Making Words Chicktionary

Okay, I admit it...I have a little addiction to a game on my iPhone called Chicktionary. I play it ALL the time. Somehow it is relaxing to me....weird but true. I told my kids about it and decided to make their own version of Chicktionary.  We'll see if they become as addicted as me. :)


Making Words Chicktionary

Compound Words Shuffle

We are studying compound words this week as our spelling words and I have been trying to come up with some fun ways to practice spelling these challenging words. I woke up this morning with the song "Cupid Shuffle" in my head (don't ask...it all goes back to a workshop I did) and thought what if we did the "Compound Word Shuffle" but danced as we sang and spelled the words. My kids seem to like to move and sing so maybe they will like it.  We'll see...

Check out YouTube for a video on how to do the dance.  I changed it up and used the words "east" and "west" instead of left and right since we're also talking about cardinal directions this week, too. Hey, you have to integrate where you can! :)

Compound Words Shuffle

Grammar Songs

As the "Queen of Random" I will probably be posting random things that just "pop" into my head (again a side-effect of my undiagnosed ADD :). This year I've created some grammar songs to go along with the grammar skills presented in our Reading Street Series. I've compiled them by units but anyone can use them by just looking through them and pulling out the particular songs you need when you need them. I have three units of songs with 6 songs in each and will be working on one for unit 5. I only have one song for unit 4 because that unit was pretty much just about adjectives and I compiled all the information into one song (feeling a little lazy that unit :). My kids love the songs because I've tried to make them fun and easy for them (and me) to sing.

Unit 1 Grammar Songs

Unit 2 Grammar Songs

Unit 3 Grammar Songs

Unit 4 Adjective Song

Comparative Adjectives Game

I've been inspired by some of the other blogs I've seen so I've created a game for one of our stories in our reading series, Scott Foresman Reading Street. It goes with the story Henry and Mudge but can be used anytime when you are studying comparative adjectives (adding -er and -est to adjectives). Click below to download the game.

Comparative Adjectives Game

I'm Such a Bad Blog Momma!

Blame it on my ADD (self-diagnosed, of course). I'm so bad about starting projects and not following through. Lately, though, I have found such wonderful teacher blogs and I've been encouraged to rejoin the Blog World again. We'll see...no promises but I'll try to nurture my blog a little bit more. I'm looking at how Google docs. works and will hopefully be able to upload some printables soon. Cross your fingers!

It's a Jungle in Here!

So much for keeping up with the blog. What's it been...four months? Well, as you can see below I've been pretty busy setting up my new jungle/safari themed classroom at my new school. I had so much fun buying, creating, and even sewing materials for my classroom. I'm so grateful to all the people who have shared ideas on the internet. They truly inspired me! I wanted to be sure to share my own classroom pictures, too. Maybe this will spark some more ideas. Enjoy!

Still Addicted to Vista Print

I have shared my love of Vista Print with some of my colleagues and they have become just as addicted as me. We are a bad influence on each other, too. Every time they show me something they've made, I want to go and make/order more stuff, too. Here are some of my latest projects.

I got this idea for a rubber stamp from a colleague. I plan to use this on practice worksheets I sometimes send home with the students.

Here's another idea inspired by some of my fellow teachers. Next year we will be doing math stations in addition to literacy stations so I thought it would be good to have this small banner posted. Gotta love the giraffe print, too!

I "borrowed" this idea from something I saw in a catalog and thought it would do well on the small car magnet. I also found a cute stuffed turtle in the "2.50 section" at Target to go with it.

I usually print "Fun Friday" reminders on my printer so I thought I would let Vista Print do it for me with these small postcards. They are cute, colorful, and will last me for the next few years.

I saw this cat themed Premium Business Card template and knew I had to make something out of it. A homework pass seemed to be the perfect idea for this template. :)

I'm sure I will be visiting Vista Print more this summer. Stay tuned!