CHOMP!

After emptying this Cascade container, I knew I had to use it for a center at school! As a teacher constantly trying to come up with new ideas to keep the kids engaged, I saw the container as an alligator right away. Later, I did look this up on Pinterest and I saw that many other teachers have the same mentality as I do, and they turned their containers into alligators, too!

See the pictures below to see how I transformed the container with some Duck Tape and construction paper. I've created three simple games to put inside the container and I'm working on some more. I'll change the games/skills out easily as I see fit for my classroom. I'm also going to keep one at home for my girls to practice letters and sight words!

Here are the CHOMP! games that I've created so far:

Prepping for a New Month in the Classroom

One of my favorite things (when I'm in the classroom, that is!) is to change things out for the new month. I love changing the calendar, the literacy and math centers, and I usually change out table cloths that I have around the room with themes for each season/month. I love it! Something new for me and new for the kids! Well, with the new month approaching, I wanted to share all of the NOVEMBER goodies that I have and LOVE to use in my classroom! Plus, I'm putting my whole store on sale this weekend, so now is the perfect time to stock up and get ready for the new month!

Here are a few pictures of how I change out my table clothes around my room. I don't put them on tables that kids actually have to work because I feel like that'd make life difficult. I put them on some tables that I have made into more of a "counter" to keep my small group materials, etc. on, then under the table I store things, so the table cloths cover up those items! Also, I put one over the table that I have my projector, doc camera, etc. on. I always purchase them after the holiday for the next year, super cheap and they have all lasted me years! I love them.

Here's how I prepare my centers. I do this once, and they have last through two Novembers, hopefully they last through this year too. But if not, the time it takes to put them together and prepare them is worth it to last at least two years! It just depends on your class, I've found, and how they are with materials. Some classes are much better than others. Also, I find that if you have A LOT of centers/games to choose from, instead of just a few, the wear and tear isn't so bad because they "spread the wealth." {Haha}

I have a lot of people ask how I put my stuff together. After printing, the only thing I cut before laminating is the cover page, to put on the front of an envelope, and I don't even glue it on, I just stick it on the envelope, and slide them both in between the laminating sleeves. Also, another common question is about the metal prongs on the manila envelopes. Yes, I leave them on and sent it right through my personal laminator. Works fine! I've probably put hundreds of them through and no problem! Here are some pictures that show me preparing my Thanksgiving centers a few years ago! These are totally RAW pictures, taken at my kitchen table and in my classroom. Real life, nothing special! :)

Slide envelopes into laminating sheet. (these are larger envelopes and I have to cut the top off, so they don't close, the pieces will later just slide in the top, no big deal!)

Laminating!

Laminating, I only put them in Ziplock bags to transport to school, otherwise they just stay in the envelopes and are nice and sturdy!

Here is an example with the smaller envelope, you can see how I put it through. This cover I just left full size and lay the envelope on the back in the laminating sleeve. Again, I don't even take the time to glue it. The lamination will hold it all together. No wasted time! :) 

When it comes to the game pieces/cards. I DO NOT cut those out BEFORE laminating. No way! No extra work for me! I laminate the WHOLE sheet, then cut afterwards. They all stay together just fine! I see a lot of teachers post pictures that have cut out each piece, then put in lamination, then they have to cut that all out again. NO WAY! Call me lazy...but I only cut once! I've never had a problem w/ the lamination using this Purple Cow laminator or the Scotch Brand one. (I like that one better!)

Here's a good shot of how I just slide the game pieces into the envelopes (I slice the envelope open with the end of scissors after laminating is done.) The envelopes don't close, but the pieces stay in! You just have to teach the kids to put them RIGHT SIDE UP in the bin/baskets when they put them away!

At my last school, here's how I would set up the envelopes on display for kids to choose. Math one one side of the shelving unit, reading on the other.

I've BUNDLED all of my FAVORITE November items. That way, you can purchase one thing and have everything that I use from my own store in my classroom in November! I honestly love all of these products and this is my FAVORITE month when it comes to centers and activities that I pull out of my NOVEMBER box. :)

If you already have some of the products in the bundle, or if you just don't want all of them. See each products below individually. Also, some examples of pages from each product!

