Purchased a New Calendar but my date pieces are too BIG! Read on for Solution.

It seems my Post are few and far between, but when I discover things that can help I like to share.  As most of us teachers do, I purchased some new things for my classroom.  Did I need to?  Probably not but that doesn't stop me.  So I got a very interactive Calendar from Really Good Stuff.  I'm hoping to cut down the many pieces on my Calendar bulletin board, but who knows until I try it if I will get rid of things.  Anyhow this Calendar has smaller date spaces (1.5 "x 1.75") than my previous Calendar date spaces (2.5" x 2.5").  So this is what I decided to do.  I went looking for smaller Calendar dates on Teacher pay Teacher and found many regular size (2.5" x 2.5") but no smaller size.  I decided to get some free ones but I also paid for a one that was a whole year.  So here's how I shrank the bigger Calendar date pieces to fit my new calendar.  Easy peesy, When you go to print go into properties and down to multiple page (this is where you can put many sheets/pages on one page).  Touch or highlight 4 on 1 (meaning 4 sheets/pages will go on 1 page).  It ends up the PERFECT size for my new Calendar.  Then I just printed them out on card stock, laminated, and cut them ALL out (have a parent volunteer etc. help with this or instead of doing the whole year stay a month ahead in your cutting).  That's the trick.  Enjoy the new school year!

Teacher Pay Teacher Sale August 4-5

Check out my Store by typing in my name:  Cindy Tirado


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/


Get yourself ready and save yourself some time in your preparation.
No worries, no fuss
Just purchase and download for an easy start to your
new school year!


Here's to a SUPER new school year and Happy shopping!

The Next Step in Guided Reading, by Jan Richardson.

Over the summer I have been reading a book by Jan Richardson.  It's called The Next Step in Guided Reading.  I found it had many interesting ideas and techniques for teaching reading via Guided reading.  For myself I have a Reading curriculum I must follow, but I sure try every year to get my guided reading going.  This year I have another challenge added in that I will be teaching a K/1 combo class. 

While reading The Next Step in Guided Reading I found Jan Richardson's ideas and methods really helpful. She has mentioned that if your class / students know fewer than 40 upper and lowercase letter and hear few, if any, sounds, they probably lack many aspects of concepts of print.  I know how important it is to get our students to learn the alphabet upper and lower case.  I have taught the alphabet in so many ways and this year I decided to make my own alphabet book for my class.  You can find it in my Teacher Pay Teacher store.  It's called My Alphabet/Dictionary Book. 

Using this book the children will trace the upper and lower case letters everyday with the whole class, in small group, or with a tutor/parent.  Saying the names of the letters while tracing, and the name of the picture.  She recommends the tactile experience, which she says is "essential for building memory trace"(no tracing with pencil or marker).  According to Jan Richardson the alphabet book you use should relate to the reading program you use.  I currently am using the Treasures Reading program, so one part of My Alphabet/Dictionary Book I created has the letters and pictures relating to the Treasure wall sound cards, another relates to the Open Court wall sound cards, and the last is just  generic pictures that are usually used in most Alphabet books.  I have decided once the children know their letters to also use this book as a dictionary for each child to keep at their desk.  They can put words they want to use in their writings and high frequency words in it.  You can also just have your students/children practice writing their upper and lower case letters on the pages, or use the cards in a center.  With this Alphabet /Dictionary book there are many uses.  It's up to you. 

Another key reason I made this book is that I teach many second language learners who do not always have much experience with English let alone concepts of print.  Many of my Kindergarten students have never even been to school so anything that can help the children learn their letters and alphabet quickly I'm all for.  Jan Richardson also suggest that "Once students know most of their letters and have enough English to understand simple directions they are ready for emergent guided reading lessons. 

Well I'd like to end by saying  I've been teaching for 30+ years and I'm always looking for new ideas to help me and remind me of methods and strategies relating to teaching the multiple subjects we teach each day.   The Next Step in Guided Reading  is filled with a lot of information, methods, and strategies for Guided reading.  If you have a chance I thinks its worth a read.

