Five for Friday: Freebies for February

Where did January go?  It is unbelievable how quickly the first month of this year came and went.
Before February gets in full swing, I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to share some favorite February freebies I'll be using over the next few weeks.
Let's get started...

Groundhog Day Freebies

We'll make these simple and cute prediction groundhogs.  Students can predict whether or not they think the groundhog will see his shadow by adding a sun or a snowflake in the groundhog's hand.  You could also pair this little craftivity with a writing prompt instead of the sun or snowflake.

Click on the picture for a FREE copy of this craftivity.

After Mr. Groundhog makes his prediction, we'll be tracking the weather for the next six weeks with My Groundhog Weather Tracker.  Students will record the groundhog's prediction and the daily weather.  At the conclusion of the sixth week, students will compile their data and analyze it to determine if the groundhog's prediction was true.

You can have a FREE copy of My Groundhog Weather Tracker, by clicking on the picture below.

Super Bowl Freebie

 We'll make my Super Bowl Friend craftivity sometime this week before the big game.  Students will predict which team they think will win.  The helmet colors will reflect their predictions blue/orange for Denver and blue/black for Carolina.  Students will either write about their predictions or they will practice writing their spelling words on the football themed recording sheet.

If you would like a FREE copy of my Super Bowl Friends Craftivity, you can click on the picture below.

Valentine's Day Freebies

Another activity we'll be using in February is my sight word center, You've Got Mail.  Students have to crack the secret code and match it to the correct sight word.  After matching all the cards, the students will complete the recording sheet.  This fun little center is from my Classroom Cupids  {10 Literacy Centers for February}, available at my tpt store.  You can click here for more details.

If you would like a FREE copy of You've Got Mail, click on the picture below.

Another freebie you may want to snag is my message heart graph and pattern printables.
These activities are always a favorite.  Students will sort (by color) and graph candy message hearts.  They will also use the message hearts to create various patterns.
My kids adore working with candy.  It makes math time feel like playtime.

If you would like a FREE copy of message hearts printables, click on the pictures.  

Presidents Day Freebie

In my class, we usually take time in February to do some shared research about George Washington.  After we learn some important facts and details about his life, we create a class bubble map about him.  The bubble map will us with the writing for the craftivity pictured below.

If you would like a FREE copy of of my George Washington {A FREE Writing Craftivity}, click on the picture.

Mardi Gras Freebies

Mardi Gras falls on February 9th this year.  Most of my students do not know what Mardi Gras is.  So I like to do a little something in class for my kids to learn about the traditions involved with this holiday.

We'll have read some books, have some kings cake, and make these Mardi Gras Kids spelling art projects to display in the hall.

We will also do some Mardi Gras themed word problems in math using my Mardi Gras Math {A FREE Math Mini Book}.

If you would like to have a FREE copy of either of these activities to use with your students, click on the pictures.

February has so many fun learning opportunities.  I hope some of these freebies will be useful to you as you start planning for next month.
Thank you for stopping by and thanks to Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting Five for Friday.

Have a great weekend!

Five for Fraturday (Including a FREE Super Bowl Craftivity)

A little late the party, but that is just how I roll.  (You can ask my poor husband.)  After a 12 hour day yesterday, I figured Five for Fraturday was totally OK.
Here are a few things that have been going on in my class this week . . .

Number 1

I started prepping for our spelling art project for next week.  I planned on using my Super Bowl Friends pattern.  Once I opened it, I realized it needed a little update.  Now that I made some changes and put together some samples, I'm ready to prep for my kids and share with you.

If you would like a FREE copy of my Super Bowl Friends Craftivity, you can click on the picture below.  (This simple pattern includes a spelling practice page, a Super Bowl prediction page, and a Super Bowl Sunday writing page.)

Number 2

This week we learned about Martin Luther King Jr.  We read about him and discussed his bravery.  Students wrote about him and made a cute craftivity to display their dreams for a better world.  My young learners did a great job.

CLICK HERE for a FREE copy of this activity.

Number 3

We incorporated MLK into our math time as well.  We did some work with place value and expanded form.  I put together this partner activity where we matched numbers and expanded form equations.  The kids did really well, but we still have quite a bit more work to do with expanded form.

(I've also linked this activity as a FREEBIE.  If you're interested in using it with your students, click on the picture below.)

Number 4

It may not look like much but, I've finally gotten around to making early finisher totes.  I've always wanted these kind of "dessert activities."  However, finding the time to put them together just never seemed to happen.

At this point, the totes consist of math activities.  I found some of them at Amazon (published by Scholastic).  I am also using dice games and geoboard activities from Jennifer at First Grade Blue Sky.

I found these adorable totes at target that fit perfectly on an empty shelf.  Dice games go in the blue.  Everything else goes in the green.

I'm really excited to see how these activities work out.  I'm also curious to know how long it will be before I have to change them out or add to them.  But for now, I'm at a good starting point.

Number 5

We just wrapped up our second week of work with R-controlled vowels.  AR was the focus this week.  A go-to the resources we've been using to practice R-controlled vowels has been my Words at Work packets.  

I've been working on these packets since this summer.  I'm trying to put together a consistent set of anchor activities for all of the main phonics skills we hit in first grade.  They have been a great supplemental resource for my students.

If you would like more details about my R-controlled vowels Words at Work packets, you can click on one of the pictures below.  (Also, be on the lookout for the Words at Work R-Controlled Vowel Mega Bundle.  Putting all these activities together into one neat and tidy packet is next on my list.)

I guess that's about it, except for a big thanks to Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting Five for Friday each week.  It's always so fun to read about what is going on in other classrooms.

Super FREE Super Bowl Craftivity

The weekend is wrapping up and tomorrow is our 100th Day Celebration.  My team has had to reschedule two times because of weather.  Starting the week with a special day is not always my favorite.  We usually try to plan special days for Fridays, I'm sure you totally know why.  But, just to be safe we decided to not push it back any further.
Later in the week I'm going to fit in a few football themed activities.  One is a craftivity that you can use for spelling practice or as a writing activity.  If you would like your own FREE copy of this project, click on one of the pictures below.

writing sample

spelling sample

The clip art is from Melonheadz.  There are four different recording sheets to choose from.  I plan on letting the kids pick which team they are rooting for to determine the colors on each helmet (black and purple for the Ravens or yellow and red for the 49ers).

My team is not in the Super Bowl this year.

 

We are Titans fans and this year was not even close.  But . . . there is always next year.  Football seasons are like school years, you always get a fresh start.

I hope you have fabulous week.

Super Bowl Shuffle

It's football time in first grade!

We are counting down to Super Bowl XLVII.  It is just a little over a week away.  I'm trying to put together a few little fun activities for the Friday before the big game.  One activity my firsties will do (as a review) is a sentence sort where they determine if a sentence is a statement, a question, or an exclamation.  

It includes three sorting mats, twelve sentence cards, and three different recording sheets.  I plan on making enough sets of the cards to use as a partner activity.  You can also use it as a literacy station or maybe as a whole group pocket chart activity. 

The clip art is really cute and is from Melonheadz.  

You can grab a free copy of my Super Bowl Sentence Sort by clicking on the picture below.  

A  agreed to demonstrate.

As you can see we are pretty excited about sentence sorting at my house.    

One book I plan on using that day is Kick, Pass, and Run by Leonard Kessler.  It gives a simple introduction to football as a group of animals organize their own football game after watching a young team play.  I think I bought my copy through amazon.

I hope these suggestions inspire you to add a little Super Bowl learning to your classroom.  If you have any questions, please email me.  

Have a fun Friday.