Monthly ten frame activities

Ten frames are the new rage with K-2 teachers. I use them on a daily basis in kindergarten. Here is a link to my ten frame activities on TPT. You will find a free pumpkin ten frame printable along with monthly printable activities which you can purchase.  I hope you enjoy!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Candace-Estes

Last year was a busy year for me. Since my last blog I have had my first child (a baby boy). He was born March 9, 2013. We have been enjoying our summer staying at home. I will hate to leave him with a sitter in August but I am looking forward to a new school year. I plan to blog more over the 2013-2014 school year. As I have grown as a kindergarten teacher I have changed certain aspects of my teaching style. I will update more activities after the beginning of the year.

Literacy Centers

Each day students have a schedule for literacy centers. We have four centers per day. The center sheets (shown) are rotated each day. Each day we have spelling, reading, strategy reading, and literature circles. In between each activity I have a mini lesson prepared. The centers take about ten minutes each. The schedules are changed weekly.

First, I introduce the spelling center by reading a "poem" that goes along with our word. Example, this week I wrote: Farmer, Farmer, what do you see? I see the word _____ looking at me. I have these posted outside of my classroom and change them daily. Students then come to the carpet and watch me write the word on the board. They will record this in their spelling booklet beside of the correct day. Then I will erase a letter or add a letter as they are turned around. They must tell me what needs to be corrected. Afterward, we do spelling centers. These change weekly.

After spelling students will work on a reading center (guided, independent, partner, other).

Next, students will work on their strategy reading center. We work on the animal strategies (Stretchy the Snake, Tryin' Lion, etc.) Students will use their strategies when they are reading.

Last, I will read a book aloud and students will complete literature circles. To save copies my assistant has made books for the students out of white paper and construction paper. Lines are drawn where necessary. I may upload examples later.

Farm Unit

Students created a cow craft for our farm unit.

Apparently this cow is mad! Haha!

Here is our bulletin board. We used the pond for our frog unit and added the barn for our farm unit.

Here is the pig writing activity my students did. This is our class example.

Zoo Animal Mix and Fix

I found these animal eggs at K-Mart right after Easter. I decided to make them into a Mix and Fix activity. Students dumped out the letters and created a word that went along with the picture. They then wrote their words down on lined paper. You would be surprised with the kindergartners that could correctly fix these words. I would say my high group did an amazing job with this activity. Other students needed some helping figuring out the middle sounds.

More Literacy Bags

Here are some more literacy bags I have drawn and painted.

Literacy Bags

These were meant to be take home literacy bags. However, after spending lots of time on these I am reluctant to send them home with students. I intend to use these as an enrichment activity. Activities will be added to the bags along with stuffed animals/other tactile items.