Check us out today here!
Nothing like being late, but here we are for the


This week was full of apples and fall for some of my younger students.
The first picture is from an old Linguisystems game, Rake 'Em Up.
The coloring on the cards is pitiful.
But my students ask for it all the time.
There's just something about the phrase "Rake 'Em Up!"
I like that it has a sentence pattern - "I see a crunchy apple".
The students get to learn new words, such as "rustling" and "wrestling" are two different things.
Guess which one of those words they all knew?!?

We read The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall and a simplified Star in the Apple version.
We got to see the star and then work on requesting and social skills for apple snacks.

My older students played a fruits and vegetables game one day.
On the next, we learned about Owls: Fact and Opinion.
 Owls Facts and Opinions by All Y'all Need
I love Facts and Opinions for many reasons.
My sister created it.
Facts and opinions are so present in the classroom and so difficult for my language students. Practice helps.
Artic  students get a chance to practice their sounds.
Fluency students get a chance to practice their strategies.

Plus, it comes with a facts and opinion recording sheet!
Here's how I use it.
I copy the facts sheet and the opinion sheet onto two-sided paper.
Each student gets a page.
So if they aren't reading or listening to their card, they are writing their facts and opinions.
Artic students underline words with their sounds for home practice.

And who doesn't love hitting mixed-group targets and having students do their own homework?
And speaking of owls...
Which one is the fact and which one is the opinion? 
Some of my students thought both were facts, and I had to agree!

Next week is fairy tales week. I'm talking about Hansel and Gretel and using our unit created by Amy
 Hansel and Gretel by All Y'all Need
and another one created by Speech Therapy with Courtney Gragg.

And finally, Happy Birthday this week to the two of my most favorite guys, my husband and dad.


#FeltintheClassroom

Disclosure: Some of these products were samples provided to me to try. Opinions and the choice to use  are 100% my own! This post contains product links.

I have teamed up with some amazing bloggers and Kunin felts for #feltintheclassroom campaign!
Since this is my first year in Pre-K, I'm crafting LIKE CRAZY and Cut by the yard Kunin Eco-fiPlus™ Premiumfelt came to the rescue! This week, my class will be learning about all things apple. 

So, here's my first project: 

 Apple Pie and Apple Turnovers for Dramatic Play






I used light brown 9" x 12" Craft Cuts Kunin Eco-fi Classicfelt™ for the apple pie and apple turnover dough. I made the apples using cut by the yard Kunin Eco-fiPlus™ Premium felt. I bonded the pieces together using felt tape. My kiddos will absolutely love making apple pies and apple turnovers in the home center! 

My second project:

Find my name!



In Pre-K, we practice identifying one's name daily. To add to the apple theme, I made apples using cut by the yard Kunin Eco-fiPlus™ Premiumfelt. After scattering them on the floor, the kiddos will help pick up the apples by searching for their name and placing it in the basket.

My third project:

Fine Motor Apple Picking



My kiddos will practice their fine motor skills by picking apples off of the apple tree. I created the apples and the apple tree using cut by the yard Kunin Eco-fiPlus™ Premium felt.

You can now find an expanded color line of Kunin Eco-fi Classicfelt™; Eco-fiPlus™ Premiumfelt and ShaggiChic  non-wovens fabrics in cut by the yard at your local Walmart please inquire as to what isavailable in your area.
Get comfy and ready for savings because our entire store is on sale September 18-20.
We are joining up with the amazing Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten
and the delightful Mrs. Dailey's Classroom for this fall event.
Make sure to stop by our hostesses blogs for some fabulous ideas and savings.
Here are some creations you might enjoy for a fabulous fall:
Bats:  Facts and Opinions

Football: Fact and Opinion

And just in case you are a plan-ahead teacher, you can pick up our
Monthly Spatial Concepts Big Bundle.
This bundle has activities to help your sweeties with a new theme each month.
If you are an SLP looking for checklists to give your teachers, check out:
Speech & Language Checklists for PK, K, 1 and 2

These resources will be beneficial to your sweeties:
Real World Language: Social Cues & Situations We Use Every Day

Autumn: Say and Write the Room
Who doesn't love a bright beginning to the school year?
Check out this adorable gift tag to welcome your students to a school year:
Student Tag: Back to School

If you are wanting super and sweet kids in your classroom, try these:
How to be Super!  Self Esteem The Superhero Way

Oh, So Sweet! Using Kind Words in the Classroom

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Enjoy the savings in this linky!

 All Y'all Need for The Frenzied SLPs
Now that school is in full swing, I'm very popular in the hallways with all the teachers.
As in, "Oh! I have a kid or two or three I want you to listen to! You can just stop by, can't you?"

I love my teachers.
I love the students.
I hate those hallway conversations.
First of all, because I won't remember the conversation since I'm usually in transition myself.
And second, I don't know what the teacher's concern is.
So a few years ago, I came up with simple checklists for Pk, Kg, 1st and 2nd teachers.

Give teachers a place to start with students when they have speech & language concerns with these checklists

 Give teachers checklists for documenting speech and language therapy concerns about students

 Give teachers these checklists when they have concerns about students and speech and language skills

 Give these checklists to teachers when they have speech and language concerns about students

The checklists are a beginning point. I used to print them out and hand them to teachers.
Now, my district is all electronic, but I still use the same information.
There's one page each for language skills (based off ASHA's information), imitating or reading artic words, and documenting voice and fluency concerns.
Each packet also has places to document discussions with teachers and who is responsible for the next steps.

