Character Day Showcase!

Hello, friends! Can you believe that we are already one week into October?! It seems that the month is flying by and I am hanging on by it's skirt tail. :) One of my favorite parts of school in October was the opportunity for a Book Character Parade! It was always so adorable to watch the little ones walking around in their costumes. Some parents are so amazingly creative!

I have watched teachers use this day in many different ways. Some would dress their entire class up like characters in a story or a teacher would have cute costumes set up for students who did not come in costume. For the early elementary, there were little piggies and a wolf. There was Mother Goose and the characters of nursery rhymes. All were adorable and so proud to walk around in their costumes! In the upper elementary, some teachers would have the students research a historical figure and do a project about them. They would then dress up like their person and carry a sign that included their research about the person.

As I know that not every school does this character parade, I thought that I would create two sets that would be a showcase for either book characters or historical figures depending on the grade level. The showcase project would last for one week and I have included a parent letter, signs, worksheets, charts, a rubric as well as instructions to have a successful showcase!

Here is the Elementary Pack that would be perfect to integrate into a Halloween theme:

For the older grades, I have created a Historical Figure Showcase! The project reflects the first as it lasts for one week and contains the same basic framework but for an older audience. It also includes a rubric, charts, graphic organizers, and showcase ideas. 

These projects are a great way to excite students about reading and history. It also introduces students to new people or characters they had not previously known. Some of my favorite pics in my teacher scrapbook are the ones with students with colorful hair and cute costumes! ;) Have fun!

Freebie Friday~ Reading Log

Yesterday, I wrote about Reading Strategies! So, I thought I would offer a freebie that correlates with reading. Available is a cute reading log that you can use in correlation with student's reading homework or to reinforce the topic of opinions. It could also be used as a form to show which Accelerated Reader test the student is ready to take.

The process? Students read a book, list them on the form, and then mark if they liked it or not!

I hope it is something you can use in your classroom! Enjoy!

Also, today is the last day to sign up for the 100 follower GIVE-AWAY! Just click on the link for your chance to win some awesome prizes!

Reading Strategies

Hi, friends! Reading is a passion of mine. In fact, when I applied for my internship, I chose first grade because it is the year that students really learn to read! After my internship, I was so thankful to find first grade positions to work in. There is nothing better than having a front row seat to a student's reading growth! Even better, to watch a student's love for reading grow! That is magical to me!

 One thing that I found in teaching Reading is that it can best be learned by actually doing. This means that to learn to read, you must read! Simple, huh? Not really if the child doesn't want to read or has a difficult time reading. Just getting them to read period is an accomplishment.

So, I constantly found different ways to encourage or excite children about reading! One technique that I am sure many have heard about is D.E.A.R. reading.  This stands for Drop Everything And Read. At some point in the day, I would say, "Time for DEAR reading!" All of the students would drop what they were doing, grab a book, and head for an area in the room. I let them choose to go wherever they would like. This could be lying under a desk, in a corner, or at a table. The rule? READ!  I found that the students were excited about DEAR reading because they never knew when I would say it, and they felt they were "getting out of" their other work. ;) I also had a box of stuffed animals that were in the shapes of bugs that the students could choose. The kids loved to grab their "Reading Bug" to take with them!

Another reading method was Buddy Reading. I would say, "Time for Buddy Reading!" The students would grab a partner, grab a book, and read together. The rule? Read by taking turns, page by page. I did not do this everyday. It was usually about twice a week. I would sometimes assign the book. For instance, I would have them buddy read using their reading book for extra practice. To switch things up, I would also assign partners at times. I would keep in mind those students who were patient or natural teachers and partner them with struggling readers.

One thing I have never gotten over is the beauty on a child's face when they have successfully read an entire book. I have tried to pass on the same passion for reading to my girls and I never get tired of finding them sitting in a corner of the house buried in a book.  My favorite quote has long been, "Reading is the magic key, to take you where you want to be."  Read on, my friends!

Speaking about reading, if you haven't read about the MEGA-GIVEAWAY that is happening, you must check it out!  You won't want to miss out on your chance to win resources from over 25 TPT sellers! Click the link below to enter for your chance to win one of the five prize packs!

NEW K, 1st, 2nd, and 5th Grade Resources!

Busy beaver... that would be my nickname. So, weeks ago, I promised to complete the Common Core MEGAPACKS which include checklists, assessment records, and posters for all of the standards in a particular grade! I am pleased to announce that I have completed K, 1st, 2nd, and 5th! Each individual subject pack is also available! If you like what you see, click on the pictures to head to my Teachers Notebook site. If you would rather reach my TPT site, click on the link below each picture. I hope they are something you can use! I will let you know when 3rd and 4th grade packs are complete!

