Fairy Tale Unit Part ONE

I was going to wait until I'd created the whole unit, but I have gotten tons of emails asking for it {thank you!} and so I will break it up into two parts: royal and folk.

Here are some other snap shots from the royal week!
Point of View: We read Cinderella's Rat and I used this worksheet a few times this week to help my students think about the feelings of other characters!

They are so FUNNY!!!

Most of the week was spent on Cinderella but I did throw in some Rupunzel and Rumpelstiltskin!

We made a list of thing we'd do if we were locked in a tower like Rupunzel!

So, here is the first part of my fairytale unit! Enjoy!

(revised thanks to some great blog friends!!!)

If you download, all I ask is that you:

1. Please FOLLOW if you don't already! =)

2. Leave a comment with any constructive criticism so that I can continue to get better.

3. Share, share, share! I love networking with you all and appreciate when you pass my blog along!

* It may have a few typos, my friend Cindy has been swamped with work so forgive me!!! =)

Warmly,

FREE UNIT! HUMAN BODY

Was this the LONGEST week ever for anyone else? I'm SO happy to see Saturday. =)

Well, here is my latest baby. Body Language:
A Balanced Literacy Thematic Unit 

{click photo above to download}

As of now, the only things I ask if you download are:

1. If you're not a follower, please follow! =) 

2. Leave a comment/constructive criticism so that I can continue to improve

3. Pass along to any teachers that you think would benefit! 

We studied the human body and that included the major body systems, 5 senses, and dental health. We did nutrition and exercise, but there are SO many  activities on the food pyramid that I didn't even bother recreating my own. I did take one day and dedicated it to dental health. I used some activities from a unit I purchased from Cara Caroll called "Brusha, Brusha, Brusha" and it was darling. =) 

Anyway, its yours for free if you want it. 

My goal is to have my TpT store up and running this summer because {shhhhh....I think my husband and I are buying a house!} so I need to think about doing whatever I can to help our family! =)

But for now, here are some quick links to my other two FREE Balanced Literacy Units: 

3...2...1...Blast Off 

Gems of the Ocean 

* If google docs is being silly, it's easier if you shoot me an email at laneshatabb@gmail.com and say HEY. GIVE ME YOUR UNIT. =) And I totally will. 

Happy almost Summer, 

Hi, Thank you, and Currently...

First of all, I need to say a big HELLO and THANK YOU to all of you new followers! I feel so supported and encouraged. I got a lot of blog love and I hope you know it means a TON.

Currently, I'm working on a Human Body Balanced Literacy Unit. I'm broadly hitting some body systems, 5 senses, and nutrition.

coming soon!

I chose to post a quick little note because today, we were doing some activities with seeing and hearing, and I saw this paper after school...

(no he di-int!!!!)

I got the BIGGEST laugh!! :)
Full Human Body post forthcoming.

Almost Wednesday,

First Grade Balanced Literacy Unit: Oceans!

{Free Giveaway Closed. Thank you}
Feel free to purchase the unit by
clicking the image below!

And seriously, thank you SO MUCH, Erica Bohrer for the awesome post about my blog!! 




Warmly,http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrstabb

Balanced Literacy Unit: 3...2...1...Blastoff! A FREE UNIT =)

Well, here it is =) My first baby completed. 

Included, you'll find 35 pages of my thematic unit that includes all the components of balanced literacy. There are plans, printables, and activity suggestions that all work to improve your students as independent readers and writers. It's my first one, so it probably needs A LOT of work. I'll get better as time goes on (I hope!) 



Feel free to alter to fit your plans, or use as is! 


All I ask for is a little feedback so I can get better in the future. 
* These are all activities that are done during the other components of my day that support the workshop. Actual workshop plans aren't included.

Click Below!

A Sneak Peak From 3...2...1...Blast Off!

Here are a few snapshots from my mini-unit that I started this week.
I thought I'd ease into outer space with a morning read aloud.

We are actually studying Eric Carle- so it was a blessing to find this darling little book at Half Price Books (does anyone else L-O-V-E that place?) Called, Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me.

Anyway, it's a book that Eric wrote for his daughter who wanted to play with the moon. Her dad gets her the moon, and she dances with it. (below)

So, during our word work component at this point in the year, (after our phonics study of, course) I've been focusing a lot more on grammar and sentence structure in order to prep them for 2nd grade. This means a lot more written response!

Here is what I created:

And here are what  some of my little pumpkins came up with:

During the afternoon, I give a mini-lesson that is science or social studies related. There is also a read-aloud with some accountable talk before they are sent of to do a task that requires them to be creative and use lots of vocabulary.

Today, we had a lot of fun making a human solar system. Then, I read a book and did a lot of thinking aloud. There were lots of opportunities to turn and talk in order to process this information.

After reading all about the planets, I told them that they were going to get a chance to create their own planet! They used torn magazine clippings to create their planet.

Then,we wrote "newspaper articles" about the breaking news!

Planet Bling Bling? Oh-No-She-Di-int! =)

I was pretty impressed with my art skills...considering the fact that I'm an AWFUL artist!

So, during my thematic studies...what am I doing? I try to get around from table to table and talk to them about what they are doing. I love listening to the types of conversations where they tell me how they are "adding rings to their planet because they decided it was a gaseous planet that wouldn't have life" GAH! =)

It's also a great time to talk back to them- especially if the are ESL and could benefit from hearing the language spoken correctly.

Here are a few more bits and pieces...

More to come soon- and the whole unit will be uploaded by the end of the week =)



Coming Soon...

So...working on putting what I do into a unit (that can be shared) takes A-LOT of time but....I've had so much fun. We are jumping into a mini-unit called "Our Universe" this coming week, and I've started to compile my literacy plans into a document that I can share with you all.

This is what you can expect from this and a lot of units that I'll be working on this summer.

My Balanced Literacy Thematic Mini-Units (sounds like a lot, huh) will include

* Original Poetry
* Read Aloud suggestions
* Read alouds with accountable talk prompts- I've gotta get my kids THINKING and TALKING as much as possible!
* Ideas for shared writing, interactive writing  with photos from my unit
* Content project ideas that encourage vocabulary, following directions, and creativity (kids need time to cut, paste, and be 7 years old- it is meaningful and necessary!)
* Thinking Maps
* Various items that can be threaded throughout this mini unit that I'm still tinkering with

All of these components are planned with one goal in mind:

What can I teach them during this component that will support them as independent readers and writers during the workshop?

I mentioned before that I adore Kathy, and can I just PLEASE  share with you a paragraph from her book? This was the
"ah ha" moment from before. I found it scanned in on google reader- pretty cool.

Kathy Collins, Growing Readers- pg. 36:
(click to enlarge)

Preach. That. Sista. 
Words to TEACH by.

I'm not quite ready for the TPT thing yet, so I'm going to upload this at the end of the week and ask for constructive criticism. I'm like... a perfectionist who struggles with being criticized (aren't a lot us teacher-type personalities? lol) so I'm REALLY putting myself out there in hopes of getting feedback that will help me get better.

So here is what is coming soon...(the goal is to have it posted by the weekend!)

More Later,