I'm SO excited to be linking up for my very first Bright Ideas Blog Hop!
I wanted to share with you all an amazing series of video clips that you may or may not heard of:
Cosmic Kids Yoga
I am always looking for different ways to give my class 'brain breaks' and anything that involves physical activity is ALWAYS a winner in my books!
I came across these set of video clips via a wonderful teacher that I follow on Instagram. Our class were looking at dance and movements to create a fitness routine and I thought of these clips straight away!
Here's why I love them and why the KIDS love them:
1. The lady is SO energetic and engaging with her enthusiasm.
2. The movements are SUPER easy to follow.
3. It fits all learners: kinaesthetic, visual and auditory.
4. Each episode is a story that involves different yoga movements. The kids follow the story and match her movements - they are doing yoga and they don't even know it!
5. Each episode only goes for about 15 minutes - the PERFECT amount of time!
6. They are perfect for the little kids. My class are 7 and 8 years old and they beg me to do it each day!
If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for more great ideas.
For more bright ideas from more than 100 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!
Do you sometimes have a concept that you need to teach that you just think to yourself, "How ELSE can I teach this to make it fun for the students AND me?"
I had this moment a few weeks ago. I had to revise months and seasons and I was bored with all of my usual lessons.
I knew I wanted it to be fun for the kids and tried to think of what I found fun as a kid (and what they might still be interested in).
Then it hit me.
Chatterboxes.
At least that's what I've always called them. I think they are also known as cootie catcher or Chinese fortune tellers.
This is the one I whipped up for the class as a model.
The kids all made their own versions using some square paper that I had, buddied up and then had to use their chatterboxes with each other.
It was such a hit revision lesson and was completely made up that morning!
It got me wondering in what other ways I could use them and realised they could very easily be used in an array of ways to revise concepts.
I put together some other printable ones in a packet that could be used for grades K-3 to revise different concepts. Here are some sneak peeks:
The concepts I've included revise seasons, colours, 2D and 3D shapes, common sight words, numbers and the alphabet! I've also made sure I've included spelling for both my US and Australian friends.
If you click on the cover page picture above, it will take you to it in my store. Download the preview to get this colour chatterbox for FREE!
Some friends and I have come together once again for a little swap, share and give linky!
So, what does that meant?
Swap - Each of us have paired up and swapped a product.
Share - We try out the product and share it with all of you to let you know how it works and what we thought of it.
Give - This is the BEST part! We have a little give away that gives you the opportunity to win this awesome product! The link to that giveaway is at the end of the post so stay with me!
In the '90s, there used to be a television show here in Australia called The Book Place. For those who are following me, this might bring back some memories:
Anyway, I remember being a little girl and this book being read on this show and just being lost in my imagination while they read each page and showed each illustration.
When Rhonda let me look at this unit I was beyond excited! It brought back some sweet memories :)
There is SO much to do in this unit so I just picked out one activity to share with you for today.
We read the book as a class (needless to say, the children ADORED it) and we did this little reading response in Rhonda's unit where the children had to write/draw about something they would save in their piggy banks for. They also had to write or draw what job/chore they would do to help save the money.
This little one wanted a Smiggles pen and would clean their room.
This one would save for a kitten and would tidy their room.
This sweet one wants an iPhone and would clean the bathroom benches.
The cutest part about this reading response is that she's included a template so the children can create their very OWN Corduroy to put next to their writing on a display board.
Seriously, how CUTE are they?! I had many comments from teacher buddies about these.
Now, the first book doesn't mention dear little Corduroy's pocket. Sadly, I didn't have the second book "A pocket for Corduroy" available...but never fear!!!
YouTube to the rescue!!!
I found this cute reading of the book and put it on the Promethean board. The class LOVED IT and couldn't wait to add their pockets and name tags to Corduroy (so he wouldn't get lost, hehehe).
We had so much fun with just ONE of the activities in this packet so I can't wait to go back and use the others.
Another thing that I LOVED about this activity is that Rhonda includes clear instructions WITH photographs on how to construct Corduroy. You can't go wrong! Our class is learning about procedures at the moment so I just put that page of the document up on the Promethean and they had to make sure they followed it correctly. It was a great teaching and learning opportunity!
