It's FREE SmartBoard Sunday Balloon Pop

I have loaded some new games for FREE on my TpT store to help teach the "Outlaw Words," or sight words that do not follow the phonics rules. Here is a quick look at the games.  Have a great school week and enjoy 2 new whole group and literacy centers on me.

See if you students know which words are behind the balloon.  Read the word on the balloon.  Guess what words are underneath.  Pop the balloon and see if you are right! This activity complements the song "The Outlaw Words" from my CD and multimedia files from "Growing Dendrites with Kathy Griffin" (c) Copyright 2011.

View of what is behind the balloon after it has been touched. Directions: Click on the balloon.  Read the word.  When finished with the page, touch the balloon to reset it to the color.

Click on the balloon.  Read the word.  When finished, touch the balloon to reset it to the color.

Directions for The Outlaw Words Balloon Pop Game

Spelling the Outlaw Word "water."  Student has the option of figuring out the word by the letter arrangement or can click on the clue button to see the word and correct spelling. The red bar tracks their time.  Click on the edit button to remove the timing option.

Spelling the Outlaw Word "your."  Student has the option of figuring out the word by the letter arrangement or can click on the clue button to see the word and correct spelling. The red bar tracks their time.  Click on the edit button to remove the timing option.

Spelling the Outlaw Word "what."  Student has the option of figuring out the word by the letter arrangement or can click on the clue button to see the word and correct spelling. The red bar tracks their time.  Click on the edit button to remove the timing option.

Want to change the words?  Read how to edit the file on the first  page.

Directions Page

To get the FREE download of The Outlaw Word Balloon Pop Game click on the link below:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Balloon-Pop-Game-for-the-SmartBoard


To get the FREE download of The Outlaw Spelling Word Anagram game, click on the link below:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Outlaw-Words-Spelling-Anagram


To purchase the multimedia file for the SmartBoard, Interactive Whiteboard, or computer, click on the link below:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer

To purchase the activity pack, click on the link below:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Activity-and-Game-Pack

To purchase the book set, click on the link below:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Books


To purchases the mp3 song, click on the link below:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Song

Take the "We Work With Words Challenge"

Take the word work challenge with our classroom!  We are keeping track of the number of words we read/spell during Reader's Workshop/Literacy Centers and are pushing ourselves to grow more dendrites in reading and spelling.  The goal for our class: To read and spell more words. We do not do traditional spelling tests at our school.  Instead, we provide lots of word work activities for our students to do including word sorts to look for patterns.  Our brains are pattern seekers, and my students are learning to find patterns everywhere, even in print.  As my class says, "Patterns, patterns, EVERYWHERE!"  Try this simple phrase with your students during whole group word work, reading, or anytime you are looking at print:  "What do you notice?"  Get a glimpse at what your students notice about words, how to break them apart, and how to put them back together.  If you want to join in on the challenge, leave your city, state and track the number of words your students read/spell daily, weekly, or by the month. Or just say, "We're taking the challenge!"  My students are ready for some competition.  How about yours?  Think of the learning that can take place.  My students write the number of words each day on a post-it-note and turn it in.  We add them together with a calculator during math stations.  Then we chart them on our board.  We have decided to make a Word Work Graph to track our progress.  I can't wait to hear from you, and your classroom's success.  You can show them this video clip to get them motivated.




Or you can also purchase the multimedia file "Word Work Chant" from my Teachers Pay Teachers store for the Smart Board, Interactive Whiteboard, or computer for $3.00.  Just want the song/chant/and rap version?  I have the mp3 at my TpT store for $1.00 and the book set for $2.00.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Weve-Got-DendritesWord-Work-Chant-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Weve-Got-Dendrites-Word-Work-Chant-Books

The Outlaw Words YouTube Example

Here is an example of how I use "The Outlaw Words" from my CD "Growing Dendrites with Kathy Griffin" on my Smart Board.  I use it during whole group time and as a literacy station during Readers' Workshop.  During Readers' Workshop, I turn the volume down and have the children work with the print only.  After surveying my students, this is their favorite multimedia file.  I do believe it helps them with those harder words that don't follow the phonics rules.

It's Great to Be Reading on YouTube

It's Great to Be Reading (Short Vowels)
I use this multimedia file to introduce CVC or short vowel word families.

