Picture Book Discovery: UPDATE!

Before the school year started, I shared a wonderful picture book that I discovered over the summer, Agate.  I also uploaded a bulletin board idea to go along with the book on Teachers Pay Teachers.  Just wanted to share the amazing watercolor portriats my students made to accompany the writing activity we did related to the story. Their portraits will hang in the classroom all year, once taken down off of the bulletin board.  The kids loved this!

I purchased the poster in the center of the bulletin board from Lake Superior Press. It shows all of the beautiful watercolor animals from the picture book.

File Folder Flip Spelling Practice

Way back when I started teaching 19 years ago, I used a 7-step spelling practice that was especially useful with my students who had individualized word lists.  Students were able to follow 7 easy steps simultaniously as a class no matter what their focus words were for the week. I continued to use the same 7-step strategy with my third and fifth graders over the years. A few years ago, I was reading The Science of Spelling by Richard Gentry and found a similar file folder spelling strategy.  Since then, I adapted the original 7-step system and use this strategy with my second graders.  I call the strategy, "File Folder Flip".  For additional information and directions for preparing file folders, go to Heinemann's website to view a sample of Richard Gentry's book.

I use File Folder Flip with the whole class once a week.  I also offer a student step guide for students to follow as a word work choice.  The guide helps students do the steps independently.

Thinking and Picturing the Word

Checking

Writing from Memory

To download the student step guide, and three types of writing paper designed for use with file folders, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store. It's a FREEBIE!  I hope your kids enjoy this way of practicing as much as mine do!  All the best!

 

For more spelling activities, go to Sunny Days in Second Grade!