Monday, April 28, 2014

Got a Secret...And I'm sharing it with YOU!

Hi friends! I have some really exciting news to share with y'all today! I was just given insider information of some of the new products Creative Teaching Press is coming out with and let me just say: it is BEYOND cute!!! Y'all will flip and instantly be inspired to spruce up your classroom for next year! I'm so excited to give my fabulous readers an inclusive first look! Today, I'm sharing just two of my favorite new products from CTP!

If you've been a reader of Life in First Grade for awhile, then you know how much I love decorating my classroom. In fact, it's become one of my biggest hobbies. I LOVE creating new items and decor to transform my classroom each year. I spend a ton of time at school, so I want to be comfy in the space, as I'm sure my students do. I pay close attention to little details because I feel like this makes the biggest difference in creating a fantastic classroom environment. One of my favorite ways to add detail is through the use of border. I cannot tell you how many hours my mom and I have spent in my classroom perfecting the art of layering border. Case in point:
If you've ever done this, you know how LONG it takes and how hard it is to line it up and get it straight. CTP has created a solution to that problem! Meet my new favorite border:



It looks like ordinary border, but that's because my blog background is white. Here's what it would look like on a bulletin board:

How Fabulous is this???? No more buying two packs of border to use on one board. No more cutting, positioning, and straightening two sets of borders. I'm in love!

Another product I'm excited to give y'all a sneak peek are these new font letters:
Aren't they perfect?? I LOVE using my Cameo for font in my classroom, but sometimes (most of the time) I'm in a hurry and I don't have time to set my cameo up, find vinyl or paper and hook it up to my computer. I find myself going to these punch out letters time and time again. The only problem is there isn't a whole lot to choose from and what is available has been out for forever! I'm SO excited CTP has created new font choices. This is just one of many!

My favorite way to use punch out letters? On paper plates! Makes such a fun effect! :)


I'm sharing just two of my favorite new products that haven't yet been released from CTP and some of my blog besties are too! Hop over to Lindsey's blog The Journey of a Beginning Teacher to check out her favorites! :)





Monday, April 21, 2014

Animals and their Babies Close Reading

I'm so proud to have my new close reading pack finished and uploaded! This one's for my first grade (and kindergarten and 2nd!) friends! Check out my newest unit here (on sale thru tomorrow!)



























Click here to get it on sale thru tomorrow!



Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Junie B. Jones Aloha-ha-ha! Activities

One of my very first creations in my TpT store was a literary companion for Junie B. Jones Aloha-ha-ha! It was in desperate need of a makeover. If you've downloaded this packet, be sure and go back and download it again to get a completely new, updated pack that features lots more extension activities. Here's a preview of everything that's included:

Sequence comprehension sheet

Photo journal with a page for each day


Wordsearch


Comprehension/Buddy Interview questions for each chapter

Reader Response sheets


The Wipe Out/Surf's Up Game


The sign for the sand bucket that contains the game cards



Click here to get your copy on sale! 


SALE!

Who doesn't love a sale? Everything in my store is 20% today and tomorrow... Click here to go shopping!!! :) :)

Monday, April 14, 2014

Author's Purpose Reference Cards Freebie

Today, we practiced finding the author's purpose of a text. We practiced on lots of different texts, which I'm working on putting together is a small packet, but I wanted to go ahead and share a quick resource I created that really helped today. While my fifth graders are well aware of PIE and the different purposes, they need a little help being able to identify the key elements of certain texts that make the purpose to entertain or inform or persuade. I made these cards that have some helpful info that make it easy to refer to. 

I also used them to check for understanding. It was super easy to see who got it right by the color of the card. 



Click here to grab your copy of these reference cards.