ATTENTION TX Kindergarten Conference Attendees!!! Your Goodies as Promised!!!

These last couple of weeks have been a bit of a blur, so I'm lacking in my posts these days.  However, I have to say that I've LOVED my time with all my Texas 1st and Kindergarten teachers these last couple of weeks.  I swear I'm not biased or anything, but Texas has some of the sweetest, best teachers around ;)

I was able to spend a lot of time with our TX Kindergarten teachers this past week at the SDE Texas Kindergarten Conference.  It was awesome!!!  I loved meeting and talking to so many talented, dedicated teachers across our great state.  During our time together, I promised these teachers I'd come back to the blog and link to a few resources, activities, books, and free printables we discussed during each session.  Hope this is helpful!!  I also put my little store on sale for a limited time so that you could grab some of these resources at a discount if you're interested.  Sale ends tomorrow!!

Now let's get to the good stuff!!

READER'S WORKSHOP

These are the books I referenced regarding implementing & organizing a Reader's Workshop as well as mini lesson ideas.  Great for your teacher toolboxes!

Introducing Reader's Workshop  and  Revisiting the Readers Workshop

We talked about those parent letters for lending the library and interest surveys.  As promised, here are the (free) printables.  Reader's Workshop "Lend your Library" parent letter & Interest Survey

This is the bookmark I had in my Reader's Toolkit.  You can grab it for free here:  Reader's Toolkit reading strategy bookmark

This is the parking lot visual for the sticky notes we talked about.  As promised, here's the (free) printable:  Reader's Worskshop Parking Lot Thinking Stickies

Some of you asked where I got my Reader's Workshop mini lessons and did I have a curriculum I followed.  I mentioned Kim Adsit's Reader's Workshop units.  They are fabulous!!!!  If you haven't started a reader's workshop in your classroom and don't know where to begin, these are great resources chock FULL of mini lessons and ideas.  I highly recommend!!  

WRITING INTERVENTIONS

Here are the finger spacers I showed y'all...great for spacing and directionality.  (Writing Inhibitor - Spatial/Sequential Ordering)

1 finger spacers /  2 finger spacers

This is the Marshmallow Spaces Activity I mentioned when we were talking about those spatial/sequential writing inhibitors.

These are the checklists and visuals many of you asked about during our discussion about interventions for those kids struggling with memory & focus.  As promised, here's a free download of those resources.  Writing Intervention Checklist & Visuals 

Here  is a link to the book I referenced:  The Pre-K - 2 Writing Classroom - Growing Confident Writers

We talked about offering prompts/sentence starters as a modification for students struggling with language and higher order cognition.  I promised I'd link to the resources I created for this and use in my classroom.  

September / October / November / December / January / February / Work on Writing - The Growing Bundle

This is a WONDERFUL book and I LOVED using this in my classroom!!!  I referenced this resource when we talked about adding detail.  Marvelous Mini Lessons for Teaching Beginning Writing

I also referenced these books...GREAT reads!!!!   Engaging Young Writers / In Pictures & In Words

I KNOW IT BY SIGHT!  (SIGHT WORDS)

I hope y'all got some ideas you could immediately implement in your classrooms when you returned on Wednesday.  I know we covered A TON!!!!  

These are the Sight Word Bracelets (Really Good Stuff) I showed y'all and promised to link to.

Here is The Sight Words on the Bus Song I used in my classroom.

I have been searching and searching for my "ring of chants" file, but I'm pretty positive I was right...it was lost when I transferred :(  SO SAD!!  Here are sight word chants you can print on labels and adhere to popsicle sticks (free download!!!!)

Here's the link to the portable word wall many of you asked about (free)!!

This is the Sight Wordle activity I put in my sight words center. This post details how to create your own wordles!!!  

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT TIPS & TRICKS

So much to talk about, so little time :)  Behavior management looks different in every classroom because we don't have the same dynamics of kids to love :)  Don't forget about those relationships!!!!  

Here's the download to the Behavior Punch Card we talked about from What the Teacher Wants

We also chatted about reward coupons for a minute.  These are my FAVORITE!!!  And they're FREE from Amy Lemons at Step into 2nd Grade!!!!!

This is the recipe I used to make my Calm Down Glitter Jar

And this is the tutorial I followed to make my scratch off lottery ticket!!!!

