All 5 I-Charts!

Hello, friends!!

I hope your week has been a wonderful one - mine was pretty darn good! We are now rockin' and rollin' with all 5 parts to the Daily 5 in our room, and the kids are loving it! I am trying to get better at my small group instruction during this time {it is SO HARD for me not to micro-manage the kids working in their stations, even though they're not really bothering anyone and they're doing their jobs!}, so that's my goal for this upcoming week :) I want to focus on my little kiddos who need me at the table with them, not the kids who are on their own around the room!

Anywho, by popular demand, here are the pics of all of my I-charts, as well as the PDF versions of them for you. However, I got pretty specific with the "where we can do this" part of my charts... you can either cut that part off if you like the rest of it, or you can click the link underneath the pics for the Publisher versions so you can tweak them to fit your needs. :) Be sure to thank the 3am Teacher for the great frame graphics in the PDF! Due to her TOU, I cannot leave the frames in the editable version, but you can grab them from her site if you choose!

Please let me know if you download and enjoy this product :)

Download the PDFs here.

Download the editable Publisher files here.

Phonics Word Searches!

Here's my latest little "labor" of love :)

I am always looking for something meaningful for my kiddos to do when they've finished their work early... so here are some word searches the correlate with our basal (StoryTown)! Included are 30 searches, one for each lesson. The searches include the week's spelling and high frequency words. Click the pic to visit my store for a free preview!

Don't teach StoryTown?? Don't worry! These are simple Word documents, and can be easily edited to fit your style! Simply delete the graphic I included (they coordinate with the stories we read each week) and rename the search to indicate the phonics chunk it reinforces! There are searches for short vowels, digraphs, etc. You name it, it's probably there (if you teach first grade, that is...!).

I hope you enjoy! Let me know if your kiddos enjoy them, too!

Therapy & Freebie!

I am linking up again with Blog Hoppin's Teacher Week... 2 posts combined into one :)

I know that I am a little late to the game, but my sweet baby came down with his first ear infection this week, and that leads to a very unhappy 4-month-old! :( Blogging took a back seat for a few days...

Anywho, here is how I unwind after a long day/week/month/year at school - my "therapy"!

Pedicures always make me happy!

Speaks for itself ;)

Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice Cream... yum... my favorite!

But the best, best, BEST therapy for me??

Snuggles with this cutie pie!!

*************And now for your Friday Freebie!*************

This is usually for sale in my TpT store for $6.00, but I'll give it to you, my lovely followers, for free this weekend! The link will be good through Sunday night... so spread the word! If you like what you see, head over to my store to find some more great activities! Also, please follow my blog and let me know if you like the Making Words activities!

EDIT: The link is now closed, but please visit my TpT store to find the Making Words activity that so many people enjoy!!

Have a WONDERFUL weekend, everyone, and link up if you can!!



Time for some SERIOUS shopping!

I know you've seen it all over, but just in case... ;)

Click the button below to head to my TpT store so you can shop the sales! I'll have my store 20% off, along with tons of other fabulous bloggers! Add the *secret* code for an additional 10% off your ENTIRE order!

Here are some pics of favorite items from my shop {click to go straight to that item!}:

I'm off to load my cart so that during the SALE, all I have to do is click "BUY NOW!" :-)

Big News!!

Oh, friends!! It has been *gulp* over 2 MONTHS since I've last posted! I have missed you all so very much, but... there's this little blessing that's been taking over all of my time :-)

That's right!! Meet my little "pumpkin"! The above pic was taken at 6 weeks, and today I hit the 15 week mark... so Pumpkin is significantly larger and more human-looking ;) Man, oh, man - this little wonder has been sucking the life out of me every day and making me too tired to even THINK about stalking blogland, let alone typing my own posts!! However, we have turned the corner, and my energy is back - just in time for the holidays!

I am hoping to get back into the habit of my nightly blog searches... I can't even begin to think about everything I missed while sleeping on the couch and growing a baby! Just wanted to say hello again to all of you lovelies and that I can't wait to dive back into the FUN!

I hope you all have had a wonderful Thanksgiving break... I know I have, and now I'm ready for the next 3 1/2 weeks until we hit the halfway mark of the school year! I can't wait to have some holiday fun with my little kiddos.

To kick-off my new beginning, there will be a sale going on in my TpT store from NOW thru tomorrow for Cyber Monday! Please stop by and browse around a bit! Click the pic to hop over!

PS - Can I tell you how fun it was to create something new... even if it was just this silly little notice of my sale!

Thank you! And "All on the Map"

You guys are so wonderful at lifting a girl's spirits! Your comments and emails to me about my previous post really helped me know I'm not the only one out there who's so frustrated with the way teaching is heading. Some days, I am jealous of those of you who get to teach reading centers, but I don't even have that option with the way our schedule is set up. My kiddos don't go to centers, and they have no down time throughout the day when they aren't being directly instructed by a teacher. One of these days, I'll figure out a time when I can get these first graders into some fun activities where they can explore their learning a bit!! :-)

In other news... Here is the latest in my set of StoryTown activity printables! Click the pic to check out this packet that works with Lesson 6, studying the -all chunk!

