Whenever I introduce a new book, we make this chart...I have no no idea what it is called, I guess you could say it's part of a Go Chart. After we read the book we come back to the chart and check off the best predictions. Then we hi-lite the "popcorn words"- the words we need to know by the end of kindergarten. I love this part too, the kids sit there silently raising their hands waiting to be called up by a friend. They are so proud of themselves for finding one of our words. After I love to do some sort of craft and writing activity.
Got this idea to make the cute little mummies and the writing from Cara at the First Grade Parade....I love them, they are adorable and the kids LOVED making them too.
These were my October and September bulletin boards. My sister Katie made the squirrel for me 18 years ago, when I first started teaching and she has held up, thank goodness, I have one more that I lent to my grade partner, both are so cute ~love them. 
I wrote about these portraits last year, I'm doing them again, it's one of my favorite keepsakes that the kids will take home at the end of the year. Each month they create their portraits and write their names....by the end of the year my hope is for everyone to write first and last name beautifully, keeping my fingers crossed on that. But I love how you can see the progression and how much they have grown month by month.This is all I have for now. Five more days till it's back to reality.....hope you enjoy the last few days of 2011.
