Comprehension Centers Throwback & a New Year's Freebie

   It was around this time last year that I decided to revamp my word work centers in my second grade classroom. I worked with the "intensive" kiddos of our grade level each day, many of whom were ELL, to improve phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. I needed a system that was independent enough for my kiddos to complete, but included rigor and engagement. That is when my Interactive Comprehension Centers were born. You can read all about the set-up, materials, and purpose here.

   

The Ultimate Comprehension Centers Pack

  To accompany comprehension in the classroom I wanted my kiddos to continue the learning at home with a take home reading folder. I used a yellow shipping folder, placed on a cover, and laminated for durability. Inside each reading folder I included a reading log, before, during, and after comprehension questions, a reader finger or pointer (for my emergent readers), a book from our guided reading group and a leveled book (A to Z Reading), and a comprehension activity. This system was simple for even my kinder kiddos to learn and manage.

   To get your New Year off to the right start you can make Take Home Reading Folders for all your kiddos using my starter pack FREEBIE. Also included are sample interactive comprehension sheets from my Ultimate Comprehension Centers Pack. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

My Take Home Reading Folder

New Year, BIG Changes

  Has it really been 4 months since my last blog post? YIKES!!! So much has changed the last couple of months and it really is true what they say..."time flies when your having fun!" In my last blogging session I was giving you a tour of my new kindergarten classroom. Well in October I was offered a Literacy Interventionist position in a neighboring school district. This was a brand new position to the district working at a year round school with students who come back on their "off-track". For five days these students received specific reading and writing interventions. As hard as it was to leave my kinder kiddos this was an amazing opportunity for me and my family.

   I have not regretted one minute accepting this position! The weeks fly by so quickly as I only have 5 days to work with my intervention kiddos. I love how each week I get the opportunity to work with new kiddos kindergarten to fifth grade. The biggest change to get accustomed to is that I do not have my own classroom. I utilize the classrooms of the teachers that are "off-track". I do have my trusty mobile classroom cart that I get to move with me every three weeks.

   These last couple of weeks I have utilized some of the great products on TPT to support my intervention time. I am loving everything The Moffatt Girls and A Year of Many Firsts. Both these ladies have AMAZING products that my kiddos have loved and kept engaged.

   I have also added a few new products to my TPT store that my kiddos will use when we return next week. I really have noticed that all of my intervention kiddos need vocabulary practice and nonfiction exposure. I used two of my favorite winter stories to create a product that my kiddos can utilize all week through retell, compare & contrast, character traits,  vocabulary matching, close reading, and comprehension activities.

Warming Up to Winter!

   My kiddos have also been enjoying my Q-it Up! QR Code Stories during center time. Below are some of the newest stories available in my store or save and buy the growing bundle!

Q-it Up! A Growing Bundle

Q-it Up for Winter!

Q-it Up for Family!

   Here are a couple more products and activities we will be using the first couple of weeks in January

Winter Centers

Arctic Animals: A Nonfiction Literacy and Math Unit

     Happy New Year friends!