Letters and Sounds Assessments

Do you hate doing one-on-one assessments like I do?  I mean, I love being with just that one kid and seeing EXACTLY what he or she can do, but let's be honest--the other 25 kids running around make it a headache.  I made this kit, because I wanted the testing process to be simple, effective and quick.  I wanted to look at a piece of paper and be able to see very clearly which students did and did not understand a concept.  I started with letters and sounds.  This seems to be the very first concept that we teach and test in Kindergarten.  I included flash cards, Class Tracking Sheet, Student Tracking Sheet, and awards for each concept.  All you need to do is make copies, and start assessing!

I tried my best to make the Student Tracking Sheet simple, but comprehensive at the same time.  I like stickers, so I will use stickers on my sheet.  However, you could totally put x's or checkmarks in the boxes too.  What might be even more fun is to have the students color in the box next to the letter that has been passed off.  There are a few possibilities here that will fit any teaching style.

One thing I love to do is recognize hard work.  Two years ago I started giving my students awards when they passed off their letters and sounds.  The awards were small, simple and cute.  The students LOVED them.  Every Friday I would call out some names, pass out some awards, and we would cheer those kids on with all we had.  It didn't hurt that a free pick from the treasure box accompanied those awards!  I found that my students wanted that little slip of paper that deemed them a master of sounds, and they were willing to work for it.  I am not a fan of giving kids an award "just because" or so they don't feel "left out".  I believe we need to do a better job of teaching work ethic.  Life isn't fair, and it never will be, but you can always work your way to where you want to be.  I think this is a great starting point for teaching that concept.  My students loved cheering each other on, and they loved being the center of attention for a minute or two when they were being acknowledged.

You can find the Letter and Sound Assessment Kit HERE.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!
~Leslee

There, Their, They're Anchor Posters

I have a confession.  I can't stand when people misuse there, their, and they're.  Your and you're give me the same row of goosebumps down my arm when they are not used correctly.  When grown adults misuse those words, I seriously wonder if they missed that day in class.  How could you NOT know the difference?  But you know what?  A lot of people don't know the difference.  It is a common enough thing that I find myself cringing a few times a week it seems.

I remember when I was young, I struggled with the < and > symbols.  Which one meant greater than?  I hated those stupid little marks.  It wasn't until a teacher pointed out that the one that looks like a capital L would always mean less than.  DING!  The lightbulb clicked on, and I haven't looked back since.  This made me think about those kids that struggle with which word to use.  Then it came to me--anchor charts!  Not just anchor charts, but anchor charts that would help them make a permanent connection in their brain so they would remember which word to use in each situation.

Do you want these for yourself?  I hope that they will help some students out there understand that they're capable of using the right words in their writing.  See what I did there?  You can go HERE to get your cards.

Teach a kid, give someone hug, and have a wonderful day!

~Leslee

Christmas Clipart

Are you ready for more clipart?  I just released a new pack of holiday clipart, and this time I am featuring Christmas!  I love all things Christmas.  Who doesn't?  I am the type who can't give my kids a worksheet without adding something festive.  I just want to spread the love, and give them a little more fun in class.

You could use these on worksheets, hand outs, calendars, bulletin boards, smart board lessons, etc.  I feel like there are just so many possibilities!  Here is a sneak peek of the images.

You can go HERE to check out this pack of clipart.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!
~Leslee

Cutest Pack of Fonts

I am done with Volume #3 and #4.  Want to see them?  I especially love "HotChocolate" and "Wide Waters".  They are my new favorites.  I have tried to give you a wide variety of fonts to choose from. I hope you like them as much as I do.

These fonts have been named after a few of my favorite things, my favorite people, and other names were recommended by my 8-year-old daughter.  (How could I say no to that cute face?)

You can download Volume #3 from my store HERE.

You can download Volume #4 from my store HERE.

Thank you for the kind words, encouragement, and support.  It is easy to keep creating when I have so many awesome people on my side!

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!
~Leslee

More Fonts

Are you ready for Fun and Original Fonts Volume #2?  I know I am!  I love some of these fonts.  I feel like they are my babies.  I have been using them non-stop in my creations, and it is so much freakin' fun!  This new volume is another pack of 10 fonts.  Check them out below.

