Here Comes January

 And just like that, winter break is nearly over.  Teachers' thoughts start turning towards planning for January and that first day back from vacation.

It's the New Year!
I like to welcome the children back from winter break with a day celebrating New Years!  We make hats or crowns to wear in class.  I update this resource yearly to reflect the upcoming year.

We read and learn about New Year's Resolutions.  We listen to Squirrel's New Year's Resolution read aloud on YouTube.  

Then we discuss our resolutions and write about them.

We also integrate our New Year's studies into math and social studies.

You can check out this PAID resource by clicking on any of the pictures above.

Celebrate Martin Luther King
To go along with our Martin Luther King studies in January, we make this peace dove craft.  It's super simple, using only 1 paper plate per student.  It's also a hands-on introduction to fractions 1/2 and 1/4.  After studying about MLK, the students write about a dream they have for the future.  Then they make this peace dove, and we display it in the hallway.  We usually have parent conferences during January, so it's a good opportunity to display the students' writing and fine motor skills as well.  Check out this FREE by clicking on the picture below.

Paragraph Writing

We spent the first part of the year learning to write complete sentences, including using capital letters and end marks.  Now it's time to learn how to put those thoughts together in a 3 to 5 sentence paragraph.  Our goal for the end of the year is a 5 sentence paragraph with a main idea sentence, 3 supporting details, and a concluding sentence.  To give the children a guided scaffold they can use while learning this writing format, I introduce them to paragraph puzzles.  While using these puzzles, we focus on the writing vocabulary of main idea, supporting details, and concluding sentence.  For the first week, we work through organizing the pieces to create a cohesive paragraph together.  In the following weeks, the children put the puzzle together themselves as part of their independent seat work.  

Click here to see this PAID resource

Celebrate the Epiphany

Finally, Epiphany is Friday, January 6.  Epiphany is the official end of the Christmas Season in the Catholic Church, when the Three Wise Men visit the baby Jesus and give their gifts.  Use this great resource to help your students learn more about Epiphany.

Welcome back!  

Music Activites for Multiple Intelligences - Teaching Dolch Wordsthrough Song

Browsing through TPT this morning, I came across this free item

The product is  3rd Grade Dolch Sight Words Songs.  It's a cute little song that just goes through the Dolch sight words as it projects them on the screen.

Now, I don't know about you, but I have a few - 2 - kiddos who are struggling in first grade with remembering the sight words.  I think through song is probably the only way I haven't tried to teach them these sight words.  I'm really hoping he puts out a K, 1, 2 version.

I like that this addresses one of the multiple intelligences that I do not hit quite as strongly as others.  I'm more of a visual person myself, so I tend to teach that way, which is why I'm always on the lookout for resources that do hit those other intelligences.  Which of the intelligences do you feel you are strongest or weakest in when you teach?

If you're interested in checking it out, just click on the picture above to visit the seller's store.

I'm lucky enough to have MLK Day off, but if you're still looking for a resource for MLK, check out my product, "Let's Learn about Martin Luther King, Jr."  It includes social studies, language arts, and math resources, as well as a peace craft.

And one last freebie-for-a-day for you.  Cyndie at First Grade Teacher is venturing into creating complete bulletin board sets!  How great is that?  She has her first one on a one-day flash freebie for SATURDAY only.  After that, it's still a great deal at $3.00!  It's a darling spring bulletin board called "We're All A Twitter."  Click on the little picture to check it out full size and  and grab it today!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Preparing for January

I hope of you have had a peaceful and restful winter break so far.  We had an excellent Christmas and are now enjoying the lull between Christmas and New Year's with lots of sleeping in, visiting family, and of course, shopping!  Those gift cards don't spend themselves,  you know? 

In between all the fun, I've been thinking about teaching in January.  I've developed 4 new eSources (my newly coined name for my digital resources; how do you like it?)  Funny story about eSources -- it started out as a typo when I left the "r" off  "resource."  I looked at it and thought, esource, huh.  Let's spell it eSource and it makes sense.

Anyways, back to my eSources.  Two are winter math games including adding, subtracting, and place value, January Roll and Cover with Mike the Moose

and Penguin Push

I also added a long and short O sorting activity to complement my other long and short vowel sorting packets, Short I and Short E.  The remaining vowels will be added -- someday.

And finally, I added a Martin Luther King integrated Esource packet.

Feel free to click on any picture above to visit my TPT store and explore these products further.

Finally, I have a quick and easy MLK freebie for you.  It's a dove of peace made out of paper plates.  I've been doing this activity along with MLK for years in my classroom.  It makes a nice wall dsiplay when I pair it with the children's writings on what they think would make the world a better place today.

If you click on the picture, it will take you to a page with the PDF on it.  Open the PDF for directions and a step-by-step pictorial tutorial for you.

Enjoy and have a very Happy New Year!