in the missing letter. I had not done an activity like this before so thought I would give it a shot. I downloaded Microsoft PhotoStory (for free) and proceeded to make ABC cards in Paint, save them, and upload them into

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-14023275685910522382011-07-13T11:09:00.002-04:002011-07-15T09:07:57.234-04:00

This morning was my morning to browse Target and The Dollar Store for classroom goodies. I found some great bargains in both stores but want you to know about the large envelopes I found at The Dollar Store.I used to laminate paper pocket folders for each student but our school has cut back on laminating film and we can no longer laminate folders so...two years ago I purchased plastic see

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-68301163088181946402011-07-12T05:25:00.002-04:002011-07-16T10:14:24.897-04:00

The Lesson Plan Diva is giving lots away right now. Click on her link and check out all she has to offer! Teachers help Teachers by sharing. Share something you have made and post it for others.

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-62329488864968350912011-07-08T08:13:00.003-04:002011-07-19T05:39:42.396-04:00

A few weeks ago, a teacher in my building (thank you Paul) mentioned the blog Kindergarten Works to me. I checked it out and all the materials available through Teachers Pay Teachers. I decided to purchase the Guided Reading Packet ($10.00) hoping to reorganize my notebooks for the upcoming year.I purchased a binder/briefcase (Staples) and set up a plastic pocket divider for each of my new

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-83551582726481399942011-07-06T07:19:00.013-04:002011-07-14T11:47:55.182-04:00

First grade is all about friendship. Next to questions about reading, the second most asked question by my student's parents is, "Does my child have friends?" Although I address friendships every year, this year I want to put together a unit of study about friendship and implement that unit the first month of school. I have a collection of Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems that I plan to

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comBath, ME, USA43.9106353 -69.8206023000000243.8511388 -69.85369430000002 43.970131800000004 -69.78751030000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-49555444863818948832011-07-02T08:20:00.009-04:002011-07-12T07:08:05.407-04:00

This summer, I am doing a lot of thinking about my guided instruction in reading and writing. As I process what happened last year and what I need to change for this year, I am making and buying things that will aide my students and me. I saw a magnetic white board with alphabet letters in a teacher supply store this spring. It was almost twenty dollars. It occurred to me that I could probably

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-14096926095554205332011-07-01T06:10:00.003-04:002011-07-16T10:11:37.089-04:00

Each year, I try to concentrate on an area of instruction that I feel needs an uplift. Last year I added author craft mini-lessons to our writing process. You can read about our journey  below. This year, I feel a need to concentrate on reading, especially for those who struggle with the process. I will blog about my explorations and upload photos, directions, readings, newly discovered

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-38998245399870352502010-12-05T14:11:00.001-05:002011-07-12T05:41:56.272-04:00

The essential questions for this unit of study are: How does reading help me become a better writer? What can I learn from other authors and illustrators? How can I make use of the craft of other authors and illustrators in my writing and drawing? It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw This week we studied the text, It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw. This choice is

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-77956381508337893482010-12-04T08:25:00.001-05:002011-07-12T05:41:27.849-04:00

Author Craft via Big Books Reflection 2 As I process this final piece, yet another creation by my class awaits publication. This time we studied Gail Gibbon’s non-fiction big book titled, The Milk Makers. We also read an assortment of her works as our author study for several weeks. Writing a non-fiction book requires prior knowledge, experience, and researched information and I felt we would

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-53114335805004835372010-11-14T11:43:00.001-05:002011-07-12T05:37:45.765-04:00

The essential questions for this unit of study are: How does reading help me become a better writer? What can I learn from other authors and illustrators? How can I make use of the craft of other authors and illustrators in my writing and drawing? The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton This week we studied the text, The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton. This choice is for the following

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-74696047426032503082010-11-06T12:28:00.001-04:002011-07-12T05:40:59.142-04:00

The essential questions for this unit of study are: How does reading help me become a better writer? What can I learn from other authors and illustrators? How can I make use of the craft of other authors and illustrators in my writing and drawing? The Cow That Went Oink by Bernard Most This week we studied the text, The Cow That Went Oink by Bernard Most. This choice is for the

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265530138505242891.post-32996866899514904812010-10-30T07:50:00.001-04:002011-07-12T05:40:34.652-04:00

We have now written five books attempting to use specific author craft. Most of the craft has been structure although we have touched upon word choice here and there. This week there were two half days due to conferences so we did not feature a big book. This seems to be a good time for me to reflect… Each week my students are anxious to find out what big book we will read. I actually had

Wanda Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04425531492967953035noreply@blogger.com