Ginger Snaps

Fable Graphic Organizer and a Lesson Plan Template

This week we are focusing on fables during Guided Reading. When I pulled up the flipchart today with the essential question, the kids were like, "Yes! I love fables!" I smiled. We read the fable, "The Ant and the Grasshopper" together as a class and then discussed the different things in the story that made it a fable. Then, I showed them this chart I created which you can download in my TN shop by click on my TN button below:

I modeled how to fill out the chart on the fable we had just read together as a class. I then gave the kids their own copy of this chart and the fable "The Lion and the Mouse," to read. After students read the fable on their own, they had to fill out this chart. We came back at the end of class and shared what they thought the moral of the story was and what examples of personification they found! It was so much fun and honestly, I was surprised at how well they did coming up with the moral of the story. Some of the kids came up with different kinds of morals, but they all made sense!

I was blog stalking Christina Bainbridge at Mrs. Bainbridge's Class tonight and she shared her lesson plan template and asked for others to share the ones they use. A couple of months ago, Kristen from Ladybugs Teacher Files shared this wonderful template which I have since embraced and used religiously from that day forward!!

I made some slight changes to suit my own purposes and this is what mine looks like.

Not much of a difference, but I basically just merged the top two boxes into one and changed some of the fonts because when our coaches try to view our lesson plans they get all messed up because they don't have our adorable fonts!! I also added my push in and pull out times across the top so I don't forget and other people know when they come in to observe me and they don't think I just have children getting up and leaving class whenever they feel like it. =)

This is what it looks like with my lesson plans in it! Just so you get the full effect...

I know...I write a ton of stuff in there! But if I didn't, I would literally leave stuff out! I am a word for word type person. Call me OCD, but it is what it is! That Fraction Action book in that Math block was supposed to be read on Wednesday and Thursday of last week (We had a teacher work day Friday and it was a fabulous 4 day weekend), annnnnd its still there because even though I put it in my plans, I still forgot to read it. See!? Now you know why I have to put EVERYTHING in there!

If you totally love this template, LIKE ME, head over to Kristen's blog by clicking here and download yourself a copy, FO FREE!

What does your lesson plan template look like? I'm nosy and need to know. So go link up with Christina and post yours!

1st Grade Common Core Math Word Cards!!!!

I have been working on getting these done all day!! Literally, I started at about 10am and just now finished them! I might have taken some breaks in between, but still, it was a long process!!!

I am sorry it took me so long firstie friends!! They are now available for purchase in my TN shop! Click my button to head over and grab yourself a set!

I am also working on a Geometry Clip Art set so stay tuned this week for that! =)

I hope you all enjoyed your day off! I treated myself to a lunch date with my friend Hillary and I must say, it nice to eat lunch with an adult, however much I love my friends!

Linky and New Clip Art

I am finally joining the party over at Adventures of a 6th Grade Teacher!

And look!! It's my swirly frame! =)

I am jumping on the bandwagon and letting you in on a day in my shoes!

It varies what time I wake up, but usually it's around 6:30. I don't spend much time getting ready in the morning. In fact, I'm usually done in 20-30 minutes, depending on whether or not I shower the night before. I like to get in as much beauty rest as possible. =)

By 7:00 or 7:15, I am usually en route to school. I arrive about 10 minutes later. I love living close to school! I know so many people who drive 30 minutes to an hour! I can't even imagine...

Between 7:15 and 7:45, I am usually preparing for the school day. Printing, gathering materials for Science, cutting things out, laminating, checking e-mail, sometimes Pinning (I know...it's terrible), getting my morning flipchart ready with the homework and morning work on it, writing my essential questions and updating the lunch choices. I think that about covers it. How do I fit all of that in 30 minutes? I have no idea. I am like a machine. LOL

At 7:45, the first bell rings, and my little pumpkins come waltzing in. They get unpacked while I check more e-mail and that they turned in their homework.

At 8:00, the late bell rings and most of my friends are in the classroom unpacking and doing their morning work. I am still checking homework. =) The news show also starts at this time giving us an update on the weather, information on what the class of the week is up to, and any other important news!

By 8:15, I am telling the kids "Adios," as I drop them off at Related Arts! In the morning, I feel like I am literally like "Hi, friends. Bye, friends!"

From 8:15 to 9:05, I am doing any number of the things that I do from 7:15 to 7:45 if I am not in a Coaches meeting (which unfortunately happens often...) I sort of like having Related Arts first thing. It makes me feel like I can be more prepared for the day. (When our plannings aren't being used up that is.) Then I feel TOTALLY unprepared. I might also be found chatting it up with my teammies. I need to be more focused during this time! My life would be so much easier if I was!

I pick up the friends at 9:05 and then by 9:10, I am teaching either Science or Social Studies. We alternate through the week. One week I may teach 2 days of Science and 3 days of Social Studies and then vice versa the next week. It varies on short weeks, obviously. These are my favorite subjects to teach. I don't know why, I just love them! Especially Social Studies! In 3rd grade in South Carolina, the kids learn about South Carolina history which I just find fascinating. We played such a significant role in the forming of our country and I just love all the history!