  

Coming soon*** A blog post about my newest literature companion pack that goes with the book Bear Says Thanks. It will include a freebie! Stay tuned!

Literature Companion Units {Corduroy}

Well, this is so fun and exciting for me! I've always had my certain favorite read alouds for my 2nd graders, and while I'm reading, I have all of those teachable moments and end up using the book for a variety of lessons. I've decided to organize all of those thoughts to share with everyone else! Earlier this week, I completed a Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse Unit (one of my FAVORITE read alouds!) and it was so exciting sitting down and writing down and PLANNING all of the things that I could use that book to teach! 

Now I have moved on to Corduroy...another favorite! I use a basal reading book in my district, but I love to incorporate in as many read alouds as possible. KIDS LOVE TO BE READ TO! It's amazing to sit down and dig into one book and discover how many lessons you could teach from it! 

I have created this "Companion Pack" to be used during and after reading Corduroy to your class. There are vocabulary cards and definitions included, ideas for anchor charts, graphic organizers for story mapping, 

I have also included five hand-on workstation/centers that can be used throughout the week that you read the story, or even all on the same day, whichever works for you! There are two centers to practice the vocabulary words, then there is a Cause and Effect center, Synonyms center, and Compound Word center. (All using words and scenarios from the story!) 

   

I also had a ton of great response to literature types of questions that I would ask my students, which I think would work great at writing time to tie everything together for your day/week, however you choose to plan this Corduroy unit! I'm showing two examples below of the writing that I included, but there are actually a few more in the packet. 

I said this when I blogged about my Lilly unit, I think it'd be great to use for an emergency sub kit..just leave the book and this unit. However, I wouldn't want to miss out on all of this fun with my kids, so I'd probably want to do with them! 

If you are interested in trying out this packet, please check it out in my store and see the full description, there honestly is a TON included. Also, be watching for future blog posts of me actually using these packets in my own classroom. Like I said before, I have actually pulled out a lot of these skills during those "teachable" moments, but I'm so excited to finally have all of my thoughts and ideas organized and ON PAPER! 

Just a quick sneak peek...here are some of the other books that I plan on working on "organizing my ideas" into companion units: Chrysanthemum, The Pout-Pout Fish, a bunch of Eric Carle books, and The Napping House. What are your favorite read alouds that you would like to have units to go along with? Let me know if you have any that you think I'd love too!

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse {Literature Companion Unit}

I've been super excited today because I finished this adorable unit to go with Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, which is one of my favorite books!! I just wanted to give you a sneak peek and I can't wait to use this with my 2nd graders this year!

I've included vocabulary words that you can discuss before reading the story to front load your students' understanding. I've made them on big cards that you could put in a pocket chart.

There are graphic organizers to complete after reading the story. You could even have students working on them while you read, you could stop at various places and complete them together. Or you could enlarge them and do one big one as an anchor chart!

  

I have included five literacy centers to go along with the skills that I found in the story. These could be used for independent workstations or in a small reading group. If you really wanted to, you could print an activity for each kid and use it more like seat work. It's up to you! I even think this would be great to leave for emergency sub plans...it'd keep your kids busy for your entire reading block for sure! All of the literacy centers have accountability/recording sheets included with them. I love having these so that the kids aren't just playing around, but they are actually held accountable with something to turn in as proof! {Sounds like I've had a lot of off task kids...right?!}

I've also included some writing activities that I would use in centers/workstations in my room. One of them includes response to literature questions, which students will respond to questions regarding the story, but also use details from the story to support their answer. Another writing activity is to write a letter to Lilly about what she should have done in the story. Last, there is a writing activity that refers to a simile found in the story. 

 If you are interested in this unit, please check it out in my store. If anything, add it to your wishlist for when you really need something fun for your room (i.e. Emergency Sub Plans...or maybe a day off...then again, you'll really want to do this SUPER FUN unit WITH your kids and not leave it for someone else to enjoy all of the fun!)

Click on the picture to see it in my store.

Other Literature Companion Units in my store: