Fun in First

A Teaching Blog by Jodi Southard

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Book Tasting for Primary Students

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I cannot say enough about how much I loved our Book Tasting Day!  My students were so engaged and the discussions that they were having about different genres of books was absolutely amazing.  I wish that I could have recorded their conversations.  It was truly a melt my heart teacher moment.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

How do I host a Book Tasting in my classroom?

I like to set the stage when I am doing an activity like this, but I also don’t want to spend a lot of money or a lot of time doing it.  Let’s face it….life is busy!  I purchased red checkered tablecloths, glass vases, fake flowers, and battery-powered candles from Dollar Tree.  I also purchased a class set of chef hats off of Amazon.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

The day before our Book Tasting, I pulled books in six different genres from my classroom library and our school library and put them into book baskets.  I personally used the genres biography, nonfiction, fantasy, realistic fiction, fairy tale, and graphic novel, but you could use any book genres that you want for this activity.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

On the day of our Book Tasting, we discussed genres.  We talked about how there are different genres of movies, tv shows, and books.  We reviewed some of the genres that we would be “tasting.”  Then, I passed out the Book Tasting trifold.  They filled out their reading information.  Then, we were set for our tasting.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

I told my students that they were required to visit three different genres of books.  They could not pick more than one book from one genre.  I knew that if I did not make this rule, many of my students would have stayed at graphic novels the entire time.  As they browsed, they were to choose a book from the tub of their choice, look at the cover, and flip through a couple of pages.  Then, they had to decide if this would be a book that they think they would enjoy reading.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

Holy engagement!  I could have watched them do this for hours.  They were so into this activity.  I absolutely loved hearing their conversations and reading their thoughts and feelings about the books.  It was truly amazing!  When they finished, they filled out the back of their form to rate and review the book tasting.

For the rest of the day, we completed more “restaurant themed” activities.  They acted as waiters and waitresses and took each other’s orders off of menus, which they loved.  We also completed many other writing, reading, and math activities.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

This will DEFINITELY be an activity that I will do every single year from now on.  The students loved it and it really increased their enthusiasm for books and reading, which is a win-win situation.

If you would like check out the printables that I used for our Book Tasting, click on the picture below.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

If you use these and host your own Book Tasting, I would absolutely LOVE to see pictures of your day.  You can email them to me or share them with my by tagging me on Facebook or Instagram @funinfirstblog.

Feel free to pin the picture below to save this idea to use anytime in your classroom.

Hosting a Book Tasting in your classroom is an amazing way to get your students interested in a variety of book genres. Students are engaged while exploring different genres and increasing their interests in books. Extend the "restaurant theme" for the day by completing the extra activities to fit the theme.

 

The Spring Challenge

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Do you or your students have Spring Fever yet?  I would say that we do, but it has not felt like Spring here yet, so I may have to call it never-ending Winter Fever.  If you need something to spice up your Spring, The Spring Challenge may be just what you’re looking for.  Do you need a fun, engaging, and academic activity for your class to complete anytime this spring? The Spring Challenge is your answer. Your class will compete in small groups to complete 10 academic challenges. After each challenge, the class will open a Challenge Ticket envelope and solve the code word. The first team to solve all 10 code words is the winning team.

This Spring Challenge includes 10 academic challenges that your students complete together to earn Challenge Tickets.  After they earn a challenge ticket, they use the code to solve the mystery word.  The first team to complete all 10 mystery word challenge tickets is the winning team.

Do you need a fun, engaging, and academic activity for your class to complete anytime this spring? The Spring Challenge is your answer. Your class will compete in small groups to complete 10 academic challenges. After each challenge, the class will open a Challenge Ticket envelope and solve the code word. The first team to solve all 10 code words is the winning team.

