Camera Words Sight Word Folder System

As we all gear up to head back into our classrooms in the next week, I wanted to share how my system for managing sight word progress has worked wonders for my students and I this year!

There's a Cutie-Patootie little FREEBIE at the end of this post...so be sure you read all the way to the end.  :)

You may or may not know that I teach half-day kindergarten, so time is a HUGE concern for me!  I was feeling frustrated because I just couldn't keep up with monitoring my students' sight word progress.  I knew I needed a system.  But, it had to be efficient and streamlined - or it would never work for me!  So, I got to work and created my new...

Camera Words Sight Word Folder System

My students and I call sight words "Camera Words" because students should be able to recognize them "in a FLASH"!!

With this Sight Word Folder System, I have been able to quickly and efficiently track and monitor the progress of ALL students on a weekly basis...in just a few minutes a day!  My kids have made incredible progress and have been SO PROUD of themselves!  This program makes the task of learning sight words manageable, meaningful, and FUN!!  

 Camera Words BUNDLE on TPT

My Camera Words Sight Word Folder System breaks down the most common sight words (Dolch words) into weekly word lists, with review lists and a final list included to ensure MASTERY!  Easy-to-use forms for Assessment and Progress Monitoring are included.

When I created this program, I knew I wanted to be ale to seamlessly DIFFERENTIATE so my students could make progress at their own pace.  I like how every student has a folder and all the pages look similar...so it's not obvious which students are on an intervention level and which are on an enrichment level.  

The bundle includes the Pre-Primer, Primer, and 1st Grade word sets.

I designed this program to be used as a "folder system", which makes School-Home Communication a snap!  However, the folder system WORKS even if you choose to only use it at school.  It will make it very quick and easy for you to differentiate your work work activities and provide targeted practice for students at school!

Here's How...

I like to use inexpensive, fun folders with bright colors and patterns to make my Sight Word Folders.  I found these fun folders in the Target Dollar Spot in a 3-pack for $1.  Not bad!  But, you could also use regular file folders and cover the stapled edge with a funky strip of duct tape to add some fun.  :)  

Print off the pages, insert them into the file folder, staple securely across the top, and you're set!  I provided covers (as shown in the picture) that you can attach to the front of the file folder...but that's completely optional. 

I like to send home a set of flash cards with each student.  I copy them on cardstock so they last.  However, I teach the students lots of "games" they can play with the flash cards and I make sure to continually remind parents to avoid "drilling" the sight words with the flash cards.  I included the list number on the bottom corner of each card, for management and organizational purposes.  :)

Again, I prefer using a folder because it's super easy to get from school to home and back again.  I can also collect the folders for progress monitoring without having to have a stack of binders on my desk.  However, if you already use a Daily Binder with your students, you may want to just add a "Camera Words" section to the binder.  :) Easy-Peasy-Lemon-Squeezy!!  

When I created this system I knew I wanted it to be a tool to ENGAGE and EMPOWER parents to help their children master sight words at home.  So, I included a parent letter that you can use for the introduction page of the sight word folder. . It gives parents the scoop on why sight words really matter and sets the tone for a positive partnership!  I like to sign each letter at the bottom, just to add a personal touch.   

I wanted to equip parents with the tools they would need to make sight word practice more meaningful and engaging.  So, I included a list of suggested activities for practicing sight words.  These fun, hands-on, and interactive strategies make it a "SNAP" for parents to help their children at home!

I broke down the Dolch words into lists of 5-6 words.  My goal is for students to master one list each week.  Students practice the words both at home and at school throughout the week.  When they have mastered a list, they put their folder on my desk during our "arrival" routine.  Then, throughout the day, when I have a minute, I'll pull a student over to my desk and check their progress. 

I tend to just use the stopwatch feature on my phone when assessing because my phone is usually within reach.  But, you could use any sort of timer.  I generally have students just read the words to me directly from the folder.  But, you could use the flash cards (provided) instead if you prefer.  I record their data directly on the folder for parent communication and progress monitoring purposes.  I also transfer the data onto my own spreadsheet, but I like having all their data in front of me when I'm assessing.

I use the checklist in the front of the folder to keep a running record of the student's progress at-a-glance.  It also serves as a "certificate" when the student has mastered all of the words.

I have received RAVE REVIEWS from parents about this program!  They absolutely love how manageable it is.  The Camera Words system creates a predictable routine that families can incorporate into their busy schedules.  Most importantly, I'm getting AWESOME RESULTS!  All but 2 of my kindergartners have moved on to 1st grade words before winter break!!  I hope you'll be able to use this system to BOOST student learning, engage parents, and save time!! :)

Best of all...you can get the BUNDLE for 50% OFF!!

I'm keeping it discounted until Friday, January 3rd...so don't delay!!

