Five for Friday {Linky Party.. September 26th}

Five for Friday is a weekly teacher linky party where you post five random things from today or this past week and on your blog. Then, you come back and link your blog post up at the bottom of this post in the linky tool.Grab the button above and link back to this post on your blog.

We are wrapping up our Dog Unit. Something new I did this year were these super cute newspaper dogs.

                  

Even though a few of them resemble rabbits.. they are cute and colorful!

    

Last week I had a mini {more like a HUGE} panic attack because I felt like a handful of my firsties were having more than usual struggles learning their sight words. So, this week was all about drilling, drilling and a little more drilling. We have practiced these words so much I am probably saying them in my sleep.

This was one of the “games” we played this week. I wrote all of our words on my whiteboard and I started out by calling out a word and one of my students had to find it and circle it. Then, I picked a caller and a finder. The “caller” would call out a word and the “finder” would circle it.

Here is another “game” I pulled out of my bag of tricks. All you need are flash cards and dice.

   

The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

Here is a little trick.. give students a basket or a cup to keep their words in when it is not their turn. Otherwise, they will either play with them nonstop when it is someone else’s turn or they get mixed up with someone they are sitting beside.

We played this in small groups so it was only six at a time playing.

I also really like to play games where the winner is based on luck and not on  smartness.

Otherwise… the same little whizzes win each time.

          

As I was going through my pictures for this week trying to figure out my “five” things.. I came across these and I just wonder how I ever survived without a smartphone. Seriously, our lives are so easy these days! I screenshot recipes I find on pinterest so I can easily see the ingredients. It makes grocery shopping much easier. Unless you leave your phone in your car when you go into the store… happens all the time!

But seriously.. I screenshot everything for quick reference!

Last week was my Pirate themed Five for Friday.. and I promised a Mystery Box Giveaway! I picked comment number 8.. and that was Susan Palmer.

 Email me Susan! I need your shipping address for your mystery box of goodies! I will make sure to share pictures of what was included before I ship!

 

Link up below.

Please remember to use the button at the top of this post in your FFF post and link back to this blog post.

October.. What I’ll be teaching!

October will be here next week. And, it is one of my favorite months so I am definitely ready! I love the “themes” I teach in October and I also think that it is the month that we FINALLY can say we have mastered {most} of our classroom routines. You can probably hear my sigh of relief. I KNOW you understand too!

I also believe that October is a great month to fit in a little Social Studies and Science. Fire Safety and Columbus Day are perfect Social Studies units. .. and we can definitely fill lots of time with non-fiction learning of bats, spiders and skeletons.

And, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the fun of Halloween. The cutesy part.. not the scary. You will never find anything scary with me but you better believe I overdo the cuteness of jack-o-lanterns, candy corn, costumes and more!

I looked back through some pictures on my computer and found a few fun things I have done in the past with my first graders.

These little spiders were always a big hit. Our cafeteria has these little styrofoam cups and all you need are wiggly eyes, pipe cleaners and black beads. I haven’t made these in several years but they are cute and easy!

We made these glass jack-o-lantern luminary jars one year. They are covered with tissue paper and have green raffia tied at the top. We put candles inside. Cute! Cute!

This ghost bulletin board and hall display is one of my favorites. The white sheet on each ghost lifts up and there is a picture under each one. Such a cute idea.

Very simple jack-o-lanterns with handprints for the leaves.

Yarn pumpkins. These always turn out cute and each have their own personalities.

Directed drawing bats- a cute and super easy {and fast} bulletin board idea.

 

Here are a few of my October resources that I will using in October. You can click each picture to go straight to the page listing with more info.

Five for Friday {Linky Party.. September 19th}

Five for Friday is a weekly teacher linky party where you post five random things from today or this past week and on your blog. Then, you come back and link your blog post up at the bottom of this post in the linky tool.Grab the button above and link back to this post on your blog.

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Today is National Talk Like A Pirate Day- who knew?!?

Now, I am not a huge fan or pirates but I am never one to step back from a fun mindless, crazy special day. So my friend Mel asked some friends to join her in celebrating this fun day!

So.. I am bringing you a Pirate Theme Five for Friday…

featuring 5 fabulous treasures!

Here we go…

I have a fun {free download} set of Counting by 5 cards!  These include numbers 5-300. They fit perfect in a pocket chart- or can easily be used on a table or on the floor!

We have been working on counting by 5’s past 100- so these will fit in perfect with my first graders!

Quick Link: Count by 5’s Cards

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Another BIG skill we are working on is recognizing and ordering the Days of the Week and Months of the Year. I have several sets but I am excited to add these fun pirate ones to my collection!

We use these in small groups while sitting at the table but I also have them in my pocket chart centers for independent practice.

Quick Link: Days & Months Cards

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Click below to see a few of the my Pirate Friends featuring a few treasures on their blog today!

Pirate Friends!

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My store is on sale today only! {Friday, September 19th}

No code necessary. All products are discounted. Don’t miss out! Just click the Doodle Bugs banner below.

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I have been gathering up some fun little treasures- to mail out to one lucky person.

 

I will announce the winner in next week’s Five for Friday! Everyone loves a little “good mail” and I am excited to mail this box of goodies to someone special.

 

Simply- leave a comment on this post to be entered into the giveaway.

 

 

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Happy Weekend! Link your Five for Friday post up below!