New Directed Drawing (NO, David!) and Growing Bundle

I’m so excited to share my second Directed Drawing Bundle. This is a GROWING BUNDLE and it’s a good one! If you’ve been wanting to bring a little art-meets-literacy magic into your classroom, this is a good time to grab this!

At the moment, this bundle includes two Directed Drawings: No, David! and Piggie and Elephant.

The bundle is just $6 as of now before I add the next Directed Drawing later on this week.  That means you get the remaining 3 that will be uploaded within the next few weeks FREE. How cool is that? 

What are the next books to be added?  Drumroll, please!

1. The Recess Queen

2. Mother Bruce

3. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

These easy, book-themed directed drawings are perfect for:
✅ Morning work
✅ Literacy centers
✅ Art integration
✅ Sub plans
✅ Fun Fridays
✅ Early finishers
✅ Read-aloud extensions
✅ Bulletin boards
✅ Fine motor practice
✅ Indoor recess
✅ End-of-day wind down

Each one is easy to follow, super classroom-friendly, and helps students build fine motor skills, creativity, and confidence. 🖍️

Take a peek at my Complete Directed Drawing Bundle #1

Which one is your favorite? I admit to having a soft spot for David!

Happy drawing!

FREEBIE! Meet Your New Best Friend in the Classroom—Making Words!

Hey there, teacher friend! Happy New Year! I love January with my First Graders...the growth really accelerates by leaps and bounds once January hits! It's exciting to see. I still have a few more days of vacation but wanted to share one of my favorite classroom activities with you: Making Words! 

I did speed it up so you I could show you my words. Can you guess my thought process?  I can hear my Firsties saying, "I just used the digraph -ck!"  Every time I made a plural word, I envisioned, "Yes! She added the s to make more than one!"  I love how this engaging hands-on activity is like their own second dose of Fundations for the day!

I’m excited to show you why (and how) I use this game-changing tool that will make your teaching life even more amazing—and I have 13 FREE January/February themed Making Words ready for you to print out today and share with your class.

Do you have lots of magnetic letters? If so, you can make this activity center below as a year-long area for your kids to get more practice making words. My kids are always there...even during their Free Choice time.  Kids like to go in groups of 2 or 3 and just write messages or play school and practice sight words.

Here's a picture of one student using the Making Words Center to leave me a message.

They often write their parents a message and send it home via Seesaw. One parent even replied using refrigerator magnets and sending a message back to her child. Fun!

So, what's all the buzz about? Well, let me tell you how this tool is going to take your classroom to the next level of engagement and learning. Promise! 

What is Making Words?

Making Words is a hands-on, interactive learning resource that allows students to practice spelling, phonics, and vocabulary through word-building activities. The best part? It's completely adaptable for your classroom's needs. The FREE January/February Making Word packet comes with 13 Make-a-Word worksheets. While I don't use all 13, I do use, at a minimum, eight.  One per week where kids work together and then 1 per week that we do together.  I use magnetic letter on the board that they come up and manipulate into words and write down on their worksheet. (Or use Doc camera if you don't have letters.)  NOTE: I do add others to Free Choice time and send home when kids request them...which is often. Families do together.  Fun!

Making words is like a word puzzle, Fundation lesson, and a learning adventure all rolled into one. What’s not to love? 

If you do this:

then there is a very high probability that you will LOVE making words with your class!

Why You’ll Love It

1. Endless Fun with Themes Galore!
   With 13 Making Words per monthly packet, there’s a fresh word-building challenge for every month—and let’s not forget the holiday themes! From Pumpkin Spice words to Winter Wonderland vocabulary, your students will be excited to create and learn with each new theme.

2. Simple Setup, Big Impact
   You don’t need a PhD in lesson planning to get started. Each packet is designed for quick, easy implementation, saving you valuable time. Just print. That's it! Plus, with the activities aligned with the K-3 curriculum, you can quickly integrate them into your existing lessons without skipping a beat.