And, now here's your FREEBIE! Enjoy!!  :)

Recess Rants to Recess Raves!!

Do you have a "Mr. Nobody" that plays on your playground
and leaves out all the equipment??  We do!!

The PE teacher sent out the following email last week, "We are losing equipment by leaving it out at a record pace.  I placed 3 brand new basketballs out there last week and already they are gone.  We are almost out of equipment..."  Since Kindergarten is the last class out on the playground each day, we can really help to solve this problem!!  

We are fortunate to have a door straight into our classroom from the playground.  To encourage my kids to be more aware of cleaning up at the end of recess, I put some stickers (FREE from Highlights magazine) in a cute little sports bucket right by the door.  My idea was that kids who picked up equipment could grab a sticker on the way back inside.  

FAIL!!!!

While the kids were certainly motivated to pick-up the playground, 

the sticker pail created a total traffic-jam in the doorway.  

So, like any good teacher, I very quickly revised my plan!

Our recess door is magnetic, so I decided to use that to my advantage!  I printed some "Recess Star" cards, laminated them, and slapped a magnet to the back.  Now, when kids pick-up equipment at recess, they simply grab a card off the door and put it on their desk tag.  

Our recess is at the very end of the day. So, when the kids arrive the next day, they can put their star back on the door and select a sticker.  The flow of the morning routine helps to reduce the "traffic jam".  The kids also love starting the day off with a reward!  :)  

If you'd like to give it a try with your class, you can click the picture below and download your very own set of "Recess Stars"!  

With only a couple weeks left in the school year, I'm pulling out allllllll the stops in positive behavior support!!  Keep checking back for more posts about my "Rockin' Rewards"!!

Thank you for stopping by!!

Five for Friday...on time!!!

**Woot**  

My Five for Friday is up...on Friday!!!!

1.  It's snowing...a lot...in May.  :(  boo

2.  I've switched from a typical "worksheet-y" daily warm-up activity to "Quick Write" journals.  And...I'm LOVIN' it!!!  There is no better way to start the day than with kinder-writing.  Check out just one of the jewels from this week. 

3.  It's been a crazy week.  In fact, it was so Super-Whack-o-Nuts-o that I completely forgot to update our calendar when the month rolled over into May... and I didn't even notice it until the end of the day on Thursday!!  {Clearly, we haven't been doing "Calendar Time" this week!!}  Of course, not one kid noticed...this is a definite perk of teaching kinder!  :)  My 5th graders would have nailed me on it within 12 seconds of walking in the door on May 1st!  this is what it looked like when I left today...I'll change it tomorrow.  Maybe.  ;)

4.  All of our little caterpillars have formed their chrysalis and have been transferred to their new home!  My kinders are practicing patience...but it is a pain-staking wait, for sure!!  We are so excited to meet our new flying friends!!

5.  There's only one word to describe my students' behavior lately...BIZARRE!!  I really, really, really try not to use sarcasm in the classroom.  But, this week I actually looked at a sweet kinder kid and said, "Really???"  So, I'm pulling out allllllll the stops in positive behavior support.  (Blog post coming your way soon!!)  But, if you have any favorite tips and tricks...send 'em my way! 

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!! 

Happy GLUE Heaven!!

You might be a kindergarten teacher if... 

the mere mention of the word GLUE makes you twitch.

Save your Sanity with this Quick Fix!!

All you need is:

1 medium Sterilite basket

2 small drawer organizers

Easy Peasy...Lemon Elmer's Squeezy!!

I love this system!!
My sweet kinders absolutely LOVE keeping our glue "happy".

Here's a cutie-patootie little label for the front of your "Happy Glue" Basket!!
Just click the picture below to download a copy for yourself.  :)

And, now I want to know how YOU keep glue from threatening your sanity.
Tell me all about it!!

Displaying Student Work: Lattice

When designing my classroom wall space,
my first priority is a place to display student work!  

As teachers, we know that students (and their families) feel more 'at home' in our classrooms when the walls surrounding them are personalized by student work.  Students also feel so proud to have their work on display!  And for me, when I walk into my classroom {even when my desk is piled sky high and my centers look like a natural disaster area} my eyes immediately go to the colorful student work on the wall!!  I can only hope the same is true for the visitors to my classroom...and that they realize learning is messy sometimes!  

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of wall space in my kindergarten classroom.  I'm lucky to have a lot of cabinets and cubbies, but they come at the expense of wall space.  I also have huge curtain wall between my classroom and the classroom next door.  This makes it difficult to find the space to create student work displays.

Fortunately, my teammates had the perfect solution!

I went to Home Depot and purchased 2 pieces of plastic lattice.  Each piece is 4' x 8' and costs about $20/sheet.  You definitely want some help getting them moved and hung!  My Mom and Dad help me get my classroom set up each year.  I'm so thankful for their help because I could never have done this on my own!!  (Sorry about the glare...ya' gotta love fluorescent lighting!!) 

