Friday, July 26, 2013

/F/ /r/ /o/ /g/ = Monkey...right????

Hi sweet friends! I am not sure where the summer has gone but I hope it has been a fun and relaxing one for everyone. I have spent A LOT of time this summer working on our district's Science and Social Studies curriculum team. I am so ready to give birth to that baby! Lol! =)

I have also spent time at my sister's pool, spent time with my dear friend PJ (aka my pajamas), spent time with my nieces, and spent a wonderful week in the Cayman Islands....I am ready to go back NOW. =)

I have also spent a little time working on activities that will help my kiddos be successful...especially in Reading and Math.

In Texas, we give a test 3 times a year called the TPRI. It is a test that assesses phonemic awareness and other skills that young children need to become successful readers. One part of the test assesses the children being able to blend sounds together to make a word. For example, I say /t/ /o/ /p/ and the child says top. To say that I get interesting answers would be a HUGE understatement. I am talking about beat your head against the wall wacko answers. I might say /f/ /i/ /sh/ and I have kiddos saying words like alligator, monkey, Sponge Bob, pizza, and even their own name.

Since Stretchy Snake has helped my kiddos so much when it comes to decoding unknown words, I decided he could help us with this tricky skill too! =)




Click on the pictures to go check it out in my TPT store. =)

My kiddos are obsessed with Stretchy Snake. This game has helped tremendously with this skill that is so tricky for so many of my struggling readers. It is /p/ /er/ /f/ /e/ /c/ /t/ for your Guided Reading and RtI groups.

The teacher will say the sounds /d/ /i/ /p/ and the child has to mentally blend the sounds together and then cover the correct picture. Once all of the pictures are covered the winner will either share the pictures he/she covered or segment the sounds back to the teacher when he/she calls out the pictures that were covered.

There are 5 different games and 12 assessments/individual practice for segmenting sounds....lots of Stretchy Sounds fun! =)

Since I am obsessed with Word Study I wanted to bring back a few *freebies* that I have shared before. I will be using these the first few weeks of school. 


and one more =)


I would love for you to leave me a heart note if you grab them. =)

I have a lot I want to share with you in the next few weeks....I have some really fun visitors that will be bringing us some very fun packages full of lots of awesome activities, snacks, songs and poems, and more. I hope you hop by again to check it out. =)

From My Heart to Yours,

38 heart notes:

Bilingual Scrapbook said...

The freebies are awesome Heather, thanks a lot!
Oh dear TPRI...haha!
Alexa

The Math Spot said...

I love the title of this post. Blending sounds together is the exact reason why I hate the letter R. /c/ /o/ /p/ = crop!? /f/ /o/ /g/ = frog!? I know they are understandable answers but it just drives me nuts! Thanks for the freebies!

Polka Dots & Teaching Tots

Rene said...

Already bought!! IT IS WONDERFUL!!! This will be perfect for my guided reading group and something different!

Everyone Deserves to Learn said...

Awesome freebies Heather! I have some firsties this year that I know will need a lot of help with decoding. Much love!

-Maria
Everyone deServes to Learn

Mrs. Griffith said...

Glad you have enjoyed your summer! We went to Cayman for a week also, I'm ready to go back there...not to work haha!

Lindsay
For the Love of First Grade

Saddle Up For 2nd Grade said...

This is awesome! I teach 2nd and sometimes dread TPRI. This skill isn't on our test but sometimes I feel it should be. I went to your store to check it out and noticed it said you live in Nacogdoches. My husband and I just moved to Mt. Enterprise about 3 weeks ago! I'm only 20 minutes from you!

Marcy
Saddle Up For 2nd Grade

Miss Cosby said...

We do 3x year assessments here in IN, too. One is about phoneme segmentation. So we say the word and they have to segment it. "I'm going to say a word and I want you to tell me the sounds you hear in that word. So if I say cup you'll say /c//u//p/." They usually start off well but by the end of their minute they're saying things like /d//esk/. Cute ideas.

Brenda
You Might Be a First Grader….

Anais said...

These are great! Thanks for giving them as a freebie. I know it must have taken you a long time to make.

The Daily Alphabet said...

Stretchy snake and stretchy sounds seems like they might be just what I need!!

