Scrappy Pirates

It is Day 8 of my Christmas in July sale and today - it is for the clipart fans!

You can snatch up my new "Scrappy Pirates" for just $3 (will be $5.95 normally).

Thanks so much for stopping by! Sorry its a short post, I have some sleep to catch up on!

Head over to Blog Hoppin' to find more sales!

Thanks for stopping by friends!

Little Printable Readers

A few weeks ago, I revised one of my earliest products - "My Little Readers". It has a a big place in my heart, as making readers was one of the main reason I started making my own teaching resources. The first few years of my teaching career, resources were very scarce. Almost non existent. I made a TON of my own readers. I might have the courage to show you a few one day, they are nothing fancy, but my students loved them! 

I have called this one 'Set 1' as I have a few more to revise and quite a few more on my to-do list.....that never ending list that has been hanging around for about 10 years!

This packet is on sale for one day only and is 50% off! When I revised it, I uploaded the revisions into my original file listing, so if you purchased the original, you will get this update for free!

There are 5 readers in the packet. Each contains a printable reader, a set of flashcards, a worksheet, a 'class book' and a teacher information page. 

Your students can build the text from the book with the cards:

Each book is 8 pages and is copied onto ONE PIECE of paper. It is a '2 fold, one cut' book! So simple to prepare! 

I have included as many realistic early-reading features as possible. Predictable position of text, repeated phrases, left to right text alignment, pictures that match text.....

Students can read the book, and then complete a follow-up worksheet!

Put an 'enlarged' class sized copy in your classroom library - your students will love reading the book like the teacher did!

The 5 texts included are perfect for the beginning of the school year:

- Animals (sight words: This, is, a). Integrates well with Brown Bear Brown Bear story

- School (sight words: Here, is, a, an)

- Apples (sight words: Look, at, the)

- My Teacher (sight words: I, like, my)

- Go to School (sight words: I, go, to, in, a)

Find more super savings in the 'Christmas in July' Mega Sale HERE

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Rainbow Writing the Letters of the Alphabet

I love getting Kindergarten students to 'rainbow write'. It is such a fun activity! It is also perfect for those early days of letter-learning and learning to write! Why?! Because big-shape writing is a very good way for them to get the feel of the shape of the letter - especially using bigger hand movements than between tiny lines on paper. 

They make the strokes over and over and over again, getting their fill of the repeated formation practice needed to remember how to write each letter - without getting bored!

Rainbow Writing within a big fat shape, where students have to track rather than trace, also builds confidence. They won't have to waste unnecessary focus trying to stay ON a dotted line - instead they have a very wide space to draw a line in. This builds confidence and feelings of success. 

I have made a set of upper and lower case pages to make your prep of Rainbow Writing simple and fuss free!

I have loaded a sample in Google drive for you to try:

Download the sample 'a' pages HERE

And the full set is on sale in my TpT store, as part of my Christmas in July sale! 

Just click on this image to find it:

Please head over to Blog Hoppin to find more Christmas in July sales!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

No Prep Addition Game

Hi friends!

I am linking up with the fabulous Shelley Gray for another Bright Ideas Blog Hop! 

When I think of 'Bright Idea' I think of quality teaching methods, simple and practical preparation and teaching content that hits a skill right smack bang in the middle of the concept. 

I want to share with you a bright idea for addition. It will help with students learning to move from the concrete building and merging of two groups, to more abstract visualisation and 'counting-on'.

Students play in pairs. Each has a plastic divided plate. A regular plastic or disposable plate can be used, just draw lines to divide it into three. 

The plate will be used as a write'n'wipe board.

The pair will also need a marker each and a standard six sided die (use different dice to differentiate the game).

The first student rolls and records the number.

Followed by the second student....

Both students roll again, add another number to their plate and find the total. 

The student with the largest number wins, and may take a token. The first player to collect 5 tokens is the winner (adjust the number of tokens to suit your time allowance).

Students simply wipe the plates clean with a tissue to play a new round. 

And there you have it! Simple to prep and explain to students, but best yet, your students will be learning essential skills without any fuss. This is perfect math center, small-group activity, or for those little pockets of time that you need to fill!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Please find more great Bright Ideas, but looking through the link-ups below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Alphabet Directed Drawing

Hi there friends,

 I have had a crazy busy end to the week and started back in the classroom on Friday. Loved it! We are still in Winter here in Australia, and although it's a little chilly, the skies have been big and blue - and the sunshine has been bright.

I had 'one of those moments' in the playground (yard) on Friday - you know the ones where you think 'I must go home and write that down and remember it forever' - but then you forget to write it down...

Well, 'adorable little man' ran up to me in the playground, full of enthusiasm and excitement. I looked down at him with the 'yes, I am listening' look, and said hello.

He blurted out "It's amazing that we are having this summer in winter isn't it?"

Straight out like that. No introduction. No time for chit chat.

