As I look at the data for my students' reading levels, I have been thinking about what I need to do to get them to the next level.  We spend 30 minutes a day in intervention/enrichment groups four times a week.  These groups target each child's specific reading need. I also meet with each reading group daily and target their specific reading level.  Finally, my kids are working on their Daily 5 Centers so they have another 15-30 minutes to be engaged in reading.   This is a fabulous attempt to get the children where they need to be, but some of them still can fall through the cracks.

I have decided to work on extra sight word practice in addition to the 4-6 sight words our reading series introduces each week.  Students can practice sight word rings during Read to Partner and use them during word work to target the words they are struggling with.



This is "Super Reader" Fry Words 1-100.  It includes a master teacher list including words 1-100, 4 small take home lists with 25 words each, flashcards for the classroom and awards for mastery of the first 100 Fry words.


"Wise" Reader Fry Words 101-200 is the follow up and is set up the same way.  This allows for each student to be working on his/her own list and moving along at his/her own pace.  Again, this is above and beyond the reading series curriculum, but I strongly feel we need to increase the rigor to match that of the Common Core.


Today I was able to post Out of this World Reader {Fry Words 201-300}.  In all three sets I tried to keep the graphics general and not tied to a specific holiday or season.  The flash cards can be printed and used throughout the year for additional practice as each child progresses.

I would love to share one of each set with 3 lucky winners!  All you need to do is pin your favorite set for a chance to win it.  You can pin one, two or all three sets for up to 3 entries! Just leave a comment for each pin and your email.  Please include your pin link from Pinterest.  I will pick 3 winners on Wednesday:)

OK, I am totally freaking out that we are in October already!  I seem to be a day late and a dollar short as we wrapped up our apple activities this week and never even got to Johnny Appleseed:( (Please don't judge!!)
We started our group apple projects on Monday. We read From Farm to Table (Wonders Series) which was a perfect nonfiction reader for the group. The students then broke up into groups of four to start working on their first part of their poster.  This was my intern's first experience with a cooperative group project. I think it was a great learning experience for her as well as the kids:)



On Thursday I was out at a writing training, but my intern did a great job introducing Double Bubble Maps to compare and contrast our two books for the week.  She took the students step by step to make their own double bubble map for their fourth and final part of their apple poster.  On Friday when I returned, each group made a presentation sharing what they learned through the week!  They did a fabulous job:)

Then we squeezed in apple taste testing, painting, an art project and even made apple sauce on Friday!  I came home and crashed and now my Five for Friday rolled into Saturday!

Common Core places such a huge emphasis on comprehension.  I am working hard this year on using the text to pull vocabulary from.

Our district has adopted Wonders by McGraw-Hill as our new reading series.  After reading the book, Word Nerds this summer, I have placed greater emphasis on helping the students make personal connections to the text and the vocabulary words.

In my Wonders Supplemental Units (Units 1-4 have been completed), I have added  vocabulary connection pages for each story where my students have the words and definitions and draw a picture to match the words.  This has helped them to make that personal connection to the word.  As the year goes on, the children will be adding their own definitions and them sentences for each vocabulary word.



I am thinking that I would like to combine them into a vocabulary notebook so the children can go back and review vocabulary words.  That, however, might be a summer job:)

In order to aid in the review process and incorporate the vocabulary into their daily conversation, I have created an interactive vocabulary wall just for vocabulary.  The words are categorized alphabetically and include the word and the definition on a ring.



You can read about one of my favorite Vocabulary products HERE.  I would love to hear about what you do with Vocabulary!

OK, I know I have been missing in action, but I (along with all of you) got buried under my huge TO-DO LIST and I am up for a very short breath!

So, I will be back this weekend to share a bit of what has been going on in my classroom so I hope you stop on by!

Until then, head over to Jen's Kinder Kids and check out her AMAZING giveaway.  While you are there, wish her a HAPPY 40th!


I am giving away one of my fall units over there... A Cornucopia of Learning.  It contains fluency phrases, doubles facts, words with /or/ and counting by twos.


So what do your kids need extra practice on this fall?  Leave me a comment and I will be giving away a copy of my Cornucopia of Learning here too! Check back on Friday and don't forget to leave your email address:)

We just completed out third week of school and I can't believe progress reports go out in a week and a half!  That is CRAZY!! Anyways, I am linking up today with Michelle at Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera with Saturday Snapshots (yes, even though its Sunday!).


Last Sunday, I went into school for a few hours to get some work done and finally got up my sounds board in the Word Work Center.  I believe this was a Deanna Jump freebie from years ago, but has since been taken down.  It is a great visual for digraphs and vowel combinations. I also decided to use my teacher desk for a word work center this year!  My firsties get to stand up during this rotation or they can take an activity back to their seats:)  It helps get their wiggles out!



Here are a few of the things I printed and laminated over the week that have  been since cut out! Writing Right Through August/September, Behavior Tags, Flash On! The Fry Edition,  Primary Colored Polka Dot Classroom and Daily 5 Goodies (freebie) are some of my favorites this week.  Click on the links and check them out:)



I took the boys bowling with their cousin this weekend. It was nice to spend time together.  Although we only live 30 minutes away, we seldom see them. It is a reminder to me to not let life get in the way of the important things!


Fall is one of my favorite times of year which is crazy since I live in Florida and we don't really have a fall.  It is usually in the 90's through October!  However, look what I found:) Has anyone tried them yet?



I finally finished my Super Reader Fry Words 1-100 pack!  It includes a master check off list for the teacher, 4 smaller lists (25 words each) for students to work on at home, "Super Reader" flashcards and awards when they have mastered the first 100 Fry Words!


I am off to finish plans for the week:)

I love Farley's Currently series and I love blackboard backgrounds so this month its a win-win!


I think all of my Currently thoughts for the month are self explanatory!  I am super excited about my team this year.  They are such a positive group and since I am a half full kind of girl, it makes me smile...A lot!

I am giving away my Wonders Supplemental Units for Units 1, 2 and 3!  Even if you do not use Wonders, there are tons of activities that will work in first and even second grade classes so head on over and check it out HERE!


So after you have entered (Wink, wink!) head over to Oh' Boy 4th Grade and link up with her Currently.  Remember to give some love along the way:)