More BATS!

Hey everyone, Alyssha here from Teaching and Tapas. I am one of those people who LOVE everything October. Aside from it being a way-too-busy teaching obligation month (progress reports AND open house for some of us), it is so fun to get into the fall spirit!

One thing I love to do in October is a class vote/graph - Are Bats Cute or Creepy? Hang it up at the beginning of the month. Make sure the kids are able to change their votes because by the end of the month, you can convince the most squeamish students that bats are definitely cute. Like, the cutest of all animals.

On Monday, Matt from Digital Divide & Conquer wrote up a post about Bat resources using Symbaloo. I may be the last teacher alive who hasn't heard of Symbaloo. It looks AWESOME!
There was one video in particular that you MUST show your students. Lil' Drac is the epitome of every cute animal video on the internet. Seriously, so sweet.

Here is another one that you have to play with the sound on -

Okay, here is one more can't miss. This one goes beyond just cuteness - it's a great learning video.

I love surprising my students with little videos every once in a while. They're short and awesome!

Along with the bat theme, I have a great close reading freebie on bats that you may find useful. It a passage that is written at two levels (yay for differentiation!). It's perfect for 2nd and 3rd grade but could be used 1st-4th. Snag it up here!

 

Remember, it's free and super awesome! Enjoy!
Link - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Differentiated-Close-Reading-Bats-1502633

Nocturnal Animals

Hello! It's Cyndie again from Chalk One Up for the Teacher and now that we've finally made it to October, I'm here to talk to you about one of my students' favorite all-time topics...nocturnal animals.

Who doesn't love things that go bump (and "hoo", and "caaa", and "eek") in the night?

As a teacher, I love this unit, too, because you can work so much into it!

Plus, if you do Genius Hour or PBLs this fits in so nicely.

Here is a list of nocturnal animals from Buzzle that you could study.

Here are some great ways that you could integrate nocturnal animals into your curriculum. 

• Informational - Have your students research a nocturnal animal and create an informative piece.
• Narrative - Have any or maybe several of your students had an encounter with a nocturnal animal?
• Opinion - I'll bet your students have plenty of opinions about at least one nocturnal animal!

• Compare the weight and size of various nocturnal animals.
• Graph various nocturnal animals found in different regions.
• Graph the class' favorite nocturnal animal.
• Compare the various species of nocturnal animals with others using <, >, and =.
• Measure how far nocturnal animals travel in a night.
• Create pie charts that show how much time each animal spends doing various activities.

Here is a list of fabulous books about nocturnal animals.

Where Are the Night Animals by Mary Ann Fraser
Nocturnal Animals by Kelli L. Hicks
Raccoons by J. Angelique Jackson (There are several nocturnal animals in this series.)
Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies
Owls by Valerie Bodden
The Pebble First Guide to Nocturnal Animals by Joanne Mattern
Night Creatures by Wade Cooper

Science is my favorite part of the day!

• You can order and dissect owl pellets.
• Sort nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular animals.
• Conduct echolocation experiments.
• Include a phases of the moon study.
• Create a can, have, are anchor chart for the various nocturnal animals based on research.

As  you can see, nocturnal animals can lend themselves to a great deal of learning and loads of engagement!

If you are looking for products based on nocturnal animals, here are a few of my favorites.
(Just click on the picture to take you to the product.)

 

So that's it! I hope you'll try it out and watch your kids light up as they learn about this super cool topic!

19 Books for Halloween Fun!

Hi, friends! 

It's Laura from Peace, Love, and First Grade!

Hope your weekend is going well!

If you read my blog, you know I'm obsessed with children's literature!

I. LOVE. IT!!

I spend a great deal of time checking out titles to use in the classroom! 
 Old and New!

This week on my blog, I shared 19 titles perfect for Halloween!

 Click the pic to read about my favorite Halloween stories!

Hope your Halloween is spooky!!

Fire Safety Find, Tally & Graph Freebie!

