Saturday, September 29, 2012

Halloween Little Friendly Ghosts Link Up

Today I am linking up with Graphics From the Pond for a Little Friendly Ghosts Link Up

Graphics From the Pond

Melanie, from Graphics from the Pond, has created these adorable friendly ghost graphics. Fellow TpTsellers have created fun resources using the graphics and posted them on TpT. Some are for sale and some are FREE

I created Halloween Ghostly Time {and had so much fun using the graphics.}


This is a Halloween telling time to the hour center. Students match clocks to the times on the ghost cards. Both color and black and white center cards are included. Click on the picture to download it for FREE!!

To see more of the resources created with the friendly ghost graphics, go to Graphics From the Pond.



Thursday, September 27, 2012

Halloween Math and Calendar Math

Courtesy of dazeychic

I just completed a packet of HALLOWEEN themed MATH CENTER activities especially for first grade, titled Halloween Math Centers First Grade.

Graphics by KPM Doodles and Fancy Dog Studio. Fonts by Hello Literacy.

You'll find 8 different {FUN} math centers in this packet:

1. TIME for HALLOWEEN telling time {hour}

2. HALLOWEEN CANDY number order

3. GHOSTLY ten frame number sentences

4. TRICK or TREAT counting by 5s

5. HALLOWEEN HOOT telling time {half hour} 

6. A WITCH'S HAT tally marks

7. HALLOWEEN SPIDERS missing addends and sums

8. HALLOWEEN BATS and CATS +1 and +2

Click on the picture above to preview and purchase.

You can also find Halloween math {and literacy} centers for first grade in I Love Halloween Literacy and Math by clicking on the picture below.


This is a year that I've been making a lot of changes in my classroom environment. One of the changes I've made is in my calendar area. I purchased this CALENDAR MATH chart at Lakeshore®, and I'm so happy I did.


It not only has a calendar {with cards to highlight special days and holidays}, but the ESTIMATION JAR and PICK-A-PROBLEM are math activities that I can use daily.


These are fun and quick math problem activities that can be used throughout the day. They make great "sponge" activities.



Colorful buttons are included and can be replaced with other items. The jar has a holder in the chart itself.


Graphics by KPM Doodles and Scrappin Doodles. Fonts by Hello Literacy.

It can also be placed at a math center. 

I use these signs and printables.

Graphics by KPM Doodles and Scrappin Doodles. Fonts by Hello Literacy.

Graphics by  Scrappin Doodles. Fonts by Hello Literacy.

Click on the above picture for a FREE download "What's Your Guess Estimation Jar Poster and Printables."



Sunday, September 16, 2012

Cinderella and the Common Core Standards

It's Day 6 of the Common Core Curriculum Maps English Language Arts book study.



Today we look at Grade 1 Unit 6: Around the World with a Glass Slipper. First graders review different versions of Cinderella. At the same time, they learn about different cultures and continents.

Cinderella by Marcia Brown

The Essential Question: What can versions of the same story teach us about different cultures?

Overview: Opinion writing is the focus. Students compare and contrast favorite versions of fairy tales (like Cinderella). They write about their choices with supporting reasons. They look at both fiction and nonfiction texts in their comparison writings. First graders study masks from different countries and cultures and describe them.

Focus Standards:

RL.1.9: Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
RI.1.9: Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
W.1.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
W.1.6: With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
L.1.5: With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
L.1.5(d): Distinguish shades of meanings among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare [and] scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them, or be acting out the meanings.
SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Suggested Student Objectives:

Some suggested student outcomes include: compare and contrast different versions of a story by different authors and from various cultures, write opinions about favorite versions of a story, and use vivid descriptive words to describe an object.

Suggested Works:

Included in the list of literary texts:

The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

James Marshall's Cinderella retold by Barbara Karlin

Included in the list of informational texts:

Europe by Madeline Donaldson

Look What Came From China by Miles Harvey

DK First Atlas by Anita Ganeri and Chris Oxlade

Sample Activities and Assessments:

An overview of one of the activities:

2. Reading/Opinion Writing
The students read various versions of Cinderella. They respond by choosing a favorite version and giving two reasons for their choice. The should include a title and a strong conclusion. When rewriting the paragraph, they should focus on word choice, elaboration, or word order.

A detailed lesson plan is included for:

Yeh-Shen A Cinderella Story from China retold by Ai-Ling Louie


It includes two lessons in which the children appreciate the story of Cinderella, retell this version, and discuss why it's their favorite. It includes differentiation and homework activities.

I know that my first graders enjoy listening to different versions of Cinderella and are eager to share which ones are their favorites. They have specific ones they ask for when they go to the library. The suggestions and activities in this unit will help me to use the literature books and create lessons based on the Common Core Standards.

I created these worksheets to go with the Cinderella lessons.



Graphics by KPM Doodles, Fancy Dog StudioGRAPHICS by JW Illustrations © JESSICAWEIBLE.COM Fonts by Kevin and Amanda, dafont.com, and Hello Fonts.

