Cyber Monday Sale

I've been working long and hard on this Christmas bundle and I must say that I think you'll love it!! One of my favorite things to do is create activities that I can introduce whole group on the Smart board and then easily place in a center and the students can immediately perform the task independently because of our Smart board activity.  Well, this bundle includes 18 different activities that are paired together and include a Smart board version, along with a center version.  I have also included an additional 8 more activities, some Smart board and some center printables. 

Click on the pic above to preview the entire file!!!

Click on the pic above to get yours!

Freebie Friday!

Today's freebie are the cards that I've been using to get my students at my teacher table going while I get students settled in their centers for rotation. Print them on card stock and laminate to use with dry-erase markers. They're great practice for those who still struggle with letter formation, but also includes some higher level skills like beginning sounds and alphabetical sequence- filling in the missing letters. These are also great for fast finishers or a word work tub. Hope you can find some use for them. HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Click on pic to get yours!

Listening Center

So when I received MP3 players from a grant that I had written, I thought my listening center problems would all be solved- no more scratched CD's and books separated from their CD or students arguing over what song or book to listen to and having to share a book. Well, I was just a bit in fairy tale land.

Now, don't let me mislead you......having MP3 players is BY FAR the better choice for my listening center. I can load as many songs or books that I want on them and can easily change them out weekly or bi-weekly or whatever. I LOVE this aspect!!!! But when I got these players I thought it would be just wonderful if every student had their own pair of ear buds to use for the players when it was their turn. I collected over 20 ear buds and was ready to rock this new system for our listening center!!! Music and books were loaded on 6 different players, ear buds for each student and things were all in place. The first few students did great and then a few more and then I started getting THIS at the beginning of each center rotation............

"Mrs. Aguilar, I need help." "Mrs. Aguilar I can't get this undone." It went on and on each rotation. AAAHHH!!!! One tangled mess after another.  Now this may not be an issue if I had some way to hang them for each student but they just keep them in a pencil box in their cubby.  And even if this problem was solved, the size of the standard cheap ear bud is really not intended for a 5 or 6 year old.  I will say that I do have some headphones that are perfect and I LOVE THEM!! I received them in the same grant and are designed for youth and have been great!!! They are the made by KaZoo and are cute animal character designs. I have the frog ones.

 When comparing my old headphones and these new ones, it's no wonder why their ears always hurt with the old ones! The old ones were made for adults and their little ears don't even hit the soft padding part of the earphones; however, they do with the KaZoo earphones! 

I highly recommend these headphones and they are actually quite affordable. They are $12 at Kids R Us and around $16 at Amazon.

Freebie Friday!

This Friday's freebie are objective headers for your classroom. I'm sure most of you are required to post the week's objectives on your board or somewhere. I put magnets on the back of mine and displayed on my front white board. It's quick and easy to just write or draw a visual of our weekly objectives. I hope you have some use for these and have a fabulous Friday!

Click on pic to get yours!

Freebie Friday!

This freebie is going to be a little bit different. I presented a Smart board 101 training last Tuesday and I thought I'd share my hand-out (all visual steps) and my Smart board file that includes some examples of each game/activity taught. I know not everyone has a Smart board, but for those that do, I hope this helps provide the step-by-step directions one needs to begin creating your own games. (or at least enjoy the free games included as examples!) :)

Click on Pic above to get yours! Hope this helps!

Freebie Friday!

I just love Halloween time! Our class does our spider and bat unit and our focus shifts a bit more toward nonfiction. I thought it would be fun to put together a spider unit of games for centers, but also have a Smart Board component to introduce the games. This is one of the largest freebies that I've ever given away. You are all great customers and I thought you deserve a nice one this week ;) I hope you enjoy! Happy Friday!!!  Please follow me for future freebies!

Freebie Friday!

Just a couple quick, but fun things for your freebie Friday. Print these pattern block pages as poster size and let them sort your pattern blocks on them.

Click on pic for yours!

The other freebie is what I've been using in my writing center. I assign them one writing page that they MUST complete and then some options that they MAY do afterwards.

Click on pic for yours!

Happy Friday everyone!