Harcourt Trophies Basal III: Here and There

This download offers Harcourt Trophies "Here and There" Basal III supplemental activities for guided reading groups and centers. You will find supplements that correlate with the rigor of Common Core Standards for Harcourt Trophies Basal 1-3, which includes the stories: I Am a Butterfly, Did You See Chip?, Tomas Rivera, On the Way to the Pond, Friends Forever, and The Fox and the Stork. Materials can be used in a writing center, reading center, phonics center, pocket chart center, game center, & art center. 

Each story has customized:

-Teacher Talk cards

-Focus Skill graphic organizers 

-Writing Prompts 

-5 in a Row: Word Fluency Game

-Reading Tic-Tac-Toe Game

-Scrambled Sentence activity

-Pocket Chart materials

Also included:
*Bonus writing templates, graphic organizers, and flip books that can be used interchangeably with each of the basal stories.
**Directions, Harcourt Trophies Focus Skill outline, and Common Core Standards List. 

Go Green!

Teach students Earth friendly concepts 
with...

Enjoy! 

{Click here}

Clipart by Scrappin Doodles .

Harcourt Trophies Supplement: Catch a Dream

Now available Harcourt Trophies "Catch a Dream" Basal II supplement for guided reading groups and centers. Stories include: Dan's Pet, Boots for Beth, Space Pup, Where Do Frogs Come From?, Try Your Best, and Fun with Fish. Activities are specifically geared towards the rigor of Common Core Standards. Materials can be used in a writing center, reading center, phonics center, pocket chart center, game center, & art center. 

Each story has customized:
-Teacher Talk cards
-Focus Skill graphic organizers
-Writing Prompts
-5 in a Row: Word Fluency Game
-Reading Tic-Tac-Toe Game
-Scrambled Sentence activity
-Pocket Chart materials

Also included:

*Bonus writing templates, graphic organizers, and flip books that can be used interchangeably with each of the basal stories.
**Directions, Harcourt Trophies Focus Skill outline, and Common Core Standards List.

Back to School Shuffling

What a week! I return fatigued...a victim of the back to school vortex!! Many of you blogged about the exhaustion felt during the first week of school. You'd think I would remember this feeling after so many years of teaching. Did I listen? Did I heed your warnings?! Noooo! I guess I just had to feel it for myself!! Every year, I am also surprised that I don't remember how little bitty the incoming first graders are. I am definitely grateful that the first week of school is over. But, most of all, I can say that it was successful.  

Our first week of school was all about procedures. The importance of practicing classroom routines and behaviors can never be underestimated. This year, I was so excited to teach procedures using materials created by talented {and famous} teachers! 

You can’t mention the start of the 2011-2012 school year without talking about Abby Mullins’ “Fun with Firsties” activity download! On the first day of school, you know we enjoyed some “Jitter Juice”!! We washed our butterflies away {right before we headed out to recess}!!! 

I also incorporated Kathleen Pedersen’s “Teaching Manners-Monster Fun” download. She shared a cute story called “The Day a Monster Came to School”. The kids were shocked {and seemingly appalled} that the monster in the story was throwing things in the classroom, dumping toys on the floor, and screaming at the top of his lungs! It was a great story to emphasize that we don’t want any “monsters” in our classroom this year. We also sorted monster-themed behavior cards to identify and define “superstar”, “classroom” problem, and “principal’s office” behavior. Once that “naughty monster” behavior was defined, students contributed their ideas for classroom rules.

The class really enjoyed Abby Mullins’ “Find-a-Friend” activities. I loved watching students internalize all of our discussions on speaking and whole-body listening behaviors. It was also a great way to emphasize that we need to embrace everyone, whether they are similar to or different than us! Using various thinking maps, we also defined characteristics of Kindergartners versus First Graders. Students described Kinders as being little. Whereas, First Graders were viewed as "smarter" and able to play on the "real" playground. Though cute and funny, the activity allowed me to gain some insight into the class’ perception of themselves. Their statements hinted of insecurity {and a strong desire} to read and write proficiently.

