The Circus: Thematic Common Core Essentials.

Teach Common Core Standards the fun way by using our Thematic Common Core Essentials!
Our brand new unit is The Circus! My students loved this unit, especially trying their hand at Clown College.

Contents Include:

Literacy Lessons:

Scripted Activities: 

Clown College: Reading Sight Word Sentences

The Ringmaster: Reading Sight Words

Silly Words: Naming Sounds to Decode Words

Race Around the Big Top: Segmenting Words

Independent Activities: 

Family Words Worksheet

Math Activities

Scripted Activities

Orchestra Patterns: Repeating and Creating Patterns

Battle: Comparing Numbers and Identifying Which is Greater

Shapes Around the Room: Identifying and Copying Shapes

Big Top Math: Adding and Subtracting

Independent Activities: 

Clown Combinations: Adding Numbers

Circus Math: Addition and Subtraction Worksheets

Writing

Word Wall: The Circus

Writing Prompts: Circus Clown, The Circus

Writing Center Activities:  Write It, How To, Label It, My List

Class Book: The Circus Clowns

Guided Reading Books

Clown College

Science

Pepper: A Magic Trick

Lions and Tigers and Bears: Making Comparisons

Art Projects

Circus Train

The Elephant

Paint a Clown

Clown Hat

Jungle, Safari, and Zoo, oh my!

One of my favorite units to do in my classroom are Jungle, Safari and Zoo. We have two great units that are packed full of great ideas that are all explicitly linked to the Kindergarten Common Core Standards. 

Here is a peek at into my "It's a Jungle in Here" Classroom

Our Cooperative Art Wall Display

Our Writings, "If I Ran the Zoo"

The Tiger: A cooperative effort of four students.

The Lion: A cooperative effort of four students.

The Giraffe: A cooperative effort of four students.

The Alligator: A cooperative effort of four students.

The Peacock: A cooperative effort of four students.

The Zebra: A cooperative effort of four students.

Our Monkeys! Full instructions are included in our unit.

The Jungle Playhouse

The Zoo Science Center

The Wild Reading Area

Kindergarten Graduation Craftivity and Graduation Essentials

Celebrate a Great Year of Learning!

Contents include:

1. A “Graduation Me” Craftivity and bulletin board display
2. Graduation Invitation (Two Size Choices)
3. Graduation Program Cover (Black and White)
4. Graduation Program Cover (Full Color)
5. Graduation Diploma (Black and White)
6. Graduation Diploma (Full Color)

Seed in a Bag

Learning about the parts of a plant takes on a new dimension when planting a bean seed in a baggie. The leaves, stem, and roots are all visible in the bag. In less than two weeks, students can see the stages of plant development. They can see the baby plant as soon as it pushes its way through the seed coat, examine the roots, measure the stem, and watch as the leaves unfurl and grow. Changes occur almost daily, so students enthusiastically make observations and comparisons.

This exciting science activity fits in with many units; plants and spring are obvious choices, but if you think outside the box it can fit into a dinosaur or fairy tale unit!  For detailed instructions, visit our online store and check out our 

Plant unit.

Mebook for the End of the Year

• Simply assist students to fill out their “Mebook” page. 

• You can add this page to your student’s portfolio.

• And/or compile all pages to make a classroom book, and make a copy for each student as a cherished memory of their school year.

Painting Mother's

Yes, there is no other like my mother! Happy Mothers day 2013!

Add a Buzz to Games

If you’re looking for something to motivate your students, try using answer buzzers. This Learning Resources product  is available at Learning Resources, Calloway House, Amazon, and many other places. It adds fun and excitement to almost any game, lesson, or skill review. 

Students can hit a buzzer to answer a question or identify a sight word. They can also buzz in when completing a fluency exercise. However you choose to use them, answer buzzers will help keep your students engaged in learning! 

Teacher Appreciation Sale!

It's time for a Teacher Appreciation Sale!

Fill your carts with great teaching materials and don't forget to use the promo code TAD13 when you check out!

Jungle and Zoo in Kindergarten

My classroom is slowly transforming into a Jungle Delight! My playhouse is the Jungle, my science center is the zoo, and my reading and writing centers are a celebration of jungle/zoo animals.
We are having a lot of fun as we stray true to the tenants of the Common Core Standards by using two of our great units. Check them out at our online stores!

Earth Day Thematic Unit

Celebrate Earth Day, Arbor Day, or any day when it comes to saving our planet and celebrating Earth! A common core thematic unit!

Cinco de Mayo Thematic Unit

Viva la Mexico!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in a grade way by using this great 136 page thematic unit that is strategically linked to the Common Core Standards.

Contents Include:

Scripted Literacy Lessons:

Cinco de Mayo: Attending to Key Detail in Text

The Sombrero Circle: Identifying High Frequency Words

Fiesta: Decoding Words With Blends, Digraphs, Silent E

Mexican Hat Dance: Fluently Reading Sight Word and CVC Sentences

Independent Activities: 

Fill The Piñata: Segmenting Words                                                         

de Colores: Using Spanish Color Words                                                 

 Mi Amigos: Writing CVC Words

Scripted Math Lessons With Independent Options:

Number Match: Matching Number to Quantity With Spanish Words

Party of Ten: Making Combinations of Ten

Jumping Beans: Finding Answers to Equations

Independent Activities: 

Maraca Equations : Writing Equations

Cinco de Mayo Math: Adding and Subtracting                                                   

Math Journal: Ten Amigos in All

Writing

Mexico Word Wall

Writing Prompts: Mexico

Guided Reading Books

Cinco de Mayo

Science

Mexican Jumping Beans

Dramatic Play

Fiesta Supply Store

Kitchen

dulce de leche

Art Projects

Tissue Paper Flowers

Flowing Head Dress

Mexican Vest

Mexican Hat

Paper Bag Maraca

Do you want this unit for free? Click on the sidebar link to The Teacher's Notebook event.

Castles & Fairy Tale: Common Core Thematic Unit

This great unit is available at both of our online stores!

Strategically teach the common core standards and have a lot of fun as well using this 122 page thematic unit. 

Contents include:

Shared Reading Activities:

Retelling a Story: Sequencing a Familiar Story

Once Upon a Time: Identifying Story Elements

Scripted Literacy Lessons:

My Kingdom: Distinguishing Between Similarly Spelled Words.

Kiss a Frog: Sight Words

Race to the Rose: Decoding Words

Spinning Gold: Counting Syllables

Independent Activities: 

Story Boxes: Retelling Familiar Stories

Digraph Pairs: Identifying Digraphs

Grandma’s House: Writing Simple Words

Scripted Math Lessons With Independent Options:

Knight School: Making Sums of 10

Climb the Beanstalk: Identifying Missing Numbers

Cinderella’s Shoes: Adding Fluently

Independent Activities: 

Follow the Yellow Brick Road: Comparing and Writing Numbers

Dance All Night: Telling Time

Rapunzel’s Tower: Comparing Measurements

Writing

Fairy Tale Word Wall

Writing Prompts: Fairy Tales, Dragons

Writing Center Activities: 

How To, Label It, Make a List

Guided Reading Books

Jack & The Beanstalk

Science

Magic Bean Seeds

Art Projects

Draw a Castle

Castle Construction

Frog Prince Construct

King or Queen Construct

Songs/Fingerplays

Poof! I’m a Giant

Cinderella