Going Buggy - Insect Fluency Task Cards

If you follow my blog, you know that fluency is something that I write about from time to time.  Here is one of the posts:

Click HERE to read the post.

Fluency is one of those skills that can be easily overlooked because we spend so much time teaching phonics and phonemic awareness in the primary grades.  It wasn't until I sat in a P.D. - yes there are helpful professional development meetings - that I finally understood the long lasting impact fluency instruction had our students.  Read the post above to find out more about this.

After I sat through that PD, I went "back to the drawing board" or so to speak.  I didn't have any more time in my schedule, but I knew I wanted my students to do more fluency strengthening activities.  I needed to find lessons and activities that they could do individually, with a partner, as a center, or with a small group.   My answer was my Sentence Shuffle Centers.   

Today I made something new - the idea is not new - it is a new lesson packet for me to make.  I made my first fluency task cards. 

Going Buggy is an insect themed packet about seven different insects.  There are four different task cards about each insect.  Twenty eight task cards are included.  Here is an example of one of them:

• Level 1 is the easiest reading level and level 4 is the hardest reading level.
• Each task gives the word count.

You can set this up as a partner activity.  Give the partners one card or a ring of cards.  There is a fluency check form that the partners can fill out to rate their partner's reading.

It is a quick and easy form!

You can also set this up as a center.  To use it this way, you will need:

• Ring of task cards - organized by insect
• Pencil
• Timer (in the picture is an egg timer from Oriental Trading.  They are $6 per dozen.)  
• Crayons

Here is a closer look at the worksheet in the picture.

The answer key is also included.

You can organize the task cards by levels.  There are covers included.

Or you can organize them by insects.  There are covers included.

Click HERE if you'd like to visit my store.

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3 FREEBIES for you!

It has been a year since my friend, Fern and I began our Dynamic Duo monthly giveaways.  We have had a fun time working together and of course we love to give stuff away!

Fern recently came up with a new idea.  Each week, we are going to make one of our normally priced packets free for one day.  This is our way of showing a little appreciation to our followers who have loyally followed our blogs.  As an added bonus, we are going to invite a different blogger friend each week to join us.  Not only will you get free stuff, you might get to "meet" someone new and want to follow his or her store, too.  How great is that?!!!  Make sure you visit our blogs every Thursday!

Click HERE to download your freebie.

Just a reminder:  You will not be able to leave feedback after we change it back to a paid for lesson.

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Copier Woes

The copier, like most machines and technology, can be a big help and a source of frustration and stress.  If you have a machine that always seems to be broken, there isn't much you can do about that.  But, if you have a working machine that is causing you and your co-workers stress, there are some things you can do to lessen your frustration.

I have worked and volunteered at different schools and each one managed the copier differently. Here are a few of the ideas that I thought were helpful.

At some of my schools, teachers organized their own parent volunteers to copy stuff for them.  If you do this, be sure to tell your volunteer that teachers have priority when it comes to the copier.  If a teacher comes in, finish what they are copying for you and let the teacher use the machine.

At another school, the PTA organized parent volunteers called "Copycats" who copied for the entire school.  There was a volunteer that came in the morning and one that came in the afternoon.  Teachers filled out a form and clipped it to whatever they needed copied. The copycat made copies and put the finished copies in the teacher's mailbox.

This is an important rule that I feel should be posted on every copier in every school across America.  I think it would save a lot frustration.  The 15 minutes before school is for last minute copying.  It is NOT for a week's worth of copying or for huge packets.  Remember the golden rule and everyone will be happy!

This applies to before school and after school copying.  If your school has more than one copier, one grade level should not monopolize both copiers with large packets.  This is very common during test prep period.

During the school day, one copier is designated as the "planning/prep period" copier.  What this means is the grade level(s) that have planning/prep period during this time have priority on this copier.

What kind of rules does your school have?

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FREE Easter Behavior Incentive

Peter Rabbit will soon be hopping down the bunny trail, which also means it's that time of year when students can get a little "hoppy" themselves.  Have you noticed how your students are always "hopping" up to sharpen their pencil, "hopping" up to get a tissue, "hopping" instead of walking in the hallway?  If so, it's time to break out the plastic eggs!

Get a basket of plastic eggs and put the prize strips in each of them.  When you see someone showing you "egg-cellent" behavior let him/her choose an egg from the basket.

Did you notice the Easter Egg table cloth on my table?  If you are a person who hates putting up bulletin boards, tablecloths are the solution to your problem.  You can buy seasonal plastic tablecloths for a few dollars and reuse them each year.  Cover one of the tables in your classroom with the seasonal tablecloth and you've added a seasonal touch to your room with minimal effort.