You want to know the best thing about these two downloads? They integrated and were supported by great children’s literature. Prior to launching into a topic, I was able to activate and build schema. Our first week of school was full of meaningful activities, where students were active participants. It was a fantastic way to kickoff the implementation of the new Common Core Standards, where a large emphasis is placed on the development of listening & speaking skills, language, and collaboration. 

But, there is no rest for the weary. I am off to learn about the magic of my classroom's new Smart Board. I am excited to use this 21st century teaching tool to support the Common Core.

Reading Comprehension Strategy Materials

Also after many requests, I am posting my Reading Comprehension Strategy Materials. This download offers a parent letter describing the importance of reading comprehension strategies, an overview page describing each strategy, and bookmarks that can be used for either home or school. Clipart by Scrappin Doodles and ThistleGirl Designs.

Word Attack Strategies, take 2

After many requests, I have customized my Word Attack Strategies Posters into a landscape format. And just because you all are so wonderful, I am including some Word Attack Strategies Materials. This download offers a parent letter describing the importance of word attack strategies, an overview page describing each strategy, and bookmarks that can be used for either home or school. Clipart by ThistleGirl Designs.

Nursery Rhyme Homework Booklet

Homework is important because it not only reinforces what students learn in class, but it also helps them to develop a sense of responsibility. First grade homework assignments are designed to help students develop a sense of responsibility and good work habits. 

Some children take to reading at a younger age and can read independently by the time they finish kindergarten. For others, it can be a struggle to learn their letters by the time kindergarten ends. When entering first grade, students have a wide range of reading skills. 

My nursery rhyme homework booklet is designed with this in mind. This booklet includes a parent letter, homework schedule, homework task checklist, challenge homework activities, and 10 nursery rhymes. 

Available at my TpT store, this product allows for the practice of basic skills to solidify basic concepts and readiness skills. These specific skills include: the direction to move when you read (from left to right), identifying rhyming words, capital letters, and initial letter sounds. However, for the accelerated student who enjoys an extra challenge, there are OPTIONAL homework challenge activities. Clipart by ThistleGirl Designs. 

Songs That Teach

Hadar at Miss Kindergarten is hosting a Linky Party with the question: 

Do you sing songs in your classroom?

I've found that my students retain information and are more engaged when a concept is tied to a tune. I use songs to teach classroom management routines, math calendar concepts, and reading skills. Here's a download with some of the songs that I use to teach. Enjoy!! Make sure to check out and even join the Linky Party.

Also check out Heidi Butkis' recent post. She gives some wonderful highlights from the “I Teach K! National Kindergarten Conference” from my hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada!! One of the sessions she attended was with author Marilee Sprenger, Ed.D, concerning brain research and its applications in the classroom. Her article called “Wiring the Kindergarten Brain for Reading” discusses the correlation between young children’s physical activity and the increased ability to learn to read.

Just add a little dash of song to that physical activity and you’ve got a recipe for success! Who says we don’t have the best job in the world?   

Trophies Basal & Common Core Correlation

In this download, you will find activities that correlate with the new Common Core State Standards to supplement Harcourt Trophies Basal 1-1, which includes the stories: The Hat, Sam and the Bag, Ants, Jack and Rick, Todd’s Box, and All That Corn. 

You will find materials to use in your guided reading groups and centers. The activities lend themselves to utilization in a writing center, reading center, phonics center, pocket chart center, game center, and art center. Clipart by ThistleGirl Designs. 

Over 70 pages to take your basal 

to the next level!! 

CCSS Reading Foundational Skills {Onset & Rime Awareness}

The study of onset and rime is crucial to the development of reading and writing in K-2 students. "An onset is the consonant letter before the vowel in a given word or syllable, and a rime is the vowel and consonants that follow the vowel in a given word or syllable" (readwritethink.org). For example, in the word cat, the onset is the letter c and the rime is the letters at. 

