The Best Gift I've Ever Gotten Myself - Birthday Freebie #4

    One thing you should know about me is that I LOVE my dog.  Her name is Sally and she's a 5 year beagle that I rescued when she was about 1.  She is sweet, spoiled and oh, so snuggly.  When I adopted her, they told me that she is blind, but I think she's fooling us all.  Except for the occasional header into a wall, she is unstoppable!  She's a good reminder that no matter what your challenges are, you should run, not walk, through life.

    I love to take pictures of her and have been known to torture her with Halloween costumes and other embarrassing props. Sorry, Sally!  I have an invisible line drawn in my head that has me convinced that if I don't put little sweaters or dresses on her, it's not so bad...  So, in honor of Sally, the best gift I've ever given myself, today's freebie is dog-themed.  It's a syllable sort that I use in my pocket chart station.  There's a recording sheet included so you can hold the kids accountable for their work.  I hope you enjoy it!

 

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Bonus Birthday Freebie

     I have a bonus freebie today, but you'll have to do a little work for this one. It's a Birthday Packet that includes all kinds of goodies to use to celebrate birthdays in your classroom.  If you'd  like a packet just write about my Birthday Freebies on your blog (with a link) and leave a comment (including your email) letting me know about it and I'll send you one.  (I'm hoping to get word of my new blog out there...)  If you don't have a blog, become a follower and leave a comment with your email and I'll send you one too.  Enjoy!

Included in this packet are:

1. Class Book - Each student fills out a page with a birthday wish for the birthday girl/boy.  Color and b/w versions of the student pages are included.
2. Teacher Coupon – Give a colorful birthday coupon to the birthday boy/girl.  Just write in a treat of your choice (no homework, sit at the teacher’s desk today, etc.) and sign your name.
3. Cupcake Birthday Chart - Includes pieces you can print and cut to make a birthday chart for your classroom.
4. Cupcake Birthday Graph – A math activity for students to complete using data from the classroom birthday chart.
5. Birthday Emergent Reader – A simple book with repetitive text for students to enjoy.  Three versions are included: a mini-book for guided reading, a fill in the blanks version with missing words and a larger version for students to copy the text.

Getting Ready - Birthday Freebie #3

     Even though I'm only a week into my summer vacation, it's never too early to start getting ready for next year. So, after reading so many blog posts about the great finds in the Target Dollar Spot, I headed out his morning to see what all the fuss was about.  OMG!  What a gold mine!  I found dry erase boards (full size and strips,) stickers, reading pointers, note pads, mini pocket charts, handheld classroom signs and Dr. Seuss erasers, stickers and silly bands!  I spent digging around the mixed up bins trying to find the right number of each thing I was looking for - why is it that there is ALWAYS one less than what you need?  I even have a confession to make... I actually drove to a second Target to find 3 more strip-sized dry erase boards.  I had to.  Really.  So, $60.00 later I have a whole crate filled with really cute things I don't really need - WooHoo!
But I feel like the first step toward getting ready for the new school year has been taken. Mission accomplished.

     Today's birthday freebie is in honor of all the "getting ready" that we do each summer.  If Joseph Slate been true to life in his classic book, "Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten," it would have been about 87 pages long.  (Thank goodness the man knows how to edit.)  Many of use this book during the first few days of school, and making a class book is a popular activity.  Below is a great template to use for creating a book that your kiddos will read over and over.  Enjoy!

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Nuts for Coconuts! Birthday Freebie #2

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, free stuff for your classroom!  I love starting the school year with the classic book, Chicka Chiicka Boom Boom!  It's so well known that most of the kids know it by heart and it's a great way to establish the attitude that we are all readers.  I'm working on a packet of math and literacy centers because I think that using a favorite book to introduce center routines and expectations is a good hook.  Today's freebie is one of the activities I've created to use for my first math center.  Click below the picture to download this activity.  Happy 4th of July!

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It's My Birthday!

     I love presents!  I love presents!  I love presents!  I just got back from my parents' house where we all together for a cookout (and presents!)  There's nothing quite like a 4th of July burger hot off the grill!  Well,  I got a lot of great gifts and had a very nice day with my family.  Of course, every year on July 3rd we have to revisit the classic "fireworks" story from my childhood.  Until I was WAY to old to believe it, I used to think that the town fireworks, which were always held on the 3rd, were in honor of my birthday.  I actually thought that the whole town walked down to the beach just to celebrate the joy of my birth.  Now, keep in mind that my twin sister (BTW, Happy Birthday, Dan!) never suffered from these delusions of grandeur - just me!  To this day, I still love me some fireworks!  Almost as much as presents.  Almost.

     So in honor of my birthday and my love of presents (because I like to give 'em as much as I love to get 'em,) I'm going to celebrate with a week of freebies.  Check back each day to see what's new! 

     Today's freebie is a birthday themed emergent reader.  It's so hard to find simple, engaging emergent readers for students reading at an A/B level so I've started to make my own.  There are two versions: a full color, full text version to use for guided reading and a black line version with a word on each page missing for the students to fill in and color.  Click below the picture to download.  I hope you enjoy!

Click here to download

My First Linky Party

     There are so many new things to learn about this whole blogging thing, and I've just discovered a really great one - Linky Parties!  Who knew?  Lauren at Just Add Clipart is hosting a Freebie Linky Party and there are some really fantastic freebies already!  My contribution is a math center that I created to practice telling time to the hour.  Students match the clocks on the baseballs to the player that shows the correct time.  Click below the picture to grab my freebie, then click on Lauren's button to join the party!  If you enjoy my game, follow me for more freebies to come!

   Time to Batter Up!

A Great Find!

     I always start the school year with the classic, Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten and I'm working on a new unit based on the book.  I was just surfing for some new ideas and I stumbled upon a great find!  Laura at http://kinderkraziness.blogspot.com/ has posted a free unit.  Check it out - it looks terrific!