Our Favorite Things

Hello everyone!!!

Today we are throwing  a big, humongous bash to celebrate YOU!

Last year we blogged about our favorite non-school related things, this year we have decided that we will share with you our favorite school things! So here we go:

I'm going to share an "old school" website with you all that provides materials for a "timeless" strategy in teaching math facts. Kathy Gursky's number fact materials are so well organized and they are FREE!!! Mastering fact family fluency with mixed addition and subtraction is sooooooo important. We tend to look over it with all of the reasoning and and strategies that we teach in common core (and those are important too)... but basic skills are necessary to efficiently reason and understand the strategies we teach. This website provides a ton of materials such as worksheets, booklets, flash cards, timed tests, partner puzzles, and so much more for teaching fact fluency.

One of my favorite organizational tips involves using these teacher favorite carts... and one way that I use them is to keep the materials stored for the fact fluency exercises. Did you know that you can use dry erase markers on these??? WoW!!! So... on the left is my fact fluency drawers. Each drawer has the materials for one level of fluency (5's, 6's, 7's, etc). The top drawer is currently number 13... I can change them up as students move to higher levels, I remove lower levels. Student names are on little sticky tabs with some extra tape, I have had no problem moving them every day, except they curl up ;) 

On the right are my guided reading drawers. I use the colors to help me code for my groups. The top 4 drawers hold the books each group is working on for the week. The bottom four drawers hold additional materials for each group (nonsense word practice, fluency practice, comprehension quizes, written response questions, etc.) The last two drawers hold pencils, highlighters, index cards, notebook paper, etc.) 

I already shared a website that I love, but I wanted to share another favorite. Reading A to Z is amazing for web-based and print resources. My school does not have basals or a reading program, but Reading A to Z has all of the guided reading and independent reading materials that I need. The books are leveled, aligned with comprehension skills, and lessons and quizzes are provided. Students can listen online to the same books that are available to print. They can also take quizzes online and/or on paper. Make sure you enter the contest below for a chance to win a membership. There is a free trial available as well. If you can get your school to purchase a membership, you will not be disappointed! 

Once again we want to treat you all to our favorite things!!! Check out these great prizes!
















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Come and visit my other teacher friends' blogs for their favorite websites, organization tips and much more!

An InLinkz Link-up

Link to link up http://www.inlinkz.com/new/view.php?id=585883