You can purchase this multimedia file at my TpT store:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Its-Great-to-Be-Reading-CVC-Words-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer
I created books to use during guided reading groups and to put in my students' book boxes for "Just Right Reading" practice.  After they read/sing the book, they can practice all of the words at the end of the book (over 150 CVC words).  It's great practice to master these short vowel word families. I also put a copy in the listening center to reinforce fluency and provide extra support to a favorite book/song.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Its-Great-to-Be-Reading-Books-CVC-Words
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Its-Great-to-Be-Reading-Song-CVC-Words

I build smaller word walls to help transfer this skill to other word families in my classroom.  Sometimes my word walls are on "actual walls" and sometimes they are on smaller sheets in tubs.

We document our work in our "Word Work Books."
It shows their growth over the school year and there are
no papers to keep track of during Reader's Workshop.
When I ask, "What words did you work on today?"
They show me. I add some creativity to it by using
fun markers, crayons, and colored pencils.

My portable word wall.
Children take the word families they want to work
with to the tables to do different literacy centers,
such as spelling and word sorts.

Word Sort by Word Family
Using Post-it-Notes

Want some fun literacy centers to go with these word families?  Check out It's Great to Be Reading Activity Pack:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Its-Great-to-Be-Reading-Activity-Pack-CVC-Words

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  

Five Word Families on YouTube

See how I use the multimedia file "Five Word Families"  on my Smart Board.  



You can purchase this multimedia file for $3.00 at my Teachers Pay Teacher store:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Five-Word-Families-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer

One of the literacy centers in my classroom is "Roll a Dice." Want a free 14 page download of this activity? 

Click here to download this free 14 page literacy center.

I've Been Working on My Silent e Rule Game & Activity Pack

I just loaded a new activity game pack to my Teachers Pay Teachers store to complement the song, multimedia file, and book set to "I've Been Working on My Silent e Rule."  So do you want to know my students' favorites right now?  They love "All Aboard" which is a version of Go Fish, "Toot Toot!" a version of Bang, and Build a Board Game.  On Build a Board Game, they use the cards to design a road first, and then begin the game.  When they finish, they can build the road a different way and play again.  Check back next week for more photographs of the games in my actual classroom.

This game pack complements the song "I've Been Working on My Silent e Rule" from my CD "Growing Dendrites with Kathy Griffin" (c) Copyright 2011. Use the games and activities during guided reading and literacy centers.  All of the game pieces are coded with a small picture in the right hand corner to help with management of pieces.  If one gets dropped on the floor (and we all know how often that happens), the students can match the cards to the games saving teachers valuable time.  Even the whole group activity "Making Words" are coded with pictures by word family.  If they get mixed up, have the children sort them by the picture, and you are ready to teach again.

I Can Read Fluency Cards for practice during guided reading groups. Pass out  a stack of cards to each child in your group.  Their goal is to read the card, put it in front of their stack, while I listen to them read the words.  If they are correct, I take the card.  If they read it wrong, I refer them to the song while they read it again.  I remind them the "e" reaches over the consonant and says, "Say your name!"  Works every time.   We then try to increase our speed, fluency, and accuracy.  I switch the stacks among the children to give them the chance to read all of the words.  The train clip art matches the books and multimedia file to help make a connection to the song.

Student version of "Making Words" with the silent e pattern.  The hand pointer is used to help decode the word.  They use the pointer, touch the e, reach over the consonant, and say, "Say your name, " then sound out the word.  I coded the cards by their spelling pattern (ake, ine, etc.) with a different color of train, so the children can sort the cards if they get mixed up in the pocket chart.  No more asking you what cards go where.  Just say, "Sort the cards by their train colors and start building words." 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ive-Been-Working-on-My-Silent-e-Rule-Games-and-Activity-Pack

Here is a sample of the multimedia file I've Been Working on My Silent e Rule for the Smart Board, IWB, Digital Projector, or student computer.  Help your students learn the rule and apply to words with the silent e pattern.

Click here to view this on TpT. 

Click here to view the book set that complements this song.

Click here to see view the mp3 version.

I've Been Working on My Silent e Rule

Teach your students how to read words with the "silent e" rule. Watch how I use this multimedia file to teach this phonic's rule.

You can purchase the multimedia file from my Teachers Pay Teachers store for $3.00 at

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ive-Been-Working-on-My-Silent-e-Rule-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer

While you are there, check out the book set and mp3 file from the song to use in guided reading, independent reading, or the listening center.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ive-Been-Working-on-the-Silent-e-Rule-Song

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ive-Been-Working-on-My-Silent-e-Rule-Books