Five for Friday (Including a Useful Assessment Freebie)

Happy Friday!
I cannot believe we just wrapped up our fifth week of the new school year.  It has been a total blur.  But, things are really starting to come together for my little class.  I can tell because I am not absolutely dead tired at the end of this week.
I actually have enough energy to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to share 5 things from my classroom during this week's Five for Friday Linky.
Here goes...

Number 1

I brought in a couple of super exciting additions to our classroom.  Click and Clack are our new class pets.  They are adorable parakeets.  The kids are totally in love with them.  They come home with me on the weekends to visit with our kitty, bunnies, and dog.
Things are working out great with these colorful guys.

Number 2

Back to school means lots of assessing.  It's so important to have a strong understanding of where your young learners are.  Some assessments are informal, some are done whole group, some are formal, some are on the computer, and others are individual.
It can be a real challenge to fit in individual assessments with primary students, especially at the beginning of the year.  They are so not independent on most tasks.
A couple of assessments I like to use are running records (Reading A to Z) and my data binder basic skill assessments.  If you would like a free copy of my data binder assessments, click on the picture below.

Number 3

While doing my assessments I used a new little goody from etsy (The Preppy Ladybug), my monogramed clipboard.  I've had it on my wish list for a while.  I finally got around to picking out the details to order one of my own.  It is so cute, that I had to order a second one, this time in my school colors.

Number 4

In my free time (hehehe-really just staying up too late), I made a new set of pieces for our class agenda.  Students really like to know what we are doing each day.  Having an agenda helps them feel more at ease and they don't ask nearly as many "when are we going to..." questions.  It also helps me stay on track to better fit everything in.

Number 5

Each year my students' first homework assignment is to learn to tie their shoes.  During that week, they can tell me when they are ready to demonstrate their shoe tying ability.  At the end of the week students that can successful tie their shoes, join the Shoe Tying Club.  They are awarded a certificate and visit the principal's treasure box.  It's a pretty big deal to my firsties.

For a FREE copy of my shoe tying certificate, click on the picture.

I guess that's about it.  I hope the beginning of your school year is going smoothly.  Thanks to Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting Five for Friday.

Enjoy your long weekend.

Five for Friday: November 7, 2014

If you're happy that it's Friday, clap your hands. (clap, clap)

I don't know what it is about this school year, but things seems to be extra, super busy.  I know it's not just me.  My teacher friends at my school and at other schools are in total agreement.  There are definitely not enough hours in the day.  

One result of this pace is that I have missed every Five for Friday so far this school year.  But, hooray, hooray! this week is an exception.  I am so happy to link up with Doodlebugs Teachings Five for Friday and share five things from my week.

So here it goes...

Number 1

One of my to-dos this afternoon, before leaving school, was to prep my Veterans Day math word problem mini book.  We'll use these on Tuesday, along with a few other activities, to learn more about the heroes that protect our country.  

With this mini book students will work with number bonds, ten frames, calendars, addition, and more.  If you would like to use this activity with your students, you can have a FREE copy of myVeterans Day Salute by clicking on the picture below.

Number 2

We made a favorite fall craftivity, my Scarecrow Glyph.  I love glyphs.  You can really learn a lot about your students through them.  They are also a great way to cover a wide variety of math skills (depending on your line of questioning) and can provide inspiration for student writing.  

I especially like this scarecrow because it works in September, October, and November.  So, if you have them on display in your classroom, you do not have to be in a rush to change them out with another project.

For more details about this project, click on the picture below.

Number 3

This week we launched our November math centers, Thanks and Giving {10 Math Centers for November}.

With these centers, students are working on addition, subtraction, skip counting, fact families, twenty frames, time to the half hour, place value and more.  They are a wonderful way to review and to lay the groundwork for upcoming instruction.
We use them during our Math Daily 3 time for the Math with Someone rotation.

If you would like a FREE center from this packet, click on the picture below.  Touchdown Turkeys is a basic addition center.  It has full color center cards and a recording sheet.  

Number 4

We also started work with our November literacy centers, Thanks and Giving {10 Literacy Centers for November}.

With these centers, students practice skills such as short/long vowel discrimination, parts of speech, ABC order, sight words, sentence order, syllables, blends, and more.

