Editable Literacy Center Poster Pack

I've just finished updating an old pay item. The old file had posters, rotation cards and I-Can charts for the Daily 5. However because of copyright, sellers can't sell items that are Daily 5 specific, even though teachers have always done independent reading (Read to Self), word work (Work on Words) etc. I was just going to convert the file to a freebie, but didn't really think that was fair to all the people who bought it. So, instead I've updated the file to make it editable and not Daily 5 specific. 

It comes with 12 posters, each with a different image, plus a page of editable rotation cards for each. Some centers you can do with the images include: independent reading, big book center, poetry/readers theatre, computer station, reading with teacher/helper, buddy reading, puzzles/games, pocket chart center, writing/sentences/reading responses, overhead center, listening post and word work.

 

I've also included portrait and landscape I-Can Charts, which are also editable. You can use these to type up expectations or the activities that students are required to do each week. Alternatively, you can print them blank, and write in a dry erase marker what the requirements for an activity is each week (if you change them out each week/fortnight). You could just pop the chart into the tub and the expectations are right there!

So, the file is no longer Daily 5 specific, although you can definitely use this product if you use the Daily 5. If you have purchased this file before, you are able to download the updated version for free. If you want to keep the old file, don't save this one over it!

Best of all, because it's an editable PowerPoint, you can call the centers/centres anything you like and use the font and font size you prefer (handy if you have a state font you like to use). If you use the Daily 5, you can still use this pack, but just the pages you need.

It's available on TpT and Teachers Notebook.It's 20% off for the next few days.

The CAFE Headers that used to be in this pack can no longer be included in a pay item, so I've got them listed at TpT and Teachers Notebook for free. 

I've also added 3 more cards to the CAFE Reading Strategies Cards. You can download the updated file at TpT and Teachers Notebook.

Also, I'd appreciate it if you voted for me over at Circle of Mom's for their Top 25 Teacher Moms . You don't need to register or anything, just click on the Vote button. 

I'm off to go watch some more Olympics (I'm cutting and laminating my Olympics activity pack while watching it!). I'm thinking my laminator is going to overheat and explode with how much I've been laminating lately! My Olympics Math and Literacy pack is 20% off at the moment!

Word Family, Blends & Digraphs Word Wall and Freebie

Earlier this year I had a lot of trouble with my kiddos not knowing their word families. They had to use rhyming words to innovate on a poem for our first assessment this year. Boy, did they struggle! So I made up these cards so that we could read through the sounds, brainstorm words, and make a word wall to help with spelling. I've finally got around to adding it to TpT.

 I added cards for blends and digraphs as well, as we needed them. Each set of cards has a different coloured border so they can be easily distinguished from other sets. 

So far, we've used them as a Word Family Word Wall. Students refer to them to help with spelling by analogy. 

I've also used them with reading groups, particularly at the start of the year when so many students didn't really know these sounds automatically. I printed the cards 2 sheets on one page (in the printer settings) and added the cards to a plastic ring. My aide or I would go through them with the kids who needed it prior to reading. 

We've also used the cards during Word Work as a partner activity. The kids lay out 4 cards that we've focused on face up. One of the pair says a word and the other writes/makes the word, using the cards to help with spelling if needed. They then swap roles. I like this activity because they have to think of words with the sound AND spell it. For younger kids you could give them a list of words to read from.

I've included 90 cards in total, but am also happy to add any others needed. If you like, you can check them out on TpT. As always, they are 20% off for the first few days.

Now the freebie. I've got a whole polka dot theme going on right now so here are some labels I made eons ago. You can pick them up in Google Docs.They come in 2 sizes.

Freebies and Daily 5 CAFE pack

Since my post with photos of my Daily 5 and Guided Math set-up, I've had some email requests to share my files on TpT. Ask and ye shall receive! I've just added my Daily 5 posters, CAFE posters, Daily 5 I Can type charts, rotation/center labels and other bulletin board bits and pieces to Teachers Notebook. About 63 pages of bulletin board goodness!

      

       

The Math Set will be up soon. 

For those who like the polka-dotty theme, I have also done up time and boggle pieces. These are not my original ideas!

The clock numbers I first saw on Amy's blog, but  she got her inspiration from Kris at I {Heart} Teaching. I have these up in my room at the moment and they look great with all the other polky dottiness I have going on! I'll get a pic on Monday. 