Hope you all had a relaxing weekend! Have a tremendous week... may it be the best one yet! :)

I've Been B-U-S-Y!!

Here's a quick rundown of my past couple of days... I know you all will appreciate my "hard work"!! :)

First - after checking out Little Priorities' post, I knew I had to make my own personalized binder. Check out the cuteness that is on it's way to me!! Click on the picture to get started on your own... a bit pricey, yes, but you can't beat a planner that just SCREAMS you!!

Today, I woke up with my hubby while he was getting ready for work. I decided to just stay up and get to cleanin'! In a matter of 3 hours, I had dusted, swept, mopped, vacuumed, and cleaned our 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room, stairs, and family room! Whew! Why do 2 people need so much space, again...???

After a much deserved rest and free cupcake from a local bakery, I hit up Office Depot for some Teacher Appreciation Week deals at 20% off! (Sign up for a teacher rewards card while you're there for the 20% discount.) I didn't buy too many fabulous things, but here are some highlights:

A pencil pouch, but in pretty purple, to go in my new binder! You know that when you have your collab meetings and whatnot, you're always needing a post-it or someone needs a pen :)

 

Basic and Neon colored Poster Markers!! Yay for pretty, bold, thick markers!

A new USB drive to store all of my TpT purchases, fonts, and cute graphics!!

A pack of colorful pens... just because :)

So... what did you do today? Anything fun??

Don't forget that all my TpT stuff is 20% off, and if you type in the code B1T1S at checkout, you'll get an additional 10% off!!

Back to School Sale!

Help Me With... and a Sale!

First off, thank you for the wonderful comments about my I Have, Who Has post!! As a thank you... the pack is 1/2 off in my TpT store for the weekend! On Sunday night at 10:00 CST, it'll go back to full price. Enjoy!

Alright - I have asked for your help before, and now I need it again! I REALLLLLY want to purchase either a Cricut or a Silhouette cutting machine.

                    vs.                

Which one should I go with? I want easy and user-friendly! I am thinking the main use will be for vinyl purposes, both for school and home... so keep that in mind! Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

I Have, Who Has? All 220 Dolch Words!

Ok, so if you just read my previous post, you know I was working on finishing up all 11 lists of the Dolch words and compiling them into an I Have, Who Has game. Well... HERE it is! Check it out! Be sure to see the post below for your FREE copy of List One!

Here are a couple pictures letting you see how I organize my I Have, Who Has games. I used a handy-dandy Dollar Tree tub and lots of pretty construction paper! (If I would have done this NOW, I would put super cute labels on each List's set of cards... but I didn't care so much back then... sigh) I hope you enjoy this game... it comes in SO handy for little 3-minute filler activities :)

Oh yeah... first 3 people to leave me a comment letting me know you want this and leave me your email... I'll send the files your way for free!! :-)

I Have, Who Has... List One!

Check it out! Click on the picture for your FREE download of your copy of an I Have, Who Has game for first grade sight words! List One is up, Lists 2-11 will be coming before the end of the afternoon!

If you download, please leave me a little love :)

It Ends Tomorrow!

Thank you all for your WONDERFUL recommendations for a blog redesign... I've chosen to go with Jenn Bates from Finally in First - stay tuned for a brand-new, totally ME look!! :)

This is your friendly reminder (b/c I probably won't be on the computer tomorrow between teaching K-Camp, going to the doctor, and then finally working in my classroom) that my TpT sale ends tomorrow... click on the pic to check it out! :-) If you teach StoryTown, this sale is FOR YOU! I have lots and lots in there that would benefit you. Even if you don't use StoryTown, check it out for some wonderful Making Words activities!

Christmas (shopping) in July!!

I'm joining in the fun!! Click on the image to visit my TpT store, where everything will be 15% off starting Friday morning and ending Monday night at 10:00 CST.

While you're there, check out some of my newest offerings... I think you'll love them! :)

I know that there are lots of wonderful teachers offering amazing sales this weekend, so enjoy your shopping!!! I know I will! Be sure to check out my fellow TBA authors!

Making Words All Year Long - Alphabet Sets!!

Upon request, I have created alphabets to accompany my original Making Words All Year Long pack! There is an alpha for each month, using thematic graphics just like before! There are 2 of every letter, 3 of some more popular letters. I also have included some blank programmable pieces with each alphabet set so you can custommize your own Making Words lessons each month!

Click on this picture to check it out:

Click on this picture to check out the original Making Words All Year Long pack:

Spread the word :)

Dot and Bob StoryTown pack

Here's my way of feeling productive on this Friday morning... not cleaning house or making a grocery list!! :) Instead I play around with fun fonts and graphics to create something that I hope our first graders will just love! Click on the picture to view more sample pages... Enjoy!

Get Up, Rick! Lesson 4

Here's the Lesson 4 StoryTown pack - and final pack of the weekend! Thank you to everyone who have left kind comments, even if you don't use StoryTown... be sure to send colleagues who do my way! Time to enjoy a yummy steak & potato cookout :-)

Click on the picture to view more sample pages.