because we heart you!

It's hard to believe that schools starts here in the next couple weeks. We've been working this summer on making some updates to our TpT Store and for this week only…you can download our Basic Code Fluency Builders for FREE! If you have purchased these in the past, you'll notice the fonts have been jazzed up a bit (sorry, no more Comic Sans!)

 
We have also created additional resources to help your kiddos.

If you download them, please leave us some love and tell us what you think!

Reading Detectives

It never seems to fail that I forget my laptop when I come up with reading ideas for my kids. Translation: My school computer has a horrific font selection to choose from! 

I should be embarrassed to post this, but since I didn't use Times New Roman, I'll let it slide...

My kindergarten reading groups are coming right along...I have been extremely proud of the progress they've made since the beginning of the school year! Monster proud. Lately, they have been sounding out every single sound in a word even if they can automatically read the word. I've tried everything I can to get them to just read the word if they know it...including standing on the table as "Captain Read the Word".

So, we decided to become word detective readers! I placed 20 basic code words (with numbers) around my classroom (pink words were ones I knew they'd be able to read easily and purple words were ones that might present more of a challenge).

And each student was given a "Detective Reading Tracker" sheet (below) in which they drew pictures to indicate the word that was read. (Clearly, #4 is a crab!)

I told the kids if they sounded the words out, other detectives in the room would hear them! In order to complete their "reading mission" they had to read every word on their own! And they did.

I've attached a copy of the Word Doc I created to do this with them...feel free to use and change the words so they are appropriate for your kiddos! (If you jazz it up with better fonts, please share!)

B or D? That is the question!

Where have we been???? That's a good question...by now you've probably moved on and forgotten about us over here at TwoCanDoIt. (And well, we can't blame you!) 

Teaching lowercase "b" and "d" this year has been a challenge to say the least...Once I think they got it, they are back to using the guessing strategy! Back in the day I taught these two letters with my handy old "bed" chart, but later realized this technique was not appropriate for many struggling readers. I don't have them use the "give yourself two thumbs up trick" because that sometimes can get tricky if they are writing and have a pencil in one hand!

Because kids tend not to confuse the uppercase versions of the letters "B" and "D," using them to learn the lowercase "b" and "d" can be helpful. Here's how! When a child is unsure about whether the letter they are looking at is a "b" or a "d" have them write an uppercase "B". If you erase the top bubble off, you are left with a lowercase "b".

I keep a poster in my room as a visual if they need a reminder...as shown below.

When kids are reading and get stuck trying to determine which is which, I give them a little scrap of lamination that I have left over to place on top of the word. If they can draw a bubble on top of the letter, and it makes an uppercase "B"...Then they know they are dealing with a lowercase "b".

Over spring break I stumbled upon a new trick that I found on, none other than Pinterest! Common Core Connection has taken Matchbox bulldozers to show kids how you can only bulldoze the letter "b". If you try to bulldoze the letter "d" it won't stay in a straight line. So naturally, I went to the dollar store and snagged a few bulldozers to keep in my classroom! I made a quick poster (nothing fancy) that you can download here!

Keeping my fingers crossed that this does the trick! What ways do you have to teach these letter reversals?

Finally…A New Font

It's been a while since we've added a new font in the mix…but here you are blogger friends!

You can head over to 2ttf to snag a free download of "Father Griffin".

Free Fonts!

Check out our free fonts that have been added to ReadingResource.net! Katie will be updating them frequently, so be sure to keep checking it out! 

Hump-Day Freebies!

A few days ago I was preparing for a presentation with all of my pocket chart word sorts spread all over the place...In the midst of sorting through baggies and baggies of words, I wondered why I never have created a "Word Wall" around the sounds that I'm teaching my kiddos? Why do I display words by their beginning letter? (It's definitely not how I teach…)

And...Because I've been stuck in my apartment because of this…

I created a 'lil freebie. No more "Word Walls" for this girl. Say hello to "Sound Stations".  In this download, you'll have the 16 vowel headers that look something like this:

…And over 300 word cards that look something like this:

Just head on over to Katie's TpT Store to download "Sound Station: Headers and Word Cards" for FREE! 

I also have been looking for just the right vocabulary tools for my 3rd Graders…after looking and looking and finding nothing, I decided to create a special dictionary of my own! I purchased one-inch binders for each student and printed all of the pages in this download. The first few pages are "tools" that can help them (Synonyms, Antonyms, Tier Words, Parts of Speech). I'm working with the lowest 3rd Graders in my building and they NEED as many visuals as they can get...

