Mrs. Wheeler's First Grade Tidbits

AnthroDesk

2024-07-15T07:30:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Hope you are all having a fantastic summer. It's hard to believe we are in July already. Time is definitely flying!

Today's post is all about a product that I recently had the opportunity to test out. I am working with AnthroDesk US. I was able to try out their AnthroDesk Sit to Stand Electric Standing Desk. The AnthroDesk is just as it sounds...a versatile, electric desk that allows you to sit OR stand! In today's world, it's easy to get sedentary...It seems as though we are all trying to become more active and get more movement in.

Personally, a healthy lifestyle and movement are not only important to me; they are vital. I suffer from Degenerative Disc Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I HAVE to keep moving to keep my body in good working condition. Sitting for hours in front of a computer or tv is uncomfortable and painful. I love the versatility of the AnthroDesk. I'm able to change positions frequently, with ease.

The AnthroDesk is adjustable, with the shortest height being 72 inches and the tallest height being 120 inches. It can truly accommodate anyone! The desk features up/down arrows, as well as 4 pre-set settings.

The AnthroDesk gives me the option to lower the desk to use with my chair. When I'm tired or uncomfortable from sitting, I can raise the desk up and stand. I find that standing helps my posture, as well! It's easy to slouch in a chair. *Fun fact-I'm currently standing as I type this! Placing a walking pad under the desk would be an excellent addition, and a way to get more movement in while working/browsing the internet. Hello, healthy lifestyle!

The worktop of the desk is large (120x60), providing plenty of room for a laptop/computer, and much more.

My husband easily assembled the desk in approximately 20 minutes. The desk was well-packaged. All parts were included and the directions were simple to follow. The desk came with two Allen wrenches. In addition to those, my husband did need a Phillips screwdriver.

The AnthroDesk would be perfect for an office or classroom. I plan on taking mine to my classroom in the fall!

If you're looking for a new desk for your office space and/or classroom, I highly recommend the AnthroDesk Sit to Stand Electric Standing Desk!

Megan

I did receive this desk in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions in this post are accurate, and my own.

Inexpensive Student Gift Ideas

2023-12-10T11:12:00.002-05:00

Good morning, friends! We are knee-deep in all things HOLIDAY! I'm wrapping up (literally) my Christmas to-do list this weekend. On Friday, I stayed after school to assemble my kids' Christmas presents and I thought I'd share what I am giving this group of kids. Each year, I try to think of something simple and thoughtful that doesn't break the bank. Teachers spend enough on their classrooms/students throughout the year! This year, I wanted my budget to be between $30-$40. I was able to make that happen!

Scholastic Book: "How to Catch a Gingerbread Man"--I used my bonus points, which I save throughout the year to get these for free.

Pencils and Erasers: Purchased two sets of each from The Dollar Tree.

Gingerbread Erasers: These were leftover from a Kindergarten Crate subscription.

Snowman Soup Hot Chocolate Bags: Purchased a bulk box of Swiss Miss from Costco last year and had plenty extra for this year's class, as well. Marshmallows were around $1.50. I only needed one bag. Mini candy canes were around $3.00. You can find free labels on TPT; just search "Snowman Soup Tags."

Christmas Plush: Grabbed these at The Dollar Tree. My teammate gave them to her students last year and I thought they were so cute. At $1.25 each x 20, they were my biggest expense.

Poly Mailers: Many years ago, I stopped wrapping presents for my students. I got the poly mailer idea off of Instagram (from A Teeny Tiny Teacher) and never looked back. I buy these in bulk every few years. Grab yourself some HERE and enjoy the convivence of this!

In years past, I've done Holiday Tic-Tac-Toe Boards with holiday mini erasers as the game pieces. I've also given homemade crayons, trinket/treat bags, coloring books, personalized bookmarks, and personalized, homemade dry erase boards.

Please know that whatever you decide to give your students, they will love!!

Megan

Election Day

2023-11-06T08:29:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Election Day! While we obviously aren't voting for a president this year, it's still great to teach children about the election process. Below are a few activities I've done over the years. The kids always have a blast with them!

Picture books are a fantastic way to teach kids about elections. Below are a few of my favorites. You can check out all of my favorite picture books by clicking HERE (affiliate link).

Having mock elections are a MUST! I set up a ballot box and we "vote" on all sorts of things...foods, animals, sports, etc..

Using mini-books in the classroom to teach about special days is a favorite. With kid-friendly language, and pictures, it makes learning about holidays and special days simple for kids.

We usually watch "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" at the end of the day to wrap up the day's learning! Grab it HERE (affiliate link).

Click HERE (or the cover picture below) to grab all of the above Election Day activities! Have fun!

Megan

Classroom Tour 2023-2024

2023-10-29T09:08:00.002-04:00

Hello, friends! It's been a while. Life has been going and the blog has taken a backseat. Hopefully you are following me over on Instagram (@mrswheeler44), where I share a lot.

Today's post is a wee bit late, but here it is-a tour of my classroom for the 23-24 school year. I've tried to link things you may be interested in. *Anything that is in bold font is linked to something. As always, if you see something you'd like more information about, please email me at meganwheeler44@yahoo.com or send me a DM on Instagram!

First up are two "before" photos. I always snap some of these the first time I walk into my classroom after summer break. Sidebar--that first walk-through feeling is so great, isn't it? I just love the feeling of newness and a fresh start.

My animals are freshly washed and in position to welcome a new group of students! I wash them each summer (because DUST). I take them home in garbage bags and place them into garment bags. I wash on warm and gentle and then air dry them in the laundry room or outside. Most of these are from Kohls, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon. I've been collecting them over the past 20+ years. I began collecting during student teaching.

