Word Sorts in the Classroom

Do you word sort in your classroom?

If you don't, you totally should.

We do a "write the room"activity every week which is a sorting activity, since the kiddos are walking around the room and categorizing words as they write them on a recording sheet.

BUT- I recently started doing hands-on physical word sorts and it's amazing.

Like seriously.

There's just something about seeing the kiddos actually manipulate word cards, hearing them saying words aloud and figuring out where to categorize them based on sounds.  And, the sense of accomplishment they have when they have sorted the cards... well, they get so excited!

So, I've been making sorts like a crazy woman, as my kiddos can't get enough of them.

I have them at my "Word Work" center.  When students finish their "must do" each week, they can choose a word sort to complete.

I cut a laminate the cards and put them in here.  I got it at Michael's.  On sale.  And then used my teacher ID to get MORE money off!

I print out the "header cards" so students know the categories.  Then print and laminate the sorting cards.

My students seriously LOVE doing this.  They either lay them out on the floor or sort them in pocket charts.  We love these magnetic ones from Amazon:

And I'm so stoked to let you know that I have TWENTY of them done and ready to share on TpT!

I am going to continue to add to this pack until my school year ends in June, as my kiddos seriously can't get enough.  You can snag this pack on sale at TpT now!  The pack also includes recording sheets for each sort so you can check students' work or use as fun assessments!

How do you get your kiddos interacting with words and literacy skills?

We've had three snow days in the past week with a big snow coming Monday and then below zero temps on Wednesday... I will definitely be adding to this pack next week if we get more snow days!

Happy weekend, all!

Newest Classroom Projects {Clipboards and Class Store}

Second blog post of 2019... already  miles ahead of where this blog was at this time last year!

We were so excited on Friday when we had the first opening of our CLASS STORE!

Students were able to spend (or save, which only one of my kiddos did!) their Dojo points from the week for goodies at our store.

To make the store, I just went to Target because, duh, I'm there thirty times a week anyway, and scoured Bullseye's Playground for the best gear.  I may have bought a few things from Amazon too... but most of it comes from my other home away from home- Target.

I decided how much each item would cost, made up some "price tags", and put everything into a hanging shoe holder.

Easiest, peasiest contraption ever!

I'm only using 12 of the 24 shoe spots, so I just used some binder clips to hang the "extra" behind.  Once this week I used it to cover the front of the store so the kids couldn't see the prizes... but it looked so sad when it was closed up so we fixed that and hung it right back behind where it belonged!

Want to make your own store with this shoe holder?  Click the picture for an Amazon link!

I was also in need of some clipboards.  I hit up Dollar Tree and bought 10.  I had so much fun adding my name to them that I'll probably go and get 12 more so I have a class set!  How fun would this be as a Christmas gift for the kiddos?  Or maybe Valentine's Day since that's right around the corner!

Ignore the giant messy corner of my desk here!  I could just not share this pic, but I love how these turned out.  So, I'll just share and hope you don't notice the piles or other STUFF!

That's it!

Currently working on some simple sorts and matching activities.  I am excited to actually be CREATING again!  I'll share here when I've got them ready to go!

New Year... New Blog Design!

When I was a little girl, I hated my name.

Perhaps an abrupt way to begin a blog post, but in the end, it will all come together.

So, anyway.

The name.

Christina.

Hey, it was the 80s and everyone else seemed to be named Tiffany, Jenny, or Jessie.

"Christina" just didn't roll off the tongue.  It didn't sound fun or happy... to me, a little girl in mid-80s, it just sounded OLD.

It wasn't beautiful, it ended with a 'schwa' sound... you know, that ugly "UH" sound that you almost have to frown to make.  That was the complete opposite of the joyful, smiley, airy long e of TiffanY, JennY, and JessIE.

I vowed, right then and there that when I grew up, I was going to change my name.

I chose a name that was simply elegant.

I loved it more than anything.

And I just knew that, as soon as I was 18, I was marching to the courthouse to change my name.

No more "ChristinUH" with that frowny schwa at the end.

I came up with something beautiful.

Something to rival the Tiffany's of the world.

What did I love in the 80s... my My Little Ponies, of which I had an extensive collection full of unicorns and I loved the show "Jem and the Holograms", who had a giant star RIGHT in their logo!

(You are definitely going to want to Pin this blog post so you can remember this name for your future daughters.)

Are you ready?

So, naturally with my love of My Little Ponies and the truly, truly, truly outrageous Jem, I created a beautiful marriage of those two favorites, chosing the name Unicorn Starr, and adding the twist of Starr with TWO R's.

Go ahead, say it out loud.  Let it roll off the tongue.  The two R's are important, so draw out that last sound just a little bit.

Unicorn Starr.

And, at that time, my full name would have been Unicorn Starr Marie Rowe!

Seriously.  Until this moment, have you ever heard of a more lovely name?

I loved that beautiful name and dreamed of the day I would be able to call myself by my rightful name!

But then, one day I grew up.  I grew into my name.  I found out who I was and realized that I AM Christina.  My parents chose right!  And no other name, not even one was amazing as "Unicorn Starr" could suit me.

BUT... I have often thought back to all that time I spent wanting a different name.  And I have shared that story with lots of friends over the years... even the fifth graders I student taught waaaaay back in 2004 heard that story when we read a text about someone who didn't like their name.

Unicorn Starr has always been a part of my story and so, today, I have a re-designed blog that honors that fun little memory and "re-brands" me & this blog, now that I'm back in the classroom.  Yes, I got the opportunity to return to my passion, TEACHING!!!, in since September after two years as a principal, and it was time to turn "Bunting, Books, and Bright Ideas" into a new space on the web... in honor of Unicorn Starr, this blog is now "The Uni-Corner"!

I am hopeful that 2019 will allow me to find "teacher time" again to blog and share ideas from my 1st grade classroom and that you will join me over here at "The Uni-Corner"!

Gotta give credit to my girl, as I totally stole the phrase "Uni-Corner" from my dear friend and best Special Education teacher EVER, Bethany, as the name for this blog.  She has a love for unicorns as well and has a spot in her classroom full of all of her unicorn stuff, aptly named her "Uni-Corner"!  And super happy with the re-design from Kassie!

Please stay tuned and join me, Christina/Unicorn Starr, over here at The Uni-Corner!