October - My Favorite Month!

I love the month of October - seriously. December comes in at a close 2nd. October is just so fall-y. Pumpkins, leaves, hoodies, fires, etc. Love.it.! 

Part of me can't believe it's October already (well technically tomorrow). We are moving right along at school - but my kiddos are having trouble with letter and number recognition. 

Not picking up as fast as I'd like - but I know they will. How are your kiddos doing this year?

October Math Journals are ready - I love getting emails about them. You all are super sweet. :) 

I've been working on my October Math Activities too - and have a pack up in my TPT store if you need some activities to add to your math stations.

Are you a font junkie like me? If so, please check out Nicole over at Rowdy in Room 300. She has some to die for fonts - can you tell I am obsessed with the one above?!?

http://rowdyinroom300.blogspot.com/p/fonts.html

Find It Fast!

I am forever trying to think of cutsie titles that will work for our classroom activities. I think I finally found one that I like and will use for all of these types of activities!! Yeah for thinking on the weekend right?!?

These games are pocket chart games - and review just about any skill you can think of. I make them around a theme and then we review the skill that we need the most (right now it's number recognition). 

For this month, it's the Johnny Appleseed edition! The idea behind these games is that you hide an object and students have to identify whatever is on the cards before they can check for the hidden object.
Nothing new - but a great review game. 

This works in whole group, small group and even centers. I've put these at my pocket chart center before and my kiddos love hiding their eyes while their partner hides the object. 

Want to grab your freebie? Click the pic below! Enjoy!

Kindergarten Common Core

Remember that one time that the states switched to Common Core and you were super prepared? All of your activities, vocabulary cards, lesson plans and more were printed, laminated and really you were just waiting for the kids to show up? 

Yeah? Me neither. Ha. CC is here - and I have a feeling it's here to stay! If you are familiar with them, you know how much of an undertaking it is to try and get a grasp on both the standards and the activities required. 

Think.no.more. (Well, maybe a little! We are teachers. Do our brains ever shut off?)

Kindergarten Common Core

Have you seen this baby? It's the CC book that you need!

Reasons: 

1. It's 600+ pages. What an incredible resource!

2. It is not just worksheets - 

there are activities, prompt cards, picture cards that can be used in games and centers and more!

3. It includes both Math and ELA standards. 

How awesome to have both subjects together right at your fingertips!

Get a jump on CC now - check it out!

Hey! That's my name!

Names are fab - especially in Kindergarten right? I love watching my kiddos learn to write and read their names and even friends names.

There are so many great literacy activities that can be used with names.
Check out some of these fun Pinterest finds!

One great resource is Jessica Meacham's website.
She has some great resources for using names in the classroom. 

Source: jmeacham.com via Arianne on Pinterest

Have you seen this pin?
What an easy center to put together - but at the same time is meaningful and has a purpose. 

Source: rainbowswithinreach.blogspot.com via The Mad on Pinterest

Do you have a names chart in your classroom? Kids will read, read, read all day long.
They need practice with familiar words to build confidence as a reader. So easy!

Source: aplacecalledkindergarten.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Another favorite? From Mrs.Albanese's Class. 

She has a picture of this great chart - that utilizes many 

different activities to practice one child's name at a time. 

Source: mrsalbanesesclass.blogspot.com via Arianne on Pinterest

I love this chart. We've done these activities before - but all just orally. I'm really trying to use as much print as possible this year to help my kiddos understand concepts of print and become better readers overall. 

Of course I needed to make this immediately!
This is my version - just with picture cues!

We completed our first name today - and I was so happy with the kiddos response!
I even had one student read the -ake word chunk from Jake's name (no prompting)! Awesome. 

Want to play the name game in your room?
Have at it - I promise it is a worthwhile activity!

Only in Kinder?!?

With the first few weeks down, we are quickly getting settled into a routine. My class is great - and my little sweeties have a lot of personality!

One slight problem we are having? Restroom breaks. I don't take restroom breaks - don't like to and would really prefer not to. Most of the time they go throughout the day - especially during workshop/independent learning! I have some little sweeties that are either afraid to go or afraid to ask - and end up having an accident. I'm hoping that within the next few weeks it will stop - as they become used to school.

What are your restroom procedures? Do you take a class break? Lucky enough to have a bathroom in your room?

Here's a freebie - I plan on printing out a stack and sending home when necessary. I have 2 versions (one if they had clothes - one if they did not). They are 4 to a page - easy to print and cut.

Clipart on these pages courtesy of DigiScrapKits, Moo & Puppy Designs. HelloFirstie font by Jen Jones - http://www.helloliteracy.blogspot.com

We are still working on procedures - but I'm definitely ready to get into more content. These next few weeks we are working on concepts of print.

Sneak Peek: Can you guess what I'm working on now?!?

I'm also breaking out the sight words this week. We are just going to dive right in!! Check out my new Sight Word Number Puzzles.

What are you up to this week?

September Brain Boosters!

That 3 day weekend went way too fast! I could use another week to get school stuff done. But by the end of that week I'd need another week. Sigh. Such is the life of a teacher right? 

This weekend I did manage to get September Brain Boosters done.  

26 Review Pages included, each with questions and activities on the following:

*Letter Identification
*Concepts of Print
*Rhyming
*Beginning Sound Identification
*Word Wall Word Practice
*Writing Conventions 

The September pack is available in my TPT store.

Want it FREE?!? Be one of the first 2 comments. 

:)  Be sure to leave your email address.  :)

September Freebies…lots of them!

Fall is coming. Whoohoo! I love fall – my favorite time of year hands down. Leaves, pumpkins, apples, all of it.

Technically it’s still hot and muggy here, but still – a girl can dream right?

September Math Journals are here – complete with Common Core alignment. 

Click the picture below to grab your copy!

Last week, I was a guest blogger over at Miss Lovie – a great friend of mine that I’m lucky to teach with!

I wanted to share with you some of the goodies I made for her Back to School Event!

Any little gadget makes learning more fun right? Enter the "Apple of My Eye" glasses.

After putting on your apple glasses, why not play a quick game
of capital and lowercase letter matching? These types of games are really versatile - you can make it into a game of memory, a more physical game (run and find me the letter ___)
or even use them as a guide to make some apple scented playdoh letters!

Source: thepickyapple.com via Julie on Pinterest

Grab a dice and some fun pompoms to play roll and cover! 

Last but not least, add some apple fun to your home or classroom with this September banner!

Click on any of the pics below to download any of the apple items featured above! 

 

 

Hope you can use some of these items in your classroom this month! Enjoy!