Because... Singing it in Kindergarten!

Almost my entire class can spell because. That's 'because' we sing the Because Song daily. My Teacher Assistant sang this for my first Kinder class and I've been doing it each year since then. The pictures are from the first month of Kindergarten so many are just learning what the written word is and how they can write words to make sentences!

This is a quick video of my little learners singing this year!

We write 'college sentences' in our class. This is from Whole Brain Teaching. Since 'because' is such a long word, singing it helps my students write the sentence! I don't really like the clip art that Chris Biffle uses, but I love his strategies! They really work. Here is his book on Amazon if you haven't read it.

I use my smartboard to write because and have different children come up and point to each letter as we sing it. 

Thankfully, Herding Kats had a post about how to download youtube videos and save them. I was having a time trying to keep my videos organized. Now it will be as simple as saving them on a thumbdrive! 

I have this song included in my Sight Word packet. It is a great way to get all your students loving to write the word because!

Happy New Year Blog Hop!

Join In The New Year Fun!

K-2 Blog Hop! 

Each blog will be featuring a Forever Freebie and TPT paid item. What to do: Check out the Paid TPT Item. Go to TPT, download my Forever Freebie, please leave some feedback as a thank-you!  Then just hop on over to the next blog to pick up a Forever Freebie and check out another item! 


Lots of fun and a great way to meet new TPT Sellers!

Oh, and have a wonderfully happy and content New Year!

My TPT Wonderful Winter Package! 

100 Pages of Printables, Centers, and Books! 

So many activities and printable for teachers to copy and have ready to Go! Meaningful work that will keep students busy and thinking! 

Fun and engaging for Math and ELA!

My blog post with student work from this package!

Winter Math and ELA Package

(Click on the picture for the link or click here!)

My Forever Freebie!

(Click on picture for link or here!)

(Click on the picture or here to go to the next blog!)

Thanks for visiting!

Veterans Day!

Veterans Day was an all day event in  my Kindergarten class. Having lived at the coast for only three years, I wasn't used to being in a non-military community for a holiday like Veterans Day. I took the time to talk about our military, to watch Discovery Education videos about our military, and to share some of my family experiences being a military 'brat.' I gave my students time to discuss and share with their shoulder buddies and also in front of the class. Most of my students knew about the military only from play and cartoons.

We wrote letters to my nephew, David Cody who has just joined the Army. I am so proud of him, but at the same time I am sad because I know what a sacrifice this will be for him as far as being away from family and friends.

With my Kinders they have to have some kind of connection before they can even begin to write. I was hoping our day of talking, watching, discussing, and sharing would prepare them for their afternoon writing activity.

I believe by coloring they are beginning the writing process. They are thinking about what they are doing and getting their thoughts together.

As they finished, I hung their work out for all to see.

Tuesday we started another activity and I took down their letters to my nephew, David Cody and got those ready to mail to him.

I thought they turned out great.

It is nice to see Kinders beginning to understand a little about the world around them.

They made connections to our military which was different than just TV shows or cartoons.

They thought about a real person, my nephew, wanting to help his country.

Some just thought about fighting, but we talked about helping children all over the world.

If you would like my Veterans Day Writing Activity, https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Veterans-Day-Writing-Craftivity-for-Kindergarten-1560777. It's $3.00 on TPT, but can be used for many years to come. On the pictures there is a year, that has been taken off.  Please leave me some feedback and consider following my TPT store for new product notification!

Freebie Linky and Daily 5!

I am trying something new today! I love to share what I make with other teachers, so I am putting up a pdf file of one of the pages from my Winter Math & ELA packet.

My best teacher friend in the whole world, Jodie uses this freebie (at the bottom part of this post) with her Daily 5. She is way ahead of me on Daily 5 since I just started in January!

I know, I know, not exactly a Pinterest worthy anchor chart.... but it worked with my students. We are up to 13 minutes... and they know what the word STAMINA means. That really impressed my Curriculum Specialist. Here are some of my adorable, sweet, lovable students reading silently! and in one place!

They are so sweet reading! They either brought  in a stuffed animal to read with or they are using one of the classroom pets! I am so proud of them.

This is how I have always made my Browsing Bags. This is from the "olden days" as my students say, but it still works. These bags are not the bigger lunch bags and they do not hold the larger sized books. I might make these again next month. We have had these bags the entire year.  They really last if made right.

Oh, I almost forgot the freebie. This is a page from my Winter ELA & Math Printables Pack. 135 pages of really good stuff!

This is in my Google Docs. Hopefully the link works. Please let me know if it doesn't and I will email it to you

Here is how my dear teaching buddy, Jodie at Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice uses this with her Daily 5 as word work.

Students keep their work in a journal. I like the way she has each page glued to an envelope and the student pages inside!

As usual, thanks for visiting! Pam