Loving Literacy Blog Hop Stop #16

Welcome to...

We hope you are enjoying the Loving Literacy Blog Hop! We are so excited to join this wonderful group of reading specialists, coaches, and teacher bloggers to share our love of literacy with you.

Stacy:  I was the type of kid that always had my nose in a book.  Every summer we would travel to the 1000 Islands and stay in a cottage on the river.  All of my cousins swam and played games while I sat in the hot cottage reading the latest Sweet Valley High book or my dog-eared copy of Little House on the Prairie.  Interestingly, thirty years later (yikes) I still remember many of the story-lines.  

I work hard everyday to expose my students to a variety of genre, series, and authors so that they may develop a love of literacy like I did as a young girl.  This is not always an easy task as their feelings towards reading can sometimes be clouded because of their struggles.  I often have parents asking me for help in finding a book that will capture their child's heart.  Luckily, I found a fabulous used bookstore that sells hundreds of children's books for under a dollar.  When one of my little friends revealed that she thought she might like Jigsaw Jones, I literally bought the entire series for her.  Thankfully, the series captured her attention but I am hoping to expand to other books and series with her soon.

Colleen:  My mom was always a reader... I remember long 4 hour car rides to and from our lake house in the Adirondacks of upstate NY or ferry rides to the beaches of Martha's Vineyard where she was always reading. I think her encouragement and model really inspired my love for literacy as well. It wasn't long before I was following right in her footsteps with series of books I just couldn't put down. I distinctly remember love love loving The Boxcar Children mysteries and Misty of Chincoteague as a kid. As I grew older I fell in love with Jodi Picoult and Karen Kingsbury books. There's just something about holding the pages of a captivating story in your hands vs flipping the pages of an ipad or kindle... just sayin'. I also simply love a good children's book rich with vivid words,  colorful illustrations and a central message. 

As a first year, second grade teacher, I have loved teaching literacy to my students. I knew it would be an area of importance for any classroom teacher to have when I decided to get my masters in Reading and Literacy and it has benefited me greatly. It's so encouraging to see my students finding books and series they are so enthralled by that they just can't put down. We spend 10 minutes after lunch each day silently reading our Just Right Books and when that timer goes off, my students really struggle to put the bookmark in and close the book. Despite the fact that it takes me longer to gather their attention, I actually think that's a positive thing! :) My students are currently loving both Harry Potter and Percy Jackson andddd... fun fact: the first Harry Potter came out when I myself was in 2nd grade!

Now that we are getting closer to Valentine's Day, we wanted to share one of our favorite books by mother-daughter team Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton (yes....THE Julie Andrews).  

Let your inner SPARKLE out is Geraldine's mantra in the treasured children's book, The Very Fairy Princess Follows Her Heart.  We love how the authors capture how to celebrate a friend's special qualities in this heartwarming tale.  This book shares how love and imagination can go a long way towards solving problems, even on Valentine's Day.  Our FREEBIE bundle includes two Reading Response letters (boy or girl) and a fun comprehension game that aligns with standards:

RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. 

RL. 2.1 Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

We hope you enjoy celebrating friendship and kindness using the book The Very Fairy Princess Follows Her Heart!  Get ready to fly on over to the next stop on the Loving Literacy Blog Hop!

Five for Friday and Big Birthday SALE!

Happy Friday, everyone!  We hope you had a great week!  I LOVE this time of year!  Settling into the school routine, still feeling that back to school energy and starting to notice the bright colored leaves make this girl very happy!  Plus, it's my "birthday weekend" so I am planning to celebrate and have some fun with my family!  Being the only girl in the house has its positives!
I'm excited to be joining Doodle Bugs Teaching again for her weekly Five for Friday linky party.  I love reading these linked up posts every week because they highlight school ideas as well as everyday life!