I have just upload a new product on Teacher Pay Teacher, it's called:  Color and Color Word Unit for Pre-k, TK, Kindergarten, and First grade (See link or go to TeacherPayTeacher .com and type in my name, Cindy Tirado). 


This is a picture of a mini RED color book I used to make from my Color and Color Word Unit.  But this summer I've made a digital copy of this unit.

Prior to computers many of us teacher drew and hand wrote all the worksheets we used, if you couldn't find a "ditto or black lined master" book.  Boy, things have come a long way. 

This 88 page Color and Color Word Unit makes learning the colors a lot of fun.  I have used it for over 35 years and now it's on computer and very easy to pull up and print.  Some of the pages only need to be printed once on heavier cover paper and then laminated for year after year use.  There are also writing sheets, a cover for a class book, cards with colored pictures, and pages to make a mini book (as above). 

When I do my Color Unit I usually end the week with my students making this mini book and having something RED to eat.  They love it and read the pages over and over.  If your interested check it out.  I feel it's the best value for the money. 

Well, I am enjoying my last couple of weeks of vacation with my family, but will be heading in to visit my classroom next week to start setting up.  I do not know yet how many Kindergartners and First graders I will have ,but have been preparing for 10 K's and 14 Firsties.  We shall see what the final numbers will be.  This will be "an exciting challenge", that is my mantra this up coming year

This summer seems to be flying by.  I am trying to wrap my head around teaching a K/1 combo this up coming year.  Have you ever felt like you were going around in circles?  Well that's where I'm at.  So I keep stepping away to do something else and then I go back and go in circles again.  Hopefully I'll have something figured out by August.  It's funny, there's not much out there on teaching K/1 combos. 

In the meantime I went to a seminar put on by Nancy Fetzer on writing in Kindergarten / First grade.  She firmly believes children need language before they can write.  She makes sure the children are very good at saying what they will be writing.  I have mentioned before I teach a majority of second language learners and the big problem for them is they have very little language in English and a lot of the time very little in their own home language.  Now I'm suppose to get them to write.  Seriously!!!!!  It was an enjoyable day learning with Nancy.  Her ideas, strategies, and methods really make sense.  She has books available as well as many videos. 

I already incorporated  her TPR (Total physical response) method for teaching beginning, middle, and end.  Just by watching her videos and finding some PDF print outs. My students sat on the rug and took notes on a blank piece of paper folded in thirds.  We worked together to figured out the beginning of the story (we had just read).  I drew a simple picture (they copied) and with hand motions we said what happened.  Next, her suggestion was to do the end of the story.  It worked brilliantly.  We did the same, figured out the end, drew a simple picture, and said it.  Finally, it was easy to put some middle part for the story down.  We drew again a simple picture and said what happened.  Finally, by looking at our notes we were able to say our story together in order with our hand motions.  If I asked what happened in beginning they could tell me, if I jumped to the end they could tell me, or middle of story they knew.  I checked again after lunch and they could still tell me.  It worked great.  I will start this earlier this coming year.  If you get a chance check her out. 

Enjoy the summer!

Wow time flies.  I may not write as often as a lot of the teachers out there with blogs, but I hope when I do write it's worth reading. 

I have been swamped at school.  My school is trying to become an International Baccalaureate school Or IB school. What is that you may ask?  IB offers four programmes for students aged 3 to 19 to help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. There are more than 1,098,000 IB students at 3,568 schools in 145 countries.  In elementary school we are doing the Primary Years program.  The Primary Years Program is for students aged 3 to 12 and focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and in the world outside.

To get authorized is an intense process that typically takes two or more years and includes site visits by an IB team.  So for the past two years we have been working towards getting through the authorization process and trying to become an official IB World School.  This week is my schools evaluation/authorization visit.  All of the teachers at my school including myself have been working so hard to pass this authorization. 

Throughout April and May I have been so busy trying to work with my class on our Matter unit for IB authorization visit, as well as starting up my Dibles testing,  finishing up our Animal Homes unit, getting ready for our one and only field trip to the Natural History Museum, and finally Open House. Oh and I forgot teaching my students a dance all first graders will do at the end of the month.  Does that not sound crazy!!!!!  You'd think as the year draws to an end things would mellow out.

