With summer here I have some time to write about some of the fun things I do in my classroom that makes my Kindergarten classroom so special.
Individual spelling lists-
I give all the students individual spelling lists starting in early December before they leave for Christmas break. If the individual student doesn't know the alphabet that is what they are working on. If the individual student has mastered writing the alphabet they move onto a list of spelling words I have created. I start them off with 3-5 words. If they are successful they move up in the number of words they get each week. If they are not successful with the amount of words they have they move down to 2 or 3 words each week. You can really use whatever list of words you wish but I use a list that is grouped in word families.
I get my words from the Kindergarten Age 5 Spelling List. I think these lists are great. However, I will combine weeks or cut weeks in half for those students that need it. I have a sheet of paper that lists each students words for the week in a binder that helps me organize who has what words. If a student gets a word wrong they get that same word again the following week. They continue to get this word until they have mastered the word.
If you have any questions on the way I give my spelling tests please feel free to ask.
My past three years I have had 14 or fewer students and I administrated the tests myself. This upcoming year, I will have an associate in my classroom with 18+ students. The associate will help me administrate these tests on Friday because each student needs to be taken individually. After the students take the test, I correct them and try to get them to go home on Friday to be signed by their parents and returned. I hold on to these spelling tests until the end of the year to show the students their progress. The students always love seeing where they started (which is usually with the alphabet).

Going into a busy busy week!

Good morning! I took yesterday off of school and had a wonderful day! It was beautiful outside with all the snow on the trees! I would like to let everyone know about some of the wonderful things we are doing in our classrooms.

This upcoming week is a big week for the kids! We get to start the incubating process!! Let the journal topics begin!! Tuesday we will begin with heating the incubator and Wednesday the eggs will come! I am getting the eggs from a parent in the classroom and my parents. We should be able to have about 20 eggs if not a few more! I have already set up homes for the chicks after they are born. As of now my thoughts are to keep the chicks for a few days after they hatch. If they are not to big of a distraction I would love to keep them until conferences so the parents can see what we have been doing!

Other things we have been doing in the classroom is "writing the room." This is something I introduce in the middle to end of the school year. The students need to look for words in the classroom, count the number of letters that word has, and then write it in the correct box. I will try to upload this at a later time.

Another thing I would LOVE for everyone to try is "Fun Phonics" books. I have the hard copies of these in my classroom but they are online to. I think using this website on iPads and having the students read from it would be a wonderful idea! These books start off with the introduction of each vowel sounds (short a, e, i, o, and u). They use many words that deal with these short vowels as possible. As of now I have all but a few of my students reading the Pals books. These books put all the reading skills together and get more difficult quick. The students love it though because they look at it as they are reading "chapter books" and "(they) are just like the big kids." Check out the website~ http://www.funphonics.com/

While using these books, I continue to use my "Rigby" series and skills that go with it.

I also do individual spelling lists. This allows the students to succeed at their own level. I give each student a list of words. These lists will range from just successfully completing the alphabet (this is the very first spelling test I give toward the beginning of the year) to a list of 10 words including a challenge word like the "January." If the child continues to get 100% on their spelling test on Friday I might bump them up to more words. They have to get the word correct to move on from it. So, some students might have one word that is the same for two weeks in a row because they got it wrong on the test.

I will make sure I upload some of these ideas so you can see what I am talking about. You are more than welcome to use whatever you would like. I am a true believer of using what is there!! Enjoy!