Second Grade Perks: January 2014

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Teaching Text Features and Neat Guided Reading Tool

If you are teaching text features you should show your students this video {HERE}. It is the cutest little song to the SpongeBob tune. It also has this adorable mini poster to go with it.

In my previous posts I explained how I do guided reading and guided math in my room. I discovered these awesome finger lights that the kids use to follow along while we read in our small groups. It really helps me because I have them whisper read as I listen so I can tell right where they are when I start to listen to them. Let me tell ya......they LOVE these things. I was the coolest teacher after introducing these today. The best thing about them is the fact that I got 40 for only $6 from Amazon.




We have also been working on sequencing and wrote about how to build a snowman. I have seen this cute craft floating around Pinterest and always wanted to use it so I figured what better time than now!




Hope it is warm where you are. We were at ZERO degrees on the way to school this morning. BRRRRRR!!!!




Sunday, January 26, 2014

1,000 FB Followers Buy One Get One Sale

If you haven't checked out the Facebook Free For All, you definitely should do that today. All you have to do is like my facebook page and then click on the Facebook Free For All tab. On this tab there is also a link to several other freebies.

I had decided when I reached 1,000 facebook followers I was going to have a buy one get one free sale on my TPT shop. This morning I woke up to over 1,100 followers so......if you purchase something from my TPT shop today or tomorrow just email me at secondgradeperks@gmail.com and I will send you a product of equal or lesser value to the one you purchased. Just make sure in your email to include your TPT user name, the item you bought, and the item you would like for free.



So, make sure you check out the Facebook Free For All where you can get tons of freebies including my Sweet Math Centers and Games and then head on over and start shopping to take advantage of this buy one get one sale before it's over!

 

Friday, January 24, 2014

Guided Math and February Free For All

A few weeks ago I blogged about how I was changing my schedule up and explained the way the first part of my day went, which was basically my reading block. You can read that post {HERE}


I am back today to explain how the second part of my day goes and how I do guided math in my room. Which by the way I LOVE it!


I start my math block with alternating every other day using this Common Core Daily Calendar Routine. You can read about how this works {HERE}

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Daily-Calendar-Routine-Based-on-CCSS-631987

And these Common Core Math Warm Ups which we use our desk and dry erase markers to write answers. There is a short post about those {HERE}

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Daily-Common-Core-Math-Warm-Up-270333

On Mondays we don't do either though. I use this day to introduce all of the games they will be playing throughout the week so when they go to play they won't be totally lost.

We then have a 10 minute mini lesson before we bust out into our rotations.

Here is what my guided reading rotation board looks like.


The numbers across the top are the rotation number and the numbers down the side are the group numbers. The group signs on the right have their number with Velcro so they know what group they are in. As I said above I do four 15-20 minute rotations each day. The shapes say "Teacher Time" "Own My Own" "Math Games/Manipulatives" and "Practice Math Facts." Teacher time of course is with me. On my own is a workbook page or some type of page that covers the skill from the mini lesson. Notice the smaller rectangle below the blue octagon? That is blank and I write what page number in their workbook or whatever it is I want them to work on. For practice math facts we use Fast Math which is awesome but I think we are about to switch to MobyMax. For math games we use games that cover various skills. For example, this week we used the math center games from my Frost Smitten Centers.


At the end of the rotation I ring a bell and they know to clean up and quickly check the board to go to their next rotation. The first week we did it, they were awesome. They caught on so quick.

If you use Envision for math {HERE} is a pacing guide my district sent us with the lessons that align from common core along with several other lessons and activities that I use during teacher time.



And that's it! Super easy...Super fun!

Make sure you like me on Facebook so you don't miss out on a ton of freebies this weekend.

https://www.facebook.com/SecondGradePerks

Happy Weekend!

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Monday, January 13, 2014

Reading/Math Workshop & Pencil Sharpener Giveaway

Over Christmas break I did a little lot of reading up on reading and math workshop and how other teachers use it, so I wanted to share with you what I came up with.


I currently use Daily 5 but just feel like my kiddos have started to play more than have meaningful time at their choices. I decided to give my daily schedule a little makeover. I am going to attempt to have mainly small group lessons for reading and math and WAY less whole group. I'm going to combine Daily 5 with reading workshop.



I'm sure you have also read how reading or math workshop is set up but this is how I plan to do it in my room. I'm going to go straight through my schedule and explain each part of our day. My main reason behind doing this is that I want you to share what you think I could do better based on what you have read or what you have done for these parts of your day.