 

I wish I had a better pic of a student binder, but again, I'm stuck in my apartment. This is a rough sketch of what a sample page might look like. Please excuse my attempt to draw a fox! 

When it's completed, it would be filed behind the "P" tab! 

I hope you find this as helpful as I have…be sure to head on over to my TpT Store to download it for free.

Stay warm, friends!

Quiz, Quiz, Pass...Freebie

A few years back I created a CVC game that I played with my firsties at the beginning of the school year...I'm pretty embarrassed about the graphics I used for it, which is why I'm hesitant to post the link on here...but I promise you, I'm in the process of revamping it! (And no, I won't use Word graphics. Bible!) If you really can't wait for the revised version, you can head on over to ReadingResource to snatch the original!

Since my reading intervention kiddos are able to read short vowel sounds, I decided it was time to step it up...Here's a long vowel version! It's a pretty simple game to play whole group (and even better for my reading intervention kids). Simply give each child a card and tell them not to let anyone see the backside of the card (the picture). They will find a buddy and have them try to read the word. Check the answer on the back of the card. Then it's the other person's turn to share their word. Once each person has "quizzed" their buddy, they switch cards and move around the room to find a new buddy. 

Below is a sample of what the pages look like...I made this black and white to have some of my colored ink! 

 

If you'd like the free copy of Quiz, Quiz, Pass (Long Vowel) head on over to my TpT Store...Please be sure to leave some love...Hope your students enjoy it as much as mine do!

Metacognition News (Freebie)

Now that I'm working with K-4 students I've been challenged by ways to pass along what we're working on each month without having to create something for each grade level....Luckily, I started a "Metacognition News" a few years ago when I was in the classroom. It's based upon my most favorite book, "Comprehension Connections," by Tanny McGregor. (If you haven't read it yet...You probably should!)

Today I sat down to make it usable for any grade. I've posted it on my TpT Store. Feel free to head on over to snag the FREE download. 

If there is any reading materials that you pass along to families, I'd love to see it!

C-Rule Poster (Freebie)

So, a while back I attended an OG two-week training. I learned a lot of helpful tips and tricks that I'm excited to use in the small-group setting this school year. And one of the tips, well...wasn't really a tip for anyone but myself. I never realized that the letter "c" makes the sound /s/ when it's followed by the letters i, e, and y. The lightbulb went off...Just a few years later than it should've! 

Anyways, head over to Katie's TpT Store to grab the one-page download for free.

Vocabulary Posters

I've been back in my room the past couple days and decided to revamp some of my decor...A while back I used these vocabulary posters:

Although I have lots of wall space in my current room...it's already been taken up by other various reading posters! I wanted a smaller version that I could have easy access to at the reading table. So here's what I came up with...well, at least a sample. You can download a poster for synonyms, antonyms, homophones, compounds, and contractions at our TpT Store. Did I mention they are FREE?

Syllable Types Posters (Freebie)

I finally got my new "Syllable Types Posters" up on ReadingResource.net...Just scroll all the way to find them! I purchased cheap frames at Ikea for them and plan to hang them in my room as soon as I can get back in to school. (I'll update this post with pics of them!) 

I'm also working on some activities to go with them, which I will also be posting soon!

Phonemic Awareness Activities

Last week I was looking to purchase a "blending cards" and was disappointed to find that to purchase a new one, it'd be roughly $40-50 (just for one set).

$40-50 times 5 kids at my reading table = NOT GUNNA HAPPEN!

Luckily, I came across an awesome blog that had them for free! (Not only did they have the cards I was looking for, but there are a TON of really good resources for teaching phonemic awareness). Needless to say, I ran through some colored ink and card stock pretty fast. Anyways, head on over to Make, Take, Teach to snag the downloads for these cards. I did print my cards like a traffic light...the first sounds on green card stock, the vowel sounds on yellow, and the last sound on pink/red. 

Now, I also was looking to purchase a "blending board" and was frustrated to find they too were pretty expensive. You can click on the following links if you want to spend between $35-50 IMSE and RLAC. That too was not gunna happen! Make, Take, Teach has directions on how to make your own...but that was too much work for me!

