1-2-3 Come Do Some Super-Fun Alphabet Activies With Me

Whether you do a letter of the week, or review a letter a day, I think you & your kiddos will enjoy my newest creation: The Letter Aa packet.

I know there are a zillion letter activities out there, but I think I've come up with some really creative & different ones, that will help make learning the alphabet especially fun.

I’ve incorporated a variety of standards for reading, writing, and even tossed in some math, so that you get more bang for your “time buck”, as you can review additional things besides one letter of the alphabet.

This is the first in a series of letter packets.

Countless hours went into designing it, because I wanted to create a format that I could use with every letter.

The consistency, will empower students, as they can get right down to business because they know what to do.  

This independence builds confidence, which leads to self-esteem.

Teaching’s a breeze because you don’t have to waste time continuing to give directions or explaining what you want your kiddos to do. 

Children are responsible & accountable, which frees you up to work one-on-one with strugglers.

The packets are a big & loaded with lots of variety.

There are activities to suit various levels, as well as practice reading & writing skills at the same time.

Simply choose what’s right for you and build your lesson plan.  

You’ll have plenty left over, to use in a sub folder, as homework, independent centers, or for early finishers.

The packet includes:

* Posters & anchor charts
* Emergent readers

* Lots of Worksheets
* Pocket chart cards
* and a variety of Games.
* There are also several "craftivities" such as the letter pennant.

Children decorate their pennant with things that start with the letter Aa.  They can use stickers, pictures cut from magazines, words, letters, & clip art.  

* There are Bookmarks
* Puzzles
* A Song
* A Maze
* and a Word Search.

Another thing that I included in the packet are “Learn & Earn” brag tags. I think your kiddos will really enjoy collecting them. 

There's one for each letter of the alphabet, plus a star-student one to hand out, when they've learned all of the letters. 

Simply run the tag template off on card stock, trim, punch a hole at the top and attach them with split ring. 

You can buy 8 in a package at The Dollar Store.  There are large teacher tags, which you can use as flashcards. 

The split ring makes it easy for children to flip through, so you can play "Flip & Find". You hold up your letter tag & children see who can find theirs the fastest. 

You can also ask for the letter that is before or after the letter that you're showing them.

* There are a variety of writing prompts too. My personal favorite is the Letter Aa Post Card. 

Children fill in the blanks with things that begin with the letter Aa. Grab a teachable moment with "How to address correspondence".

My Alphabet Wheels have been so popular, that I wanted to make a set for each individual letter.

There's a color copy for the teacher, as well as a black & white one, so that students can make their own.

Each packet will also have an alliterative story. 

This packet features "Going Ape".  Counting how many featured letters are in the story, will provide additon practice as well.

Besides a letter story and alphabet wheel, each letter packet will also have a "_______ is for . . ." flip booklet.

These are emergent readers that help reinforce pronouns too. 

The background picture features something that begins with that letter.  For the letter Aa I used an apple.

* A 100 chart hidden letter provides more math practice.
* There's also a class book writing prompt and
*  A Word Work booklet plus

*A cute certificate of praise, with 2 on a page to save paper.

Have students keep them all together, and when done staple their "Letter Achievement" booklet together.

* Also included is an “I found the sound” activity as well as
* A “growing” alphabet booklet (As you study a new letter that page will be added to this Itty Bitty “Alpha-bits” booklet.

My Y5s really enjoy making "Itty Bitty" things that are "just the right size" for them.  With that in mind, I designed a "Pocket Full Of Practice". 

Since lined paper is really inexpensive because of the loss leaders supply stores have, (I picked up a pack of 100 sheets for just a quarter) I decided to have my kiddos fold a sheet into a pocket, to hold "small stuff" that they completed from the letter packet. 

Everything is in one place, things don't get lost in the bottom of a backpack, and parents have a nice little keepsake. The paper pocket full of practice, is also included in every letter packet.

Because these packets are over 100 pages each (The Aa packet is a whopping 140 pages long!) I will not be "bundling" them, when they are all finished. 

I will however, sell them for only $3.00, instead of the usual $4.95 for packets with this amount of work. As an added bonus, the first 48 hours they will be on sale for just $2.50.  

So that you can take advantage of the savings, if you are a follower of mine, you will get an e-mail notification from TpT when I post a new packet.   Click on this link to pop on over to my shop.

Since it's September, and "apple time" here in Michigan, today's FREEBIE is a sweet little "You Can Count On Willie" craftivity. I hope you like it.  Click on the link to grab yours today.  

That's it for now. TGIF!  My brain has been on overload working on alphabet "stuff" so it's time for a much-needed break. 

I'm not sure what that might be, but here's wishing you a wonderful weekend.

