Motivating Little Boys to Read

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Sometimes, it can be a little hard to get our little boys motivated to read. Boys are boys and they just want to do what they do best…play, play, play.

So, I was thinking of how to make reading engaging enough to hold their attention. My son thinks that the ABC chart is just plain BLAH, BLAH, BLAH…..boring.

Personalized Alphabet
I came up with a personalized Alphabet Chart designed especially for BOYS. First, I chose a theme that he loves. He has been obsessed with Super Heroes since forever so this seems like the best choice. Then, I made a list of the things that he and most little boys are interested in and came up with this alphabet chart. It includes words such as airplane, frog, kite, magnet, lion, pirate and robot.

Do you think that he is interested now?

 Oh, yes, yes, yes 🙂

Super Alphabet cards
I used the pictures from the alphabet chart to make individual alphabet cards for our pocket chart. 

Super Hero cape
I found this old t-shirt. I have no idea who it belongs to. Someone must have left it behind and never claimed it:) So, I cut the front part out and made it into a Super Hero learning cape to match the theme. The length is perfect. He runs around the house pretending to fly and uses his Super Powers to learn:)
Now, he is ready to learn!
Writing Skills
He started out by practicing his writing skills. He was so eager that he did not give me time to laminate and cut the cards out. Laminated cards are better so that  you can use them over and over again with a vis-a-vis marker. By the way, he is wearing his Super Hero cape while he “writes like a hero”
Dice Game
I made alphabet cards to fit in these dice with clear pockets. Angel had fun rolling the dice.  Not only is it fun, but it still keeps with the super hero theme.

Splat game
We used the dice game from above to play a roll the letter, splat the letter game. This is good to review letter names and letter sounds.  So, when he rolled out the letter “c”, he used a fly swatter that we found at Wal-Mart to “SPLAT” the letter. Wow, this fly swatter is perfect for this game. He loves anything with ACTION.

I also made word family cards for the dice. Angel played the “roll a word game.” We worked on making words with -at. 

Roll-a-Word, Color-the-Word
Every time that he rolled a word, he had to identify it on the -at word list and color the box with the word. Like this:

Roll-a-Word, Trace-a-Word
Angel had fun identifying the words. Now, he was ready to work with words. I made him a Read it, Trace it, Build it printable. He rolled the dice to make a word with -at. Then, he worked on that word.  Here, he is tracing the word bat.

Build-a-Word
Finally, he cut the letters out to build the word.

It was a very busy week, but a lot of fun 🙂 This personalized theme for little boys sure got him motivated. ( I am working on a personalized theme for little girls too.)

If you are interested in these activities, you can find them here:

Super Hero Alphabet

Super Hero Word Families: The cards can be used in the pocket chart. We just thought it was much more fun to use them in the Carson Dellosa cubes:)

These are the cubes that we used.

Make sure to download this 10 page freebie. 
These are the Word Family lists.
Enjoy!
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Memorial Day Sale!

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Lets have a Memorial Day Saleabration! 
Everything in my store will be 20% off on Sunday and Monday.
I am linking up with the Top Teachers listed below.
Have a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend!

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Alphabet Songs

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I have seen these Alphabet songs a lot lately. They are very interactive and catchy. These video songs help students learn letter names, sounds, words and practice letter formation. Many teachers have not been able to use this wonderful resource because districts block the use of You Tube videos in the classroom.

I was happy to come across Little Miss Kindergarten’s blog post this week. Apparently, you win the entire set of the alphabet videos by simply blogging about it. This giveaway ends on May 31st, 2012. After you blog about it, they will send you the videos as a download. This will make it very easy to store on a USB to use in your classroom. That is exactly what Little Miss Kindergarten plans to do and you can too.

Click here to get the details and get your free videos before this giveaway ends:)

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Remove image shadows in blogger

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I like to add images to my blog design and blog posts. I just do not always like the shadow around the pictures. I am guessing that the shadow box is simply a default on blogger. As you can see, I changed the colors of my blog design because the blue background image that I had seemed to break down on my browser. For some reason there were white horizontal spaces on the screen while my page was downloading.