Here's our shoe-tying area. I love how I have it set up this year. Students can visit it to practice. As students learn to tie, they get to put their name on a shoe cutout (shown below) and I tape it on the wall. Currently, we have about 6 students who can tie! The rest are eager to learn and have been practicing! Click HERE to grab my shoe-tying pack. Grab the wooden shoe HERE.

I never open my classroom library right away because I have to teach my students all the things regarding use. In the meantime, I request a teacher collection at the library (back to school theme) and have those books on hand in bins for students to browse as they finish assignments.

These are my skill tubs. I sort my materials by skill. That way, when we are working on something, I can grab all of my activities that coincide. It makes finding things SO easy. I have done this for probably 15 years and can't imagine organizing any other way. *I don't include holiday activities in these bins--read why down below! Grab the editable skill tub labels HERE.

My holiday-themed activities are located in these file box bins. Inside are hanging file folders labeled with holidays or themes. When a holiday or special time of year approaches, I check my bin and pull out what I have. This makes finding things so simple! The labels I use are linked for you HERE.

Here is our classroom library. I sort books by theme, so students can browse by their interest. Grab the labels HERE. Read about how my students use the library by clicking HERE.

This is our SEL area. We use the PATHS program. We are also a PBIS school. My sticker chart is something I use for PBIS. Students earn blue tickets for good behavior, being responsible, respectful, etc...On Friday, they trade their tickets in for stickers, candy, trinkets, mechanical pencils, erasers, or a larger prize (visit an old teacher, etc...).

Here is my Math area. The giant number grid is from TPT and at the moment I can't think of who made it. I've had it for many years now. I do know she is a kindergarten teacher. The Math strategies poster is linked HERE.

This is the front board. Grab my birthday straw printables HERE and my noise-level visuals HERE. I would die without the noise level lights. They have been so great over the past few years.

I'm a quick and easy hallway decor kinda gal. This welcome back sign is available HERE.

That's it! Hope you enjoyed my tour. Hope to see you back next week for all things back to school!

Megan

10 Tips for Using the Fundations Phonics Curriculum

2023-08-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! Today's post is to share a few tips and tricks that I've implemented while using the Fundations Phonics program over the past 7 years. While I LOVE the program, its components and materials can be very overwhelming for someone just starting it. I hope this post is helpful.

TIP #1: Dry Erase Bags

Your students will be using dry erase markers and erasers almost daily. You'll want to think about where they will store those items. I decided on these zipper bags a few years ago and I'll never go back. I used number labels from Just a Primary Girl. I laminated the numbers, hole punched them, and attached them with small binder rings. Inside the bags are these erasers and one EXPO marker. The erasers, bags, and markers are all numbered. I'm not a huge fan of numbers, but for times sake, numbering these materials was much faster than names. Find a marker on the floor? Who is number ___? Find a pouch on the floor? Who is number ___?

In addition to daily practice for Fundations, we also use our dry erase materials for our Math curriculum, Illustrative Math. Having the pouches makes carrying these supplies around the room a breeze!

TIP #2: COOKIE SHEET MAGNET BOARDS

Fundations takes a multi-sensory approach to teaching Phonics. Magnet boards are a big component of this. Our TITLE I dept. created these cookie sheet magnet boards vs. purchasing the Fundations mats. This is a good thing, I've heard, because the mats that come with the program don't hold up. You want to get cookie sheets large enough to fit all of magnets, as well as ones that provide a little space for building a word). Storage for these cookie sheets is simple: stack them in a central location in your classroom.

TIP #3: MAGNET TILE STORAGE

If you're familiar with Fundations, you know that there are one million magnet tiles! Hahaha! Seriously, there are a lot of magnets. Distributing and collecting them can be daunting. Grab a box like this one and sort your magnets. This makes the process so much smoother.

TIP #4: ALLOW SPACE FOR AN INTERACTIVE WORD WALL AND/OR SOUND WALL

You'll want to find space for an interactive word wall and/or sound wall. Both of these walls are huge and take up a lot of space, so it may be a challenge. These walls are not decorative; you should be referring to them and your students should be using them daily.

My mom evenly spaced this beautiful trick words wall for me 7 years ago, and you best believe its never coming down! Haha! Wall space is very limited in my classroom, so this huge bulletin board serves as my word wall. I start the year with all of the Level 1 trick words up. As I introduce them, they are flagged with a colored sticky tab. I use different colors to help students find the words (This is an old picture from the first year, and I used all green for some reason).

TIP #5: FIND SPACE FOR POSTERS/VISUALS

In addition to the word/sound wall, you'll need space for supplemental posters. Fundations provides posters but they are GIGANTIC. HUGE. If you have enough wall space to display these posters, you get a round of applause! As mentioned above, I don't have much wall space (praise to all the cabinets), so I created a few smaller versions of the posters to display.

I will say that when I'm first introducing a new concept, I do get out the giant poster and keep it up for a few days, but there is no possible way it can stay out all year long.

TIP #6: SUPPLEMENT AS NEEDED

Fundations is a fantastic program, but it can be a bit dry. I absolutely love supplementing with products that align to the skills I'm teaching. Check out my favorite supplemental activities HERE.

TIP #7: PROVIDE TIME FOR STUDENTS TO PRATICE SKILLS YOU'VE TAUGHT

Fundations introduces new skills throughout the entire year. While each skills is taught explicitly and systematically, cumulatively, it can be a lot for beginning readers.