Today’s download offers two interactive songs to foster skills for “Blend[ing] and segment[ing] onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words {Common Core State Standard RF.K.2c}. Graphics by Lettering Delights. 





In addition, I have included links to interactive onset and rime games on readwritethink.org and free classroom materials that are immediately useful in implementing independent student center activities at fcrr.org. Click on the pictures to access these links. 

CCSS Reading Foundational Skills {Syllable Counting & ID}

To teach syllable counting and identification (Common Core State Standard RF.K.2b), start with some fun whole group songs using student names. Both the “Name Song” and “Super Duper 1, 2, 3” will model how to segment syllables. The “Name Song” is sung to the tune of BINGO. Choose a child (I like to pick sticks for fairness), and then add their name into the song. After singing “Super Duper 1, 2, 3” whole group and counting syllables together, you can have each student try counting the syllables in their name independently. 

Another activity to practice segmenting syllables is with a “Syllable Bar Graph” sort. Using a pocket chart, picture cards {included}, and number cards {included} (1-4), model how to segment and count syllables. After counting the syllables, place the card on top of the corresponding number. This activity can be done whole group, and eventually placed into a center activity. 

Finally, practice segmenting syllables using Skittles!! Each student will need a “Skittle Scoot” board {included} and Skittles. The teacher will say a word (or student name) out loud. Students will segment the word and scoot the corresponding number of Skittles in the boxes. 

To practice blending syllables, the teacher can choose a picture card. The teacher says the word, pausing between syllables. Students will say how many syllables they heard and then say the word. For example, the teacher chooses the card “spider”. Teacher says, “spi-der”. The students respond, “2, spider.” After plenty of whole group modeling and practice, this activity can also be placed into a center activity. 


For more activities, The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) provides free classroom materials that are immediately useful in implementing independent student center activities. For specific activities that related to phonological awareness, check out book one. Clipart by Lettering Delights.

CCSS Reading Foundational Skills {Repetition & Alliteration}

Common Core Reading standards place emphasis on an integrated model of literacy. As I mentioned in the prior post, the standards also establish a “staircase” of increasing complexity.

Within this model, it is vitally important that teachers are teaching foundational skills using actual text that is the appropriate complexity. To ensure that all teachers are using a complex range of on-level texts, CCSS provides text examplars for “grade bands”. The grade bands are K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. Text examplars are example texts that students should be exposed to and engage with. CCSS offers text exemplars for Reading Literature and Reading Informational Texts. While these lists are not all encompassing, they are a great starting point for teachers to teach from and then identify similarly rigorous texts.

Today’s downloads include repetition and alliteration activities and CCSS K-1 Text Exemplars for Poetry. {For nonprofit educational use only!!} These downloads will allow you to promote the phonological skills of repetition and alliteration awareness, and then extend into using complex text.

• RL.K.4 Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
• RL.K.5 Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).
• RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. 
• RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
• RL.1.10 With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade 1.

Stay tuned for more activities to support the CCSS Reading Foundational Skills. Clipart by Lettering Delights.

CCSS Reading Foundational Skills {Rhyme Recognition}

For the first week of my break, I have been privileged to attend our District’s Common Core State Standards Summer Institute. While it has been hard to wake up even earlier than a normal school day, I am glad that I will have a head start for the new school year. It will also be my privilege to take what I have learned and instruct my staff. Since I am so excited about this new phase in education, I figured I would share some of my new learning. So here it goes…Summer To Do List: Understanding CCSS Reading Foundational Skills.  

The standards establish a “staircase” of increasing complexity. A great starting point in English Language Arts will be with the Common Core’s “Reading Foundational Skills”. These skills include: Print Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition, and Fluency. Researchers Lyon and Alexander state that “phonological awareness is the single most important factor in learning to read.” Phonological awareness is an understanding of language at the spoken level. It is the ability to perceive and manipulate sounds of spoken language, such as words, syllables, onset & rimes, and phonemes. In the CCSS, Phonological Awareness standards are only addressed in grades K-1.

