Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Good Morning Friends, 

I hope you are all having a lovely Saturday morning! I sure am!

I wanted to stop by and tell you all about the fun we had reading The Wizard of Oz! It's such a great story with some amazing lessons. The creativity and imagination is so captivating. 

The kiddies just L-O-V-E-D it!

I found the books hiding away in a cabinet in the school book room and decided it would be the perfect way to end our year. I created a Novel Studies Unit and Craftivities to go along. I decided to create 4 activity pages for each chapter. Two of which asked questions and two others that looked at a variety of concepts (meaning, connections, inferencing, making predictions, art, etc...). I also included some non-fiction information cards when interesting topics came up in the chapters. 

My students loved the All About Cyclones Information Card. 

We read the chapters together and each time a new character was introduced, we wrote a story and created a craft to celebrate the character! 

My personal fave has to be Dorothy and Toto (with the Tin Woodman coming in at a close second)!

I provided the templates, but as you can see my creative little kiddies added their own special touches.

My former students loved non-fiction so we had a great time learning about cyclones, the heart, the brain, hot air balloons, mice, lions, and more!

This was such a great unit. We had so much fun and learned a lot about appreciating a novel and about science! This year I will be working on a similar unit for Charlotte's Web! I can't wait!

You can check out my Wizard of Oz Novel Studies HERE!

You can also check out my Wizard of Oz Craftivities HERE!

OR

You can check out a bundled copy of my Wizard of Oz Novel Studies and Craftivities HERE!

Until next time...

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Quick & Easy Fluency Practice

Good Morning Everyone, 

I'm so excited to link up (AGAIN) with some F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S bloggers in yet another amazing Bright Ideas Blog Hop! 

This is such a great way to get, well, BRIGHT ideas!

This month's BRIGHT idea is one that I use all year round. It is also a great tool to use in any classroom and at any grade level.

I call it: Fluency Fun!

It is a quick and easy way to practice fluency with your students. Take a short text that the student is not familiar with. Read it aloud to the student. You will need to read it a little slower than usual for this activity. As you read, time yourself. Once the passage is complete, ask the student to read the same passage aloud, while trying to beat your time! Repeat this activity a few times. Always be sure to make the goal attainable for the student and always be sure to up the ante! 

Be sure to make it interesting!

You can give the student a sticker or small prize when he/she beats your time.

You can make an announcement and/or display his/her triumph!

You can choose funny passages and/or write funny passages with the student.

The possibilities are endless! Just have fun with it!

This little trick really DOES help improve fluency skills and the kiddies love it because it's competitive and fun and one-on-one with their favorite person at school: YOU!

I hope you enjoyed this BRIGHT idea! Please consider joining me on Facebook, Instagram, and my Teacher Store.

For more bright ideas from over 150 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

An InLinkz Link-up

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Five for Friday

Hey Everyone,

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for some Five for Friday Fun!

1. T.M.N.T

Any other 90s kids out there! Who's with me! TURTLE POWER! 

YES, I knew it'd be cheesy, Yes, I know I'm not an 8 year old boy, but YES, I saw it anyway!

2. Reading

Yes, I know I'm a little late to the party but better late than never! Started reading this amazing book this week and it DOES NOT disappoint!

3. Hanging with my Peeps!

I've been really taking advantage of my time off and hanging out with my friends! AND... their dogs!!!!

I'm an animal lover, what can I say!

4. Primping

My mom and I have a monthly date to the spa, where we get a pedicure and then a Girls Dinner! Love spending time with my mama!

5. Getting my TpT On!

As I've previously mentioned in past posts, I want to make sure I don't go too crazy during the school year! I am creating centers and packs for the first few months!

Here are a few of my Back to School Packs!

I will be using my Magic Crayons Pack with my second graders and my School is Sweet pack with my 3/4 split! Both packs include 2 weeks full of literacy activities!

  

Click on the pictures to check them out in my store!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching!

Until next time...

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Back to School Survey Fun

Good Morning Friends,

The time is fast approaching for Back to School. I don't start for a little while longer but I know many of you are already back in the classroom! I got these amazing dice in Vegas (believe it or not, they were impossible to get in Canada) and can't wait to use them ALL. THE. TIME.

I decided that their first use should be for Back to School and that I should also make it a FREEBIE! 

I like to ask my students a lot of questions, especially in the beginning of the year. The more we know about our students, the better we can teach them and ensure a positive successful year for all. 

I plan to use this particular little activity in the first few days. I will place the students in groups and have them take turns rolling the dice. I'll walk around and jot down notes based on their answers and discussions. Then, I'll use what I've learned to help guide some of my teaching throughout the year. 

Some questions included in this freebie are: What do you want to learn about this year? What would you like from your teacher this year? 

I have also included a hard copy of the survey for those of you who would prefer paper and pencil. 

You can grab a copy of this FREEBIE right over HERE!

Be sure to check out some of my Back to School ESSENTIALS! 

Have a GREAT year!

Until next time...

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Shark Week!

All teachers know that kids learn more when they’re excited and engaged. Today a team of bloggers come together to help your students take a BITE out of learning with a theme your students are sure to love!

One way I like to keep my students engaged is by getting excited about themes and activities. You best believe I'm looking for a a shark fin hat as we speak! It's all about delivery. I love to get my acting on in the classroom. The classroom truly IS my stage! The goofier and funnier I am, the more they eat it up!

My Shark Week freebie is a craft and information page. Students can read about sharks and then write a few interesting facts. I have included writing stationary and a research recording page. 

You can grab this FREEBIE HERE!

It's a Shark Week FRENZYYYYYYY!!!!!

Check out this freebie in action!!

Be sure to go for a swim in the linky party below. Every blog in the Shark Week Blog Hop features a fishy freebie for you and your students- but hurry! Shark Week only lasts until Sunday, August 17th  : )

Until next time...

HAPPY CHOMPING!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Five for Friday

Hey Everyone,

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for some Five for Friday Fun!

1. Justin Timberlake

O.M.G. my cousin is the best (again)! He got me tickets for Justin Timberlake this week and he was just as A-M-A-Z-I-N-G as I had expected!!!!! 

His stage was awesome and he really interacted with the audience!

Oh, and it doesn't hurt that he's totally DREAMY!  Am I right ladies?!?!

2. My NEON obsession

Ok, it all started with new baskets for my classroom and now I just can't stop! It's taken on a life of its own and my friends are beginning to worry! 

My name is Nicole and I am obsessed with all things NEON!

I am a child of the 90's so I feel as though it's not so bad!

Who am I kidding, it has gotten bad! HeHe!

3. Prepping for our Back to School Parteeeee!!

Well, if you're anything like me, you must LOVE Back to School. I mean don't get me wrong, 

Summer ROCKS but I just love my job and I love going back! 

Soooo, ya, we are gonna have a party!

And, ya, I am gonna make NEON cupcakes!

And, YA! It's gonna be AMAZING!

4. Prepping for the TpT Back to School Sale (Oh, ya!)

Yes, TpT is throwing a H-U-G-E Back to School Sale! My entire store will be 20% off and you will be able to redeem and extra 8% off at checkout! Yahooooooooo!

I am prepping my store for the SALE AND filling up my cart!

Thanks to Krista over at The Creative Chalkboard for this great Back to School SALE Button!

She's so talented!

5. Getting my TpT On!

As I've previously mentioned in past posts, I want to make sure I don't go too crazy during the school year! I am creating centers and packs for the first few months!

Here are a few of my Back to School Packs!

These are all Craftivities I'll be doing in the first few weeks of school! CANNOT WAIT!!!

 

Click on the pictures to check them out in my store!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching!

Until next time...

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