FREE Books With The EPIC App!

Hi everyone,

This is Valerie from All Students Can SHINE. I'm here to show you an awesome app.

I just LOVE finding new apps for our iPads! My students get SO excited when I show them a new app because it keeps them on their toes and they never get bored with the same apps. This week, I was browsing the app store and found this AMAZING tool!
Best part? It is FREE for TEACHERS!
What is better than a FREE app for your classroom?!
Nothing!
Well, maybe chocolate... with wine! Hahaha!

The app is called EPIC! and is jam packed with THOUSANDS of books that can be streamed in seconds. Kids can read books over and over without waiting for them to download. They can also have books read to them, which is GREAT for our beginning readers!

Epic has a bunch of awesome features like the "read to me" tool, categories for easy searching, reading logs,
and rewards for reading motivation.
They also provide a letter for parents, so you can ask them to join at home. The app is not free for parents but is SUPER cheap!
TOTALLY worth it, in my books ;)

Go check it out for yourself and test it with your students!

Later gators,

Valerie

Let's Have a Ch Party!

Hi friends! I am SO excited to be here! You can find me over at My Silly Firsties when I'm not blogging here at PC! I teach 1st grade in Dallas and I have the CUTEST babies ever this year. They are wild as heck so I am in teacher heaven!

I wanted to share a fun little activity we did today to practice "ch." I have a lot of ELLs this year (about 12/20) and we are really struggling with this sound in writing.  So I racked my brain and scoured pinterest and them remembered this adorable idea! 

Sarah Cooley is one of my FAVORITE bloggers and the first blog I really started stalking! I have had this pinned for years and just never really did it! So today we busted out the CH snacks and went to town! :)

So I only had about 30 minutes to dedicate to this so I didn't go as all out as I really wanted!

Last night, I went to Wal-mart and stocked up on snacks!

 I made a little parent letter for you in case you want to send it home and have them provide the snacks! Just click the picture to grab a copy!

Before they got to eat their snacks though, they had to come up with 25 words that have "ch" in it. They worked together as a table to make it a little easier and support some of my lower level readers and writers. :) We made an anchor chart yesterday (that I forgot to take pictures of...of course!!) and we have been finding them in our books constantly! 

I just gave them a sheet of manilla paper because I'm all about last minute!! But here is a little recording sheet if that's easier for you! Just click to grab it! :) 

I really wanted them to use chalk to write their words but Walmart was out of chalk...what?!? How does that happen?? 

Here are some other fun ideas I wish we could have done if we had more time! 

Our math coach had another great idea!! You could have all the kiddos wear nametags with a "Ch" name...but I could only come up with Chester, Chuckie, and Chip hahaha. 

Now that the partying is over, here are some products we will be using to get more independent practice in! 

Thanks so much for reading! I'd love to know what fun activities you do to teach digraphs!! :) 

Getting Your Students to Not Dread Testing!

We've all been there….standardized testing. Yuck! Who likes it? Certainly not me nor my students. But it is a necessary evil. A while back I wrote a blog post on how to help your students not dread standardized testing and actually even look forward to it a little bit. I thought it would be timely to revisit this blog post because I know that glorious stressful time of year is quickly approaching. If you want to find out how I help my students wake up ready to roll on those testing days, head on over to my blog at 2 Brainy Apples and maybe my trick will help you and your students!

Until next time!

Heather

Announcing New Chalkboard Members!

Let's give a big, happy HELLO to our four newest Primary Chalkboard members! 

A "Must" Read for Teachers

Hi Everyone!

Lisa from Growing Firsties popping in to share an amaaaaaazing children's novel.

My school district has been moving to a full-inclusion model and my new school has been doing a book study on The Principal's Handbook for Leading Inclusive Schools, which is FILLED with powerful nuggets and tips! The discussion we're having is fantastic, as well! True collaboration.

That said, somehow THIS book is the one that is REALLLLY speaking to me...bringing it all home...

Told by Melody, a young girl who has an absolutely BRILLIANT mind, yet is unable to communicate verbally....she has WAAAAAY more in her head than she is able to express. She notices anything and everything and has many thoughts about it all.

Having it told from her perspective both humbles and inspires me, for I have had students with disabilities that make communication difficult for them. I always thought that I championed all of my students to be the best "them." This book inspires me to be even more so.

A powerful read for sure.

What books have impacted you as a person and/or as a teacher? Though, I guess if it impacts you as a person, it also impacts you as a teacher. Please share in the comments!

Also, I'm curious...if you've read this book and have an opinion on which grade level(s) it would best be suited for as a read aloud.

Note Taking in Science and Social Studies with a Freebie!

Hello Again Friends!

This is Jen Bengel from Out of This World Literacy.  I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the first few weeks back after their holiday break!

I wanted to share a couple of note taking templates I put together.  I homeschool my kids and needed something to help my fifth grader keep track of his learning in both science and social studies.

This is my son, Greyson.  He is a bit of a goofball and would prefer spending his time playing minecraft and having neighborhood nerf wards over studying science and social studies!

So, I created these note taking templates for him.  So far, they are working great for him!

Like many students his age, my son needed more structure than to be told, 'take notes.'

I hope you can find some use for these in your classroom too!

Best wishes!
Jen Bengel
Out of This World Literacy

Martin Luther King, Jr. Products Giveaway and Freebies!!!

Hi everyone!  It's Latoya from Flying into First Grade !!!

As you gear up for Martin Luther King, Jr. week with your kiddos we are happy to announce that The Primary Chalkboard is having a MLK, Jr. giveaway!!!  As you scroll down you will see many great products that you can win!!!  Check out the products below!!!

P.S. You will find some MLK, Jr. freebies too!!!

Good Luck!!!

Products You Can Win

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Some MLK, Jr. FREEBIES