To promote the lower levels of phonological awareness, students must be aware of sounds. Here are some rhyme recognition activities called “Draw a Rhyme” and “Rhyme Away Story”. These activities have been floating around for some time. I have used them for the past 9 years, (even with third grade ELL students), and all of my students have loved them!! During training, I was surprised at how many teachers have never heard of them or incorporated them into their own classrooms. So, here is a download for you to use in your own classrooms to cover CCSS RF.K.2a 

Stay tuned for more activities to support the CCSS Reading Foundational Skills.

Mother's Day Poem

Cindy from In the Teacher's Lounge is hosting a linky party for sharing project ideas for Mother's Day. Check out my activity here. Then, step on over to the lounge and add your idea to the list! Clipart by Scrappin Doodles.

The Power of Anticipation Guides

I can't say enough about the power of anticipation guides when it comes to teaching! 

They are perfect for promoting the use of pre-reading and during reading strategies. Anticipation guides can be used in many groupings, i.e., independently, small groups, or whole class. Students practice how to make predictions, read for details, and confirm answers. I love to watch my students' eagerness as they excitedly read to see if their predictions were true! I also love the discussion and debates that these guides inspire.

Here is a blank anticipation guide template and how to guide just for you!  Clipart by Lettering Delights.

Reading Comprehension Strategies Posters

At this point in the school year, many of my first graders are starting to place less emphasis on identifying words and more emphasis on understanding what they read. To further my students' success, I am going to really start emphasizing and encouraging the use of various comprehension strategies. 

The same colleague that shared the word attack decoding posters with me also passed along the idea of these cute reading comprehension strategies posters.

While these posters won't be appropriate for all levels of learners in my class, they will definitely promote the concept that good readers use comprehension strategies to make sure they understand what they are reading. 

Head on over to my {TPT store} for your own set. Graphics by Scrappin Doodles.

5 in a Row: Dolch Phrases Game

Did you know that 50 to 75 percent of all words in text material are common words that are repeated? These 220 words are called the Dolch Sight Words. Because these words are used to hold thoughts together, these words must be recognized at a glance before a child can read with confidence. However, learning Dolch sight words in isolation is not as effective as learning them in context. Reading phrases allows children to learn how to train their eyes to take in more than one word at a time. Check out my new game called 5 in Row: Dolch Phrases. Not only is a great game to use during center time...but it's free! {Click here}

Read and Color with Sight Words

Some of my favorite center activities involve students reading to follow directions. Students enjoy coloring...so why not incorporate reading and coloring together!! Here is a {download} that you can use in your reading, sight word, or even art center. There are 6 activity pages in all. Enjoy!!

Challenging Minds

So many times after reading a story in our basal, the comprehension questions are very basic and only require simple recall. Even the workbooks that the district provides just focus on the story's vocabulary and phonics skill. So, for my students, I created a reading journal prompt template and thought-provoking questions.

After reading a story from our basal, I pull out my folder of journal templates and pre-cut prompts that I keep in an envelope.

Reading Journal Templates and Prompts Folder 

Based on the story, I choose appropriate prompts. I sometimes cater the difficulty to each child's ability. These prompts touch on making personal connections, identifying important elements, expressing feelings about the story, and noticing the author's craft. Students glue their prompt to the top of their journal template page. They complete these activities independently. At a later time, I call a small group back together and I use their responses to facilitate discussion.

Today, one of my groups read a non-fiction story about a veterinarian who was overworked at an animal shelter. Here are some of my students' insightful thoughts regarding the story. :)

"Puffy was a shame."

Hire "another vet to watch the lost pets."

Even at such a young age, students are so insightful and practical when given that extra push. Click on this {link} to download my template and prompts for FREE!