Read Across America Linky

Hello, all!

Remember yesterday when I said I was praying kind of hoping for a snow day??

Well…

Woohoo!
I really needed this.
My house is in a very scary state, and could use some TLC!

So, today I am linking up with Primary Chalkboard for their "Read Across America" week long party.

Today's topic is "Favorite Children's Author".

Well, my favorite children's author is actually Dr. Seuss, people!

I wanted BOTH my sons' nurseries to be Seuss-themed, but that wasn't very popular 12 years ago, so I could't find much to help with the decorating.

I had to settle for Winnie-the Pooh, but that was okay since it was Children's literature, too:)

Because tomorrow's topic is "all things Seuss"

 (and I am going to really try to blog 4 days in a row! I know!),

I will post a few of my other favorite authors.

Let's start with the late, great Barbara Park.

I LOVE Junie B.!

I know I would absolutely want to strangle gently reprimand her constantly if she was in my class, but she commands the attention of primary students!

A little controversial, this heroine uses words and phrases that teachers and parents detest….but let's be honest, no child is completely perfect! 

They've all thought or used those words once or twenty times.

Besides, you can use her outbursts as teachable moments: "Students, should we say/think something like that about someone? What would be something that Junie B. should do/say instead?"

My own son (a first grader this year) is a decent reader, and thrives on nonfiction text.

However, he ADORES the antics of this character!

He will drop whatever he's doing to read a chapter or two of Junie B.

If this series is good enough for him…and my own students…it's a winner in my book! 

(pun intended)

Another author fave: Judy Sierra.

If you have never heard of her, here are a few of my favorite books she's written.

Click the pic to go to her Amazon page!

One of her biggest inspirations was the good Dr., so many of her texts have a sing-song rhyme that he was so famous for using.
"Born to Read" was one of my student's very favorites this year, and they often reference how they are still becoming readers because they were all 'born to read'. Adorable:)

Last but not least, the very talented Steve Jenkins.
Here is my very favorite of all his texts:

Click on the pic to go to Amazon's page for this book!

My students literally fight over this book when it's available!

Most of his books are based on animals, and I just love the collage-Eric Carle-type illustrations that many (if not all) of his books contain.

I could go on and on about more of my favorite authors.

I would love to feature one every other week in my room, but where is the time to implement an author study?

I'll wrap it up today, and set a goal to be back tomorrow:)

Who are your favorite authors?

Let me know in the comments below!
I'd hate to not be in the know of some good kid-lit!

Okay…enough procrastinating!
The day is young and the house beckons:(
Wish me luck...

Happy……………Day!

So, today is the official birthday for the good Dr., who shall not be named. :)

(picture borrowed from a pin on "Really Good Stuff")

Tomorrow (and for the rest of the next couple of weeks), my students will be participating in some fun "Featured Author" activities.

Last week, we kicked off our celebration by making "Thinklings".
I don't know what they are actually called, but they are the bird-like creatures from the book "Oh! The Thinks You Can Think!"

My inspiration came from Babbling Abby, but since her cute little packet is no longer available (ahem…), I had to create my own templates.
I think they turned out pretty cute!
What do you think?

I can't provide the template for the bird creatures, but they are pretty easy to make, if you try!

However, I'll include the writing template and thought bubble I used for our project.

Simply click here for the paper that goes on top of the Thinklings' shirts!

For this project, I asked my students to sit quietly for 2 minutes and just think…. 

(btw, that is no small feat for this group of kiddos!

We are a very wiggly, energetic group this year! Oh my)

…then each student contributed a thought to our graphic organizer:

Some of their thoughts were creatively zany!
A crab fighting a buffalo! Really?

As you can see, they went in all directions.
From hot-glazed donuts (student after my own heart) to being with friends, and even "light and black", it was incredibly interesting to hear the thoughts of six- and seven-year-olds!

Then we read the book, AND THE STUDENTS DIDN'T SEE THE ILLUSTRATIONS UNTIL AFTER THEY WERE GIVEN TIME TO VISUALIZE the words used.

After listening to the story, we drew WITH PENCIL (no color at first) on our thought bubble paper what we had been thinking.
Then we added some color and started to put together our 'Thinklings'.

I was very glad to finally get some work out in the hall!
I'm telling you, this group of firsties wipes. me. out.

We also took some crazy pictures with these cute photo booth props from Chela's etsy shop:

You can't read the poster, but the girls holding it made a poster for one of the good Dr.'s famous quotes:

"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"

If you want these cute little props for yourself, read more on Tania's blog, My Second Sense! 

As I'm typing, there is snow coming down, and I'm praying for it to fall harder kind of hoping for another snow day.
We haven't had very many this year….a few more won't hurt us, right?
I know it will affect our celebration, but I'm okay with that:)
We all must make sacrifices...

Enjoy your Sunday, friends!
7 more school days ( & 2 days of P-T conferences!) until Spring Break:), for me!

Yep, it's really me!

She's….she's alive!!!

That might be the thought that popped into some of your heads:)
if you are still following me, that is.

Wish I had a really good reason for my absence, but the school year just seems to get busy fast & stay busy for me.
I guess I'm a better summer blogger!
Which defeats the purpose, as this is supposed to be a school blog.

Maybe my principal will let me turn in "faithfully blogging once a week" as my professional goal for next school year.
Then I'd be sure to get in a few posts every month!

Today, I'm joining a couple of bloggers' linky parties.

First, I'm linkin' up with Blog Hoppin's "Show Us What You Bought!" linky.

Here are my purchases from the big "3 Million Strong!" TpT sale:

Bubble gum Clipart purchased from Krista Wallden (she is soooo talented!), and Black/White Digital Papers by Clever Chameleon.

If the pics above don't link to their stores, simply click on their names above! Great Stuff!!

Shout-Outs from the Common-Core-Guru, Katie Knight.

I AM SERIOUSLY EXCITED ABOUT THESE!

During my recent evaluation, my principal asked me to consider daily or weekly certificate-type rewards for my students, and Katie's packet (featuring adorable Melonheadz clipart) is just what I need to implement this idea.

Can't wait to try these out!!

Bubble Gum! Bubble Gum! from Alisha Peare, aka "The Bubbly Blonde".

This packet will provide just the vowel practice my students need, in the form of some fun centers! 

Can't wait to use them!!

July/August Color by Code pages from Kathy Law, or "First Grade a la Carte", as you may know her.

I have almost all her "color by code" packets…before she bundled them:)… 

and my student's just love them!  

Can you tell I'm already trying to plan ahead for next year??

Listen Up! Activity Sheets from the Fab Duo at "Fluttering Through First Grade".

They say two heads are better than one…

& these ladies are proof!

I CANNOT wait to try these out with my group this year.

We definitely need to work on some serious listening skills.

AND my grade level partner & I were just collaborating about how exactly to assess those tricky "listening standards"...

I think these activities are just the ticket!!

Okay, technically those last 2 purchases aren't "units" 

(even though they're posted under the "units" title on my pic), but I do plan on implementing them consistently throughout the next school year. 

Each activity will coordinate with thematic units, so they fall under the umbrella:)

Join the party!
 Link up with the ladies at Blog Hoppin' and :

Next up, the wonderful Farley's Currently:

I think the list speaks for itself.

If you have any guesses on the ?????? to my answers, comment below! 

Tomorrow, I'll be back (2 days in a row!! I know!)

and posting about "He-who-shall-not-be-named"-Day….aka, that great author we celebrate in March but aren't supposed to mention by name, for fear of lawsuits.

Glad to be back in the world:)

Thanks for checking me out today!