I had a great start to the week.  On Sunday my family had a chance to go apple picking.  The apples are AMAZING this year!!  Logan couldn't wait  to take a bite right away!  Delicious!  I'm going to try to squeeze-in time to make one of my favorite fall desserts, Apple Dumplings!  I love Trisha Yearwood's recipe from the Food Network.  It's super easy to make and delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!  I'm drooling just thinking about it! 















I was able to find some colorful baskets at the Dollar Store (SCORE) to finish organizing my books in the Reading Room.  I am very fortunate to have an eclectic assortment of titles to meet my student's needs and interests.  When I started the position four years ago, I decided to organize the books by guided reading level.  This makes it easy for me and my colleagues to quickly find appropriately leveled books for students.  Since every minute is precious during the school day, I think it's critical that I always provide my struggling readers with books they are able to read with success.  However, I also try to promote motivation by giving them choice in what they read.  Now that the books are arranged by level, I can offer them several baskets to choose from and still ensure their success.  How do you arrange your classroom library?  Leveled?  Genres?  Authors?

 

A second project that I was able to finish was a Story Retell poster based on a blog post from The First Grade Parade.   Cara explains how she uses sticky notes to record her student's thoughts while they retell a book.  This makes it nice to be able to reuse the poster again and again.  I made a mini-version of her anchor charts and put on a ring for my Reading Tutors to use during small groups.  These would also work great for students to use after "Read to Self" activities.  If you visit Cara's blog, all the resources are available as a free download.

 

In time for the start of football season, our new produce "Punted, Tackled, and Blocked" reinforces the three sounds of suffix-ed.  The bundle includes 3 different games and a week of reinforcing student activities.  I can't wait to put this together for my kiddos!  GO PATS!!





Finally, to celebrate my birthday, everything in our TpT store is 20% off this Friday and Saturday!  LET'S PARTY!

We hope you have a fun-filled weekend, friends!!  Talk again soon!

 

Birthday Bash Giveaway and Brand New Products!

Happy Tuesday, everyone!  We are super excited to help Michaela from The Center Based Classroom celebrate her birthday by donating one of our favorite products, Sweet Tooth Crush, to her Birthday Bash Giveaway!  Over 30 Tpt sellers have donated products worth over $100.00!  There are some awesome products in the bundle that you won't want to miss!!  Click her Birthday Bash image below to enter this fantastic giveaway!  You can enter to win until Thursday, September, 5th!!

Speaking of birthdays, Nikki from Melonheadz Illustrations celebrated her birthday by offering 20% off in all her stores this past Saturday.  We were thrilled to take advantage of the sale to build up our Melonheadz clipart library.  In fact, we fessed up and posted Nikki's "I'm an Official Melonheadz Hoarder" button when we realized how big our inventory is getting!  Anyway, we were so inspired by her super cute graphics that we were able to finish two new products this weekend!
Sliding Into Home Plate not only celebrates the end of baseball season but also focuses on beginning and ending consonant blends for Grade 1 and Grade 2.  This 36 page bundle includes 136 word cards, 48 task cards, I Have-Who Has Game, Card Game, Roll the Die Game, and WEEK of reinforcing activities.  Your students will love running the bases as they practice reading words that contain beginning and/or ending blends! 

Let's Go to the Hop brought back fond childhood memories of watching John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in my all-time favorite movie, GREASE!  All of our Kindergarten and First Grade friends will love this bundle for practicing cvc (consonant-vowel-consonant) words.  The bundle includes 72 word cards, Board Game, Hula Hoop and SCOOT Spelling, I Have-Who Has Game, and WEEK of reinforcing student activities.  I can't wait to put this bundle together!  Super cute!

We hope that you all have a fantastic rest of your week.  Be sure to check back with us later this week as Colleen links up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to share her Five for Friday!!

First Day Jitters, Monday Blues, but a Light at the End of the Tunnel!

