Saturday, January 21, 2012

Vowel Munchers

I cannot believe it has almost been a week since my last post and I am not really sure where that week went! My kiddos really had a pretty good week...no Potty Police incidents to report, no one eating anything like pencils, paper, crayons or their toenails. Yes, several years ago one of my Firsties pulled off his shoe and then his sock and then bit his toenails off and ate them! I think I was too horrified to throw up!

We did a really cute lesson on Friday to celebrate blends and I am really excited to share about it ....especially because we did a craft that I made a template for! That is like off the charts HUGE!!! I LOVE crafts but cannot draw a straight line with a ruler and rely on my teaching buddy to do it for me because SHE ROCKS! I hope to share it with you this week! =)

I had a brain pop today for something that we are going to do daily until Valentine's Day. We are going to start on Monday so be looking for that post...it will be all about encouraging, helping and noticing the kind acts of others in Our School Family! If you are new to my blog, please go read the post about Building Your School Family. I share all about how we use helpful hearts to fill our bucket. This would be a great thing for your class to start this February if you are ready to take your first step to putting some Conscious Discipline into your classroom. Click here to go to that post. Here are some pictures from that post.


We have been working hard since before Christmas with magic e. I made this little *freebie* that you can use as a Read the Room or Pocket Chart sort or however it floats your boat! =) These Love Monsters are some of my favorite clip art because they are just so stinkin' cute. I hope your kiddos can use this short or long vowel sort!

graphics by DJ Inkers

I had a wonderful surprise on Thursday! I was pulling out some baby wipes for the Table Washers to use after we eat our Breakfast in the Classroom and under what I thought was a crate full of wipes were TONS of glue sticks!!! Wahoo! It was like Christmas all over again! I am not sure about your kiddos but we go through glue sticks very quickly because we use them daily. I buy them all summer long and buy lots of my kiddos' school supplies like folders because:  1. I am anal and all of my blue folders must be the exact same shade of blue and 2. I can put more glue sticks on my School Supply List for the beginning of the year.

So, my Question of the Day is this:

How much are you allowed to put on your School Supply List?

I also want to send a big Heart Hug to Holly at Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade. She left me a comment to just check up on my since I had not been posting lately. Thank you sweet friend!

Thank you to each follower who comes by my little blog....I am still not sure why you do but my heart is blessed because of you! I love and treasure each one of your heart notes!

From My Heart to Yours,

42 comments:

  1. I just had to comment again, this time on your "Little Blog Helper" kitty photo... I have two kittens, and EVERYtime I'm using my laptop, one of them just has to climb all over the keyboard, typing nonsense and/or deleting whatever I wrote! :)

    A Cupcake for the Teacher

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  2. Glad you're back and the freebie is awesome...thanks!

    4th Grade Frolics

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  3. Toenails?? I would die! AHHHH!

    Glad you are having a better week! (we can put whatever we choose on school supply lists...within reason! =)
    Jennifer
    First Grade Blue SKies

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  4. I swear the glue stick companies never really fill those darn sticks up all the way! Which makes me think we need some more!

    I actually do not send home school supply lists, I buy (out of my budget) supplies at the beginning of the year..

    Im excited to hear about your blend activity, I plan on introducing them fairly soonish!

    Glad everything is good!

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  5. I love finding surprises and glue is a great one to find. Sometimes I think my kiddos eat them or something because they just disappear so quickly! Thank you for the freebie, I <3 it, it's so cute! That is my fave clip art too! :)

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  6. we're not allowed to put anything on our supply list that isn't a necessity for the kids...seriously.. it's horrible..but it's because we're a Title I school...
    The Teachers’ Cauldron

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  7. Thanks for sharing your freebie! I love DJ Inkers and these are super cute!

    Twins, Teaching and Tacos.

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  8. Love the freebie!! I feel the same about glue sticks. I would jump for joy if I found that. Lucky you! We are able to spend 200 for the year on whatever we need but this also includes some money for field trips so it doesn't go far.


