Using Literacy in ALL Content Areas

So my husband has this hobby--it's called HUNTING! He spend countless hours in the woods...tracking, preparing and hunting animals! His hobby costs a few bucks here and there!! Many ask me "Why do you let him do that"...well, friends, this is a marriage, I'm not keeping him hostage! But don't think I don't get something out of it return haha!! My "hobby" is my classroom! Specifically, my classroom library. This year, I'm determined to add more content area books to my classroom library. I've found a few good deals on e-bay and amazon! I've searched garage sales, but my BEST deals were found at...the Goodwill!! They ALWAYS have children's books 2 for $1.00!! I've also been saving up my Scholastic Bonus Points. Somehow, I still do not have enough books! How is that possible?!?!? haha! 

I've started making a few of my own so that my students could have literacy in ALL content areas. I may not always be able to get the books here in time, or find them *after* the fact of teaching that subject.  The good thing about these as I can print as many as I need! I like to put them in math centers and have the students create questions after reading. It's a good way to kill two birds with one stone! I don't know about y'all but I'm constantly struggling to get in the amount of read alouds I need too. This is a perfect way to help with that! A math read aloud is something you can do almost DAILY!!!

Interactive read alouds are a great way to introduce a new math skill. Not only are they getting the math skill, but this is huge for literacy development. It's like killing two (or maybe five) birds with one stone! Since I've started doing interactive read alouds in all content areas, my little friends comprehension is improving so much! It's such a great time to model fluency as well. 

So far I've created a book on fractions and money

These little books are on sale, hurry over and check them out! 

Happy Sunday Friends! 

Educents Bundle

Hey friends! I've teamed up with some other amazing bloggers and teacher creators in the latest Educents deal

So if you really want good resources than you are going to
love this amazing deal over at Educents!  I have teamed up with 5
other amazing sellers to load your classrooms with 10 resources to help kids
work with big numbers!  

My products included will surely be loved by your students!

I've included two of my place value products! The first one is my Place Value Workstations! This activity gives students a chance to actually build the number. I use this station set AFTER the concept as been thoroughly taught and modeled. No matter what subject, stations can not be given to the students without previous instruction. It is so important that the student has a strong foundation before we start practicing on the skill. Here is a little preview into that station packet..

My sweet friend Tessa from Tales From Outside The Classroom also has a great product in the bundle! 

For a limited time it is $10.99 from Educents which is about
70% off!  It also includes these other great products so there is sure
to things you love!  

And if you have never purchased fromEDUCENTS before.. they
always have a great deal for you! Just click HERE to sign up!

Free March Literacy Centers

Hey friends :)

My sweet friend that teaches 3rd grade asked me to whip something up for her that her students needed practice with! I thought it would be a great time for a FREEBIE!

 Two Free March Literacy Centers right here!!!

March Freebie

Balanced Literacy 101: Interactive Read Alouds

So this year I've jumped in to this thing called "Balanced Literacy". At first, I was a little nervous, unsure of the routines and the layout of the entire program. I always had a reading framework, and never thought I REALLY relied on it as much...until now :) So getting through that initial place where I was a little bit intimidated and all was difficult. But now I have to say, I'm IN LOVE with Balanced Literacy! I love the FREEDOM that I have to decide what MY students need, each and every one of them! I'm going to do a series of posts, but this one will be all about read alouds!!

The important part about read alouds is that they are planned. They are not something we grab off the shelf on the way in the classroom. Read Alouds offer a way to tie in your other subjects. I TRY to do 3-4 read alouds a day.

1 to kick off my reading block
1 math book to kick of my guided math routine
1 chapter book after lunch (just a few pages a day)
1 theme/holiday book

A great interactive read aloud is typically ABOVE your students reading level. This way they are exposed to higher vocabulary and text features. You can use fiction or non fiction books! I like to use a mixture of both!!



