Journeys Morning Work!

On Friday I went to print my typical morning work, to realize I had already used all of January's morning work file. I thought for a second about dipping into the February file... but decided not to. My morning work is typically a math sheet, and I realized that I haven't given them an ELA sheet in a very long time. Everything that I can give them just doesn't seem to fit their skill level. Things are either too hard, or too easy. In our school, kindergarten does not learn the long vowels, digraphs, blends or bossy "e". Most of the ELA morning work I find has those items. I do work with those items with my high flyers, but especially for my lows, we still need basics.

I decided to follow my ELA curriculum and make up a morning work that fits them! The layout is very similar to the morning work they already know and love. I didn't want to change too much on them.

So, the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys for Kindergarten Morning Work was born!!

It is available on TPT!

I do not use the 2014 edition, but I made it for the 2014 edition.

Every week I have a Sight Word Test. Most of my kids have older siblings and they really wanted spelling tests like their older brother or sister. So, I tested a Sight Word Test out for a few weeks, and they're amazing at it!

What I do, is give them 5 words a week to study. Two of them are the sight words we are focusing on that week, and up until now, some were review words or words my curriculum doesn't focus on. On Friday, I have the words listed on the board as well as another wall near their tables. I then tell them to write a word. They then look to where the words are, find it and write it.

For my classroom personally, I'm going to bump their sight words up to 6 words and just use the 2014 Journeys words for our sight word test. So this morning work will really help out with that test!

Super Bowl *FREEBIE Included*

Just like last year... and which happens to only be 2 posts down (man, I stink at blogging). I updated my Super Bowl Pack to represent this years teams!! Hope this helps in your classroom!

This is a small set of activities for both ELA and Math. At only 20 pages long.... it has a variety of different skills perfect for Kindergarten!

You can get this on TPT here!


Now for the FREEBIE! Just the graphing activity! This is a great activity for whole class!

You can get it for FREE at TPT!

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - Kindergarten - Lesson 3

Lesson 3 is completed! Now that the students are learning a few sight words, I added in some new fun activities! I hope you enjoy!

Visit my TPT store to grab these! Or go directly there using this link.

Chevron Behavior Clip Chart and Calendar Recording Sheets

Okay, so I already have a clip chart. It's up and ready to go... but I was just given the greatest idea on how to record the behavior by a great friend! So, of course I had to make it! After I made the calendar pages, I just quickly added in the clip chart for anyone who does not have one. Just to be safe. :)

So this is how it works. My students will have a plastic 3-prong folder that they will use as their take home folder. In the middle, I will place a plastic page protector which will be for their weekly newsletter and their calendar behavior recording sheet.

At the end of the day, they will take their take home folder, open it up and grab the calendar. Which ever color their clip is on, they'll color that square. If the student is below the green "ready to learn" color, I will add a reason why.... which is where the 10 different pre-made reasons are already there! So all I have to do is put a number down! That is, unless the reason isn't on there. Then i'll put a 10, and write on the back of the sheet the reason along with the date.

This is a perfect way to keep track of their behavior for a month, and the reasons why! That way the parents and I can try our best to fix them.

Pretty great! Right? Well I hope so. I know sometimes the best laid plans never work. So let's hope!

Anyways. You can get these calendar recording sheets and the clip chart at my TPT store! Happy shopping!

Number Of The Day Posters

My calendar area and time just didn't seem complete. That was until I found this on pinterest! A great way to implement the Number Of The Day and have it be interactive!! All I need to do is laminate the pages and they'll be dry eraseable! Wonderful! We can now discuss the number of the day and the many different ways to show that number.

I can't wait to get these up and going! You can get them at my TPT store for your calendar time!

Numbers!!

Half of my numbers are up and I'm already in love!! So are the other teachers at my school. That is, after they say "you and that chevron!" Haha 

Hopefully the rest will be up tomorrow. That is if I can get my butt working once I'm at the school. 

Check out my previous blog post by clicking here.

You can also check them out at TPT!

Number Pictures - Chevron and Polka Dot

I am still working on decorations for around my room, and saw these numbers on pinterest. Yes, I could have bought them from the teacher to help her out... but I figured, since I haven't received a paycheck yet, to make them myself! So I did and now i'm offering them to you guys. That is, if you have received a paycheck... unlike me. :)

You can get both the polka dot and the chevron files here: At TPT

I can't wait to print these up and put them up in the room! I'll be sure to post a picture for when I do!

Printables to send home

I'm starting to work on more items for my classroom! Setting up the room is getting there, there's still a lot more to do... but i'm getting there!

So while i'm home, and doing a plethora of laundry that I've been slacking on, I figured i'd work on a few items for my room.

The first thing I figured I'd work on, is the weekly newsletter. With birthdays, fun memories, objectives, and special notes just from me. Just to give the parents an idea on what we will be working on.

I plan on sending this home every Monday. I would love to send it home on Fridays, but at my school Friday is a half day and there's just not enough time. Plus, sometimes, I'm not 100% planned for the next week. Please tell me I'm not the only one who waits until the last minute to plan?


The next thing I made is a calendar. We send home monthly calendars to the parents with important dates, as well as journal questions. Journals are to be completed at home as a part of homework. A lot of the teachers go to a website and make their own calendar on there. I decided I wanted to carry my chevron theme to a lot of things, so why not the monthly calendar?

I added in the holidays we observe, and will add in more dates as time goes on. This is also good for my teacher binder!



The Weekly Newsletter and the Calendar are available at my TPT store for only $1!!!

I worked on my Meet The Teacher Letter, which is adapted from the ones all over Pinterest.

And then, I worked on the dreaded supply list. I have seen many of my non-teacher friends on Facebook blow up about the supply list. They cannot believe teachers ask for so much and how they ask for specific brands. I try to defend us teachers, I try my hardest, but some people just don't understand it from our point of view.

I didn't think writing up the supply list would be so hard. Yes, I do ask for specific brands. A) I know what works. B) There's also a fairness issue. Even though I am very big about kids learning that sometimes life isn't fair and we all don't get the same things, we get what we need.... just sometimes, if I can avoid the green eyed monster with who has crayola crayons and who doesn't, I'll avoid it!

My parent friends also don't understand why teachers don't want you to label all of your items. They feel it's going into a big pot and your 2nd box of crayons might go to a child who's parents didn't buy him supplies... ... and while yes, that might be the case. The real case behind it is when your child needs that 2nd box of crayons, I don't want to shovel through all of the extra boxes of crayons to find the one specific box that is your childs! I want to just grab one and go.

And so, the dreaded list is done. I tried to keep a lot off of the items I really really wanted. I am going to go buy some items that I want specific types of... like plastic folders. But, I hope no parents complain!

So that's that! I worked on a lot today and will start working hard on a few more items. I have a lot on my "to do" list in my head.