20% Off TpT Birthday Sale!

We're having a sale! Katie is turning 30...Purchase any of our products from our TpT Store for 20% off! It would make Katie super happy! :)

Head Over to Our TpT Store!

Volume 1.11

Live from "The Vault"...Team Schappelkins' Weekly Video Newsletter:

Click Here!

Major Award

Mr. Parker: It's a Major Award!
Swede: Shucks, I wouldn't know that. It looks like a lamp.
Mr. Parker: What is a lamp? It's a Major Award. I won it!


Why do Steve and I feel like we've won a Major Award? Well, because we just did! Mrs. McKown from Little Literacy Learners just gave our blog it's very first award...The Sunshine Award!

If you missed her icon on the left side of our blog, we'll make it even easier for you to check out all of her wonderful ideas! (Just click on her name below).

Mrs. McKown

Here are the Rules for this Award:

• Thank the person(s) who gave this award and if you would like to, write a post about it.
• Answer the following questions below.
• Pass the award to 10-12 fabulous bloggers, link their blogs, and let them know you awarded them.

Katie's Answers:

• Favorite Color: Depends on the day...
• Favorite Animal: Liger
• Favorite Number: 21
• Favorite Drink: Fountain Cherry Coke 
• Facebook or Twitter: Facebook
• Your Passion: Creating things...
• Giving or Getting Presents?: Giving, for sure...but receiving random notes from my first graders always make me super happy.

Steve's Answers:

• Favorite Color: Blue
• Favorite Animal: Refer to Katie's 
• Favorite Number: 23
• Favorite Drink: Coke 
• Facebook or Twitter: I truly don't like either!
• Your Passion: All things reading
• Giving or Getting Presents?: Giving

We follow so many incredible blogs and here are some who bring sunshine into our life when we see their posts. If you are on the list and don't feel like posting about the award it's totally fine! :)

• Erin at Kleinspiration
• Cara at The First Grade Parade
• Jenna at Speech Room News
• Kristen at Ladybug's Teacher Files
• Kacey at Doodlebugs Teaching
• Hope at Second Grade Shenanigans
• Kathleen at Growing Kinders
• Amy at Step into Second Grade with Mrs. Lemons
• Jennifer at Hello Literacy
• Abby at The Inspired Apple

Team Schappelkins' Pet Interviews

Today was a big day for... 

Five Applets, 

Five Little Js, and

Five (Schottner, what do you call your kids?) 

These fifteen Fantastic First Graders interviewed with Dr. Hoffman, our district Assistant Superintendent and Ms. Postema, our Director of Human Resources for a "Team Schappelkins' Pet Caretaker" Position. 


Students were selected to interview based upon their "Team Schappelkins' Pet Applications". These fifteen students knew that just because they had an interview it did not necessarily mean they were going to be hired. 


When all of the interviews were over, these students waited anxiously (with their fingers crossed) on the carpet while Dr. Hoffman spoke. 

Dr. Hoffman and Ms. Postema had some good news to share with all fifteen students...

...because each student was hired to take care of their classroom pet! They were so excited and shared their important news with their friends and family. I'm pretty sure I can speak for Mrs. Jenkins and Mr. Schottner when I say that I am super proud of their hard work today. Our pets will be lucky to have them!  

Volume 1.10

I know, I know...Two posts (again) in one day! But it's totally worth it...

Team Schappelkins' Video Newsletter

Pulling Out Our Rain Boots...

My day went something like this:


Kiddo: Miss A when do we get to see our high school buddies?
Me: Today in the afternoon.
Kiddo: Right after lunch?
Me: No, at 2:15.
Kiddo: Before Health and Wellness?
Me: After it.
Kiddo: How many more hours is it?
Me: 7 hours, now eat your breakfast.


My kiddos were seriously excited about seeing their high school buddies for the 2nd time today! They asked all day long when it was buddy time! Last week they constructed bird feeders that we placed around the school campus. Here are some pics, luckily the rain held out...but it was still a bit muddy!

So I'm not going to quit my day job to be a photographer...


Once we got back into our room, the questions started over again! "Miss A when do we get to see our buddies again?" 


(Thank you Mrs. Laddy for a great Monday afternoon!)

Short Vowel Speed Racer

Diane and Kelly over at Made for First Grade have created a "Home-School Connection Lightning Words" for weekly sight words that parents can use to help their child with (word) fluency.

I've had my eye on this idea for a while now and finally created a template for my kiddos who are still working on basic code (CVC, CVCC, and CCVC) words. (Diane and Kelly so graciously gave me permission to add my template to my blog). If you haven't seen their blog...You should probably head over there!

Made for First Grade

Here is my "Speed Word Racer" version for short vowel words. I tried it today with a reading group...It was a big hit! I had them read the words for 20 seconds. When the time was up they counted how many words they were able to read and wrote the number on "Lap 1". I had them start over at the beginning and gave them 20 seconds again. After each lap, the kids realized they were able to read more words!

Download Here!

When I sent this document to Steve he said that I tried to one-up his "Beat the Clock" template. I am hoping that he will read this post and decide to share his template with the rest of us!