Peek at my Week- all things Informational!

As always, click above to check out some other FANTASTIC weeks of learning planned by other marvelous teacher-bloggers!

 

Click either picture below to head over to my google docs to grab my lesson plans!

(Just a quick note- you MAY (or may not) notice my reading groups are not very thorough this week. Not mentioning any names... but SOME little almost two year old boy took my notecard with my group plans written on it and I can't for the life of me remember everything I already have ready for all 5 groups! So I'll update those in the morning when I get to school. ;) )

 

 

 I shared these yesterday, but we are working with the -est Word Family and the -oa Vowel Team this week! I'm excited to see how the kids like the few new choices I've added to these packs!

 

 

 Aside from our phonics packs, we are still working with this AMAZING Problem Solving Super Stars journal! We'll have this unit wrapped up next week and then move on to decomposing/composing for the remainder of the year!

Wait.

Did I just say REMAINDER OF THE YEAR?!

YES.I.DID.

The Light is coming!

 

 

I'm SO EXCITED to have this finished!!

This is a BRAND NEW product in my TpT shop, and it's on SALE for only $4 for the next 2 days!

This week during Reader's Workshop, we are all things INFORMATIONAL TEXT!

We will be creating anchor charts, close reading informational texts, and creating an informational text notebook!

I've included 2 versions of the informational text features notebook, and I think this unit will be perfect for my Kinders as well as easily used in upper grades as well!

 The previews below are NOT all inclusive- MUCH more is included in the pack! Click any picture to see a more detailed description.

 

 

 During Writer's Workshop this week, we're learning all about 5 different animal groups!

 

This unit will be finished tonight (probably LATE tonight, so I'll have it posted tonight, tomorrow at the latest!). It will be on sale, too! :)

 

This is NOT an actual animal research report unit, this is the pre-cursor we're using to teach about the different animal groups first. We'll be creating an informational and interactive animal notebook this week also!

We are gearing up for our individual animal research reports (unit coming this week!) starting next week.  



 

 

Have a wonderful week!

P.S.

Have you entered this AMAZING giveaway yet?? I use SO MANY of these FABULOUS ladies products, and I am dying to try out the new Math Units next year! I also love how creative Kreative in Kinder's titles are! Who WOULDN'T want to solve Word Problems with that unit?!

Just click below to head on over and enter the giveaway!

Five for Friday/Saturday!

Happy Saturday!! Click above to head over to Doodle Bug's linky and check some amazingly fun weeks!

 

1. This was how my week started!

I was famished on Monday.

FAMISHED I said.

By the time lunch came around I was ready to eat a whole cow.

It wasn't until dismissal that I realized why.

Yup.

There sat my breakfast.

Unopened and lonely.

Monday mornings.

MONDAY mornings.

One of my little sweeties asked if I was going to EAT my yogurt.

Ummm... no. :)

 

2. VERY exciting news!

 I passed both of my Reading Endorsement tests!

Now I just have to pay to add the endorsement to my license.

For the second time in 4 years.

 

 

 

 

3. We wrapped up our Earth Day week with recycling!

I have to say, this was the perfect week to get the kiddos back into the "non-fiction" mode after weeks of Fairy Tales!

They adored all of the hands on activities from the week. You can check out more in Wednesday's post here.

4. I took my little guy back to Build-a-Bear to get his bear "Punkie" put back together today. (He had a most unfortunate run in with a sippy cup, so he had to take a bath.) Jace was so excited he didn't let him go all day!

This was the moment they were reunited.

So adorable.



 

5. Newbies! Next week we are working with the -est Word Family and the -oa Hunk and Chunk! Click below to check these out.

 



I'm hard at work on Non-fiction Notebooks for our Reader's Workshop and an Animal Notebook  for our Writer's Workshop next week! I'll have them posted tomorrow with a Peek at my Week!

 



What we're up to Wednesday! Freebie? Yes, please!

It's been a WEEK already, I tell you!

a WEEK I said!