You can download them HERE.

Visit Melissa at Dilly Dabbles tomorrow. She will be concluding the book study with a look at the Pacing Guide.


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Common Core Curriculum Maps Book Study Schedule


Stop by Dilly Dabbles to see Melissa's post today on Common Core Curriculum Maps English Language Arts: First Grade Unit 3. It's titled "Life Lessons" and includes literature and informational texts with a life lesson theme.

She has a FREE DOWNLOAD that you can use to introduce and use time cue words to show and explain the life cycle of a plant.

If you missed Unit 2, visit Kelley at Teacher Idea Factory to read her summary of First Grade Unit 2: The Amazing Animal World and pick up her collection of expository writing templates.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Common Core Curriculum Maps Book Study

Hi everyone! I am honored and excited to be participating with some of my fellow teacher bloggers in a Common Core Curriculum Maps English Language Arts K-5 book study.


We will be reviewing the Grade One curriculum materials. Melissa at Dilly Dabbles gave an overview of the book on Monday.

Today I will review Grade 1 Unit 1: Alphabet Books and Children Who Read Them. This is a beginning of the year review of the alphabet, concepts about print, and study of the library, friendship, and the alphabet.

The Essential Question: "Why is it important to ask questions while you are reading?"

Overview: Students conduct shared research and learn that inquiry and investigation are important and essential to learning. Books are used that lend themselves to conversation, inquiry, and thinking. An example of one such book is The Graphic Alphabet by David Pelletier.


The students begin with a class question. They then research the question topic and write a class ABC book based on the topic. Sentence formation and proper punctuation is reviewed as part of the writing process. The students respond to a question prompt and use research information to write about healthy habits. Lastly, they apply what they've learned to poetry and choral reading of poetry.

Focus standards:

RL.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details and events in a text.
RI.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
W.1.7: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about Grade One topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about Grade One topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
L.1.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.1.1j: Produce and expand complete and simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.

Suggested Student Objectives:

A list of objectives are given. They are suggested student outcomes. Some of those included are: use pictures and details to describe key ideas, listen to one another, punctuate sentences correctly, and perform choral reading of poetry.

Suggested Works: 

A list of Literary Texts {includes stories and poems}, Informational Texts, and Art, Music, and Media are given. Exemplar texts are noted. A few examples:

Literary Texts:

Little Bear's Visit by Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak
Morris Goes to School by Bernard Wiseman
Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book! by Dr. Seuss
Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood and Bruce Wood
How to Eat a Poem by Eve Merriam
Books to the Ceiling by Arnold Lobel

¡Marimba! Animales from A to Z by Pat Mora

Informational Texts

I Read Signs by Tana Hoban
School Bus by Donald Crews
Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert
Exercise (Rookie Reader-About Health) by Sharon Gordon


The Turn-Around, Upside-Down Alphabet Book by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Sample Activities and Assessments:

Eight different activities and assessments are highlighted in the book. Here's an overview of one of them:

6. Writing/Shared Research
Students use an alphabet book as a model and write their own class book. They begin by deciding on a research question to lead their inquiry. The children agree on a theme for an ABC class book. They use different texts and digital resources for each letter of the alphabet. Each student takes a page/alphabet letter and completes it by writing the letter, key word, an illustration, and a sentence using the key word. They follow the rules for spelling and punctuation.

Resources and terminology are included.

The unit ends with a detailed sample lesson plan for A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik.


The students follow the sequence of the kiss and study the use of the illustrations. 

Differentiation activities are included for advanced and struggling learners. 

This unit as a whole helps to illustrate activities that can be used to meet the ELA Common Core standards for first grade in an integrated manner. It helps teachers look at ways to address the standards with the big picture in mind. It shows how the standards fit together in a meaningful way to teach English Language Arts.

I hope you will join the group for the rest of our book study.

Meet Team First Grade!!

Melissa: Overview and Units 3 and 5
DillyDabbles
Mona: Unit 1 and Unit 6


Kelley: Unit 2 and Unit 4
Sour Apple Studio


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Back to School Night

Our Back to School Night is this coming week.

Most of the evening will be spent with me talking about first grade curriculum and activities. But, the parents will also participate in some activities.

As parents enter the room, they will find their students' desks and read the "Welcome to Back to School Night" letters written by their children.





Parents will read the letters and respond back by writing notes to their children. 




You can download the Back to School Night Letters and Notes for FREE HERE.

The parents will also estimate how many erasers are in a jar. The child whose parent guess is closest to the actual number of erasers gets to hand out the erasers to the children in the class the following day. I also have a special treat for the child {usually classroom tools}.

The students' drawings of themselves will be on the walls {with names hidden}. The parents will try to guess which one belongs to their child. {They're amazingly good at it.}

The parents enjoy the activities, and the children are always excited to read the notes left by their parents.

I also include a gift for each parent. I'll take pictures of my Back to School Night classroom and post them later this week.  

I'd love to hear about your Back to School Night activities.

Enjoy your Sunday.