Fun in First

A Teaching Blog by Jodi Southard

Curriculum

Fluency Poems

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Reading fluency is the ability to read accurately and with expression.  What better way to practice reading fluency than by using poetry?  Poetry has a rhythm and melody that is perfect for practicing reading fluency.  We all know the importance of rereading when it comes to practicing fluency, but rereading can be boring.  Using cut apart poems is one of my favorite ways to have my students practice reading fluency.

Do you need a fun and creative way for your students to work on reading fluency? These cut apart poems are perfect. You will provide the students with the mixed up poetry strips. They have to keep rereading the poem over and over again to figure out the correct order. Poems are a great way to work on expression and rhythm while reading as well.

I give each student a mixed up poem.  They cut the strips apart and work to put the poem into the correct order.  Guess what they have to be doing the entire time that they are working on putting the poem in order?  They have to be rereading it and rereading it over and over again.  They also reread it with a rhythm and expression that helps them to figure out the order of the poem.  While they are putting these in the correct order, we can discuss rhyming words and how they will align in a poem.  This activity also lends itself to discussing capitals and punctuation.  The students can get clues about the order of the lines by looking at where the capitals and ending marks are on each strip.

Want to try using fluency poems in your classroom?

I created a packet of 20 fluency poems that can be used in whole group, small group, or in an independent work station.  Each rhyming poem comes with a color and black/white version of the completed poem, mixed up poetry strips, and a matching sheet for gluing on the final poem.

Do you need a fun and creative way for your students to work on reading fluency? These cut apart poems are perfect. You will provide the students with the mixed up poetry strips. They have to keep rereading the poem over and over again to figure out the correct order. Poems are a great way to work on expression and rhythm while reading as well.

I personally always begin using these in a whole group setting.  After students get the hang of it, I like to copy the poems and put them in an independent work station.  The strips can be laminated and reused if you want to save on paper usage.

Click on any of the pictures above to head over to my Teachers Pay Teachers store and check out these poems.

Writing Mini-Lessons for the Entire Year

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When you hear writing instruction, do you want to pull your hair out, or do you get excited?  Let me be honest.  For way too many years, I wanted to pull my hair out.  It wasn’t necessarily because I didn’t enjoy teaching writing.  It was because I was overwhelmed with the task at hand, and I had no idea where to start.  I knew that writing mini-lessons were the way to go because my students needed to spend the majority of their writing block actually writing.  Not listening to me talk.  Even though I knew that I needed to do writing mini-lessons, I still felt overwhelmed.  Which skills should I focus on and when?  Was I hitting everything that my 1st graders needed?  Over the past couple of years, I have began piecing together a writing curriculum using mini-lessons for my students.  It took me awhile to get it just right, but I am THRILLED with the results.

Teaching writing in small mini-lessons makes writing instruction more attainable and gives students more time to spend during their writing block, actually writing. These mini-lessons for the ENTIRE YEAR take the guesswork out of what to teach each day in writing.

These writing mini-lessons are grouped into months and can be projected for your students as you go through a lesson each day.  Simply open the file, and click onto the day’s lesson.  Each lesson takes 5-10 minutes max.  Then, the remainder of the time is spent on practicing their writing craft using what they have learned from that day’s lesson.  Students will not become better writers by listening to a long writing lesson.  They HAVE to be writing, so I wanted these to be short and sweet with a very clear focus.

Teaching writing in small mini-lessons makes writing instruction more attainable and gives students more time to spend during their writing block, actually writing. These mini-lessons for the ENTIRE YEAR take the guesswork out of what to teach each day in writing.

 

Where do students write?

This file also includes monthly journals that can be printed for your students to use that follow along with each mini-lesson for the month.  The lessons themselves all start with a “We can” statement.  The journal pages contain an “I can” statement to show their writing focus for that lesson.  This format also allows me to stay focused when I am analyzing their writing.  I am definitely guilty of looking at a piece of writing and trying to fix it ALL.  These “I can” statements allow me to focus ONLY on that particular writing lesson objective.