    Apples and Papers

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  9. Thanks for the freebie...so stinkin cute! We are allowed to put pretty much anything on our supply list, and I am always overwhelmed at the amount of stuff I have to find space for! But you can never have too many glue sticks :)

    Happy weekend!
    Natalie
    Teachery Tidbits

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  10. First of all I love your freebie. It will be a perfect review for my kids! Second school supply list say what? We don't have a school supply list that we get to put stuff on. Our district has no money. It all comes out of my little pocket.

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  11. I am always begging for glue sticks! At the beginning of the year I have so many and then by Christmas they just disappear so I feel like I have to ration them out! We put out a grade level list and then an individual list so I guess we're not limited but sadly not a whole lot is brought in. Cute freebie!

    Primary Punch

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  12. What an adorable freebie!!! Love it! Isn't it funny what makes us happy as teachers??? Glue sticks of all things!!

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  13. This is so cute! I love all the activities and things you make! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
    We can put any items we would like on our supply list, however they do ask that we try to be conservative.

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  14. This freebie is exactly what I need for this upcoming week! A huge thank you!! We generally put whatever we like on a supply list, but the parents buy whatever they want to. I try not to do anything outrageous or else I get it myself.

    Haley
    Following Optimism

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  15. Heather,

    I absolutely love your freebie. I have saved it to print later after buying ink, which I go through so much of! The little munchers sure are cute! I also wanted to share a story of my own. A few years ago I had a special little girl who was sitting on the carpet. She dug into the carpet, pulled something out (looked like a pebble), and ate it. It had probably been there forever! Amazing what kids will do! Thanks for the freebie.

    Ashley
    Live2Learn

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  16. Thanks for the freebie!!!
    We are only allowed to put the bare minimum on our supply list, so all the extras come from my pocket. I do just like you, stock up during the before school sales. I'm not sure where you live, but I like to buy my gluesticks from Big Lots. Their store brand has a package of 12 for $2.00. They seem to last as long as the more expensive brands and the kids don't argue over who is going to get the purple ones! ;P

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  17. We are able to ask for about $40 worth of items. Our Parent/Faculty group offers the supply kit with all of the items the teachers want for the classroom. We highly encourage them to "donate" and get one for their child. This year all of the kinders got a kit and most of my parents paid for them. We get glue sticks, pencils, markers etc... plus 2 folders (plastic type) and two sizes of crayons. The parents really like to buy these because they don't have to go shopping and the students all get exactly the same items. I still end up buying a lot for the class, but this surely helps!

    Thank you for the adorable freebie and glad you are back for posting!

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  18. Love the monsters, too!! Too cute!! Thank you!
    And we are not allowed to give a supply list to our parents. We get a monthly budget (depending on the school's budget, it will vary month to month. The lowest is 75 cents per kid and the highest is 1.25 per kid) and that's what we get. The rest is on us. We are allowed to accept donations, though. So I have a special box on my weekly newsletter that says "Can you help? Our class is in need of . . . " and I fill in the "item of the week". I get tons of donations so I am really lucky.
    A Teeny Tiny Teacher

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  19. Heather,
    I hear you on the gluesticks. My students this year use glue in excess. And a first for me this year, I have a student who was eating chunks of glue stick. Yuck!
    Thank you so much for the freebie. I so appreciate your generosity in sharing your hard work!!! It is on my to do list to get printed and laminated.
    Cynthia

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  20. I just wanted to tell you that I love your blog. Your positive attitude and willingness to share are wonderful. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  21. Love the freebie! We have to have a very limited suppl list. Our school is about 70% free and reduced lucnch so we are lucky to just get the basics.
    Barbara
    happyteachingfirst.blogspot.com

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  22. Heather, this is such a cute Freebie! We aren't doing long vowels yet, but I want to just so I can use this!
    Glue sticks are at a premium at our school too. We always put lots on our supply list (we do it as a grade level), but they never give us all that we order. So we end up buying them towards the end of the year!
    Thanks for the Freebie!
    Farming the First Grade Crop

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  23. Really cute!!!

    Thanks so much for your nice comment at Reading Confetti! Happy to have found your blog and I'm a new follower!

