CVC is the beginning…but CAN’T be the End! Let’s write BIG words in 4 Steps!
CVC is the beginning of a beginner students writing. We can't hold them back. We need to encourage them to build bigger words with cvc components.
3 Fun CVC Activities for Practicing Word Building
CVC Activities for Word Building are the foundation of all spelling. Students need to practice word building over and over and over! Providing a variety of CVC word building activities will help students make solid letter/sound associations, understand letter order…
3 New Steps to Confidently Teaching Opinion Writing to Early Learners
Opinion Writing isn't as hard as you think. It's all about routine and teaching them how to tell what they like. Follow these steps to confidently teach! Students in the elementary grades are tasked with writing opinion paragraphs. Teachers are nervous…
Small Group Instruction: 4 Absolutes for Mastering Lessons
Small Group Instruction is important. Really important. I am a control freak when it comes to many different things, but I am REALLY a control freak when it comes to small group. I have a passion for readers and writers…
Centers: The Ultimate Independent Literacy Block as Easy as 1, 2, 3
Centers are the best. I love being part of the kindergarten team at my school. Having been in kindergarten the majority of my 25 years in teaching, deciding it was time to move into a Reading Specialist position was hard. …
Reading Fluency – Sight Word Reading Automaticity Practice that’s Fun
Reading fluency is not about reading words quickly, but it's about the quick retrieval of words so that reading comprehension isn't skewed. Saw? Was? Very? Every? Have you ever had students who confuse "was" and "saw?" Or "of" and "from?"…
I am in Kindergarten and I’m Ready to Learn
I am in kindergarten! YAY! There is so much going on in a kindergarten classroom at the beginning of the year. There are students who are excited, scared, happy, sad, joyous, and devastated. There are routines to learn and curriculum…
4 Impactful Sight Word Ideas for Emergent Readers
I won't drone on about the importance of sight words. I believe even the earliest learners can be taught to recognize sight words...even before they know the letters. I, personally, don't want them to think of the words as parts…
Formative Assessment For Writing: A Comprehensive Picture
Formative Assessment. The foundation of our day. Sorry it's been so long...I've been busy with Back to School. We have been "making our lists and checking them twice." Heehee. I'm not Santa...but we've been trying to make sure we…
Let’s Go To the Zoo: Narrative Writing with Emergent Writers
You know I love talking about writing. One of the newest SOLs in Virginia for kindergarten is requiring students to complete narrative writing. It really isn't that hard. It's just about routine. I'm going to talk about teaching early learners…
Magic Tree House: Best Series for Early Learners
Magic Tree House books are my favorite. I have read these books every year to my kindergartners. They love them! It’s all about preparation and explanation, but they love them. As you know, I have taught full day and half-day…
Penmanship and Sight Words: Writing High Frequency Words
Penmanship is important in the early grades. Routines and patterns they form with writing are hard to change later. I think configuration boxes are the perfect connection to penmanship. Students are given cues for tall, short and hanging down letters.…