Each challenge has a picture at the top, which matches the picture on a challenge ticket.  This makes it easy to organize and to know which challenge ticket the students have earned.  I put each of the challenge tickets into envelopes, so the students can tear the envelopes open and get their ticket.  I have heard from other teachers that they prefer to place the challenge tickets into a pocket chart.  Then, as each group completes a challenge, they can go and get their ticket from the pocket chart.  There are many ways to organize this to fit your classroom.

What are the academic challenges included in The Spring Challenge?
-Adding adjectives to sentences
-Fact Families
-Bossy R Words
-Double Digit Addition
-Sequence Writing
-100’s chart
-Beginning Blends
-Telling Time to the Hour and Half Hour
-Spring Word Search
-ABC Order

These challenges really are a fun way to change things up in your classroom any day this spring.  I like to have some little type of prize for my students when they finish the challenge, like a pencil or spring eraser.  Eventually every team earns the prize, but you can do whatever works best in your own classroom.

Learn more about The Spring Challenge by clicking on the picture below.

Do you need a fun, engaging, and academic activity for your class to complete anytime this spring? The Spring Challenge is your answer. Your class will compete in small groups to complete 10 academic challenges. After each challenge, the class will open a Challenge Ticket envelope and solve the code word. The first team to solve all 10 code words is the winning team.

Reading Warm Ups

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Time spent in small reading groups is so important, and we have to make the most of our time while I have them at my reading table.  I like to start with some type of quick warm up to get their brains working before we get into our lesson.  I was constantly scrambling to come up with ideas, or I was stuck on doing the same things, so I came up with Reading Warm Up Cards.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

These cards are full of quick reading warm ups that we can use in our small reading groups, as a whole group, or when we have a couple of extra minutes in our day.  They are also great to use before lining up for lunch or recess.  I printed, laminated, and placed each set on a metal ring.  This way, they are easy to grab and use.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

I created five sets of Reading Warm Up Cards to reach many aspects of teaching reading and language arts; Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Grammar.

Phonological Awareness is the ability of hear and manipulate sounds.  I like to remember that phonemic awareness can be done with your eyes closed.  It truly is the foundation for learning to read.  This set includes cards for Sentence Segmentation, Rhyming, Alliteration, Syllables, Onset & Rime, Phoneme Blending, Phoneme Segmentation, and Phoneme Manipulation. (48 Warm Up cards in all)

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

The Phonics Warm Up cards include 120 cards in all working on Letter Sounds, Short Vowels, Beginning Blends, Ending Blends, Digraphs, Long Vowels, R-Controlled Vowels, and Dipthongs.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

The Vocabulary set includes 80 vocabulary warm ups.  These cards include a variety of vocabulary words as well as work with synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, and suffixes.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

The Fluency Warm Ups include 124 fluency cards working on Letter Fluency, Sight Word Fluency, Short Vowel Fluency, Long Vowel Fluency, Blend and Digraph Fluency, R-Controlled and Diphthong Fluency, Expression, and Short Story Fluency.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

Grammar Warm Ups include 104 cards working on Sentence Structure, Word Order, Sentence Fragments, Ending Marks, Nouns, Plural Nouns, Possessive Nouns, Proper Nouns, Irregular Plural Nouns, Verbs, Present-Tense Verbs, Past and Future Tense Verbs, Commas, Contractions, Adverbs, Combining Sentences, Adjectives, Pronouns, and Abbreviations.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

I have also bundled all 5 sets, 476 Warm Up cards in all, which includes the Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Grammar sets.  Click on the picture below to take a closer look and to download the preview files.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

If you have any questions or comments, let me know.  I love hearing from you and knowing how things are going in your classrooms.

Reading Warm Up Cards are a great way to begin your small group or whole group reading lessons. This set includes warm up cards for Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Fluency (476 cards in all.) Simply print, laminate, and place on a metal ring.

Interactive Fact Folders for Spring

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It’s officially Spring, even though it definitely does not feel like it here in Indiana.  Even if the weather is not cooperating, these Spring Interactive Folders will help.

Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

I love using these Interactive Fact Folders each month because they allow my students to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing.  They are always so proud of them when they are finished.  I began making these using file folders, but have since switched to using 12×18 pieces of construction paper with my students.  It’s much more cost effective, and they still turn out great.

What is included in an Interactive Fact Folder?

Each set of fact folders includes a cover page, graphic organizers, vocabulary words, four fact sheets, and a writing page.  I personally LOVE the fact sheets because the students can highlight vocabulary words and practice reading fluency and comprehension.  Then, the fact sheets get stored in the pocket inside of the fact folder.  Let me walk you through the Earth Day Interactive Fact Folder and give you an example of how I break these down.

Day 1 – Pass out the folders and the cover page.  The students color, cut and glue the cover onto the folder.Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

Day 2 – Pass out the Earth Day Graphic Organizer and have the students write what they know and what they want to know.  Then, have them complete the Vocabulary pocket and Color the Earth section.

Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

Day 3 – Have students make their Earth Day Fact Sheet pockets and glue on the comprehension organizer.  Then, I pass out the first fact sheet.  We read through it and discuss the passage.  Next, the students lift up the flap on the organizer and write something from that passage.  We usually do two passages on the 3rd day.

Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

Day 4 – We read through the last two fact sheet passages and write our information under each flap.  Then, I pass out the vocabulary words.  We discuss each of the words.  Then, we go back and find them in our reading passages.

Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

Day 5 – On the last day, we write about our learning.  I pass out the writing page.  We discuss where we can find words to spell and information to write about in our fact folders.  I really emphasize to use our resources.  After the students complete their writing, they glue it onto the back of their fact folders.

Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

Doing these all in one day would definitely be A LOT, especially for 1st graders.  Older students may be able to handle it, but for my little ones, I like to break it down into manageable sections.

I am really excited about my April set of Interactive Fact Folders, which includes Plants, Insects, and Earth Day.

 

Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

Each of these folders can be purchased separately, or as a month bundle.  You may also be interested in my March set, which included Rainbows, Weather, and the Solar System.

Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing. Students will work on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing while learning about science and social studies topics.

If you love these and want to use them throughout the year, make sure you check out my Entire Year Bundle.

 

Digital Word Work

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Teaching phonics is an essential skill for readers, but if it’s not jazzed up, it can be downright borrrring for kids.  I absolutely LOVE teaching phonics.  I enjoy seeing my students put the puzzle pieces of phonics together to make words and having it all make sense to them.  Even my higher readers need to know and understand phonics skills.  We talk a lot about how knowing the rules of phonics can help them with longer unknown words.  Since phonics is such an important part of the 1st grade curriculum, I am constantly trying to find ways to make it more fun for my students.

A new component that I have added this year is Digital Word Work.  We do not have iPads or tablets for our students, so I created something that we could do together using what we have.  We have one computer and a projector, so I created a Digital Word Work Slideshow that can be projected while my students record their answers or interact with the slides.

Do you need something to help spice up your phonics instruction each week? This Digital Word Work activity is the perfect way to add a little extra to your week. Simply project the file onto your screen and complete these activities as a whole group or small group. Students will record their answers for some of the activities on the included recording sheet.

What is included with Digital Word Work?

These Digital Word Work packets come with three separate files.

  1. Digital Word Work without Timers – This includes a Power Point Slideshow that you will display and click through each section at your own pace to allow for all students to complete the activity.
  2. Digital Word Work with Timers – This Power Point Show has timers, which allows you to walk around your classroom and help students where needed.  This works well once your students have done these for a couple of weeks and know exactly what is expected.
  3. Printable Recording Sheet- This includes a PDF that needs to be printed for each of your students.  I print this 2-sided, so each student only needs one paper.

How do I use Digital Word Work?