Providing a "center" or "work station" time for students to practice skills that have been taught helps them retain the information. Students LOVE working in small groups with their peers! During this time, I pull a group to my table to work on orthographic mapping and beginning Phonics/Phonemic Awareness skills.

To check out my top-selling, Level 1 Fundations game and activity pack, click the cover below.

TIP #8: CREATE FLUENCY FOLDERS

Within most units of Fundaitons, there is a "story" included. The stories contain previously taught trick words and word patterns. They are supposed to be used to practice decoding and fluency. To me, reading the story once or twice throughout the unit wasn't enough, so I created fluency folders.

To make the folders, grab a class set of 3-prong folders. Place sheet protectors inside of each (one per story). As a story is introduced, students mark it up and put it inside a sleeve. As the year progresses, students add more and more stories.

We love going back and practicing fluency with old stories. We also love partner practicing our stories! I use the stories as a quick check for oral reading and take notes of how each child does with each story as they are introduced.

TIP #9: PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH COPIES OF PERSONAL TRICK WORD WALLS

As mentioned above, the trick word wall should be interactive and you and your students should be referring to it daily. One way I like to do this is by giving kids their own copies of the word wall.

Inside the fluency folders, I place one extra sheet protector. I place an individual copy of our trick word wall in it. As a new trick word is introduced, we color it with a yellow crayon. Students use their folder/personal word wall daily, during dry erase practice and during assessments.

TIP #10: PICK ONE OR TWO THINGS TO IMPLEMENT

This post may have overwhelmed you, so my final tip is to choose one or two things to implement for the upcoming school year! Personally, I gradually incorporated the above tips throughout my seven years teaching the program. Problems arose and I came up with solutions.

I hope this post was helpful! Feel free to email me at meganwheeler44@yahoo.com with any additional Fundations questions!

Megan

Back to School Assessments

2023-08-02T09:50:00.006-04:00

The beginning of the year is such a whirlwind! Setting up a classroom, meeting students and families, staff meetings, getting back into a "school routine...." The list goes on and on. I'm always on the lookout for ways to streamline processes in my school life. Student assessment is one of them.

We use Acadience as our district approved assessment. Students are tested three times a year, with progress monitoring sprinkled in throughout, for those who need it. In addition, I like to do some quick assessments on my own, particularly at the start of the year, and then quarterly as needed.

I keep everything I need/use organized in a large binder, separated by academic area...Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Trick Words (Hello, Fundations!), Math, etc...This makes finding what I need easy. When I want to assess a child, I grab my binder, pull out the papers needed, and run copies.

Some of the assessments I use are one-on-one, while others are whole-group. Either way, they are quick and to the point.

I'll typically make copies of the assessments; one copy goes home and one copy goes in student files. Parents like seeing the copies because they stay informed on how their children are progressing, and can work with them at home.

If you're interested in this fantastic, top-selling resource, grab it by clicking the cover below!

*NOTE: The "Trick Words Assessment" shown in this post is not included in this pack. It's a separate purchase, due to the fact that it's specific to the Fundations curriculum. You can grab it HERE. My assessment pack does include a sight word assessment, with the Fry's words.

*Check out all of my assessment resources HERE.

xo
Megan

Mother's Day Gift

2023-04-29T11:34:00.003-04:00

Hello, friends! Happy *almost* May! We're heading into the last month of school. Things are getting crazy hectic. Add Mother's Day into the mix! Today I'm sharing a FREE Mother's Day gift idea. So simple and so thoughtful. Minimal supplies needed....black Sharpie markers, yellow ribbon, a hot glue gun, blue & yellow cardstock, and yellow paint.

I always love tying a picture book into an art project, so here ya go! Browse "Fireflies" and my other favorite Mother's Day books HERE (affiliate link).

Grab the free firefly jar template by clicking the cover below. Happy Mother's Day!

Megan

End of the Year Student Gift

2023-04-23T09:32:00.007-04:00

I can hardly believe it, but we are in the FINAL STRETCH!!!!!! PRAISE! Teaching has always been challenging but this year has been another story. The level of mental (and of course physical) exhaustion I'm feeling is unlike any year prior. I've had the most challenging class this year....with all sorts of needs. Needless to say, I am TIRED and ready for a break.

Today, I'll be prepping my students end of the year gifts. Yes I know it's May 23 and we have 23.5 more days of school left (seriously, who's counting?). However, as you know, the end of the year is BONKERS. An ever-growing to-do list and kids who have checked out makes for an even more exhausted teacher!

I like to keep my gifts simple, cost-effective, and thoughtful. When I first started teaching, I thought I had to spend gobs of money on elaborate gifts for my students. As I've developed as a teacher, I've come to realize that teaching is a gift in itself. And let's not forget the hundreds (actually thousands) of dollars spent on the classroom and fun activities throughout the school year!

If you've been around here for any length of time (shoutout to the OG's who have been with me since 2010!), you know I love Junie B. Jones. I've read a chapter from her book each day, after lunch, for 20 years. The love began during student teaching (shoutout to Minal, my cooperating teacher who introduced me to good ole' Junie!). Needless to say, my students' end of the year gift is always a brand new Junie B. Jones book with a personalized bookmark. I like to order the variety packs on Scholastic and let the kids pick their title.

Does your class have a favorite series, character, or author? I'd love to hear who that is! Leave me a comment below and let me know!

Want to know the cost? Well, I use Scholastic bonus points that I've accrued over the years to order the books. A roll of thin ribbon for the bookmarks is about $3.00. The bookmarks are in my TpT shop (linked HERE for you!). I do use my own laminator, because I like the bookmarks to be stiff, but I can get four bookmarks on a page. I'm only using 6 laminating sleeves.

