Fiesta Fun!

For all you Reading Street teachers out there, our class just finished up Mama's Birthday Present last week. If you aren't familiar with this story, it's about a little boy who doesn't know what to get his mom for her birthday. Throughout the story he asks people what to get his mom and at the end, everyone comes to a birthday party. It's a super cute story and every year, we have a fiesta to celebrate all that we've learn. My kids LOVE this event and this year was no exception. Here's some pictures I took throughout our week long study of the Mexican culture.

We made a circle map to help understand the story better. It can be a little confusing to remember everything that Fransico (the main character) did and everyone he talked to, so creating this chart really helped!

We learned different Mexican symbols and words. I displayed these vocabulary cards on our front board so the kids could use them during Writer's Workshop

The kids LOVED playing Fiesta Phrases. You play it just like This is How We Roll, except the die (dice) has Mexican symbols on it

Friday was our fiesta! While the kids were at PE, I covered each group of tables with a different colored tablecloth. 

In the middle of each group was a basket of chips and salsa, just like at a Mexican restaurant :) This was the first year that I also had Mexican music playing in the background, which the kids loved. 

 During this week, we learned about cascarones, which are confetti eggs. We made a quick little craft using tear art and then the kids wrote a fact that they had learned about them.

During the fiesta, we made our own cascarones (now's the perfect time to stock up on those Easter eggs!). We filled them with confetti and cracked them over our friends head to bring good luck :) This was the kids' favorite part of the week BY FAR!

Old and New: A center makeover

I love to spice up my centers by adding new clipart or font. In my last post, I told y'all about finding my very first center creation: Roll, Read, and Write. 

I've had this stuffed back on a shelf because it just looked so boring to me and I remember my kids last year hated this center. They would all groan when I pulled it out. I decided it was definitely time for a makeover. 

Meet the new Roll, Read, and Write. Isn't it so much prettier? I'm becoming obsessed with Melonheadz clipart. 

Same center, different look. Its like having a new center again that's fun and entertaining! Click here to check it out. I'm revamping so other centers that are in need of makeovers so keep checking back!

Dice Center Activities

I know the singular word for dice is die, but that has always annoyed me. So if I misuse this word, please just overlook it :)

Who loves dice activities?? There is just SO much you can create with dice. My very first center that I ever created involved dice and I realized just today that I have never uploaded this center to my TpT store. The first version I made (3 years ago) was VERY boring and I *think* I may have even used comic sans. I know, it was bad! I got to thinking about all the cute fonts I've got and all the cute clipart that I'm addicted to and I decided to revamp this center and share it with y'all. It's called Roll, Read, and Write.

The thing I love most about this center is that it's simple and easy to use. After you've created the notebook, it's one of those centers you can just easily pull out. You don't have to worry about making copies of a recording sheet (I use journal paper for the writing portion of this activity) or if all the pieces are there. Super simple. 

You can find this center here. Head over to Facebook to enter to win a copy!

The other dice activity that I created is super fun and I can't wait to show my kids. It's called This is How We Roll.

It's another simple center that can easily be pulled out. After you copy all the pages, simply put them in page protectors and slide them into a notebook.

All the pieces for creating the die are included:

Directions for playing are simple. The game can be played with a group of kids or individually. Each student will roll the die and then read the group of words or fry phrase that it beside the same child graphic that the student rolled. Simple and fun. You can find this center here or head over to Facebook to enter to win it!

Unit 4 Scott Foresman Decoable Reader Activities

Here they are! Currently working on Units 2 and 5. :) Click here to check them out!
UPDATE: Thank you so much Veronica, who found several errors in this packet. I guess I was trying to do too much and completely forgot to proofread below uploading! Here's the link to the correct version! Thanks again Veronica! :)

Five for Friday!

I *love* this link up! You can join in the fun too by linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching.

1. After organizing my vanity this week, I have rediscovered this lotion. How could I have forgotten about it?? It's smells simply wonderful!

2. I ordered a new pair of Kate Spade shoes and got them this week. I love the card that comes with the package. :)

3. Speaking of Kate Spade...I am LOVING the new fall collection. You can see my favorites on my Southern Belle Inspired blog, but this is my absolute favorite.

4.  I am just obsessed with Lush right now. I had ran out of the Big shampoo and lip scrub, so when I went to order those two products, I decided to try out a few more and I am so glad I did! The Lush Lime Shower Smoothie is fabulous! I'm loving them all, but this is my current fav.

5. I'm working on this unit right now and can't wait to share with y'all! Here's a little sneak peek:

Go link up with Doodle Bugs and share your five for Friday!

Valentine's Door and Tornadoes!

We are loving Julie Lee's Weather Unit right now. It's packed full of centers and my kids are really into it. I decided to pull in a nonfiction text study today that correlated to the topic. My kids have a hard time with the difference between fiction and nonfiction, so doing activities like these help. We read this book:

And we created this chart, along with these mean tornadoes. 

They are getting so good at writing down their schema and then their new learning. :) 

I also finished our valentine's door. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Monday! :)

Stock up on your favorites today!

Now is the perfect time to stock up on activities to go along with upcoming holidays! Here are some of my packets that are perfect to use this time of year :)

*Click each pic to check the unit out!

The first pack of fry phrases contain 100 index card size flash cards from the 2nd 100 Fry phrases. The pack below this one contain 50 full size ones from the 1st 100 phrases. :)

Love Birds Valentine Unit and a SALE!

I am finally done with my new Valentine Unit. Click the pic to check it out!!

And of course, tomorrow is the Super Bowl. I have no idea who is playing in this, but I'm super excited for the TpT sale! Be sure and stock up on your favorites tomorrow, because everything is  28% off! Click the pic to shop at my store!

Thanks, Ashley Hughes for creating this adorable pic for the sale. I'm obsessed with Ashley's graphics and I used her valentine ones for my Love Birds unit! :)

Five for Friday :)

I missed last Friday's link up because my poor iphone is dying! I dropped it on the floor and shattered the back and now it's not working *quite* right so it looks like I'll be getting a new phone soon. I did manage to take a few pics with it this week, but they aren't the best quality.

{1} I can't wait to use Julie Lee's Weather Unit next week. The weather in Alabama has been CRAZY lately-snow one day, spring like days the next, so I thought it would be a great time to break out this unit. It is packed full of fabulous centers! Check it out here. 

 {2} We sent home empty tissue boxes today to start our Valentine's box decorating contest. Each child will decorate their box and the best 3 will win. They were SO EXCITED about this. I can't wait to see what they come up with!

 {3} It's already February??? When did this happen? Groundhog's Day completely stuck up on me, but we managed to sneak in a craft and a couple of activities from my packet that I made last year.

{4} I had a quick shopping trip this afternoon and found Kate Spade sheets at TJ Maxx. I LOVE Kate Spade and it always makes my day when I found this brand at TJ Maxx. For all you Lilly Pulitzer lovers, if you look really hard you can sometimes find last seasons shifts in the dresses section. :)

{5} Isn't this story and drawing precious?? Since we were reviewing the /ar/ sound in centers this week, I made some pirate cards to use to create a pirate story and this is what she came up with. Love it!! 

Have you linked up? Head over to Doodle Bugs Teaching now!!