I personally use the slideshow without timers.  I have a huge range of learners in my classroom, and I want to make sure that I give my students an ample amount of time to complete the task.  Plus, my goodness…we have a really hard time keeping track of our crayons in my classroom 🙂

I hand out the 2-sided recording sheet and have my students go ahead and get their crayons ready before we start.  Then, I project the slideshow for the class.  The first activity has the students looking at pictures and saying the phonics skill sound for each picture.Do you need something to help spice up your phonics instruction each week? This Digital Word Work activity is the perfect way to add a little extra to your week. Simply project the file onto your screen and complete these activities as a whole group or small group. Students will record their answers for some of the activities on the included recording sheet.

The second activity uses the recording sheet.  A group of pictures are on the screen.  The students have to write down the picture that shakes on the screen.

Do you need something to help spice up your phonics instruction each week? This Digital Word Work activity is the perfect way to add a little extra to your week. Simply project the file onto your screen and complete these activities as a whole group or small group. Students will record their answers for some of the activities on the included recording sheet.

Students need their crayons for the third activity.  They turn their recording sheets over and color the picture that matches the word on the screen.

Do you need something to help spice up your phonics instruction each week? This Digital Word Work activity is the perfect way to add a little extra to your week. Simply project the file onto your screen and complete these activities as a whole group or small group. Students will record their answers for some of the activities on the included recording sheet.

The last activity gets the students up and moving.  When a picture flashes on the screen that has the particular phonics skill that you are working on, the students have to stand up.  If a picture appears that does not follow the skill, they stay seated.

Do you need something to help spice up your phonics instruction each week? This Digital Word Work activity is the perfect way to add a little extra to your week. Simply project the file onto your screen and complete these activities as a whole group or small group. Students will record their answers for some of the activities on the included recording sheet.

These have been a great addition to our classroom.  It’s just a fun twist on phonics each week.

Which phonics skills are included?

I have each phonics skill listed individually, but I also have bundles available.  The Ultimate Bundle includes:

♥short a, e, i, o, & u  ♥r blends  ♥s blends  ♥l blends  ♥ending blends  ♥sh digraph  ♥th digraph  ♥ch digraph  ♥wh digraph  ♥long a_e  ♥long a (ai,ay)  ♥long e  ♥long i_e  ♥long i (ie/igh)  ♥long o_e  ♥long o (oa, oe)  ♥long u  ♥ar  ♥er,ir,ur  ♥or  ♥soft c/g  ♥ou/ow  ♥oi/oy  ♥au/aw  ♥oo/ew

Check out ALL of my Digital Word Work packets in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

 

100th Day Challenge

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A couple of weeks ago, we had our 100th Day of School.  It is always such a fun day, and one that the students look forward to.  Along with the traditional things that I have done for the past couple of years for the 100th Day of School, I added in the 100th Day of School Challenge.  This was set up just like the Christmas Challenge.

The 100th Day of School Challenge is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice their academic skills while collaborating and earning challenge tickets.

I love these challenges because my students have to work cooperatively together to solve 10 academic challenges.  After they solve a challenge, they earn a challenge ticket envelope.  Inside of the envelope is a mystery word that they have to solve using the code.  It is amazing how excited they get when they earn each of their tickets.

The 100th Day of School Challenge is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice their academic skills while collaborating and earning challenge tickets.

It’s an easy to prep activity that the students love, and they don’t even realize they are learning.

“My students loved the challenges. They even begged to skip indoor recess to keep working on them! So engaging!” -Alyssa

The 100th Day of School Challenge is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice their academic skills while collaborating and earning challenge tickets.

“AHHHH!!! My students are going to LOVE this! They love teamwork & challenges! I can’t wait to use this on our 100th Day! -Jennifer

What is included in the challenge?

★Directions for the Challenge
★10 academic challenges (math and language arts based)
★10 Challenge Tickets
★10 Corresponding Envelope Labels
★100th Day Challenge Code
★Answer Key

Check out the 100th Day Challenge by clicking the picture below.

The 100th Day of School Challenge is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice their academic skills while collaborating and earning challenge tickets.

Need more 100th Day of School ideas?  Check out this 100th Day of School blog post from last year.