If you would like a FREE center from this packet, click on the picture below.  Autumn ABC Order is just what it sounds like.  Students will practice putting fall themed words in ABC order.  This activity has color center pieces and a recording sheet. 

Number 5

Finally, I've just have to say how proud I am my own sweet first grader.  She ran with her daddy and me in a race last Saturday.  It was unseasonably cold, but that didn't slow her down one bit.  She ran the entire race.  She continues to amaze us.  It was a fun morning for our family.

That's all I have for now.  Thanks to Doodlebugs Teaching for hosting Five for Friday.
Enjoy your weekend.
Best.
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Five for Friday on Saturday with Two Free Centers + A GIVEAWAY

Burning the candle at both ends this week?  Yes indeed.  School, family get together, Halloween party, trick or treating, ballet, soccer, choir, birthday party, sleepover, you name it . . . we did it.   Therefore my Five for Friday is on Saturday.  Let's get started.

Number 1

This morning my little family did a race together.  It was A's school system's annual race.  We did the mile fun run portion together.  I was so proud of her, she ran the whole way.  It certainly helped that her best buddy was there and they ran together.  You should have heard their conversation during the run, too funny!  We finished at the 50 yard line of the high school football field with the band playing.  It was a fun morning.

Number 2

Friday I changed all of our October centers out for November ones.  Whenever I change out centers, I go over all of the instructions on the front end.  My firsties have to do a lot of listening.  I am very careful with my selection of activities and skills.  I try to put out activities that are simple to execute and some that are already familiar (but maybe with new skills).

Number 3

Speaking of November centers, if you would like a free copy of one literacy center from my Thanks and Giving {10 Literacy Centers for November} packet, click on the picture below.  Autumn ABC Order is a center that allows students to practice putting words in ABC order.  It includes twelve fall themed center cards and a blackline master recording sheet.

Number 4

You can also have a free center from my Thanks and Giving {10 Math Centers for November} by click on the picture below.  Touchdown Turkeys is a math center that focuses on basic addition facts (doubles and near doubles).  There are full color turkey equation cards and football sum cards for matching, as well as a recording sheet.

Number 5

Interested in winning the complete set of Thanks and Giving Math and Literacy packets?  Join School Is a Happy Place as a follower.  I will do a drawing on Monday evening for two winners.  If you have already joined, you are automatically entered for the drawing.  Good luck!

Thanks so much for stopping by and reading.  Enjoy your extra hour of sleep in the morning.   

Also thanks to Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting Five for Friday and allowing for late comers.

Five for Friday on Saturday: September 28, 2013

Well friends, it has been one of those weeks.  So hopefully you'll excuse my Five for Friday being on Saturday.  This week was marked my lots of traveling and performing.  I may be a tad behind on some home projects, but I have loads of new iphone pics : ) .  Here's a peek of some of the goings on for the week.

Number 1

My first grade class went on our first field trip.  We went to the high school where most of the students will eventually attend for a pumpkin patch day.  The activities including a hay ride, art project, story time, and sampling pumpkin food were led by the high schoolers.  It was a fun day and great to see former students in leadership roles.

Number 2

My new rain boots arrived just in time for the trip.  I love them.  I have one pair of Hunter boots in navy.  This time I went for the shorter style, which is a better fit if you are under 5'5.  The pink is fabulous.

Number 3

This week my daughter had her first kindergarten performance at school, she even had to learn a speaking part ("Can you believe we will be the graduating class of 2026?").  She was awesome.  She also has her first big kid choir performance a church tomorrow.  Plus we went on her first field trip, the day after my first field trip.  Her class walked to the police and fire station.  It was a beautiful day and so nice to be a mommy instead of the teacher in charge.

Number 4

To be a chaperone I had to get my first set of sub plans ready for the year.  My goal is to put together a set of picture based plans to put with my sub materials.  I've found a few examples on Pinterest.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I really think this type of sub plan would be great.

Jen at Draw the Line At has some great organizational ideas for sub plans.

Number 5

I'm having a sale Saturday through Monday at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  I have a set of literacy and math centers for October that might be really useful for you in the coming weeks.  Stop by if you get a chance.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend.


Thanks also to Doodlebugs Teaching for each week hosting Five for Friday.