On top of everything I thought it had been a while since I added anything new to my Teacher Pay Teacher store.  I'm always about things that you can use and save some time putting together for your classroom.  Plus they are things I actually use.  The most recent additions to my store  have come about while I was enhancing my Matter Unit.

Thanks for your time.  I wish you all a relaxing and enjoy Sunday and upcoming week.

Oh Those Leprechauns! St. Patrick's Day Fun

It has been a while since I've written.  So here's a SUPER Fun thing I do for my students and I thought I'd share.  I have done this activity for over 25 years and every year it works!  Mined you I've only done it in the Primary grades.  You'll have to judge your students/kids on their ability to believe.  My first, kindergarten, and pre-school students have all believed.  It takes a little imagination on your part.  Have I enticed you enough. Oh, also you can do this activity before or after St. Patrick's Day as well as on St. Patrick's Day.  So here goes,,,,,,,

Of course, as I said this activity works before or after St. Patrick's Day, but this year St. Patrick's Day isn't until Sunday, so I did it yesterday (Friday).  The Leprechauns attacked our classroom.  It was crazy.  Did we see them?  No, but look at the mess they left us and even a note.

The Leprechauns left us this note.  One of my students asked why it was such shaky writing?  I told him, well you know they're so little they had to probably climb on each others back to up there and write.  The Leprechaun on top was probably moving a lot while the others were holding him up.  My student then said, Oh.

Leprechaun footprints

Poster upside down and in the wrong place

 Not sure if you can read it but The Leprechauns took our letter cards and spelled out "Leprechauns rule"

There where footprints leading from our back door, to the chairs, on the table, and up the closet where you see the Legos and some kids pictures are upside down. (Sorry for the blurriness).

Close up of foot prints.

They also piled a chair on top of my stool to put Frosty the Snowman on top of our closet.  Again they left footprints.

Oh my gosh, our calendar was all messed up.  Months of the year, days of the week, and March were all upside down.

To top it off my chair was on it's side and they left our blocks and Lincoln log/tinker toys out.

 

 

Well as you can see those Leprechauns had a busy fun time in our room.  My student came in and tried to blame me, but I explained I hadn't been in the classroom, I was running off papers.  (My classroom opens to the yard where we pick up our students, so I always make sure I do not get them that day through our back door).  I always walk around the building like I've been somewhere else.  As I did yesterday I had papers in my hand that I had truly just run off.  He He!!

 

 

Anyhow this is a blast for me and a memorable experience for my students.  They are amazed at the mess and really believe the Leprechauns have come.  We had been reading stories with Leprechauns all week, so they knew about them and that they can be tricky.  My student then help straighten and clean almost everything.  It's also funny if anyone comes late as one of my students did yesterday, at least five students come up telling him all at once about the Leprechauns being here in our room.

 

Doing this activity does not make a calm day, they do settle down but will be talking about this all day, to friends, other teachers, and finally to their families. 

 

Oops! I forgot to mention once we've cleaned up most of the obvious mess, I mention to the students about a legend I've heard (many of them know it already because their Kindergarten teachers told them about it last year).  The legend is if you take off one shoe and leave it outside the Leprechauns may leave you a coin (use the chocolate ones).  So of course we have to do it, (even me) to see if it works.  And it does!  due to my aide who I had ask earlier in the morning to put the coins in their shoes before she came in our class.  **This can be tricky to do without anyone seeing but somehow every year my aides do it.  Now this year I have the kids put there shoes on one side of our building but then we had them change them because I said a lot of people use the bathroom right next to us and that might scare the Leprechauns, so we moved our shoes to a better spot.  They had no problem doing it.  They think it's so crazy to run around our class for a while with one shoe off and one shoe on.  My aide did a terrific thing this year too.  She moved our shoes around putting them up on a box and some pipes, so they weren't in the exact spot we left them.  When the kids went out they thought the Leprechauns had taken their shoes, but quickly found them.  They were so loud and excited.  Throughout the day they keep wondering if the Leprechauns would show back up again.  I said, I don't know.  

