Three Star Coloring System

The three star coloring system comes from an amazing TPT creator, One Kreative Kindergarten, who offers many high quality products. This particular product is best for early elementary through kindergarten.

Often, when students begin coloring, they hurry through their work. This product encourages students to take their time and follow the three points.

This product encourages artistic expression. Students need to cover the entire picture that they draw with color.

What you get with this product

A three star coloring system rubric indicates what needs to be done to receive one, two or three stars.
19 topic sheets that students can draw and color pictures based on the system
18 topic sheets that students can draw pictures and write sentences about

How I use this product

I hung the three star coloring system rubric up, so the students would know what is expected.
I have the students draw and color their pictures, using the system.
We are at the beginning of kindergarten, so I don’t have them write sentences to go along with the pictures.

Benefits of the Three Star Coloring System

Kids did not rush through their coloring.
Students paid attention to detail and made sure their colors were appropriate.
Students displayed a greater degree of creativity.
The activity lasted longer and student didn’t finish in 30 seconds.

I am really surprised at how much my kindergarten students love this activity. I throw in some markers, and I think they can spend hours using this product.

Older kids can also use this as the product incorporates writing.

The three star coloring system proves to be a huge hit with my class of kinders. We give it not 3, but 5 stars. Find it here for 3.00.

In the Wake of Tragedy, How One Teacher Found a Way Through

by KinderMomma | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

Going above the call of duty is synonymous with being a teacher.

We don’t do it for teacher-of-the-year awards. They only collect dust. We don’t do it for extra pay. That will never happen. We do it because our teacher hearts won’t let us do anything else.

This sums up speech teacher Laurie Nanni perfectly. She works at Sue Morrow Elementary School in Henderson, NV, where I teach kindergarten in an adjacent classroom. Back in 2004 when she was teaching second grade, a brown-eyed boy with a contagious spirit that could illuminate the room walked into her classroom.

His name was Quinton Robbins, and though Laurie loved all her students, she had a special bond with him that would last a lifetime.

Laurie remembers Quinton in second grade.

When your teacher heart gets shattered.

On October 1, 2017, my Las Vegas community was completely shaken to its very core. In one of the worst mass shootings in US history, a shooter opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival, from a suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, killing 58 people. Quinton Robbins, age 20, was one of the victims.

Days after the tragedy, I could hear Laurie’s guttural sobs of anguish through the walls of my classroom.

Sight Word Activities (Serving up Sight Words)

by KinderMomma | Product Reviews

Our Teacher Tool of the Week comes from an amazing teachers pay teachers creator, Literacy with the Littles. Serving up Sight Words is a delightful and hunger inducing way to include sight word activities in our daily routines.

Sight word activities are a major part of the kindergarten and first grade curriculum. Sight words refer to the words that are most commonly found in texts and can usually not be sounded out. I don’t know about you, but I get tired of flashing cards every day. Our students do, also. They don’t have the longest attention spans, you know?

Finding new and exciting resources is well…… New and Exciting!

What is contained in this sight word center?

38 sight words that can be printed in color or black and white
26 lowercase alphabet letters (plus extra frequently used letters) printed on cute little doughnuts
Ideas for use
Recording sheet for the sight words

The sight word is attractively written on a colorful plate, and each letter is on a delicious donut. Can you tell that I like donuts? Who doesn’t?

Literacy with the Littles shares their special recipe for creating colored rice that looks like donut sprinkles. This sensory center would be very motivating for any student.

How I used the Resource in my Classroom

I passed on the sensory center as my kids would have that bin upside down in a matter of seconds. That’s just the type of class I have this year.
Word work is one of my Daily 5 centers. Serving up Sight Words fit right in with the activities that the kids complete.
I printed out 5 copies of the letters on card stock and laminated for durability.
I put each in a plastic bag.
I chose the 5 sight words that we are presently working on.
Students placed their donuts letters in a pile and searched for the letters in the sight word.
They covered the plate with their letters.
We used this center each day for an entire week, and the kids didn’t get tired of it. This is a great center because you can change the words and use again.
There is also a recording sheet that students use to write down the words that they make.
Literacy with the Littles also offers all of the Dolch words for purchase.

