An Alphabet Guessing Game!

So as we're getting school underway and with that Common Core, we are beginning the first unit Alphabet Books and the Children Who Read Them. I like this unit at the beginning of the year as a review of kindergarten for those students who need it.
Every year I read one of my faves, Q is for Duck. Are you familiar with this story?

I always read it after I've read several traditional ABC books such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Annie Bea and Chi Chi Dolores and all those other great ones that there are now. I save Q is for Duck for last and the kids LOVE it! Most of the letters they can guess the answer but there are a few that usually stump them. Then, after we've heard the story and discussed it, I let the students come up with their own idea. I tell the students they can use an idea from the story or they can come up with an idea of their own. I make a big deal about how great it is to come up with your own idea. But I like that it's safe for those kids who aren't really sure or aren't confident and challenges those kids who can come up with their own ideas. My students this year really impressed me! They came up with some great ideas! You could make this into a class book or put it on the wall or bulletin board. We have open house next week so I put them up in the hall. Because of that and because it's the beginning of the year, I went ahead and typed out the correct sentence and let the students glue it on to their paper AFTER they had written the story the "best that they could." I just told them I did that so everyone could see exactly how it should look. They were all okay with that. They turned out great! Here is how it looks on the wall and a couple of great ideas!

Aren't these great?! I loved their creativity! Yay!

First Day Jitters Linky

I'm linking up with Ms. Jessica for her

So here's mine!

Head on over to Jessica's site and link up or leave a comment if you have some good advice for this mama! :)

Oh my!!! Best iPad trick ever!!!

I will start by apologizing for posting two times today, but I learned this trick in a workshop today!!!

Now, if you already know this, you should've told me this a long time ago!!! If you don't know this, you're going to love it!!!

Are there websites that you are constantly typing into your iPad or iPhone? I am constantly typing in my school's website address. Or always going to blogger to see if my favorite blogs have an updated post? Well, you can turn these sites into an App!!!

So, go to the site you want...like maybe this blog :)

Then, tap on the arrow with the circle around it and up comes this menu.

Select Add to Home Screen. Give it a name and it saves as a short cut, like an App on your iPad! Isn't that great?!?!

I hope you think this trick is as cool as I do! Please let me know if you do!!!

Oh my!!!!

Ok...I'm just testing this, but if this works, I'll post about it ASAP!!!

20 Years and a Silhouette?

Hi Peeps! Sorry it's been so long! I have been thinking about my blog, but I've had blog writer's block. It's so strange. You would think this time of year I would have so many things to say, but I think that may be the problem. I have so much going on and so much on my mind right now, that I can't get a hold on just one idea. So good luck reading this post. It might be a little scattered. Oh and my computer is weird. If you have a blog, you know that on the page where you write your new post you have a toolbar at the top. Well, my toolbar is there because if I mouse over something at the top, it comes up, but it's INVISIBLE. I'm not sure if it's blogger or my computer, but one of them doesn't like me. AND, I am putting spaces between my paragraphs, but blogger is not. Soit'slikeallofmythoughtsarecrammedtogether!!!Itmakesmecrazy!!!! So, I went to my 20th high school reunion last weekend. I cannot believe it has been 20 years! It was the typical...we got there, saw people we knew which we love and that was great, then we stood awkwardly and just stared at other people. Most of which I recognized, but didn't really know them in high school, so I didn't know what to say now. I just have to say, for the most part, for us it was the guys who didn't look so great. {smile} As far as school goes, I'm almost ready. I think. Or not. I'm not sure. Well, my room's almost ready. I don't have any plans ready or anything. I will post some pictures as I get finished. I must say, this year is the best my classroom has EVER looked and I have to thank all of you creative people out there because there's no way I would've thought of doing most of this stuff myself. The crate seats, painting my file cabinet, all the cute labels... I'm embarrassed that I used to think I could just make a notebook and hand write the name on the label and slap it on (the horror!) So my latest thought is...should I buy a silhouette cameo? I've decided that's the one I want because I don't want to deal with the cartridges that are required with a cricut. It's a lot of money and I can't decide if I'd get the use out of it. But, since my room is cute now, it's going to have to stay that way. What's a girl to do? What do you think? Do you have one or something similar? PS Head on over to Kelly's blog to enter a great giveaway. Or don't. Just read her funny stories. Don't enter. I want to win the TPT gift card, so forget I said anything.


thefirstgradegairytales.blogspot.com