This is the old design.

But, it always seemed to have random whites spaces like this one.

With this new design, I decided to add the cute apples on my sidebar to match the red background. I did not like the shadow around the  image. It just does not make my blog look clean. I was about to consider using this custom blog design in Florida but then I searched for a solution. I found an article on sillygrrl.com. She has two simple ways to do this. I tried the first option where you add some CSS to your Advanced tab under Template designer. This did not work for me. Then, I tried the second option. I had to go into my html to delete 3 lines. That option worked nicely.

Here is the before and after:)

Do you notice the shadow on this pic?
After deleting the 3 lines, I got this clean pic without the shadow box. I really like how this picture looks.

Here is the link if you need to remove the shadow box from your images.

http://sillygrrl.com/2011/07/30/how-to-remove-image-shadows-in-blogger/

Good Luck!

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Reading Response Bookmarks

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Ok. So my daughter is in 5th grade. Year after year she comes home with her Reading Log which I have to sign every day.

From first to second grade, she was only responsible for the following:

1- Read any book of your choice.
2- Write the title of the book in the reading log.
3- Parent signs the reading log every day.

Here is a free reading log. 

In fourth grade:

1- Read any book of your choice.
2- Read out loud for 20 minutes.
3- Choose a reader’s response question prompt to write about your reading.
4- Parent signature.

In fifth grade:

1- Select a chapter book.
2- Read at least 20 minutes a day.
3- Write the title of your book in your reading log.
4- Write page numbers that were read.
5- Write a brief summary about your reading.
6- Student signature
7- Parent signature
8- Write the number of AR points acquired that week.

My daughter loves to read. She carries a book wherever she goes, but to the grocery store? How can you read while walking around shopping for groceries? Well, I am sure that a lot of people can read while walking. Not me:) She even reads in the car. How does she do that? I get car sick when I try that 🙂
I am so glad that Daisy enjoying reading that much.

One day, I was buying her little reading light and a fancy little bookmark. Sometimes she does not even use that cute bookmark because she does not want to misplace it. So, she uses little pieces of paper and has to keep flipping through the pages to find her place when trying to do a reader’s response entry.

Hmmm. I think that her paper bookmark can serve a better purpose. So, I came up with the idea of Reader’s Response Bookmarks earlier this year. I am thinking that the younger readers might be able to illustrate their responses. Older readers can write and/or illustrate as space permits according to the length of the response. I am thinking that these are best suited for 2nd to 5th grade.

This book has 72 Reader’s Response Bookmarks which include graphic organizers and vocabulary development skills.

Here is a freebie for you. I hope that you like it.

By the way do not forget that TPT is having a Teacher Appreciation Sale. Enter Promo Code TAD12.

And make sure to download the freebies on Sunday, May 6 from the Teacher Appreciation Jackpot link up 🙂

-Have a great weekend!
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Teacher Appreciation Jackpot

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Update: (May 7, 2012) The Teacher Appreciation Jackpot event is over. I hope that everyone was able to download all the goodies yesterday.  
Revised with new info and link up on May 3rd  May 5th at 11:30 pm.

Teacher Appreciation Day is here!

My Freebie for you is my Kinder Memories student book in English. You can also get it in Spanish from my KinderLatino blog which is also listed on the linky party.
Download it now and then come back to the linky listed on the bottom to hop to other blogs for more freebies.

Would you like about $500 in freebies?  I am happy to participate in the Teacher Appreciation Jackpot this year. You will not want to miss out. Over 125 teacher bloggers have come together to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day in a big way. We will all donate a product from our TPT stores that will range between $3 to $8. We have been told that it is estimated be over $500 in freebies for you. We will have a total Jackpot amount later this week. We just want to show our appreciation for teachers in a big way where everyone wins! Plus if the teachers want to take part in another jackpot they can take a look at this article – https://kellysthoughtsonthings.com/understanding-slot-games/ to see how they can do so! There is no end to the games that can be played for teachers to have a good time and enjoy themselves, they deserve it.
This is a one day event. You will need to be ready on Sunday, May 6 (2012) to collect your freebies. I will post the Pre-K to 2nd grade Jackpot linky blog hop on this blog. 
To keep things organized, we had to divide the event into three categories according to grade level. Each will be coordinated by the bloggers mentioned below. If you are looking for a different grade, just click on the corresponding link to take you there.
These are the categories and the person organizing each one:
Come back often between now and then to learn more details that will lead up to the Jackpot day!

