Bossy AR & President's Day Freebies

I've been in such a rut planning my Reader's Workshop block.  There is just so much to squeeze in!  The last few weeks I definitely have fallen into handing out way more printables instead of creating engaging activities.

All of the sudden the creating bug hit me.  (On a Friday night!)  Our phonics skill for next week is r-controlled vowels, specifically /ar/ words.  We've all seen the pirate activities (and I'm still going to do a few of those), but a story about Karate Karmen popped into my head.

I also made an "I Have, Who Has?" game and a Word Hunt plus a few pages of printables.

Every time I add a new item to my store, it will be 50% off for the first 24 hours!  Right now Bossy /AR/ {Games, Posters, & Printables} is only $2!! It'll stay that way until I get up tomorrow morning.

Be sure to follow my TPT store, so you are notified when I add something new.  I'll also post on Instagram (user name: polkadotfirsties).

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How many of you have President's Day off?  I was so surprised to find that not all teachers have the day off tomorrow.  I'm sorry!!!  I'm already dreading the month of March because we don't get a single day off. 

A few years ago, I created an free Presidential ABC order.  Click the picture or link at the bottom of the picture to download.

Download.

I also made 3 Presidential posters and posted them for free in my TPT store.  They included George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama.

George Washington Carver

We are kicking off our Black History unit next week and I'm always looking to add more to this area of social studies.

A few years ago I made two crafts for George Washington Carver and Harriet Tubman.  The packets were in desperate need of updating.

I spent all morning changing and adding things in the George Washington Carver packet.  (Thank goodness for early Lifetime movies).

The packet now includes an information sheet, a fill in the blank story, a word search, labeling parts of a peanut plant, and a craft.

If you have already purchased, you can download it again (free of charge) to see the updates.

I'm working on the Harriet Tubman packet now, so grab it at the lower price!  I should be finished with the upgrade by tonight.

What I'm Working On

Welcome back to my blog!  I went on a little hiatus during the school year.  Now that my grad school is behind me, I'm hoping to focus a little more on creating things for my classroom and sharing ideas.

Here's something that I put together quickly.  My first unit in social studies is about being a good citizen and specific character traits like honesty, respect and perseverance.  I whipped up this little poster for my classroom.

There's also a boy version too, plus black and white copies if you want to save on ink.  

Click either picture to go to my TPT store to download for free!

Thanks to the Kindergals for hosting this weekly linky!

What's On Your Wishlist?

It's Back to School time on TPT!  I was wondering when the sale would be this year because I have a ton of items I want to buy!  It was finally announced that sale is August 18-19.  Time to get shopping!

Button By Krista Wallden

I decided to link up with Collaboration Cuties linky about my top two wishlisted items from my store and my own personal wishlisted items.

My top 2 wishlisted items are Landforms Mini Unit and Landforms Posters.  

It includes a landforms dictionary which helps students identify and learn the different types of landforms.

There's also a matching game and ABC order cards that are perfect for literacy centers.

Click HERE to add it to your TPT wishlist.

My second most popular wishlisted item is Landforms Posters.

Landforms included in this packet are island, mountains, volcano, canyon, desert, hills, valley, plain, river, lake, and ocean.

I also made a set of black and white posters in case you want to save on colored ink!

Click HERE to add it to your wishlist.

Now about my personal wishlist......it's way too long!!

I'm one of those weird people that wishlist free items too.  I'll find something that it's perfect for a unit that I'll be teaching in a few months and I don't want to forget about it.

However, I have item I know I'll be buying at the BTS Sale!

I'm required to have an Emergency Sub Tub and let's face it...I never do a super job organizing it because I'm such a control freak that I run up to school when I'm sick (which is rare) and I don't like to take days off.  But last year I came down with the stomach bug overnight and I literally could not stand up.  This would have come in handy!  I love that there are lessons for the beginning, middle, and end of the year.  You know firsties grow so much and what you do at the beginning of the year is completely different than the end!

Click HERE to check it out!

Tell me something on your wishlist!  Is there something I just HAVE TO HAVE that I'm missing out on?

Ten Pin Linky: Science & Social Studies

I walked through Wal-Mart yesterday for a few things and was so excited to see the back-to-school supplies were out!

Well, the part about school being back in session soon didn't get me excited.

It was more the bin full of 25 cent glue sticks.

I loaded up on glue sticks, rulers, pencil holders, pens, and pencil sharpeners.

I had to get some pool noodles too because I saw Kelly's Throwback Thursday post about using pool noodles as tens and ones for place value.

It's linky time again!

Click the picture to visit the Ten Linky orginial post. 

