Phonemic Awareness FREEBIE!

Hi friends!

We have been working HARD on listening to the beginning sounds of picture cards and discriminating between sounds that are the same and sounds that are different lately. Some of my students are SO good at this and others still struggle. It takes a lot of practice!

We usually warm up with this activity at teacher table using the picture cards that are provided with our Treasures curriculum. I have been trying to figure out a way to put this into a station without getting all my cards mixed up so I came up with this little freebie!

 I usually will say the words as we point to them and say "which one does not sound the same?"
{for example... "fish, foot, taco"} and my students will point and say the word that does not belong. I made these little task cards so that my students can practice more independently and self-check with a partner!

Click HERE to snag up the freebie!! I hope you can use these in your class!

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Field trip organization

Hi friends! We just went on our annual field trip to the Corn Maze this week. I think I'm still picking hay out of my hair! ;)

When it comes to taking 20 kindergarteners to a place where they can EASILY be lost...it takes a lot of organization on the teacher's part to ensure that no student gets left behind! This year I think I've got my routine down pat..

When we go on field trips we always ask for parent volunteers to work/monitor a group of kids. There is NO way I could do it all myself! Once parents have graciously volunteered, I put my students into groups of 3-4 depending on the amount of volunteers. Then I whip out my garage sale dots and name tags!

I put *my* name on the name tags...we have 5 other classes plus all the other schools and general public that are out there at the same time. That way...if a kid gets separated from the group it's easy to see who they belong to. Each kid gets a colored dot that places them into their group. Each volunteer is in charge of one color group.

Then...I make a little care kit for each volunteer. I pack things a parent might need without having to come to me to ask for bandaids, kleenex, sanitizer, etc. from my field trip kit. The little tag also has the list of students in each group.

This has been the BEST way to organize groups and volunteers for me and it works every time! Parents appreciate that I am prepared and aren't just throwing kids at them left and right. If you'd like the {EDITABLE} tags click HERE to snag them up!

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DIY Burlap Bunting - great teacher gift!

Happy Monday, y'all!

I posted a few pictures on my Instagram account over the weekend of a little bunting that I made to decorate for fall in my house. I had so many requests for a tutorial that of course I obliged! :)

Seriously...this is the EASIEST thing ever and it looks fabulous with little effort! This would be perfect as a teacher gift with the teacher's name painted on it. Now...my OCD friends who have to have everything just so...beware when you're using burlap. It is a little difficult to cut perfectly so just let it go...take a deep breath...it will look great in the end!

You will need: 
-burlap in 2 different colors or burlap ribbon {I had scraps...I didn't even use 1/8th of a yard}
(this ribbon was from Hobby Lobby- I used it for another project a while back so I had it in my closet but I got it 1/2 off when I bought it)
-twine
-plastic needle
-hot glue, scissors, paint of your choice.

Now...to the fun part..cutting your burlap!!! I taught you a trick to cut burlap in this tutorial but I don't use it when I cut small pieces...so take a deep breath, sister. You've got this. Repeat after me. It does not have to be perfect! I didn't use a pattern because I'm not the measuring type...but if you need one, click HERE to snag mine up.

I cut out the rectangles first and then went back and trimmed the edges that were super far off. {just eyeball it!} eh hemm.. I had a few that were far from perfect.

Next, cut out the triangle shape for the bunting.

Follow the same process for the coordinating burlap....if you use the burlap ribbon it is much easier to work with. It's more stiff and cuts WAY easier!

If you are using the template, you don't need to follow this step. I didn't, so I had to fold my burlap in half to cut the triangles out at about the right size.  If you are going to paint anything on the top layer, this is the time to do it! Just place it on top of a piece of paper to be sure it doesn't bleed through.

Use a thin line of hot glue to tack the top bunting to the bottom bunting.

Line your bunting pieces up the way you want to string them. Thread your needle with the twine.

Thread the twine in and out of the bunting. Leave as much or as little space between each piece.

Hang up and enjoy!

Now head over to Tara's linky party and see all the other fun crafts this week!!

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October Printables

Hi friends!

Are you off tomorrow for Columbus Day?! Me neither!! If you are...I am jealous! I could use a little mental day just right about now! {I have a half day next week to take my daughter to the dentist...I'm counting that! ;P}

This week is going to be crazy busy for us in kindergarten...we're going to the Corn Maize!!!! We are also beginning our pumpkin unit this week...perfect timing! I'm so excited to use many of the little activities from my October Straight Up! packet this coming week. It's beginning to feel a lot more like fall around here!

I have several of these pages copied and ready for a little "spooky" fun this week! We will be observing our pumpkin {and eventually making pumpkin seeds!! yummmmmmm! My FAVE!} Click on the page below to grab the FREEBIE from this packet!

I hope you snag the freebie and check out the rest of the packet!! I know I love using these pages when things get a little crazy!! Click HERE to see it on Teachers Pay Teachers.

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5 for Friday APPLES!

Phew, friends! It was a long week around here....anyone else!? We were up to our ears in apple fun...so I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for 5 for Friday {Teeny's version of it on Saturday! ;)}to share a little with you!

We taste tested apples this week and graphed our favorites...I love looking back to see how my classes all compare from year to year. Last year my class was ALL about the green apples! {yellow is my fave...anyone else?!}

We've been learning about properties of matter {along with the 5 senses and taking observations} in science the last few weeks. We used our balances to compare apples and school objects and then we found cut outs in a magazine and put them on a "balance" in our interactive notebooks. The page is from my apple pack.

We've been working on characters and setting in reading and we illustrated the story elements from "The Biggest Apple Ever." They did such a good job! This page is a freebie from HERE.

We made applesauce on Friday..I always bring in this apple peeler/corer and have the kids help me turn the handle. You wouldn't believe the "oooh's and ahhhh's" that this brings!! It works like magic every time!!

 And to end the week...I'll share with you my glamour shot {AKA school pictures! lol!} The photographer who does our school photos is so nice....he airbrushes all of us teachers...so that we look like we came right off the beach without a blemish or wrinkle to be seen! ha!! It actually ends up looking nothing like us in the end and we laugh about them being our glamour shots {remember that place in the mall?!!?}

I hope your week was fabulous and I will be back with some owl fun soon!!

Head over to Kacey's blog to check out everyone else's 5 for Fridays!

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