Writing Journal Prompts for First Grade!

 


I just finished my "Writing Journal Prompts for First Grade."  If you saw my set of prompts for kindergarten and wanted a set for first, they are finally done!  

Just like my kindergarten prompts, these prompts include 6 on each page.  That way you don't have to make very many copies for the whole class.  Students can glue the prompt at the top of the page in their composition or draw & write notebooks.  

This set also includes 5 editable prompts so you can make some of your own!  A cover sheet is also included.  

As always, this new item is on sale for 3 days after posting.  It is 50% off through midnight CST on Wednesday, July 3rd.  Click on the pictures above or HERE to take a look.  

Writing Journal Prompts for Kindergarten

I am so excited about this new product!  It has 92 pages of writing journal prompts in the same format as my math prompts.  Five of the pages are editable so you can write extra prompts if you need them.  AND, the best part is, they cover ALL of the Common Core Standards for language arts in kindergarten!  

These writing prompts can be used the same way you use the math prompts.  Students can use composition notebooks or draw & write journals.  With 6 prompts on a page, you'll only need to make a few copies for the whole class!  

AND, as always, you'll find it 50% off for the first 3 days after posting (thru midnight on Saturday, June 29th).  CLICK HERE to take a look!   

Writing Projects for Fall - - They're Editable!

 Whew!  Finally, after a couple of days of searching through blog posts, downloading free software possibilities, choosing one and figuring out how to use it, I have FINALLY created my first editable resource!  

My "Writing Projects for Fall" set includes 3 writing templates with 22 pages each.  The graphics center around 3 fall themes:  leaves (which could be used for anything fall-related), pumpkins, and apples.  While the adorable frames and graphics are already set, YOU get to edit the title, author, text on each page, references, notes, and page numbers (in case you need more pages and/or want to rearrange them).  

  

I have tried to make these writing "projects" as versatile as possible.  Therefore, you could use them in several ways.  They could be used to create a final draft for student writing/illustrating.  Or, you could use them the same way I do by creating group reports.       

Before writing this, I looked high and low for pictures of the group research reports we completed this year.  I found ONE picture, serving as a reminder that I do not take enough pictures!  So, I suppose one picture and a description will have to do!

Class notes on three books for our "All About Rabbits" group report

In the spring, we read 3 books (on different days) about rabbits and took notes, creating the poster above.  While reading, we answered CCSS-related questions, such as how the illustrations relate to the text, how one book differed from the others, etc.  We covered several science standards (e.g., those related to habitats, animal needs, and animal groups) while also completing many language arts standards.  Then, we worked as a group to retype our notes, creating a book which the class illustrated.   I laminated it and sent it home with each child as homework (I must admit that our "Penguin" book didn't make the rounds until April and the last book didn't make it back at all!).  The books not only worked well to reinforce what the class was learning, but they also made a great home-school connection.  

So, click on the title page picture at the top or HERE to take a look at my first editable product.

Introducing: Chinese Characters Workbook 2

It's FINALLY finished!  I just completed and uploaded "Chinese Characters:  Workbook 2 (Mandarin, simplified)"!   Did you ever have one of those projects that just took waaaay longer than expected?  That's exactly how this one went.  I kept adding things and changing things, plus summer started so our schedule change interfered, then we went on vacation . . . But, the good news is that it's done!  

This packet covers more than 21 different words.  There are 6 different kinds of practice materials:  cut-and-glue sentences, cut-and-glue read/match/trace pages, character tracing pages, a matching game, color by character pages, and 5 beginning readers!  That's 67 pages of fun, as-hands-on-as-possible practice!  

And remember, my new products are always 50% off for AT LEAST the first 3 days after posting!  So, this one is on sale now!  

Cut-and-Glue Sentences--In Mandarin!

As you may know, some of the most popular items in my store are my sets of Cut-and-Glue Sight Word Sentences.  (Download a FREE kindergarten set HERE.)  So, I decided to use the same concept in Mandarin!  These not only help my little ones with fine motor skills, but also with character recognition, word order, and reading!  