Other Ways to Teach Sight Words

Sing the letters of the sight words to familiar tunes. I sing LIKE to the tune of It’s A Small World.
Clap and say the letters in a sight word.
Have a picture or an action that goes along with the word.
Use a Word Wall so that students can learn to spell the words while writing in a journal.

Serving up sight words was given 5 stars by my classroom of crazy Kinders. I agree with them hole (ha ha) heartedly. You can find this product here for only 2.99

Botley the Coding Robot Activity Set

by KinderMomma | Product Reviews

What is Botley the Coding Robot?

Coding is an expertise that should be introduced to children at a very young age. Botley the Coding Robot is the latest toy that breaks down a very complex skill into fun and entertaining pieces.

Here’s a little bit of information about your child’s new best friend. He will have your child learning code and impressing friends in a matter of minutes.

Botley the Coding Robot is a 77-piece activity set that comes with a remote programmer, detachable robot arms, 40 coding cards, 6 double-sided tiles, 27 obstacle building pieces and a starter guide with coding challenges.

The one thing that sets Botley apart from other coding toys is that your child does not need to be hooked up to a computer or any other type of device to use this robot. Botley has a very cute, child friendly voice that is very appealing and welcoming.

The Follow the Black Line feature is very engaging for younger children. Botley follows a thick black line on an included cardboard play space. It is similar to a two sided puzzle that can be constructed and reassembled in various different ways.

You can have Botley follow your own thick black line on paper also.

There are 40 coding cards that can be learned and entered into Botley to help him get through the mazes that are created with the included 12 cubes and 8 rods. The set also includes 2 cones, 2 balls, 2 flags, and a large orange circle. The circle is what Botley sets out to reach.

Botley is simple to use for younger students but still provides enough challenge for older students. Botley helps students think critically because it does exactly what you program it to do. Instant feedback is given by the actions of the robot. The cards have to be inputted into the remote in a particular sequence. Just pressing buttons just makes Botley noisy, and you don’t want that.

Children have to revise or add on to their plan if they want Botley to do something differently. There is also “Secret code” that will enable Botley to do flips and raise his

The biggest complaint about Botley is that he eats a lot of triple A batteries.

This is a great way to have students learn to code, develop reasoning and divergent thinking while making a new robot friend. We give Botley a five star rating. He is great for the homeschool and regular classroom as well as an educational toy. It will provide instant motivation to learn to code and develop Stem skills.

New Teachers, You Will Survive Back to School Night

by KinderMomma | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

Dear New Teachers,

As you no doubt already realize, teaching is tough. But guess what? You are tougher, I promise. Right now you may be wondering if you will ever look forward to Back to School Night. Honestly, maybe not. However, right now you fear the unknown. The nightmares you have in your head of accidentally letting a four-letter word slip or parents verbally accosting you will probably never come to fruition. These tricks will help make your first Back to School Night flow smoothly and painlessly. Trust me.

Stop at Starbucks

Caffeine is essential for Back to School Night. It’s like speed dating without the date. Smile, show genuine interest and concern for the student, make brief small talk and move on to the next family. Keep circulating, and whatever you do, don’t get backed into a corner by Helicopter Harriet who will tell you her child’s entire life history starting with the delivery. Politely point out that another parent just arrived.

Keep presentations short

I don’t know about you but I don’t like public speaking in front of anyone taller than four feet who may possibly be judging me. Back to School Night is usually held at the end of the night when everyone is tired. Families will not have the focus or the desire to listen to the entire algebra curriculum in one sitting. Amelia’s three year old brother may be screaming to high heaven that he didn’t get the same package of Smarties that his sister, the student, received for attending. Have handouts with bullet points that can be perused at home. A digital presentation can be helpful in sticking to the relevant data and maintaining your focus and of those in attendance.

Go on a scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are great ways to keep the parents busy on Back to School Night while you are making your way around to meet everyone. These hunts help parents become acquainted with the classroom and resources available to their children. On the scavenger hunt list, provide opportunities to go to the art room, cafeteria or library. This way, parents and students become more comfortable with the actual building. I still have trouble locating everything at my school, and I have been there for 10 years.

Read the rest of the article at https://www.weareteachers.com/first-back-to-school-night/