Halloween Line Poems

My students wrote line poems about Halloween this week. I'm super proud of how their writing turned out. First, we talked about the fact that their line poem should begin and end with the word "Halloween". Then they added 10 words in between that reminded them of Halloween. 

We published their writing by turning their poem into a fancy bookmark. When the bookmarks were complete, we did a poetry reading for our publishing celebration. All of the children sat in a circle. I brought jack-o-lantern light up candle to put in the middle of the circle. All those little poets sitting in a circle reading their poems by the light of a festive candle was just about the cutest darn thing! 

 The paper we used is from my fall themed stationary pack.

Today, they will take home their published piece (on the bookmark), the draft in their own writing and the memory of their first poetry reading! 

Happy Friday!
 

Long Vowel Personal Reader Stories

Just a quick post, since I'm watching my favorite team play in game 1 of the World Series!!! 

I've received emails from several of you inquiring about when I would be posting my long vowel personal reader stories. I finally had time to post those over the weekend. A few weeks ago, I added a post about how I use personal reader folders in my classroom. You can read that post here if you're interested.  I use all three sets of the personal reader stories with readers in my classroom who need extra support, extra practice and/or extra confidence throughout the year.

 Here is a snapshot of my Long Vowel Personal Reader set. You can click on the image below if you'd like to check it out at my Tpt store or in my Teachers Notebook shop.

So far, this baseball game is not going well for my team.  Go, Tigers!!!!!!

1st Grade Rocks!

1st grade rocks and so does my new shirt (if I do say so myself)! Over the summer, I discovered an Etsy shop called Sewing Sassy in Texas. I fell in love with the colorful designs on her shirts! I ordered a custom shirt right away. My shirt came in the mail last week and I could hardly wait until Friday to wear it.  Excuse the "it's Friday and I'm so tired I can hardly function" face that I'm making in the picture below.  My daughter snapped this photo on my phone for me.

So, if you're tired of wearing those staff shirts that everyone wears to show school spirit on Fridays...blah, blah, blah.  Maybe it's time to spice things up a bit?  

Here is the link... Sewing Sassy in Texas

My husband is a teacher too.  Over the years, he has kind of declared Friday as "fun shirt Friday". This is the shirt he wore a few weeks ago.  

Unfortunately, he wouldn't let me take his picture wearing the shirt.  

It just about caused a riot at his staff meeting when the other teachers thought he was "awarded" the shirt from their principal.  Maybe they don't think the wood shop teacher deserves the title? Or, maybe they are just jealous of his fun shirt friday find.  You can find the shirt above at Cafe Press, just in case you want to stir things up have a fun shirt Friday of your own.

Favorite Easy Chapter Books for Halloween

I had big plans to write this post earlier tonight.   It turned out to be perfect weather for our annual visit to the pumpkin patch.  Big pumpkins for carving- check! Little pumpkins (just because they are adorable) - check! We made a stop at our favorite local pub on the way home (all teachers take their children to eat dinner at pubs on a random school night, right?).  Then we rushed home to watch the Tigers sweep the Yankees in the playoffs.  Go Tigers!!!!!

On to the post...

Halloween is a big deal at my school (my principal loves it).  I'm talking costumes, a parade, parties in our classrooms, a school wide story teller assembly and teachers who are so overwhelmed and tired at the end of the day that we can barely walk to our cars.  I am trying to pump myself up for the whole thing.  It's not working very well.  I'm all about kids having fun.  I also believe in the power of simplification to prevent kids and adults from getting so overwhelmed.  Books always make me feel better.  There are so many great books to read at this time of the year! 

 I read lots of leveled books to my students to introduce them to different series that they might like as they move through the reading levels throughout the year. Here are a few of my favorite easy chapter books to read to my class for Halloween.

At this time last year, I also did a post about my favorite picture books to use for reader's workshop lessons at this time of the year.  You can read that old post here.

Happy almost Friday!

Check Out This New Blog

I recently discovered a new blog called Pixy Stix and Teacher Tricks.

 Ash from Pixy Sticks and Teacher Tricks actually tried out my Fall Math Work Stations for me. She did a super nice post about my work stations, which you can read here. 

 I've been a follower of Ash's blog for a few weeks.  When she did made that nice post, I visited to browse her first few months of posts.  I really enjoyed reading her posts and I know you will too! I recommend grabbing a copy of her Batty for Math freebie (which covers addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). If you have a chance to visit, tell her I sent you. Let's give her a proper welcome into the world of teacher blogs!

 

Addition/Subtraction Key Words Freebie

It's Monday. It rained. And my super sized assessment binder exploded today. Ughhh...I really hate do not like that big fat binder. Never did. Even when it was in one piece. It had a cute cover though. Now, I have two smaller (ugly) binders. I split the information inside in half (one ugly binders for boys/one ugly binder for girls). I might have to go shopping or return to my old system (a polka dotted file folder for each student). I'll be the only teacher in my grade level without an adorable assessment binder, but I'm just not sure I can stand it much longer. Done whining... 

I did manage to polish up a freebie today. We've been discussing key words for addition and subtraction in my classroom. I made these simple charts in black/white and mounted them on fancy scrapbook paper. Fancy scrapbook paper and windex (not together of course) are really the best cures for the Monday blahs.

Addition Key Words Sign

Subtraction Key Words Sign

You can grab a copy of the signs by clicking on the image below if you'd like.

I'm sure Tuesday will be better.  After all, it's not Monday.  I'm going to think happy thoughts and get to bed early (right after I treat my self to something Pinteresting).

Boo Who?

I've been boo'd (but this time it wasn't for talking too much)! 

Cynthia from 2nd Grade Pad is having a Boo Linky Party.

Kathy from First Grade A La Carte boo'd me (which made me smile).

 And, I'm linking up to Boo a few of my favorite bloggers as well.

1.  My friend, Kristin, from A Teeny Tiny Teacher.  
Yep, I can call her my friend because I met her before most of you.
Kristin might be the funniest person I've ever met 
(if we just lived close enough to meet in person).
Right now "Miss Fancy Pants" is eating cake.  Go visit and read about it.

 

2.  My friend, Holly, from Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade. I met Holly (and her mysterious friend Barb) this summer  at the Michigan Blogger Meet Up. Holly and I have a lot in common and she cracks me up. She's the blogging buddy that I can email if I need to vent something that is not postable. (Hmmm...maybe that's not a word.  Or maybe I just created a new word.)
3.  My friend, Kate, from EduKate and Inspire. I met Kate at the Michigan Blogger Meet Up as well. She's actually from Ohio, which makes me like her even more.  (GO BUCKS!) Plus she has a doodle (which is something we have in common). We also took the Twitter plung together.

If you have not visited my friends above, you really should.  You're missing out!  If you already follow these amazing blogs, just stop by to leave them a fun comment.  
Visit Cynthia at the 2nd Grade Pad to join the fun!  Boo!