Wow!  What a Monday!  After spending a restless night tossing and turning, I (Stacy) headed back to school today for my first teacher workday.  I have to admit, I didn't accomplish close to what I set out to do!  Instead, I spent time catching up with my colleagues and sharing summer stories.  I love the way that everyone is energized and refreshed after coming back from summer vacation.  It's contagious!  I'm hopeful that when students start back on Wednesday they will also feel the energy that I did today!  I'm also super excited about some new initiatives that will be starting in my building.  I will definitely share more about them in future posts.

All in all, my day was awesome until I got a text message from Colleen stating that someone just rear-ended her car then took off on her.  Ugh!  I feel so BAD!!  The poor girl has a classroom to work on, beginner teacher training starting tomorrow, and now has to start physical therapy because her back is messed up!  And what kind-of person drives off after hitting someone so badly that the neighbors come out of their house because of the loud crash?  Just terrible!

In Colleen's words, the day "turned the corner" when our Slant Box was waiting on my doorstep when I got home!  Thank you, Terry!  It couldn't have come at a better time!!

Terry from First At Bat was such a good sport about having both of us for the Slant Box Exchange.  We know it was a challenge and we really appreciate the thought you put into our fantastic package!!  Terry started off by writing each of us a beautiful letter.

Knowing about our love of literacy, Terry included a handmade magnet with the most beautiful and inspirational quote.  I definitely am going to post in my classroom!  Thank you, Terry!!

 

Love of reading and writing is not taught, it is created.

Love of reading and writing is not required, it is inspired.

Love of reading and writing is not demanded, it is exemplified.

Love of reading and writing is not exacted, it is quickened.

Love of reading and writing is not solicited, it is activated.

-Russell Stauffer

But Terry didn't stop there!  Wait to you see what was in our box!!

We love, love, LOVE everything that she included!  Gigantic erasers, anti-bacterial soap, writing notebooks, stickers, and student award coupons!  And for some of those crazy teaching days...an Angel of Peace and Morning Devotions book to keep us grounded.  Finally, The Best Place to Read book for me, a cute stuffed pig for Colleen (her favorite) and a colorful alligator to remember our new Florida friend made the box complete!  THANK YOU, TERRY!!

If you want to join in the fun, check out Lesson With Coffee's Slant Box Exchange below!  The September sign-up will be posted until September 3rd.

 

Before we say goodbye, we wanted to share one of our newest products that I can't wait for my students to play.  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz reinforces r-controlled vowel sounds and includes THREE games and WEEK of reinforcing activities.  The bundle addresses the following Grade 1-3 Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3, 2.3, and 3.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.



 We hope that everyone has an awesome week!  Please keep Colleen in your thoughts as she mends an awfully sore back and starts her beginner teacher's training this week!! 







Slant Box Mail-Off, HUGE Back to School Sale, and New Products!!

Hello Friends!  We hope that everyone is enjoying the last few days of summer!  Up here in the Northeast, the air is definitely starting to change with cooler nights.  Makes for good sleeping weather, though!  Colleen and I are starting to gear up for the start of school!  I had a chance to peek in at her classroom yesterday.  It is looking magnificent with all the cool Melonheadz inspirational posters and quotes.  Her students are blessed to have such a positive teacher next year!!  Stay tuned for her "after" classroom picture that will be posted soon.  It will knock your socks off!

Speaking of positive teachers, we met two FABULOUS ones through the Slant Box Exchange this month!!  Thank you to Terry from First At Bat and Anisa from Creative Undertakings for opening their classroom to us through an exchange of email, Facebook posts, and blog comments.  We are happy to have two new friends to share ideas and inspiration with!  Here is a picture of Anisa's slant box...SIGNED, SEALED, and ready to be DELIVERED to Texas!  Anisa, we hope you enjoy some "Favorite Things"!

If you would like to participate in Lessons With Coffee's Slant Box Exchange next month, Jameson will be posting September's theme soon!  DO IT!!