I'm not sure who started the Boggle craze! There are soooo many great pins on Pinterest that I'm not sure who posted it first. So thank you all for the idea! Again, I just wanted some pieces with polka dots. 

You can grab both these freebies here in Google Docs.

I'm about to take my son to his footy match. There's an hour of training before the game (in addition to his 2 hours of training twice during the week). I really dislike games that are in the middle of the day - talk about a waste of time (my pet hate!). You can't really do anything beforehand, and the day is over once they finish! Of course, I don't mind doing it and I love watching him play, but I don't know how people with more than one child cope with all the running around after school and on weekends. My hat goes off to you!

Free Words Their Word wort sorting schedule

Word sorting... not my best area. It is always the thing that gets left out when I am short of time - which is very often!! What I did last year with my class just isn't working with this bunch and with my schedule. Last year I had a very simple schedule. All students knew that on Day 1, they did ____ activity, on Day 2 they did _____ activity and so on. Each groups Day 1 was a different day. So, if I met with the Red Star group on Monday to introduce their new sort, that was their Day 1. But I met with the Blue Star group of Tuesday, so that was their Day 1 etc. It worked really well and the schedule took up hardly any space.

It just isn't working this year. It confuses the kids. I've played around with a couple of things while trying to keep it simple and toyed with the idea of having the schedule displayed on the interactive whiteboard, but I don't like having to wait for it to turn on and bring up the file when it only has to be up for such a short time. So I decided I had to show what each group is doing every day even though it will take up more room. This is what I think it will look like once I go in on Monday and put it up. 

It's a freebie on TpT (and Teachers Notebook once I get the chance).  It can be used on a bulletin board or pocket chart. It shows what activity each group will be doing each day while I meet with a group to introduce the sort.

It comes with days of the week and day numbers (e.g. Day 1, Day 2 etc) in case you do your word sorting over more than a week. I am notorious for running out of time and skipping a day here and there, so I will personally use the Day headings so I don't muck up the schedule!

The activities I have listed are ones I think are most common. Just let me know if you need any others made.

Enjoy your weekend! I'm laser skirmishing tomorrow - can't wait!

VOICES 6 Traits bulletin board update

Ooopps! So there was a little error in two cards (well 3, with the different spellings of color/colour) in my Voices 6 Traits Bulletin Board pack that was kindly pointed out by a buyer. If you have purchased, please go to TpT or Teachers Notebook and download again. 

Alternatively, I've placed the cards for you to download from Google Docs here. 

Sorry!

VOICES - 6 Traits Writing Bulletin Board

Well, I've been mulling over my classroom design - in particular, what permanent bulletin boards I will have and where they'll go. I saw this pin on Pinterest ages ago, and well, it stuck in my head because it was something that I really wanted to do.

  Credit: Teaching My Friends

It is much like the CAFE board and I absolutely could not live without my CAFE board. Last year, it became such a big part of our classroom and we referred to it everyday. It made the vocabulary 'stick' and was a central point for what we had learned. I thought a VOICES board would complement it.

So, over the holidays I've been working on cards to make it up. What I loved about the CAFE board is that I already knew the strateiges that I could teach under each component because they were provided with the book. I didn't for VOICES. So I've read a couple of books and came up with some cards and done up a pack for TpT and Teachers Notebook. 

It comes with over 90 cards that you can add to your VOICES board!

      

    

    

Just like with CAFE, I'm thinking that I'd still have separate charts that go along with a lot of the strategies. For example, I have a card that says 'Hook the reader with a bold beginning'. I'd have a separate chart that would go over the different ways that authors create bold beginnings  or leads (e.g. begin with a question, begin with dialogue, create a ticking clock etc).  But I hope that, like our CAFE board, it will become a central hub for our writing strategies. 

You can check it out at TpT and Teachers Notebook. It's 20% off at TpT for a limited time - I couldn't find the sale thingy on Teachers Notebook - I'm tired, ok!!

I can't wait until I put it up! Some motivation is seeping in - might have to head to school this week and start setting up!

EDIT: I've also uploaded a Penguin/Polar Bear skip counting pack. It covers skip counting in 2's, 3's, 5's, 10's and 10's from single digit numbers (1-9). You can grab it on TpT and Teachers Notebook.

 ~Kylie