Angela
The Daily Alphabet

Carolyn Kisloski said...

Heather, I have missed your posts. I, too, have enjoyed spending time with PJ this summer! :)
I love your freebies and Stretchy Snake unit! I just bought mini slinkys for my class in the party favor aisle for stretching, too- Stretchy's friend Slinky?- whatever?!
Loved your post!
Carolyn
Kindergarten: Holding Hands and Sticking Together

Chrissy said...

I used your Rhyming Words activity last year, with great success!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts throughout this school year!
Chrissy ReadWriteSing

Angela Nouryeh said...

Thanks so much for sharing your talent again!!! These are awesome!
Angela <3

Mrs. T. Brown, REE said...

I love these freebies--there are so many different activities in each one! Thanks so much!
Terri

Nancy VandenBerge said...

Missed you!! Love your stuff!!! You always make me smile!
HUGS!
Nancy
firstgradewow.blogspot.com

Mrs. Landry said...

Thanks so much for these awesome freebies! They are definitely perfect for the beginning of the year! I am already dreading the BOY TPRI. It takes soooo long. And yet I'm anxious to get it done along with DIBELS (we use that too) so I can group my students and get started. Then I have to level them. Ugh. All worth it though. :)
Shibahn
Mrs. Landry's Land of Learning

Autismabc123 said...

Thanks for taking the time to make this much needed unit. That section of TPRI is hard for most kids, especially my AU kiddos. Thanks for having it on sale. I know it will be an asset to my reading instruction.

Unknown said...

I am so excited to purchase your stretchy sounds pack! It's in my cart now and will be perfect for the beginning of the year!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for the freebies! I love them and can't wait to use them!

Olwyn Hughes said...

Oh my goodness, Heather! I had a little one last year that did the /c/ /a/ /t/ = monkey, fish, house etc ALL last year!!!! So your post hit home bigtime! Glad to get a post from you. I miss you when you don't post!

Olwyn

The Rungs of Reading said...

I was so excited to see your freebies! Must have for my kindergarten RTI intervention groups! Thank you for sharing and a second thank you for visiting our blog!! You have a new follower!

Colleen and Stacy

The Rungs of Reading

Unknown said...

Oh this makes me giggle beacuse those firsties are always saying things like that. Or when they try to sound out the word THE, ha! So cute!

Thanks for sharing those freebies, will defintiely use them! Will hop to your store next.

Thanks for stopping by my blog! Will defintiely be back here!

GlueSticks&Crayons

Tari said...

Heather....If I didn't know better, I'd think you were spying in my classroom! I'm in Florida and we do a similar test 3 times a year as well. I get the same type of answers and have the same reaction! Sometimes it's so bad, I have to run over to the teacher in the adjointed room and tell her!!!!!!! Thank you for another wonderful freebie that I will be using the first couple of weeks as well!

Unknown said...

HEART!!!!
I love the Monster Snack Attack freebie you left for us. I can't wait to use some of them with my little kinder muffins, who will really enjoy the colorful activities.
Thanks so much for sharing!!
Lynn from MI

W said...

Yay! I am your newest follower. Thank you so much for your freebies, and the stretchy snake activities look awesome. Your blog title cracked me up, and it is soooo true! Sometimes, I think...really?? I think, did I say it wrong? haha...funny kiddos

Wallis
First Grade Wolves

LovingFirstGrade said...

Can't wait to use both of these at the beginning of the year. I appreciate you sharing them!! Love your blog and all of your behavior thoughts. They always seem to be posted at a great time for me personally. Have a great year!

Becky said...

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your talent and generosity.

Olwyn Hughes said...

Hey Heather! I just thought I'd let you know that I was singing your praises in a blog post tonight. I am missing your posts these days. Hope life is treating you well!

Olwyn
Teaching in Turtlepond

Sara Dickey said...

Heather,
I love the snack attack. I used it this summer with my summer school kiddos. Could you tell me the name of the font you used in the title "Monster Snack Attack"?

Thanks a bunch,
Sara Dickey
saradotdickeyathotmaildotcom

Erin said...

I just stumbled on your site! I love this monster freebie. It fits my theme next year and the kids will love this!! Thanks