The kids always cherish these personalized bookmarks (and of course, books, a class favorite)!!! Don't worry, the bookmarks are editable! Color and black and white versions included. It's super easy to insert student names at the top and your name at the bottom. Of course, you can always use a Sharpie and hand-write your name and kids' names in. There is a set included for team teachers as well.

Grab the bookmarks by clicking the cover below and get to personalizing! I'm also linking the ribbon (3/8 inch works well) for you HERE-a bit more expensive to buy on Amazon than a craft store...(because it's April 23 and we are all mentally fried). Enjoy!

Megan

St. Patrick's Day Ideas

2023-03-14T08:39:00.001-04:00

Hello from a snow day in Ohio (yes, on March 14th)! I'm here with a few, last minute St. Patrick's Day ideas for you. I hope you find some things you can use! Enjoy.

First up is a rainbow craft. For years, my students completed this tissue paper rainbow craft. It takes a long time but turns out so cute, and is perfect to leave up all spring! This year, I transitioned to a tear-art rainbow...much quicker and just as cute!

On St. Patrick's Day (or close to), we love doing a procedural writing about how to make a shamrock float! Of course, our writing isn't complete without actually having a yummy drink! Grab my best-selling pack by clicking the cover below.

A fan-favorite is reading about how to catch a leprechaun, and then of course, having students write about how they would catch one! Grab the Leprechaun Literacy pack by clicking the cover below!

Here's a fun leprechaun craft! The idea is from Cara Carroll. Grab the patterns HERE.

Who doesn't love a mini-book? This St. Pat's one is perfect for searching for sight/trick words and reading together. St. Pat's is usually near the end of our 3rd quarter, so I like to pass this out for coloring while I do my end of quarter assessments. Click the cover below to grab this!

I love leaving a little something on my kids' desks on St. Patty's Day. These Skittles tags are a great treat. Buy individual bags or bag your own and purchase bulk! I also love the little cards with a chocolate or plastic gold coin!

I Have, Who Has is a fantastic game for a brain break, or to incorporate into your "Morning Meeting" time. I have so many of these games in my store. I've linked them all below for you. Click the cover to snag the St. Pat's one or the bundle.

Literacy Center time is so important to my students and I. It gives them the opportunity to work collaboratively with their peers, and provides me a block of time to work with a small group for intervention. Typically, our centers are Fundations Phonics based, but the week of a holiday, I like to incorporate a few thematic centers! I have some St. Patrick's Day centers, which are shown below.

For Math, we love completing thematic number grid pictures. Rainbow Bump is another favorite for Math.

Here's a cute little "Lucky Dog" craft that includes a writing page. Grab it below!

These leprechaun directed drawings are always so creative! Just "Google" to find which one you like.

You can't go wrong with St. Patty's Day BINGO! I love using thematic mini erasers for this. Linked below for you.

Megan

Valentine's Day Ideas

2023-02-12T09:57:00.004-05:00

Hey friends! It's almost Valentine's Day! I'm here to share a few ideas with you. Hope you can find something to snag for the upcoming holiday!

Party Pack-This is one of my favorite Valentine's Day resources! It's a party pack containing everything (minus treats, of course!) you'll need to plan a simple Vday party. Some of the stations/activities included are: Valentine BINGO, friendship notes/pictures, candy heart Math, and MORE! Take the stress out of planning a party with this pack!

Click the cover to grab this pack!

Valentine's Day Books-Check out my Amazon storefront, which has a special area called "Picture Books." I have linked many of my favorite picture books to use as read-alouds in class!

I Have, Who Has-It's a fast-paced and favorite game that helps build vocabulary. We love playing it during Morning Meeting!

Click the cover to grab this game!

Valentine's Day Centers-I love using my Fundations: Level 1 activity pack for centers, but when there is a holiday approaching, I sprinkle in some thematic activities! Shown below is a Valentine's Day Verb Match.

Click the cover below to grab this verb matching center

(nouns and adjectives match included, too!)

Art Projects-Been making this Valentine bee for many years and it's a favorite! Grab it HERE.

The Valentine lovebug is also super cute! Grab it HERE.

"____ loves _____ to pieces!" Tear Art-This is a super fun and easy craft to do on or around Valentine's Day! Kids fill in the lines with their name and the name of their school. Provide pink, red, purple, and white paper for kids to tear up (hello, fine motor practice!). They use the torn paper to fill in the heart. Easy-peasy!

Click the cover to grab this FREE art project!

Valentine Bags-We love decorating Valentine bags using stickers, foam pieces, and Ellison cutouts! It's cost-effective and quick. I use white gift bags (linked HERE) from Amazon, but white lunch bags work, too. The handles on the gift bags make for easy transport on the bus!

Megan

Winter Ideas

2023-01-22T10:26:00.002-05:00

Happy Sunday! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. It's a snowy day here in Ohio...hopeful for a snow day tomorrow or later in the week! Speaking of snow and winter, today's post is dedicated to all things WINTER! Maybe you'll find some new ideas!

Mini-Book: I love a mini-book! Been using them my entire teaching career. They are great for building vocabulary and reviewing trick words. I also love leaving a mini-book for a sub! This "winter" mini-book is perfect for the first day of winter, and really any time during the winter season! To use, I pass out copies. Students cut, order, raise hand for a staple, and begin searching for trick words (or whatever you call your high-frequency/sight words). *The color the trick words yellow, or use their highlighter to highlight them...FUN! Finally, students are allowed to color.