 

I loved every minute of  this activity.  This is what teaching is about for me.  I'll tell you most of  my former students remember the Leprechauns coming to our room.  Even yesterday, the second grade teacher told me that most of my former students shared what had happened to them in my class last year when the Leprechauns came.

 

Anyhow basically use your imagination to set up your room and as I said you can do it a few days before, on, or after St. Patrick's Day.  You just make a mess.  I also did  a writing once things had settle down. 

                          The Leprechauns were in our class.  They.........

 

Oh, by the way I usually get one or two students that say they're afraid, but I say when did we ever read about a Leprechaun hurting anyone?  NEVER.  All Leprechauns do are tricky things and they like to play.  My student's yesterday thought about writing a big note to the Leprechauns to ask them when they play with our things to please clean up, because it took a lot of time to clean up their mess.  Are Leprechauns real?  Well my answer to you and my students is, "it is what ever you believe in your hear". 

 

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!



Positional Words: Where is the Heart?

I have created a book to help students understanding in arranging and describing objects by proximity, position, and direction.  It is called Positional Words: Where is the Heart?  Words in this book are: below, above, next to, on, in, between, inside, around, near, under, below, beneath, behind, on top of, and in front of.
 
Each student can make their own book.   It's up to you as to how many pages you want to make it.  Use this for shared reading, guided reading, or with your ELD / ESL students.  Make one for your class library.

My own students had a lot of fun putting this together and reading it to each other.  I do have many second language learners and this book really helped them gain a better understanding of the positional words.  It was quick, easy and most of all FUN!



http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Cindy-Tirado
 

 

Enjoy!

Writing an Opinion Piece in First Grade

I am in the process of teaching my First graders to write an opinion piece.  Our District is requiring the students to write an opinion piece about their favorite character in a book.  It is also a Common Core standard for first graders.  As I have mentioned before in my Blog I have a class with about 80% second language learners, so writing in English is not the easiest thing for them.  They are barely learning to speak English let alone write in English.

This opinion writing is very challenging.  Most 6 years olds will say, I like her because she's pretty,  I like him because he's cool. 

So I have been trying to draw other reasons out of my boys and girls.  It has been taking me about a week to go through my own process and teach them a meaningful way to do this writing.

Day 1 and 2:  Read a story with a good strong character:  Example:  Curious George (any of his stories work).  Make some kind of thinking map, Ex:  Circle Map which in the center says:  I like Curious George because...........  Then brainstorm ideas or reasons why the boys and girls like him in the story.

Day 3:  I use this Communication Guide.  I write it on chart paper and laminate.  The boys and girls use it along with our circle map.  As a group we use sticky notes and complete the blanks together.  We do this a few times.  First I do it and then I have a couple of students do it in front of the whole class and then we read it together.  (using my comminication guide I do teach my students to put the title in the middle of their paper and then to indent 2-3 finger spaces to start their writing.)

                                           __________________
                                                       (Title)

               My favorite character in ______________________________
                                                                   ( Name of book)

is _______________________.  First
          (character)                                                                           
I like (him or her) because _____________________________________. 
Then, I like (him or her) because _______________________________________. 
(Choose one of the  closing and write it here)
     

Closings:
1.  _________________________ is a great character.
2.  __________________________ is my favorite character.
3.  I enjoyed reading about ___________________________________.
                    
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

               Completed example:
                                                      Curious George
                          
      My favorite character in  Curious George Goes to a Costume Party is Curious George.  First, I like him because he dresses up like a cowboy.  Then, I like him because he scares the people at the party when is a ghost.  Curious George is a great character.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 4:  We complete the above Communication Guide again whole class a few more times and then we Think-Pair-Share what we plan to write with our partners.

Day 5:  We write using the above guides.  I do leave everything up for all our practice writings.  By the time the actual writing assessments comes they have pretty well memorized this way of writing their Opinion Piece.  Students that can handle it can extend their writing if they wish.