"Well, why yes it is" ... I answered.

"I mean, its quite cold in the morning, but then, all of a sudden, it's summer again" he concludes with a muffled chuckle + shoulder shrug before running off, back to his game of soccer. Somehow, my first day back at work, just became a whole lot better. It warmed my heart. 

And that is why I love my job. The variety of personalities is just precious. 

I hope you have had a great week!

I wanted to share a free sample with you today, from my new Alphabet Directed Drawing file. 

Here is the page for 'a' - it features an ant and step-by-step illustrations to help your little ones learn to draw. 

You can download this one page free sample, HERE

There are 26 different directed drawings in this file, one for each single beginning letter sound. 

I have it on a 50% off sale for the next 2 days, as part of my 'Christmas in July' sale!

You can find other teacher-authors having sales, by heading over to Blog Hoppin'! If you are having a sale, link up and spread the word!

Click on this image to find Blog Hoppin'!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I am heading of ftp enjoy my summer in winter!

Alphabet Cut and Paste Worksheets

It is Day 3 in the Merry Christmas in July sale with Blog Hoppin!

Today, I have one of my favourites on sale, my Alphabet Cut and Paste Worksheets! 

I recently revised this file, and it went from 15 to 60 worksheets!

It will help with single sounds, letter identification, letter formation, alphabetical order and recognising letters in different font styles. 

You can find it in my TpT store HERE

And speaking of the alphabet, here is a button I made today - hopefully it gives you some courage to never give up!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Number Books on Sale

It is Book Talk Tuesday at Mrs Jump's blog! I am linking up to share with you a book that I grabbed off the shop shelf the second I laid eyes on it! I have somewhat of a robust collection of children's books. I love to introduce just about every aspect and area of teaching, with a book. My aim is to always read at least 3-4 in one school day. Aim. We can all hope. Sometimes, I am lucky to get the pencils handed out - you know how it is!

Part of my collection includes a book to help introduce each double initial consonant blend.

I had struggled with the blend 'tw' for many years, and used to read a number book about 'twenty' and a 'twinkle twinkle' nursery rhyme story. It is a fairly uncommon blend. When I saw this one, I knew it was perfect, just from the cover!

It is called "It Takes Two to T'wit T'woo" and is written by Paula Knight. The children get LOADS of practice articulating and making the sound 'tw' when they read along with the story. I like to leave gaps, and have them fill in the 'twitting and twooing'! 

It is the story of Olive the tawny owl, that is looking for a friend. She says 't'wit', but she needs to find an owl friend to say 't'woo'. 

A host of animal friends come to help, including my favourite, the frog from the pond. 

"No, 'ribbit' will never do," Olive told the frog!

By the end of the story, Olive has found Albert, and their t'wits and t'woos match perfectly. 

This story is also perfect for when you are learning about the numbers two, pairs, nature, animals, homes/shelters and families. 

I made this directed drawing, so your students can have a go at drawing Olive or Albert after reading! Click to grab it from Google Drive:

I would also like to share with you, a list of some of the books I read as I introduce the blends to my students.

Here are 20 great books to read when introducing consonant blends (double, in initial position).

bl - Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman

br - Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin

cl - Clocks, Clocks and More Clocks by Pat Hutchins

cr - Crocodile Crocodile by Margaret Mahy (Sunshine Books)

dr - Dragon with a Cold - Joy Cowley 

fl - A Fly Went By - Mike McClintock

fr - Frog and Toad are Friends - Arnold Lobel

gl - Glamorous Glasses by Barbara Newman

gr - Grandma, Grandpa and Me - Mercer Mayer

pl - Planting a Rainbow - Loise Ehlert

pr - The Paper Bag Princess - Robert Munsch

sc - Scarecrow Pete - Mark Kimball Moulton

sk - The Skeleton on the Bus - Gwen Pascoe

sl - Grandpa's Slippers - Joy Watson

sm - Smarty Pants - Joy Cowley

sn - Snail Trail - Ruth Brown

sp - Are you a Spider by Judy Allen

st - How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

sw - Froggy Learns to Swim - by Jonathon London

tr - Our Tree House by Mercer Mayer

tw - T'wit T'woo - Paula Knight

Did you know that it is Day 2 of the Christmas in July sale over at Blog Hoppin? 

I know! I am excited too!

I have my Number Books Big Bundle on sale. It includes ten printable files to create ten work booklets for your students. Each booklet will take a week to teach, or you can modify them to teach them faster!

Find it on sale in my TpT store HERE

The idea of these books, is that they provide a whole week of SEQUENCED number learning. 

You print, copy, staple and cut a book for each student, and after you have taught each of the concepts, students can record their learning in their number book. 

The bundle includes a book for each number 1-10 and you can download Number Three for free to give it a try!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy finding more stores on sale over at Blog Hoppin!

Have a great day!