All of my seasonal/thematic mini-books are available in a bundle below, but you can snag each one individually as well! Click the cover page to check out the mini-books.

Winter Centers: My students visit one center each day. Most are themed around Fundations Phonics, which is the phonics curriculum I use. However, I do like to sprinkle a holiday-themed center in each week. In addition to my Fundations Phonics centers, I always include a listening center. This is compiled of multiple copies of books as well as a cd or tape (LOL) that reads the book aloud to students. After students finish listening to the story, they grab a listening center report page and complete a picture and/or sentence about their favorite part. Grab the free report page by clicking the cover below.

Below are more of my winter-themed center activities. First is a winter parts of speech match. I have these for all seasons. You can grab them by clicking the cover page below. These are perfect for use in a pocket chart.

Here is a winter rhyming pocket chart activity. It comes with a corresponding recording sheet. You can grab it in my seasonal rhyming bundle below, or grab it individually.

Winter Crafts: Who doesn't love a good craft?!? With the demands on instruction being so intense, you MUST create time for art! Our art projects are few and far between, so when I do choose to do one, I make sure it's a good one!

Incorporating picture books with art projects is a great way to sneak in literacy! "Snowballs" by Lois Ehlert is the perfect book to go with the winter aspen tree/cardinal art project!

The idea for this craft came from I Heart Crafty Things several years ago and it's been a favorite art project of mine since!

Crafty Bee Creations also has great art projects...think trace, cut, build for her crafts. They are awesome for practicing fine motor skills.

This penguin craft was a new addition to my winter crafts last year. The idea came from All Students Can Shine. I'm obsessed with crafts that incorporate tissue paper squares. Hahaha!

I Have, Who Has: We absolutely love playing "I Have, Who Has" as a morning meeting activity or time-filler throughout the day. Shown below is my winter version, but I have a bundle which includes many holidays and themes. Click the cover below to check it out!

I sure hope you found some new ideas. Happy Winter!

Megan

New Years Activities

2022-12-31T09:14:00.002-05:00

Hi, friends! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying your well-deserved time off. Today's post is featuring a few ideas for New Years! We head back this week, and I'll be easing myself and my students back into things with a few fun New Years activities! Check them out below:

I Have, Who Has Game-So fun for Morning Meeting or as a time-filler. To play, go over the vocabulary on the cards first. Give each student a card. Have students stand or sit in a circle. The student with the first card reads it. The game continues until all cards have been read. Great game to work on listening skills and vocabulary!

Click the cover image to shop!

New Years Themed Literacy Centers-Sentence scrambles, sight word games, noun sorts, and more, this pack will keep your kids occupied and learning throughout center time!

Click the cover to shop!

New Years Coloring Pages-Great as an early finisher activity, morning work, or inside recess activity! I like to fill these in throughout the first week back when the kids and I both need a little break. Letting them use their markers is a sure way to keep them quiet and calm!

Click the cover to shop!

New Years Wishing Wand-I found this a few years ago and made it when I had a small class size. Students choose a few things they "wish for" in the coming year and glue them onto their wands. Add a dowel rod and ribbon to finish it off!

New Years BINGO-I found this BINGO game online a few years ago. While searching for the link for you today, I noticed the creator changed it. To get your own New Years BINGO, do a Google search! Lots of fun options for kid-friendly boards.

2023 Tear Art-This is a fun craft that I found on TPT a couple years back. It's a free download, and the creator updates it each year! Click here to grab it. *I've cut skinny strips for my students ahead of time and had them snip the strips into small squares.

New Years RING POPS-These are a fun little surprise to leave on your students' desks as they return back after winter break. You can also save them to use as a reward the first week or two back! The file gets updated each year. Simply log into your TPT, go to "My Purchases," find the product, and re-download it each December!

Click the cover to shop!

New Years Books-Click here to check out my favorite picture books for New Years! *You'll get to see all of my other favorites as well! *affiliate link*

Have a safe, healthy, and happy 2023!

Megan

Affordable Student Christmas Gifts

2022-12-11T14:11:00.004-05:00

Looking for some student gift ideas that won't break the bank? Today I'm sharing two ideas for you! I hope these help you during a very busy time!

Snowman Soup

Snowman Soup, aka hot chocolate in a bag, is a simple yet creative idea for a student gift. Add the following to a ziploc bag: hot cocoa packet, candy cane(s), marshmallows, and Hershey kisses. Seal the bag and staple a cute label to it. I'm linking the free label I found HERE but you can grab a different one off TPT if you want....Lots of choices! Instant gift. Total cost: around $12.00 for a class.

Christmas Tic-Tac-Ho Ho Ho

This is super cute and FUN!!! Your kids are going to LOVE this gift. Print the TIC-TAC-TOE boards and laminate them. Grab festive mini-erasers from Target or Amazon (linking the ones I used HERE). I put the mini-erasers into small jewelry bags (linking the ones I used HERE). I'll be putting a board and the bag of mini erasers into a festive cellophane bag (from the Dollar Tree).

Merry Christmas!

Megan

Products I've Tried

2022-10-29T13:32:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've blogged. The start of the school year consumes all of my energy. Heading into conference weeks, and hopefully things will settle down after that. I wanted to share a few favorite products that I've recently tried.

First up: shoes! I got a chance to try the KURU "Glide" sandals and I am LOVING them for work and weekends. They are so comfy and provide good support. They have pigskin lining which helps reduce air and moisture, thus reducing irritation and rubbing. I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Plantar Fasciitis and am very particular about my footwear. The "Glide" are a great transition shoe for summer into fall. I don't know about you, but I wear sandals until it snows here in Ohio! I chose the walnut brown/blood orange combo.