Find this item on my TPT store!

Find this item on my TPT store!

Find this item at my TPT store!

Find this on my TPT store!

Reading and Writing Freebie Friday!

It is Friday and how this week has flown by! I am so pleased with how our first week has been going here at Angels Academy. I will post about our week in a glance tomorrow. Today, I wanted to offer a freebie to both homeschool families as well as school teachers!

Reading is a passion of mine and one of the reasons I became a teacher to begin with! I wanted to make students as passionate about it as I am! So, I decided to create a writing and drawing worksheet that allows students to respond to a story. The first worksheet asks them to write about the characters and setting, summarize the main events, and express their favorite part of the story. The second worksheet asks them to draw their answers. This would allow a student from any reading level to respond to the text. I hope you can use it!

*UPDATE* An error was found in the original document! This has been corrected and the new document has been uploaded! Thanks so much!

You can find it here at my TPT store and here at my Teacher's Notebook store. 

You also won't want to miss checking out some of the other deals I have going on in my store. Posters, Common Core, printables, and more!

Reading is the magic key...

Reading is a love, a passion! I was the child who would stay up till the wee hours of the morning trying to finish her book with a flashlight or sometimes by the light coming through her window!! I have the glasses and poor vision to prove it! As my girls have grown, I have tried to pass this on to them as well, maybe not my obsession but at least a love. I would like them to be able to see when they get older!

Both of my girls are great readers, but I want to make sure they understand what they are reading! I want to know about their comprehension skills and not just fluency. This probably stems from my experience as a public school teacher. In the classroom, I often used assessment to ensure that my students were gaining ground in their reading abilities. As a homeschool parent now, I wanted a way to measure their growth and monitor their progress but I had to go looking for ways instead of the assessments being handed to me. Here are just a few tools that I use in our reading program to encourage and assess their reading! (Disclaimer: I have NOT been paid by any of the following programs. I am just simply noting personal experience.)

Book Adventure is an online program sponsored by Sylvan Learning. It works similar to Accelerated Reader in the public school system. My kids can look up books on the site that are in their grade level. They have so many popular choices. They then read their book and take a test to assess their comprehension. Good scores earn reward points! They can then use these points to receive a reward (from a list that I have chosen for them). I love the control that I have as a parent and my ability to track their reading. I can print out reports that will let me know what they have read, taken tests on, and earned. Love it!

Did you know that the Book It! Program is available to homeschoolers?! I was so excited to see this as it is a program that I used in my classroom. The kids LOVED earning their cetificates each month for a free Pizza Hut pizza. Now I can use this at home for an incentive! I have already ordered my pack and am eager to get our charts set up!

Lapbooks are another great way to assess comprehension of a book or series. The picture above links to Homeschool Share which has many great lapbook templates for free. Basically, a lapbook is made out of folders stapled together that fold out and create an interactive book report. Each lapbook template is different based on the book and is a way for students to showcase what they have learned through the literature. For instance, a lapbook about Little House on the Prairie might include places to note how they would have dressed, what they would have eaten, etc. It would also note important action sequences as well as the plot. Lapbooks can vary and are very easy to implement. The girls loved putting them together. 

I have noted just resources I use to encourage reading and track growth in my reading program. Of course, reading curriculums and guided questions are both important as well. However, I love the fact that I can use these methods with their favorite topics and stories, not just with a reading textbook. 

Do you have a great reading resource to share?? Comment below!

Just as a reminder!! Don't forget to join in on the $20 Amazon giveaway which ends on Friday!! Good luck and happy blogging! 

Freebie Friday and a Newbie Blogger Hop!

I wanted to celebrate today by giving away a FREEBIE!! This week I have decided to give away a Reading Reflection worksheet that can be used while a student reads their chapter books or even their textbooks. I hope you can use it! Check it out here:

If you use Teachers Pay Teachers, you can find this freebie here:  TPT

So, Grade 3 is the Place for Me! had a wonderful idea to create a linky party for newbie bloggers! This is a perfect way to find others such as myself who has just entered Bloggersville and are looking to make connections! So I thought I would link up and explore the many awesome blogs that are also taking part.

Here are the five questions that I am to answer:

    1.  What state are you in? Florida
    2.  Your current teaching position- Homeschool teacher to a 6th grader, 3rd grader, and K-3
    3.  Teaching experience- I was certified in Elementary education and taught first grade for 4 years in the public school system before deciding to homeschool my girls.
    4.  When did you start blogging? I started blogging in mid July.
    5.  Share a blogging tip:  I don't have alot of experience but I have had to remind myself why I blog. It isn't to impress others but to connect with others. That should always be my goal.