Back to School Sale

Can you believe it!? The Back to School sale is already here!!

Here are some things that I MUST have for my Back to School time.

Class Books!  Check out the post on it {HERE}.

Back to School centers {HERE}

August CCS centers, Literacy and Math - I have them for 1st and 2nd grade! You can see what's included {HERE} - and grab a free from the post too!

My calendar!! Where would I be without this for the WHOLE year?!  See more in {THIS} post and how I organize everything in {THIS} post.

Counting the Days with Ten Frames! See my post on them {HERE}

I will start getting them situated on their Individualized Spelling Lists - check out the post that explains it more {HERE}. There is a 1st grade and 2nd grade version.

I also have a non-differentiated spelling "program" for grades 1-3, but it still uses phonics and sight words as the base.

In the beginning of the year, we really focus on handwriting - so I use my Handwriting packs - I have D'Nealian and regular print version - and a version for number sense too!  Check out {THIS} post to see more about them.

  

Memory Books - I have them for PreK - 2nd grade.  Check out the end of the year finished book {HERE}

One of my favorite displays each month is the Family Projects! They turn out soooo cute!

A must-have if you are a Standards-based teacher (like I am), is the Common Core gradebook and "I Can" statements. Check out {THIS} post to see more of them and how I have them organized.   I have Kindergarten- 3rd grade!

My Guided Reading Bundle is a LIFE SAVER! Between keeping my GR documents organized and using the rotation timer for centers, my guided reading runs oh-so-smooth!

You can read ALL about how I do Small Groups in {THIS} post, if you want to check it out. 

I love using our Reading Logs for silent reading time, centers, and homework! See more in {THIS} post.  

One of the most used item is our Spelling Journals. We use them for EVERYTHING!  See them in the works in {THIS} post.

We use our Vocabulary Journals every week! See them in the works in {THIS} post.

Starting the year off with some {short vowel} activities

Math with Unifix Cubes - EASY math activities for the beginning of the year and then you can use them all year long, growing with skills!  Check out my post {HERE}

Another one of my go-to math packs is my Math with a Deck of Cards! I literally use decks of cards with math almost every week!  Check out my post  {HERE} on some activities I do and how I organize the centers.

Tasty Facts - Math Quizzes!  In 1st, I only do the addition and subtraction, and I usually start in October-ish.  When I taught 2nd and 3rd, I always used the multiplication and beyond version, too! Check out more in {THIS} post.

Pete the Cat is always one of my first ones to do! Check out my post {HERE}

One of the first Social Studies units I do is about Rules and Laws - goes perfectly with BTS! Check out {THIS} post for more.

Grab your FREE thematic Bookmarks HERE!

Check out {THIS} post to grab your free journal covers.

Grab your free poetry cover in {THIS} post.

Grab your FREE namtags in {THIS} post.

Make sure you head to THIS post to grab more freebies!

Head on over to my {TPT Store} to check out even more!  Don't forget to enter the code to get more of a discount!!

Happy Shopping and I hope you have a great year!!

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Class Books for the Year

One thing I really love doing in my class is writing Class Books. 

I try to write one a week, to go with our theme, but it doesn't always get done. But I definitely do at least one a month.  It's usually a quick little write that can be done as a time filler, morning work, etc...  We start from Day 1 in our class. 

And this is not something I'm hard core about their writing. I do want their word wall words, capitalization, and punctuation to be correct, but this is more of a fun write. Now on Day 1, the writing (in 1st grade) and drawing will look something like this. 

But then as the year progresses, and their skills, the writing looks more like this...

A lot of the times our writing will stem from a book I read to the class... Like this book...

It stemmed from {THIS} book. 

And of course, {Wacky Wednesday}....

Some other fun books we've made through the year...

I print the cover pages, and glue them to a piece of cardstock. Then I laminate that piece and another piece of cardstock for the front and back covers. You will need to have durable covers because, trust me, they will get read A LOT! At the end of the year, I still had kids reading the first book we ever read - and they were even amazed at the growth they made!! 

I bind my books together with a binding machine. Check with your school – most have them hiding somewhere! If not, then you can just 3-hole punch them and put yarn in them or the rings through the holes. 

One of my favorite things about doing Class Books, is that I get to see just how much growth my students make throughout the year!

Here is one student, who has also learned the skill of labeling! ha! Clearly, we do a lot of labeling in class, too. 

Here's one of my favorite "show and tells" of growth through the year....

Here's her book from the first week....

And her book in March....

And her book the last week of school....

It just BLOWS my mind the growth that First Graders make from the beginning of the year. 

So, here's what's included in each month's Class Book pack...

Each month’s cover shows the covers for the books that are included. Most have at least 5 books for the month (except February – it has 4 books).

The next page gives the title choices, as well as some explanation (if needed) for the writing “prompt.” There will also be some books that you can tie into the writing activities. Click on the books to check them out on Amazon!

Each book will have 2 different writing line styles to choose from.

You can grab the summer vacation book for free in the "First Days" post - click the picture below to head on over there!

You can also save money and buy the {bundle!}

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