Fun in First

A Teaching Blog by Jodi Southard

Spring

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.

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.

 

A Saint Patrick’s Day Craft

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Now that Valentine’s Day is over, it’s time to start thinking about the next fun holiday, Saint Patrick’s Day.  There’s just something simple and playful about this day.  I love that no gifts or cards are exchanged, and it’s really just about having some fun.  Since I love color, Saint Patrick’s Day is the perfect time to throw in some rainbow crafts and decorations.

I am absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Astrobrights®Papers again this year as a Bright Mind ambassador, so I wanted to share this fun writing craft that you can have your students make using paper from Astrobrights.

This post contains affiliate links.

This is a great Saint Patrick's Day craft that incorporates writing.

I started by giving each student a pot shape from Astrobrights Eclipse Black™ and a clover printed on Martian Green™ paper.  (You can download the clover HERE.)

A Saint Patrick's Day craft.

Then, I gave each student a strip of Re-Entry Red™, Orbit Orange™, Solar Yellow™, Gamma Green™, Celestial Blue®, and Gravity Grape™.  The students wrote a sentence on each strip with a reason why they felt lucky.

This colorful Saint Patrick's Day craft is a great way to incorporate writing.

Next, I taped each strip to a black string and attached it to the pots.

This Saint Patrick's Day craft is a great way to incorporate writing.I hung these from the ceiling.  This was a great way to work on writing, while making a colorful craft for March.

Do you know the Brightest Teacher?

I’m partnering again this year with Astrobrights®Papers for the Brightest Teacher Contest, which kicked off this past week.

If you know a teacher that goes above and beyond every day, nominate them to win an amazing classroom makeover, valued at $5,000 sponsored by Astrobrights and designed by the Bright Minds.  The contest ends on March 26th, so head over to colorizeyourclassroom.com to nominate the Brightest Teacher you know.

Mother’s Day

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My favorite day of each school year is the day of our Mother’s Day celebration.  We prep for the day by practicing poems, completing writing and pictures for our moms, and painting vases.
I purchase vases from Dollar Tree for the students to decorate each year.  I originally found this idea on Fabulous in First, and loved it.
I put the students into four groups, and have them learn a poem to read the day of our celebration.
We also decorate the bulletin board and classroom for our mothers.
 These were super simple using Astrobrights paper and heart stickers from Dollar Tree.
 We used the website Tagxedo to create these heart word clouds for our bulletin board.
The students decorate folders to hold all of their items.
 
The night before the celebration, I purchase flowers to put in their vases, table clothes, muffins, and juice.  I also set up their “Mom! Let’s Talk” bags.  I place questions in the bags as conversation starters.  This is a FREE download here.
During our celebration, the students read their poems, share their items they have created throughout the week, have discussions using the “Mom, Let’s Talk” bags, and then we watch a slideshow. 
For the slideshow, I take a picture of each student and then ask them to tell me the best thing about their mom.  I type them into a slide to place after their picture.  Add some music, throw in a couple of mother quotes, end with some class pictures, and you are good to go.
It is such a wonderful morning!
 


The Week Before Easter

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We only have three days of school this week, and then it’s SPRING BREAK!  Needless to say, we are all a little excited 😉
So, this week we are throwing a couple of Easter and spring themed activities into our learning.  Today, we “egged” our principal.
I started doing this a couple of years ago after seeing it here. I purchased my big egg from Hobby Lobby, but I’ve seen them cheaper at Walmart.  One year, I couldn’t find a big egg anywhere, so I just had my students write letters and place them into individual eggs.  Then, we placed the eggs in a basket.
 They did an “egg”mazing job of throwing “egg” into words 🙂
You can download the editable letter and “You’ve Been Egged” paper HERE.
I also sent this letter and a plastic egg home with each child today.
You can find this along with some other plastic egg activities in the following packet. (Just click on the picture below.)
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Educating-with-Easter-Eggs-Printables-to-Use-with-Plastic-Easter-Eggs-1183864
 


A Week on Instagram

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I love Instagram.  I’m such a visual person, and it’s just so easy to share a quick picture to show what we are working on in the classroom.  (If you’re not already following me, you can find me at @funinfirstblog.)
I wanted to blog about some of the things that I have shared this week over on Instagram, plus give you a couple freebies.
Since next week is all about Dr. Seuss, I “Seuss styled” my classroom door.
 
We also created this bulletin board.
 It’s one of my favorites to do each year for March.  You can download the printable HERE.
 
We also brightened up our classroom with this simple Saint Patrick’s Day project.
 The students wrote a reason why they felt lucky onto each strip of paper.
After the students finished all of their strips, I taped them onto a string and hung them from the ceiling.
They turned out so cute!
You can download the clover HERE.
 
Something else I shared on my Instagram last week was this article from Scholastic Teacher Magazine.
I was so excited to be a part of it.  It’s always neat to see something in print 🙂
Hope you had a great week!