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

Assessment Grid with Symbols

When I taught pre-k and kindergarten, I found that I struggled with getting assessments done in an efficient and timely manner.  I really wanted a way that I could do a quick whole-class assessment of basic skills (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, shapes, colors, etc.)  instead of having to sit down with each student and say...

"Can you write a big A?"

"Now can you write a big B?"

"Big C?"  

"How about a big D?"

and on... and on... and on.  F-o-r-e-v-e-r  and ever and ever. (Literally 3 days out of each quarter)

... I wanted a way to do it quick.  A way to assess them and be able to use it immediately, send home, or bring out at conference time. 

I came up with these 'assessment grids' a few years ago and love, love, love them.  I remember seeing something like this in college, but not sure where.  Also, I don't remember coming across any with symbols (could be out there, but I have no idea).   They are perfect for the younger kiddos and for giving whole-class assessments.

They are grids with symbols instead of numbers and letters... because sometimes those itty-bitties don't know their numbers and letters yet.  Also, sometimes you have kids who write/draw in 8 inch font.  The boxes keep them from getting too crazy.... those darn 'helicopter arm' kids.

Click to download:     

  Grid with 12 Blocks                                      Grid with 30 Blocks

Large Symbols for Visuals 

You can use them for lots of things!  Here's how I used them:

Step 1: Print a copy (I kept a lot in a folder).  Put the type/name of assessment at the bottom right corner (and date if you want).  Make copies for kids.

Step 2: Show them the symbols and make sure they know what each one is.  (I used large copies of the symbols during the assessment, so there was no confusion.)

Step 3: Pass the assessment grids out and ensure they can't see each other's papers 

Step 4: Give the assessment. (list below are ways I've used these) "In the box with the scissors, write a lowercase m.", "In the box with the envelope, write the number 3.", etc.

Step 5: Check it.  I used a highlighter to highlight boxes that 'needed work' (wrong).  I could have them fix the ones they missed, keep it for conferences (handwriting progress), or use it to make notes in my gradebook.

• Whole-class, small group, or individual
• Writing lowercase or lowercase letters
• Writing numbers
• Drawing shapes
• Colors ("Color the scissor box yellow.')
• Sight words (although they're probably advanced enough to "number their papers" by this point)
• Writing sentences (12 block)
• Counting ("In the box with the flower, put 13 dots.")
• Greater than/less than/equal to (show problem on the board, they draw the symbol)
• Beginning/Ending sounds ("In the scissor box, what sound does 'cat' begin with?")
• Addition/Subtraction
• Measurement (they each had a ruler and went around to different stations, labeled with the symbol, and measured an object)
• Science vocabulary (again, with the symbol stations, they'd look at a picture and write down the vocabulary word shown)
• TONS OF STUFF!  Seriously, you can adapt it to anything.  

Using this one above I knew which  uppercase letters A needed more work on.  I could also let her parents know easily.  :)  Easy peezy lemon squeezy.

Important: If you send it home make sure it's one that parents will understand (or staple the questions to it).  A grid of random things marked wrong is no help.

Hope you find this helpful and easy.  :)

{ashley}lllllllllllllll