From 9:45-10:45 I teach Math. I love Math because you can play so many games and so many kids can get into it!

At 10:45, we do start our Reading Workshop mini lesson which lasts between 10-15 minutes. Next week, we are learning all about fables and personification! I am so excited! Fables are so much fun. I plan on creating a Folktale Unit very soon to post in my TN Shop. After we do our mini lesson, the kids go to their seats or different parts of the room to the read on their own and work on the mini lesson skill with their books. I will be working at the back table with a reading group. I also have a ESOL teacher who pushes into my room everyday for reading. She alternates working with my two low groups each day. I feel pretty darn fortunate to have her in my room each day. I would feel very overwhelmed if she were not there! The last 5 minutes of reading are left for coming together and sharing about the mini lesson skill they focused on during their independent reading.

Then, my favorite time of day begins at 11:50, LUNCH!!! I love food. Period. We only get 25 minutes and I have to eat with the little gems. =) By the time I get them through the lunch line, I usually only have about 15 minutes to eat. I always feel like I'm rushing. I'm sure the kids feel the same way. Poor things.

We go back to class to do our Read Aloud from 12:20 to 12:40. I usually pick books that focus on the mini lesson skills. I get my read alouds from this website by Linda Hoyt. If you click on your grade level, it gives you mentor texts for each skill! It's awesome!

From 12:40-1:00, I do Word Work. Each week I focus on a sound or a skill (compound words, synonyms, prefixes, etc..)

At 1:00 we do Writing. Sometimes writing consists of just grammar lessons and most of the time we focus on a genre of writing and I will begin with a Read Aloud or the grading of a writing sample on our rubric as a whole class. Then the students write while I conference. I don't really like writing all that much. I don't feel like I'm very good at it. I get a lot of my writing ideas now from you lovely bloggers!

Around 1:35, we pack up and I pass out homework. They usually put their book bags on their chairs and then we head to recess about 1:40ish. Sometimes later...

At 2:00ish, we come back in and go straight to our Everyday Calendar Math, which takes about 5 minutes. After that, we do Spiral Math Review for the last 10-15 minutes of the day. At 2:22, I send the little friends on their way and I make my to whatever duty I am assigned that week. =)

I am usually at school until about 5:00 each day. Mondays and Tuesdays I tutor from 2:45 to 4:40, Wednesdays we have staff meetings (which usually last until between 4 and 5), Thursdays for the next couple of months, I am teaching Promethean flipchart trainings in my classroom for schools in our area. So basically, that only leaves Friday that I have to myself in my classroom to get things done. This is probably why I take so much work home! I need to stop taking on so much!!

And that's my school day! I'm tired after just typing that!! I can't wait to go and read about a day all of your shoes! I love linkies!

And I finally finished the measurement clip art I have been promising! You can buy them as digital images or stamps!

Head on over to my Etsy Shop to get yourself a set!

You can click on either image above to head over there!

I will have some Geometry Clip Art coming in the near future also...So you can look forward to that. =)

Government Sort and a Shout Out

So last week we learned about the Constitution and how our great nations government was created. We read, "We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution," and then learned about the national, state, and local branches of government. To help the kids reinforce their knowledge, we used this graphic organizer to take notes about the branches.

I also just want to thank everyone again for purchasing my clip art and using it to create things for your classrooms and for others! It makes me feel so good that you all have embraced this hobby! =)

I just want to give a shout out to Jayne Gammons at ABC's of Reading for using my clip art to make this adorable set which you can check out here!

I also want to say thanks to Mary Pitner, from Pitner's Potpourri for using my clip art to create these cute money games, which you can view here, here, and here!

And finally, I want to thank Katie Klohn at Adventures of a 6th Grade Teacher, for not only being one of the first to purchase my graphics, but to also use them! You can see my frame in her adorable button for her first ever linky here! (I need to do that, btw...)

I am like a proud mama and I want to say thank you again to ALL of you for supporting me in this new venture!

I will be back SOON with new clip art to unveil! I have just been so busy!! I am also still working on the Common Core Math Word Wall Words for 1st grade! I hope to have it done soon! So many things to do and so little time!!

Fractions!!

We just started our fractions unit this week and one my teammies found Cara Carroll's fractionpillar activity which you can read more about here!

Anyway, I was thinking I wanted to try something different and I was reminded of my friend Lauren, who posted this on TPT recently, which you can buy here. Isn't it cute!?

But this got me thinking that instead of a fractionpillar, I wanted to do a fraction bot!!

I cut out four different shapes with our die cutter in different colors and instructed students to build a fraction robot with them! I told them they could even cut those shapes into parts if they needed to. Then, they had to write what fraction of the shapes were square, rectangle, triangle, or hexgons! You could adapt by doing the fraction of colors used, or even both for a little challenge!

Here is how some of them turned out!