Project-Reading Prompts

This semester I have the opportunity to tutor an elementary aged student in literacy. I have so enjoyed it so far, and am getting very excited to actually put what I'm learning into practice. A child said to me this week that reading at school is so hard, but reading at home is so easy. I thought how true that statement was. When we "have" to do something it is always so much more difficult than if we choose to do something. Even when it is the same thing! And let's face it, being stuck in any place all day can drain you, especially when it is a classroom. So I wanted to find a way to work on reading skills and fluency; preferably without boring him or causing him to lose interest in reading! (What a horrible, horrible thought!)

I was looking on TeachersPayTeachers and finding lots of ideas for different prompts, or games, or activities to do to help with reading. I fell across some guided reading prompts that were absolutely perfect from Shelley Gray. 

First I printed them. This is "2 per page" so they are smaller.

After I cut them all out, I "laminated" them just using some packing tape that I already had.

I wanted some type of container to keep them all together in. I remembered a box I already had that might be perfect.

This was actually a candy box! I got a candy gift from SugarWish, which is kind of a neat site if you want to check it out. Here are my cinnamon hearts!

I put my little cards right on in there and they fit great! (How cute is the inside of that box?!)

Then on the lid, I covered the logo with a label of mine from my Erin Condren Life Planner! (that is a whole other story, and you can find that here.)

Pretty sweet, right? I like to have the student pull a card from a shuffled pile and do whatever it says. It adds variety and I don't have to think so hard to think of questions to ask every single time. Sometimes it asks the student to find a noun in the book, or to find out who the illustrator is, or to make a text-to-world connection. Some of these I will do in the middle of reading, and other times I will have the student write the answer in a journal at the end of our time. I love using it so far, and today my student stayed after the time I said we were done, because he had not found an adjective on his page yet! Ahh, it makes my heart soar when that happens :)

Life Planner

Every semester I cannot wait to get all my syllabi together and fill in my calendar. Is that just me? I love to organize and plan, and I can't live without my calendar. So when I saw Erin Condren's life planner it was love at first sight!

I have to give credit to Lessons with Laughter for introducing me to this wonderful gem. Erin Condren has great teacher lesson planners as well, and I had to stop myself from buying one, since I won't be teaching until next year. It was tempting anyway. But the life planner is amazing! Instead of telling you, I'll just show you. You can see for yourself here on Erin Condren's site under the planners&books tab.

This was very hard for me to slow down and take pictures as I opened it! I just wanted to rip right into it and see it.

Isn't it so pretty?!

This little goodie was free with my purchase. It included a sample of her new body butter and the little pouch. I now use the pouch for my markers and post it notes!

There she is!! Look how pretty my name is, it has never looked better. The name and date were free, but you can also add a photo for a charge. There are also different styles for the cover, this one was just my favorite.

There are so many inspirational quotes throughout the book.

Now for me, this is my favorite part. This I use multiple times a day! Along the left side I write my goals for week. (I think every week so far my goal has been to go to the gym and I haven't yet! Oops!) I already filled in all my homework for the semester. Each week I plan my meals out along the bottom section. As I plan my meals, I also write a grocery list along the left too. It's perfect!

There are lots of blank pages in the back, both lined and not. I have not used these yet, but I am planning on keeping track of each class's grades on the pages.

In the back are a TON of stickers! There's an entire sheet of birthday stickers. This sheet pictured includes "game!", "day off!", "hair appt.", "dentist appt.", "sale!", "doc appt.", "concert!", "mani/pedi", "party!", and "vacation!". They just make it look so cute and colorful when you use them.

Also in the back, (in the resealable pocket!) are gift tags and stickers. Some already have my name on them and others are left blank.

On the last page are the calendars for the next 2 years for planning events ahead.

So that's my baby!! I would be lying if I said I hadn't hugged it...it's just so pretty! 

Here's my week and how I've used it so far. I always like to have a post it note with a verse that has stuck out to me on it. And now I have a little note for blog ideas too! :)