First off our day starts at 7:30 but kids come in early. By the time I check folders and get attendance ready it's about 7:45. So during this time they come straight in and get to work on their morning work baskets. From 7:45-7:55 I plan to do my first reading mini lesson for the day. Click {HERE} to get the mini lessons I plan to use and tweak just a bit to work for my 2nd grade class. Just go down until you see mini lessons and there is a set for the entire year based off of Debbie Miller's book Reading with Meaning. After this I am going to meet with one small group while the rest of the class is engaged in practicing the skill from our mini lesson or they will be in one of the Daily 5 choices. Now here is where I am stuck on making sure they are doing something meaningful. I usually just stick a list of spelling words in the Word Work area and they have different choices such as stamps, dry erase boards, etc. But I have decided to start putting my language centers here as well. For example, this week from my Frost Smitten winter centers they have "Make it Plural" and "Winter ABC Order."








These both come with a recording sheet so I stuck them in my SmartPal Sleeve and let them complete with a dry erase marker. Then once they finish this they can choose stamps, dry erase boards or whatever to work with their spelling words.

I'm not yet sure how I want to change up work on writing. I am currently using A Cupcake for the Teacher's Writing Center Starter Kit.

From 8:15-8:35 I have my educational assistant so I plan to start having her roam the room and make sure students are on track and possibly sit and read with some. I will be meeting with my 2nd small group. I have decided to try doing my main phonics/language lessons during small groups on some days (not all). This way I can really differentiate for my students. I still have a time set aside in m schedule for language and phonics for whole group too since we won't have time to cover everything in small group.

Next, from 8:35-:8:50 I will allow students to share things they learned about themselves as readers that day or things they discovered while reading UNLESS they need to fill out a reader's response page which is where my read to self/someone accountability will come in. I found these forms for free {HERE} There is one for fiction and nonfiction. They will not need to complete one of these every day just as needed so if they are not completing a response they are participating in share time. I laminated the response options front to back and they keep a copy in their Daily 5 book bag.

The next part of my day is called Cougar Power which is just our school-wide intervention time.

Ok I have noticed this post is going a tad bit on the long side and so in order not to bore you I am going to pause here and come back another day and continue the rest of my schedule which is where I will get into the math workshop part of our day.

One more thing before I go and that is I am having another Classroom Friendly Supplies pencil sharpener giveaway!


Just enter through the Rafflecopter below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Monday, January 6, 2014

Celebrating My Snow Day With a Free Gift For You

I have had the best of luck just like some of you others out there. We were supposed to go back to school today but got that wonderful phone call that we would be closed due to cold weather. Now, I HATE winter, I hate the snow, and I hate being cold. I am a summer kind of girl all the way around, but when you tell me I get another day at home with my BFF {who happens to be my two year old, Tinley} I am all for the cold weather. As I am playing princesses with her for the millionth time this morning I get another call saying we will be out again tomorrow. Score!! So to celebrate this happy news I am giving away for FREE my newest unit {Frost Smitten Math and Literacy Mini Unit and Centers}


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frost-Smitten-Literacy-and-Math-Mini-Unit-and-Centers-1039894

It includes 5 math and 5 literacy centers/activities with recording sheets, answer keys, teacher and student directions plus it is common core aligned.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frost-Smitten-Literacy-and-Math-Mini-Unit-and-Centers-1039894


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frost-Smitten-Literacy-and-Math-Mini-Unit-and-Centers-1039894
 
It will only be free for one hour but if you miss it I still have a deal for you. It is originally $5.00 but it will be half off until midnight. Yep, only $2.50.

I know some of us did have to go back to school today so I am going to post it for free between the hours of 6:00 -7:00 CST. In order to get it for free you have to like my facebook page by clicking {HERE} then just click on fan freebie to snatch it up. Remember though, just between 6:00-7:00 CST.

But WAIT....there's more. I am linking up with Hilary at Rockin' Teacher Materials and offering three products for $1.00 today.



Click on any of the pics to be taken to the product page. My three products are:


You can read all about my morning work routine {HERE}

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Morning-Basket-Work-January-and-February-463341
 

 The next two items are math and language warm ups. You can read my post about the math one {HERE}. The language packet follows the same concept.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Daily-Common-Core-Math-Warm-Up-270333

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Daily-Common-Core-Language-Warm-Up-320369
 


Hope everyone else is enjoying their snow day or at least enjoying your first day back to school!

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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Frost Smitten Math and Literacy Mini Unit and Centers

Quick post tonight but just wanted to let you know I have uploaded a math and literacy winter packet to TPT. {Frost Smitten Math and Literacy Mini Unit and Centers}

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frost-Smitten-Literacy-and-Math-Mini-Unit-and-Centers-1039894

It includes 5 math and 5 literacy centers/activities with recording sheets, answer keys, teacher and student directions plus it is common core aligned.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frost-Smitten-Literacy-and-Math-Mini-Unit-and-Centers-1039894

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frost-Smitten-Literacy-and-Math-Mini-Unit-and-Centers-1039894

Tonight and tomorrow it is on sale so you can get it for only $4.00!
Hope you have a great night!