Vowel Circle Maps

Today feels like a Saturday to me. We don't have school tomorrow. That's the perk of living in a small rural communtiy. Our county fair started today so all the students in the county get the day off from school tomorrow. Usually the teachers get to go to some wonderful powerful inservice or work on a project. But since our budgets are in check, there is no money to pay us to come to any inservices. So I get the day off. I'm not bragging, I'm just stating a fact. And of course I'll be taking advantage of this extra day and will work on school stuff for most of the day.

Be sure to come back tomorrow night or Tuesday for a great giveaway that I think you'll all want to be checking out.

My district has bought into Thinking Maps and we are supposed to use them as often as we can. I know how to use them and I know  how good they are. But sometimes I'm at a loss as to WHAT to do with them to make them meaningful and helpful.

Then I noticed one of my colleagues had used it for short vowels with her first grade and the light bulb went off. So thank you very much Heather Vettes for inspiring me to get back on the band wagon!

I decided to grab some "Short and Long vowel A" cards that Christina Bainbridge made. You can get her free Short and Long A and Short and Long U cards by clicking on the highlighted words.  I had each child make their own Circle Maps by tracing paper plates and little cups.

They put the words "Short A Words" in the center. Then I put one of her cards on the elmo and asked them to listen to the sound of the 'a' in the word and decide if it had the long sound or the short sound. If it had the short sound they wrote it on their own paper.

I really liked doing this because they "should" have learned these in first grade,

but just in case they didn't remember them, this was a great review for them.

Then we paired up and practiced reading all the short A words with a partner.

Don't cha love how they can fit two little booties in one chair!

Oh I wish I could remember when I could share a chair like that!

This week I plan on doing the same thing with the Short and Long I, the Short and Long O,

 and the Short and Long E.

Since these ideas all come from Christina Bainbridge, I would love it if you would not only leave me a comment, but leave one for her too. After all SHE is the one who put all the hard work into making these. And I love them because they are made with DJ Inker clipart!

Dont' forget to come back in the next couple days!

Patty