 

The kids have been amazing and are surprising me each day with how far they have come since the beginning of the year! I love this part of the year because it seems as if their light bulbs are lighting up the whole room!

 

 

 Our -ip word family study is well under way this week! We sorted our picture cards, wrote the -ip word family words, and completed an independent sort as well!

(click on the picture to check this unit out)

We are also dancing our way through this HUGE -ow pack! They are spotting the -ow left and right this week! Brainstorming a list of words containing BOTH ow sounds on Monday was something different and the kids did an excellent job thinking of words!

(Yes, I know Mohawk does not have ow, HOWEVER, this little sweetie thought of the word mow, and then begged to add the hawk at the end) You can't see it in the pic, but the correct spelling is off to the right. She just said we HAD to keep it on the chart to remember the ow in mow. Gotta love their logic! Haha!)



 

We are also working with Silent, Magic E! This unit is adorable and the kids just ADORE the song!

 

 

In Math this week, we are continuing our problem solving superstars unit by working with our small group to solve problems! We are not completing these whole group, I am simply reading the problem and the students are using a different strategy each day to solve a problem. This little poster shows when we are reviewing their answers. Each table has their own strategy for the day, so when they are finished they present their answer to the class and we add it to the chart. 

 

Our main theme this week for Science and Reader's and Writer's Workshop is Earth Day!

I also love this point in the year because they really know HOW to ask thoughtful questions and have the ability to recognize their background knowledge.

 

I did get a good chuckle with our vocabulary this week! When we discussed recycling yesterday, one of my little sweeties was giving the "hi" wave.

You know the one.

The, I'm really raising my hand but I'm so excited you can't tell if I'm about to pee my pants or I really just know the answer, wave.

Yeah, that one!

Normally, I never call on the "hi" wave.

Normally, I wave hello in return.

However, this little one RARELY raises his hand.

When I call on him anyway, he always says, "But, but, but, I didn't raise my hand."

I know sweetheart, but what was my question?

(Again, I love this time of year- we skip all that now! He just answers.)

 

Anyways.

Yesterday he raised his hand.

I called upon him for the definition of recycling.

He proceeded to give a very intricate definition of recycling that involved his mom going to the barber shop and getting new a new weave.

Real life connections. 

I had to refrain from laughing.

It was HARD!

Ahhh... the stories we hear!

 

Each day we are using a mini-book from a set I bought from scholastic a few years ago to perform a close read about the subject.

 

We are also using posters from my set (click on the picture) and writing about ways we can help the environment.



 

 

Today I had my final OTES observation of the year, and we just so happened to be working with water pollution and saving water. I brought in buckets and filled them with pollutants such as plastic bottles, sand, powdered sugar, olive oil, water beads (floral section), moss (floral section), cardboard, paper, metal (just tabs and twist ties). After watching and interacting with a short video clip, we tried to rid the water of pollution by using utensils and strainers to clean the water.

 

They had a BLAST.

Nailed it!

Sizzle sold.

 





 

We discovered that we were unable to rid the water of pollution.

After trying to rid the water of pollution, we had a discussion using our five senses to conclude that we could not clean the water.

We then watched a short video clip to reinforce the learning.

Next, we completed a little recording sheet...

AND.. guess WHAT?

You get it fo' free!

fo' free I said!

Just click below and it's YOURS!

 

Graphics from Creative Clips, Graphics from the Pond, and KG Fonts

 

All of my Earth Day products can be found here!

Peek at my Week- Earth Day!

Click above to check out other amazing visual lesson plans!

 

 

 So... who's up for short an sweet?

ME, ME, ME!!!!

 

The hubs had an unexpected meeting after work yesterday, so it was just me and the little man...

thus, no posting last night.

 

Sorry..

I just KNOW you were up all night waiting ;)

 

Hehehe.

Ok, ok. SHORT and SWEET I said!

Click below to head over to my Google Docs and view my plans.

 

We are going to be watching this video on YouTube on Wednesday!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqNUTlY5foQ

 

 

Below are a few resources we are using this week!

 

 

 

Have a blessed week! :)