Wonder Book Club with Ramona Recommends

I'm so happy to be joining Ramona Recommends' Book Club this month! We read Wonder by R.J. Palacio and I was so excited because it's been on my to-read list for a long time now!

I LOVED this book! It should definitely be on upper elementary/middle/high school must read lists since it forces you to really take a look and think about how we treat people. 

It definitely made me take a deeper look at how I handle students treating each other in the classroom and on the playground. Even though respect and kindness aren't exactly Common Core standards, they should be mandatory themes we teach & model in our classrooms everyday.

Now with a little man of my own, I realize that how he treats others is one of the most important things he'll be learning in life. That regardless of how someone looks, or what they wear, or what they have, everyone has a story. And feelings. 

As much as I hate to admit, in the past, I've had a tendency to gloss over things that maybe I should have tried to gain a deeper understanding of. This year, one of my goals is to make sure that I'm working my hardest to better understand every student's story. Even the students who might not be my "favorite" or the students who act out... Because I've noticed that when I'm annoyed with certain students, other students become annoyed too- they mimic our behavior.

This quote from Pinterest sticks out to me...

Here's my precept! 

I'm also planning on using Ramona Recommend's "Don't Be a Bully" Pack from TPT! I'll definitely be able to use this with my second graders with some scaffolding, especially at the beginning of the year!

I think Wonder could definitely be used as a read aloud in second grade, with lots of discussion and scaffolding to go along with it. 

We also read Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

This is one of my absolute favorite picture books!!! I love the message too!- It's okay to be different and to dance to the beat of your own drum! 

I do a fun art project every year that goes with the story! You can read about it {HERE}! 

Happy reading my friends! 

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Working with Short Vowels

Well HELLO there!!!

Onesie from Hello Apparel 

While everyone was off having a blast in Vegas (I was living vicariously through Instagram!!!...) we were working on this fun new short vowel literacy center! (When I say 'we' I mean I worked and little man kept me company ;-)

I am so excited to share this idea with you!

In second grade, we work a lot on distinguishing vowel sounds within words. On the state tests, there ALWAYS used to be questions like "In which word do you hear the short 'a' sound".....

My students had a tendency to always just LOOK at the words, and pick the one that had an 'a' in it. Which doesn't always work out. 

I really wanted my students to LISTEN to the words, rather than look at them. So I created this!

It's a literacy center activity where students scan the QR codes, LISTEN to a word being read, and determine if there's a short 'a' or a short 'i' sound within the word!

Students directions for both Scoot and Center activities! 

(Students can scan that QR code and HEAR the directions being read to them! No more "I don't know what to do..." !!!) 

Recording sheets for Scoot and Independent Center activities!

30 total cards with QR codes to scan and listen to! 15 short 'a' words and 15 short 'i' words! 

There's also an answer key included so students can check their work!!!

This activity aligns with the 2nd grade Wonders curriculum, Unit 1, Week 1 spelling skill; Short A and I! Although you DON'T need to be using Wonders to enjoy this center! 

If you'd like more info on how to create a QR code linked to an audio file, you can find it HERE!

Need more info on QR codes in general....HERE you go! 

And feel free to download the preview of this file by clicking the picture below! Let me know what you think!!!

You can find the whole center on TPT HERE! Enjoy!

I'll send this to the first five people to comment and tell me what they're doing on this beautiful summer day! (Don't forget to leave you email address!)

Happy summer!!!! 

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Working with Plural Nouns Center

Hi everyone!!!

I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July!!! I know we did!!!

(That's actually Duncan's pool!) 

Duncan

We saw LOTS of fireworks and had a great time BBQing with family (my favorite things!!!) 

Today I posted my Working with Plural Nouns centers!

There are three different options  in this pack: A scoot around the room (where students look for "hidden" cards around the classroom and determine the appropriate plural form of the noun), a sort to be used at an individual station (where students sort word cards based on their plural form ending), or a sort with self checking QR codes {if your students have devices that can scan QR codes}.

There are also student directions (with QR codes sos students can scan and HEAR the directions being read to them!), teacher direction (which can be helpful for volunteers!), recording sheets & answer keys for every activity, and plural noun rule posters (to hang on a bulletin board or place at a center!). 

I created this to use with my 2nd grade students at the beginning of the school year, although you could definitely use them in 1st or 3rd, depending on your students and their needs! 

Also- this activity aligns with the 2nd grade Wonders series: Unit 1, Week 1; Word Work Skill {plural nouns}. However, you DO NOT need to be using the Wonders curriculum to enjoy and use these centers! 

Have a wonderful July 5th! 

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Currently, Book Club, & Statement or Question Center

Happy July!!!!

This summer is already flying by! Here's what I'm up to at the moment...

(Make sure to link up with Farley too!!!) 

I can't believe this little guy slept for six hours last night!!! I feel GREAT this morning because I got some sleep too!!! 

I am REALLY wanting to go to Vegas this year, but it just wasn't in the cards for me. I'm going to have to stay off social media from the 9th-12th #fomo :-( 

Please have a drink for me! 

I'm already planning for next year!!! 

For the 4th this year, we'll be doing the usual BBQ and fireworks with family (which I LOVE!) Hubby's parents live up on a hill, so from their house we can see at least five or six sets of fireworks down the coast! 

I'm so excited to be joining in on Ramona Recommend's July book club! 

I'm so excited to read Wonder- it's been on my "to-read" list forever! And Giraffes Can't Dance is one of my FAVORITE picture books!!!!!! Head on over to Lessons Learned to join in on the fun! 

And I've {finally} uploaded my Sentence or Question Center to TPT. 

If you use Wonders (or not), this aligns with Unit 1, Week 1 grammar skill. (You don't have to be using Wonders to enjoy this center though!) Use it as a scoot or sort! Everything is included- answer keys, recording sheets, student directions, teacher directions, & two sets of cards (one with punctuation & one without). I'll be using this the first few weeks of school for one of my Word Work Daily 5 stations. 

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