You can get Fun and Original Fonts Volume #2 HERE.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!
~Leslee

Fonts Volume # 1

I just can't stop creating.  I feel like between making Halloween costumes and feeding the family, I spend most of my time on iPads and computers making things.  I started a new adventure this week.  Drumroll please.....fonts.  That's right, I starting making my very own fonts.  This process definitely has a learning curve to it.  Each font is hand-drawn and made from scratch using the ideas swirling around in my head.  I can't sleep at night, because my brain is creating fonts and thinking about brush strokes.  It is becoming a problem!

I started with ten fonts that I put up on my store.  I've had some good feedback so far, and I am so grateful for the encouragement of friends.  It is not easy stepping into a new level of creativity, but it is an adventure non the less!  Now if I can just figure out how to use some of these fonts on this blog!

You can check out my Fun and Original Fonts Volume #1 HERE.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!
~Leslee

Thanksgiving Clipart

I'm at it again.  I am making clipart ALL DAY LONG!  It's okay--I love it.  I have had a lot of great positive feedback on the Halloween Clipart set, so I wanted to keep rolling with the holidays.  This new pack features Thanksgiving pictures.  The set includes 40 images, and comes with both color and black and white.  Are you as excited as I am?  Here is a little sneak peek of what some of the images look like.

You can go HERE to get this clipart set.

Thanks for reading!  Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!
~Leslee

Halloween Clipart

Have you ever set out to find that perfect piece of clipart only to find it doesn't exist? You have that perfect idea just hovering around in your head, but you just can't seem to find anything that fits the bill?  I do that.  I do it ALL THE TIME!  The other day I decided I would maybe just take a whack at making my own clipart.  I wanted a pumpkin, but I knew exactly how I wanted it to look.  I somehow, by a lot of research and a miracle, pulled off making the pumpkin that was swirling around in my brain.  But I didn't stop at the one pumpkin.  I added a Frankenstein--and a ghost--and a cauldron--then 20 other pictures.  You catch my drift.  I have found a new love for clipart.

I present to you my newest adventure on my TeachersPayTeachers store.  CLIPART!  Are you as excited as I am?  I can't handle a worksheet that isn't cute.  That is part of the fun of teaching (at least for me).  Use the clipart to make your worksheets cute.  Throw them into a Smartboard lesson.  Use them for your own TpT products.  The possibilities are there.

Here are a few examples of the things I've made.

Thanks for reading.  I've had some great feedback, and it just makes me happy.  You can go HERE to check out my Halloween Clipart.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!

~Leslee

Printable Name Tags

I feel like all the teacher supply stores are going out of business.   Anyone else?  I feel like in some way that is good, because it means teacher are becoming more creative and innovative, but sometimes it would be nice to run down to the store and get a pack of name tags.  I am also one of those people who can stand in the store for an hour and not buy a thing, because I can't find the exact idea I have in my brain.

This is a pack of printable name tags.  I have included 15 different options, and all you need to do is print, write, laminate, and cut.  I am a fan of different colors.  You can use them to split up your reading groups, or arrange them by table.  You can even print these and use them to label all of your bins and drawers.  Everyone has bins and drawers in the classroom!

Here are a few examples of the tags I made.

I hope you like them as much as I do.  I think I may actually end up making even more!  You can go HERE to download these.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!

~Leslee

Halloween Math Worksheets

I love holidays.  If I could constantly live in October-December, I would.  I have always loved holiday themed activities and worksheets in the classroom, too.  It somehow makes teaching more fun, and don't we all love it when teaching is fun?  Less testing, less stress, and more fun.  That is just how I like things in the classroom.

This pack includes 13 worksheets that can be easily printed and thrown into your math lessons for the month of October (or anytime in the Autumn--they are not super Halloween-ish).  This sheets will go over tally marks, making patterns, labeling patterns, counting, number writing, missing numbers, counting on, and a few other things.  Most worksheets are aligned to the core, and provide great practice for those little learning kiddos.  Go HERE to get the pack.

These pictures just show a few of the sheets that are included in the pack.  Are you excited?  I hope you are excited.  We are entering the most magical time of the year!  You can go HERE to get your pack.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!

