Our week in Reading!

This week we started out Author's Purpose unit. What a fun week we had!
We got to read a lot of really interesting stories and discuss their meanings. We also started our small group instruction routine! We are doing a daily five break down, but we have two teachers in the room. One is doing a guided reading program, the other is reinforcing the skill for the week with hands on activities!

We started the week with a simple foldable I created. 

Click HERE to get your FREEBIE

 After reading "The Story of Ruby Bridges", we discussed the purpose of the book. The kids really enjoyed this story! I love sneaking in little stories like that into my reading, teaching them not only the Author's Purpose, but history at the same time :) Two birds, one stone :)

Then, in our small groups we used several different resources: 

Whats-the-Doggies-Purpose-an-authors-purpose-activity-

Authors-Purpose-Task-Cards-24-Cards-Persuade-Inform-Entertain-195745

Authors-Purpose-Activity-Menu-437350

Authors-Purpose-Memory-Match-Up-

 Reading-Strategies-Poster-Set-Chalkboard-Edition

I made a new activity to go along with our lesson. It's a simple but effective memory game. Students have to read the passages and match it to the correct type of Author's Purpose. 

You can check that out HERE

Next week, we are diving into Main Idea. Here are a few resources I plan to use!

Reading-Strategies-Memory-Match-Up-

Main-Idea-Cards-48-Cards-for-Differentiated-Learning

Main-Idea-Posters-Set-3-

Whats-the-Main-Idea-

Our fourth grade students are LOVING these choice boards: 

Main-Idea-and-Supporting-Details-Menu-

Read Alouds For Main Idea:
Cowboy Camp
Sweet Tooth

The Great Kapok Tree
Miss Rumphius

Summer School and TpT Finds

Summer School is going so great! It's half days, so that is a huge plus :) We finished up our camping unit. I used so many different packets! I used No Monkey Business Michelle's Story-Maps-Collection packet. I also used Primary-Graffiti's alpha cards. This really helped since I have such a variety of academic levels. We have six rotations and they are all over the place.
Last week we worked on Main Idea. I didn't have pictures so I wanted to share a few. I used Amy Lemon's Whats-the-Main-Idea Packet! This is such a wonderful packet!!!!!

This week we are working on Synonyms/Antonyms. So we made these adorable Synonym Flowers!

Here is the template I used to make the flowers:

With my younger group of kids, we've also been working on my Buggy-For-Blends-Literacy-Packet.

  

 My TpT Finds:  be sure and check out this FREEBIEApple-Double-Facts-Addition.

Now that I am only working half days, I am able to really prepare for next year. The very first thing I began to work on was my decor. What theme did I want?? As I looked around, MOST of my things were polka dots...so I found this ADORABLE packet from Kreative in Kinder Colorful-Polka-Dot-Classroom-Decor-Set! I've been printing and laminating every since I got it. And she has tons of other themes too!! Crystal is SO talented! Check out her blog, she is simply AMAZING!

I am also gearing up to reach 100 followers. I am giving away a $25.00 GC to iTunes!! All you have to do is comment with your E-mail, grade level, follow my blog  AND follow my TpT store!!

Be sure to check me out on FB as well :)

Till Next Time!!

~Ashley~

Fishing For Ideas

IT'S TIME FOR THE FISHING FOR IDEAS EXTRAVAGANZA!!!




It's that time of the year! The time when we start thinking and reflecting about last year  and the things that we should have done differently. To help out, a bunch of amazing bloggers are throwing sales and giveaways!!! Of course, I am participating! Please check out my TpT Store !! Everything is AT LEAST 20% off!!!
Visit an amazing Pineterst Board !!!


I  am teaching 2nd,3rd and 4th graders in summer school! What a challenge this is! I thought I would be able to differentiate things I already had and make it work. I was wrong :( I  am teaching reading and wanted to use very little paper-pencil activities. So I asked around and found out some of the skills that the students still needed practice with. The skill that most of the teachers mentioned was Main Idea. So I dug through all of my activities to see what I had. Not much. Not much that I could use with a group of students entering the 5th grade! So I went to the beloved Teachers Pay Teachers. I found some FABULOUS PACKETS!! Amy Lemons from Step Into Second Grade has a wonderful packet that is so easy to use! I purchased her

 Whats-the-Main-Idea packet. It includes loads of cute hands on "craftivities" that the students LOVED! I loved that I could use the same craftivity, just change the stories as needed.

   Another great packet I found, was from Coconut Cuties! Their  Main-Idea-Story-Sacks are great for 3rd and 4th grade strugglers. It's easy to put together and different from anything they are used to. These students work out of work books all year long, so for them, these activities have been wonderful.  I came up with a quick activity as well to go a long with our "Summer Camp" Theme.  My camera is acting up but the kids used these printables, and glued them to brown paper to make our own "Smores". We glued the title heading at the top of the page. Then colored and cut the smore. Finally, they glued the smore under the heading. They turned out so great! Hopefully, I can get some pictures by Monday!

Click here to get your FREEBIE!!!

Be sure to check out all the other great blogs for  freebies, sales and giveaways!!!

Till next time...

~Ashley~