3. Helps with Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary
   Making words isn’t just a fun activity—it’s a critical literacy tool! Your kiddos will master phonics skills, improve their spelling, and expand their vocabulary all while playing and collaborating with their classmates. 

4. Perfect for Small Groups & Independent Work
   Whether you're working with small groups or letting kids dive into independent learning, Making Words has you covered. It’s versatile enough to use in a variety of ways. And the best part? It’s not just something your students will do once. They can revisit it again and again—making it a year-long valuable resource.

5. Boosts Confidence and Builds Creativity
   When students start creating words from scratch, something magical happens—they feel empowered! It builds their confidence and fosters creativity. Seeing a student light up when they’ve created a new word or finally recognize and can spell that Trick Word in Fundations, is an unforgettable moment that shows how powerful this tool is.

6. Helps with Differentiation
   You’ve got a class full of diverse learners, and Making Words is designed with that in mind. Whether they’re beginners or more advanced, it meets every child’s needs. Plus, the variety of words offered means there's always something new for everyone to explore!  

Why It’s a Must-Have for Your Classroom

Alright, let’s get real. We know that as teachers, you’re constantly on the lookout for tools that save time, maximize engagement, and boost learning. Well, guess what? Making Words checks all of those boxes—and more.

It’s a one-stop resource that will provide hours of educational fun throughout the year. Imagine the smiles as kids dive into themed word-building challenges, the high fives when they spell a tricky word, and the excitement of learning through play. Can you say "classroom gold"?

But don’t just take my word for it—this tool has been crafted with teachers in mind, and I can’t wait for you to see the difference it makes in your classroom.

How I Use Making Words in My Classroom:

1. Pick out a Making Words Sheet and gather your kids on the carpet area.  You can either use Magnetic letters or cut our the letters.  Either way, I do prefer kids to actually move the letters around to make the words.  Ask kids, "Can anyone make a word out of these letters?"

2. Record words on board. 

3. I often guide students who lack confidence. "Dan made the word at.  Look at the word, Sarah. If I put a C in front of -at, what is my new word?"  

4. Repeat the above and if students don't mentions diraps, plurals etc, guide them. Help them make those connections.  Point to the Word Wall area and remind kids to make those words too.

5. Group Work: Once a week, while kids are eating snack at desks, I will whip out a Making Words.  They can eat and think at the same time! 

6. Independent Time! When kids are ready to work without me, I will let them work independently at times but OFTEN in a group.  They make/record words together.

7. Share Words: Halfway through, I get everyone's attention and ask if anyone wants to share a word.  This is the best part. The kids love to show what they know.  The student says the word as I write it on the board.  I tell the kids that they can add this word to their own paper if they want. Most do. 

My colleague uses these Making Words activities but does NOT have kids cut the letters out. Personal preference. Do what's best for your kids.  I do have kids store words in a snack baggie so they can work on their words throughout the week.

In the beginning, the words in First Grade start off as mostly 2-3 letter words but that really changes fast.

Side Note: A few years ago, our First Grade Team was concerned that so many of our kids struggled with RHYMING WORDS for the first time.  A downward trend that I feel was reversed by Making Words. 

Are you up for a new activity in 2025? Grab your Making Words set today!

Happy teaching!

Draw Your Way to Success: 10 Benefits of Directed Drawings

Hello, fabulous educators! I'm still home on summer break but time is ticking away...hoping you are still soaking in the sun and fun!  I'm using some of my summer to make some activities for my classroom and I'm beyond excited to be adding this new product line to my store: DIRECTED DRAWINGS!

I LOVE Directed Drawings and wanted to pair them up with a book that gets nonstop giggles for my little ones: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems.  

My sister turned me on to Directed Drawings about 20 years ago. She shared a Dr. Seuss one with me that I did with the whole class. The kids would listen carefully to my directions and we'd draw the Cat in the Hat together. This one is from about 10 years ago and is still a staple in my classroom each year.

One of the best things about Directed Drawings is their flexibility. You can tailor them to fit any theme or subject matter. Whether it’s a drawing of a space alien for a science unit or a festive pumpkin for Halloween, you can easily support your curriculum. 