I located a magnetic board that I purchased from JoAnn Fabrics a while back...(Sorry for the horrible pics!)

I went to Staples and purchased three plastic business card holders ($1.99 each) and six magnets ($2.99).

I took some Gorilla Glue and glued the magnets to the back of the business card holders. I glued two magnets on each holder and let them dry for a few minutes.

When the magnets were in place, I was able to put them on the board...

Another cool thing about this board is that there are holes at the top...If I decide to punch holes in the top of the cards I can also flip them over the board!

I'm sure you've worked with kids who've had difficulty blending at least three phonemes. No matter how much I stretch each sound, /c/ /a/ /t/ sometimes it comes out like 'at' or 'tack'. Here's a little freebie to help those kiddos...a little something I learned this past week when I was taking a reading class. (It's not as big as it looks in the pic below).

So let's say the word is "rag". Place the card in front of the child:

(1) Have them look at the first row. Every time they say a sound, have them tap their finger on a dot. Don't have them try to put the sounds back together! (/r/ /a/ /g/)

(2) Have them look at the second row. They are only going to say the first two sounds as they tap their finger on the dots. (/r/ /a/)

(3) Have them look at the third row. They are only going to blend the first two sounds as they drag their finger on the line. (/ra/)

(4) Have them look at the fourth row. They are going to blend the first two sounds as they drag their finger on the line and then tap the dot as they say the last sound. (/ra/ /g/)

(5) Have them blend the first two sounds (/ra/) and the last sound /g/ as they drag their finger on the line.

And there you have it! I think once the kids have this concept down, it would be helpful for them to look at the cards that are on the blending board as they tap out the sounds...Eventually, they could just tap on the table!

Balanced Equations (Worksheet)

Today I sat in a 1st Grade meeting where teachers were frustrated with teaching their kids balanced equations. Since I was testing for a large portion of the day, I thought I'd help them out. 

(Plus I miss teaching math).

Instead of using addition and subtraction problems, I decided to get rid of the equations...Go back to the basics and use pictures! Not sure if it will help, but it's worth a try.

Feel free to grab the 2-page download...Leave some love...Let me know any tips & tricks you have for teaching balanced equations!

Pound the Sound

Last week I had the opportunity to go to a PD by The Therapist's Toolbox called "Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia & Right-Brain Thinkers". It was quite honestly one of the BEST presentations I've been to! The presenter provided so many tips and tricks that I can't wait to use and share with my kiddos. (Unfortunately, I'll be giving the OAA...So it's not going to happen this week!) I wish I was able to tell you everything that I learned, but I'm not sure I could do it justice. I am however in the process of making some things for my kindies and firsties...I promise to share. 

One of the things that was shared (which most of you already know) is that these students need information provided to them visually...and that black & white text is usually very difficult for them to read. The subtle change of color for the background also is best. These students also learn best when colors are associated with learning tasks. (Hence, the colored circles with numbers). I have a few students who are STILL having difficulty with many phonological skills. I've tried every strategy and tool known to help with segmenting sounds in words. Pound the Sound is my next attempt! I will prove students with a word with 2-5 sounds and have them tap (pound) the circles as they say them out loud.

More to come later...If you are OAAing this week...Good luck.

Read-O, Math-O, & Write-O Revised!

So, a while back I posted a sample of "Read-O" and "Write-O" that I created for my kiddos over winter break...They looked something like this:

It was a freebie that I linked to Scribd for downloading, but apparently you have to pay...Fail. I said if you e-mailed me, I'd send you the PDF. Yeh, well I'm getting tired of doing that. Today I decided to repost Read-O, Write-O, & Math-O with an updated version. That's because I heart my followers so much. I even got smarter and put them all in the same file. If you'd like the free download, click here.

Oh, and here's what it looks like:

If you want a entire year of Read-O for your class, you can head over to our store to purchase it! (It's our best seller!)

Happy Wednesday bloggers!

Sound Pictures

If you follow our website ReadingResource.net you know that Katie and I use the term "Sound Pictures" often to refer to letters because technically, letters are "pictures" for sounds and the term "sound pictures" cues kids into the nature of what letters do...they stand for sounds. 

