The Polar Express Book Companion

This past weekend I was 86ing old documents from my computer and I stumbled into a book companion I've flirted with for a few years but never seem to wrap in time for the holidays!  I decided to hop right on updating clipart and adding new (more relevant to my current teaching style) activities.

This 41 pager is PACKED full of reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, crafts, and math activities!

In the Reading Comprehension section you will find large picture cards for a whole group retelling and a sequencing cut and paste to provide students with individual practice.  There is also a beginning, middle, and end graphic organizer for students to use to retell the story through pictures and summarizing.

Finally, there are 3 variations of the story map.  Each map asks for characters and setting but they differ in requesting problem & solution, plot & conclusion, or main idea & supporting details!

The Vocabulary section provides words that are used in the story and extension words such as "caribou" to extend your students vocabulary on beyond "reindeer".

There are puzzles and mini-vocabulary books for students to practice using the language of the Polar Express!

There are 2 very simple crafts available in this book companion.  The first craft is a gift that you can print on contrasting paper and allow students to decorate.  Add the narrative writing prompt to the front for a fun little holiday display!  The second craft is a ticket that students can cut out and use to "board" the Polar Express!  Each year I put the tickets on a string and have my students wear it while we read the book and watch the movie.  This makes for an awesome and extremely adorable keepsake!

To round out the pack and provide cross-curricular themed activities I added some math activities!  In it you will find common core addition, subtraction, and data based games for your students to participate in.

The addition and subtraction activities include a battleship game, part-part-whole game, ten frame game, and story problem game with work mat.  There are also printable numeral cards and printable manipulatives for students to use to build models for each problem!

The data activities include 3 questions where students will collect, represent, and interpret information on a graph, and tally chart.  There are also sets of questions for students to answer about their data sets!

Last but certainly not least, there is a FREEBIE in the product PREVIEW on TPT!  Just click PREVIEW and scroll to the end to snag this sequencing activity for FREE!

Back to School 2014-2015

I can't tell you how excited I was to start this school year!  I'm working at a new school in a new county with my oldest teacher friend!

I spent my summer with family and friends.  I got to meet a lot of my new coworkers at beach and pool days so I felt really comfortable getting started in a new place.

This year I've decided not to share pictures of my students faces because my new county is smaller and more protective of the students privacy.  I did get releases from their parents (as always) to share students working through pictures and video however their sweet faces are only for us!

We did a staggered enrollment so half the students came the first day and the other half started the second day.  It was nice to ease back into kindergarten with 6-8 students each day.  Everyone came on the third day and no one cried...hallelujah!

During the first few days we took pictures...

...participated in Kissing Hand activities...

...and got a little silly with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!

The following week we hosted Open House for the parents to come learn a little more about kindergarten expectations and routines.  We had a few technical difficulties but overall it went well.

Because Open House came out of no where, I kept it simple.  We did a grade level PowerPoint in the Media Center and then headed back to our classroom to share teacher-specific information.

I hopped on the Flipbook bandwagon and created my own version.  I set up some sign up sheets and posted a cute wish list...that I totally forgot to point out.  I told a few jokes, talked to parents (I love getting to know them) and wrapped it up.  Sometimes it's nice to keep it simple!