Here's the website for the voice level bouncy balls/emojis/etc.  Our classroom LOVED this!

MAKING MATH MEANINGFUL & FUN!

Another session chock full of info...SO much to talk about!  

I referenced this post about integrating literacy & math (whole group)

I also referenced this post about problem solving (whole group, independent practice)

We talked about integrating CGI in the classroom and here's a bit more info about CGI and what it is. Like I said, I've been using this approach to teaching math since my first year in the classroom 13 years ago!  LOVE IT!!!!!

Here are the number anchor charts that were on display and many of you asked where to get them so I'm including the link.

I'm still searching for the number line prompt file!!!  If I can find that, I'll upload that, too!!

If you're looking for more activities to add to your math tubs, some of these might work for your classroom!

ANCHOR ACTIVITIES (Make & Take)

We talked about choice trays making an excellent anchor activity - these really help give our kids a sense of autonomy and ownership over their learning.  Here's a printable choice tray (free) for you to use how you wish!

Here is the free CVC printable for the CVC blending/segmenting pockets we made.

The clipart  I used for the CVC cards is from  Pink Cat Studio. 

The other questions about clipart - I also love Educasong and Whimsy Clips!!!

All of the anchor activities we talked about will be available in the store this weekend (by request).  Great suggestion!  Thank you!!

CALLING ALL CREATIVE WRITERS!

Whew!  What a session!  So sorry it was cut short due to the fire alarm!!!!  I sure shot out of that room like I was on fire, didn't I?!  HA!!!  I had a few of you asking if I planned that...I sure didn't, but boy would it have been PERFECT!!  Especially since we were talking about setting the stage to engage!!  Why didn't I think of that?!  HA!!!!!  

Remember to keep in mind that writing won't just look different in every classroom, but it will look different with EVERY.SINGLE.STUDENT.  Y'all already know this, but I felt like that was such a big discussion I wanted to mention it again.  It's a scaffolded experience for our kiddos.  It's going to take TIME.  Lots and lots of TIME to develop the stamina they need to become independent writers.  Be there to support those struggling writers.  Help them ride their bikes and when they're ready, slowly take off the training wheels.  Progress is growth and that's what's most important...GROWTH!!!!  Just because Johnny's writing doesn't look like Susie's writing doesn't mean he isn't writing.  He's just writing differently :)  Even if that means Johnny is scribble writing while Susie is producing novels ;)

Part of our discussion led to the mention of these fabulous bloggers.  I wanted to link to them so you can pore over their ideas...they have some GREAT ones!!!

Elizabeth Hall - Kickin' it in Kindergarten

 Beautiful Holly - Kindergarten Connections

We also talked a lot about setting the stage to engage our emergent writers.  Giving them experiences...I mean, was that fire alarm not the PERFECT experience for a writing activity?!  Hope King has an EXCELLENT ebook all about setting the stage to engage.  I wanted you to know about this resource because so many of y'all expressed interest in this!!!

Some of you asked about a "writing curriculum" to support our varying levels of writers.  I used Deanna Jump & Deedee Wills writing workshop units in my classroom and wanted to link to those as well since some of you asked about this!

These are the books I referenced as well.  Engaging Young Writers / In Pictures & In Words

VOCABULARY BUILDING:  A CHALLENGE & AN OPPORTUNITY

This is the book I referenced.  AMAZING!!!  I definite "must" for your teacher toolbox.

Here's a link to my mini vocabulary notebook (free)

This is the interactive vocabulary notebook from Abby Mullins (aka Babbling Abby) I referenced.  One of my favorite resources perfect for either the whole group notebooks we talked about or for individual notebooking as well.

I hope that covered what I said I'd link back to :)  It all seems like a blur, so there's a good chance I might have forgotten a few things!!  As always, if you have any questions about anything, please feel free to shoot me an email at thefirstgradeparade@gmail.com or leave me a comment below!

Thanks again for coming out to the conference!!!  I feel blessed to be in a profession where so many teachers are EAGER to learn more and add new tips and tricks to their toolkits to make learning more fun, meaningful, and engaging for your kids!!!  Y'all know how hard it is to write sub plans and come back to goodness knows what.  I'd rather be sick that write sub plans, y'know?!  So THANK YOU for being such dedicated teachers.  THANK YOU for taking time out of the classroom and away from your sweeties to learn more!!!  You guys are AMAZING!!!!