It's actually Book Week this week at our school. I'm being ambitious and doing George's Marvellous Medicine but I like to have a little something to give my kids to help celebrate reading. A couple of years ago I put these giant 'medals' together.
Please click on any image and download a copy for yourself to celebrate reading with your class!
If you would like the chance to win Rhonda's amazing packet, make sure you enter the Rafflecopter below.
For my international friends, I hope you're all enjoying your last days of break (if you haven't already returned). For my Aussie friends, I hope the new term is treating you kindly.
If you follow my Facebook page, you would have noticed over the past few months I've had a lot going on. I got married and organising a wedding took up a LOT of my time.
However, I am now a 'Mrs' and have refocused on teaching and producing some useful resources. One project which took me forever to complete due to wedding commitments was these little worksheets:
These worksheets can be used for revising grammar, spelling and editing skills.
Don't forget to use the code BTS14 at the checkout to get an extra 10% off!!
I was so excited to try these out with my class because they fit perfectly with my literacy rotations. I have 5 rotations - Guided Reading, Reading Response, Read to Self, Word Work and Work on Writing.
I only remembered to take pictures of one of the sheets we completed :( BUT they really enjoyed filling them in and did such a great job! The children found them easy to understand and follow which is total bonus!
My five reading groups each have different texts so I was relieved to find that these reading response sheets worked with each of their books! I have often come across response activities that don't work with any book. Here are some of the other response sheets in the pack:
Mrs Poultney has a bunch of freebies on her blog so make sure you go and visit her here to get your own copies!
Guess what?! We have decided to give all of the wonderful products that we have reviewed away to one lucky winner! Just enter via the rafflecopter below!
I start my 2014 school year on Tuesday. I'm really excited to meet my new kids and get to know them.
I've been very busy putting my classroom together and planning our first week. I have the same room this year and have been trying to change it up a bit from last year (more for me than the kids). I will come back with some snaps of my 2014 room and my first day during the we but for today I thought I would share some of the reading and writing activities that we will be doing in our first week.
I want to get straight into some writing and reading activities on the first day! It's a great way to see where the kids are at with their basic skills. After creating some class rules together, I want us to talk about and create our own Star Jars from A Cupcake for the Teacher. We will talk about ways to earn stars in our class jar (I'm hoping they mention the class rules that they would have just created!!).
My teaching partner actually found this book in the library and it is just so sweet! I teach second grade but I know I have some anxious ones coming to me on Tuesday. This is perfect to talk through those feelings of coming into a new classroom and meeting new friends. The best part is that this book actually has four stories about Millie.
We will be writing about our first day of second grade and creating these ADORABLE school kids by Mel at From the Pond.
I'm going to take photos of the kids' faces and somehow strategically paste them on the heads.
I will also be using my Building Better Sentences worksheets over the first week to see what my new class know about writing sentences.
My class last year were addicted to these in their rotations! They loved seeing what the picture stimulus was going to be each day.
If you like the look of my Building Better Sentences worksheets then you are going to love this amazing deal over at Educents! I have teamed up with 17 other amazing sellers to load your classrooms with 27 outstanding resources for writing! I've included my bundled sets of Building Better Sentences AND Building Complex Sentences
For a limited time it is $29.99 from Educents which is over 71% off! It also includes these other great products so there is sure to things you love! (They even have $10 off for first time customers… so it can be even cheaper if you have never bought anything from Educents!) Click on any picture to check out the other amazing products that you will receive!
Now I need your help! I want to give the kids a cute little gift on the first day. I've found a lot of ideas on Pinterest but I would love to hear what you have done for your students!
I have been gone a VERY long time so I feel I first need to apologise...Sorry!
Here in Australia, we are just wrapping up our Summer holiday break. I have actually taken a break from school work these holidays (hence the lack of posts). Instead, I have been incredibly busy planning my wedding. Stressful, but very exciting!
I am going into my classroom this coming week to put everything back together for my new 2014 class. I will be back during the week to post some pics.
For now, however, I wanted to share with you an exciting new product of mine.
I am a very visual person and need to see examples of things before I use or do them so I thought I would share the activity pages for the mini booklets.
The booklets cover the digraphs ch, sh, ph, th, wh and ck. Each booklet has 5 short activities to complete - one for each day of the school week! The same activities repeat in each booklet but, obviously, the digraph changes. Here's what is inside.
