Center Books: Handwriitng/Writing

In my previous posts I've mentioned a few of my centers.  The rest of my centers are all what I call my "Center Books."  They are repetitious in nature but have plenty of hands-on varying activities to keep the kids learning and interested throughout the entire year.  I really like these books because once I teach them I never have to change them and they kids are engaged and learning every time they work in them.  

My center books are:

Read the Room/Write the Room

Popcorn Words (Sight Words)

Alphabet Recognition/Fine Motor Skills

Handwriting/Writing

Each student has their own box where they store their books:

I've posted about my Handwriting/Writing book before but in case you missed it, here is it:

One of my consistent centers is my Handwriting/Writing Bucket.  In the bucket are 26 envelopes (one for every letter of the alphabet!)  The kids write each of the words from the envelope into their dictionaries during center time.  

Their goal is to practice and perfect their handwriting but also to expand their vocabulary (hopefully!)

I've been using this as as Handwriting Center for YEARS and decided it needs an update for next year!

I kept the "easy" pages with the lines like you see in the pictures:

But I also added a little bit more challenging version where the kids have to use the 3 handwriting lines:

AND and even more challenging page with a writing component (kids pick one of the words from the envelope and write a sentence/draw a picture about it):

I also added some fun picture cards (8 for each letter of the alphabet):

And there are also labels for the envelopes to keep the cards in:

Check it out here on TPT!

Once this center is set up it will last the whole year!  Love simplicity!

Next post will be:  Alphabet Recognition/Fine Motor Skills book.

A Fun Freebie....For a Fun Reason!

My one year Blogiversary is coming up (next week actually!)  I have a fun giveaway planned with donations from over 25 FABULOUS bloggers and TPT sellers.  I can't wait to get it started! 

BUT. . . since it's not officially one year yet I thought I'd start celebrating a little early by offering a FREEBIE. . . a gift from me to you!  

My kids had a lot of fun with this little project this week.  I started by reading them a predictable story about cereal:

After several days of reading the story, which the kids caught onto very quickly, we made our own pages:

I took pictures of the kids with their chosen cereal:

Then we added their pictures to their page.  Once the book is done (I had a few kids missing Friday. . . don't want to bind it until they're all done)  we'll read it together and the kids will complete this tally mark page:

The kids LOVED it!

If you'd like to try this with your class click:

Too subtle??????  Didn't want you to miss where to click!

Don't forget to check back later this week!  The giveaway starts SOON!

New computer and a freebie!

Side bar:
So my hubby was using my computer last night (while I was fast asleep like a good girl) and he spilled his beer  on it.  It would turn on, the mouse still worked but the keyboard was ka-put!  Thankfully he waited until after church today to break the news.  His exact words were, "Hey honey. . . can I buy you a new computer?"  I have to admit, that was the best way to break the news.


So, after a long day of moving files (thank goodness that was still possible) everything is set back up, nothing important was lost, and I now have a faster computer.  Yeah spilled beer!


Now...on to the teaching stuff:
My pocket chart center this time of year is Scrambled Sentences.  The kids put the sentence in order and then write the sentence paying particular attention to putting spaces between their words!  Click here for a free download of 14 scrambled sentences.  The pictures on the cards are from DJ Inkers.

Writing: An "AH-HA!" Moment

I really want to call it a "DUH" moment but "AH-HA!" sounds more positive.   So, my moment came in about October but I just shared it with my coworkers today (I think I was worried I was the only teacher who hadn't thought of this yet.)  They were as excited as I was about my Ah-ha and suggested I share the idea in my blog. (Best co-workers in the WORLD!  Hi Tina!!  Jill, if you check my blog and see this I'll do your recess duty for you....ha!  She never checks it!)  Ok, way off track.

So here's my big revelation:  SENTENCES HAVE PATTERNS.    Duh.  We all know that, right?  You write a word and then you leave a space.  Then you write another word and leave another space.  I showed my kinders how to leave a space between words by using a Space Man, I gave my kinders their own special "Space Man", I reminded my kinders to use their Space Man, I BEGGED my kinders to use their Space Man....so why, why, why, why, why where they still not using spaces consistently???  WHY?

Then, one day we are writing sentences and had just talked about patterns (and don't ALL Kinders LOVE patterns??  Uh...yeah.)  So, I said, "Isn't it fun how every sentence has a pattern:  word, space, word, space, word, space."  And as soon as I said that about 21 little lightbulbs went off inside my kinders heads. (I have 24 Kinders....just being realistic....)  Seriously, their eyes literally lit up and so did mine.  Duh Ah-ha....that's how you explain it!

Now a lot of you are thinking "Oh my, girlfriend, you just now got that?"   Yep, I did...and I'm so glad I did because now I'm only down to begging reminding 3 of my kinders to use their Space Man....and that is SO much better than 24!  Yeah!

You can't see me...but I'm doing a happy dance!

Word, Space, Word, Space, Word, Space, Word, Space

Now...If I can just get them to use periods.

Flip Flap Resolutions

Anyone love Flip Flap books as much as I do?  They can be use for absolutely anything!  Here's one I used to do with my first graders.  They would write a New Year's resolution under every flap.  I might try it this year with my kindergarteners....if I can explain the word "resolution."  Hhmm....maybe I'll try it next year....

If you haven't made Flip Flap books yet here are the directions:
Fold on the solid line.
Unfold and cut the dotted lines until the reach the fold (stop at the fold!)
Fold again and your book will flip and flap! Lift up the flaps to write your resolutions.

Live, Laugh, Love Everyday in Kindergarten is hosting a linky party about New Year's Resolutions.  Here are mine:

Personal:  Spend more time with my family.

Professional:  Organize!!!

Blogging/TPT:  Increase sharing and thanking others for their sharing!

 

Read the Room Write the Room

Sock Hop Friday. Sick Saturday. Taught Sunday School, laundry, clean house, kids' homework, still stick on Sunday. Back to work on Monday...first comment from student "Did you know you can throw up when you're in the shower?" Hhmm...I guess I wasn't the only one sick!

Tomorrow and Wednesday I'm off to a Core Curriculum Training Class my state has set up for teacher. Should be interesting!

So, I mentioned in my last blog that I'd add more center ideas. Besides the Animal Drawing book I listed earlier I also have a few more books I use during centers. One of them is my Read the Room Write the Room book. I like this book because it's so easy to differentiate plus the kids get to choose what letter they want to work on so there is still choice in the activity. Some of my students work on finding words that begin with the letter listed on the page, some just look for words that have that letter anywhere in the word , some work on finding words that end with that letter, etc.

We make the activity even more fun by adding a bucket full of fun pens, markers, pencils and some groovy looking glasses. Kids get to pick from the bucket, grab their clipboard and their book and off they go! (The glasses this girl is wearring are 3D glasses from the movies. Pop off the insides and you have awesome Read the Room glasses!)

If you're interested in adding this center to your routine click on the cover above and it will take you to my TPT store.

Animal Drawing Book (fixed...I hope!)

Today was not a wonderful day. Feeling a little "below the line" and ok...feeling sorry for myself. Sigh. But....I realized as I was sulking that I was getting a lot of cleaning done! Yeah!! Clean toilets!!

Was checking out Adventures in Kindergarten's blog and Mary mentioned how much she loves teaching her kids to draw and how it inspires writers. I agree! I am posting this book on TPT in a few weeks but wanted to offer it here for free first. If you download it please leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Giving stuff away is a great trampoline!