My own children are learning Mandarin.  They go to classes at Language Stars twice a week.  While the teachers are doing a great job focusing on listening and speaking, they do not teach much character recognition and writing at the preschool level.  I quickly realized that my children will need to at least read Mandarin if they are to get anywhere in their study of the language.  We know that in English, children learn new vocabulary by reading and by having books read to them.  The same applies in Mandarin.  So, we started working on reading and writing at home a little every night using my materials and other resources.   

I am seeing the most marvelous results!  Here is a short video example, read by my 4-year-old:

I have included pages of cut-and-glue sentences with my first Mandarin set.  The sentences repeat the vocabulary from each set, matching each of the themes.  Workbook 2 is currently "in progress" and I still need to add some sentences to my color words set.  You can take a look at Workbook 1 by clicking on the picture.  

As always, 

Thanks for reading!

Printing Posters!

I bet everyone out there knows how to do this already, but just in case you don't, I HAVE to let you in on my latest obsession:  printing posters!   I think my recent software update called this to my attention.  I now use posters for EVERYTHING!  I print them for school as we record science observations, I print them at home for Mandarin lessons--I have realized the list is endless!  

Anyway, here's one of the first posters I printed.  This is what the file looks like: 

 

This is the finished 2x2 poster!  My kids loved it! 

How to Print a Poster with Pages on a Mac

1.  Go to "File" and scroll down to "Print."  A new window will pop up.

2.  There is an option bar in the middle of the right hand column that says "Layout."

3.  Click on the word "Layout" and scroll down to "Printer Options."

4.  The last option in the right hand column is "Poster Printing."  It says "NO," but when you click on it, you can choose 2x2, 3x3, up to 5x5 printing.  

How cool is that?  

How to Print a Poster with Preview on a Mac

Follow the same steps above, except that the option bar in the middle of the right hand column says, "Preview."  The rest of the options are the same.  

How to Print a Poster with Word for Mac

1.  Click on "File" in the tool bar.  Scroll down and click on "Print."

2.  Click on "Copies and Pages" in the box that pops up.  

3.  Choose "Printer Options," then follow #4 above.  

Happy poster printing!  

Color Words in Mandarin

Working on Color Words in Chinese

I sit down with two of my children, ages 4 and 5, every night to work on Mandarin for at least 30 minutes.  They usually do a tracing page for one character, play a game using characters we have learned so far, and play another character game that I purchased.  Sometimes, I have them complete a color by character page or work on a beginning reading book.  We also sometimes read other beginning books that I purchased from Better Chinese (complete with a CD and pinyin).  You would not believe the difference 30 minutes makes!  

As a teacher, I realize that things such as reading to your child before bed, setting a routine for homework, and playing educational games are helpful.  But I really don't think I realized just HOW helpful a small investment of time can be until we started working on a foreign language.  I have seen such a difference!  

As a direct result of our "Chinese class" every evening, my son and daughter already know more than 50 characters!  Contrast that with the 4 or 5 they knew (and that's stretching it) before we started.  Although they do go to Language Stars, their classes emphasize speaking more than reading and writing (understandable).  

My son is becoming more interested and confident.  He hasn't complained about going to class lately.  He has finally agreed to help lead in the counting (in Mandarin) during calendar time at preschool.  AND, he can remember almost ALL of the characters we have covered!  Both he and my daughter can READ the simple books I created (edited by Grandma and Great Uncle, of course) for them to use.  What a difference devoting just 30 minutes can make!  

So, I have added the set pictured above, "Learning Chinese Characters:  Color Words," to both my Teachers Notebook shop and my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  You can take a look by clicking on the picture below:  

It covers 14 different characters which are practiced in 5 different ways:  tracing sheets, easy reader books, cut-and-paste pages, a matching game, and color by character sheets.  I know my kids are really learning with these, so I hope your students will like them, too!  Plus, they're half off (like all of my NEW products) until Thursday, May 17th!  

Also, this set comes with a full-color poster!  I think I'm about to go a little poster crazy because I just figured out how to print posters!  It has made the possibilities endless, both at school and at home!  Although I feel like everyone else in the world probably knows how to print posters already, if you need help, watch for a post later this week on how to print one.

As always, thanks for reading!