Fall Break, Flash Freebie Plus CVC and CVCE!

I have been using my Fall Break to be productive - at least on the computer! I probably should have spent this time cleaning and organizing, but what fun would that be? I have to stop though because otherwise I won't have time to cut out and laminate all the goodies I've been making!

First up is a Fall Themed CVCE Word Game. According to our Scott Foresman readers (which I'm required to use) that's what's up next for my firsties! About 2/3 of my class is ready for CVCE words, so I created a game bundle for each vowel and put them altogether in one pack. This way I can start with just the long /a/ words, then move on to long /o/ etc. Once we get the hang of CVCE words I can start to mix all of them together for a real challenge! Speaking of challenges, I have a group of 4 kiddos who are way advanced - for them I included CCVE words! This way they're still practicing their long vowels, but are getting a bit of a challenge with blends and digraphs too!

Remember I said only 2/3 of my kiddos are ready for CVCE words? For the other 1/3 of my kiddos I made a similar Fall Themed CVC Word Game pack! They get pulled for small group tutoring and I know they'll love to have a new game to play with their tutor! These kiddos came to 1st grade not knowing all of their letter sounds, so I am way proud of their progress!

These games can be played in 3 different ways, so I can get my ink's worth out of them! Sometimes we play as a Memory style game where they simply try to find pairs (reading each card as they turn it over). Other times it's a Snap! game style where they pick the card from the pile and keep it if they can read it. There are some fun specialty cards for this type of play - lose a turn, give a card away, take a card, take another turn etc. The kids LOVE playing this game!  Our favorite though, is Hide N Seek! I arrange all of the cards face up on a table or in a pocket chart. Everyone hides their eyes while I hide a little card behind one of the word cards. Then they take turns guessing where the card is hiding by reading the cards. For example they might say "I think it's behind "cat"!" and so they get to turn the "cat" card over and see if it's there. They have so much fun during this game they beg me to play it! Hop over and check them out in my TPT store if you need CVC or CVCE word reinforcement!

I also made a "Five Little Bats" poem pack! My husband and daughter helped me write the poem - so this is a Knopf Family original lol! It's based on the "Five Little Pumpkins" type rhymes but with bats of course! This one gave me absolute fits while making it. I wanted to scrap the whole idea at various points, but I persevered and actually think it's a fun little pack now. I am offering it as a Flash Freebie until midnight tonight! Click the picture to grab it now!

 You'll also want to head over to Rainbows Within Reach to enter Debbie's monthly giveaway for a free set of her incredible books/cds! I was lucky enough to win and I LOVE her music! On Wednesday, at the end of the day when everyone was wound up with Fall Break excitement and all of my clasbacks were falling on deaf ears, I simply put in her "I'm Wonderful" cd and immediately all the chatter stopped because everyone was singing/doing the motions and i was able to get my planners signed in peace! The giveaway ends today so hurry!

 Oh and a special thank you to Nikki from Melonheadz! I won a giveaway for a custom Melonheadz of me and she did a fabulous job! Look how cute I am as clipart!

In the picture frame is my World of Warcraft character "Slabofbeef" - yes I am an online game geek in my "free" time!

I also got to guest post for Greg over at Smedley's Smorgasboard of Kindergarten yesterday. Head over to check it out and say hi to him. He IS the newlywed after all!

Now, a while ago I came across a "Pay It Forward" post over on The Gypsy Teacher. The first 3 commenters were supposed to get a gift and then pay it forward. Except that she had that funky comment moderation thing on where she has to approve comments before they become visible. And....I never checked back to see if I was one of the first 3 commenters. Which I was. So she emailed to let me know my gift is coming and I realized I had never actually Paid it Forward. Oh the shame! So I let her know that I had not purposefully broken the chain (by the way, I tear up just thinking about that movie!) and that I would definitely Pay it Forward today.

Only, I am switching it up. The Post Office and I are not friends. I never manage to get there before closing, even on Saturdays. Things that need to get mailed tend to sit in my car for a week or two before actually getting into the postman's hands. So, I am switching it so that the first 3 commenters who promise to pay it forward will get their choice of something I can creat for them! This way I can email it to you as son as its done and not have to worry about making a trip to the P.O.! Now, of course you may choose to do the same OR mail a package - your choice if you're one of the first 3!  So here goes:

Pay it Forward

The first three people that comment on this post will get a gift from my TPT store.  All you have to do is follow the rules below.

1. Within a month, I will create something unique to share with the first 3 people that comment on this specific post - just tell me a skill, subject or type of file that you would like to receive (ir "I need a game for blends." or "My kiddos need more practice with number sense.")
2. ...but, in order for your present to arrive, you must play along. Spread the love on YOUR own blog promising to send a little something special to the first three that comment on your post.
3. You get 72 hours (that's 3 days) to re-post this SAME post, or I'll have to move on to the next person.
4. PLEASE, only comment if you are willing to pay it forward.

So, if you are interested, comment away! Please include the following in your comment:

Name
Blog address
E-mail address  A skill or subject you'd like me to create a custom unit  for!

It occurs to me that this post needs closure: "Today we learned about new CVC and CVCE word game packs, a Flash Freebie for "Five Little Bats", a great giveaway from Rainbows Within Reach, what Jennifer looks like as clipart AND a Pay it Forward opportunity! Have a great day!"