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February 12, 2018 By Jennifer Leave a Comment

Valentine Sweets Literacy Learning

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Positively Learning Valentine Literacy

Photo from Speaking of Images

 

Holidays are such a fun time in a first grade classroom, however, our curriculum doesn’t anticipate sugar-highs and sweets-obsessed behaviors when planning the scope and sequence, lol.

In other words, the show must go on…even during Valentine’s Day, Halloween, full moons, etc.!

Over the years, I’ve gotten pretty creative in combining holiday fun AND the important learning we are focusing on.

The result… I’ll let the pictures explain it!

 

Positively Learning Valentine Literacy

 

“Smitten” is our February version of our favorite game “Blast!” This game NEVER gets old with my firsties and these graphics lend themselves to extra sweet fun!

My entire Blast bundle features cards focused on literacy skills that move along our learning continuum: letter identification, letter-sound correspondence, CVC decoding, CVCe, and sight words. By February, we are differentiating the game a tad with the CVC cards in one of my groups and CVCe in the other. The sight word cards were added to independent literacy centers (yay!) and the letter cards stayed safely tucked away in storage (thank goodness, we’re past it!).

Another activity for sight words is my NWEA MAP Testing Primary Reading colorful sight word pages. There are six pages to choose from for each of the six themes (whole or small groups can use the same page or mix it up), plus blank templates to customize. Add bingo dabbers or crayons and the activity is ready to PLAY!

 

Positively Learning NWEA MAP Testing Sight Words

 

Of course, there are so many sweet read aloud books for Valentine’s Day, too! I shared a few of our favorites last year in this post:

Valentine Books

We started Valentine books a week early!

Valentine Books by Positively Learning Blog

Photo by Snapshots and Smiles

 

As I write this post to share our Valentine read-alouds, I realize we really need to add to our repertoire!

Please leave a comment with a tried and true recommendation for a sweet-themed book!

Thank you! 🙂

 

Positively Learning Blog Valentine Book Read Aloud Favorites

 

Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink

This is hands-down our favorite Valentine book! My students were appalled that Gilbert pulled this stunt (you’ll have to read it to find out!). This book is definitely secure at #1 on our Valentine book list!

 

The Biggest Valentine Ever

This is a sweet and simple book that lends itself to the big event…making valentines. My intervention group will be completing themed projects in their classroom, but we didn’t want to miss out. I tied in a colorful activity with our spelling words for the week. It’s tough to see, but my students decorated a color-by-code spelling paper and we turned them into decorations 🙂

 

Positively Learning Blog Valentine's Day Ideas for the Resource Room

 

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose!

No holiday is complete in our resource room without a story about the “old lady.” I love emphasizing story elements using this series because my students are so shocked to realize many of the pages feature the inside of her stomach – what a great setting!

 

The Day It Rained Hearts

Fantastic book for Valentine’s Day and beyond! I save this book for February 14 and we follow it up with conversation heart activities ♥

 

Are there any must-have titles we need to add to our Valentine book list?

 

Valentine's Day Ideas from Positively Learning Blog

 

Thank you for reading!

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your students?

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Filed Under: Holiday, Sight Words Tagged With: NWEA MAP Testing, positively learning, sight words, Valentine, Valentine's Day

February 9, 2017 By Jennifer Leave a Comment

Valentine Books

We started Valentine books a week early!

Valentine Books by Positively Learning Blog

Photo by Snapshots and Smiles

 

As I write this post to share our Valentine read-alouds, I realize we really need to add to our repertoire!

Please leave a comment with a tried and true recommendation for a sweet-themed book! Thanks 🙂

 

Positively Learning Blog Valentine Book Read Aloud Favorites

 

Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink

This is hands-down our favorite Valentine book! My students were appalled that Gilbert pulled this stunt (you’ll have to read it to find out!). This book is definitely secure at #1 on our Valentine book list!

 

The Biggest Valentine Ever

This is a sweet and simple book that lends itself to the big event…making valentines. My intervention group will be completing themed projects in their classroom, but we didn’t want to miss out. I tied in a colorful activity with our spelling words for the week. It’s tough to see, but my students decorated a color-by-code spelling paper and we turned them into decorations 🙂

 

Positively Learning Blog Valentine's Day Ideas for the Resource Room

 

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose!

No holiday is complete in our resource room without a story about the “old lady.” I love emphasizing story elements using this series because my students are so shocked to realize many of the pages feature the inside of her stomach – what a great setting!

 

The Day It Rained Hearts

Fantastic book for Valentine’s Day and beyond! I save this book for February 14 and we follow it up with conversation heart activities ♥

 

Are there any must-have titles we need to add to our Valentine book list?

 

Valentine's Day Ideas from Positively Learning Blog

 

790 total views, 1 views today

Filed Under: Holiday Tagged With: positively learning, Read Aloud Books, Valentine

February 10, 2016 By Jennifer Leave a Comment

Sweetheart Freebies!

Happy Wednesday!


I’m dropping in to share some sweet freebies for Valentine’s Day!


Positively Learning Freebies


The first is a set of cards that I use for Valentine’s Day (and all year ’round!):


Positively Learning Freebie


In this set, you will find heart number cards for 0-10 in both numeral and written form. These are the cards I use the most for number sense activities (“show me one more than…” – suggestions included!). I also added extra cards, including numbers 11-30 in case you wanted to use them for a February calendar display 🙂


Here’s a peek and the link to download the set for free!


Positively Learning Freebie


positively learning


These cards make me nostalgic -this will be my 5th year using them!


I also found some adorable freebies to share with my Valentines, big and small:


Positively Learning Freebie


Please hop over to Erica’s Edventures to pick up these very timely goodies!


The Star Wars theme is actually for my big valentine and I’m using these from What the Teacher Wants for my littles.


Please follow my Instagram @PositivelyLearning for more Valentine’s fun updated pics this week!


How are you celebrating this week? Please leave a comment!


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Filed Under: Freebie, Holiday, TPT Tagged With: freebie, numbers, positively learning, Valentine

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