This is a complete side note, but is anyone else having trouble with some of their boards disappearing?  This has happened to me more than once.  In the middle of creating this post, my science board disappeared. The number of my followers also changed (by about 20).  So I made breakfast, did a little bit of laundry, went back to Pinterest and it still isn't there.  What??  Some of the science pictures might not work, but you can click on the link below the picture that takes you to the source.

Source: Life in First Grade

One of our very first social studies units is tall tales.  I always struggle to find things that fit into this category that are fun and age appropriate.  Paul and his big blue ox, Babe, are always a favorite!

Source: Fun 2B in First

I had the hardest time finding things for John Henry.  This is a free download and it fits the needs of my students perfectly.

My students loved this visual aid!  It's another freebie.

This was one of the first things I made back in December.  It's a big hit in my TPT.  I hung them up in my room and my students were interested in seeing the different types of landforms.

Goes along great with the landforms posters!

Even better that it's part of a giveway today!  Julie from First Grade Critter Cafe is hosting a giveaway in celebration of her blogging anniversary.  If you've ever emailed back and forth with Julie you know how sweet and full of life she is!  She also has some AMAZING art projects on her blog.  

Click the picture below to head straight to the giveaway. 

Continuing on with the pins...

Source: First Grade Wow

Great writing connection when you are studying about animals.  "If I had animal teeth..."

Source: Squished Ideas for Preschool

Interactive way to learn the life cycle of an insect!

Source: First Grade Wow

Great activity to introduce living/nonliving!  Except I would have to touch a real worm.  Gag!!

I have tons more science ideas, but that darn Pinterest isn't working!  

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Amber from School is a Happy Place has a great post about being a no reply blogger.  Honestly, I didn't even realize I was when I first started blogging.  Click on the picture (isn't it cute??) to visit her blog and make sure you are not a "no reply blogger!"

Picture by Amber

Five For Friday....on Saturday

The last two weeks I managed to be first on Kacey's Five For Friday. This week I must have slacked off a little because it's Saturday and I'm just now posting!

I'm also linking up with Amanda's Flashback Friday.

1. I'm gearing up for some great St. Patrick's Day activities next week. This week was spent printing, laminating and cutting. Maybe one day I'll learn how to do the visual plans, but this is all I have!  :)

Literacy Centers  - Mix of March by Swimming into Second & March Literacy Centers by Sarah Paul

Writing - Catch a Leprechaun by A Cupcake for the Teacher, In Like a Lion & Out Like a Lamb by Miss Kindergarten Love

Our lesson plans for the following week are always due on Friday mornings at 8am. I love that I have to have everything prepared before I leave on Fridays, but sometimes I find the BEST ideas over the weekend from visiting other blogs and Pinterest. When are your lesson plans due?

2. My school participated in Accelerated Reader's "Read the Most From Coast to Coast"yesterday.  The goal was to beat the number of AR quizzes from last year.

This was in place of our Dr. Seuss celebration.  In previous years we've done a Green Eggs and Ham day (which completely makes the school smell like eggs - Yuck!) I have a teacher confession: Dr. Seuss' books drive me crazy. I don't like them.  I do realize that this is probably considered blasphemy as a first grade teacher.

3. Every month I send home a family project.  Students are supposed to decorate the template, write ten describing words for the month and send it back. I forgot to take a picture of the board, so here's a snapshot of one of the projects.

Here's what the family projects for February looked like:

Do you do anything similar in your class?

4. Funny story: I took a big gulp of water while the students were working.  It went down the wrong way and I had a HUGE coughing fit.  Everyone kept doing their work....no one looked up for about a minute (which felt like an enternity). Finally one of my students asked if I was okay.  I was still choking my this point, but I gave him a thumbs up.  Then a few other students noticed....and one said "Does this mean we get to go home?"  Yes, because if your teacher is choking you get to go home early!!

5. Diane from Fifth in the Middle is hosting a linky on her blog that is broken down by state.

Go HERE to see what blogs from your state! I know I love to find Georgia bloggers and others from surrounding states.

6. (Yes, I made it six this week!) We studied biographies and learned about George Washington Carver and Harriet Tubman. 

First, we created a George Washington Carver craftivity. 

As the students finished up the craft, one little girl came up and ask me if I would put out some scrapbook paper so they could add arms. How could you say no to creativity? Some of them may have looked a little better without the scrapbook paper.  Hmmm....

I found the George Washington Carver paper for FREE on TPT.

Here's our Harriet Tubman!

I especially like the bun in her hair.  :) The students cut a coffee filter in half to put on her shirt.

Here is a student created sample.

7. (I'm outta control this week!) Congrats to Crystal from Ms. Jones' Junction! She won a copy of my Guy Butterfly and Benny Butterfly: a mini unit for y as a vowel and Digraphs: Craftivities and More from my 100 followers giveaway!

Enjoy your Saturday!