~Leslee

Super Cute Classroom Posters

Do you love to have reminders for yourself?  I can't survive if I don't have daily reminders, and teaching is no exception.  When I am teaching, I need a timer to go off, a sticky note on my desk, or an IM to pop up on my computer to keep me on track.  Am I alone in this, or do I hear an amen?

I remember my first year of teaching.  I had all these stellar ideas that I wanted to try with my new little class.  The problem was, I forgot to use half of them, because I don't remember a darn thing!  Then I realized that I wasn't alone in this.  No, no.  My dear students "forgot" how to do things all the time.  For instance, do you have that one kid in your class that can't remember to write his name on his paper?  Ever?  Me, too.  Do you have that little girl in your class that can't seem to remember how to line up at the door?  I mean, you've practiced it daily for months, but kids forget things, right?  How about the kid who slops things together in two seconds so he can get to that Fast Finisher bin? How about that one in your class that can't remember to take a deep breath when they don't understand something right away?  Sound familiar?  I figured it did.

To help with all of these little issues that pop up in every regular classroom, I made some posters.  As much as I like to pretend that this kind of thing is for the students, I must admit that it is just as helpful for me.  I need to remember that some kids just can't remember to write their frigging name on the top of a paper, and that it isn't the end of the world.  I need to remember that some kids just need a constant reminder for how we line up.  I also really need to remember that sometimes I need to take a deep breath when I've taught the same concept a bajillion times, and that one cute little squish just doesn't seem to get it--yet.

You can check out these posters HERE.

If you think you also need these little reminders, and more, check out my super cute classroom poster set.  It is officially one of my favorites.  It comes with 5 different posters.  Use one, or use them all, but you can't go wrong.

Again, check these out at my store HERE.

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!
~Leslee

Easy Kindergarten Homework

I am going to be honest, I don't like homework.  I don't like doing it with my kids as a mom, and I don't like sending it home as a teacher.  I feel like kids need to be KIDS.  They spend as much time at school as adults do at work for crying out loud!  Do you want to keep working when you get home from work?  Me either!

I was looking at my class DIBELS scores, and I felt they were a little lower than I would like.  Then it hit me: less homework AND better test scores.  How do I do that, you wonder?  Well, wonder no more!  I create a homework packet that covers the E-N-T-I-R-E year.  Yep, that's right.  All you have to do is print out this beauty, and your homework is covered for the entire year.  Want me to sugar coat that for you?  Sure thing!  The homework goes over the specific skills used in the DIBELS reading test.  Parents can do homework in ONE MINUTE with their little guys.  Ah, the children can be allowed to be children when they return home.  What a concept!

 We start out with Letter Naming Fluency--very important for the beginning-of-year skill set.

 Next, we move into Letter Sound Fluency.  This is such a foundational skill.  Our next month works on First Sound Fluency.

 Now we move into Segmenting.  This skill is great for reading and spelling.  I have found that when my students have figured out how to segment, their reading and writing takes off.  The next month also uses segmenting skills for CVC words.

 Want more practice on those High Frequency Words?  Yep, it's covered.

 Once students have figured our High Frequency Words and the Phoneme Segmentation, they can begin to read.  I mean to really read.  So, we naturally introduce reading simple words to make a sentence.

Now we go into Timed Reading Fluency.  I am not a huge fan of timing kids, but in the testing world, timing kids is the big thing.  (Insert barf here!)  This gives kids the practice of fluency, and helps them to get used to being timed.  I don't focus too much on how quickly they read, but look at this month as practice for the kids.

Does this packet make you want to scream and dance?  Me, too!  You can go HERE to get your copy.  Happy home-working!

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!

~Leslee

Reading Posters FREEBIE

Ah, don't you just love freebies?  I love freebies, and I love a bright and colorful classroom.  If you love all those things, then this is a post for you!  Do you have a reading corner, or a class library?  Do you want that area of your room to be inviting and enticing for the kids?  Me, too!  These reading posters are perfect for labeling that special area in your room.

This kit comes with 3 different options for the posters which all say "READ".  Sometimes the best messages are the most simple messages.  Here are some examples of what the posters look like.  Simply print, laminate, and hang.  Easy peasy, right?

I think this first set would be darling with a Dr. Seuss theme.  

You can go here to download this product for FREE!  Let me know if you have any other classroom poster ideas, and I will create!

Teach a kid, give someone a hug, and have a wonderful day!

~Leslee