1-2-3-Come Write With Me!

Are you looking for some quick, easy, and fun writing prompts for the end of the year, or perhaps a sweet bulletin board to end with a bang?

If so, I think you'll really enjoy this "Fin-tastic" End of the Year Writing Prompt packet.

Run off the large fish on a variety of colored construction paper.  Students choose one and cut it out. 

They can glue it to the top of a sheet of writing paper, or add more pizzazz by letting them choose a strip of colorful construction paper to write on.

Before hand, brainstorm with students why they think they will have a fantastic summer vacation. 

To help with spelling, make a list of things they are going to have fun doing and list them on the board.

For more "pow" have students add a wiggle eye and include their school photo on the fin.

Sprinkle their "fin-tastic" work on a bulletin board covered with blue paper.

To make it 3D add twirled creape paper "seaweed" in a variety of lengths and shades of green, to the bottom of the board.

Your caption can be: "We're Wishing You a Fin-tastic Summer!"

I think your students will also enjoy making the other fish and writing about why they had a "fin-tastic" school year. 

This prompt can also be brainstormed.  It's quite gratifying hearing all of the reasons why students enjoyed the year.

This "craftivity" can be hung back-to-back from the ceiling.

Finally, have students choose a partner to make a special card for. 

They write that child's name in the blank and then write why they think they have been a "fin-tastic" friend, classmate, student etc.

When they are done, they give it to their partner. Add a photo and wiggle eyes to make it even more special.

Click on the link to view/download the Fin-tastic Summer Writing Prompt Packet.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful.

Do you have an end of the year activity you enjoy doing with your kiddo's?  I'd love hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com or simply leave a comment here.

"It is not the IQ, but the I Will, that is most important in education." -Unknown

New Words For The New Year!

My newest New Year FREEBIE is an alphabet book of all the words I could think of that have to do with New Year's.

Although Q, V and Z were a bit tricky, I did think of words for all 26 letters.

It's a fun way to review the alphabet, (Common Core State Standards: RF.K1d, L.1.1a) as well as increase vocabulary.

Students trace the upper and lowercase letters as well as trace and write the new words.

Print a copy to laminate and cut up, to use for your January Word Wall.

The Happy New Year ABC Word Booklet makes a nice Daily 5 "word work" activity for students to do during the 1st week back from vacation.

Click on the link to view/download the Happy New Year ABC Word Booklet.

I've also made a Happy New Year bookmark you can leave on your students' desks as a little surprise when they come back from break.

Click on the link to view/download it.

Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything that you think others may find helpful.

I hope your New Year is filled with everyone and everything that you love. 

May you be blesed with health, happiness, peace, and love.

"What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year." -Vern McLellan

I LOVE quotes, and hope you enjoy the ones I post at the end of each blog article. 

If you're looking for some New Year's quotes to use in your class, click on the link.  I've compiled all of my favorites. 

I have a feeling that a lot of teacher's are going to be looking for New Year's lessons today, so I've written 2 more articles.

Simply scroll down to read them. Enjoy.

Let's Go! Let's Get Out In That SNOW!

Yesterday I updated and posted the ordinal number winter poster packet to rave reviews. (Thanks!  So glad you liked it. I guess lots of teachers & parents were in the same boat. )  This sort of “What goes on next?” always helped my Y5’s and expedited things, so we could waddle out for recess before the bell rang to come back in!

I decided to follow that up by updating an emergent reader booklet on the same subject, that will help you review Common Core State Standards: RF.K1a, RF.K1c, RF.K3c, L.K2a, L.K2b

Like the poster, the booklet helps your students identify winter clothing words and the order clothes should be put on. Students correct the sentences by adding ending punctuation and a capital letter to the beginning word.

They trace and then write the ordinal number, as well as the article of clothing that is put on.

Students use pictures as clues to read the sentences, as they cut and glue other pictures to the matching numbered boxes.  This packet is great for your Daily 5 word work activities.

There are 58 words in the booklet, 30 of which are Dolch sight words. I've included 58 traceable word cards to practice with, as well as worksheets involving contractions also found in the booklet, plus some word work with compound words.

Since the booklet is all about getting ready to go out to play in snowy winter weather, I thought it would be fun to see how many compound words starting with the word snow, I could come up with. 

Can you think up more than my 15?  I’d love hearing from you!  I still don’t understand why snow pants is not a compound word! Anyone have an answer to that?  diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment here.

The packet also includes:

• 58 traceable word cards + covers to make Itty Bitty Booklets.
• 8 matching picture cards (Great for playing Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games.)
• A graphing extension
• + 4 skill sheets, which include: Match the word from the story to the picture.
• An alphabetizing worksheet
• A compound word worksheet. (Trace and write 15 new words that begin with snow.) and
• A contraction worksheet +
• A certificate of praise when students can read the booklet independently.

Click on the link to view/download the Let’s Go! Let’s Play In The Snow Easy Reader Booklet Be sure to scroll down for yesterday's article "This Is How We Get Ready" if you missed it, and grab the matching FREEBIES.

Thanks for visiting. My feet have hit the floor running today, as my Christmas decorations need to be taken down and packed away, along with a myriad of other things.   Anyone else hate that job? 

“Leave as little to chance as possible.  Preparation is the key to success.” –Paul Brown