**When the Assessment comes I do take down all the scaffolding charts.

Well best of luck and if anyone has some more ideas on Opinion Writing I'd love to hear from you.

A 4 day week with 3 minimum days and 24 parents conferences, right before Thanksgiving, Help!!!

Have you ever had a week where you were wondering how you would get it all done?  That week is coming up for me.  Next week is a four day week for us.  Sounds good right but we also have Parent Teacher conferences and three of our days are minimum days (which means we get out early, sounds good but just before Thanksgiving break with 3 furlough days, Ugh!).  I still have to teach our Treasures reading program (last week of Unit 2).  Continue with math patterning and geometrical shapes (as per our grade level pacing plan).  Then if there's time, try to get some Thanksgiving information and activities in.  My dilemma, how do I do everything?  I guess we all run into weeks even days when this happens.  My mantra is "do my best and move on".

Tip:
In order for me to enjoy my Thanksgiving Holiday break and take some pressure off me during Parent Teacher conferences (because those conferences allow me zero time to prep) I decided this past week to prepare and set up my materials for the week we return from the holiday.  In all honesty I try and have one to two weeks of materials/lessons prepared ahead of time. I have never been one to work on the fly.  If you try this you may find it's very easy to tweek and change or move things to other days or even to another week when things pop up.  Best of luck.

Thanks for reading and have a GREAT day. 

All About Me Writing Activity for first grade with 2nd language learners

I have a class of 24 students of which 17 are limited English speakers.  For that reason it takes me a while to teach writing.  I have to take many more steps than I would if my class was all English speakers. 

This activity was a fun write for all my students.  It took a few days but that's how it is with second language learners.  I also use a lot of scaffolding which helps everyone. 

DAY 1:  We start off with a circle Map (written on chart paper). 
The smaller center circle says:  
                                                          Things I Can Do
                                                                  I Can.......

I have the bigger circle left blank so my students could give me about 8-10 things they can do.  What ever they came up with I write on the circle map with yellow sticky notes.  We review whole class all the things once I had gotten the 8-10 items they said.

That night I go home and google image most of the items they had suggested and add a couple of my own.  I write each item on a word card and glue the image/picture I had found next to it.  (ex:  walk, run, jump, draw, put on a costume, read, learn etc.)

DAY 2:  We go over our circle map saying the phrase, "I can ____." and used every word or phrase on the circle map they had suggested the day before.  

 I then introduced our Communication Guide (written on a separte sheet of chart paper) (we used similar guides when I taught Into English; an English as a Second Language Program).   We use the Commication Guide by filling in the blanks. I also have Closings written out on chart paper (see below).  

I do an example first using the Communication Guide.   I use sticky notes for my/their name and put it right in the blank.  Then I have a sticky note that says boy or girl and I/they put it in the next blank.  Lastly I grab 2 things from our circle map relating to what I/they can do.  I also tell them they must choose a closing to end the writing. 

Once we have practiced filling in the Communication Guide whole class with me showing them how I would do it, I then have 2-3 students come up one at a time and complete the Communication Guide.

Day 3:  Begins by reviewing both the Circle Map and the Communication Guide, as well as the Closings.  Then again 2-3 students come up one at a time to fill in the Communication Guide to show how it's done.  Then I have the class turn to a partner and orally read the Communication Guide filling in the blanks as we have been practicing.  They then switch and the other partner reads theirs orally looking on the Communication Guide on the chart paper.


                          All About Me
         My name is ________________________.  I am
a _____________.  I can______________. 
I can ________________.


 Closings (they must choose one to end their writing):

1.  I am awesome.
2.  I am wonderful.
3.  I am _______.

DAY 3 or 4: We do a few more samples moving words into the All About Me communication guide and then I show them how to write it on special paper. The paper I use has name and date on top, a box for a picture and then lines to write their All About Me story. They must copy the communication guide: All About Me inserting their name, if they are a boy or girl and their own choice of words (from the circle map) for what they can do. And then a closing.

I do teach them that their title must be on the first line in the middle of the picture.  They need to have a three finger indent for their topic sentence.  I show them they must write to the end of each line and then start a new line at the margin.  Finally they must have a closing.  I do remind them their picture must relate to what they write.

This may seem like a very detailed process but many of my students are just in their second year of learning English if they went to Kindergarten, so their writing skills are not the best yet, but we'll  get there!!!!






                                                                                         I

Quit while your ahead

        Today I received a new student from Mexico right in the middle of my Treasures' first grade Reading Comprehension Lesson (a story about Roberto Clemente).  I had to stop to talk to his mom and grandmother quickly about:  My parent packet, his homework, does he have lunch money, and where to pick him up when school ends.  I also had to tell her today is our early day we get out at 1:19 but the rest of the days we leave at 2:19.  I am doing all this in the best Spanish I have, but the reason I decided to write this evening is because I feel it's important to understand this 10/15 minutes I lost talking to my new student's parent resulted in me having to just STOP my lesson and just forget about it.  The moment was gone.  Sometimes it is hard for us to realize when to stop, but it's best to just quit.  If you think about it there will be plenty of lessons in your Reading series that accomplish the skills that you were teaching.  So don't feel guilty, just STOP when you feel you've lost your students or the moment.  I did today and things went more smoothly for me and I wasn't as frustrated as I would have been if I had continued. 

Tomorrow is another day!!

Word Family Neighborhood

Here's a quick easy way to do the Word families all year long.  Each week I cover one word family.  I usually use the word family that is on the Daily Oral Language worksheet that week but, you can go in any order you choose.

All I do is make a house and at the top of the house I write the word family that we are covering.  Then I ask my students to come up with words in that family and I write them inside the house.  If I am in a drawing mood I try my best to put a picture by the word.  Sometimes the words may not have a picture I can draw, so I don't and sometimes I just write the word with no picture because I feel they can read without the scaffold.  It's all up to you.  We go over these words throughout the year whenever we have a minute or two. 

I line the neighborhood up on the wall.  The students see our neighborhood grow.  During Open House my students must read one house of words to their parents.  At the end of the year I take them down (the houses or apartments) and let each child take one home.  They love it.

Here is a  close up of one but I can't figure out how to rotate my picture, sorry about that. I hope you don't mind turning your head.

Have a terrific tomorrow!

31 High Frequency Words Cards added to my TPT store!

Well I finally had some time in between cooking up some carrot cake cupcakes for our Family Reunion tomorrow to up load the High Frequency words cards I use for the Treasures Start Smart Lessons.  They can be found in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  Just click on the TPT button and type in my name (Cindy Tirado) to check them out.

I have been trying to make the pieces I have found to be missing in the Treasures Reading Program our district chose to adopt last year.  I quickly wrote up cards on the white blank word cards last year and have now choosen to make them a little nicer or prettier.  I thought well if I can use them perhaps there are others out there that would like them too. 

I am still eventually going to try and teach myself how to put an item I've made on my blog, but just haven't had the time to research since school started. 

Most of my first grade team has been busy Dibels testing our first graders.  How do you keep 5-6 years olds busy and not needy for you while you test?  It seems to be every first grade teachers issue particularly at the beginning of the year.  I have started this year with an easy once a day center rotation.  This idea comes from one of my fellow first grade teachers and she has used this rotation in other grades too.  Basically our rotation starts once the aide arrives.  I stop what ever I am doing and go into our Easy Rotation for Language Centers.  For each group at this point in the year I have a leader (that is one of my better students).  They help run the activity, pass out materials, etc.

Language Centers
1.  Aide:  works with a group on Phonemic awarness or phonics skill activities or games
2.  Students work at tables practicing their spelling words.  They can copy their words three times each on white boards, a student can dictate the spelling words (almost like giving their group a spelling test) and the others write down the word.  There are so many activities that can be done here.  Make words using magnetic letters, stamping ink letters, using letter tiles etc.
3.  Students play the a game where they must say the High Frequency word that is flashed to them by the leader.  If the say it correctly they get to keep it, if not it goes to the bottom of pile.  Once the pile is gone whom ever has the most cards wins.  They also play the game that puts all the cards in a pile.  Leader start first and picks a card if he/she can say he /she keeps it, if not it goes to the bottom of the pile.  It continues until there are not cards left.  Whom ever has the most wins.  (In both games the leaders can usually help the group with the words that is missed, so hopefully by the next time they see it someone will remember it).
4.  Another group is playing an Alphabet game.
5.  The last group is doing a daily packet with a variety of worksheets.  Pages could be:  writing their first and last name, copying their spelling words, Daily oral language, Daily oral math, perhaps a phonics page, and a math page (if they complete their packet they may read a book).!