Click below to get your FREE copy of "Egg-cellent" Behavior Incentive System:

Click HERE to get your free copy.

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3 FREEBIES for you!

It has been a year since my friend, Fern and I began our Dynamic Duo monthly giveaways.  We have had a fun time working together and of course we love to give stuff away!

Fern recently came up with a new idea.  Each week, we are going to make one of our normally priced packets free for one day.  This is our way of showing a little appreciation to our followers who have loyally followed our blogs.  As an added bonus, we are going to invite a different blogger friend each week to join us.  Not only will you get free stuff, you might get to "meet" someone new and want to follow his or her store, too.  How great is that?!!!  Make sure you visit our blogs every Thursday!

Click HERE to download your freebie.

Just a reminder:  You will not be able to leave feedback after we change it back to a paid for lesson.

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St. Patrick's Day Treat for you!

Fern and I thought it would be fun to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Dynamic Duo treats for you.  You get double treats!  Visit both of our blogs to get St. Patrick's Day themed treats.

Click HERE to download your freebie.

This is only free on Thursday, March 13th.

Now go visit Fern to get your second freebie.

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Organizational Tip: Pencils, Glue sticks, and other small things

How many times have you had this scenario play out in your classroom this year?  You begin a lesson and tell your students that you need them to get out a pencil, crayons, or other supplies when two or three students raise their hands.  It is usually the same two or three students.  You know why they are raising their hands before you even call on them.  These are your students that rarely have the supplies to complete their assignments.  It is kind of like your sock mystery at home.  You know how your washer magically eats 10% of the socks it washes.  There are usually 10% of your students that magically lose their supplies.  Their parents have sent in many boxes of crayons, packages of pencils, and glue sticks but somehow they always seem to disappear when it is time to use them.  It is frustrating to you and their parents!

I found something new that you might want to try with your ten percenters.  These students need a spot that has easy access when it is time for lessons and won't get lost in their no-man's-land desk.  It is called Hand-e-Sack Stick & Store.  Have you seen these?

(Click on picture)

It is like a pocket for your desk.  How great is that?!!!!  Now instead of rummaging through their desk and wasting valuable class time, your students will have their pencils, crayons, and other needed supplies at their fingertips.

These can be used in so many different ways.  

Do your students use lockers?  These are small enough to fit inside a locker.  The velcro is sturdy and will easily attach to the side of the locker.

Is your grade level departmentalized?  Do your students take their supplies with them?  With these handy little helpers, your students are ready to go in a jiffy.  No more nagging and waiting for students to find what they need.

Attach these to the back of the chairs at your reading group table.  You can store flashcards, pointers, or other supplies that your students need for your lessons.

Does your P.T.A. have class grants?  I have served on P.T.A. committees before.  We wanted to fund activities or resources that could benefit a large group of children.  A class set of these would be a perfect thing to write a P.T.A. grant for or apply to Donor's Choose. 

I do have a special surprise for my followers!  Michelle @ SeatSack.Com has donated a class set of these for me to giveaway.  To enter, go like SeatSack's Facebook page and follow me on Bloglovin'.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Discipline Tip: Seating Chart

Bear with me when I tell you this story.  I promise by the end you will see how this can help with your students who have trouble following the rules.

All across America there are teachers who are stressed.  Not the usual stresses of parent complaints, learning new curriculum, getting ready for standardized tests, or students not completing their homework.  No, this stress is a different kind.  This is the stress that stems from a teammate.  If this hasn't happened to you yet, consider yourself one of the lucky ones.  But, to many others, this is something that has happened over and over throughout his or her career.  

Here is how this common scenario plays out . . . Mrs. Workshard is a strong teacher.  She has good classroom management skills, her parents are happy when they find out their child has been placed in her class, and she learned early in her career that education is an ever changing field and has learned to adapt to the changes.  Her principal knows that she needs minimal supervision because she will come to him if she needs support with a student.  All in all, she is a principal's dream teacher.  Oh!  If only a  principal could have a school filled with teachers like her, the principal's job would be heaven.

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March Morning Messages

Are you wanting to change your morning message routine?  I've tried several different ways through the years and found that this way is my favorite.  I've used it with K, 1st, and 3rd. 

These are differentiation cards.  One of the easiest ways to use these is to set up a check-in station.  Students pick up their assignment and check-in to see which extension (differentiation card) they are assigned that day.

Here is a preview from my kindergarten packet.  

Here is a preview from my 1st grade packet.  

Here is a preview from my 2nd grade packet.  

Here is a preview from my 3rd grade packet.  

Packets are sold by the grade level and in discounted bundles.  Click HERE if you'd like to see the preview files.

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