Each sheet is hung with 3 pieces of sturdy (and cute, color coordinated) ribbon and metal ceiling hooks.  I already had my hooks, but I'm sure you can find them at the hardware store.  I had some plastic ones that I purchased at a teacher store, but I worried they would break.  Since this is hanging right over my literacy station area, I wanted to be sure the sheets were secure!  

Here is a close-up of the ribbon and hooks:

My sweet Momma worked really hard making sure the ribbons were exactly the right length so that the lattice would hang straight.  This is REALLY important!  Because the lattice is plastic - obviously - it bends.  So, if you don't hang it just right, it will ripple.  That's the kind of thing that drives me CRAZY...so we worked really hard until we got it just right!  You can see from the first picture that there is a little ripple in the first sheet, but it looks worse in the photo than in really is.  I was trying to get the whole wall in the photo, so it was a weird angle.  It's not that noticeable from a normal vantage point.

I use colorful little clips that I found in the Dollar Spot a few years ago to hang student artwork on the lattice.   But, clothespins work great, too.  I love how simple it is to change out the projects that are on display!  No hot glue or masking tape!!  :)  HOORAY!!  I can change out the projects in about 5 minutes.  :) 

Since pocket chart stands take up soooo much space, I love using the bottom of the lattice to hang pocket charts for students to use during literacy stations.  I didn't get a terrific picture of this, but you can get the idea by looking at the picture below.  Again, I just use little clips to hold it on.  It works like a charm and is just the right height for my kinders!!  

I've seen other teachers hang the lattice vertically and perpendicular to the wall to create a little "mini-wall" or "cubby" between stations.  However, my guided reading table is so far away from my station area that I felt like it limited my ability to supervise the area.  But, it's a great idea if your classroom set-up will allow it! 

Even if you don't have a curtain wall, I would really recommend displaying student work on lattice if you have any kid of large wall space to cover.  From a convenience standpoint - it can't be beat!!  Putting up and taking down artwork is a snap!  And, I think it provides a pretty backdrop that makes the students' work stand out in a special way, too!!  

Do you have an Open House or Celebration of Learning coming up this spring?  If so, this might be just what you need to put a fresh spin on your classroom displays!!  And, when August rolls around, you'll be thanking yourself that you got this project done early!

Make sure to pop over and enter my Sight Word Snapshot Bundle GIVEAWAY!!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday Five & a FREEBIE!!

I'm linking up with the 3AM Teacher & Doodle Bugs Teaching to share my "Friday Five" (on Saturday)!  Check out what I've been up to!!  

I'm probably breaking the rules here, but I've just GOT to feature the AMAZING snow fort that my hubs built for Son-Shine.  It's seriously the coolest thing I've ever seen!!  It has 3 different entrances, each on a different level of our deck/yard with ramps and 2 tunnels...even a "jail" room!!   If it were any bigger, we might have needed to pull a city permit before building it!  Son-shine is in HEAVEN!! 

Top Entrance & 1st Tunnel 

Lower Entrance, 2nd Tunnel & Jail

My boys look way too happy to be in jail!!

Sprinkles to Kindergarten is one of my favorite kinder blogs.  So, I don't know how I missed this AMAZING post about her "Buzz Work".  I teach 1/2 day kindergarten and T.I.M.E. is a serious issue.  I've wanted to do math tubs/stations all year, but I just haven't been able to squeeze it in.  However, I'm thinking of doing a version of this for the "morning work" time.  (I just teach PM kindergarten, so I actually call it "table activities" instead of morning work.)  I was searching online this week for some ideas and stumbled across her post - click the picture to read about it for yourself.  As soon as I get it all figured out, I'll be sure to blog about it!  

We're in the process of selling our house.  We think we're close to having an offer from some folks who've come to look at the house twice.  However, it's this weird in-between time that's stressing me out.  We've gone to look at some houses, but we're not sure if we should make an offer or not since we don't know the status of our current home.  I'll be so glad when all of this is over!!  

This is SO me...

Here's a little FREEBIE that I whipped up to help my kids practice reading and writing CVC words and sight words.  If you're trying to squeeze in some St. Patrick's Day fun before (early) Easter -- you'll love this!
Click the picture below to check it out on TPT. 

I hope you enjoy this FREEBIE!  If you download it and find it useful , please consider commenting below...each comment is like a big ole slice of soul food!!  I'd also love it if you'd follow my blog and/or Facebook page.  I have so many ideas that I'm excited to share with you!

I linked up with TBA's Freebie Friday linky...there are SO many awesome freebies linked up this week.
Be sure pop over and get 'em while they're hot!!