I like sharing a lot of Mo's books in September so I thought I'd focus on the Pigeon for the first one.

I'm keeping this product on sale for just TWO DOLLARS through August! Regular price is just $3. 

I don't view Directed Drawings as just a fun activity. Nope! They offer several benefits making them a valuable activity for all types of learners. Here are some key advantages:

1. Enhances Fine Motor Skills: As children follow step-by-step instructions to create their drawings, they practice and improve their fine motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination and control over pencil movements.

2. Boosts Listening and Following Directions: Directed drawings require children to listen carefully if doing as a whole class and follow sequential steps. This helps them develop their ability to follow verbal instructions and improves their listening skills.

3. Fosters Creativity and Imagination: While directed drawings provide a structured framework, they also allow for personal creativity. Children can add their own touches, colors, and details, which encourages imaginative thinking and self-expression. Can you guess which book will inspire my next Directed Drawing book?  A favorite in my class. If we make Jasper, certainly we can learn to draw him!

4. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
And......drumroll please! (5 days later!)  I just finished it and came back to show it off! I'm keeping it on sale through August. Just $2 for SIX directed drawings!





5. Supports Visual and Spatial Awareness: By drawing and manipulating specific shapes, children improve their understanding of spatial relationships and visual organization.

6. Encourages Patience and Focus: Completing a directed drawing requires attention to detail and patience, helping children practice perseverance and concentration.  This is so hard for some of the kiddos! 

7. Provides a Sense of Accomplishment: Successfully following the steps to create a drawing gives children a tangible sense of achievement and boosts their confidence. And that confidence soars when they remember how to draw a particular picture and add it to their writing workshop illustrations when appropriate.  

8. Strengthens Understanding of Sequential Thinking: Directed drawings help children grasp the concept of sequence and order, which is an important cognitive skill for problem-solving and logical thinking.

9. Promotes Language Development: As children describe their drawings or the steps they took, they practice using descriptive language and expand their vocabulary.

10. Cross-Disciplinary Learning: "Art Smart" approaches often encourage students to make connections between art and other subjects. For example, creating a project related to a historical event or illustrating a story can deepen understanding and retention. By including 6 drawings, my students can retell the story by drawing and then using the pics to prompt/support their retellings.

So, there you have it—Directed Drawings can be your new best friend in the classroom. They’re fun, educational, and a surefire way to bring out the artist in every student. Grab your markers, gather your paper, and get ready to watch your classroom transform into a gallery of giggles.

Happy Drawing!

Affirmation Station

I'm a big believer in Positivity over Negativity! And there is such an easy way to help foster a positive classroom: an Affirmation Station!

  

What Are Affirmations?

• They are short phrases that are positive and empowering.
• They boost a child's self-esteem, confidence, and foster a can-do attitude. A great way to introduce Growth Mindset!
• When you say affirmations often enough, they shape your reality.
• You can say them anywhere and it only takes a few minutes a day to feel the positive effects.

How to Use My Affirmation Station

• Set up an area in your room where you have affirmations visible for the kids to read. I use a mirror but a bulletin board or simply a wall works fine.
• I tape affirmations around a mirror for the kids to say when they want. Some kids stop by daily. When I introduced the affirmations, we said them together after lunch for a month straight before kids could do so independently. 
• You can print out cards and give to kids so they can say them at desks or some where more private if needed.
• Print out and send home a few a day to have kids share with families. 
• By request, I printed out extra sets for some of my students who said them each morning at their desks after arrival AND I had two requests from parents last year to send home so they could create their own at home. (I'm fine with you sharing this with families. I encourage you to!) 
• Although I continued to say as a class each day, there were days I would include them in Do-Nows or in center rotations.
• This resource includes editable affirmations so I did switch out when an opportunity presented itself. For example, after reading the wonderful book The Thing Lou Couldn't Do, we switched out one for the included "I am determined" and typed up one that said, "I have grit."