New information:


Teachers Pay Teachers has announced that they will be having a Teacher Appreciation Sale from May 6- 8th as seen on the purple button below. Many bloggers will be participating in this sale so make sure that you add items to your wish list and be ready for the event. 


These are the bloggers that are donating items to the Pre-K to Second Grade Category of the Jackpot.



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Winner announcement!

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Thank you so much for participating in the Amazing Giveaway by Top Teachers.

We have a winner of the Kid’s Reading Activities product entry.

Congratulations to Andrea Mondragon!! You are the winner of my Kindergarten Dolch Sight Words.

My kids have softball games today, but I will be emailing you your prize this afternoon:)

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Amazing Giveaway from Top Teachers

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This giveaway is over 🙁

It’s Giveaway time and you are not going to believe this!  Over 20 items up for grabs from AMAZING bloggers all over the USA!  It’s Top Teacher’s Giveaway Galore!

From me, you could win these Dolch Sight Words. Click on the image to preview. Make sure to enter your information in the Rafflecopter before APRIL 27th to win this item:

Dolch Sight Words for Kindergarten by Lidia Barbosa of Kid’s Reading Activities: “Sight word cards in a fun theme. Use them in a center, small group or on your word wall. A word sorting activity is included.” (K)

Make sure to leave a comment with your email.

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Then stop by these great BLOGS, look for this same post and enter to win their free products with them!
(Please note there is a link to the product and blog, you will want to visit their blog to enter.)


  Center Signs in Spanish by Lidia Barbosa of Kinder Latino: “These are 24 colorful center signs in Spanish. It includes two sizes. One full page size plus small cards for your Centers pocket chart.” (K-1) 


