Busy Bees

Oh MY!  How does time seem to go so fast once school begins.  I always say that I am going to have time to post more, but it just seems my sweet kindergarten friends just take all my time.  So glad I love all these times!

I had wanted to share my classroom at the beginning of the year with all of you, so here goes a little. We have been such "Busy Bees" since the year began.

We just finished our Insect and Bee unit!  I just LOVE when my students are excited about learning!!!

They loved learning about these.

 

 

These are our circle maps about each student.  We interview one student a day and created the circle map.

Check out these 2 units.  They are great for all subject areas in your classroom!

 

Letters - Guided Mini Lesson 5 Day Unit

This is such a great way to introduce and  review what letters are and what they can do.  This is a 5 day mini unit!

I hope this will be beneficial for you!!

 

When To Use Uppercase Letters - Mini Lessons

This has been a busy summer.  I have finalized another ELA mini lesson unit. For me, it is so hard to get a unit ready to publish for all of you during the school year. I have to get all my direction finalized to make it easy for you.  I have so many I have been trying to finalize and get out to all of my fellow teachers before they year begins.  I need more time, but I am so excited about school getting started again and getting to meet all my new kindergarten friends.

I hope this unit will be helpful for you!!

ELA Mini Lesson Units

I have been working so hard on getting some ELA mini lesson units finalized.  My grade level and I used them this year.  I finally had some time (summer) to get them in a helpful format for other teachers.  I have had teachers from kindergarten, first grade and second grade use these and they have all felt like they were very beneficial.    These really help my grade level before our standardized testing this spring.  I have place them all on my TPT store.  I have a couple more I am still working on.  I will get them added ASAP!!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beccas-Kindergarten-Creation

Please go to my store and check these out.  I am still working on some more units, but I will need to test them out when next year gets started before I can share them with you!!

 

The Ocean - A 2 Week Fun Filled Unit

   WOW!!  I am so excited to be getting this unit out to everyone.  I have been working on it for a couple of years.  Since my grade level does this unit at the end of the year, things just get so busy at that time of the year, I never seem to get the unit finalized! I los do not share any unit unless I have used the activities in my classroom.
  There are so many literacy, math and science activities to use. 
I hope you will consider this unit if you are looking to add to or begin a new unit on The Ocean.  All of the activities are listed on my TPT Store! 
There are 2 weeks worth of activities in this 230 page unit!!
I have also put the writing template for the computer on my store for free because it will make this activity so much easier!  So go get that one also!!

Here is a link to this unit

 

Here is my Free Writing using technology template.

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ocean-Template-For-the-Computer-2613824

Chicks & Ducklings

We are so excited about our new chicks.  We have had two join us over the weekend!!  They are so cute!!  Take a look.

                       Oviparous Unit
We have spent our last two weeks learning all about hatching chicks and ducks!  What an exciting unit.  My kindergarten friends have learned so much.

This unit can be found on my TPT Store at:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animals-That-Are-Oviparous-655941

My Special Day -Teacher of the Year

Last Wednesday I had a special day that I have been just so excited about that I have not been able to share it with you yet.  It is so hard to see yourself in any way to be worthy of such a wonderful honor. I was named our Teacher of the Year at my wonderful school.  I just thought I would share my email I sent to my fellow teachers and staff.

 

  It is hard to express in words how honored I am to have been chosen Teacher of The Year here at TCES!  What an honor it is to teach among the most wonderful teachers and staff anywhere!!  I am truly blessed!

   I love teaching!  I love being here at TCES with all of you!!

Since words have escaped me, I have attached one of my favorite little poems.  It should be named: All I Really Needed To Know I Learned In Elementary School!

  I am always in hopes that my fellow teachers feel this same way about this calling that we have all answered in the field of teaching. 
   My sweet friends added this sweet picture to Facebook.

 

 

 

 

Snow Day

     Well, here in the south any form of frozen precipitation can be considered a need for a snow day, we always choose on the side of safety.   I sure did miss my students on Friday!  We moved quickly through our day on Thursday (the 100^th Day) and tried to squeeze in all of my guided reading groups, just in case we were not in school on Friday!

 

  Well... we did not get much snow, just ice.  So I got a chance to spend a little time on a few units I had been trying to find time to get out to meet the needs of my fellow teachers!  I find it so difficult to squeeze this in during the school year! 

   I do often wonder after 27 1/2 years of teaching why my prep time seems to grow each year.  I have finally come to the conclusion that the more knowledge I have, the more opportunities and methods I can try with my kindergarten friends to make them the best they can be!!

I have added my:

5 Senses Unit

    

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/5-Senses-Common-Core-Literacy-Science-Health-and-Math-2345009 

 

Rhyming with Nursery Rhymes Unit

 

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rhyming-Through-Nursery-Rhymes-2344923 

Splash Day Unit

 

 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Splash-Day-Fun-Filled-Wet-Celebration-2345044 

 

  Please take a look at my new units, I hope they can help make your job a little easier!   We have very demanding jobs.  (Thank goodness it is also the most rewarding and enjoyable job out there!!)  I believe the only way we can help each other is sharing what works for us to help make all of our jobs a little easier!

 

 

 

 

Subitizing

   Subitizing is such a BIG word for my kindergarten friends, or I use to think so.  I am amazed every day by their ability to learn new vocabulary and concepts.  They use the word subitizing or will say "I just know it"!  Makes me so proud of them.
  
   Subitizing - "the ability to instantly see how many"

  We have worked on this all year (from 5 frames to subtraction now) and the more we move along the better at subitizing all of my friends have become.  I really began to see this during our addition unit and now even more during our subtraction unit!
    I am a firm believer that we as teachers MUST begin with all of the basic "building blocks" before we move into the more advanced concepts.  Five frames are a great place to begin!! 
We had such a wonderful time with a little subtraction "snowball fight" last week.  I was able to see how well my friends can subitize.

    (My sweet assistant got to get involved for one of our rounds!  The children  LOVED this!)
   I will be adding my subtraction unit soon on TPT.  As usual, I have to "try out" all of my activities before I complete a unit.  I have been refining this unit for 2 years now I am coming to an end with it.  I hate to give you activities that have not been tried out.  :) It will be a great unit!
Have a great week!
Please hop on over and join my new Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/beccaskindergartencreations/ 

and I have a new Instagram 
@Beccaskindergartencreations

Winter Fun

We are having such a great time with our winter unit!  I just love seeing my kindergarten friends eyes light up as we talk about all the signs of winter.  From making snow putty, to writing how to make a snowman to subtracting.  We are also getting our igloo started tomorrow!  Fun times!  

Here is my fun filled unit!