Fun in First

A Teaching Blog by Jodi Southard

Curriculum

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.

 

Sight Word Fluency in 5 Easy Steps

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Every teacher knows the importance of learning sight words, but so many times, sight words are taught in isolation.  In order to really improve sight word fluency, we need to teach sight words in context.  Students should be able to easily recognize sight words in the text while they are reading.  Sight word fluency allows students to increase their reading comprehension because their focus is off of trying to decode unknown words and can shift to comprehending what they are reading.

Did you know that the first 300 Fry Sight Words make up approximately 65% of all written material?  When students are not fluent with their sight words, this greatly impacts their reading abilities.  There are so many wonderful ways to practice sight words, but I am constantly trying to think of new and exciting ways to keep my students engaged while practicing sight word fluency.  A while back, I created my 5-Step Fluency passages.  They quickly became a favorite in my classroom, so I wanted to create a way to combine this with sight word fluency.  With that, 5-Step Sight Word Fluency was born.

This 5-Step approach to sight word fluency makes learning sight words fun. It is an engaging and effective way to practice sight words in context, which is proven to be more effective than teaching in isolation. This 5-Step Sight Word packet includes 47 fluency passages using the first 300 Fry Sight Words. Students will follow a 5-Step approach to practice.

I cannot tell you how excited I am about using these in my classroom.  It is such a fun and engaging way to work on sight word fluency.  Each passage follows a 5-Step approach.

1. Read the sight words from the Sight Word box on the top of the page.
2. Read the passage.
3. Highlight or circle the sight words in the passage.
4. Reread the passage in a silly voice.
5. Reread the passage in a regular voice.

The students LOVE rereading the passage in silly voices.  It is definitely a favorite among my 1st graders.

This 5-Step approach to sight word fluency makes learning sight words fun. It is an engaging and effective way to practice sight words in context, which is proven to be more effective than teaching in isolation. This 5-Step Sight Word packet includes 47 fluency passages using the first 300 Fry Sight Words. Students will follow a 5-Step approach to practice.

I have created two sets of 5-Step Sight Word Fluency.  I have a set for the first 300 Fry Sight Words.  This Fry 5-Step Sight Word set includes 47 passages using the first 300 Fry Sight Words.  The second set includes 37 passages using the 220 Dolch Sight Words.  This are great for whole group, small group, or individual sight word fluency practice.

If you need an engaging and effective way to practice sight words in context. check out 5-Step Sight Word Fluency.

I also have a BUNDLE that includes BOTH sets of passages.

 

This 5-Step approach to sight word fluency makes learning sight words fun. It is an engaging and effective way to practice sight words in context, which is proven to be more effective than teaching in isolation. This 5-Step Sight Word packet includes 47 fluency passages using the first 300 Fry Sight Words. Students will follow a 5-Step approach to practice.

Comprehension Notebooks

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Comprehension can be such a difficult task to teach, but these Comprehension Notebooks have been a life-saver over the past couple of years.  They allow me to give a quick daily dose of comprehension, and we can really dig deep into each story.  I personally use these in small groups, but they can also be used in a whole group setting.  I prefer to use them in small groups because I can use a variety of grade levels in order to differentiate for my students.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Daily Comprehension Practice

These Comprehension Notebooks are set up on a 5-day schedule using the same story each day.  In all honesty, I usually do these over a 2-3 day time frame.  My schedule does not allow me to meet with each small reading group every day, so I usually do Day 1 and Day 2 together.  Then, the next time, we reread and do Days 3-5.  You can use these however you feel works best in your own classroom.

Differentiating with Comprehension Notebooks

I have 4 different grade levels of Comprehension Notebooks available (Kindergarten-3rd grade).  I personally like to use each of the grade levels in my classroom depending on each student’s reading level.  While the majority of my students do well with the Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade notebooks, I definitely have students that are capable of using the 3rd grade notebooks as well.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

What does each Comprehension Notebook include?

Each notebook includes 30 weeks worth of comprehension practice using both fiction and nonfiction text.  The comprehension skills are appropriate for each grade level and include a variety of skills.  (cause and effect, main idea and details, compare and contrast, visualizing, theme, inferences, etc.)  Every week includes a Write About It section that allows students to respond to the text and make text-to-self connections.  In order to help you with differentiation, I also have two different bundles available for you.  My K-2nd grade bundle is a great way to differentiate for a 1st grade classroom.  I also have a K-3rd grade bundle that includes ALL of my Comprehension Notebooks.

What are teacher’s saying about Comprehension Notebooks?

