Letter Pop, Letter Pop!

Each year we, as teachers, create goals for our classrooms in an effort to make things go smoother and more effective. 

This year it is my goal to play a game each day before Reader's Worshop. These games will review skills and get the kids moving. 

One game I saw while at I Teach K! was called "Letter Pop, Letter Pop." This game used Dr. Jean's song and made it active and super cute. 

Here is the original idea I loved at at I Teach K! in Vegas last week. 

I decided to make one like it, but add my own flair! Here are the steps I took:

1. I went to Michael's and picked up 6 pieces of stiffened felt (.99 cents) and some felt letters ($4.99- but I used a 40% off coupon). 

2. I want to make the lollipop circles. I found a small juice cup in my cabinet and simply traced it 9 times. (Note: I am making 52 lollipops- 2 games)

3. Cut all the circles out! Whew!

3. Stick the felt alphabet stickers to the circles. 

4. Not Pictured: Hot glue a popsicle stick to the back of each circle. Viola! Lollipops! 

5. I fell in love with fabric at Joann's that was lollipop filled. I sewed a little bag to store my lollipops in. 

6. I added a ribbon drawstring to close the bag and add the lyrics. 

Now you have a super cute game that will practice letter sounds. If you have not heard the song, then check out the CD "Building Better Brains and Bodies." 

Here is a YouTube Clip...fast forward to about 1:00 in- you can hear the song. These are simply props! 

Made it Monday

Happy Monday! I have really been in a blog groove and I love linking up with other teacher's. 

Today I am linking up with Fourth Grade Frolics to share with you the two SUPER SIMPLE games I made today. 

I went to The Dollar Tree this morning to just browse for possible goodies. I felt like I hit the jackpot! I found these 4 bulletin board sets. They were of course a dollar each...who can't beat that!! Each set has 12 of each shape and 24 total. 

I decided to make 2 of the sets into a beginning sound ABC game. I found clip art online, printed, and cut. I found the clip art below at Pre Kinders (click to get your own set).

I then glued the pictures onto the mustard and ketchup bottles. See there is a king on the mustard and a kite on the ketchup. 

I am planning on passing out all the cards randomly and the students have to find their partner that has the same beginning sound. 

King/Kite 

I also did the milk and cookies set. Here you can see bee and bike. 

I also went to Lakeshore to just browse and came home with these: FREE Plan Book, Laminating Pouches (25% off), Scratch Art ($4.99 on sale- 50% off!), 3 new ink pads ($3 each), Phonic Stamps ($23- with coupon), Mini Sea shapes (for my job chart), Name tag refills, and tooth stickers. 

Happy Monday All! 

10 Things I've Learned from Teaching

I am linking up with Miss Kindergarten to tell you the 10 things I have learned from teaching. Some are funny and some are serious- Here goes. 

1. Your salary- half it...seriously. You put so much of your money into your classroom to make it the best it can be! You buy the cute things that make your classroom a home and that make learning come alive. 

2. Body Doorbell- think about where kinders come up on you. If they need you and you are turned around....your bottom becomes a doorbell. Ha! This shocks me every time, but it is done in the most innocent way. 

3. Hours- The hours you spend in your classroom, thinking about school, grading, writing report card comments, and make things at home is astronomical! This e-card always makes me laugh!

4. Games- You say the word game and a student's attitude totally changes! Even if it really is not a game, they sit up a little straighter and they are ready to go! They totally forget that learning is involved. 

5. Be Confident- IN EVERYTHING you do, act confident! Parents and students like to think you know what you are doing. If you do not know an answer be honest though. You would rather look intelligent than lying to a parent or child. 

6. Planning time- Yes, you are given planning time during the day...but usually they consist of responding to e-mails, conferences, phone calls, discipline, and much more. This means you take so much home! 

7. Leave your baggage at the door- No matter what is going on in your personal life, leave it at the door. Students deserve 110% of you. I have also found that it is hard to think of your personal life when you are with the children. They are the best medicine. 

8. Be silly- Make a fool of yourself, dance, dress up, enjoy teaching. Our children enjoy this so much! I love to dance and sing! You want a child to go home and say "Today was the best day at school."

9. Negative Energy- Teachers are truly a funny breed! They are territorial and sometimes downright mean. If you give 110% to your students, go girl!! Don't let anyone put you down and be negative! Close your door and teach your heart out! 