Kuru comes in whole sizes. They recommend sizing up if you are in between sizes. Bonus: Kuru provides free shipping and free returns! Click here to shop!

Next up: a new lady product! Over the last six months or so, I've been transitioning to all natural, non-toxic products. This has included household products and personal products. Being someone who suffers from severe menstrual cramps, I'm always on the hunt for a solution. For most of my life, I've used 800 mg Ibuprofen to help manage the pain. Without it, I would be unable to work and complete daily tasks. In my quest for a non-toxic lifestyle, I discovered Jovi, a drug-free patch to help with cramps and back pain. Jovi helps intercept the initial message of discomfort before it reaches your brain.

I had the opportunity to try Jovi recently. The setup was super easy. Just peel the clear adhesive patch and place onto the Jovi patch. Then peel the remaining half of the adhesive patch and stick. I chose to place my patch below my belly button. I wore the patch to work for two days and was able to go my entire cycle with NO MEDICINE!! Unbelievable. I will absolutely continue to use this product as a natural way to combat cramps and low back pain associated with my cycle. If you'd like to check out Jovi for yourself and read more about how the science behind it works, click here. Now through Halloween, they are offering $20 off Jovi patch purchases.

Megan

*I was sent these products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Adopt a Cow 2022-2023

2022-08-28T08:00:00.007-04:00

Hey everyone! I hope your year is off to a great start! If you haven't started, enjoy your remaining days of summer. As you begin to transition back, here's an exciting opportunity to keep in mind!

You may remember that last year, about this same time, I shared about a great program called "Adopt a Cow." This program by Discovery Dairy is a super fun and highly engaging year-long program that gives students a peek inside dairy farming. It's a great way to expose children to agriculture. Here's how it works:

Students and teachers "adopt" a dairy cow for their classroom and receive updates on the cow's growth through photos and live virtual chats with farmers. Farm tours are also available! Activity sheets and suggest lessons that are Common Core aligned will be sent to you as well. Students will also have an opportunity to write friendly letters to their cow...so fun!

Last year, more than 30,000 elementary and middle school classrooms, home school families, scout troops, library groups, and other organizations participated in the program.

Adopt-a-Cow was designed for students in grades 3-5, but all grades can benefit from the program as well. The Adopt a Cow program is FREE for teachers! It's available to teachers everywhere! Homeschool teachers, after-school care program teachers, as well as those managing a library or agriculture program can also sign up.

In Ohio and West Virginia, classrooms will be virtually paired with a calf from an Ohio dairy farm. Students will find out what her name is, when her birthday is, where she lives, and how the farmer takes care of her.

Here's a quick video highlighting the Adopt a Cow program.

Check out this timeline of what you can expect from the program:

October-host farm and calf announcement is emailed and posted to your Adopt-a-Cow portal.
November-introductory email kit sent with details about the host farm and calf. The first 5,000 registrants will receive the mailer; everyone else receives this in digital form (Note: The mailed kit is only available for registrants in the United States).
December-Update #1 will be emailed and posted to your portal.
February-Update #2 will be emailed and posted to your portal.
April-Update #3 will be emailed and posted to your portal.
April/May-The opportunity to live chat your calf and host farm via YouTube.

Ready to sign up and provide your students with a unique opportunity? Click here to register! Please note that no information will be sent out until registration closes and the calves are born. Keep your eyes peeled on your inbox!

The Adopt a Cow program is a national program made possible in Ohio and West Virginia by the American Dairy Association Mideast through a partnership with the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania, who developed and manages the program as part of their Discover Dairy education series.

Megan

Magic Playdough

2022-08-21T07:30:00.000-04:00

Magic Play Doh is a fun first day/first week activity to do with your students. You can either make homemade doh (more time consuming, obviously!) or purchase pre-made doh (see affiliate link HERE). *You want your dough to be white/cream. Roll balls with the dough. Add a few drops of food coloring inside (see affiliate link HERE). Place the balls inside of individual baggies. Staple copies of my free poem to the bags. Read the poem together as a class. *There is a large size of the poem included in my download. Pass out the bags of dough and have your students squish the balls. I recommend having them squish the balls inside of the bag until the food coloring mixes into the dough. The kids love the element of surprise with the colors that appear in their dough! So much fun! Grab the free printable by clicking the cover image below!

Have a colorful year!
xo

Megan

Pencil Management System

2022-08-17T19:30:00.000-04:00

For my whole teaching career, I've used the "sharp/dull" pencil system. Each student is given one pencil. They use it as needed, and once it goes dull, they put it into the dull cup and grab one from the sharp cup. It's honestly never been a problem. The kids were very responsible for the pencils they were using. There would be an occasional "chewing" situation, but other than that no major issues.

This method worked fine, up until about two years ago. I kept finding rogue pencils on the floor. For some reason there were pencils everywhere!!! It used to be no big deal to pick them up, but as I get older, and my joint pain gets worse, I just can't bend over all day to pick pencils up. I decided that for the 22-23 school year, I was going to change my system.

I decided to put the students in charge of their own pencils. I grabbed some toothbrush holders, fresh pencils from my never-ending stash at school, dot labels, a black Sharpie, and packaging tape. I labeled two of each toothbrush holder with a number. I did 1-24, because I think I'll most likely have no more than 24 students this year. Here comes the semi-tedious part: I labeled 10 pencils with student numbers and placed 5 in each toothbrush holder.

