Story Mapping

Here is a cute copy of a story map you can use.  Story Map

Hatching Chicks

Our team is hatching chicks this years as part of our science until.  I found this great file online that will go with our unit and I thought I would share it.  Hatching Chicks

Candy Heart Estimation Worksheet for Valentine's Day

This is a fun activity to do with your students on Valentine's Day.  Candy Heart Estimation Worksheet

Escape the Snake Syllable Game

Cut the path out and glue it on a file folder so that it looks like a snake.  Cut the start and finish tabs off and draw a snake head at the start and snake tail at the end.  Find or make little mice for players pieces.  Students will start at the snakes head and try to escape to the tail.  Cut and mix all the syllable cards.  Students will take turns drawing cards.  If they draw a card that is a picture of a word that has two syllables they can move to the first number two they see on the snake.   Students continue to draw cards until they have escaped the head of the snake.  

Ordinal Number Transition

Linda Rigby uses this ordinal number song as a transition.

Beginning Sound Game

This game was created by Linda Rigby and she uses it during a small group rotation usually at the beginning of the year but it is a good game for those students who are struggling with sounds.  Students pick pictures card and match to the alphabet chart.  If they finish early they can trade with their neighbor.  Run each set in a different color. 

Challenges We Face As Kindergarten Teachers

Notes from Collaboration on January 19th


-Students small attention span.
-Students working only when teacher is with them and choosing not to work by themselves.
-Behavior Problems
-Students progress is slow.
-All Day student's progress is slow and is still far behind the other children.
-Students can't remember word wall words.
-Student is technically a first grader.  Unmotivated student.  Has an "I can't do it" mentality. Their poor behavior changes the dynamic of the class when he is there.  Already a year behind but continues to not be successful.  
-Students having mental blocks during writer's workshop.
-Students struggling with taking words apart and blending words together.  
-Their is never enough time to teach everything.
-Students mix-up teen numbers.


Hopefully we will find solutions to help us with these challenges.