“True brilliance…that is all I can say about this resource. I am going into my first year of teaching and have viewed thousands of resources and this is by far my favorite. The excitement I have for this is a little silly, I must say! (I even called my mom). I always struggled with comprehension as a child so seeing a clever way to implement reading comprehension activities aside from curriculum is brilliant!” -In the Shade

“This book is probably one of the best purchases I have made on TPT. I have used it daily. It is used as a must do for my students during centers. It took about six weeks of working with the students , but now they are working in a group of about 5 students and getting a lot out of the daily practice pieces. It goes along well with Journeys. I just have to tell the students what page to work on to match up with the comprehension skill of the week. Often they will ask if they can finish the page which is exciting to hearing. I sent it away to be bound into a book as shown and the students know to pull out their books when we have centers. If you are wondering if it is worth it… It is!” -Primary at Heart

“Absolutely a GAME CHANGER in teaching comprehension! Thank you for making a product full of practicality for my kiddos! Your hard work is beyond appreciated! Thank you for making my job easier!” -Krystina

Check out all of my Comprehension Notebooks.

Kindergarten Comprehension Notebook

1st Grade Comprehension Notebook

2nd Grade Comprehension Notebook

3rd Grade Comprehension Notebook

Kindergarten-3rd Grade Bundle

25 of the Best STEM Toys

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This list of 25 of the best STEM toys has been slowly created over the past couple of years as I purchase new items for my Morning Tubs.  I have become obsessed with finding new educational toys for my students that allows them to have fun and be creative.  When students become interested in one of the items, I like to send a picture to parents to use as ideas for Christmas or birthday gifts.  I thought that this list may come in particularly handy as you look to buy presents for your own children or for your classroom.

25 of the best S.T.E.M. toys for kids

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

1. Zoob Builderz

These blocks are really durable, and I love how they connect like joints to allow my students creations to be moveable.

2. Bristle Blocks

The bristles on these blocks interlock anywhere, so there are more options in how they can be hooked together.

3. Learning Resources Gears
My students love figuring out ways to make the gears move.

4. Kanoodle

This is one of my new favorite toys.  Not only is it great for the classroom, but I have to say, it is really addicting to play for adults as well!  It would be perfect for kids on a road trip or to keep them busy at an appointment.

5. Roller Coaster Challenge

This is a recent purchase that I am so excited about putting into my Morning Tubs.  

6. Playstix

These are similar to a soft version of Lincoln Logs.

7. Code & Go Robot Mouse

This has been a huge hit in my classroom this year.  The students love programming the mouse to make it move through the maze.

8. Emido Building Blocks

I love how these interlock with each other on all sides.

9. Picasso Tiles

These are very durable for being plastic tiles with magnetic sides.  I actually need to order another set of these because there were not quite enough for a group of 4 students.

10. Quadpro Magnetic Blocks

These were one of my first purchases for Morning Tubs, and they are still a favorite among my students.

11. Rainbow Flakes

These are so much fun!  Over time, a couple of the flakes have broken, but they are still usable.

12. Goobi Construction Set

My students love using these blocks.

13. Block Buddies

These blocks come with cards that have pictures for the students to create items with the blocks.

14. Legos

Legos are always a popular toy.

15. Marble Runs

This see-through marble run allows the students to follow the marble all the way through the maze.

16. Keva Brain Builders

These wooden planks come with pictures of structures for the kids to build.

17. Topple

My students love playing this game and trying not to make the pieces topple over.

18. Emido Block Bars

These pieces were a little hard to snap together for some of my students, but they eventually got the hang of it.  I would not recommend these for really young kids though.

19. Let’s Go Code

This is a great way to introduce coding without a computer.  The pieces go on the floor and the children can step on them to follow the code.

20. Snap Circuts

 

This includes over 100 different projects.  Some of them are easier than others.

21. Q-Ba-Maze 2.0

This is one that my own kids got last year as a Christmas present.  You can make some really cool marble mazes with this.

22. Gravity Maze

This is another marble maze, but it involves a logic puzzle as well.  You have to build a path to get your marble to the target.

23. Chain Reactions

This is perfect for teaching about simple machines and chain reactions.

24. Qwirkle

This is a great game for 2-4 players.

25. Ozobot Bit Coding Robot

This programmable robot comes with 20 games and activities.

Do you have any Must-Have STEM toys that you would add to the list?

