Why do we teach nonsense words? (Freebie)

If you have ever wondered why we teach nonsense words, then this is a great post for you!  Most teachers think that nonsense words are used ONLY to reinforce vowel sounds, but, this isn't the whole reason!  We teach nonsense words because those nonsense words turn into nonsense syllables that we can put together to make larger, multi-syllabic words.  Just take any word with 3 or more syllables and you ill find that it is full of nonsense words!  I TRULY think this is a way to get kids to quit being afraid that they are going to say a word wrong.  I've seen a big increase in reading sense I started showing how to put all of these smaller chunks together!  Here is a freebie I made to do this week.  I thought I'd share it with you!  Just click on the pic to go to Google Docs

While I've got you here, I want to give a shout out to Tessa from Tales From Outside the Classroom.  She and I were talking about nouns, so I grabbed her noun pack for my class.  It is sensational!!!  I've put a pic of the cover here along with a link to her pack

Thanks, Tessa!

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Circus Fun, Wild Animals, and Yes, We Are Fishing For Ideas!!

I have to share this with you...Since all of you are teachers you can't wait for those moments when you actually see your students' brains at work and you can actually watch them learn and think.  Well, as a parent, it is even more special when you can see the thinking and analysis moving into synthesis.  Big words and actions for a summer day, I know.  But, today my kids and one of their friends worked all day on a circus for my husband and me!  We are often the audience for their 'shows'.  I was sort of on the edge today as I heard them laugh a lot, argue some, and yell 'wooo hooo' when they solved a problem in their 'circus'!  I can tell you that I was a bit apprehensive, too, when I started hearing the keyboard crank up and the Christmas Lights were brought to me to be untangled.  But, I tried to be quiet, not ask questions, and leave them alone to play.  Kids these days don't get to play near enough.  So, I let my kids play <and got my work done!!>.

I want to share the 'acts' that were performed, but I have to set the seen for you first!  Lights lined the hallway and a blinking glow-in-the-dark something-or-other flashed ENTER HERE and another one flashed EXIT HERE.  Good thing Santa brought 2 of those what-ya-ma-call-its huh??  Christmas trees hid the 'prep area' where costumes were changed and new props were grabbed.  The keyboard played everything from tangos to salsa and suspenseful music.

We were greeted at the door of my son's room with him mournfully telling us that the peanuts and popcorn had already been sold out but that he would still be glad to escort us to our seats.  My husband handed him our ticket and then the show started with the call of  'Ladies and Gentlemen....'  I sat on the edge of my seat, literally, because I noticed a tight rope going across the bed and a mat <trundle bed with mattress> protecting the hard wood floors.  Insert <cringing mom> here and <stern warning not to do that ever again>.

We were treated to tight rope walkers <they walked across the bed using their balance skills> and one almost fell!!  At another point a man was hidden in a box and was sawed in half with a foam sword!!  My daughter was the lovely beautiful female assistant for our neighbor who sawed my son in half and then poked the sword down a hole in the box.  My son let out a huge groan!  There were stunts, acrobatics, and a clown even showed up to tell jokes!  We were even treated to a musical interlude by my son on his play guitar.  I hooted and hollered and waved my flashlight to the beat of the music.  By the way, Bendaroos were used as glow sticks for us to wave.  They cost $5 but ours were free!!!

Folks, this is what childhood and summer is all about.  It made me remember that I am now officially getting old and had me thinking back to all of the forts we made in the woods and the tree house we made with boards that were balanced on limbs that had my own mom cringing.  Salads were made from the leaves of different bushes and trees and 'served' for lunch.  I can't wait to see what else they come up that will have me remembering my own summers as a child.

Now...to get down to business....I have my own show to run!!

Come check out my NATURE friendly resources.  EVERYBODY loves camping!! (Except me!!  I love to view nature, but not interact with it!!!) Anyhoo....The A+ Collaborating Teachers <we host a website, Pinterest Boards, and a 'pinning' room on Facebook> is hosting all of the summer fun.  All that is missing is homemade ice cream, snow cones, and fireworks!

Be on the lookout for lots of giveaways and even some patriotic activities!  

Come and check out our blog!!

Visit us on Pinterest!

Forgive me for the re-run, I couldn't figure out what else to say!!

Each day I will have a new activity that will be marked down to ZERO!!  Yes, you read correctly.  Zero.  Nada.  Nuttin', honey!  Today <until I change it tomorrow>, the scoot game below will be free!  It is so cute! Tonight's game was put up quickly.  Thanks to my ten year old for typing up the Answer Key!  If I can only get her to clean her room we are making some progress!!  We're still working on it!  So, click on the scoot game to download it FOR FREE!!  When you go pick it up, please follow my store so that you can find out when new products go up!

Have you ever played a scoot game????  This game was rated #1 in my class this year and it is absolutely hilarious from teacher's point of view because their is a certain pattern of movement around the classroom and there is ALWAYS a few kids that go the wrong way!!  You have to play it once just to watch it, but practice first!!  If you have any specific suggestions for scoot games, leave me a comment below and I'll try to get to them!  Chances are if you think they are useful, then others will, to.  The wonderful thing about scoot games is that they can be made for any grade level or topic.

I have plans for an ocean animals scoot game, a revised fairy tale game, and lots of others that will soon make it to a screen near you. hehe

Go on to read up on some other games that are available to you.  I promise that the part below will be changed tomorrow so there won't be anymore reruns!!!

Camp Sort-a-Vowel is a fun game chocked full of vowel sorting mats and cards.  LOTS of cards!!  I can't remember exactly, but this one download provides you with 50 or 60 games because you can keep putting different vowel pairs together!  This past year I had to remake this game because we played it so many different ways that our cards were worn out!!

 Camp Sort-a-Vowel is usually $3.85, but until June 20th, you can take another 20% off which makes it marked down to....well....uh....I don't know.  I can't find my abacus!  But you are welcome to go check and see what it is marked down to!  In fact, I marked my whole store down 20% so grab 'em what you can.  All of these camping games are going to be DA BOMB during the first nine weeks of school in the 2012-2013 school year during the 2nd grade unit on the Seasons.  Several of the texts recommended for that unit are about camping!

Need to brush up on capitalization?  Here is another fun game!  This is usually $3.35 but you can still take that 20% off!

Remember to come back tomorrow to see what the new freebie is!!!  Best of luck.  Now...go grab that freebie!!

When you get done, feel free to click on one the icons below and visit a different blog that is ready to entice you!

Jenn

P.S.  Any Tennessee Vols fans here??  My blood runs orange, so I wanted to share what I made for my teammate! My daughter wanted me to make sure that I told you that these aren't the only letters I made.  The logic of a ten year...you can't argue with it!  GO VOLS!! <singing Rocky Top here!!>