We also use the terms "Advanced Code" & "Code Variation" to describe when two or more letters represents a sound and when one sound in our language can be represented more than one way.  (For further info on advanced code and code variation, visit our Reading Activities II Page at ReadingResource.net)

Here is a one pager that demonstrates what I am talking about: Vowel Code Variation

The power of using controlled word lists that are organized by sound to improve reading decoding is undeniable. 

I'll demonstrate with two quick videos...

Video #1: Cold Read

This is my second grade friend Aaliyah working on words that contain the Long E sound. Watch her first attempt at these words and then read on...

 

Video #2: After Highlighting the Advanced Code

You can see in Video #1, Aaliyah truly struggles to read accurately.  Her word attack strategies were poor, she often guessed and I certainly did not prompt her to read the words from left to right. I gave her no corrective feedback at all.  Now watch what happens no more than 5 minutes later after I highlight the advanced code and all the code variation (spelling patterns) for the Long E sound.

Big difference huh?  By simply using a controlled word list and highlighting the advanced code, her accuracy goes up, her word attack skills improve and her confidence is higher!   

That is what we like to see. 

Remember...

The advanced written code causes more reading problems than you can possibly imagine.  By teaching it explicitly and systematically to your students  you can truly can see remarkable reading gains in a short amount of time. It also helps to have such a hard worker like Aaliyah.  I heart her!

To learn more about teaching the advanced code and to download the FREE Advanced Code Word Lists I used with Aaliyah (one for every vowel sound), head over to the Reading Activities II Page  at ReadingResource.net. 

We hope our resources help some of your students too!

Bunny Whisker Engineering

Each month I try to have some type of engineering/following the directions activity for my reading intervention kids. Translation: Trying to get kids to focus before a long break is impossible.

I found this pic on Pinterest and had most of the materials needed...So I thought I'd be perfect for my K-2 students. 

I created a following the directions passage that K-2 students will be able to read.

I am just going to have my kindergarteners read the passage and create the whiskers, but my firsties will read the passage and have to list the steps in sequential order from the second page of the PDF. (This skill was something that most of them had difficulty on during an assessment last week).

For my second graders, who are LOVING learning about parts of speech by doing Mad-Libs...I created a short story for them to practice with a partner.

I'm sure most of you are already on spring break right now, but if you're like me...You might need something to keep their attention towards the end of the week. I'll snap some pics and try to get them up here. For now, you can download this for FREE!

Not Sure What To Call This Post

If you've been a frequent visitor of the blog, you might just notice a little change. Well, it's actually a big change! I'm sure you're disappointed that you won't be seeing this mug on the opening screen anymore...

Our designer, Ainsley thought we'd get more followers if we took it off our blog. She's probably right. For those of you who are interested, you can head over to her blog to see her other masterpieces...Or if you are looking for a designer, she's your girl.

Check out her blog!

I haven't been able to post for the past few weeks while she was making changes so this post is going to be rather random! Let's see...

A few weeks ago I made a "Hard Day Survival Kit" for a first-year teacher that I've been mentoring...I pulled some items together that I had {laying around} in my classroom and made something that looked like this:

I took an empty container and placed this card in it, along with a bear, some hand sanitizer, a candle, some M&Ms, and some stickers...I could kick myself for not taking a pic of the basket...But I'll leave you with a printable in case you'd like to pass it along to a colleague who's having a rough day {or week, or month, or year!}

A few days ago I came across quite possible one of the best apps I've ever seen! It's a classroom library organizational app that allows you to keep track of all the books you own by simply scanning the ISBN bar code. Genius! I'm not sure how many times a teacher has come up to me asking me if I had a specific book...My response is usually something like, "Ummm, I'm not sure. What does the cover look like?"

It's also got a neat feature where you can have students "check out" books to take home and it will send them e-mail reminders when it's due. My goal is to have all of my books scanned by spring break, but I'm sure I'll still be working on this over summer vacation!

Speaking of apps, Steve and I are working on creating an app that looks very similar to our Advanced Code Flash Cards. We are about 85% of the way...be sure to check back soon for the finished product.

Last, but not least...Some readers have been asking to see my sub plans for when I'm out. This year has been nice because when I'm out, I don't have to get plans ready. {Huge benefit of not having a regular ed classroom!} So here are my sub plans from last year when I taught first grade. I tried to keep them as simple as possible so that my super-fantastic teammates could fill them out if there was an emergency.  Most of the time I would type everything in and send them to the sub before I was out.

That's it for now. Have a wonderful Wednesday!