These also come in black and white so you can print on any color paper you'd like to match your classroom. There is also a separate EDITABLE file so you can add specific affirmations you may want for your students.

Affirmations Included: 

✿ I am smart.
✿ I am clever.
✿ I am brave.
✿ I am loved.
✿ I am positive.
✿ I am talented.
✿ I am confident.
✿ I am amazing.
✿ I am persistent.
✿ I am caring.
✿ I am polite.
✿ I am unique.
✿ I am wise.
✿ I am friendly.
✿ I am fun.
✿ I am empathetic.
✿ I am responsible.
✿ I am respectful.
✿ I am assertive.
✿ I am flexible.
✿ I am honest.
✿ I am grateful.
✿ I am present.
✿ I am helpful.
✿ I am cheerful.
✿ I am inspiring.
✿ I am generous.
✿ I am creative.
✿ I am focused.
✿ I am eager.
✿ I am patient.
✿ I am interesting.
✿ I am reliable.
✿ I am independent.
✿ I am happy.
✿ I am nice.
✿ I am determined.
✿ I am successful.
✿ I am awesome.
✿ I am in control.

Between my Affirmation Station and My Power Of Yet Bulletin Board, I feel like I'm starting off the year ready to jump in and amp up not only my students' confidence in tackling new situations but the belief that they WILL succeed.  

Have a great day!

Spooktacular October Crafts

So many crafts, so little time! Unless it's QUICK or supports the curriculum in a meaningful way, I'll pass. Here are some that made their way into my October/Fall classroom this year.

Creepy Pair of Underwear has been a favorite the last few years. The writing activity that goes along with the craft is related to Jasper's saying: "I'm not a little baby anymore." It also ties in beautifully with my The Power of Yet theme in my class. The kids aren't the only ones who love making Jasper and his creepy underwear. I get a kick out of these every year. Fun!

Aren't these bats and pumpkins adorable? They are from this TpT Seller. What I love: I can use the editible template to make my own math problems. Most students solved "Add 1 more" and "add 2 more'" but a few solved addition to 20 problems.  They solved the problems one day and colored them in. The next day, they made them. The Pumpkin was super quick. The bat has more cutting but a pretty fast craft too.  (In her packet, she also has a cute ghost.)

The Fall banners have a small writing activity on them and look sweet around the room.  The best part? They are FREE from this seller. I sprinkle around the room but you can also string them together.

NOTE: I don't know either seller above. I use their products and wanted to share.

A 5 minute crafts that also looks adorable and supports Fire Prevention Week?  Yes please! 

You can read about my Fire Prevention Week activities.

I do put out some simple OPTIONAL crafty type activities during Friday centers and we usually make something Spooktacular during our Halloween party.

This week during centers, I have a cute paper color/cut/glue craft that my husband found recently. And it's FREE. Check back to see it on Friday...if the kids pick it.

The Power of Yet Bulletin Board

I finally made a bulletin board to go with my "The Power of Yet" Growth Mindset theme! 

Creating a Growth Mindset culture and community isn't hard to do. Growth Mindset describes a way of viewing challenges and setbacks. When your students understand that their abilities, skills and talents can be nurtured and their goals achieved with hard work, grit and determination, they’ll begin to see their “failures” as a small detour and an opportunity for continued learning. 

I start off the year reading these books:

Here's another way I use The Magical Yet to work on Setting Goals with my class.

Then we have a morning meeting share following this prompt:

Here are the answers I got this year:

1. Ride a two-wheeler.

2. Make toast for my grandmom.

3. Read Piggie and Elephant by myself.

4. Wash my own hair.

5. Go to sleep away camp.

6. Play in my backyard without my big sister there to bug me.

7. Blow my nose.

8. Fly to Arizona by myself to meet Auntie Kim.

9. Make a Fortune Teller.

10. Tie my shoes. 

11. Take off my training wheels. (7 kids said this!)

12. Put the bait on the hook.

It was a long share but so worth it!  The discussion was great as to WHY they could now do these things. Words learned:

GRIT, PERSEVERANCE, DETERMINATION

By the end of September, I no longer hear frustrated students saying," I can't do it" but instead, "I can't do it YET."  I feel like my First Graders are ready to tackle anything and everything with a new sense of determination.