Doing it this way I am free to Assess my students for a least 30 minutes. 

Something else I do and I found it while reading blogs this summer is turn on a little camping lantern (I wish I could give the person who came up with this idea some credit, but I don't know who it was), if the lantern is on it means "do not bother me" because I  am working with someone.  It works very well. 

Well, Happy Labor Day everyone and perhaps you'll be able to sleep in a little.  I know I will.

Thanks for reading!

Update on my (see red) Name tags that last!!!

Last year we were ask to have our first graders line up in alphabetical order for lunch and make sure they had name tags.  So I decided to do something different and it lasted because I am using them again this year.  I do recommend you reinforce the opening on the plastic ID badge for the lanyard with clear packing tape or the fancy duck tape and then re cut or whole punch the hole for the lanyard (You can hole punch through packing tape but duck tape you may need to slice an opening).  For me spending a bit of money first off has saved me time and NO more word cards on roving/yarn!!!!  So it's time to share. 

Now you will have to spend a little money, but if you don't have to keep doing roving/yarn necklaces attached to word cards maybe you'll want to try this. 

I purchased from Staples but you can get at any office supply:  2 packages of the blue lanyards (12 for about $9.50) and 1 package of ID badge holders that attach to the lanyards (50 for about $20).  Then I got some Shipping Labels from Avery (8163).

I set up in Microsoft Word (labels) and printed my labels with my students first and last name, my name and room number, (that's what our cafeteria wanted) but you can put what ever you need or want on your name cards.  I cut a 3 x 5 card in half and put the label on it.  Then, I slipped the card into the name badge and walah!  A lasting name badge. 

How do I use them in my class:  I put my badges on my kidney table in the morning.  My students know that if they need to buy a lunch they need to get their necklace and put it on their desk.  When we go to lunch they put it on.  Once they get their lunch and are seated I come and collect their necklaces.  I do not want them to take them out to play.  That's it!

Have a terrific week and here's to saving time!

TeachersPayTeachers SALE for 2 days (Aug. 12,13) plus my store has a 20% off sale too, Use PROMO code BTS12

Hello I have learned that Teachers Pay Teachers only has a few sales a year and today Aug. 12 and tomorrow Aug. 13 are one of those sales.  As my title today says not only do they have a discount on items but so do I in my store.  Everything in my store is 20% off.  Hit the Teachers Pay Teachers button on my blog and it will take you to my store.  It's a small store but you get a lot of bang for your buck.  Why not get a few new things at a discount to start off your year or add to it if you've already started with some terrific items from me and others.  I know for I'll be shopping as soon as I'm done here. 

I've been teaching a long time and get bored with some of my things and I like to jazz up my mood when teaching with new stuff for cheap and pay a teacher instead of a publishing company (for double/triple the price).  All of us are teaching pretty much the same things so it's nice to utilize someone elses brain and as my Blog title says, "Save Time in First Grade", or any grade really!

Enjoy shopping and thanks for reading.  Have a terrific day and SAVE YOURSELF SOME TIME.

Well slowly but surely I am learning how to set up my blog.  I wonder is there a blogging for Dummies out there?

Today I finished another Treasures Reading Program packet.  It is a First grade Sight Word packet for Units 1-6.  It has all the words for each of the 5 weeks covered in these units.  I have combined weeks due to some weeks not having very many words.  This packet is useful for any reading program too.  Read the sheet in class or send it home.  Each sheet has groups of Sight words your child should read quickly.  Then you can keep score for 5 days and see how they improve.  When used in class, I say to my students, "read as fast as a jet".  They love it!

