POW + TIDE Writing

Hi All,

One of the hardest things to teach my kindergarten students, undoubtedly, is writing.  It's just a hard concept to teach. It's especially hard for the littles that can't write their names…. geeeeeesh!  But, I do agree that to get your kids writing, you have to start early and practice it often!!

I was introduced to the POW+Tide model this summer at a Common Core training that I attended in here in Tennessee.  Although it is NOT the only way to teach your students to write, it's a viable resource for writing.  It was taken from SRSD which was developed by Karen Harris.  POW is a simple acronym….  P- Pick an idea (pull apart the prompt and pre-write), O- Organize your thoughts (use the TIDE graphic organizer), and W- Write (and say more).  The TIDE acronym is used for the  expository genre of writing... T- Topic sentence, ID- Important Details, and E- Ending.  After attending the conference I searched on the web to find something more that I could use with my students.  Well, guess what? There wasn't anything much at all!!!

Sooooooo, I went straight to work on a TPT packet!  I am so excited to offer this packet that contains 10 printable POW+Tide posters that you can post in your writing center or import into flipcharts to use on an active board!  It also contains 10 friendly graphic organizers that your students can use, student  bookmarks, a student checklist, and a 36x48 inch printable poster.

Contacting Parents Via Texting!

Need to let parents know about an upcoming PTA meeting? School pictures? Need to remind parents about an upcoming field trip?? 

This is a great way to keep in touch with your parents and/or students via texting during the school year! The best part is that this site does not give out your personal information (cell phone number) to parents and/or students…. it gives a "dummy" number instead. Check it out!!! 

Day 100 Scrapbox Paper Portraits

Hi All,

Even though our 100th Day of School has passed, I wanted to post a picture of a few of my kid's Day 100 portraits.  They used scrapbooking paper and construction paper scraps to make their picture.  They REALLY turned out cute!  I hung them with a sign underneath each one that says, "100 years later...... (student name).

Day 100 Scrapbox Paper Portraits

If you haven't celebrated your Day 100, please be sure to check out my Day 100 Party Pack with Kim Adsit.... it's on TPT!

The 100th Day of School Activities

Hi Friends,

Oh my goodness!  We had such an amazing day celebrating the "100th Day of School!"  We had activities and games going on all day long.... which made it extra fun for the kids.  First of all, the kids came dressed up as 100 years old.  Some children brought in a collection of 100 objects.  We made hats, necklaces, a Day 100 Snack, and a stamp book.  We also had a scavenger hunt and ate a cookie cake from the Great American Cookie Company!  The jumped for 100 seconds and walked 100 steps.  Needless to say, I was POOPED by the end of the day.  In fact, I'm soaking my feet right now!  LOL

Below are pictures of activities that we did throughout the day.  I hope you get some great ideas to use in your own classroom!


I decorated my door - My kids dressed up as 100 year olds - My team wore matching T-shirts!
 

We made hats!

We wrote numbers to 100!

We had a Scavenger Hunt!

My sweet Room Mothers are ready to help make Fruit Loop necklaces!

Day 100 was AWESOME!!!!!



Thanksgiving Math Activities

We made some super cute turkeys for Thanksgiving!  I incorporated these activities during Math Work Stations/Centers and the kids loved them. 


Pattern Block Turkeys...

 

The kids used pattern blocks pieces (cut from construction paper) to make a turkey.  Each and everyone turned out totally different and unique.  The kids made these by gluing the pattern block pieces in a circular or snowflake type shape.  Then the kids glued on a turkey neck, beak, waddle, eyes, and feet.  However, once their picture was complete, the kids had to go back and count how many of each shape was used on their turkey (how many hexagons, triangles, squares, diamonds, etc.....).  This is a wonderful way to reinforce counting, number recognition, and numeral writing.

 

 

 Turkey Feathers Number Combinations...

 

The kids had to use two different colors of feathers (red and yellow) to make a total of eight.  I made a cute little rhyming recording sheet.  Click on this link for the poem.

 

 

Pattern Indian Vests and Headbands...

 

 

We used pattern block pieces to make Indian vests and headbands.  The vests are made from paper grocery sacks.  The headbands were made with strips of brown construction paper (3 x 18 inch strips).

Indian Necklaces....

These were made with Rigatoni noodles that were dyed with food coloring.  The kids strung noodles in a pattern to make the necklace.

Needless to say, there were patterns ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!!!

SDE Tennessee Kindergarten Conference

I had a wonderful time presenting at the Tennessee Kindergarten Conference in Nashville back in November.  It was my first presentation for SDE in about 11 years.... Wow!  How time flies!!!  I presented four different workshops for teachers:  Science and Social Studies Non-Fiction Discovery, Outrageous and Contagious Common Core Language Arts, CCSS Math Fun: Super Cool Math Centers & More, and Step Up Your Teaching with Guided Reading.

I got to see my long time friend Kim Adsit of KinderGals.  Kim and I started presenting workshops years ago together. It was great seeing her.  I also spoke with Deanna Jump... she told me that she remembered Kim and I presenting together when I was pregnant!!!  LOL

 

 

 

Halloween - Miss Nelson is Missing Wanted Posters

I've been meaning to post a couple of pictures of things that my Kindergarteners did at school.  It's a little late for Halloween... but this idea is for the next time you read "Miss Nelson is Missing."  I read the story to my class and hid the book.  I told them that Miss Viola Swamp is STILL ON THE LOOSE! 
We discussed ways that we could try and catch her.... of course the best way to catch someone, when you're wanting your kids to write, is to make WANTED posters.  Soooooo.... that's what we did!  These turned out super cute....  we incorporated Math (patterns) into the Wanted posters too (see the edges).  The kids drew a picture of Viola Swamp....most are hysterical!  hee hee!  Then they wrote sentences to describe what she looked like.