Sight Word Snap Cubes by Jennifer of Empowering Little Learners: “Looking for a fun new center for your kids? How about having them make the sight words with Snap Cubes! Use these cards to have your students count out blocks to create the letters and form the pre-primer sight words! Then they count how many cubes it took to make the words! Two recording sheets are included (one where students just count the snap cubes, and another where students count and write the word.)” (K-3)
Making Words with Blends by DeAnne of First Grade and Fabulous: “Making Words is a great activity to work on phoneme isolation, segmenting sounds, and blending sounds to make words. This packet includes Blends (with both short vowels and long vowels with silent e. You will find ten different making word directions which include their own recording sheets.” (k-2)
  Adding 3 Numbers Pack by Melissa of Dilly Dabbles: “Pack full of activities to support instruction on adding three numbers with sums within 20.” (K-2)
 Baseball Antonyms by Sally DeCost of Elementary Matters: “This is a game to practice antonyms. It has a baseball theme, and can be played like “Old Maid” or like “Concentration”. It can be played with a pair of children, or a whole reading group..” (1 – 3)
 Compound Word Magic Square for Grades 3, 4, & 5 by Heather of HoJo’s Teaching Adventures: “This is a great fun puzzle where students need to match 24 compound words together. You will get three different puzzles with this item.”(3-5)
  Interactive Student Notebook by A Teacher’s Treasure: “The ultimate alternative assessment & differentiating tool. Students will become creative, independent, reflective, thinkers, readers and writers. Students will be able to express their own ideas, process, and or apply the information and skills learned in this class. This notebook serves as a live journal, personalized textbook, and working portfolio. Engages learners of all learning modalities & multiple intelligences.” (4-12)
  Vocabulary Detectives 2 by Ruth of Teacher Park: “Run weekly vocabulary contests! As your students read their books, they fill out the Vocabulary Detective cards and put them in the Detective Jar. Have a drawing at the end of the week for the winners!” (4-6)
  Alphabet Writing: Quick Prompts From A to Z by Erin of Small Types: “Get students’ pencils moving and their creativity flowing with these short alphabet-themed writing prompts. Students can write notes to friends, make lists, turn alphabet letters into main characters and describe the details in fictional adventures–All corresponding to the letters of the alphabet. (Includes five prompts for each letter to suit different levels and interests.)”
Fun on the Farm by Brian of Hopkins’ Hoppin’ Happenings: “Here is a fun Farm Packet for primary grades. It includes Farm Rhyming Words – The words used are actually from the book Country Morning by Christine Lynn. Read more about it on my blog. It also includes I Have Who Has Dolch Words, Addition and Subtraction Center. You can use them as concentration matching, go fish, etc. All, but the I Have Who Has, has a work sheet and an answer key to go with it! I hope you enjoy!” (K-2)
Geometry Fun: A Supplemental Unit by Mandy of Mandy’s Tips for Teachers: “This 77 page packet includes vocabulary cards, a student dictionary, three games, two sorting activities, two creative art projects and a short assessment.” (2-4)
 Busy Teacher Forms by Michelle of Teach123 : “Fourteen forms to help busy teachers.” (K-3)
Farm Math Work Station Activities numbers 11-20 by Mandy of A Special Kind of Class: “Seven math work station activities including, subtracting, counting, number recognition, number matching, measuring and 2 adding activities. Includes response sheets and answer keys.” (K-1)
  The Three Frogs by Arlene of LMN Tree: “This is an ELA Guided Reading and Writing Unit for Grades 1-2. It includes a complete lesson plan, Word Study, Make and Take Book, Graphic Organizers, Story Sequence Writing Activity, Phonics Worksheet, Writing, Chant and Activities.
  Writing Center by Caitlin of Kindergarten Smiles: “I created these activities for my students writing center. They are all independent and fun! These can be used throughout the year (more than once). Activities range from name writing, to writing the globe, to sight word writing, to much, much, more!” (K-2)
   I Spy With My Frog’s Eye-A Differentiated Word Work Activity by Marsha of A Differentiated Kindergarten : ” This is a differentiated I-Spy activity which includes 16 pages of CVC, CVCC and CVCe activities that are tiered to help you meet the readiness levels of all your students.” (K-2)
  Writing Lists by Nicole of Teaching With Style: “This set of 10 lists is perfect for using during Daily 5. In my classroom, if students choose Work on Writing, they can work on their story from Writer’s Workshop, start a new story, write a letter to a friend, or write a list. “ (K-3)
  Digital Clock Sorting Game by Jennifer of Best Practices 4 Teaching: “This product allows students to sort digital clocks by ‘quarter til’, ‘quarter of’, ‘quarter after’, etc. Students will quickly see the pattern of the times and commit it to memory! In 2 days, all of my students had learned this concept using this sort whereas the lesson in our math kit totally confused them!”
  Synonym-Antonym Rap Packet by Abby of Third Grade Bookworm: “This packet is full of activities for a 2nd or 3rd grade classroom studying synonyms and antonyms. Students will enjoy the Synonym-Antonym Rap, partner game, buddy reading activity and other printables included in this set. Wrap it all up with a cute class book template that can be used with other units in the future!” (2-3)
Early Elementary Science – Human Body Unit with Literacy Math by Lisa of The Lesson Guide: “This Early Elementary Science based Anatomy Unit will teach students about the Human Body (inside and out) with colorful graphics and diagrams using a variety of Literacy and Math skills. This unit includes Measurement Skills, an original Poem with a Get Moving Analysis, Information/Facts about each Body Part with Vocabulary, Templates for students to create a nonfiction book about their body, Full color pictures of body parts and locations of body parts, a Classification and Math graphing activity with Critical Thinking Analysis, a Unit Project/Human Diagram, a Word Wall Classification activity with Phrase Cards, Resources and more!” (K-2)
  Building Popcorn Words by Krissy of Mrs. Miner’s Monkey Business: “This product includes weekly cut, build, and glue activities that follow along with my Monkey Popcorn Word Fun Unit as well as the Treasures series word list (which includes many Dolch and other HFW as well). It also has center materials that students can build the words in a pocket chart.” (K-1)
  Scooping Up Story Elements by Tonya of Super Second Graders: “This is a fun way for students to pick story elements to plan out a story. Students will pick a card from characters, setting, and plot and record then on the recording sheet. Students will use the chosen element to create a story. Students will have a blast getting to create fun and whimsical stories. “ (1-4)
  The Answer is… What’s the Question? Math Task Cards by Michelle of Making It As A Middle School Teacher: “28 numbered cards that leave the level of difficulty and specific math skill to be assessed up to you! Some students may only do basic operations, while other students may be required to do more advanced skills and give more details for their answers. Two student response options are also included!! Use for early finishers, have the whole class complete in Round Robin style, or use as a center. Pull out specific cards or use all 28 cards.” (5-8)
  David Shannon Author Study by Mary of Sharing Kindergarten: “This is an 80 page author study using the books of David Shannon. It features 8 book. Each book title has a reading comprehension game, answer key, and writign prompts with it. “ (K-1)
  Candy Land Long Vowel Game by Mel D of Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations: “This unique game is one of over 50 games I have to offer! Over 18 pages of long vowel words are on “look-alike” Candy Land cards. All you need is a game board & game pieces. Print, laminate & cut & use for years to come. These games can be used during Daily 5, tutoring, literacy stations, Daily 5 Math, RTI, ELL, Title 1 groups, homeschooling & more! The possibilities are endless!” (K-3)
A Not So Wimpy Resource: Fractions, Decimals & Percents Using Money by Kathie of The Diary of a Not So Wimpy Teacher : “This resource is great for differentiating instruction. Help struggling students, or those who have a difficult time with math concepts, understand fractions using money. This resource includes an info sheet, practice sheet, flashcards, and a bingo board.” (3-5)

