File Cabinet Labels

Dry Erase markers are great for writing on any hard surface, especially when they are helping me (and my mommy helpers) stay organized!

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Grade Level Gumball Goals

As a grade level, our goals are to recognize the capital and lowercase letters, produce 26 letter sounds, and identify CCSD's 50 sight words. If need be, we can add another gumball machine for the other 50 sight words, for a goal of 100 sight words. I made every kindergartner 3 gumballs with their names on them. We will staple the gumballs as they reach the goals. They don't move.I used "vintage" flashcards from decades ago I found sitting in my storage room. I have a lot of useless flashcards, that are either missing letter cards or only include capital letters, so I recycled them. I used a circle punch for the gumballs and labels for the names. :)
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Sight Words

To practice sight words earlier this year, I have decided to send home flashcard lists based on the students reading groups. There are 13 word lists, totalling the CCSD's suggested 100 sight words. I put the cards in a bag, with the child's name on it and the parent letter below.

Lists will be sent home Monday and tests will be given Friday. A student will only receive the next list if he/she reads the list with automaticity. I'm not sure if I will also be doing "Spelling Words" this year.

When they know the first 50, they get a gumball for the goal board!

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New Computers

We received 3 new computers for our classroom!

We have a lot of passwords and logins for the computers (AR, tickettoread.com, enVisions) so I used this canvas pocket "thing" to store that info and the iPod touches. We used the iPod touches when there weren't enough computers to share and the kids could play on educational apps.

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"Lively Letters" Works

I took a course over the summer that was recommended to me by the school's speech pathologist. She and the literacy specialist used Lively Letters as a Tier 2 intervention for last year's kindergartners. I took the course in hopes of learning some new strategies to help with any speech issues my kids might have, and phonemic awareness ideas.The website is readingwithtlc.com and I have used Lively Letters and Sight Words You Can See. Both programs are worth the money and time for the course!

Sight Words You Can See have mnemonic clues drawn on the flashcards. There is a story for EVERY sight word, so the students remember the story, too.

I have seen a tremendous growth in letter recognition and MOSTLY SOUND PRODUCTION. The growth far surpasses growth I have seen in previous years.

I bought a lot of the products, but to save the program as a Tier 2 intervention, I only use the letter cards and tell the story. Every morning with the children on the carpet, we review the letters we have learned and produce the sounds. I use Trophies' letter sequence and not Lively Letters. There is a a combined sequence, too.

In small groups, we use the letter tiles to blend and segment. Sometimes I set them on taplights and we turn on the light for each sound.

If you live in Las Vegas, there is a Lively Letters workshop Saturday, December 3rd at the Red Rock Casino!

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Small Group Instruction

I keep track of who has read what with me, so I can always provide a "Familiar Reading Book Basket." When students come to my table during centers, I usually have a few other centers I have to get started and I don't want my kids waiting around for me. I put out the basket and they can browse books they have previously read with me (or a parent helper) for the 2 minutes I am helping listening center, computers, or getting new paint for art center. Whatever.

When I had some time, I took every leveled reader I had a group set (6 books) of and entered them into a chart. The top of the chart has the centers groups' names, so I can check off the story that we read and discuss. With AM and PM sessions, sometimes I'll have to pretend to be interested in the same story 4 times. Now I can just skip around within the students' ability levels and change things up.

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Helpers

Every month, I send home a Parent Volunteer Calendar, providing parents with an assigned date and time I need their help on. I schedule Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Mondays are usually days that parent helpers will read a leveled reader with the students one-on-one at a desk, in the hallway. I provide the parents with a basket and the following:

• Two copies of the book
• Class List to call students from. They check off next to the student's name once they have read together.
• Stickers to reward the students for their effort
• Before, During, and After questions to check for understanding
• Guided Reading flipbook
• Number flashcards
• Letter flashcards

On Thursdays, the parents call students into the hallway to practice number and letter identification with flashcards. On Fridays, I ask for help with AR tests, assigning new reading books, filing, and checking off homework participation. I always include a To-Do list...

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