 "I'm learning the power of going away for the weekend and keeping myself company." - Zoe Saldana

1-2-3 Come Make Some Snail Mail Folders With Me

I posted my first Diane’s Dollar Deal item in my TpT shop this week, and it seems like I'm not the only one out there addicted to The Dollar Store.  I rarely get out of one for less than $20.

Enjoying the contented and excited feeling I get, when finding goodies for my kiddos at bargain prices, I decided to add Dollar Deals to my shop, and will continue to add items and offer FREEBIES to lighten the load.

The newest addition to Diane's Dollar Deals, is a Snail Mail folder.

Snail, is an acronym for schoolwork, notes, assignments, important, letters; or for younger kiddos, the a stands for and instead of assignments.

These folders are my communication life-line with parents. 

Taking advantage of all of the back to school, loss-leader sales, that office supply stores have, I pick up a class set for about .15 cents each. 

I enjoy sprucing them up and thought the snail idea would be a nice way to add a bit of pizzazz.

The packet includes a variety of  Snail Mail label options that come in color, as well as black & white.  

I’ve included black line options, so children can really take ownership by coloring their folder. 

This also provides a “no brainer” activity to have children do during those hectic first days.

Simply choose the snail label that’s right for you, run them off, trim & glue to your students’ “take home” folders.

There are also 2 options for a “reminder note” to pin to children who forget to bring their folder back, as well as several posters.

Besides printing your students' names on their folders, number them. 

This will really save you time when you need to find a specific folder to add things to, or to figure out who's missing theirs.

I keep my folders in a basket; and have included a labe in the packet, to identify the container where you keep yours.
 

I hope you find this idea useful.  Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop to pick up the Dollar Deal: Snail Mail folder packet.

While you're over there, to make sure that you get all of the latest FREEBIES and Dollar Deals, click on the follow me button.

I know it sounds a bit corny, but I'm super-excited to hit 600 followers.  I have a sweet celebratory FREEBIE in the works, and can't wait to post it!

Speaking of FREEBIES, today's is also about classroom management. 

Over the years I added all sorts of ways to get my students' attention, so that they'd clean up, line up or simply be quiet.  

I compiled a list and came up with 175!  Click on the link to get your copy: 175 Transition tips

Would love to add 25 more to make an even 200, so if you have a favorite that works for you, would love to hear about it. 

Dianehen@teachwithme.com  or leave a comment below.  Thanks in advance.  

Well that's it for now.  It's a beautiful summer day and time to get some fresh air.  Wishing you a carefree day.

 "You are never too old to set a new goal, or to dream a new dream." - C.S. Lewis

1-2-3 Come ABC With Me!

I absolutely LOVE going to The Dollar Store. It's exciting to find goodies for my classroom & students at such a bargain.

With that "happy dance" feeling in mind, I decided to design "Diane's Dollar Deals" as a separate category in my TpT shop.
There is no real rhyme, reason or amount of pages that constitutes a Dollar Deal.

Just a fun way to express my appreciation for people who take the time to stop by my shop. I hope you enjoy them and that you'll be doing your own little happy dance.

My first Dollar Deal offering is a set of black & white upper & lowercase number puzzles. There are a variety of ways to use these alphabet puzzles.

Run off on white construction paper, laminate and trim. Keep each letter puzzle in its own baggy.

Students can put them together as an independent center, or do as a whole group activity, passing out a different letter puzzle to each child.
I've included a blank grid to help younger students.

If you want a set in color, have your students help you, by having each of them decorate a letter then laminate and trim to use each year.

Just an FYI... I'm currently working on a full-color set for separate uppercase & lowercase letters. These will also be a Dollar Deal.

Pass them out to your students and set a timer. See who can complete their puzzle the fastest.

When they are done with one, they may exchange theirs with another student who has a different one.

I purposely put both upper & lowercase letters together, as I think it's important for students to continually see the "matches" even early on. Eventually, just by being immersed, the light bulbs go on.

You can use these each year, or skip the lamination and give each child a puzzle for whatever letter you happen to be working on.

They color and decorate the letter, cut their own strips, mess them up and put them together. Use during school, send home for homework, tuck in a sub folder, or have available for early finishers.

Another option, that makes a sweet bulletin board, is to give each child a puzzle that is the initial for their name.
For a cool mosaic effect, they color, cut, & glue to a sheet of construction paper, leaving a little gap in-between the pieces. 

Today's featured FREEBIE is a name card "tent".  I switched mine up each month to match the seasons & my themes.  I hope you find it useful.  Click on the link to get your copy today.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. I have lots of Dollar Deal ideas running through my head, and can't wait to get started. 

Stay tuned for more fun.   Wishing you a "doin' the happy dance" kind of day!

"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself.  For I have learned that the greater part of our misery of unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." - Martha Washington