Now, for the BIG NEWS!  Who doesn't love a sale?  A HUGE SALE?  A GIGANTIC SALE?  Well, GET READY because Teachers Pay Teachers is having their Back to School Sale starting tomorrow, Sunday August 18th and running through Monday, August 19th.  We have joined thousands of educators by slashing our prices to give you some great deals!  Yes, you heard right!  Everything in our TpT store is 20% off starting Sunday!  And get this!  Because TpT is so incredibly awesome to teachers, they are offering an additional saving with Code BTS13 which equates to 28% off!  We can't wait to fill our carts tonight with some of the FABULOUS products created by teachers for teachers. 

 

Finally, speaking of some FABULOUS products, I am in love with two new bundles I uploaded last night.  Sweet Tooth Crush was inspired by my addiction love of Candy Crush Saga.  The hours time I have spent playing this game is unreal.  I really do need to get a life!  LOL!  Anyway, after Logan came home from camp to share he saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory that day, I knew I had to incorporate Willy Wonka and his pals into my design.  Love the Melonheadz!  Grandpa Joe kills me! 

Sweet Tooth Crush focuses on the digraph sounds of ch, ck, sh, th, and wh. The package includes THREE games and WEEK of reinforcing activities!  The bundle aligns to the following Grade 1 and Grade 2 CCSS standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3a Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3b Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

 

 

And for our second new product....meet MR. AND MRS. FIX-UP!  Colleen's idea to incorporate them into our Which Tool Will You Use? fix-up strategy bundle was brilliant!!  I can't wait to introduce my students to the Beanie Baby Decoding Strategies in this product.  The visuals are adorable and will be easy for them to remember and use when they get stuck on a word.  If you are not familiar with the beanie baby decoding strategies, you can find more information here.

 

The bundle aligns to the following Grade 1 and Grade 2 CCSS standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4c and CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4c  Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.  

 

We hope you enjoy our new products!  Grab them until MONDAY at a 28% off saving!!  Don't forget to use the coupon code BTS13.  Have a FABULOUS weekend!!

Last Days of Summer...August Currently & Deanna Jump's Chit Chat Morning Messages

We are celebrating the last few weeks of summer vacation by joining Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for her monthly CURRENTLY linky party.  What a great way to meet new teachers and find fabulous blogs!  This month you will get to hear what Stacy is currently feeling as the summer comes to a close.

 

 listening:  the hum of my air conditioner reminds me that summer in the Northeast is quickly coming to its finale.  Which also reminds me that I have this to look forward to:

 

Though he is awfully cute (if I do say so myself), the snow is something I can't get used to even after living here for over 10 years.

loving:  YEAH...Logan is finished with day camp tomorrow.  Yes, he will be sad not to see his amigos AND I certainly was able to get a TON of work done these last two weeks but I am so happy to spend some mommy/son time before heading back to work.  We also are leaving for our final camping trip of the summer.  Four nights in a tent...lucky me :)

 thinking:  I really need to face reality and go here.....

 But where I usually end up is here:

wanting:  Everyone to love our new blog!  Colleen and I are super duper excited to meet new teachers and share ideas!

 

 needing:  I desperately need a new teacher's bag.  Mine is shameful, embarrassing, and belongs in a garbage can.  I love the quality of Lands End but maybe I should get something a little flashier.  Suggestions?

 

B2s must haves:  A close friend introduced me to Tervis Tumblers this summer.  Genius!!  After visiting her down in Florida, I found a RED SOX Tervis.  Hello!!

My second must have is mandatory since I am not a coffee drinker...

 

AND FINALLY...drum roll please....to celebrate the last days of the summer we wanted to share a fabulous product on TpT by  Top Seller Deanna Jump.  The packet is the first in a series. The skills covered in this unit are beginning sounds, rhyming, phonemic awareness, syllables and CVC words. There are 35 message skeletons that focus on beginning skills. The messages are available in 3 formats: color, black and white and clipart images to create large charts if desired.  What a PERFECT resource for my Kindergarten and First Grade teacher friends.  Check it out!!

And for my Second Grade Friends, please download our FREEBIE "Mirror Mirror on the Wall".  It's a great game to reinforce y as long e and y as a suffix!