If you are interested in this Bulletin Board display, you can find it in my store. Click on pic if interested.

Do you know of any other books you could recommend to me on The Power of Yet theme? I'm always looking for new books. Drop me a title or two below if you can. Thanks!

Two Classics: Betty White & Harry the Dirty Dog (FREEBIE!)

These two are perfect together! 

I love Harry just as much now as I did when it was read to me as a child.  When I discovered that Betty read this on Storylineonline a few years ago, I was even more excited! Perfection for sure! 

You can get my Harry the Dirty Dog Book It for FREE in my store! If you aren't familiar with my Book-Its, there are three activities. 

Book It: Retell It, Write It! Make It!

1. Retelling the Story:

2. Make-a-Word 

The kids start off very slow with the words they can make. Model, model, model! There is so much you can do with Make-a-Words and I feel like they are an untapped resource for so many teachers.  I use their word study lessons as a guide and then sneak in all sorts of other min-lessons. 

Since there is an "S" in this one, I introduced plurals and kids were excited to almost double their words.  By the end of the year, many kids can get 50-100 words (TRUTH!) on a good Make-a-Word phrase.

3. Writing Prompts (Pick-a-Prompt)

Sharing these is always a pleasure because I don't have to listen to 20 of the same prompt responses. While not always spread even across all 3, it does allow for variety. I'm virtual this week and will be doing this orally during Morning Meeting. It's great practice for them!

Book Its are also awesome to leave for a substitute!  Yep! Why? Because it's at least an HOUR of meaningful work. Watch/read book, Retelling, Make-A-Word, and then the prompt and sharing.  More than 60 minutes for me and I usually don't do everything in one day.  (Retelling is an example: They practice retelling a few days independently and then with partner.)

Last year, for the first time in forever, a NEW Harry the Dirty Dog book was released:

If you like the above BOOK-IT, I have a 3 more FREE ones in my store and 125 Book Its for sale at $2 each. Perfect for when you just want a little support on a book! Here are TWO more Freebies:

I hope you can use some of the freebies above!

Have a great day and a terrific week ahead!

Put a LIttle Magic In The New School Year (Freebies!)

Who couldn't use a little extra magic this year?  Our students have had a very long couple of years and for many of my First Graders, this year will be their first school experience.  I want to make it extra special and exciting for them and this Magic Play Doh is perfect for kicking off the year!  Grab the freebie by clicking on the pic.

I make these magic balls at home. Easy recipe included and you only need a few ingredients. Recipe in download.

After making the clay, I roll it into small balls and load them into a ziploc to bring to school. 

Once at school, usually on a prep, I add the food coloring to each one and then put in individual baggies for the kids.  (If you add food coloring too early, it dries up a bit and is harder to mix.) When they get back from their special, I pretend that someone left the basket of strange white balls and read the poem several times.  We figure out together that we're supposed to squish the balls and make a wish. So...we make a wish then we let the squishing begin!

Kids CANNOT take out the playdoh until I say it's okay (no clumpy food coloring left.)

Once fully mixed, we play with it. (Make shapes, initials, etc.) When finished, the clay goes back into a sealed baggie and I staple a mini poem on it . I send it home. The kids really love this activity.  Although I do it the first day of school, you can do it anytime of year.

I've included a SIMPLE class booklet as well.  Pick which sheet is best for your students. They love revisiting this book often.

This next product isn't mine but I love these mini posters so much and thought you would too. Click on them to get the freebie.

I also love this small watervolor sign. It also comes in green and blue. I hung one on my class door and in each cubby so the kids will see it while unpacking. I'll take a picture of them when I go to school this week. Again, click on pic to get the freebie.

And the last freebie I want to share is an easy, QUICK way to see progress. I end up sending both home the last day for the parents to see and treasure for years to come.

Here's hoping we ALL have a magical year!