Cyber Monday + Bonus Tuesday Sale on TPT

Welcome back, Kinder Peeps!

I've been MIA lately as I've been incredibly busy these past two weeks getting ready for the holidays and working on my final project(s) for my graduate courses...I can't believe I only have 3 more weeks (and only one course left in the spring)!  Bittersweet!

I will be participating in TPT's Cyber Monday + Tuesday sale next week.  I recently uploaded my sight word hunts (your kinders can read/circle the sight words in the sentences, find them in the word search, and write 4 sentences using the given sight word in the "window") and short vowel word family brainstorming templates (see below).

Sight Word Hunt (4 sight word hunts per packet)

Short A Word Family Brainstorming Templates 
(ack, ag, all, an, ap, ar, at)

Short E Word Family Brainstorming Templates 
(eg, ell, en, et, eck, ed)

Short I Word Family Brainstorming Templates 
(ill, in, ip, it, ick)

Short O Word Family Brainstorming Templates 
(ock, og, op, ot, old)

Short U Word Family Brainstorming Templates 
(ug, ub, uck, ut, un)

If there are any sight words or word families you would like to see included, please comment below or e-mail me directly!

Well, I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving!  I'm thankful for all of the dedicated teachers and parents I've met on this new "journey!"  I truly enjoy sharing my passion for teaching and learning with you!  Thanks again for stopping by!

TPT Election Freebies!

Well, Peeps…Tuesday is almost here!  

We are going to have a school-wide character election (my kinders are going to get to vote during lunch time using iPads!) for grades K-2 and grades 3-5 will vote as if it were the real election.  I created the following FREEBIES you can download from my TPT store for Tuesday...have fun!

Using the template below, encourage each student to brainstorm four different reasons s/he would make a good President by writing each in a brainstorming bubble. Students can arrange their thoughts and combine their sentences in their daily journal, etc.  These could also be enlarged and displayed in your classroom for student viewing.

As a whole group, collectively brainstorm the roles and duties of the United States President.  Then, have each student independently complete the sentence frame and draw a picture of themselves as President.  These always turn out so cute...I will add it to our collection of class books in my classroom library so my kinders can read them.

I am also a fan of Doreen Cronin's Duck for President...my students love her books!

If your school has a subscription to Scholastic's BookFlix, you can view it on your SMART Board or ActivBoard.  You will find it listed under the Family and Community section:

Be sure to also check out Brain POP Jr.'s President video...

no subscription required... the video is free!

I want to hear what you're doing in your classroom this week...are you having an election?  Have you downloaded any election mini units on TPT?  If so, which are your favorite?  Please share in the comments!

I have class tomorrow night but will hopefully be back on Wednesday!  Night, Peeps!

"Brainstorming Templates" on TPT

Happy Weekend, Peeps!

I hope everyone had fun this week!  I'm still exhausted from Halloween on Wednesday!  So...I'm taking break from the Texas Tech vs. UT game (it's halftime, no worries - ha!) to blog and upload some more of the templates I've created (see previous posts) to my TPT store.  I actually found the USB I thought I had lost over a year ago and I'm elated!  So many Activ Flip Charts, lesson plans, and activities for my Kinder Peeps; I'm planning to upload as many of these activities as I can over the holidays (my graduate courses come to an end the first week of December...Merry Christmas to me!) and my school district's last day before the holidays is December 21st.  Anyway, I'm ready to give Deanna Jump some competition, haha!  I just love her products and blog...if only I had the time.

I've uploaded what I call "Brainstorming Templates" for letters A-Z, consonant blends, and digraphs...you will find brainstorming templates like the one shown below (students draw the picture and then stretch the word in the space under each picture) in my TPT store.

My kinders get so excited about "brainstorming" because they love to draw and come up with words we haven't yet discussed!  Like I mentioned in my initial posts, this is the first year I've tried this (in lieu of the cut-and-paste picture sorts)...and they have become such confident writers through these activities!

My kinders are also brainstorming in our pocket chart station during literacy work stations in the morning.  I cut card stock into 4 different pieces and leave it for them at the pocket chart each day (along with crayons, markers, etc.).  They brainstorm words with their partner and then draw and label pictures of words that start with the letters, digraphs, or blends given on the pocket chart each day (see picture below).  I just love the chicken!

What do you have your kinders doing in your pocket chart station?  Would love to hear all about what you're doing!

Coming soon:  election activities, class book templates, graphing activities, and several literacy work station ideas...stay tuned!  Well, my husband is making dinner...so, until next time!