Makeover Madness!

 

I am so thankful for these four, sweet ladies who started this amazing challenge!  

At the beginning of the challenge, I recorded my stats.  

Even though I started in 2013, I still feel like a newbie.  It takes me FOREVER to find the time to perfect a product.  I'm excited for this challenge to give me the boost I need.

The first challenge was a MAKEOVER!  Too much fun!  I have some products in dire need of a makeover.  When I first started creating for TpT in 2013, I used word and had a limited knowledge of clip arts and fonts.  Now that I use powerpoint, I am blown away with how easy is it to create!  

I have two completely redone products to share with you.  

First up, my Handprint Calendars.

My Handprint Calendars have been COMPLETELY redone!  I kept the main font the same {how can you go wrong with Cara Carroll???} but added a few other matching fonts.  I also redid the look of the calendars.  Before I only included black and white for Canada and US.  Now there are color versions, too.  I also included some with holidays, some without, some with the premade calendar numbers, and some completely blank.  And, the best part is, they are now EDITABLE!!!  

Next, Counting with Cookies.

My second makeover was one of my very first products, Counting with Cookies.  I converted everything over to powerpoint, redid the cover, fonts, and graphics.  I also added a couple more independent practice pages.  

Both of these products are on sale in my TpT Store for the rest of the week!

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Counting with Cookies!

Hello, Everyone!!  I just posted a new product in my teacherspayteachers store!  

Introducing.....

I have a few 2nd graders this year who need some extra practice with basic numbers, so I thought I would revise and add to activities I used when I taught first grade.  

In this packet you will get:

-Number Recognition Books for your students to practice writing words, digits, and counting sets.

-Number Recognition Matching Game

-Two Number Recognition Worksheets

I'd love to give this packet away to the first THREE lucky readers to comment on this post.

{Please be sure to leave your email address.}  

If you purchase it, please let me know what you think!  

  

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Workshop

Workshop is what I call the time of the day where we do centers/stations/small groups/one-on-one/parent helpers. I hope to explain this in the least confusing way possible. :)

We have specific rules for Workshop. They are:
1. Always be working.
2. Finish the must do first.
3. Whisper voices.
4. Don't interrupt the teacher.

Each child has a star at their desk with their name on it. If they have a question, they are to ask everybody else first, then they bring me their star and move on to something else until I am able to help them.

Workshop lasts for about 30 minutes. All the children start out with a “must do”. This is usually some type of worksheet that reinforces a reading/math skill previously learned. They are supposed to do this page independently. When they are finished, they turn it into the basket and move on to their “next do”.

I have about 10 of these activities. I assign 2 children to each activity. Since we have an odd number of students, one child is by themselves. I usually pick a higher student who is okay with being alone. For now, River said she didn’t mind being by herself. I change the partners every 6 weeks or so. I have about 15 different stations I use all year. The activities stay about the same, with the exception of changing the book for listening center, adding new games, etc. The children get to stay at their “next do” for as long as they want.

Here's some of the next do's in action:

Read Around the Room
They simply read any of the letters/numbers/words they can. When we have more sight words up on the word wall, this will become word wall. Then they will only read the sight words.

Listening Center

Pocket Chart
This changes throughout the year. For now, it is putting the alphabet in order. Other activities include sorting words by spelling patterns, putting a sentence in order, etc.

Spelling
They are to stamp the spelling words. But until we start spelling, they stamp sight words.

Handwriting
I have a few different mats to practice handwriting.

Caterpillar
I have several boxes with different counting and alphabet caterpillars for them to make.

Pattern Blocks
I got these wonderful pattern block mats from PreKinders.

Computers
Right now we are just playing Starfall. But soon we will start Math Facts in a Flash and some of the other sites under my Favorites to the right.

When they are finished, they get to move on to a “may do”. These include activities like going to the library, writing in journals, using the reading phones, taking AR tests, etc.


While everyone is working, I pull back groups or individual children to work on various reading/math skills. Parents also come in to work with the children as well. I have parents play learning games, review letters, sight words, numbers, math facts, etc.


We've spent a month really learning how to do workshop properly. Parents are starting to come in this week. I'm really hoping the class remembers the rules and works well. I'm sure they will! Workshop really is our favorite time of the day!

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Play Dough Fun!

I decided I needed to try out the play dough ahead of time, to see how it looked, how much it made, whether it did stain hands, etc. I had so much fun testing it out with my friend’s sweet little Max!

He’s a little younger than my intended audience… but just as cute and fun!

I’ve seen play dough mats on a bunch of different websites, so I decided to make my own. I only made a couple to demonstrate with Max, but I plan on eventually making some with numbers, letters, shapes, sight words, and names. I’ll laminate them after they are all printed and cut out. Then, the children will roll the play dough into little snakes, and form the words/shapes/numbers on the cards. I made them with the DJ Inkers font DJ Stitch. I couldn’t decide which font to use. I love all their cute fonts!

Mickey Mouse! Created by the super talented, Michelle!

Kool-aid Play Dough

Mix together:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup salt

2 pkg kool-aid (unsweetened)

2 tablespoons cream of tarter

Add:

2 cups boiling water

3 tablespoons oil

Mix 3-4 minutes or until cool enough to mix with hands.

Knead and store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

The play dough turned out great. I used fruit punch kool aid and it turned a really nice red and smelled delicious! I didn’t notice it to stain my hands, unless it did but was no darker than my actual skin color. I figured I will need to make 2 or 3 batches for the first day of school activity.

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