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  24. Your Vowel Muncher game is ADORALBE! The monsters are so cute! Thank you for sharing your hard work!
    Kimberly
    Funky First Grade Fun

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  25. Thanks for the freebie!
    We are given $200 to spend each year for our classroom from the district. It used to be $1600 when I started teaching 30 years ago. We are not allowed to ask parents for anything...we were told that since we settled a contract with a slight pay raise a few years ago...that was enough. Then we took a pay freeze... Anyway...I buy crayons, pencil crayons, homework folders, files folders, paper, computer ink...I don't add it all up because it would probably make me sad to see the total.

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  26. Our district made a district wide list for supplies. So every first grade teacher in every building asks for the same thing...I don't like it.

    It asks for things I don't need, and I need things (reasonable things) that aren't asked for.

    So I end up buying lots of our supplies!

    Staci
    Going Nutty!

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  27. Thanks for this super cute freebie and for visiting my blog. I am a follower now! :)

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  28. Love the freebie! Thanks! We have to get together by grade level and come up with our supply list. Even though we put the basics down, there are many kiddos that don't bring them in so I buy lots of extra supplies over the summer.


    Nicole
    First Grade OWLS

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  29. Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving such a very nice comment! I'm following you back. I can't wait to read through some of your posts.

    My oldest was in 1st grade last year and they ran out of glue sticks. This year, I purchased extra when they were on sale at the start of school. I hate for teachers not to have the tools they need.

    Our teachers send a supply list with an optional wish list out at the start of school.

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  30. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm now following you too. Our state law requires that all supplies needed be provided by the school/district budget due to providing a "free and equal opportunity" for all students. Thus, any list we sent home is completely optional to parents. My principal is really great about providing items that we request. This past fall, we requested pencil boxes and binders in addition to the usual crayons, pencils etc. and we were given all the items. Our state does provide some state money for each teacher depending on the length of time they have been teaching. New teachers get the most money and the longer you teach the less you get. I use this account for things like rewards and projects. Our parents and PTA are great to provide supplies for gifts on holidays. When parents ask what I would like, I always give them a few supply ideas.

    DillyDabbles

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  31. Nice to meet you, Heather :) I will definitely be able to use this long vowel, short vowel sort as I have kids that at all different levels in my classroom. Isn't that the norm? LOL Anyway, we use our Lexia CRT report to drive our phonics instruction and group our kids according to their needs, so it can get real confusing real quick if I don't keep myself organized. In phonics, I have 5 groups, 3 stations, 45 minutes. I have two groups that "travel" together but are working on two different concepts but need to travel together to be able to go to the computer rotation. I have one group that has mastered their phonics so they are working independently but still have a computer rotation, and all the other groups rotate from me, to the computer, and independent every 15 minutes. In addition to that, I have 5 of my students pulled out that go to our extension teacher for phonics during that time that are on even a different level. Believe me when I say, God blessed me when he gave me organization skills. My kids are so great, though! They know where they go first and I am still helping them once the rotations start. So, anything that will help them on their level during independent time and even with me is GREATLY APPRECIATED :) Thanks again :)

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  32. WOW! Look at all your heart notes! I love you, too but you already knew that sweet friend! I am so excited to be giving away stuff since I get so much. I don't think I will ever sell anything because I enjoy so much being able to give back! speaking of...I appreciate all of your freebie goodies, too! I LOVE these vowel munchers and I can't wait for tomorrows post!

    Stacy
    2ndgradeparadise

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  33. Thanks so much for sharing! The short vowel is super cute. :)

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  34. Just wanted to say a BIG thank you for all the wonderful freebies! Having not gotten a raise in 4 years (budget woes!) I appreciate it anytime someone offers free downloads-- and great ones like yours!

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  35. Thank you for the freebie and I'm looking forward to the next posts!

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  36. Thanks for the cute short/long vowel activity.

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  37. I can tell we shall be great friends! I am going through the same issues but I make hubby draw my straight lines for me and cut them. Can't even get it straight with a paper cutter. Sigh! Maybe my head is on crooked that is why it always ends up at an angle.

    I love you blue obsession! Yes... that is EXACTLY ME!

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  38. So cute....thanks, my kidlets will love this for our short/long vowel intro.

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