Hi Folks!

Happy Fall!!!

Lisa here, over from Growing Firsties and I am hoping that your fall has been uber-enjoyable!!! I know we've been loving it here in Wisconsin! Blue skies, colorful trees, football, fire pit, a chill in the air...though I can't quite wear my beloved boots and scarves yet without sweating it up. Still loving it up!

I had to whip up a little Fire Safety Find, Graph & Tally...my class is kind of addicted to them and has been asking for another one...

Here's a general fall one...

These Fall freebies of mine have also been pretty popular...feel free to snag them up by clicking each pic...

Don't forget to enter our...

which ends TONIGHT!!!

It is filled with ridiculously fabulous prizes and I wish IIIIII could enter I'd love to win that Ooh Baby bundle so badly!!!!!

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!
Smiles - Lisa 

Woohoo! October FREEBIE and MONSTROUS Giveaway!

l can't tell you how excited I am to be in October! You know those people who put up Christmas decorations at the beginning of November? Well, that is what I am like for Halloween! I have way too much fun with this holiday :)

If you have not already entered the awesome MONSTEROUS giveaway, you better get in on that. There are only a few days left and this one's a good one!

I also have a little Halloweeny freebie for all of the 1st and 2nd grade teachers out there. It is pack of math task cards focused on 1 and 2 step problems (2.OA.1). Your kids will love it! Enjoy :)

Like what you see? You can download the whole pack for free by clicking here.

Enjoy!

- Alyssha from Teaching and Tapas

MONSTERous Giveaway and A FREEBIE for the Fall from Latoya

This giveaway is so exciting.  There are going to be some happy people very soon!!!  I love this time of the year and I bet your kiddos do too!!!  I am posting my FREEBIE Fall Writing Center.  Your students will be able to complete a writing piece and a write the room activity.

Enjoy!!!

Click the cover page to get your wonderFALL FREEBIE!!!

Contents Included

Fall Vocabulary Chart

 Sentence Frame Starters

Circle Map to Organize Writing

Fall Writing Paper with Picture Space

 Fall Writing Paper with no Picture Space

Write the Room Vocabulary Cards

 Write the Room Recording Sheet

Don't forget to enter the MONSTERous Giveaway by clicking on the button below!!!

Halloween Spider Sort ~ Vowel Sorting *Freebie*

 

Hey Chalk Talkers!

Christy & Tammy here from Fluttering Through First Grade.

Do you like spiders? 

We tend to find them all over our classroom throughout the school year.

We have our students on high spider alert at times, just to be safe.

Upon "spider siren" (think shrieking, ear piercing voices yelping, "Spider! Spider!"), we whisk on over with a paper towel so we can carefully "relocate" them upon discovery. :)

This time of year is a perfect time however to allow our eight legged friends to stick around class awhile.

Our boys love this activity and our girls don't mind it either, as one so eloquently informed us, "because the spiders are on paper and not in the Legos". We took that as a compliment coming from our two legged friend.

 Our Halloween Spider Sort Long and Short Vowel Sorting Activity Includes:

*Directions for use

*1 Recording Page

*2 Sorting Mats

*10 Short Vowel Cards

*10 Long Vowel Cards

*4 Blank Cards 

Here's a sneak peek at a few of the printable pages...

 

Click {here} to find it in our TpT Shop. Enjoy!

We'd love for you to follow our store and leave some feedback if you decide to download. 

Thanks!

 If you're just dropping by Primary Chalkboard for the first time this week, make sure you head back over to Tuesday's Post to check out our 

Monsterous Giveaway!

We're offering our  

Fall into First Grade ~ Math & Literacy Activities 

for the Common Core Classroom

 in the First Grade Bundle.

There are tons of great units up for grabs, 

plus a Mega Prize Pack that we wish we could enter ourselves! 

So, please enter and win for us so we can say we know the winner! :)

Click {here} to enter.

Good luck!