I try to use as many cross circular read alouds as I can. I often do not have enough time to spend on social studies or science. So that is the perfect time for me to use a read aloud that hits the skill or topic I'm trying to address. For example, we are learning about Presidents and Famous Americans in social studies. I ALWAYS begin my reading block with a read aloud. Right now I'm using books about Presidents and Famous Americans :)

Abraham Lincoln Read Alouds

Looking at Lincoln is a great book because it allows children to get to know Lincoln as a person, not just a President. The author provides several unheard of facts and the book is very engaging! It is a MUST have I promise! My kids LOVED this book! We made a nice little anchor chart using the top of Lincoln's hat {sorry, I accidentally deleted my picture}Y'all know it wasn't cute anyways bc my hand drawn charts are just awful!!!



We also read "My First Biography: Abraham Lincoln"
Another great book! We compared the two stories and how we learned different facts from each book. The kids loved this!

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George Washington Read Alouds

Another component ( that I'll blog about soon) is integrating writing into your literacy block. I was able to do that SO easily this week with my sweet friend Kelly's from Teacher Idea Factory  Presidential Packet! My kids LOVED The Lincoln Writing activity! They can't wait to finish out our Presidents unit using this packet!

Read Alouds are a great component to ANY literacy program. If you are not currently using read alouds, I encourage you to think about it. They can be very interactive and a great tool. I am able to hit on so many different areas. Modeling my critical thinking is so easy during a read aloud. Students do not even really look at it as learning, more of a discussion. That's what is so neat about it. Especially when you use titles and stories that THEY like. 

Sight Word Freebies!

Hey friends! Need extra resources for teaching sight words? Here are a few FREEBIES!
Just click the pictures to access your FREEBIE!

If you like this game, check out the full packet while it's on sale!!

Sight Word Sampler

Sight-Word-Race

Star-Words-Sight-Word-Practice-

Tunstall Times

Secret-Smelly-Spelling-

Winter-FREEBIE-5-Sight-Words-Game-Boards-First-100-Dolch-976850

I'm on the hunt for more, so as I find them, I'll update this post! Thanks!

Balanced Literacy Plunge

As an elementary teacher, I find that the balanced literacy approach is something that I simply cannot live without.

One approach that I've added to my day is that I try to add at least two content area centers throughout the week. We have seven stations a day, so that's pretty easy for us to do! 

My balanced Literacy routine is pretty simple. I try to incorporate as many content area centers as I can. The past few weeks we've been working on Map Skills. 

My kiddos LOVE floor puzzles! They are such a great tool to help develop important critical thinking skills. My kids do the puzzle, then complete a labeling activity. The puzzle shown is one of my favs from Melissa and Doug! 

Read Alouds for Maps

We've also worked on Rhyming Words this week. These puzzle match ups are great for reinforcing those tricky rhyming words....and they are on a little flash sale :) 

 Here are few other centers we used this week from my Winter Literacy Center Packet (also on sale!)

Primary Guided Math & Freebie

At the beginning of the year, I  was working as a long term substitute in 4th grade. I have always been addicted to "Guided Math", but for some reason, this year my addiction intensified!!!

I have been working on amping my guided math supply kit. I basically needed more hands on centers and had little time (and supplies) to make them! I am not used to being ink deprived, and it's a hard adjustment! In TX, I could get all the ink I pretty much desired! I know that most of you are in the same boat so I apologize for preachin' to the choir. So I decided to do what everyone else does who gets no ink---use colored cardstock! haha! 

My kiddos are practicing telling time to the hour and half hour this week. We had a blast practicing. We use these student hand held time boards over and over again during whole group instruction! 

My kids LOVE these!!

We read the book "If You Were A Minute"

Then, we made a chart of our three favorite things they did in the story and tried to beat the time the characters completed them. 

It's a good thing I've been working out, because 70 jumping jacks in a minute is no easy task ;) haha!!!

After a whole group mini lesson, we break up into small groups for our guided math. I have several "staple centers" I use:

*One bin of Math books. I try to pull as many books related to the subject we are working on!

*Lakeshore Match Up Puzzles

* Math Work Station Cards

*Fold & Solve Math Cards- The Mailbox

You can check out the centers shown here!

We are also using Cara's Time Packet! Which provides so many hands on matching centers for the kiddos! We still haven't finished all the activities in that packet! I'll post about it once we finish!! 

One of my weaknesses is making cute anchor charts! My kids have really struggled with types of sentences, so I made these charts...no judgment okay?? I am NOT very good at these :)

I also created a quick and simple Listening Center Recording sheet--click HERE For the FREEBIE