TPT Stuff

I've been on a TPT rampage the past 24 hours.  I keep finding goodies on my computer that are ready to post. :)  Here are some recent ones....

My EFL kiddos had a super hard time learning the concept of  "this is, that is, these are, those are."  So, I made this fun little packet of printables to use.  I laminated everything so they can't be destroyed easily... I have one kid who has a habit of folding everything in half. Click to go to the store!

Next up: Pick-A-Dot SmartBoard game.  My kids were O.B.S.E.S.S.E.D. with this thing.  Choose a student, they pick a dot, and then read the sight word.  I did this a lot with teams and it even made a great center... once I could trust them with the SmartBoard.  You can adapt it to anything... kind of like the Jeopardy setup, just dots.  Click to download!

This next little activity was always so cute.  I used them each time I introduced a new letter, but they can be used for other things too.  Very simple.  It says:  "They used to be a's, but now_______________." (fill in the blank) and they'd have to create a new picture from whatever letters were in the middle. My kiddos came up with some hilarious stuff.  Click to download!

Drum roll........ The Mystery Bag packet.  Ooooooo.  Aaaahhhhh.  I always did a little mystery bag in my classrooms and just recently broke it out again with my EFL kids.  They love it just as much and it's a great inferencing activity and vocabulary builder.  There are lots of things included: posters, clue cards, examples of questions, a journal page, different levels of worksheets to go along with your own mystery bag, guessing slips, and a lot more.  Click to check it out!

Lastly, Assessment Grids.  I recently did a post on them, but I decided to add a little more variety (2 more grids, plus versions with numbers).  I can't tell you how many times I used these bad boys.  I. loved. them.  They came in so handy when I wanted to assess my kids... for anything.  You can seriously use them for LOTS of stuff.  Easy peezy... lemon squeezy.  Click to download!

So, that's it for now.  I've got a couple more on deck for this weekend.  :)  

Bon weekend! (have a good weekend in French... my husbands favorite phrase over here).  

{ashley}lllllllllllllll

Alphabet Sound Tubs

Ok, I'm cheap.  I found these awesome alphabet sound tubs (beginning sound) and then had a mild panic attack after realizing I would have to give up 30 venti lattes in order for it to happen.  Here are the 'shmancy-fancy' Lakeshore ones I wish I had:

Lakeshore Alphabet Sounds Teaching Tubs 

Here is my swanky version (minus the magnetic letters that aren't pictured):

EASY to make!

• $5 at the Dollar Tree for the little tubs (or you can get bigger/nicer ones).
• Print out some letters or use stickers and tape them on with the wide clear packing tape (I love that tape).
• Then beg, steal, find, search, etc. for things to go into the boxes.  You have to get creative.  I even drew a picture of an alligator for the 'A' box.
• Some things I found:  cotton ball (C), crayons for the colors (yellow=Y), glue, mini animals, car, truck, dice, q-tip, lipstick, paperclip, ticket, rubberband, mini-marker, eraser, chalk, dollhouse/Barbie things, Polly Pocket accessories, mini themed buttons (you can get these at a craft store), etc.  
• Warning:  If you leave the tubs in your car (accidentally) and you happen to live where it may or may not get above 100 degrees (Phoenix) then the crayons will melt and cover whatever is in that tub.  And maybe even the carpet in your car.

Tips

• Make sure you introduce the boxes/containers slowly.  Maybe a couple a day or when you do the letter intros.  I can only imagine what would happen if you let the kids.... oh wait... huge mess, ate lunch while I re-sorted all 3,000 little toys. {first year of teaching}
• This is great for a center.  Dump all of the objects into a big tub/bowl and have the kids sort.
• Create little labels (word strips/word mats) for the kids to match to the objects.  Have them draw a picture of it.
• Realize that they might sort them completely different than you imagined.  I had a student put the Zebra in the 'S' box.  Once I asked why (thinking he had difficulty with the S/Z sounds) he said, "Mrs. Hughes it has STRIPES!!!"   Ok.

More examples:

The Virtual Vine

Teaching Treasures

OMG.  How cute are these little Easter baskets & eggs!?  I'm thinking other themes?

Pre-K Pages

The Learning Curv

Little wooden boxes.

Significant Noise

Ok.  I almost peed my pants on this next one.  Bead/tackle box?  Look at those cute tiny little things!  I think they're the little mini buttons you can buy at Michael's/Hobby Lobby (pack of ~10 different items)?  Too cute!!!

Peacefulmann Lanuguage Link

Mini-drawers.  Amazing and easy to relocate. (Make sure it has enough drawers... don't mix X, Y, & Z!)

Elaine Ng Friis

Where can I get little tiny items though?

• Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Toy Store, Oriental Trading, hardware store, your local fairgrounds, the street, a circus, the trash, your kid's room, underneath couch cushions, the bathroom, etc.  Seriously people.  Anywhere.  Be on the lookout for tiny things.  You'll be amazed what you find.   
• Make a new class rule:  You bring toys to school = I get them for my alphabet boxes

Different Roads to Learning - $45.95

She doesn't need all of those accessories.

Enjoy!  Let me know if you already have one or plan on making one!

{ashley}lllllllllllllll