10. Take Care of Yourself- I have learned this one the hard way! I ran myself into the ground two years ago and suffered with months of being sick. My life had to change and I had to save time for myself. Do it, even though it is really hard!

Well those are just a few things I learned from teaching! I have loved reading everyone's thoughts at Miss Kindergarten! Jump over to read about it! 

Throwback Thursday

I haven't been blogging for long and I wanted to participate in The First Grade Parade's Throwback Thursday...so I will bring you something NEW to my blog, but a THROWBACK to me :) 
I know everyone always looks for new ways to practice phonemic awareness and here is an idea I took away from a professional development session at my school: Sound Parking Lots! 

All you need is a toy car, list of words that contain the same sounds (sound needs to be in beginning, middle, and end of various words), and a parking lot. 

Here is a copy of the parking lot sheet. Click here to download it.

The kids love this. You need to add some sound effect too, makes it that much better. 

Enjoy! 

Day 3 @ I Teach K!

I am getting to my blog a little early today because we are off to see a show tonight! 

Day 3...the day I had been waiting for....why?.... because I was going to get to see Deanna Jump and I practically own ALL of her tpt units! 

Here was my day in a nutshell! 

To visit Deanna Jump click here! 

To visit Kim Adsit click here! 

What another awesome day at I Teach K! 

Day 2!

Day 2 at I Teach K! has come to a close and man is my brain spinning with fabulous ideas! I spotted some of my favorite bloggers and it was like seeing a celebrity...yes I am a dork! 

Again, I am going to recap my most favorite ideas from the day. 

Morning Session 1: Differentiating Centers: Let the Common Core be your Guide with Kathy Griffin

First of all Kathy is a wonderful presenter. She has real life experience at home and at school. 

I use the Daily 5 in my classroom. I am thinking of tweaking it and making it my own this year. 

I want to do:


1. Read to Self or Someone (combining) 
2. Work on Writing
3. Word Work
4. Listen to Reading
5. Research 

Research would be the new addition. Common Core has really stepped up the game in nonfiction texts. At my school we do so many thematic non-fiction units that this can be easily done!

Look at the picture- The ideas are awesome! Who doesn't have nonfiction books and what kid does not love them? 

Morning Session 2: Teaching Behavior & Social Skills: Let's Start at the VERY Beginning with Dan St. Romain

I had the pleasure to meet Dan at dinner on night 1 and we had awesome conversations, thus needless to say I was excited to see him present. At the session he was lively, entertaining, and had a fun sense of humor. 

He said something that really stuck with me...

"Social skills need to be taught. You penalize a kid (move their clip down, time out, less recess) when they do not accurately interact socially. Would you do the same with a student who didn't know their ABC's. NO, of course not. We practice, re-teach, re-teach, and re-teach." 

Afternoon Session: A-B-C, Come and Learn with Me! with Kathleen Pedersen 

A blogger celebrity to me is Kathleen Pedersen from Growing Kinders (link above) and I was just elated to get to hear her present and meet her! She was lovely- we even talked about my sweet baby and starting the year with my class. 

It is my goal this year to play a quick and easy reading game/song before our small group reading time. This will get kids moving and practicing an essential skill. 

I got so many good ideas, here goes:

Hungry Hippo & Crocodile 

Letter, sound, word munchers. Use an old Cascade dishwasher packet container, cover with foam and some decor and viola- a muncher!

Ice Cream Game

You can practice naming the letter or taking it further...letter sounds. Make  brown construction paper pockets and affix a letter sticker to each pocket. Then get 26 popsicle sticks and put a star on 1 or 2 of the sticks. Slide the sticks inside the ice cream pockets. Have each child say the letter/sound and whoever gets the star wins! 

Big Old Shark 

Another way to practice letter recognition, sounds, beginning sounds, ect. The shark clip art is affixed to a blue gift bag...the shark gets to chomp the letter card. 

Hot Potato 

Another way to practice letter recognition, sounds, beginning sounds, ect.

And I won a $10 Teachers Pay Teachers from Kathleen!! 

So excited.... what to buy? 

I ended my day with a Mommy-to-be massage, dinner at the Canal Shoppes, and writing postcards to my previous kinders!! 

Night all, I am tired!

Many prayers go out to my partner in crime, Janet... prayers for peace!