Now, I can go visit with a student (after getting parent permission) with a starting point.
Teachers don't mind filling out the form.
My RtI committees look at this information and can understand the concerns and input.
They have been useful for 7 years now. The checklists are even available in a bundle.

 Give these PK, Kg, 1st and 2nd grade checklists to teachers who are concerned about their students' speech and language skills

Thanks for taking a look. Be sure to check out other great screeners at the links below.


Have you heard? SLPs love Talk Like a Pirate Day! Maybe it's the chance to work on "Aaargh". Or that pirates are a great topic when it's too early to talk about fall when the temperatures are still in the 90s. Or maybe because it's just plain fun!
GoldCountrySLP has put together a linky to celebrate Sept. 19. All Y'all Need has a couple of pirate items. The first is a FREEBIE to work on ABC Order!
 Pirate ABC Order by All Y'all Need
The next is part of the Summer Pronouns, Possessives and Places packet. The scenes are easy prep. Just print and glue onto a folder so that students see the fun picture and you see the easy instructions. Plus, it comes with a take-home sheet and (not pictured) a blank scene for playing barrier games!
I'm also getting ready with a few other units. From left to right, Treasure Chest Letters from Katie & Co.; Pirate Says - Following Directions by Sparklle SLP; Pirates Go to School Book Companion by Sparklle SLP; How I Became a Pirate Book Companion by Jenn Alcorn; and Talk Like a Pirate by Ciera Harris, but I can't find it in her store now.
Be sure to check out the linky and don't find yourself walking the plank this week!

We are joining up with Kacey at Doodle Bugs Teaching.
We took a break over the summer.
Then, we started school.
Now, we are back!
Our local schools support Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.
Our community supports Alex's Million Mile.

This week I shared the book Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand with the sweeties.
The book is the true story of Alexandra "Alex" Scott and her fight
against childhood cancer.

And while checking out the latest on IG, I discover a photo by Amanda at A Traveled Teacher.
Her product called Childhood Cancer Awareness was perfect for giving information,
generating a focused discussion time and creating opportunities for empathy.
Y'all know I love books.
Here are some of my favorite books that I read at the beginning of the year.
I will give you a descriptive category for each book.   
Do not let that limit your imagination with these fabulous books.

Timeless Classic:  Curious George Goes to School by Margaret and H.A. Rey
LOL:   The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten by Maureen Fergus and Mike Lowerey
Great for Discussion:  Rufus Goes to School by Kim Griswell
Why and Why Not:  I Took My Frog to the Library by Eric A. Kimmel
Return of a Familiar Character:  The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen 
Tickles Your Funny Bone:  Monsters Love School by Mike Austin
Amazing Storytelling:  The Lion's Share by Chris Conover

Watching Periscope instead of Netflix?
Guilty.
The first time I heard of Periscope was with Angie at Lucky Little Learners
They were doing Periscopes at the TpT Conference in July from Vegas.

Folks, it is now September.
I can honestly say that I have learned so much from Periscope!
It is simply a fabulous resource for educators.
Above are some of my favorite Periscope Peeps to watch.

Tap the screen.
Give some hearts.
Our school is on a mission to bring manners back.
Now, manners did not leave the building completely.
But let us just say this year, they are making a front-and-center comeback.

Here are two things that are making a big difference:  
the handshake and the eating as a class.

Now, I am a hugger.
But I will happily give a handshake to those sweeties who extend their hand first.
But do I say no to a hug?
Absolutely not.
We are teaching the kids to initiate the handshake with others, including adults.
So far, the sweeties are really liking this oh-so-grown-up way of greeting.

Now, let's head to the cafeteria.
Yes, the place you might avoid at all costs.

This year, we are eating as a class.

No need to panic.
The teachers still have their duty-free lunch.
But each class of Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade is doing things differently.
No one begins eating until the last person in the class sits at the table.

I have lunch duty.
So, I see this in action 5 days a week.

Students with lunch boxes sit down first.
But instead of gobbling down their lunch and reading their love notes,
they talk quietly.
As in a real conversation!
The kids go through the lunch line.

When the last person is seated, I give the thumbs-up sign and invite students
to begin eating their lunch.

We call it fine dining at my table.
On their own, one of my classes made a commitment to be the example to others in the cafeteria.
Whoo-hoo!
Most importantly, we are taking time to remember the heroes of September 11th.
Our prayers are with the men, women and families whose lives are forever changed 
on a September morning.
Thank you to all first responders, servicemen and servicewomen, fire fighters
and police officers, as well as brave Americans for protecting our freedom.
Here is my Pre-K classroom! Unfortunately, I forgot to take my "up to date" photos this afternoon. There are a few things I've changed and I'll try to add them in later. 
 I'm not going to lie, my closet is HEAVEN!!!!  
 My focus wall:
The front of my classroom. The ugly cart has found a new home.







Can I just say how much I LOVE Schoolgirl Style!?! She has such cute ideas!!!!!

Amy's library is warm and cute.
But it's filled with $20,000 worth of books in packages from a grant.

Laura has a little room.
But hey, it's space.
Which is pretty good for speech/language therapy.
And the principal even had the walls painted for her a couple of years ago.
Here is her Periscope classroom reveal.
Be sure to see more great reveals, and link up your own classroom!


Back to Top