Teaching writing in small mini-lessons makes writing instruction more attainable and gives students more time to spend during their writing block, actually writing. These mini-lessons for the ENTIRE YEAR take the guesswork out of what to teach each day in writing.

As of right now, this is a GROWING BUNDLE of writing mini-lessons.  When it is completed, it will include 180 mini-lessons for your entire year of writing instruction.  As I complete each month, I will add it to the bundle, so you can redownload the update.  These truly have been a GAME CHANGER in my classroom.  I no longer dread writing time.  I look forward to it because I know exactly what I will be teaching and looking for in their writing for that day.  Take a closer look in the video below.

If you need to make your life easier when it comes to writing instruction, click the picture below to learn more.

Teaching writing in small mini-lessons makes writing instruction more attainable and gives students more time to spend during their writing block, actually writing. These mini-lessons for the ENTIRE YEAR take the guesswork out of what to teach each day in writing.

Editable Word Work Activities

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Word Work is such an important skill to practice in the primary classroom.  Word Work, or word study, is often considered “spelling practice” in classrooms.  While word study does involve learning to spell words, it is not your traditional spelling practice of simply memorizing words for a spelling test.  Word Work involves learning the patterns and meanings behind our written language.  Whether or not you do “spelling” in your classroom is up to you and your school district.  My district uses spelling words and gives spelling tests.  My goal is to make them the most useful for my students.  Instead of focusing on memorizing the spelling words each week, and then forgetting them right away, I want my students to understand the patterns in our spelling words.  Our spelling words are related to our phonics skill for the week, plus a couple of high frequency words.  We practice these words during our independent Word Work stations, in our whole group instruction, and small group instruction.  I created these Editable Word Work activities to use each week with my students.

Word Work is such an important skill to practice in the primary classroom. These Word Work Activities allow you to use ANY words that you would like for your students to practice. Your students can practice spelling words, sight words, or word families. The possibilities are endless. Simply type in your list of words and 12 Word Work Activites are automatically generated for you to use in whole group, small groups, independent word work centers, or homework.

These Word Work Activities allow you to use ANY words that you would like for your students to practice. Your students can practice spelling words, sight words, or word families. The possibilities are endless. Simply type in your list of words and 12 Word Work Activities are automatically generated for you to use in whole group, small groups, independent word work centers, or homework.  See how it works in the video below.

What are the Editable Word Work activities that are included?

There are 12 Word Work activities that can be used with 10 words and 12 of the same activities that can be used with 5 words. This allows for easy differentiation for your students who are not ready to work with more than 5 words at a time.  You will find the following activities:
•Rainbow Write
•ABC Order
•Spin & Write
•Writing Sentences
•Using Different Tools
•Roll & Color
•Pyramid Writing
•Wiggle Writing
•Roll & Write
•Roll & Read
•Tic Tac Toe
•Secret Code Words
•Flash Cards

“This is a brilliant idea!! Type the list once and instantly get 12 differentiated activities. I can’t wait to use this in my classroom. This has to be one of my all time favorite downloads.” -Darlene

 

Word Work is such an important skill to practice in the primary classroom. These Word Work Activities allow you to use ANY words that you would like for your students to practice. Your students can practice spelling words, sight words, or word families. The possibilities are endless. Simply type in your list of words and 12 Word Work Activites are automatically generated for you to use in whole group, small groups, independent word work centers, or homework.

This is truly a huge time saver in my classroom because I can use any list that I want to use for my students.  It is easy to differentiate for my students to work on sight words, word families, or spelling words.  I also included activities that can be used with 10 or 5 words, which allows me to cut my word list in half for struggling students.

You can learn more about these Editable Word Work activities by clicking on the picture below.

Word Work is such an important skill to practice in the primary classroom. These Word Work Activities allow you to use ANY words that you would like for your students to practice. Your students can practice spelling words, sight words, or word families. The possibilities are endless. Simply type in your list of words and 12 Word Work Activites are automatically generated for you to use in whole group, small groups, independent word work centers, or homework.

 

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.

 

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.