Thinking in Primary

My Halloween Math Unit is finally posted on at my  Teachers Notebook  store and on my  Teachers Pay Teachers store .  I used some super cute clip art from KPM doodles and I think they turned out really well!     I want to Thank Claire from  Miss Toffee's Class  for awarding me the Versatile Blogger Award! I feel so lucky that this is my second nomination for this award!  Now receiving this award comes with conditions and you can see mine here! Then I learned that  Jennifer at  Herding Kats in Kindergarten  awarded me the 'I Heart Your Blog' award! This award also comes with conditions!   When you are awarded the  I Heart Your Blog Award  you are asked to do the following things: 1. Give the  "I Heart Your Blog "Award  to your favorite Top 10 Blogs that have touched your heart and inspired your teaching by listing them on your blog. 2. Contact that person and let them know of their heartfelt ...

I received and awesome question about shared reading and read alouds.  While I definitely do not consider myself an expert, here's my answer! Read Aloud -to me a read aloud is just that, a time to read aloud.  I try to read aloud several times throughout the day.  I keep a book basket under my chair filled with theme books and other books that I think my class might enjoy.  Sometimes I choose the book and sometime the kids choose the book.  After reading the story the book is placed in the classroom library for students to enjoy during centers, free time or (coming soon) daily five! Shared Reading  - to me is a time when students and the teacher share the book.  I usually use a big book but I also use poems in a pocket chart or on a poster.  Since I now have an awesome smart board I also use books or poems that I project onto the smart board.  I feel that the most important thing is that the print is large enough for students to see. ...

So busy!  That's how I feel right now! I'm so glad to be back in my routine, but I long for the days when I can get out of school on time and head to the gym!  Anyway...Here are a few pictures of what we've been up too! Our shared reading big book for last week was Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  We used interactive writing for the color words and we sponge painted the animals from the story.  For the pictures I blew up clipart that I bought from  KPM Doodles .  The kids had a great time sponge painting!  We had enough copies of the sponge painted clipart that we were able to make our own Brown Bear book.  In our version we used my picture for the teacher and a class picture for the children!  They loved reading their book in the library center! Next week our Big Book will be Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, but our peom will be Some Letters. You can get your pocket chart and song and poetry poem  here!   Enjoy! Pin It

Mrs. King at  Queen of the First Grade Jungle  is giving away an an awesome math book!  Go check out her awesome blog and enter to win! Pin It

Thank you Chrissy at Read Write Sing Kindergarten  for nominating me for this award!  So sweet!  Be sure to check out her awesome blog! After accepting this honor there are some things you are requested to do. 1.  Thank the person (people) who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog. 2.  Share 7 things about you. 3.  Pass this award along to 15 other blogs that you have discovered. Seven things you may or may not know about me: I'm kind of an open book so it's super hard to think of 7 things someone wouldn't know about me, but here goes! 1. I've only taught kindergarten but I'm super close to being certified to teach early childhood special ed.   2.  I'm super flexible in my classroom, but I'm really terrified of real change-see #1. 3. I get so distracted that I sometimes drive home more than once to make sure I shut the garage door! 4. I love doing super crafty projects that I find on pinterest, but sometimes they loo...

Joy of Kindergarten: 101 Followers and a GIVEAWAY! : She's giving away a target or dollar tree gift card so go check out her super cute blog! 'via Blog this'

Can Do Kinders: A Give Away! Yippee!!   You can win a gift certificate to DJ Inkers!  Check it out! 'via Blog this' Pin It

Do you ever make a totally awesome purchase and you just want to shout about it to the world?  Me too!  Well, a couple of weeks ago I bought these fabulous math journal prompts from Dee Dee Wills at Teachers Pay Teachers!  They are awesome and my kiddos are so excited about writing in their math journals! Mrs. Wills Kindergarten My friend Sara at school does the most awesome Zero the Hero book.  I want to join in the fun but sometime  arts and crafts are just hard for me!  So I bought this fantastic Zero the Hero unit from Growing Kinders Teachers pay Teachers store.  (Confession-I skipped calendar today because it's the 10th day and I wasn't ready)!  Can't wait to use this new unit tomorrow! Growing Kinders Thanks for stopping by! Jody Pin It

Here is the Brown Bear, Brown Bear Roll and color sheet I made to use with my math choices next week! Brown Bear Roll and Color Pin It   

When I first started my blog I figured that at the very least it would be a good storage spot for my ideas.  I am so thankful that I actually have followers.  And now, my very first follower rated me one of her top 10 blogs!  I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  Mrs. Patterson is amazing so if you are reading this please check her out!   Pin It

Last week Mrs. Lochel at Keeping Up with the Kindergarteners posted about the name game that she does with her kindergarteners (read her post here ). I was so inspired that I started the name game the very next day!  Now each day, in addition to cheering the letters for the student of the day's name, we are doing the name game.  Like Mrs. Lochel, we write the students name on a sentence strip. Then we cut the letters apart and place them into the pocket chart.  We cheer "give me a --" as we spell the students name.  Then I model how to draw the student. After that we pass out the papers and all of the students draw a picture of the student of the day. I am so grateful to have learned about this idea!  My students are loving it!  I love that it #1 gets my students up for a break from the rug,  #2 my students are getting lots of practice drawing people, and labeling them and #3 they are loving it!  I don't bind the books, I just put a heavy dut...