Color Poems

Every year, at the beginning of Kindergarten we begin learning the color words. If you are like me you own the color word CDs and sing them over and over until you can't stop. Then you sing them at home, in the shower, in your head all the time! The good news is: They work! Kids learn how to spell their color words very easily when they learn it in song. (Funny, that actually works for almost anything.)

I was growing tired of my old color word poem charts in my classroom and decided to make new ones. I thought I would share. Enjoy! They are a FREEBIE!

Make the Letter

There is a big difference between the fine motor skills of a Transitional Kindergarten student and a Kindergarten student. Many TK lack the pre-writing skills needed to benefit from tracing on a dotted line. I had one little girl in my class last year who just couldn't do, no matter how hard she tried. What she could do what trace on a highlighted letter. (I hope you have all tried using a highlighter for tracing, because it is AMAZING for the kids who need extra support in fine motor skills!) And she could stay with in the lines of a letter outline.

I could not print out a highlighted paper without a crazy scary ink bill, but I could prepare letter outlines for my TK students in advance. This mini packet here is called Make the Letter and it is all about staying inside the letter outline to get the fingers and brain working together. Check it out.

These are half sheets because many students just aren't ready for a whole sheet of paper. I also don't want to waste a whole sheet of paper. Students can trace inside the letter outline and write the letter on their own. They can color the super cute pics from Pink Cat Studio (amazing, again!) and get the extra practice in that they need. You could also laminate these or put them into sheet protectors to have students use with dry erase markers. I have mine in sheet protectors with dry erase markers in a binder. This is something they can do at "Choice Time". These will also work with Pre-K students.

Happy Writing!

Our Class Rules

I am having to replace a lot of things I have gathered throughout the years. They don't last forever! One thing I am having to replace (and improve) is my rules poster. I use this rules poster as a reference that all students can "read". Just because Kinders can't read words, doesn't mean they can't read pictures. This chart reminds them of what they should be doing in class with a picture and two words they will have memorized by the end of the week. I enlarge this to poster size in my classroom so that if a student is having a hard time with one of our rules I can ask them to read the rules about eyes, or ears, etc. It comes in handy every single day!

 Our Class Rules Poster

If you would like to use this in your classroom, daycare or homeschool please feel free to download it here. It is a freebie!

My Science Journal: Pond Animals

My Science Journal: Pond Animals is here! Take a look at TpT and at these wonderful activities to do with your preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten or homeschool kids!

Some books I recommend are.

The Dark, Dark Night by M. Christina Butler

Pond Babies by  Cathryn Falwell

Growing Frogs by Vivian French

I hope you and your students enjoy learning all about the pond! It is a fascinating place for kids.

Classroom Rules

Managing a Kindergarten classroom takes a lot of discipline. Making sure your students learn the rules at the beginning of the year is time consuming, but so important. Here are three posters I place around the room for my students to have a visual reminder of their expectations throughout the day.

 Grab these posters HERE. 

 

I keep these posters in the areas I need them the most. Table Rules go on the white board, so that if I am teaching whole group I can remind those who are not doing a good job how to do better. I place the Rug Rules next to the rug area, within arms reach of reminding students how to sit and listen. I place the Line-Up Rules on or next to the door so I can remind students how their line should look before we exit the room.

Behavior Calendars 2014-2015

Behavior Calendars 2014-2015

 

Here are the 2014-2015 Behavior Calendars. I use these as my way to communicate to parents how their child is behaving in class each day. This pack includes August 2014 - July 2015. There are two versions of these calendars. One is a Happy Face/Sad Face form and the other is the Green/Yellow/Red Color form. You can choose which works for you in your classroom. I use the happy face form because it is easier for me to draw happy faces than color in squares. But, some teachers at my school have students color in the squares (this happens in 1st grade). Also included in this pack is my strategy for dealing with exceptionally difficult behavior with my "Star Sheets" and letters to go home explaining the child's behavior for the day. There are letters for sad faces, uh-oh faces and even for happy faces!

I want students to be rewarded for doing a good job. This does not mean I need to let them win a prize or even get a sticker. Just knowing that I appreciate their good day and their parents will see how great (or not so great) their day was can be reward enough. It definitely keeps my students aware of their actions. No one wants to go home with an uh-oh face. 

If you think you could use this in your classroom (and who can't?) go check it out in my TpT store.

Thanks! And I hope your classroom behavior is great! (Or at least better than before!)

DonorsChoose: Organize My Kindergarten!

I have a DonorsChoose item up! If anyone is able to donate, I am asking for chair pockets for my Kindergarten class. I would like to be able to have my students keep all of these Common Core materials they will need for the coming school year ready and available at all times. I know it will help me save time when it comes to passing things out and teach my students personal responsibility. Take a look at my project!

http://www.donorschoose.org/colorsandkindergarten

 

Thank you to all who support education.