Here's my plan:

Students each get one toothbrush holder, containing five pencils with their number on it. One pencil stays on top of their desk for quick access; the others stay in the holder inside of their desk. If they lose the pencil on top, break it, or it goes dull, they simply put it into their container and get a fresh one out. This continues all week.

Each Friday, students will bring me their toothbrush holder. I will swap it out with the "extra--" remember I mentioned that I made two holders? I'll quickly look through the holders and note who has all five of their pencils (broken or not, it doesn't matter). If a student has all five, they earn a sticker on the pencil chart. Once they get a certain number of stickers (undecided as of now), they can choose from the treasure or candy box.

Some weeks students will earn stickers and others will not. I'm sure there will be some students who earn stickers every week. The goal is to teach students to be responsible for their things. This system is not set up to punish students. If a student finds a pencil on the floor, he/she will be encouraged to look at the number chart and return it to the person it belongs to.

I am super excited to try this system. What do you use for your pencil management? Let me know in the comments below!

PS: Invest in a GOOD pencil sharpener! I love this one!!!

Megan

Interrupting Chicken

2022-08-14T07:30:00.001-04:00

If you've been around for awhile, you know I love using picture books to kick of the school year, particularly to teach procedures and routines. One of my favorite books is Interrupting Chicken. Grab the book HERE (affiliate link). It's a great book for teaching listening skills.

Many years ago, I created activities to go with the book. Included is a class goal poster, individual goal strips for student desks, written responses, and a sort. Grab my best-selling pack by clicking the cover below.

*NOTE: These activities are also included in my "Back to School Printables" pack, which is loaded with activities intended to be used the first few weeks/month of school. The activities included incorporate picture books. I'll link that below, as well!

The chicken craft shown in the picture above is from Crafty Bee Creations. It's a fun extension to do after using my activity pack!

Megan

Shoe-Tying Club

2022-08-10T20:00:00.001-04:00

Up until a few years ago, I tied kids' shoes all the time. They asked, I tied. Touched laces that were soaking wet with who knows what. Touched the shoes that were covered in mud. I am almost 42 years old with a lot of orthopedic issues. Bending down is NOT easy! A few years ago, I vowed to stop tying shoes. GASP. My orthopedic issues were the straw that broke the camel's back. No more tying and you know what? It's been fantastic! Let me tell you why.

Kids WANT to learn to tie. Research shows that children are developmentally ready to tie shoes by age 5. That's kindergarten. For years, I'd witnessed students attempting to tie with no avail. I knew I had to do something to help, and doing the work for them wasn't the help my students needed.

Let me introduce you to "THE SHOE-TYING CLUB!" The STC (as we'll call it) is a little area in my room where students can find visual and hands-on resources to help them learn to tie.. Also included is signage showing who can tie shoes. The signage is helpful for two reasons:

1. It shows all children who can tie, thus who they could ask if they need their shoe(s) tied.

2. It encourages students to learn so they can get a shoe cutout added to the wall.

Click HERE to grab this wooden practice shoe (affiliate link)

Click HERE to grab these wooden lacing boards (affiliate link).

The STC set comes with posters, printables, certificates, cutouts, a parent letter, and more. Grab one by clicking HERE or the cover below, and plan on setting up a STC in your classroom for the upcoming school year! It's a game-changer!

Megan

Back to School with Picture Books

2022-08-07T08:00:00.007-04:00

One of my top tips for back to school time is using picture books to guide the instruction for your classroom procedures and routines. Over my 18 year career, I've selected my top picture books for this, with new ones sprinkled in as I discover them, of course! Over the years, I've also compiled activities to go with many of my favorite books. These activities are intended to be used anywhere from the first day of school through the first month. They really take the guesswork out of planning as you and your students ease back into a new school year.

Let's take a look at some of the activities included in this tremendous resource!

There are lots of written response pages (several formats included for differentiating) to go with many of the books. I love gauging my students concept of letter formation and sentence structure with these. By using these response pages, it's easy to get an immediate idea of where each student is in terms of writing.

Next up are crafts. Several of the picture books used in this resource include simple crafts to coincide. Like the writing prompts, the crafts give an opportunity to quickly gauge where students are, specifically with their fine motor skills.

Sorts and mini-books are excellent extension activities after reading the picture books. Mini-books are great for searching for punctuation, capital letters, and sight words. They are also fantastic for some TEACHER DOWN TIME! Hello, back to school exhaustion. If you need a few minutes to sit and chill (or pull kids for beginning of the year assessments), give out a mini-book and let kids color them.

Sorts are great for spear-heading classroom discussions about appropriate vs. inappropriate behaviors in various areas of the school. I always like to complete a sort together on a pocket chart and then let students complete the matching sort in a cut/paste format at their seats. Having them complete the sort independently helps solidify the information we talked about.

There are many more contents included in this pack...coloring pages, games, behavior management tools, and MORE!! The majority of the activities included are zero to minimal prep, which helps tired teachers with their planning.

Grab this best-selling resource and take care of your back to school planning in one swoop! *All the books you'll want to go with the activities included are hyper-linked in the product. You can check out ALL of my favorite picture books for first grade by clicking HERE (affiliate links).

Megan

Back to School Procedures

2022-08-03T07:30:00.046-04:00

It's that time of year again...back to school season. You're busy setting up your Pinterest-worthy classroom, focusing on every detail. You're sitting through PD that could have been communicated via email. You are on auto-pilot! Setting up the room is exciting and fun. However, let's not forget about THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to do during back to school time: planning out and executing procedures for your students. You're probably saying "I know, I know. Procedures are important." They aren't just important, folks, they are the oil to your classroom machine running smoothly.

