Insects, Dinosaurs, and Bears....Research Writing Report Units....Oh my!

One of the biggest new challenges of ELA Common Core this year has been the rigorous amount of writing. Don't get me wrong...I love teaching writing and I truly value writing! However, I have found myself trying to find new and exciting ways to incorporate daily writing with my students. One of my students favorite activities this year has been working on "research" reports. I have sent them home as homework, used them as part of my writing process, and used them  as a whole group demonstration on how to do research.

Here are some of the research reports that I have developed! Click on the picture to get to the link at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!!! 

 

Each report unit contains:

- Report Cover Page (colored and black and white)

- KWL Graphic Organizer

- Can-Has-Is organizer

- Research Report

- Label and draw it

- Opinion Writing organizer

- Writing template

[ELA Common Core standards: W.K.1, W.K.2, W.K.3, W.K.6, W.1.1, W.1.6, W.1.8, W.2.1, W.2.6]

* The insect report and writing is one of my best selling units!  *

 

 

I hope you find these helpful! Enjoy!

Getting ready to visit the Dairy Farm and Cows!!!

This Friday we will be taking a field trip to Middleton Farms- a real dairy farm!!!  My babies are SO excited! It's one of my favorite field trips! The students get see a cow being milked, bottle feed a baby calf, and learn how milk goes from the cow to their lunchroom!  In honor of our field trip, we will spend the week talking about cows and dairy farms!

To prepare, I created a mini-thematic unit on cows! The unit has 2 cow crafts, a poem for a pocket chart, a reader, math counting mats and some great graphic organizers!!! There is even a recipe for ice cream in a Ziploc bag! Yummmmm!

 

A final product of the cow crafts! How cute are these?!!

 

 

I'm so excited to do these fun activities with my students this week!!!

What are some of your favorite field trips?

 

Here comes.....Sneaky E!!!!

I am SO excited about this week! For the first time EVER in my teaching career, I am going to teach the Sneaky E. With the new common core standards, the CVCe pattern was moved from first grade to the kindergarten standards. At first, I was very nervous! But after plenty of research, Pinterest-ing (is that even a word), and phone calls to first grade teacher besties, I think I am FINALLY ready!!

Here is my Sneaky E poster!  I thought it turned out cute!!!

 

I also found a cute paper bag puppet Sneaky E that we are going to work on tomorrow!

I can't wait!!!!!

100th Day of School!

I know that I am a little late on this post!!!!  But, I still wanted to share some of the adorable things we did that day!!!  We began our morning with a 100th day of school parade! All kindergarten students came to school dressed up like old people! It was absolutely adorable!!!! 

My students were welcomed with a "We are 100 Days Smarter" banner!

We made a 100 snack with a Mini Twix and 2 powdered donuts!

 

We made a 100 snack mix!

 

We made portraits of what the students would look like at 100, jumped for 100 seconds, listed 100 reasons why we love our school, counted to 100 by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s, and so much more! 

 

For more 100th day fun, visit my 100th day of school Pinterest Board here!

Happy birthday Dr. Seuss!!!

WOW!  What a busy week!!!  I spent the entire week last week getting my students ready for our Seussville Musical that we had on Friday! It was fabulous!!  I love Dr. Seuss Reading Day and I look forward to it every year!!!  My sweet babies had so much fun getting our classroom and our hallway ready for Whoville! My class helped me decide the theme of our bulletin board...Green eggs and Ham!!!! 

 

 We listed many, varied, and unusual things (A Talents Unlimited Activity) that are green and illustrated our favorite one!  

 

 I find it hard to fit everything on a bulletin board so I gladly take up the entire wall outside of my classroom!

 

To begin our green eggs and ham theme, we had to make green eggs and ham to taste!!!  I brought in an electric skillet and had the students help me make them!  My students thought that they would hate the eggs but guess what....they LOVED them!!!

 

And don't forget to graph it!!

 

 

There are so many amazing things to do for Dr. Seuss that you could spend months on his stories!!!!  I picked a few of my favorites for the week:

 

The Cat in the Hat

 

The Lorax

 

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

 

We ended the week with a Seussical Snack!!!  We had Truffula Tree Tops (colored marshmallows), Green Eggs (mint M&Ms), Barbaloots (Chocolate teddy grahams), Zoo Animals (animal crackers), Cat in the Hat Stripes (gummy savers), and One Fish, Two Fish (colored gold fish)!!! 

 

 

 

No Dr. Seuss Reading Day would be complete without special treats for my babies!!!  Target's Dollar Spot has some great Dr. Seuss goodies for $1!!!!

 

SOOOO to conclude this awesome week, the entire school came to school dressed as Whoville children and characters! They were greeted at the door by our principal dressed as The Grinch! It was awesome!!! To keep with my theme, I was Sam-I-Am!

 

and of course my teaching bestie!

 

So Reading Day has come and gone!!!!  What are some fun activities you do for Reading Day with Dr. Seuss???