I got some great ideas for my Monsters Printable file from Debi, Robin, and Amanda who commented on my last post.  They were looking for opposites, beginning sounds, and counting (on the bed/in the closet).  I have sent the file to them for their thoughts.

There are also some "eyeless" monster mats for counting and/or adding with your own google eyes.  

The 89 page file is two dollars at My Teachers Notebook Shop.

(Do you love the plastic container?!  I bought that about a month ago at the Target Dollar Spot.)

Here's a little FREEBIE emergent reader for your kids to color.

I just love the monster clipart that I purchased at Creative Clips and the free font from Hello Literacy.

Well, I am off to our class field trip to a farm/pumpkin patch tomorrow.  Wish us luck!

Blessings,

My school purchased this set of letter vests for our classroom this year.

They are really helping the kids grasp the concept of blending letter sounds into words. I have each child say the sound of the letter that he/she is wearing and everyone else tries to figure out the word they are making.  Once we have figured out "it" I will have someone come up wearing an s and we will read "sit."  Previously I had done similar activities with the kids using big letters printed on cardstock paper (laminated) with yarn so they could be worn like necklaces.  If you have read much of this blog, you know that I am all about making or finding inexpensive classroom materials, so it pains me to say this.... but, these are worth the $40 investment.  The kids love to use them and they don't flap them around like they did with the homemade ones.  I like the fact that vowels are a different color and each vest has both the upper and lower case forms of the letter.

I am taking pictures of my students making words out with the letter vests this year.  I put the pictures in a binder for students to read and to use with the magnetic letters. I find that everything is much more exciting if it includes photos of classmates.

 Dr. Jean has a fantastic idea on her blog using gardening gloves to make letters for building words.

Blessings,