I've rounded up a few of my best tips for teaching procedures during those first few months (yes, I said MONTHS)...a smoothly-run classroom doesn't just happen; it takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. So grab your notebook and jot down the tips.

To help guide you on your classroom procedures journey, I've created an editable procedures list that you can snag by clicking HERE. Print one off now and stick it in your back to school file! Enjoy!

Megan

New Student Bags

2022-07-31T07:30:00.001-04:00

Setting up your classroom is stressful and exhausting, and just when you get everything "just so," the phone rings and it's the secretary saying "Hi Mr./Mrs. ____. You're getting a new student." You find yourself scrambling, looking through everything you've JUST PUT AWAY AND ORGANIZED. Can this be?! 10 minutes until your meet the teacher event!?!

The story highlighted above has absolutely happened to me more than once, and I'm betting it's happened to you as well. If it hasn't yet....it will.

Don't worry, though. I've got you covered! Many years ago, I started making "New Student Bags." As I was setting up my classroom (and labeling ALL THE THINGS), I kept a few of each item out...think take-home folders, homework club cutouts, nametags, clip chart clips, equity sticks, contact cards, back to school paperwork, etc...I compiled the items and created kits to use when a new student is on the way.

These bags have been the ultimate game-changer in my career. Seems so simple, but take it from an 18 year veteran, you WILL LOVE THIS HACK. So write yourself a lil' reminder to create your bags as you set up your room this year.

Megan

Kwik Stix

2022-07-27T20:00:00.021-04:00

I don't know about you, but the further along in my career I get, the less likely I am to do an art project that involves PAINT with my first graders. Large class sizes + paint = a big mess and a big cleanup! However, my students still love doing art projects, and they especially enjoy drawing during indoor recess time. Hello, long and cold winters in Ohio! One of their (and my) favorite drawing/art tools are Kwik Stix. Kwik Stix are tempera paint sticks that allow kids to draw/paint without the mess. Kwik Stix dry in 90 seconds and leave a paint-like finish. Kwik Stix can be used on a variety of surfaces including paper, cardboard, wood and canvas.

I love incorporating Kwik Stix for special projects. In recent years, we've used Kwik Stix to create signs for our annual "Poetry Cafe." My students loved using the stix to color the letters, and I loved the fact that there was no mess! Win-Win!

Kwik Stix are available in a variety of colors...earth tones, pastels, skin tones, neon, metalix (see what they did there?), classic, and more. My personal favorite pack of colors is the classic. Kwik Stix are also available in several sizes-original, jumbo (for very little hands) and thin.

Kwik Stix can be purchased at many retailers. Over the years, I've purchased mine at Amazon (affiliate link), Target, and Hobby Lobby. You can also purchase directly from The Pencil Grip. If you choose to go the direct route, enter your email and save 10% off your purchase! Grab a pack now for the upcoming school year!

Megan

Note: This is a sponsored post by The Pencil Grip (Kwik Stix). All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.

Back to School Snack Tags

2022-07-24T08:00:00.002-04:00

It's always fun to leave a little something on your students' desks for your Open House/Meet the Teacher event. If you don't have one of these events, leaving a snack on your students' desks for the first day of school is a great alternative! Over the years, I've given many things, but the favorite so far seems to be food! I can't blame the kids; who doesn't love a delicious snack!?

These sweet little snack tags are perfect for leaving a treat for your incoming students. Available in color and black and white. Two sizes to choose from. Included snacks are: gummy bears, popcorn, chips, and cookies. Keep it simple with fewer choices! Snack tags are labeled by grade for grades k-4.

Grab a box of bulk snacks from Sam's Club or Costco, print out the labels of your choice, and lay on desks prior to students' arrival! Easy-peasy! Prep now, thank yourself later. Grab the labels below.

Megan

Take-Home Folders

2022-07-20T20:00:00.001-04:00

Throughout my entire teaching career, I have utilized some sort of take-home folder system. When I first started teaching, we used folders that were ONLY take home folders. A few years in, I began using data binders, which served as take home folders and data trackers for students and families. In more recent years, I've used take home resource folders. They serve as a transporting mechanism to get papers to and from school as well as providing resources for students and families to refer to while doing homework, reading, etc...

Let's take a look at what's inside my folders. I'll link each product individually, however, I also offer a bundle, which will be linked at the end of the post.

On the front pocket, I have a "return to school" sticker. This is where students place papers/forms/homework that need to be completed at home and brought back to school.

Next up is the student assignment sheet. This is a layout of the week's events, homework pages, and reading assignments. This is specific to my school and grade level. Followed by the assignment sheet is the monthly behavior calendar. I utilize a clip stick and students color their date box each afternoon to let their families know how their day was. The students get a new calendar each month.

Behind the behavior calendar is our specials schedule. This is great because it lets families know when we have gym so students can wear their gym shoes.

Behind the specials schedule is a list of our level 1 trick words (I also have an editable, generic sight word page if you don't use Fundations for Phonics), some Fundations specific posters, our decoding strategies poster, and our Math strategies page. These are all fantastic resources for students and their families to utilize while students are reading and/or completing their homework.

The final part of the folder is the "keep at home" pocket, which is labeled with a sticker. This is where students place graded work and projects that stays at home. This section of the folder is expected to be emptied nightly.

The take home folder is a great system and the folders don't take too long to prep. I prefer to prep mine in the summer, in the comfort of my home.

To grab everything mentioned above (minus the assignment sheet) in a bundle and discounted price, click the cover photo below.

Note: I use clear sheet protectors and colored binder pockets in my folders. Both are linked below for you. *affiliate links*

Megan