I have uploaded them in a PDF version or Microsoft publisher version.  They are available on TPT or http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

I have also added a PDF version of my Treasures Sight Words for Start Smart weeks 1 - 3.  It too is on my Store at TPT or http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

To access my store once your on their website:  please just type in my name on the search button:  Cindy Tirado  It should take you to my store. 

I am new to blogging so I don't know yet how to embed all the buttons and things to get you right to my store, sorry about that.  Perhaps I will figure it out one of these days.

Thanks for reading and here's to Saving Time!

A Few Tips to a Great New Year

My goal this week was to get into my classroom for only a couple of days and do a much set up as I could.  I entered my classroom and tried to remember where I shoved everything 6 weeks ago.  Let me tell you the older you get and the longer you teach the harder it is to remember where you shoved things for the summer break.  Every closet is a surprise, Ha Ha.  Then I see all of things I need to unload and put back in their places.  Sooooo Fun!  Not!!

My goal when I write here is to share experiences but also I like to share a tip or two that may save you time.

This year I was lucky no one used my room as in the past, so here's a great tip if you can do it:  set up your room with your beginning of the year bulletin boards and charts/posters prior to leaving. 

I have never been one to have every inch of my room decorated.  Tip:  it's O.K. to keep your room simple.  Why? because, I have found it hard for the students to focus and settle down when a room is too busy with stuff everywhere. Kids only notice things for a while and then it gets ignored.  So for my boys and girls basic charts/posters are up:  numbers with number words, colors with color words, my poem of the week, homework chart, and behavior chart.  These charts I've made and are scaffolds.  I scale them to just words later in the year.  Don't get me wrong as the year progresses I add things to our room environment we have created as a class, or relates to our theme.  These seem to be more meaningful to all.  Finally, my last tip don't be afraid to get rid of (put away) things your class won't be using anymore.  It's O.K.

Well best of luck to those who are starting next week and if not continue to enjoy your summer break. 

Thanks for reading and here's to saving time.

Only try a couple of new things at a time when starting a new year.

I have seen so many fun ideas and activities that I would love to do with my new first graders this coming year, but I have also learned through my many years of teaching that you should only try a few new things at a time. If you change too much it can become overwhelming and at least for me my room won't run as smoothy and flow as I like it. Like last year my district introduced us to the Treasures Reading Program and the Dibles Assessments. I really did not do much new in my classroom except to learn the ins and outs of both Treasures and Dibles. Now this up comming year with those two programs sort of under my belt, I can now tweek Treasures to meet my students needs adding activities/centers, and lessons. After using Dibles I now know I need to have things to keep my students occupied for a certain amount of time so I can do the one on one testing. So I'm thinking this year I'll try and add more focussed literacy and math centers as well as trying out some whole brain teaching techniques (www.wholebrainteaching.com). Why do I mention this? Well many teachers I know want to try so many things they see others doing that seem to be working (including me). So I always suggest (and have to remind myself) run your class the way you are comfortable then if you see something new you like go ahead and add it. If it works perfect, use it, but if it doesn't or your not comfortable with it dump it and go back to your old stuff. You will feel better and be less stressed. Lord knows we are stressed enough with all our current challenges in teaching now days. So as the statement say, "Keep it simple". Do what works for you and gets your students learning. Here's to saving time. Thanks for reading

Word Sort Cards for Units 1 -6 for Treasures Reading Program First Grade

Wow! I finally finished the Words Sort cards for Macmillian/McGraw-Hill Treasures Reading program First Grade. They are at my TPT Store (Teacher Pay Teacher), just type in the search my name Cindy Tirado and my store will come up. Last year when we had to implement this reading program I found there were a lot of materials, but they had no cards to use for the sorting lesson during the Phonics/Spelling portion of the Weeks lesson. All last year each week I quickly wrote the words on 3 x 5 index cards, what a pain! Now they are are ready just download, print, laminate, and cut. By the way if you don't use Treasures reading program they are terrific words sorts to add to any Reading lesson and or center. Thanks for reading and here's to saving time!