Again, enter through Rafflecopter to win my product before APRIL 27th.  Winner will be announced on April 28th!  

And then hop on over to these great blogs to enter to win their free products too!  
Good Luck!
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Print Awareness in the Pocket Chart

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Print awareness activities can be incorporated into your shared reading lesson. Shared reading is an opportunity for the teacher to model the reading process and strategies used by fluent readers.  In order to conduct a shared reading activity, the text must be large enough to be visible to students. This can include big books and charts. There are several things that you can teach during a shared reading lesson.

One of my favorite things to do for shared reading are poems, songs and predictable sentences in the pocket chart. I also use these sentences from the pocket chart to create a student book. You can use these student books during small group instruction or independent reading.

In the beginning of the school year, I use these predictable sentences to review print awareness skills and identify high frequency words.

Below, you will find a list of skills that you can review next time you use a poem, song or predictable sentences in your pocket chart or writing tablet.

1-Idendtify high frequency words.
2-Develop one-to-one correspondence.
   (On the pocket chart: Your helper of the day can use a pointer to help you read the text.)
   (When using student books: Students can point to each word as they read.)
3-Develop fluency.
4-Develop new vocabulary.
5-Read from left to right.
6-Identify and name uppercase letters.
7-Identify and name lowercase letters.
8-Identify and name letter sounds.
9-Identify a space.
10-Identify a period.
11-Identify a letter.
12-Identify a word.
13-Identify a sentence.
14-Identify where a word or sentence begins.
15-Identify where a word or sentence ends.
16-Identify word patterns.
17-Learn to turn the pages of a book.

I hope that you found this information useful.

Are you a blogger? If so, join Charity’s blogger challenge.

5-Star Blogger

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Baby Bumblebee

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This is a cute song for your Spring unit. Kids love to sing along and use the hand motions:) Place it in your pocket chart and let one of your students use a fun pointer. Make sure to arrange the corresponding pieces side by side to complete the sentence. Some common core skills that you can review are:

-follow words from left to right
-follow words from top to bottom
-identify a letter
-identify a word
-identify a space
-identify the beginning of the sentence
-identify the end of the sentence
-identify and read the words mommy, baby, my, a, so and me
-identify the rhyming words

-Click on the picture to get this freebie:)

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