The GingerBURNT Man

Run, run, as fast as you can....because your cookies are burning!

So we started a Gingerbread Man unit last week and read 3 different versions of the book.  Today I decided we'd make Gingerbread cookies.  I made the dough last night and after we read The Gingerbread Girl this morning, kids got to work.  They rolled out the dough, used the cookie cutter and I put them all on the cookie sheet.  When they were out at recess, I went to the staff lounge and turned on the oven to 350 degrees.  When I came back 7 minutes later to sit down and eat my lunch with a colleague, I put the little guys into the oven.  Pretty soon I smelled something and went to check on them....but the oven was LOCKED!  My colleague came over to help and by that time I saw a little bit of smoke coming out of the oven and smelled burning Gingerbread.  We could not get the door open, so I turned off the oven and ran to get the secretary.  She couldn't figure it out either so I ran into the lunchroom to get our BPO.  By the time I came back with him, another staff member somehow got the door open, phew!  I had one tray of fine cookies and 1 tray of burnt cookies.  I explained everything to my kiddos after lunch and they were disappointed but very understanding and accepted chocolate chip cookies instead, phew!

I'm still a bit embarrassed by the whole mishap, but now I have an idea for a book: The GingerBurnt Man!

Avast Me Hearties!

Arrrrrrrrgh you ready for some pirate fun?

For some reason I've had pirates on the brain lately!  

I'm evening thinking of changing my classroom theme to pirates next year...

As you may know, I LOVE Readers' Theater to the bottom of the ocean and back and just read a great book by Kim and Doug Kennedy called Pirate Pete's Big Adventure.  Then I discovered there were 2 other books in the series.  So I whipped up a script for each one and it's now my first Pirate Pack!  I'm planning on two more Pirate Packs because I've found 6 other stories.  

So check out me plays or walk the plank you scallywag!

Manic Monday

I'm linking up with Charity again over at Classroom Freebies.

Today I'd like to share some Guided Reading Tools that I use in my classroom with my small reading groups.

* lesson plan (that you laminate and reuse week after week)

* blank running record (that you can also type text onto)

* groups tracking chart for the books they read with you

Click here!

Monday Made It!

Monday Made It!

Happy New Year!  I'm linking up with Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics to share something I made....eh, am making because it's not quite the way I want it yet but I wanted to share and maybe get some feedback ;)

I LOVE Readers' Theater!!  I do incorporate costumes and prop though because it's so much fun for everyone.  I've been really wanting to make some kind of stage or curtain for us to use, especially when we invite parents in to watch us perform.  So at 7:30a.m., the day before Winter Break, I was at Home Depot with an idea in my head and hope in my heart.  I literally put my idea together in the plumbing aisle with PVC pipes!  It's NOT 100% to my liking because:

* It needs to be wider....gotta add more pipe and a 3rd leg in the 

     middle to support that length.

* It needs to be taller so none of my student's heads are peeking 

     over it.

* It needs to be sturdier.

I really want this to be collapsable and storable as well, but also easy and quick to put together.  So take a look and PLEASE give me feedback if you've done this or if you've got a great idea :)

Manic Monday

Manic Monday!

It's a manic Monday because #1) I go back to work after 2 weeks of Winter Vacation and #2) I'm linking up with Charity over at Manic Monday to share a handwriting freebie.
I don't know about  you but, being a first grade teacher, kiddos come into my classroom with their handwriting ways kind of set-in-stone.  I watch my 4-year-old write letters and some words on her own and see how she forms them....I've never taught her handwriting.  Kids just are wired I think.  But formal teaching and LOTS of practice are necessary.  So here's a little something I created to keep up handwriting long after we've done our formal lessons 1st quarter.  Hope you like it!

Click here!

A New Spin on Readers' Theater

Partner/Trio Plays

I know I've professed my love for Readers' Theater BUT I put a new spin on it because I was looking for something for my higher readers to use to practice and refine their fluency and expression.  Of course I couldn't find what I was looking for....and whenever that happens (I'm picky), I create it!

Check out this PACK of 10 different Fables that I've turned into Readers' Theater scripts for either 2 or 3 kids.  So that's 19 plays...over 50 pages of fun fluency practice!

Click here!

You can download this free version of 1 of the fables just to see if you like it.

Click here!

I'm sooooooo excited to get feedback because I've worked soooooooooo long and hard on it!

Pinterest _______

Fill in the blank:

Pinterest __________.

1) Is something I finally gave in to being part of.

2) Is what I'm perusing while feeding my 4-month-old or when just before going to sleep around 1a.m. (I'm a night owl on vacations).

3) Is where I've found GREAT ideas for everything, including teaching!

4) Is, inadvertently, bringing more art projects into my classroom.

Teach 123 is having a linky party of Pinterest favorites 

(click on the above image to go to the blog).

So I want to pass on my faves to others!

Pinner:

Beth Heinemann used to work with me at a French language summer camp called Lac du Bois and is now a 1st grade teacher as well and I LOVE all the teaching things she pins!!  

Plus she's an excellent baker and has her own Etsy store with her yummies!

Beth Heinemann

My pins: 

Of the 64 teaching ideas I've pinned, I've actually done/created 5...that's what breaks are for I guess!