Comprehension Bookmarks – Free Download

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Working on comprehension can be challenging, especially when you are trying to differentiate for a variety of learners in your classroom.  I like to use Comprehension Bookmarks to give my students some things to think about before, during, and after they read, but I knew that I needed a way to adjust the activity for the different reading levels in my room.

These FREE Comprehension Bookmarks are a great way to differentiate comprehension practice in your classroom.

This is a sponsored post. Fun in First has received payment, trade and/or products from Astrobrights in exchange for promoting, however all opinions stated are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

I created three different Comprehension Bookmarks that can be used depending on the type of book my students are reading and/or their level of comprehension.  I printed them on three different colors of Astrobrights paper for a number of reasons.  Studies have shown that color improves retention as much as 18%!  The more chances I can give my students to retain the information that I am giving them, the better.  Studies have also shown that color can increase memory and help students remain engaged.  This is definitely an area where I want my students to remain engaged for an extended period of time.  Another reason I used different colors for each bookmark to help me stay organized.  If my students lose their bookmark, they can tell me which color they had.  I can also find the bookmark to replace it much faster if they are printed on color paper.

These FREE Comprehension Bookmarks are a great way to differentiate comprehension practice in your classroom.

 

The first level of comprehension, printed on Lunar Blue™, has picture clues to help students with the questions.  They are pretty basic story structure questions.  The second level, printed on Martian Green™, does not have the picture clues.  It includes the basic story structure and sequencing questions.  The third level, printed on Solar Yellow™, includes higher order thinking questions for your more advanced readers.

These FREE Comprehension Bookmarks are a great way to differentiate comprehension practice in your classroom.

My students can keep their bookmarks in chapter books that they are reading, or they can grab their bookmark to use while reading a picture book.  These are perfect for placing at a Read to Self station or in an independent reading book tub.  How would you use these in your classroom?

These FREE Comprehension Bookmarks are a great way to differentiate comprehension practice in your classroom.

You can download these Comprehension Bookmarks for FREE in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

 

December Interactive Fact Folders

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Interactive Fact Folders have been a game changer in my classroom during social studies and science time.  I am always looking for good ways to integrate these areas with reading and writing, and these Fact Folders have done just that.

These December Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing.

These Interactive Fact Folder can be made on file folders or a 12×18 piece of folded construction paper.  To save money, I always use construction paper with my students.  24 pieces of construction paper is more cost-effective than 24 file folders.  Each folder comes with a cover page, graphic organizers, 4 fact sheets, a color section, vocabulary words, and writing pages.

These December Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Interactive Fact Folders

Many people want to know exactly how I use these in my classroom.  There is no right or wrong way, but this is what has worked best for me.  I spread these out and complete a little portion each day of the week.  Here is an example week:

Day 1: Pass out the cover page and 12×18 folded piece of construction paper.  Students color the front page, cut out along the black line and glue to the front of their folders.

Day 2: Pass out the Fact Sheet Pocket and their folders.  Students cut and glue their pocket together.  Then, they glue it into the inside of their Fact Folder.  Pass out the Fact Sheet Graphic Organizer.  Students cut it out, fold it in half, and glue it under their Fact Sheet Pocket.  Then, they take their scissors and cut up along the dotted lines.  Pass out the first fact sheet to read.  I read this to the class first.  Then, I have them highlight any vocabulary words or important facts that I would like for them to remember.  Next, the students flip up the first portion of the graphic organizer and write something they learned from the Fact Sheet.

Day 3: Pass out the folders and another Fact Sheet.  Follow the same procedure as yesterday.  Pass out the Color Page and Words to Know pocket.  Have the students cut out the items and add them to their fact folders.

Day 4: Pass out the folders and the last two Fact Sheets.  Follow the same procedure as the days before.  Pass out the final graphic organizer for the top of the inside.  Have students complete the graphic organizer and glue it into their Fact Folders.  Pass out the vocabulary words.  Go over these together.  Have students cut them out and place them in their Words to Know Pocket.

Day 5: Review all of the information they learned throughout the week about the topic.  Pass out the Writing Page.  Students use their resources from the Fact Folder to write about the topic.  Then, they cut it out and glue it onto the back of the folder.

When I created these, I knew that they would be a great resource for my students.  However, I’m always pleasantly surprised in how much ownership they take in these and how excited they are each time to take them home and share with their families.

December Interactive Fact Folder Topics

I have created a Winter Holidays, Christmas Around the World, and Reindeer Interactive Fact Folder.  They are all included in the December Bundle.  Each of these can be purchased separately, or you can save money by purchasing the bundle of all three topics.

These December Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing.

Which is your favorite December theme to teach?