Friday Favorites -- End of the Year Ideas

My goal this weekend is to put together an end of the year gift for my students. 

Our last theme was Under the Sea, so I am thinking of something fishy for my gift. 

Here are some of the fun ideas I found on pinterest.  

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 This fish idea is so cute and it is a freebie at  Melissa's TPT store.

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 This was just a picture I found on pinterest, I would have to make it myself.  Hmmmmm sounds like work.

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 Here is another freebie at What's the Buzz in First Grade TPT.    Now I have some decisions to make.  

I think I may also give them a pail and shovel to hold their gifts.  I  found this great blog filled with wonderful ideas.  

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8 more school days left!

My Summer Bucket List

Oh how I wish summer vacation was here!  

This has been a difficult day.  

I have nine more school days left. 

Three short weeks…..  I cannot wait! 

I came to blog land to see what everyone was thinking and I came upon

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  what a great idea.  I needed a bit of an escape tonight.  Thanks. 

Here is what I hope to do over the summer I have a huge mess in my house right now and moving classrooms and grade levels I am sure things will be crazy this summer. 

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My Summer To Do List

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Read Read Read Read Read

I want to spend some time reading for pleasure and reading some professional books.  I am hoping to reread the Daily Five Café Book,  Reading for Meaning, and I purchased a  book about using technology in the classroom last year and that is on my reading list.  I also purchased the Science Notebook Book and I want to read that too.

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Prepare for First Grade

I have a whole notebook of lists of things I need to do to get ready.

Ride My Bike

Last summer I could not ride my bike because I broke my elbow.  So I am looking forward to riding this summer my goal is to ride 1000 miles.  

Organize my House

Right now my house is a complete disaster.  Between the water damage in the basement and the first floor remodel I have a lot of work to do to get my house in order.  

Travel to Yellowstone

I am traveling with my husband, son, and daughter in law out west this summer.  I cannot way to see Mount Rushmore.  I love to see something new!

Writer's Board and The Pirate

I shared with you a few weeks ago how amazing I think the book Of Primary Importance is, I have incorporated some of the ideas into my kindergarten writing lessons the past several weeks and I am starting to see some improvement. 

The first change I made was to give writer’s workshop a separate time away from Daily 5, where everyone is focusing on writing at the same time.   That way I had more time for conferencing about writing with the children.   

We start our writing time by celebrating four authors from our classroom.  In other words, we read stories that the children wrote.  Then I read a story that will help with my mini lesson for the day. 

We have created a Writer’s Board to record what we notice that authors and illustrators do in their books.  We refer to it before we begin to write or when we give positive feedback to our celebrated authors of the day.

I know this Writer's Board is not glamours, however it is right next to my word wall and right behind our gather space each day.  Functional is the word I would use to describe my writer's board.  

This week my mini lessons were about noticing the difference between a pattern story, a non-fiction story, or a story with a character.  

Here is my favorite story of the week. 

The Pirate With No Gold
By: Augie

Once upon a time there was a pirate.

He was sad because he didn't have gold.
(Look at the thinking bubble above the pirate's head.)

Then he found a parrot.

And then the parrot had a chest of gold.

I love this story because it shows that one of my students is moving away from a pattern story.  Hip Hip Hoorray!

Friday Favorites--Good Ideas

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This binder is a super cute idea.  You could put all the wonderful notes and pictures you get from your students in the binder.  I love this idea because after a while my classroom walls feel cluttered with all the love notes.  Great Idea!

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I started collecting movement songs on my wikispace for first grade.  Here is a great list to check out!  Lots of upbeat songs that I want to add to my list as well.   She also uses SafeshareTV.  I want to learn more about that.  

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Enjoy the Weekend :)